You are eager to pack your bags and hit for the airport. New adventures lie ahead. As always, it’s good to ask the tarot for direction. But what cards should you look out for?
The ultimate tarot cards for travel are the Chariot and the Three of Wands. Other great tarot cards indicating travel are Six of Swords, the World, and the Eight of Wands. The suit of Wands inhabits the energy of passion and exploration – the essence of travel.
What is the ultimate green light for travel when it comes to tarot cards? I asked the tarot community what they thought. In this in-depth article, you learn everything you need to know.
THE CHARIOT – THE ULTIMATE TAROT CARD FOR TRAVEL
The Chariot is the ultimate tarot card for travel. As the Chariot is a Major Arcana card, it trumps the Minor Arcana cards. Even the popular tarot cards for travel are the Three of Wands (read below).
Major Arcana strands for important happenings or events that will impact the life journey deeper. The Chariot is all about movement, shifts, speed, and travel.
The image of the card tells the story loud and clear. You are at the helm, and you let destiny take its course. You are not about to sit still and wait for things to unfold. The two sphinxes are tamed. They will follow your every move, taking you to your destination.
The Chariot also represents willpower and flow. You are ready to move, and you are determined to reach new insights and goals in life. The action-filled card is also about charging forward—all the signs for a journey. Not a travel in the ordinary and “boring” way; no, you are about to embark on a life-changing trip. May it be to the town close-by or around the world. It will impact you for life.
The journey will mark your life path in some way. You are ready to change things, move scenery or start over. The energy of the Chariot is here to guide you.
WHY THE CHARIOT IS THE BEST CARD FOR TRAVEL
Why is the Chariot the ultimate tarot card for travel? I bet you heard most about the Three and Eight of Wands when traveling. The thing is that the Three and Eight of Wands are part of the Minor Arcana. The Chariot trumps them even if they initially seem “more on point” because its impact is more significant.
It is important to remember that tarot cards are hard to read isolated, one by one. It is the context of the card that decodes it. At times, you get different answers from different readers (and reference books!). Trust your intuition and trust your ability to decipher the messages in your spread. When you open your heart to receive, you will.
I thought this was important to keep in mind before exploring the rest of the tarot cards.
30% THINKS THE THREE OF WANDS IS THE ULTIMATE TAROT CARD FOR TRAVEL
The Three of Wands is a popular tarot card for travel. I asked a tarot community on Facebook what tarot card they thought was the best indicator of travel. 182 tarot readers answered my poll.
The Three of Wands got 30% of the votes and the Chariot with 27 %. The two cards are a tie.
You have to look at the image on the card to know it is all about transition and new horizons. It can be a short trip or moving abroad. Either way, you will make a considerable change in your life.
The man is standing on the shore, looking at the land in the distance. In between him and his new destiny flows a river. He needs to embark on a boat to reach the further shore. He stands firm and fast; he will get there.
I think the Three of Wands is one of the most potent cards indicating travel. Even if it is a Minor Arcana, the decision to pack your bags might lead to a Major Arcana effect. You eat an elephant in small chunks. The same goes for the Three of Wands. To begin is the key to getting there.
The first step is, for example, researching travel options. It might seem like a small task to do. But you can’t travel if you haven’t done all the groundwork first. I hope you get my point here. The Three of Wands is a super-charged Minor Arcana card.
Below is a screenshot of the poll in the Facebook group. I also added a table below for easy reference.
| Answer | Number | % |
|---|---|---|
| 3 of Wands | 54 | 30% |
| The Chariot | 49 | 27% |
| 6 of Swords | 24 | 13% |
| The World | 14 | 8% |
| 8 of Wands | 13 | 7% |
| The Fool | 10 | 5% |
| Knight of Wands | 6 | 3% |
| 8 of Cups | 4 | 2% |
| The Wheel of Fortune | 4 | 2% |
| Death | 2 | 1% |
| The Sun | 1 | 1% |
| 2 of Wands | 1 | 1% |
OTHER TAROT CARDS THAT INDICATE TRAVEL
Other tarot cards represent travel as well. The Six of Swords, for example, indicate a transition from one place to another. The energy of the card is resistance and change. Another card is The World and the Eight of Wands.
The World is more about a definite ending of an era, taking on a new world. May it be through travel or a shift in mindset. The World is a card of discovery and exploration.
The Eight of Wands is a prediction of high energy and focus. It is often regarded as a card for air travel. Let’s take a closer look at the cards.
SIX OF SWORDS – TRANSITION AND CHANGE
The Six of Swords is all about determination and resilience. You are turning your head and mindset forward to something new. You carry your past with you, but you are ready to let go and start over. The journey to get here has been long, but you are finally there.
The card’s image shows a man pushing a boat forward with his wife and child. The water is calm on one side and turbulent on the other. The swords might symbolize old baggage, sorrows, and pain. In the distance, you see a new horizon. The water is calm on that side of the boat.
The card indicates that you have made up your mind. You will find a new place to settle down, a new home, a new reality, and a place to call home.
The journey might be what you wished for, but you have grown with it and know it is correct. After the exhausting trip, you are happy to see the horizon.
As you notice, the Six of Swords might not be a card for recreational travel. It is something you need to do even if it feels hard. But you know you need to do this for you and your family in your heart.
THE WORLD – DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION
Another Major Arcana about transition and movement is the World. The World is about ending an era and moving on to the next one. The World is the last card in the Major Arcana series. She is transformed into the Fool when she steps through the wreath, and the circle starts over.
The image shows a woman about to step through a wreath. Surrounding the wreath is a lion, a bull, an eagle, and a cherub. She is looking backward as saying goodbye to the past. She is stepping through the symbol of victory. The journey she embarked on is complete, and a new one is about to start.
In my opinion, the World is applicable to travel but is more a relocation card – and the ending of an era. But there are different opinions on this. As it always is when it comes to tarot.
Many decipher this card as the “adventurer’s” card. The World is to be discovered, and the World lies at your feet. You will jump into this new World as the Fool. You want to find out what the world holds for you. You want to experience all the corners of the World and leave nothing unseen.
As you notice, this card is all about travel on a larger scale. You are about to become a globetrotter.
EIGHT OF WANDS – AIR TRAVEL AND VELOCITY
The 8 of Wands is the card of rapid change and movement. The high energy level of this card indicates air travel or high-speed trains. Maybe you are about to fly overseas? The 8 of Wands suggests you start packing your luggage right away!
The image shows eight wands aligning perfectly. The wands seem to have a focus, a goal. In the background, you see the sky. The landscape is calm and in peace. The river floats gently, and there is not a single wave.
You have your goal set. The calmness you get inside when everything is sorted is the most excellent feeling. But things need to happen fast before you lose your focus and get distracted.
If you are on the fence about buying a trip, now is the time to act. The card shows you that you need firm and fast action. Everything will be ok. Everything is calm, everything is fine.
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
What is the most powerful tarot card?
THE BEST SUIT FOR TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE
The Suit of Wands is the suit of passion and adventure. Many of the tarot cards for travel are included in Wands. The Wands is the perfect indicator of travel, experience, and exploration.
Look at the Knight of Wands in the picture above! He is about to embark on an adventurous journey! The Ace of Wands is curious about what the future holds and what the world offers. The Nine of Wands is a bit bashed up by the experiences of the world. The world is not always a kind place. But he holds on to his passion.
The Wands is an excellent sign that you are about to experience something new and exciting. May it be a trip around the block or the world.
The Wands are associated with fire. It’s easy to see how this goes hand in hand with the experience of travel and exploration.
THE PERFECT TAROT SPREAD FOR TRAVEL
I wanted to share my favorite tarot spread for travel. The spread is geared towards an upcoming trip and focuses on what you will experience and what you might want to prevent from happening.
The spread is a three-card spread, and I often use a Rider-Waite type of a deck but feel free to use whatever deck you prefer.
Start by creating a sacred space. Open your heart to receive any messages you need to hear. Be sure not to push away messages that don’t align with your wishes. You are here to learn, whatever that lesson might be.
Shuffle your deck and close your eyes for a second or two. Take some deep breaths and ground yourself.
Cut the deck and place three cards in front of you.
THE TRAVEL TAROT SPREAD
- What will I experience from my trip?
- What do I need to look out for during my trip?
- What can I do to make my trip as pleasant as possible?
If you want to, you can always pull a spirit guide card. This card will represent the message from your spirit guide. As I gain many insights from my spirit guides, I tend to do this regularly, but you do you!
THE GO OR NOT GO SPREAD
If you are uncertain if you should go on a trip, this tarot spread will give you insights. Do the same ritual as above.
- What will I experience if I go?
- What will I experience if I don’t go?
- Spirit Guide Advice on how to choose.
IN SUMMARY
The ultimate tarot card for travel is the Chariot. Runner up is the Three of Wands. The Chariot beats the Three of Wands as a Major Arcana card. The Three of Wands is a Minor Arcana card.
The Major Arcana stands for life-changing events, while the Minor Arcana stand for smaller everyday happenings. But with that said, small things grow too big ones as well. So it is not as clear-cut as it might seem at first.
Other great tarot cards for travel are Six of Swords, the World, and the Eight of Wands.
The suit of Wands is the perfect suit for travel. It stands for passion, adventure, and exploration. When you get lots of wands in your spread, you know a trip might be coming up.
Sandra Törnroth
Intuitive multi-modal tarot reader with a love for crystals and everything esoteric
THE DEFINITIONS IN THIS ARTICLE ARE BASED ON THE RIDER WAITE DECK AND SYSTEM.
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