Key takeaways

  • The Discover it® Miles is a no-annual-fee travel card that offers 1.5X miles on every purchase.
  • The card comes with an introductory APR offer on both purchases and balance transfers, making it a good option for those looking to pay off existing debt or cover a large purchase without forfeiting rewards.
  • You can also enjoy a first-year welcome bonus through which Discover matches all of the miles you earn at the end of your first year.

While Discover’s only travel credit card — the Discover it® Miles — comes without many of the perks you’ll find with premium travel credit cards, it does let you earn flexible rewards without having to pay an annual fee. Considering other travel credit cards charge annual fees of as much as $695, the lack of an annual fee is a major plus and helps earn Discover it Miles a spot among the best travel credit cards.

That said, there are other reasons to love the Discover it Miles, including a stellar first-year match opportunity. We found out all about the reasons to love this card when we interviewed someone who carries it. Learn why one woman chose the Discover it Miles card over similar options and the reasons she has grown to love it.

5 reasons to love the Discover it Miles

The main benefits of this card are pretty obvious, but why choose it over other rewards credit cards? We talked to Melissa Bennett, an elementary school teacher, to find out.

1. No bonus categories to keep track of

One of the main cardholder benefits Bennett loves is the lack of bonus categories on this Discover it Miles. Past credit cards she’s owned have had confusing bonus categories that left her wondering if she was using the right card for the right purchase. Now, she uses the Discover it Miles to earn a flat 1.5X miles on everything she buys without worrying.

Additionally, she no longer wonders if she is close to exceeding rewards caps since the Discover it Miles doesn’t have any. Not only does the Discover it Miles offer the same flat rewards rate on every purchase you make, but the miles you earn are unlimited.

2. Rewards with Discover Match®

When Bennett’s one-year card member anniversary with the Discover it Miles was coming up, she was very much looking forward to seeing her rewards essentially doubled through the Discover Match® program. That’s Discover’s welcome bonus offer through which new cardholders see all the rewards earned during their first year matched at the end of that year.

At the time, Bennett had around 40,000 miles in her account, which are worth 1.0 cents each, for a total value of $400. Thanks to the Discover Match® program, she had approximately $800 worth of miles to redeem.

3. Easy redemptions for travel

Bennett likes the redemption flexibility of this card — especially that you can redeem Discover miles to cover travel purchases charged to your card in the past 180 days at a rate of 1.0 cents per mile.

Also, miles earned in the Discover rewards program can be used to cover a user’s credit card bill, including the minimum payment. And cardholders can redeem Discover miles for cash back (in the form of a direct deposit) or purchases made through PayPal or Amazon.com.

Ultimately, having all of these options means Bennett and other Discover it Miles cardholders can’t get “stuck” with miles they’re unable to use.

4. No annual fee

The Discover it Miles doesn’t charge an annual fee, which makes it an easy option to keep for the long haul. As a result, Bennett says she will probably keep this card even if she upgrades to a different travel card later on. This makes sense considering that the average length of a person’s credit history helps determine their FICO score. Keeping older cards and accounts open can help on that front.

“I’ll keep this card open no matter what to improve my credit score,” Bennett says.

5. Intro APR offers

The Discover it Miles also comes with an introductory 0 percent APR for 15 months on both purchases and balance transfers, after which the variable APR becomes 17.24 percent to 28.24 percent. Bennett wasn’t aware of an intro APR offer on her card when she signed up, but she says she would’ve taken advantage of an intro offer on purchases if she had had the chance.

The bottom line

The Discover it Miles may not have the travel benefits you’ll get with more premium cards, but you won’t have to pay an annual fee (or foreign transaction fees), either.

But the list of what to love about the Discover it Miles stretches beyond its lack of fees to include rewards flexibility, the intro APR offers on purchases and balance transfers and an impressive welcome offer opportunity. If you’re looking for a travel credit card that rewards you without being overly complicated, the Discover it Miles could be what you’re looking for.