Maybe you’ve already got yourself a credit card, perhaps a store card or one that earns cash back. You might have even heard of travel cards, like the ones that promise airport lounge access or earn points for hotel stays — and now your interest is piqued.

For someone simply looking to dip their toes into the world of travel cards, the number of options can seem overwhelming. Let’s take a look at what travel credit cards are, how they work and which travel credit cards are best for beginners.

What is a travel credit card?

There are many different types of credit cards, including cash back credit cards, cards that offer no rewards, store credit cards (like a Target-brand card) and, of course, travel credit cards.

The subset of travel credit cards can be further drilled down into three typical types:

Hotel credit cards.

Airline credit cards.

Flexible currency credit cards (also known as general travel rewards cards).

Hotel credit cards will typically allow you to earn points towards a specific hotel chain, such as Hilton or Marriott. Airline cards, likewise, will allow you to earn miles for specific airlines, like United and Delta.

Flexible point currency cards, however, are offered by specific card issuers. American Express and Chase are two common examples for this. They earn points that you can then choose to transfer and redeem via partnerships with other businesses and loyalty programs, including several hotels and airlines. This makes them much more flexible to use than other point currencies — hence the name flexible point currencies. Terms apply.

Many travel credit cards come with a welcome offer that will award you a lump sum of points after spending a certain amount on the card after a specific amount of time. After this, you continue to earn points by using your credit card on purchases, just like other types of credit cards.

There are different tiers of credit cards. While some travel credit cards come without an annual fee, several cards do charge to have the card in your wallet. These fees generally range from $95 annually to upwards of $550. Oftentimes, understanding the value of the included perks and some quick math can help you judge whether a specific card is worth its annual fee.

How are travel credit cards different from other credit cards?

Different credit cards offer different types of benefits. Some credit cards may help card holders build credit, while others reward you with, say, cash back for spending money on certain “categories” of purchase, like dining.

You can find cash back cards that are great for travel, but many travel credit cards reward spenders differently. Rewards come in the form of points or miles that you can then redeem towards travel. Note that many travel credit cards offer other perks, too, like the ability to access airport lounges, hotel elite status and even an annual credit towards travel purchases.

How do travel credit cards work?

Generally speaking, you’ll want to use your travel credit card when making purchases in order to earn points or miles. Several cards will offer extra bonus points when spending your money in specific categories or at specific brands.

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, for example, will award you 12 points per $1 that you spend at Hilton. You’ll also receive 6 points per $1 spent at U.S.-based restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations. If you spend a lot of money in these categories, it can be easy to build up enough points for an award stay with Hilton, which start at 5,000 points per night.

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card also gives you Gold elite status with Hilton and up to 10 visits per year to an airport lounge with Priority Pass (enrollment required). These included benefits can be valuable, especially since they entitle you to perks like complimentary food and drink in the lounge when traveling. However, the card does come with a $150 annual fee. Terms apply.

What should I look for in a first travel credit card?

If it meets your needs

Why do you want a travel credit card? Are you looking to have a nearly free hotel stay? Do you want to earn points for an award flight to Europe? Are you looking for perks like elite status and airport lounge access?