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Some credit card issuers offer the same rewards and benefits with every purchase, while others offer bonus rewards for travel or statement credit rewards that can be applied to travel-related expenses.
That said, it’s important to note that what types of purchases actually count as travel varies slightly from company to company. For example, nearly all card issuers count airfare and hotels booked directly with an airline or hotel as travel purchases. But when it comes to less obvious travel-related purchases like leasing a boat, parking, campgrounds, and timeshares, things aren’t quite so simple.
If you want to receive travel-related rewards on your card, you need to know how your card issuer classifies purchases so you can plan accordingly. Here we explain how different card issuers define travel and the steps you can take to ensure you receive the rewards and perks you’re entitled to when using your card for travel purchases.
What is a travel purchase?
Our table provides general information about specific cards from each issuer, but it is not a comprehensive list. Please carefully read the terms and conditions of your specific credit card to determine which purchases will and will not register as travel.
| Bank of America | Capital One | Tracking | City | Discover | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airlines | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| amusement park | ✅ | ||||
| Art Gallery | ✅ | ||||
| Aquariums and Zoos | ✅ | ||||
| Boat Rental | ✅ | ||||
| bus | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Campsite | ✅ | ✅ | |||
| Car rental companies | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Carnival and Circus | ✅ | ||||
| Cruise Lines | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| ferry | ✅ | ✅ | |||
| Gas station | ✅ | ||||
| Hotel | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Limousine | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Motel | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Camper and RV Rentals | ✅ | ||||
| Passenger train operators | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Parking and garage | ✅ | ✅ | |||
| restaurant | ✅ | ||||
| taxi | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Timeshare | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Tolls and bridge fees | ✅ | ✅ | |||
| Travel and Real Estate/Travel Agencies | ✅ | ✅ | |||
| Attractions and exhibits | ✅ | ||||
| Trailer Park | ✅ | ||||
| Travel agencies (including OTAs) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Truck and trailer rental | ✅ |
Issuer-specific travel requirements
Bank of America
Bank of America is very transparent when it comes to purchases coded as travel on each card.
For example, with your Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card, purchases from airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, trailer parks, motorhome and recreational vehicle rentals, campgrounds, car rental companies, truck and trailer rentals, cruise lines, travel agents, tour operators and real estate agents, passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, boat rentals, parking and garage operators, tolls and bridge tolls, museums, amusement parks, carnivals, circuses, aquariums, zoos and other tourist attractions and exhibits count as travel and can earn you bonus rewards.
Capital One
Capital One doesn’t have a credit card that offers bonus rewards on travel purchases booked anywhere, but it does have a card that offers bonus miles on eligible travel purchases booked through Capital One Travel.
However, card issuers still define what counts as travel as “airlines, hotels, trains, car rental companies, limousine services, bus lines, cruise lines, taxis, travel agencies and timeshares.”
Tracking
Chase not only offers several cards that offer rewards for common travel spending, but one of them, the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, gives you a $300 annual credit. Knowing which purchases qualify for these rewards can help you make sure you’re taking advantage of their value.
Luckily, Chase is also transparent about what’s included in each category of bonus rewards. Notably, Chase defines the following purchases as travel for this purpose: “Airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental companies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds, passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges or highways, and parking lots or garages.”
City
Citi lists a variety of travel purchases that count as travel for rewards purposes: For example, the Citi Custom Cash® card counts “purchases with airlines, hotels, cruise lines and travel agents” as travel.
Discover
Finally, Discover makes it clear on its rewards credit card selection which purchases count as travel: For example, the Discover it® Miles card covers purchases such as “airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, travel agencies, online travel sites, commuter transportation, restaurants and gas stations.”
Check your travel costs using MCC
Networks determine what types of purchases to code as travel (or other categories) through Merchant Category Codes (MCCs). MCCs are assigned by payment processors based on their representative products and services. Some payment processors may allow merchants to request a specific MCC or secondary MCCs.
That said, the MCCs that can be coded as trips are not always intuitive. Some MCCs that tend to confuse consumers include:
- Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts – Not Elsewhere Classified (MCC 7011) Some card networks only list hotels as travel-related purchases, but motels tend to count as travel in most cases as well.
- Real Estate Agent (MCC 6513) — You might be surprised to see this MCC in play, but this category often includes popular vacation rental booking sites like Vacasa and VRBO.com.
- Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MCC 4722) — Travel agents once operated from brick-and-mortar stores or people’s homes, but today this category also includes online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia.com and Priceline.
Conclusion
Knowing what types of purchases count as travel on your rewards credit card can help you earn the most rewards for your travel spending, and making eligible purchases will trigger statement credit offers tied to your account.
Unfortunately, sometimes you will come across a travel-related purchase that doesn’t code as travel based on the merchant’s MCC. It’s unfortunate that you won’t be able to earn rewards, but you can’t change the situation after the fact. All you can do is take this as a lesson learned and decide your future rewards-based spending accordingly.
