Visa vs. Mastercard Explained: Travel Benefits, Perks, and Best Cards

If you’ve ever wondered whether Visa or Mastercard is the better pick for you, here’s the thing… for everyday spending, it usually doesn’t matter.

Both networks process payments similarly, both work in nearly every country, and neither one actually sets your credit card rewards. But when it comes to perks, protections, and how they fit into travel, the Visa vs. Mastercard situation does have some things worth noting.

Visa vs. Mastercard: What’s the Difference? 

Just to clear something up, Visa and Mastercard are not banks. They’re payment networks, which means their main job is moving money from your card issuer (like Chase, American Express, Capital One, or Citi) to the merchant when you swipe.

• Issuers (Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, etc.): Decide your welcome offer, earning rates, and benefits.

• Networks (Visa and Mastercard): Give acceptance, global rules, and baseline protections.

So while your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a Visa, and your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card might be a Mastercard, what you earn comes from the issuer, not the network.

Major Differences for Travel

Things get interesting from a points-and-miles perspective, where the networks themselves layer on the perks.

Visa Travel Benefits

Depending on the specific card you hold, higher-tier Visa cards (Visa Signature and Visa Infinite) can come with:

• Primary rental car coverage

• Trip delay/cancellation protection

• Lost luggage reimbursement

• Access to luxury hotel collections with perks like upgrades or breakfast

Example: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a Visa Infinite, which is why it carries so many built-in travel protections.

Mastercard Travel Benefits 

Mastercard World and World Elite cards also have strong perks, like:

• Cell phone protection (not offered by Visa by default)

• ID theft protection

• Some trip interruption/delay coverage

• Priceless Experiences (exclusive events and offers)

Example: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (and Capital One Venture X Business) are Mastercards, so you’ll see perks like cell phone protection on top of issuer-specific benefits.

Global Acceptance

Both Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere, with some rare exceptions. In Europe and Asia, they’re pretty close, but Visa sometimes edges out Mastercard in merchant acceptance in smaller (or developing) markets — based on our team’s personal experience.

For frequent international travelers, carrying one of each is your safest bet and will give you some peace of mind in case a shop or ATM only accepts one network.

Best Credit Cards for Travelers

If you’re building your travel rewards, here are some standouts on each network:

Best Visa Cards

Personal:

• Sapphire Reserve — Visa Infinite travel protections and 8x points on all Chase Travel^SM purchases

• Sapphire Preferred — Visa Signature benefits and 5x points on Chase Travel purchases

Business:

• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card — Visa Signature Business with 3x points on the first $150,000 spent on shipping purchases, advertising purchases, internet cable, and phone services, and travel (then 1x point per $1 after that)

• The New United Club℠ Business Card — Visa Signature with several travel-related credits and strong United benefits

Best Mastercard Cards

Personal:

• Citi Strata Premier® Card —Transfers to over a dozen airlines, including Turkish Airlines for amazing Star Alliance redemptions

• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card — 26x points earned at IHG properties and anniversary free nights each year (at eligible properties)

Business:

• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® — Earns American Airlines (AA) miles directly, free checked bag on AA domestic itineraries, and preferred boarding

Bottom Line

For most people, Visa vs. Mastercard isn’t a make-or-break choice since it’s the card issuer that decides your welcome offer, rewards rates, and main benefits.

But the networks actually do play a small role in your travel. Visa Infinites often come with stronger travel protections, while Mastercards frequently include perks like cell phone insurance and global experiences.

The best idea? Try to include both in your wallet. That way, you’ll maximize perks, have more coverage, and never worry about acceptance when you’re traveling.