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Credit cards aren’t just more valuable than debit cards, with the ability to rack up cash back and travel rewards. They’re also, in most cases, a lot safer.
That’s because unlike most debit cards, credit cards let you dispute any charge on your account, either due to fraud or some sort of oversight. The best ones also come with valuable purchase protections, which is great when something goes wrong with a big buy.
Some places are worse than others for debit cards, too. Here are three places you should never use a debit card in 2026.
1. At gas stations
I’ve yet to find a gas station that isn’t at least a little bit sketchy. So it’s probably no surprise that using a debit card at the pump isn’t totally safe.
Gas stations are a frequent target for “skimmers” — devices that steal card information from payment terminals. Lots of pumps have outdated tech that makes things even easier for the bad guys.
If the wrong person gets a hold of your debit card and PIN, they could drain your bank account pretty quickly. With a credit card, on the other hand, the charges will appear on your monthly statement, where they can then be disputed.
Plus, if you want to cut down on your next trip to the pump, credit cards can help with that too. See our list of the best credit cards for gas to see how you can save today.
2. At hotels
When you check into a hotel, you’ll often get a big “authorization hold” put on your card. That’s to cover potential charges like room service or damages.
If you use a debit card, that’s real money in your bank account getting tied up, maybe for several days. That can be a lot less cash to have on hand, just for checking into a Marriott.
With a credit card, on the other hand, the hold simply reduces your available credit limit. Then, when you check out — assuming you didn’t trash your room rockstar-style — the hold gets reversed.
3. When you’re booking travel
This one’s less about safety and more about value. Using a debit card to book flights and hotels is a huge missed opportunity — simply because that’s one of the easiest ways to earn credit card rewards.
With a top travel card, you can earn 5X points or more on travel — essentially a 5% return. If you redeem your rewards through a card’s transfer partners, you can get even more value. I recently went to Vegas for a friend’s wedding, and spent about $1,000 all-in on flights and hotels.
On a trip like that, a 5% return means you can save $50 on a single trip — just for paying with a credit card.
And that’s just a card’s earning rates. Once you add in annual statement credits and other great travel perks, the winner becomes even more clear. Credit cards are one of the best travel hacks out there — and pretty much any card is better than a debit card.
Want to save big for your next flight or hotel stay? See our list of the best travel cards available today.
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