With several loyalty programs devaluing points over the past couple years and annual fees on premium cards creeping up, it's a fair question: is the travel credit card still worth it?
How to Actually Calculate It
List out every credit you actually use — not every credit the card offers on paper. A card advertising $600 in annual credits is only worth that if you genuinely use the specific dining, travel, or entertainment credits it includes. Add the value of any lounge access, free checked bags, or elite status you use regularly, then compare that real total against the annual fee.
Signs Your Card Is Still Worth It
- You consistently use at least 70-80% of the card's stated credits and perks.
- The points you earn get redeemed within a year or two, not hoarded indefinitely while their value quietly erodes.
- You travel enough that lounge access or free checked bags save real money multiple times a year.
Signs It's Time to Downgrade or Cancel
- You're only using a fraction of the credits and mentally writing off the rest as "still worth it."
- Your travel patterns changed and the specific perks no longer match how you travel.
- You're keeping the card open purely out of loyalty rather than real usage.
Our Take
Do this math honestly once a year. A card that was a clear win when you got it can quietly become a bad deal as fees rise and your travel habits change — and there's no shame in downgrading to a no-fee version instead.
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