Best Rewards Credit Cards of June 2023

Our experts answer readers’ credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here’s how we assess credit cards). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.

Many of the best credit cards are rewards cards that earn you valuable points, miles, or cash back on your purchases. If you qualify and you’re able to pay your statement balance in full each month to avoid incurring interest, opening a rewards credit card is a great way to maximize your spending and work toward an award flight or hotel stay, or put some cash back in your pocket.

Here are Insider’s picks for the best rewards credit cards currently available, based on welcome bonus offers, rewards earned on everyday spending, benefits, and overall value.

Compare Rewards Credit Cards

Best travel rewards card overall

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

4.4/5

$95

Annual Fee

Intro offer

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Rewards

Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.

Apply now

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

4.4/5

$95

Annual Fee

Intro offer

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Rewards

View Full Details

Apply now

On Chase’s website

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Rewards

Annual Fee

$95

Intro offer

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

21.24% – 28.24% Variable

Editor’s Rating

4.4/5

Best travel rewards card for beginners

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

4.55/5

$95

Annual Fee

Intro offer

75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

Rewards

Earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase.

Apply now

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

4.55/5

$95

Annual Fee

Intro offer

75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

Rewards

Earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase.

View Full Details

Apply now

On Capital One’s website

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Rewards

Earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase.

Annual Fee

$95

Intro offer

75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

20.74% – 28.74% Variable

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

N/A

Editor’s Rating

4.55/5

Best travel rewards card with luxury benefits

The Platinum Card® from American Express

4.4/5

$695

Annual Fee

Intro offer

80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership

Rewards

Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year. Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. 1 point per dollar on other purchases.

Apply now

The Platinum Card® from American Express

4.4/5

$695

Annual Fee

Intro offer

80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership

Rewards

View Full Details

Apply now

On American Express’s website

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Rewards

Annual Fee

$695

Intro offer

80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

See Pay Over Time APR

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

N/A

Editor’s Rating

4.4/5

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Walmart+ members enjoy shopping perks – both online and in-store – at Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive a statement credit that covers the full cost each month. $12.95 plus applicable taxes. Plus Up Benefits not eligible.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Card.
$200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Benefit renews annually.
$300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back per calendar year on an Equinox+ subscription, or any Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Learn more.
$189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR® Plus at 45+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per year on your membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®.
$100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required.
$300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction, and an Equinox+ subscription is required.
Add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile on the Resy app or website and unlock Global Dining Access by Resy to exclusive tables and events.
$695 annual fee.
Terms Apply.

Best premium travel rewards card

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

4.85/5

$395

Annual Fee

Intro offer

75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Rewards

Earn unlimited 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2 miles on all other purchases.

Apply now

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

4.85/5

$395

Annual Fee

Intro offer

75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Rewards

View Full Details

Apply now

On Capital One’s website

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Rewards

Annual Fee

$395

Intro offer

75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Recommended Credit

Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

21.74% – 28.74% Variable

Editor’s Rating

4.85/5

Best card for flat-rate cash rewards earning

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

4.3/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months from account opening

Rewards

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Apply now

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

4.3/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months from account opening

Rewards

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

View Full Details

Apply now

On Wells Fargo’s website

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Rewards

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months from account opening

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.99%, 24.99%, or 29.99% Variable

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

0% intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 15 months from account opening

Editor’s Rating

4.3/5

Best card for automatically customizing rewards

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card

4/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 cash back, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening

Rewards

Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Apply now

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card

4/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 cash back, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening

Rewards

Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

View Full Details

Apply now

On Citibank’s website

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card

Rewards

Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 cash back, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

18.99% – 28.99% Variable

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

0% intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months

Editor’s Rating

4/5

Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.

Flexibility to customize rewards by earning 5% cash back on up to $500 per billing cycle in your top spending category (from a list)

Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.

Generous welcome offer for a no-annual-fee card

Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.

No rotating bonus categories to sign up for or track

Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.

Earn valuable Citi ThankYou points which you can redeem for cash back, travel, gift cards, merchandise, and more

Only earns 1% back outside of $500 in top spending category each billing cycle

Foreign transaction fee of 3%

Best cash-back card for everyday spending

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

4.35/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

1.5% cash back in addition to regular earning on everything you buy up to $20,000 spent in the first year (worth up to $300 cash back)

Rewards

Earn 5% cash back on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Apply now

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

4.35/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

1.5% cash back in addition to regular earning on everything you buy up to $20,000 spent in the first year (worth up to $300 cash back)

Rewards

View Full Details

Apply now

On Chase’s website

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Rewards

Annual Fee

Intro offer

1.5% cash back in addition to regular earning on everything you buy up to $20,000 spent in the first year (worth up to $300 cash back)

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.74% – 28.49% Variable

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months

Editor’s Rating

4.35/5

Best cash-back card for balance transfers

Citi® Double Cash Card

3.65/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then 18.99% – 28.99% variable APR

Rewards

Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.

Apply now

Citi® Double Cash Card

3.65/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then 18.99% – 28.99% variable APR

Rewards

Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.

View Full Details

Apply now

Apply online at Citibank’s website.

Citi® Double Cash Card

Rewards

Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.

Annual Fee

Intro offer

0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then 18.99% – 28.99% variable APR

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

18.99% – 28.99% Variable

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months

Editor’s Rating

3.65/5

Best cash-back card for families

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

3.5/5

$0 intro for the first year, then $95

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months from account opening

Rewards

Earn 6% cash back on purchases at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%). Earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. Earn 3% cash back on transit (including taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and more). Earn 3% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Apply now

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

3.5/5

$0 intro for the first year, then $95

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months from account opening

Rewards

View Full Details

Apply now

On American Express’s website

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Rewards

Annual Fee

$0 intro for the first year, then $95

Intro offer

$250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months from account opening

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

18.99% – 29.99% Variable

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers from the date of account opening

Editor’s Rating

3.5/5

Best card for rotating cash-back categories

Discover it® Cash Back

3.8/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

Unlimited Cashback Match – Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year

Rewards

Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases automatically.

Apply now

Discover it® Cash Back

3.8/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

Unlimited Cashback Match – Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year

Rewards

View Full Details

Apply now

On Discover’s website

Discover it® Cash Back

Rewards

Annual Fee

Intro offer

Unlimited Cashback Match – Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

16.99% – 27.99% Variable

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers

Editor’s Rating

3.8/5

Best card for rotating categories and flexible redemptions

Chase Chase Freedom Flex℠

Chase Freedom Flex℠

4.4/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Rewards

5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Read review

Chase Chase Freedom Flex℠

Chase Freedom Flex℠

4.4/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Rewards

View Full Details

Read review

Read our complete card review

Chase Freedom Flex℠

Rewards

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.74% – 28.49% Variable

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months

Editor’s Rating

4.4/5

Best card for choosing your own cash-back categories

U.S. Bank U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

4/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening

Rewards

Earn 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose. Earn 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center. Earn 2% cash back on one everyday category, like Gas Stations/EV Charging Stations, Grocery Stores or Restaurants. Earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

Learn More

U.S. Bank U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

4/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening

Rewards

View Full Details

Learn More

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

Rewards

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.49% – 29.49% Variable

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles

Editor’s Rating

4/5

Best premium rewards card if you spend a lot on travel and dining

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

4.4/5

$550

Annual Fee

Intro offer

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Rewards

Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Apply now

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

4.4/5

$550

Annual Fee

Intro offer

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Rewards

View Full Details

Apply now

On Chase’s website

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Rewards

Annual Fee

$550

Intro offer

60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

21.74% – 28.74% Variable

Editor’s Rating

4.4/5

Best card for earning travel rewards in multiple categories

Citi Premier® Card

4.1/5

$95

Annual Fee

Intro offer

60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening, plus earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per dollar on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2024

Rewards

Earn 3x ThankYou® points on restaurant, supermarket, gas station, air travel, and hotel purchases. Earn 1x ThankYou® points on all other purchases.

Apply now

Citi Premier® Card

4.1/5

$95

Annual Fee

Intro offer

Rewards

Earn 3x ThankYou® points on restaurant, supermarket, gas station, air travel, and hotel purchases. Earn 1x ThankYou® points on all other purchases.

View Full Details

Apply now

Apply online at Citibank’s website.

Citi Premier® Card

Rewards

Earn 3x ThankYou® points on restaurant, supermarket, gas station, air travel, and hotel purchases. Earn 1x ThankYou® points on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

$95

Intro offer

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

20.99% – 28.99% Variable

Editor’s Rating

4.1/5

Best card for earning travel rewards on dining and groceries

American Express® Gold Card

4.3/5

$250

Annual Fee

Intro offer

60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $4,000 on purchases on the Card in the first six months of card membership

Rewards

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® points on all other purchases.

Apply now

American Express® Gold Card

4.3/5

$250

Annual Fee

Intro offer

60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $4,000 on purchases on the Card in the first six months of card membership

Rewards

View Full Details

Apply now

On American Express’s website

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards

Annual Fee

$250

Intro offer

60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $4,000 on purchases on the Card in the first six months of card membership

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

See Pay Over Time APR

Editor’s Rating

4.3/5

Best cash-back card for dining, groceries, and entertainment with no annual fee

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

4.15/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 cash bonus after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening

Rewards

Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024. Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®). Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Apply now

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

4.15/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 cash bonus after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening

Rewards

View Full Details

Apply now

On Capital One’s website

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Rewards

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$200 cash bonus after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.74% – 29.74% Variable

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months)

Editor’s Rating

4.15/5

Best no-annual-fee card with up to 3x in great categories

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

4.3/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first three months from account opening

Rewards

1x – 3x points

Apply now

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

4.3/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first three months from account opening

Rewards

1x – 3x points

View Full Details

Apply now

On Wells Fargo’s website

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Rewards

1x – 3x points

Annual Fee

Intro offer

20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first three months from account opening

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.99%, 24.99%, or 29.99% Variable

Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening

Editor’s Rating

4.3/5

Best card for small-business owners

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

4.5/5

$95

Annual Fee

Intro offer

100,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Rewards

Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.

Apply now

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

4.5/5

$95

Annual Fee

Intro offer

100,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Rewards

Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.

View Full Details

Apply now

On Chase’s website

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Rewards

Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

$95

Intro offer

100,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

Recommended Credit

Good to Excellent

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

20.74% – 25.74% Variable

Editor’s Rating

4.5/5

Best cash-back card for college students

Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

4.05/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within 3 months of account opening

Rewards

Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Apply now

Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

4.05/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within 3 months of account opening

Rewards

Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

View Full Details

Apply now

On Capital One’s website

Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Rewards

Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

Intro offer

$50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within 3 months of account opening

Recommended Credit

Average, Fair, Limited

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.74% – 29.74% Variable

Editor’s Rating

4.05/5

Best secured rewards card for building credit

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

3.6/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year

Rewards

Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases

Apply now

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

3.6/5

Annual Fee

Intro offer

Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year

Rewards

Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases

View Full Details

Apply now

On Discover’s website

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Rewards

Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases

Annual Fee

Intro offer

Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year

Recommended Credit

New/Rebuilding

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

27.99% Variable

Editor’s Rating

3.6/5

Our Expert Panel for the Best Rewards Credit Cards

We consulted top credit card, finance, and travel experts to inform these picks and provide their advice on finding the best rewards card for your needs. You’ll find the full text of our interviews with them at the bottom of this post.

Business Insider

We interviewed a certified financial planner along with top experts on credit cards and travel rewards about what makes a good rewards card and how to choose the best options for you.

Here’s what they had to say when we interviewed them about finding the best card for you. (Some text may be lightly edited for clarity. Special thanks to Tanza Loudenback for interviewing the experts.)

Generally, what features make a rewards credit card good?

Sara Rathner, travel and credit cards expert at NerdWallet:

I look for three things when I consider a rewards card:

Does it earn more points or miles where I spend the most?
Can those points or miles be applied to rewards I’d actually want? (Like airlines I typically fly, hotels I want to stay at, etc.)
Is it easy to redeem points, or will I get lost in a maze of draconian rules, restrictions, and blackout dates?

I also weigh the annual fee, but a welcome bonus offer and other perks tend to offset the fee for me.

Luis Rosa, certified financial planner:

Generally, cards that offer a variety of reward options are best because they offer the cardholder flexibility. Whether it’s points, miles, or discounted offers with a particular airline or hotel brand, the more options available the better in order to help the cardholder take full advantage of the rewards offered.

Summer Hull, travel director at The Points Guy:

Solid earning structure, built-in benefits that are useful and not duplicated on many other cards, annual fee that is easy to justify relative to the perks, and some unique offerings that would be hard to get elsewhere.

Sarah Silbert, senior reviews editor at Personal Finance Insider:

A good rewards credit card earns points that are flexible, meaning you have lots of options for using them, as you do with Amex and Chase points. It also has bonus categories that give you the opportunity to earn rewards quickly, as well as (hopefully) a generous welcome offer for new cardholders.

Beyond that, a good rewards card should offer you benefits that make it worth the annual fee (if there is one), such as statement credits that cover travel purchases and travel coverages like trip delay insurance.

How can someone identify whether a rewards credit card is good for them?

Sara Rathner, NerdWallet:

Look for a card that rewards you where you spend the most, with terms you can live with. A card that’s trendy won’t necessarily be the right card for you. It’s a highly personal decision, and it’s worth it to not overlook a less flashy card that may suit your needs really well.

Luis Rosa, CFP:

To best identify if a rewards credit card is good for you, consider your lifestyle and spending habits. For example, do you have a preferred hotel brand or airline? Do you often travel abroad? Knowing the answer to these types of questions will help you narrow down your choices in order to best help you identify if a rewards credit card is good for you.

Summer Hull, The Points Guy:

It’s really 99% math. If you can place value on the rewards you earn and the perks included, it gets easy to see if a particular card is a good match for your spending habits and rewards desires.

Sarah Silbert, Personal Finance Insider:

Look at the card’s bonus categories and see if they align with where you spend your money. Also, remember to check if a card has a foreign transaction fee before you take it abroad — many cash-back cards do charge this fee, so don’t assume.

What should someone consider when selecting a rewards credit card?

Sara Rathner, NerdWallet:

Travel rewards cards are popular, but they’re a better bet for consumers who travel often, especially if they travel internationally. If you stay close to home, a cash-back card may actually be more rewarding.

Also, consumers who currently have credit card debt should make paying that debt down their number-one priority, before looking for a rewards card. The interest you’d pay on your debt would wipe out the value of any rewards you’d earn. Consider a balance transfer credit card, which gives you a year or more to pay down your debt at 0% interest.

Luis Rosa, CFP:

Consider annual fees and foreign transaction fees. Some annual fees can be in the hundreds of dollars, so you want to make sure that the rewards you’ll accumulate will offset the cost of having the card. Another thing to consider is whether or not you carry a balance. If you do carry a balance, you should also consider the interest that you’ll be paying on that balance in order to ensure that it’s not eating away at your rewards.

Summer Hull, The Points Guy:

Is the welcome bonus offer juicy? Let’s be real, big bonuses are better than small ones, so pounce when the bonus is big. But then look beyond that at the earning rate, the annual perks, and benefits such as statement credits and elite status.

Sarah Silbert, Personal Finance Insider:

Make sure you’re doing your homework so you don’t miss out on a higher welcome bonus offer (do some searching online to see if higher offers are available). Many cards offer limited-time welcome offers that can score you thousands of extra bonus rewards compared to the standard offers.

Always make sure that you’ll be able to use the rewards card responsibly, by paying off your statement each month and avoiding spending beyond your means.

Best Rewards Credit Cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best travel rewards card overall
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best travel rewards card for beginners
The Platinum Card® from American Express
: Best travel rewards card with luxury benefits
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best premium travel rewards card
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best card for flat-rate cash rewards earning
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card: Best card for automatically customizing rewards
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Best cash-back card for everyday spending
Citi® Double Cash Card: Best cash-back card for balance transfers
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best cash-back card for families
Discover it® Cash Back: Best card for rotating cash-back categories
Chase Freedom Flex℠
: Best card for rotating categories and flexible redemptions
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
: Best card for choosing your own cash-back categories
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best premium rewards card if you spend a lot on travel and dining
Citi Premier® Card: Best card for earning travel rewards in multiple categories
American Express® Gold Card
: Best card for earning travel rewards on dining and groceries
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best cash-back card for dining, groceries, and entertainment with no annual fee
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card: Best no annual fee card with up to 3x in great categories
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Best card for small-business owners
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best cash-back card for college students
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best secured rewards card for building credit

Methodology: How We Chose the Best Rewards Credit Cards

You’ll notice that this page doesn’t include every rewards credit card currently available to new applicants. That’s on purpose — we evaluated the options on the market, utilizing the expertise of our Personal Finance Insider staff and the input of credit card, points and miles, and financial experts to narrow down the list to the very best options.

We define “very best options” as those that offer concrete value through benefits like annual statement credits and airport lounge access and through rewards such as bonus points on your everyday spending.

This list doesn’t include our top picks for airline and hotel cards. And see our guide to the best travel rewards credit cards if you’re specifically interested in earning travel rewards rather than cash back.

Read Insider’s guide to how we rate and review credit cards for more information on our methodology.

Compare the best rewards cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Citi® Double Cash Card
Discover it® Cash Back
Chase Freedom Flex℠
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Citi Premier® Card
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

21.24% – 28.24% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

20.74% – 28.74% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

21.74% – 28.74% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.99%, 24.99%, or 29.99% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

18.99% – 28.99% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.74% – 28.49% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

18.99% – 28.99% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

16.99% – 27.99% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.74% – 28.49% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.49% – 29.49% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

21.74% – 28.74% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

20.99% – 28.99% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.74% – 29.74% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.99%, 24.99%, or 29.99% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

20.74% – 25.74% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

19.74% – 29.74% Variable

Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

27.99% Variable

Apply now

On Chase’s website

Apply now

On Capital One’s website

Apply now

On Capital One’s website

Apply now

On Wells Fargo’s website

Rates & Fees

Apply now

On Citibank’s website

Rates & Fees

Apply now

On Chase’s website

Apply now

Apply online at Citibank’s website.

Rates & Fees

Apply now

On Discover’s website

Rates & Fees

Read review

Read our complete card review

Learn More

On U.S. Bank’s website

Apply now

On Chase’s website

Apply now

Apply online at Citibank’s website.

Rates & Fees

Apply now

On Capital One’s website

Apply now

On Wells Fargo’s website

Rates & Fees

Apply now

On Chase’s website

Apply now

On Capital One’s website

Apply now

On Discover’s website

Rates & Fees

Best Rewards Credit Cards Frequently Asked Questions

Best Travel Rewards Card Overall

Now that the Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee, it’s harder to recommend it as the best travel rewards card overall. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, on the other hand, has a broader appeal with a number of similar features, all for a lower $95 annual fee.

The Sapphire Preferred earns 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards® (2x points on all other travel purchases) and 3x points on dining instead of the Reserve’s 5x total points on air travel and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (after earning the $300 travel credit) and 3x points on other travel and dining.

Points are worth 1.25 cents apiece on travel booked through Chase and you can transfer them to airline and hotel partner loyalty programs. There’s no annual travel credit, but there’s still car rental primary coverage, as well as trip delay coverage and purchase protection. Plus, each year on your account anniversary, you’ll receive a points bonus equal to 10% of all purchases made in the previous year.

If you don’t think you’ll be able to use the Sapphire Reserve‘s benefits — like airport lounge access — the Sapphire Preferred could be a better choice. If you eventually decide that the Sapphire Reserve is worth it, you can ask to upgrade your card.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Review

Best Travel Rewards Card for Beginners

If you’re new to credit card travel rewards, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is an excellent starting point. It offers a generous welcome bonus of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening (worth $1,275 based on Insider’s valuation of Capital One miles) and charges a reasonable $95 annual fee.

What makes this card so appealing is its straightforward earning structure and its flexibility in redeeming rewards. Cardholders earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel Portal and 2x miles on all other purchases.

On the redemption side, you can keep it simple by using your Capital One miles to offset travel purchases made with your card at a rate of 1 cent per mile — no fussing with award charts or availability. Alternatively, you can transfer your miles to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners to book award travel and potentially get even more value.

You’ll also get an impressive range of perks, including up to $100 in credit toward the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee, car rental insurance, travel accident insurance, extended warranty, purchase protection, lost luggage insurance, and more.

Capital One Venture Card Review

Best Travel Rewards Card With Luxury Benefits

The Platinum Card® from American Express has a high $695 annual fee, but also a long list of benefits. The Platinum Card is also one of the best options for paying for flights because you’ll earn 5x Membership Rewards points on airfare purchased directly with airlines and with American Express Travel (starting January 1, 2021, earn 5x points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year).

Like Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can use Amex Membership Rewards points to purchase travel, gift cards, or products directly from the issuer, or transfer points to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs. The best value comes from that latter use. If you redeem points by using them to book flights through Amex, you’ll get a value of 1 cent per point.

The Platinum Card® from American Express includes access to the same airport lounges as the Sapphire Reserve, plus Delta Sky Clubs when you fly Delta, and the proprietary American Express Centurion Lounges. Platinum Card members also get exclusive access to major events and experiences, including once-in-a-lifetime “By Invitation Only” events.

Of course, $695 is a lot to pay out each year. Up to $200 in annual airline fee credits** and up to $200 in annual Uber Cash credits (including Uber Eats)** certainly help, but the airline credit can be difficult to use if you aren’t checking bags or buying drinks on flights.

American Express Platinum Card Review

Best Premium Travel Rewards Card

Capital One’s travel rewards program has become very competitive, with expanded card benefits, new transfer partners, and occasional transfer bonuses. The transfer value has improved as well, with most partners offering a 1:1 transfer ratio, and Capital One miles are easy to earn and redeem.

Along with earning 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 2x miles on all other purchases, the Venture X Rewards Credit Card comes with top-notch benefits.

Cardholders receive up to $300 per year in statement credits toward travel booked through Capital One, Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One airport lounge access (even for authorized users), a 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary (worth $100 in travel), and Visa Infinite travel and purchase benefits.

You can redeem miles at a fixed rate toward a statement credit to cover travel purchases with Capital One. For example, if you buy a $500 plane ticket, you can apply 50,000 miles to cancel that charge. Or, for potentially even more value, you can transfer miles to over a dozen Capital One airline and hotel partners.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Review

Best Card for Flat-Rate Cash Rewards Earning

Earning cash back from a rewards credit card is a smart move if you prefer the ultimate in flexible rewards because, after all, you can use cash for anything. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a great choice if you want a card that earns a high rate of cash rewards without having to worry about keeping track of bonus categories.

Cardholders earn 2% cash rewards on purchases, and there’s a solid welcome bonus offer too. On top of that, the card offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 15 months from account opening (then a 19.99%, 24.99%, or 29.99% Variable APR).

For a no-annual-fee card, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card comes with decent benefits, including cell phone protection, roadside dispatch, travel emergency assistance, and access to the Visa Signature Concierge. Keep in mind this card does add foreign transaction fees to international purchases, so choose a different card to use when you travel abroad.

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card Review

Best Card for Automatically Customizing Rewards

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is a relative newcomer to the rewards credit card scene, and it’s worth considering if your spending habits tend to fluctuate. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on up to $500 in purchases in the eligible category they spend the most in each billing cycle (then 1%), and 1% on all other purchases.

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is marketed as a cash-back credit card, but it earns rewards in the form of Citi ThankYou points. These points are worth 1 cent each when you redeem them for cash back, travel booked through Citi, gift cards, merchandise, and more. There’s also a nice welcome offer: $200 cash back, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.

Your rewards are more flexible if you have the Citi Premier® Card or Citi Prestige® Card
(no longer available to new applicants). That’s because you can combine your rewards with either of these card accounts and then transfer points to airline and hotel partners, including Citi’s newest partners, Choice Privileges and Wyndham Rewards.

Citi Custom Cash Card Review

Best Cash-Back Card for Everyday Spending

If you already have the Sapphire Reserve or Preferred and are saving your points for a specific trip, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® can give your balance a nice boost. While Chase markets the card as “cash back,” it actually earns Ultimate Rewards points that you can redeem for cash (1 point = 1 cent).

When you have a premium card like the Sapphire Reserve, Preferred, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you can pool your points from the two cards. The Freedom Unlimited earns at least 1.5 points per dollar spent, so paired with a Sapphire Reserve, it’s a great card to use for purchases that aren’t made on travel expenses or dining (the Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns 5% back (5x points) on travel purchases made through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, 3% back (3x points) on drugstores and dining, and 1.5% back (1.5x points) on everything else with no cap). Best of all, the card has no annual fee.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a fantastic all-around card. However, to get the most value when it’s time to spend your points, you need the Sapphire Reserve or Preferred card, too, so you can pool your points. Otherwise, points are only worth 1 cent each no matter how you use them and they can’t be transferred to airline or hotel partners.

Chase Freedom Unlimited Review

Best Cash-Back Card for Balance Transfers

If you prefer to earn cash back, the Citi® Double Cash Card is a good choice for value and simplicity. It has one of the most compelling balance transfer offers available today. New cardholders receive a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months (then a 18.99% – 28.99% Variable APR).

There’s no annual fee, and it earns 2 points per dollar (2% cash back) on every purchase (1 point when you buy, and 1 point when you pay your bill). The Double Cash card now earns Citi ThankYou points instead of cash back directly, and you can redeem your points for cash back (as well as travel, gift cards, and more) at a rate of 1 cent per point. This card ranks high on our list of best 2% cash back credit cards.

While the Citi Double Cash alone doesn’t offer many transfer partners, if you also have another Citi card like the Citi Premier® Card or the Citi Prestige® Card (no longer available to new applicants), you can combine your rewards between cards and transfer them to Citi’s full range of airline and hotel partners.

If you’re interested in using rewards for travel, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is generally a better entry point. It’s also a no-annual-fee cash-back card that you can pair with another card to redeem rewards for travel, and Chase Ultimate Rewards are our favorite travel points.

But again, if you’re simply after one of the best balance transfer credit cards that earn cash back, the Citi Double Cash is an excellent choice.

Citi Double Cash Card Review

Best Cash-Back Card for Families

If you’re less excited about earning rewards points — which can be valuable, but also tricky to redeem — and want to stick with cash back, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is one of the best options, despite its $0 intro for the first year, then $95 annual fee.

The card earns 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services and 3% back on all transit. That’s in addition to 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases per calendar year (and 1% after that), 3% back at U.S. gas stations, and 1% cash back on everything else. These categories are ideally suited to families who spend a lot on these common everyday purchases.

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express comes with a handful of travel and purchase protections, as well as a monthly $7 credit when you pay for a Disney Bundle subscription of $12.99 or more with your card (enrollment required). Cash back comes in the form of a statement credit, so effectively you can use it to “erase” purchases.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred Review

Best Card for Rotating Cash-Back Categories

The Discover it® Cash Back is best suited to folks who don’t mind putting in a little extra effort to earn the most cash back. But if that sounds like you, using this card can pay off in a big way.

Cardholders earn 5% cash back in popular rotating quarterly bonus categories when you activate, on up to $1,500 in combined spending (then 1%). You’ll also earn 1% back everywhere else (from April 1 to June 30, 2023, you can earn 5% cash back at Restaurants and Wholesale Clubs on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%). And while the card doesn’t come with a traditional welcome bonus offer, Discover will match all of the rewards you earn from the Discover it® Cash Back after the first 12 months.

That means your 5% rewards are effectively worth 10% cash back in the first year — an excellent rate of return for a card with no annual fee, and potentially worth much more than other card bonuses if you’re a big spender.

Discover it Cash Back Card Review

Best Card for Rotating Categories and Flexible Redemptions

Earning 5% cash back in rotating bonus categories can be very lucrative, and it’s even better when you have lots of redemption options for the rewards you earn. The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is among the best cash-back cards for this very reason.

Cardholders earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined spending in categories that rotate every quarter when they activate the bonus, but the rewards this card earns come in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Not only can you redeem Chase points for cash back, but you can also use them for travel, gift cards, and merchandise at a rate of 1 cent per point. From April 1 to June 30, 2023, the Chase Freedom 5x bonus categories are Amazon and Lowe’s.

The card earns 5% cash back on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal, 3% back on drugstore and dining purchases (including takeout and eligible delivery services), and 1% back on everything else. Plus, if you have other the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you can potentially get more value from your points by combining them with one of those accounts and transferring them to Chase’s airline and hotel partners.

It’s got impressive benefits for a no-annual-fee card, too, including cell phone protection, car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty. New cardholders also receive a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, followed by a 19.74% – 28.49% Variable APR.

Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card Review

Best Card for Choosing Your Own Cash-Back Categories

One of the best ways to maximize rewards is with a card that offers the option of picking your own bonus categories. The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card is particularly compelling because you can earn 5% cash back on two eligible categories (from a list) of your choice, on up to $2,000 in combined purchases each quarter (then 1% back).

Cardholders also get to pick one 2% cash back “everyday” category, including gas and EV charging stations, restaurants, or grocery stores, and earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

The card offers a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening, which is a good deal for a no-annual-fee card. Additionally, new cardholders qualify for a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles (then a 19.49% – 29.49% Variable APR).

Because it’s a Visa Signature card, you’ll also get exclusive perks that include access to the Visa Signature concierge and Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection, roadside dispatch, and travel and emergency assistance.

US Bank Cash Plus Card Review

Best Premium Rewards Card if You Spend a Lot on Travel and Dining

With 5x points on air travel and 10x points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (after earning the $300 travel credit), 3x points on other travel and dining, and 1 point per dollar on everything else, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® makes it easy to maximize your everyday spending, and it comes with a slew of perks. It used to be our top travel rewards card pick, but now that it has a $550 annual fee (up from $450), it’s harder to recommend to everyone.

The Sapphire Reserve’s annual fee is offset by a travel credit of up to $300 each year, good for things like taxis, subway fares, parking, tolls, and flights. This effectively decreases the annual fee to $250, so you’ll have to decide whether the card’s other benefits are worth it for you.

You now get a complimentary two-year Lyft Pink All Access membership, $10 a month in Gopuff rapid delivery service credit, $5 per month in DoorDash in-app credit (along with complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership through December 2024), and up to $15 per month in Instacart credits (activation required by July 31, 2024). If you use these services frequently you may be able to justify the higher annual fee — but that’s not the case for everyone.

Check out our guide to the best travel rewards credit cards for more options like the Sapphire Reserve’s.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card Review

Best Card for Earning Travel Rewards in Multiple Categories

The Citi Premier® Card is our top pick for the best Citi credit card, in part because of the card’s intro bonus offer of 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening, plus earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per dollar on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2024. The Citi Premier® Card earns Citi ThankYou points, which you can redeem for gift cards, merchandise, travel, and more through the Citi portal. You can potentially get even more from your points by transferring them to Citi’s airline and hotel partners.

This is also a good pick whether you’re staying close to home right now or traveling again. It earns bonus points in pandemic-friendly categories: 3x points at supermarkets, restaurants, gas stations, hotels, and on air travel, and 1x on everything else. Plus, with so many ways to redeem your Citi ThankYou points, you’ve got options even if you’re not ready to travel just yet.

Citi Premier Card Review

Best Card for Earning Travel Rewards on Dining and Groceries

The American Express® Gold Card earns a massive 4x points at restaurants and on up to $25,000 per calendar year at U.S. supermarkets (and 1x points after that), 3x points on flights booked directly through the airline, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. Based on the fact that you can easily redeem Membership Rewards points for more than 1 cent of value each when you transfer them to airline and hotel partners, this is one of the highest-earning available cards for everything food-related.

The American Express® Gold Card offers up to $120 in dining credits per year (after enrollment), broken into chunks of $10 each month. Credits are good for purchases through food delivery services Seamless and GrubHub, and at Milk Bar, Goldbelly, Wine.com, The Cheesecake Factory, or participating Shake Shack locations. Cardholders also receive $120 per year in Uber Cash (this is only applicable to U.S. Eats orders and Rides, and the Gold Card needs to be added to the Uber app to receive the Uber Cash benefit).

These credits can offset most of the card’s $250 annual fee even before factoring in the value of the rewards you’ll earn.

Amex Gold Card Review

Best Cash-Back Card for Dining, Groceries, and Entertainment With No Annual Fee

If you’re a foodie or love going out, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a terrific no-annual-fee card. Cardholders earn 3% cash back on dining, at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), entertainment, and popular streaming services, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. In addition, the card offers 5% cash back on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, and 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through November 14, 2024.

There’s a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months) (then a 19.74% – 29.74% Variable), which is handy for saving money on interest.

Cardholders can also access a decent range of benefits, including extended warranty***, travel accident insurance***, and travel emergency assistance services***. There are no foreign transaction fees (rare for a no-annual-fee card), so you can use this card when you’re overseas without incurring any extra charges.

Capital One SavorOne Card Review

Best No-Annual-Fee Card With up to 3x in Great Categories

The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is one of the best Wells Fargo credit cards for folks who want to earn a high rate of Wells Fargo Rewards in a variety of everyday categories without paying an annual fee. Cardholders earn 3x points on travel, dining, gas stations, popular streaming services, transit, and phone plans, with no limits. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar.

The card’s welcome bonus offer is nothing to sniff at either: 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first three months from account opening (worth $200 when redeemed as cash). New cardholders can also save money on interest with a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening, followed by a 19.99%, 24.99%, or 29.99% Variable.

Wells Fargo Autograph Credit Card Review

Best Card for Small-Business Owners

There are dozens of small-business credit cards on the market with options to earn cash back, airline miles, hotel points, or flexible rewards. Our pick for the best rewards small-business card is the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card because it covers all of those bases. Plus, you can earn a huge welcome bonus worth $1,800 based on Insider’s valuations when you transfer your Ultimate Rewards points to airline and hotel partners, but you can also redeem the bonus for $1,000 in cash back or $1,250 in travel booked through Chase.

The card charges a manageable $95 annual fee, and it’s well worth it if you can take advantage of its benefits. Cardholders earn 3x points on shipping purchases, advertising purchases on social media sites and search engines, internet, cable, and phone services, and travel (on up to $150,00 in combined purchases each account anniversary year, then 1x) and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card also offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including cell phone protection, primary car rental insurance (when renting for business purposes), trip cancellation/interruption insurance, extended warranty, and purchase protection.

Chase Ink Business Preferred Card Review

Best Cash-Back Card for College Students

When Capital One first launched the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card, it stood out for its excellent earning in student-friendly categories: 3% cash back on dining (including restaurants, bars, cafes, and lounges), at grocery stores (except superstores like Walmart and Target), entertainment (such as movies, professional sporting events, and amusement parks), and popular streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+).

The card also earns 5% cash back on car rentals and hotels booked through Capital One Travel, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, and 10% back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases (through November 14, 2024). Everything else earns 1% back. Cardholders also qualify for a complimentary Uber One membership through November 14, 2024.

That minimum spending requirement is easy to reach for most students, which isn’t always the case with student credit cards that offer a sign-up bonus.

What’s more, this card comes with useful benefits you don’t often see on a student credit card. Cardholders can access perks like price protection***, extended warranty***, car rental coverage***, roadside dispatch***, and travel accident insurance***. It doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, so if you end up studying abroad for a semester or jetting away during spring break, you won’t get stung with extra charges.

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Student Credit Card Review

Best Secured Rewards Card for Building Credit

Secured credit cards are a great tool if you are new to credit or rebuilding your credit and aren’t able to get approved for traditional credit cards. These cards require a deposit as collateral, but they’re far easier to get approved for, even if you have a bad credit score.

One downside is that most credit cards for bad credit don’t offer rewards (and some even charge an annual fee!), but that’s not the case with the Discover it® Secured Credit Card. It’s one of the best secured credit cards and offers 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter (then 1%), plus 1% cash back on all other purchases. Plus, Discover will match all the rewards you earn at the end of your first year with its Cash Back Match program — just like its regular rewards cards.

Using this card responsibly can improve your credit score, and after seven months Discover will automatically review your account to see if it can upgrade you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit (you can also get your deposit back when you close or upgrade your account in good standing).

Discover it Secured Credit Card Review

Other top credit cards we considered that just missed the cut

Our list of the top rewards credit cards includes 20 cards, but there are dozens of other great options out there. We limited our recommendations in this guide to our most recommended cards, but there were several others on our shortlist that didn’t make the final cut. Here’s a look at those cards and why we elected to leave them out:

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card — This card offers good rewards (2x points on travel, 1.5x points on everything else) plus up to a $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck in exchange for a $95 annual fee. It’s an especially valuable option if you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, since you’ll be able to earn up to a 75% rewards bonus, which boosts your earnings with the card as high as 3.5 points per dollar. However, qualifying for Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards program requires a minimum of $20,000 in Bank of America banking or Merrill investment accounts, so it’s not for everybody. Read Insider’s Bank of America Premium Rewards card review to find out more about how it works.
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card — While it offers a good welcome bonus and 1.5% cash back on most purchases, this card got edged out by the Chase Freedom Unlimited® which offers more bonus categories and flexibility in redeeming rewards. But if you’re looking for a straightforward cash-back card, the Quicksilver is a contender. Here’s our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards credit card review for more details.
Prime Visa
— This card is a terrific pick if you do a lot of shopping at Amazon and Whole Foods, because this card earns 5% back in those categories — but only if you have a Prime membership. Earning 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores is compelling, too, but if you’re not an Amazon shopper it’s best to pick another cash-back card. Check out our Amazon Prime Visa Card review to learn more.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express — The no-annual-fee sibling of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns 3% back on the first $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each calendar year (then 1% back), 3% back at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 per year (then 1% back), 3% back on online retail purchases on up to $6,000 per year (then 1% back), and 1% on all other eligible purchases (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as statement credits). Getting 3% back on groceries is a solid return, but the spending cap makes the card less appealing compared to the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, which earns the same rate on groceries worldwide with no limit. Read our Blue Cash Everyday Amex card review to find out more.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students
— This card is a good choice for students because it has a bigger welcome offer than the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card. New Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students cardholders can earn $200 cash rewards bonus after making $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening). However, you’ll have to spend 10x as much to unlock the bonus, its bonus categories are capped, and it doesn’t come with as many benefits.

How to Choose the Best Rewards Credit Card

Rewards credit cards give you something back for every dollar you spend — whether that’s points or miles for travel, or cash back that you can use to lower your monthly bill or to treat yourself to a splurge.

On top of that, many cards offer high welcome bonuses to new cardholders who meet a spending requirement in the first few months after opening a card, and some include benefits like travel and purchase protection.

Credit card	Annual fee	Welcome bonus offer	Rewards
Sapphire Preferred	$95	60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening	5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards 3x points on dining 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs) 3x points on select streaming services 2x points on all other travel purchases 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card	$95	75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening	5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 2x miles on all other purchases
The Platinum Card® from American Express	$695	80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 on purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership	5x points on airfare purchased directly through the airline, and on flights and hotels booked through Amex Travel* 1 point per dollar on everything else
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card	$395	75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel 2x miles on all other purchases
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card	$0	$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months from account opening	2% cash rewards on purchases
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card	$0	$200 cash back, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening	5% cash back on up to $500 in purchases in the eligible category you spend the most in each billing cycle (then 1%)*** 1% cash back on all other purchases
Chase Freedom Unlimited®	$0	1.5% cash back in addition to regular earning on everything you buy up to $20,000 spent in the first year (worth up to $300 cash back)	5% cash back (5x points) on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards 3% cash back (3x points) on dining and drugstore purchases 1.5% cash back (1.5x points) on everything else
Citi® Double Cash Card	$0	0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then 18.99% – 28.99% variable APR	1 point per dollar when you buy, plus 1 point per dollar when you pay your bill
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express	$0 intro for the first year, then $95	$250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months from account opening	6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets**** 6% back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions 3% back at U.S. gas stations and on transit 1% back on all other purchases
Discover it® Cash Back	$0	Unlimited Cashback Match – Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year	5% cash back in categories that rotate each quarter on up to $1,500 in combined spending when you activate (then 1%) (from April 1 to June 30, 2023, you can earn 5% cash back at Restaurants and Wholesale Clubs on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%) 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
Chase Freedom Flex℠	$0	$200 after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening	5% cash back (5x points) on travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards 5% cash back (5x points) on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter in rotating bonus categories when you activate 3% cash back (3x points) on dining and drugstore purchases 1% cash back (1x points) on everything else
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card	$0	$200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening	5% cash back in two eligible categories of your choice, on up to $2,000 in combined spending each quarter (then 1%)****** 2% cash back at grocery stores, gas stations, EV charging stations, or restaurants 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
Chase Sapphire Reserve®	$550	60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening	10x points on Lyft rides through March 2025 10x points on Chase Dining purchases through Ultimate Rewards 10x points on hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Ultimate Rewards 5x points on air travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards 3x points on other travel (after earning the $300 travel credit) and dining 1 point per dollar on everything else
Citi Premier® Card	$95	60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening, plus earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per dollar on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2024	3x points on air travel, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels 1 point per dollar on everything else
American Express® Gold Card	$250	60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $4,000 on purchases on the Card in the first six months of card membership	4x points at restaurants and at US supermarkets* 3x points on flights booked with the airline or Amex Travel 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card	$0	$200 cash bonus after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening	5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 3% cash back on dining, grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), eligible streaming services, and entertainment 1% cash back on all other purchases
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card	$0	20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first three months from account opening	3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card	$95	100,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening	3x points on shipping purchases, advertising purchases on social media sites and search engines, internet, cable, and phone services, and travel******* 1x points on all other purchases
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card	$0	$50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within 3 months of account opening	5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 3% cash back on dining, grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), eligible streaming services, and entertainment 1% cash back on all other purchases
Discover it® Secured Credit Card	$0	Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year	2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter (then 1%) 1% cash back on everything else

*Note: With The Platinum Card® from American Express, starting January 1, 2021, the 5x points will apply up to $500,000 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel per calendar year

***Eligible 5% cash back categories on the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card are restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment

****With the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, 6% cash back on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each calendar year, then 1% cash back

*****With the American Express® Gold Card , 4x points on the first $25,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar

******5% cash back category choices on the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card are prepaid air travel, hotel stays, and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center online portal, fast food, home utilities, TV, internet, and streaming services, department stores, electronic stores, cell phone providers, sporting goods stores, furniture stores, movie theaters, gyms and fitness centers, ground transportation, and select clothing stores

*******The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns 3x points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases spent each account anniversary year in these categories (then 1x)

So you know you want a rewards credit card, but aren’t sure which one?

Our list of the best rewards credit cards can help narrow down your choices if you already know what you want. But what if you’re not sure which type of credit card is best suited to your spending habits?

If you’re looking to maximize rewards on your everyday spending, look no further than the following credit cards. We’ll break it down by spending category — from dining to gas to groceries.

Dining (valuations based on Insider’s point-value estimates)

With the average American spending $3,030 each year on dining out, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is a category most people will want to maximize. Luckily, lots of cards offer generous rewards for dining.

The Citi Prestige® Card (no longer available to new applicants) offers the highest return on dining spending, with 5x points on these purchases. You may notice that some cards, like the Hilton cards below, offer more than 5x points — but keep in mind that the points multiplier is only half of the equation.

You also need to know how much each point is worth. We recommend using Insider’s points and miles valuations to get a sense of how many cents you’ll get in value with different loyalty currencies. These valuations are based on all the different ways you can use a given type of points or miles, from redeeming them as statement credits to transferring them to a travel partner to book a flight.

Below, we’ll rank the best credit cards for dining in order of highest to lowest return based on how many rewards you earn per dollar spent, and the value of those rewards based on Insider’s estimations.

Citi Prestige: 5 points per dollar spent (points worth 1.6 cents apiece; 8% return on spending)
American Express® Gold Card: 4 points per dollar at restaurants (points worth 1.8 cents apiece; 7.2% return on spending)
Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 3 points per dollar spent on dining (points worth 1.8 cents apiece; 5.4% return on spending)
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
: 7 points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants (points worth 0.5 cents apiece; 3.5% return on spending)
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
: 4% cash back on dining (4% return on spending)
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
: 6 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants (3% return on spending)
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: 3% back on restaurants (3% return on spending)

Based on the numbers, the Citi Prestige is the most rewarding card for dining purchases, but it’s not taking applications anymore. The American Express® Gold Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card are better options for you if you prefer to earn Amex or Chase points.

You can transfer Citi ThankYou points to over a dozen airline transfer partners including Cathay Pacific, JetBlue, and Virgin Atlantic, but Amex and Chase’s loyalty programs partner with airlines and hotels that are arguably more useful for many US-based travelers, such as British Airways, Delta, and Marriott with Amex and Hyatt, United, and Southwest with Chase. In fact, Insider values Citi points (1.6 cents per point) a bit lower than Amex points and Chase points (1.8 cents each)

Gas (valuations based on Insider’s point-value estimates)

If you have a car, gas is a big spending category — and it’s one that many cash-back credit cards pay out big rewards on.

American Express® Business Gold Card
: 4 points per dollar spent at the two categories where you spend the most each month, including U.S. gas stations, on up to $150,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar (7.2% return on spending)
Citi Premier® Card: 3 points per dollar spent on restaurants, supermarkets, air travel, hotels, and gas stations (4.8% return on spending)
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: 4% back on eligible gas purchases and EV charging on the first $7,000 spent per year, then 1% (4% return on spending)
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: 6 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at U.S. gas stations (3% return on spending)

Again, not all points are created equal, and whether 6 Hilton points are equivalent (or higher than) 4% cash back or 4 Membership Rewards points depends on how you redeem your rewards. Most people will be best off going with the American Express® Business Gold Card for gas rewards.

Thanks to a vast list of hotel and airline transfer partners, you can redeem Membership Rewards points for some incredible travel experiences. If you have a business-class trip to Europe in mind, Membership Rewards transfer partner All Nippon Airways (ANA) offers one of the best deals out there at 88,000 miles round-trip.

However, if you’re saving up your Hilton points for a high-end resort in the Maldives, it could be worth channeling gas spending toward the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.

Groceries (valuations based on Insider’s point-value estimates)

American Express® Gold Card: 4x points at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 per year (then 1x point; 1.8%-7.2% return on spending)
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 spent per year (then 1%; 1%-6% return on spending)
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: 6 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at U.S. supermarkets (3% return on spending)
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 spent per calendar year (then 1%; 1%-3% return on spending)
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs) (5.4% return on spending)

With 4x points on the first $25,000 spent each year at U.S. supermarkets, the American Express® Gold Card offers the most generous payout on grocery spending. Considering the average U.S. household spends $4,445 on groceries per year, these limits shouldn’t be problematic for most consumers.

Earning 6% cash back on the first $6,000 spent, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a good option if you prefer cash back to rewards points. When maxed out, the 6% back equates to $360 cash back, which is enough for most people to book at least a couple of hotel nights or a round-trip transcontinental flight.

Flights and other travel (valuations based on Insider’s point-value estimates)

The Platinum Card® from American Express: 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel (starting January 1, 2021, earn 5x points in these categories on up to $500,000 in spending per year), 5 Membership Rewards points on prepaid hotels booked on Amex Travel (9% return on spending)
Chase Sapphire Reserve: 5x points on air travel (9% return on spending) and 10x points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards® (after earning the $300 travel credit) (18% return on spending) and 3x points on other travel purchases (5.4% return on spending)
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 5 points per dollar on all travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal (9% return on spending)
American Express® Gold Card: 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com (5.4% return on spending)
Citi Prestige (no longer available to new applicants): 5 points on air travel, 3 points on hotels and cruise lines (4.8%-8% return on spending)
Citi Premier® Card: 3 points on air travel and gas stations (4.8% return on spending)
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: 3% cash back on eligible travel purchases

If you’re looking for lots of rewards for flights, The Platinum Card® from American Express is a great choice. The card earns 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines and through Amex Travel. Prepaid hotel bookings made with American Express also earn 5 points (starting January 1, 2021, earn 5X points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year). One reason I’d recommend this card over the Citi Prestige is that the Amex Platinum now offers trip delay insurance, while Citi has done away with these on its cards.

While the American Express Platinum is a great option, not everyone will get enough value out of the 5x bonus categories to justify the $695 annual fee.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a great alternative. While it earns a lower 3 points per dollar spent (outside of the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, where it earns 10x points on hotels and car rentals and 5x points on air travel), this bonus applies to all travel purchases, not just flights. Plus, the card’s annual fee is partially offset by the $300 travel credit.

Unlike American Express, Chase doesn’t restrict its travel credit to a specific airline. The credit automatically applies to any purchases coded as travel. That’s why the Chase Sapphire Reserve is such a popular card for earning and redeeming travel rewards.

All other spending (valuations based on Insider’s point-value estimates)

Chase Freedom Unlimited: 1.5% cash back on most things, bonus cash back on eligible travel and drugstore purchases, can be combined with Chase Ultimate Rewards cards to boost your value
Chase Freedom Flex℠: 1% cash back, bonus cash back on eligible travel and drugstore purchases, 5% rotating quarterly category bonuses for up to $1,500 in combined spending (requires activation), can be combined with Chase Ultimate Rewards cards to boost your value (1.5%-3%) (1%-9% return on spending)
Discover it® Miles: 1.5 miles per dollar spent, and Discover will match the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year (3% return on spending)
Discover it® Cash Back: 1% cash back, with 5% in rotating quarterly categories on the first $1,500 in purchases each quarter you activate; then 1% cash back (1-5% return on spending) (from April 1 to June 30, 2023, you can earn 5% cash back at Restaurants and Wholesale Clubs on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%)
Citi® Double Cash Card: 1% when you make purchases, 1% as you pay (2% return on spending)

Lots of cash-back credit cards offer at least 1.5% cash back on everything, which is a great benchmark to keep in mind on purchases that aren’t eligible for bonus points. The Discover it® Miles is a great option for those looking for a no-annual-fee card with accelerated earning power. Cardholders earn 1.5 miles per dollar spent, which is equivalent to 1.5% cash back. Discover will match all the rewards you earn at the end of your first year and can be redeemed for statement credits toward travel purchases or transferred to your bank account.

For those looking to maximize long-term earnings, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is another great option. It earns 1.5% cash back on most things, with bonus cash back on eligible travel and drugstore purchases. If you have a Chase travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Cardor the Sapphire Reserve, you can convert your Freedom Unlimited rewards to fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points. Essentially, you could earn 1.5 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on everything outside of the bonus travel and drugstore categories, which equals a very solid return on every dollar you spend.

If you want the flexibility of earning occasional category bonuses, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Discover it® Cash Back are worth considering. Both cards earn 1% cash back along with 5% on select category bonuses (for Discover it® Cash Back (from April 1 to June 30, 2023, you can earn 5% cash back at Restaurants and Wholesale Clubs on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%)). Bonus categories rotate every quarter and cardholders can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 worth of spending when they activate the bonus each quarter. Be sure to check the cash-back bonus calendar for both Discover and Chase for a better idea of where you can expect to earn more points.

For a more straightforward option, the Citi® Double Cash Card is solid. Cardholders earn 1% cash back on purchases and another 1% when they pay them off. Because you can convert your cash back to ThankYou points, the Citi® Double Cash Card is a great way to earn 2 ThankYou points on every dollar spent.

Disclosures:

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they’re subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please click here.

For rates and fees of Discover it® Cash Back, please click here.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of Discover it® Secured Credit Card, please click here.

<br />

Jasmin Baron, CEPF

Editor

Jasmin Baron is an editor at Insider, responsible for credit card coverage on Personal Finance Insider. She is also a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF).Before joining the Insider team, she was a senior editor at The Points Guy and Million Mile Secrets, covering credit cards, points and miles, and loyalty programs. Her expertise in maximizing travel rewards grew from over two decades of experience in the aviation industry, including 18 years working as a pilot and flight instructor in her native Canada.You can reach Jasmin at jbaron@insider.com.
Learn more about how Personal Finance Insider chooses, rates, and covers financial products and services »

Best Rewards Credit Cards of June 2023

14 Best High-yield Savings Accounts of June 2023

Scientists discovered a smiling, paragliding gecko that flies from tree to tree in India

Related Posts

Grenade attack on PPP rally in Quetta leaves two dead

Pope offers to mediate between world leaders to end wars

7 Pakistani cos added to MSCI FM & SC Indexes – Business & Finance

Oil falls after US crude inventories rise

Who invited BeerBiceps? Piers Morgan’s panel lineup marks a new low in India-Pakistan discourse

Pakistan’s Use of J-10C Fighter Jets Boosts Chinese Jet Maker’s Value by $7.6 Billion

Popular Post

FRSHAR Mail set to redefine secure communication, data privacy

How to avoid buyer’s remorse when raising venture capital

Microsoft to pay off cloud industry group to end EU antitrust complaint

Saudi Arabia Launches World’s First Self-Driving Flying Taxi to Transport Hajj Pilgrims

SingTel annual profit more than halves on $2.3bn impairment charge

Welcome Back!

Retrieve your password

Add New Playlist