Bank of America Travel Rewards vs Apple Card
Side-by-side comparison across fees, rewards, welcome bonuses, and eligibility.
Apple Card wins 3-1. Apple ecosystem users — daily cashback, instant in Wallet. Bank of America Travel Rewards is still the right call if no-fee travel — 1.5x flat with no fx markup, plus preferred rewards bumps.
Side-by-side
| Criterion | Bank of America Travel Rewards | Apple Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | = No annual fee | = No annual fee |
| Joining fee | = None | = None |
| Top reward rate | · 1.5% (general) | 3% (shopping) |
| Base reward rate | 1.5% | · 1% |
| Forex markup | = No FX fee | = No FX fee |
| Welcome bonus | = 25,000 online bonus points after $1,000 in first 90 days (~$250 travel) | = No welcome bonus — daily cashback model |
| Fee waiver threshold | = N/A (no fee) | = N/A (no fee) |
| Min income | = — | = — |
| Min credit score | · 700 | 660 |
| Editorial rating | · 4.3/5 | 4.4/5 |
Benefits compared
Bank of America Travel Rewards
- 1.5x points on every purchase
- Up to 75% bonus for Preferred Rewards clients (1.5x → 2.625x)
- Points redeem against any travel purchase, no blackout dates
- No foreign transaction fees
- No annual fee
Apple Card
- 3% Daily Cash on Apple purchases + select merchants (Uber, Walgreens, T-Mobile)
- 2% Daily Cash on all Apple Pay transactions
- 1% Daily Cash on physical-card purchases
- No annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, no late fees
- High-yield savings account at 4.4% APY
- Privacy-first: no purchase data sold
FAQ
›Bank of America Travel Rewards vs Apple Card: which is better?
Apple Card wins on more dimensions (3 vs 1). But the right answer depends on your specific spending pattern — see the calculator below.
›Can I get both?
Yes — if your credit profile supports it, holding both is the optimal play. Use Bank of America Travel Rewards for its best categories, Apple Card for its best categories. Just watch the combined annual fees against your spend.
›Which one has the better welcome bonus?
Bank of America Travel Rewards: 25,000 online bonus points after $1,000 in first 90 days (~$250 travel). Apple Card: No welcome bonus — daily cashback model.