Travel Debit Cards Are Coming To An Airline or Hotel Giant Near You

Travel credit cards are all the rage with aspiring travelers — maybe in part because of big sign-up bonuses, so-so benefits, and the dangling promise of status. We’ve written before about why it generally makes sense to avoid these, but there’s a new curveball entering the travel card discussion — debit cards.

• Hotel chain Wyndham and airlines Southwest and United have recently rolled out debit card products that offer points back in exchange for spend or savings.
• Travel-oriented debit cards are a new phenomenon, but might make sense for somebody disinterested in credit applications or checks, but still interested in points.

The Joe take: Personally, the value of many travel credit cards is scoring that big first-year sign-up bonus — something you’re just not going to find with these cheaper (or free) debit card options. Further, the bonuses on the cards for spending lots of money just don’t make sense, especially if you have to carry a minimum balance to avoid a monthly fee. Still, for somebody willing to jump through hoops to score 10K United Miles, 2.5K Southwest points, or 2.5K Wyndham Rewards points, it may be worth a look.