Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
Both cards cost $0/yr. The Bank of America® Travel Rewards leads on travel; the Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards for Students on everyday spending.
Card data as of September 27, 2026.
Bank of America
Bank of America
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
| Category | Bank of America® Travel Rewards | Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards for Students |
|---|---|---|
| Everything Else | 1.5X | 1X |
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards wins in 2 of 2 categories. The Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards for Students leads in 0.
Travel
Bank of America® Travel Rewards earns 3X vs 1X
3X via issuer travel portal
Everyday purchases
Bank of America® Travel Rewards earns 1.5X on all other spending vs 1X
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Both scenarios favor the Bank of America® Travel Rewards on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Bank of America® Travel Rewards | Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards for Students | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $180 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $180 Year one: $430 | Rewards: $120 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $120 |
Both scenarios favor the Bank of America® Travel Rewards on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Network
Key Benefits
| Bank of America® Travel Rewards |
| Bank of America® Travel Rewards |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $720 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $720 Year one: $970 | Rewards: $480 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $480 Year one: $730 | Bank of America® Travel Rewards | Bank of America® Travel Rewards |
Get the Bank of America® Travel Rewards if you:
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
