iMoved Studio/Getty Images
Key takeaways
-
Visa Infinite credit cards offer the most exclusive benefits of any Visa card.
- Most Visa Infinite cards are top travel credit cards with high annual fees.
- If you travel frequently and want to take advantage of travel insurance, airport lounge access and similar perks, a Visa Infinite card might be a good option.
A credit card with Visa Infinite features the issuer’s most exclusive benefits and its most rewarding tier — which is why a card with Visa Infinite benefits typically comes with a high annual fee. Is the cost worth it? That depends on what you are looking to get out of your card, how you use it and how often you use it. For example, if you travel a lot, the best Visa Infinite cards offer a suite of travel protections that could save you time and money if your flight gets canceled and your luggage gets lost.
Use our Visa Infinite review to decide if Visa Infinite benefits are right for you — or whether a Visa Traditional or Visa Signature card might be a better fit.
What is Visa Infinite?
Each Visa credit card falls into one of three categories: Visa Traditional, Visa Signature and Visa Infinite. Of the three categories, Visa Infinite offers the most valuable benefits. Because of this, you need excellent credit to be eligible for a Visa Infinite card, which generally comes with hefty annual fees. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with an annual fee of $550.
To justify the higher annual fees that come with Visa Infinite cards, you’ll want to take advantage of their money-saving features, including access to travel insurance that covers cancellations, delays, accidents and lost bags.
Unlike credit card rewards programs, like Chase Ultimate Rewards, you don’t need to collect points to earn or take advantage of Visa Infinite benefits. These benefits are included with every Visa Infinite card, although individual benefits may vary by card.
Visa Infinite vs. Visa Signature
While Visa Traditional credit cards offer basic benefits like zero liability for unauthorized transactions and the ability to access Visa’s Roadside Dispatch®, both the Visa Signature and Visa Infinite tiers offer significant additional perks. In fact, the Visa Infinite travel benefits are extremely valuable and may justify your decision to apply for a Visa Infinite luxury travel card.
While not an exhaustive list, this chart rundowns the benefits offered by each tier.
Visa Infinite credit cards also come with additional travel benefits that vary by card, such as annual travel credits, airport lounge access and more — so in addition to maximizing your Visa Infinite rewards, you’ll also want to maximize the rewards that come with your particular credit card.
| Travel benefit | Visa Traditional | Visa Signature | Visa Infinite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardholder inquiry service | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lost or stolen card reporting | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Emergency card replacement and emergency cash disbursement | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Zero liability for unauthorized transactions | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Roadside Dispatch® | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lounge access (Priority Pass™) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Airline incidentals statement credit | No | Yes | Yes |
| Travel and emergency assistance services | No | Yes | Yes |
| Dovly Uplift™ (credit builder) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Global Entry statement credit | No | No | Yes |
| Trip cancellation/ interruption/delay reimbursement | No | No | Yes |
| Lost luggage reimbursement | No | No | Yes |
| Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection | No | Yes | Yes |
| Auto rental collision damage waiver | No | No | Yes |
| Visa Infinite concierge services | No | No | Yes |
| Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection | No | No | Yes |
Visa Infinite travel benefits
Visa Infinite cards offer several travel benefits that can make your trip smoother. Check out some of the Visa Infinite perks that could help you plan your next trip.
Visa Infinite hotel benefits
Credit cards that offer Visa Infinite benefits
Two of the best credit cards offering Visa Infinite benefits include the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Each of these cards offers premium benefits for frequent travelers with excellent credit who are willing to pay high annual fees in exchange for perks.
| Card name | Rewards | Welcome offer | Redemption bonus | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® |
|
|
Get 50% more value when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠ | $550 |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card |
|
|
N/A | $395 |
The Visa Infinite program adds and updates its credit cards on a regular basis, so watch for additional Visa Infinite credit cards in the future. Expect them to be similar to the current Visa Infinite cards: exclusive to people with excellent credit and designed for jet-setters with a large travel budget.
What else do you need to know about Visa Infinite?
Although we’ve made a comprehensive list of the Visa Infinite features, it’s up to the card issuer to extend these benefits to cardholders. Ensure you read the fine print to understand the circumstances under which you can take advantage of a benefit and when it may not apply.
It’s also worth noting that frequent travelers don’t always need a Visa Infinite card to get the most out of their trips. If you’re looking for a credit card that helps you save money on in-air purchases, offers TSA PreCheck statement credits or helps you qualify for hotel upgrades, a Visa Signature card may be adequate, and you can avoid the high annual fees associated with Visa Infinite cards.
Take a look at our list of top travel credit cards and find a card that comes with the perks you want, whether you’re looking for priority boarding, free checked bags, trip cancellation insurance or all of the above. You might not get access to the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection, but you can still use travel rewards to make your next trip a little more enjoyable or less expensive.
The bottom line
If you travel on a regular basis, you might be able to get more out of your trip by applying for a credit card with Visa Infinite benefits. That said, the best Visa Infinite credit cards tend to come with high annual fees — so make sure you’ll be able to use your Visa Infinite perks before you apply for a Visa Infinite card.
Read the full article here