Best Rewards Credit Cards

The Citi^® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer (Review) is your best cash back option if you want a card for all-around, general spending. The rewards are the main attraction, but you’ll also get a nice introductory APR for balance transfers before its variable APR kicks in.

The Double Cash is a fairly simple card, but a strong offer nevertheless. A general-use, flat-rate cash back card like this can be paired with a different rewards card that has bonus categories, like the others on this page. You can use that other card whenever you spend in the bonus categories, and pay with the Double Cash for all other purchases.

The rewards you earn here can be converted to ThankYou points, rather than redeemed as typical cash back. ThankYou points can be converted to airline miles for a better value, though your transfer partners will be limited to JetBlue unless you also have the Citi Prestige® Card or Citi Premier^℠ Card.

• Citi Concierge: Call for non-emergency help whenever you need it, like assistance making travel reservations.
• ShopRunner membership: Use ShopRunner to get free two-day shipping and returns at participating retailers.
• Free credit score: Check your FICO Bankcard Score 8 for free, based on your Equifax credit report.
• Purchase APR: 13.99% – 23.99% (Variable)
• Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 18 months on Balance Transfers, then 13.99% – 23.99% (Variable) (for transfers made during the first four months)

• Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
• To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
• Balance Transfer Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 13.99% – 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Balance Transfers do not earn cash back.
• If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
• There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
• The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.99% – 23.99% based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi’s discretion.

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (Review) is one of your best options for cash back on gas, with a solid rate for no annual fee. If you’re willing to pay an annual fee or don’t mind rotating bonus categories, you’ll find some interesting options in the runners up.

The Blue Cash Everyday is a rewarding card for everyday purchases, and if you need a handy card for gas this is a real contender.

American Express offers a host of other features along with the gas category, including Amex Offers, where you can earn extra cash back at all sorts of retailers.

• Amex Offers: Discounts or extra points at a variety of merchants
• Complimentary ShopRunner membership: Register with ShopRunner for free two-day shipping and returns at select online retailers.
• Entertainment Access: Exclusive tickets to events, concerts, sports, and shows
• Shopping and travel protections: Car Rental Insurance, Global Assist Hotline
• Purchase APR: 0% for 15 months, then 13.99–23.99% Variable

• Earn a $150 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months.
• 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%).
• 2% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores.
• 1% back on other purchases.
• Low intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 13.99% to 23.99%.
• Plan It® gives the option to select purchases of $100 or more to split up into monthly payments with a fixed fee and no interest.
• Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for statement credits.
• No annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• See Rates & Fees

Groceries and gas are common expenses for many people, and it’s convenient to have one card you can use for both. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (Review) is an excellent choice to fill that need, with the best cash back rate for U.S. supermarkets you’ll find.

The 6% back you can earn at U.S. supermarkets with this card is the best base rate we’ve seen for that category. You can get better than that (10%) with the Discover it® Cash Back, but only for a few months during the first year with the card.

You’ll be limited to $6,000 in spending per year at that 6% rate, but that’s still $360 in cash back, which is not bad at all. To hit that limit in a year you’d need to spend about $115 on groceries per week.

Purchases at U.S. gas stations will get 3% cash back, with no limit. That’s competitive with most other rewards cards, which don’t usually offer any more than that at gas stations.

• Amex Offers: Find significant discounts at a changing selection of merchants and websites, like TurboTax, SamsClub.com, Etsy, and many more.
• ShopRunner membership: ShopRunner provides free two-day shipping and returns at participating online retailers.
• Shopping and travel protections: Return Protection, Car Rental Loss and Damage Protection
• Purchase APR: 0% for 12 months, then 13.99–23.99% Variable

• Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months.
• 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
• 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
• 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
• Low intro APR: 0% for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, currently 13.99% to 23.99%.
• Plan It® gives the option to select purchases of $100 or more to split up into monthly payments with a fixed fee and no interest.
• Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
• $95 Annual Fee
• Terms Apply.
• See Rates & Fees

Going out to eat is a bit more fun when you can hand over a shiny metal credit card. The Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card (Review) can fit that bill and offers an excellent cash back rate at restaurants, along with some useful bonus categories that complement the foodie aura this card exudes.

If you’re always going out to eat or ordering in, how does saving 4% on all that spending sound? Just don’t fight over who gets to pay the bill.

The Savor’s categories cover dining, entertainment, and grocery shopping. That’s quite a nice variety to have on just one card — if dinner and a movie is your kind of thing, this card would fit quite well. And if you don’t have a better card for groceries, like one of the options above, the Savor will let you get a bit more than the standard 1%.

• Capital One CreditWise: Check your VantageScore 3.0 credit score for free, based on your TransUnion credit report, and see information from that report.
• World Elite Mastercard concierge: Call any time for non-emergency help with making reservations, finding hard-to-find gifts, and more.
• World Elite Mastercard benefits: Including Price Protection, Extended Warranty, MasterRental Insurance, Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, and more
• Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: 15.99% - 24.99% Variable
• No foreign transaction fee

Your 5% cash back rotating reward categories will switch every three months. They often include popular expenses like gas, groceries, rideshares like Uber and Lyft, and Amazon.com.

The Discover it® Cash Back (Review) is one of the best cash back credit cards available, thanks in large part to Discover’s unique Cashback Match.

Here are the 5% categories for 2020, along with last year’s for comparison.

• Free Credit Score: Track your FICO Score 8 over time, based on your TransUnion credit report.
• Social Security Number Alerts: Get notified if your SSN is found on any thousands of risky websites.
• Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: See Terms for See Terms, then See Terms (for transfers requested in the first 90 days)
• No foreign transaction fee

So you’ll get two 5% categories and one 2% category, and you can pick each one. You’ll need to sign up for the categories each quarter before you’ll start earning cash back at the 5% or 2% rates.

A fairly unique entry in the U.S. Bank family of credit cards, the U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card is one of very few cards that let you choose your own bonus cash back categories. It’s a good deal too, offering quite a bit of cash back and a wide variety of categories to choose from (some of which are rarely seen on credit cards).

You can pick from any two of these:

And one of these:

• Free credit score: See your VantageScore 3.0 based on your TransUnion credit report.
• Visa Signature Concierge: Call for personal assistance with travel bookings, dining reservations, business services, and more.
• Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection: Get perks at select hotels like a $25 food and beverage credit and room upgrades when available.
• Shopping and travel protections: Purchase Security, Extended Warranty, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Roadside Dispatch
• Purchase APR: 13.99% - 23.99%* Variable
• Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 12 billing cycles on Balance Transfers*, then 13.99% - 23.99%* Variable
• No foreign transaction fee

• Earn up to $550 cash back in the first year.
• $150 bonus after spending $500 in eligible net purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
• 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible net purchases ($100 per quarter) on two categories you choose. That adds up to $400 cash back!
• 2% cash back on your choice of one everyday category, like gas stations or grocery stores.
• 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases.
• No limit on total cash back earned.
• 0% Intro APR* on balance transfers for 12 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 13.99% – 23.99%
• No annual fee*
• Great Offer from U.S. Bank, a 2020 World’s Most Ethical Company® – Ethisphere Institute, February 2020

A lot of people are spending a lot of money at Amazon, and the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card (Review) gives you a way to save on every purchase you make from the online superstore.

Frequent Amazon shoppers can use this 5% cash back rate to save a tidy sum. A study from Consumer Intelligence Resource Partners reported that the average Prime member is spending $1,400 per year at Amazon in 2018. If you spent that much you’d get $70 in cash back, enough for a nice gift. The gift card offer is a nice bonus too, and you won’t even need to meet a spending threshold to earn it.

The Prime card is made with metal, an unusual feature to find outside of premium credit cards.

To be eligible for this card you’ll need to have an Amazon Prime membership. If you’re not a Prime member you can apply for the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card (Review), which is less rewarding (3% back at Amazon) but there’s no fee involved (learn more about Amazon’s other credit cards).

If you don’t think you need Prime, you could always start with the regular Amazon Rewards card. Then, if you ever decide to get a Prime membership, you’ll automatically be upgraded to the Amazon Prime Rewards card. And likewise, if you ever cancel your Prime membership, you’ll be downgraded to the regular Amazon Rewards card.

• Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection: Perks at eligible hotels, including complimentary WiFi, room upgrades when available, a $25 food and beverage credit, and more
• Visa Signature Concierge: Call any time for non-emergency assistance.
• Shopping and travel protections: Including Purchase Protection, Extended Warranties, Baggage Delay Insurance, and more
• Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: 15.74% to 23.74% Variable
• No foreign transaction fee

• Requires active Prime membership
• Cash back can be redeemed for statement credits or at Amazon.com checkout
• Earn 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market
• Earn 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and drugstores
• Earn 1% back on all other purchases
• Get a $70 Amazon.com Gift Card instantly upon credit card approval

Student credit cards typically don’t offer the best rewards because they’re designed for people who are new to credit. But the Discover it® Student Cash Back (Review) has an excellent 5% cash back rate in rotating categories, just like the regular Discover it® Cash Back (Review).

Along with that 5% cash back you’ll also get a $20 statement credit award for every year that you get a GPA of 3.0 or higher, a nice little bonus.

The 5% cash back calendar for 2020 is:

• Good Grade Reward: Discover will give you a $20 statement credit reward for every year that you get a 3.0 GPA or higher, for up to five years.
• Free credit score: Track your FICO Score 8 over time, based on your TransUnion credit report.
• Social Security number alerts: Get notified if your SSN is found on any thousands of risky websites.
• New account alerts: Get notified of any new accounts or inquiries on your Experian credit report.
• Purchase APR: See Terms
• Balance Transfer APR: See Terms for See Terms, then See Terms
• No foreign transaction fee

So not only can you earn cash back, you’ll actually get double that amount in your first year. That makes the Discover it® Secured (Review) stand out among secured cards, providing cardholders with a way to build credit and earn rewards at the same time.

If you have bad credit (a FICO score of 579 or less) you’ll have trouble qualifying for most credit cards, especially those with rewards programs. You will have some options, however.

Secured credit cards are designed for people with poor or limited credit. They require a refundable security deposit when you apply for them, which will fund the credit limit.

You can use a secured card to improve your credit, building up a history of positive activity and on-time payments. When your credit is good enough you can close the card, get your deposit back, and apply for a better unsecured card.

The Discover it Secured is the best secured card available, in our estimation. Secured cards usually have no rewards and few benefits, and sometimes come with high fees. But not only does this card have generally favorable terms, it also comes with a solid cash back program — the kind you might expect to find on an unsecured rewards card.

Discover will also review your card account and overall credit every eight months. If you’ve been a responsible credit user, always making on-time payments, they may consider returning your security deposit and allowing you to continue using the card. Discover will be checking your overall credit with the credit bureaus, including how you use other credit cards, not just your usage of this card.

This is a great feature to have, and you won’t find it on every secured card. As long as you continue using it responsibly and maintain good credit habits in general, you can expect to eventually get your deposit back and later on graduate to an unsecured rewards card.

• Free credit score: Check your FICO Score 8 for free, based on your TransUnion credit report.
• Social Security number alerts: Get notified if your SSN is found on any thousands of risky websites.
• New account alerts: Get notified of any new accounts or inquiries on your Experian credit report.
• Purchase APR: See Terms
• Balance Transfer APR: See Terms for See Terms, then See Terms
• No foreign transaction fee
• Security deposit: $200 to $2,500

It’s pretty simple, but not bad for a flat-rate card — especially one made for fair or average credit. You’ll get the same amount of cash back wherever you shop, with no limit, and with no worrying about bonus categories.

If you don’t have good credit, you may not be approved for some of the cards on this page. But the Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card (Review) is one of the few rewards credit cards that are designed specifically for fair or average credit (a FICO credit score of around 580–669).

Use this card responsibly, always paying your credit card bills on time. We recommend paying your entire statement balance each billing period, to help your credit utilization. It will also help you stave off credit card debt because you won’t accrue interest charges on purchases with this strategy.

• Access a higher credit line: You may be automatically considered for a higher credit line after six months.
• CreditWise: Use the CreditWise tool to monitor your TransUnion credit report, and your VantageScore 3.0 based on that report.
• Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: 26.99% (Variable)
• No foreign transaction fee

Looking for an easy way to earn some rewards for your business spending? Look no further.

The Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business (Review) offers a simple, flat reward rate, with no worrying about which card to use for which purchases.

There’s no limit to the cash back you can earn, making this a good choice for businesses that spend a lot. Consider pairing this card with other business credit cards that do have bonus categories, and which typically come with spending limits; you can use those other cards when spending in their categories, and the Spark Cash for everything else.

• Luxury Hotel Collection: Get perks for eligible hotel stays, including a $25 food and beverage credit, room upgrades when available, complimentary in-room WiFi, and more.
• Visa Signature Concierge: Call any time for non-emergency assistance, like help making reservations or finding gifts.
• Shopping and travel protections: Extended Warranty, Price Protection, Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Luggage Reimbursement, and more
• Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: 18.49% Variable
• No foreign transaction fee

A variety of useful business categories makes the Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card (Review) handy for businesses with typical office and local travel expenses.

Business owners have a nice variety of credit cards to choose from, and some — like this one — can be quite valuable.

Your 5% and 2% cash back categories have some spending limits (except for Lyft), so this card might not be suitable for bigger companies. Or you could always pair the Ink Business Cash with other business cards (like the runners up, or flat-rate cards below) and split up your spending.

• Chase Offers and Shop through Chase: Earn extra cash back with Shop through Chase or find discounts with Chase Offers.
• Free employee cards
• Shopping and travel protections: Including Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty Protection, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, and more
• Purchase APR: 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, then 14.74% - 20.74% Variable
• Balance Transfer APR: 14.74% - 20.74% Variable

• Earn $500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
• Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
• Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
• 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
• Employee cards at no additional cost
• No Annual Fee

The Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card (Review) is an excellent no-fee choice for general travel expenses, although hotels are its strong suit.

Check out the runners up below for some options that provide equal rewards for hotels, airlines, and other types of travel.

• 5X miles per dollar with Uber Eats (through 1/31/21)
• 1.25X miles per dollar on all other purchases
• 20,000 bonus miles for spending $1,000 in the first 3 months after account opening
  • Value: $200–$400 (assuming 1–2 cents per point)
  • Return on spend: 20%–40%

The Venture miles you earn with this card are typically worth 1 cent each, but Capital One recently introduced the ability to transfer your miles to a variety of airline partners.

Transfers could provide 2 cents per mile or more, which would give you a cash back equivalent of 2.5% everywhere else.

So, although this card’s base rewards are fairly small, it has valuable airline and hotel-related features that some travelers could find very useful.

• Point transfer: Transfer points to a dozen airline partners at a rate of either 2:1.5 or 2:1, depending on the airline.
• Luxury Hotel Collection: Get perks for eligible hotel stays, including a $25 food and beverage credit, room upgrades when available, complimentary in-room WiFi, and more.
• Visa Signature Concierge: Call any time for non-emergency assistance, like help making reservations or finding gifts.
• Purchase APR: 0% intro on purchases for 12 months, then 14.49% - 24.49% Variable
• No foreign transaction fees
• Annual fee: $0

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Review) makes a great first travel card.

It’s popular as an inexpensive and flexible way to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred to a variety of travel loyalty programs. It has an excellent signup bonus which could be worth over $1,000, and it’s also known for being made out of metal.

• 5X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on:
  • Lyft rides (through 3/31/22)
  • Select streaming services (up to $1,500 spent, through 9/30/20)
• 3X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on:
  • Instacart (up to $3,000 spent, through 9/30/20)
  • Gas (up to $1,500 spent, through 9/30/20)
• 2X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on:
  • Travel
  • Dining at restaurants
• 1X Ultimate Rewards point per dollar spent everywhere else
• 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points for spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening
  • Value: $600–$1,200 (assuming 1–2 cents per point)
  • Return on spend: 15%–30%

Use this card when you pay for travel or restaurants, whether you’re in the U.S. or traveling abroad.

You can get a 25% point bonus by redeeming for travel expenses through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards portal, which would give you a value of 1.25 cents per point. At that rate you’d be earning a cash back equivalent of 2.5% on travel purchases and dining.

But to maximize your point value you’ll need to transfer them to a partner airline or hotel. That could give you upwards of 2 cents per point, which comes to a cash back equivalent of 4% on travel and dining.

At 2 cents per point, the signup bonus of 60,000 points would be worth $1,200, quite a nice return on your spending. With travel cards like these it generally pays to hold your points until you can redeem them at a good rate; otherwise you should just pay with your card as normal to earn more points.

• Point transfer: Transfer points at a 1:1 rate to leading airline and hotel frequent travel programs, like Marriott Bonvoy or United MileagePlus.
• 15,000-point referral bonus: Get 15,000 points for every friend you refer who applies for the card and is approved, up to 75,000 bonus points per year.
• DoorDash membership: A free membership (DashPass) for at least a year, which provides free delivery and reduced service fees on orders over $12
• Luxury Hotel Collection: Book eligible rooms to get perks like daily breakfast for two, complimentary WiFi, room upgrades, early check-in, late check-out, and unique gifts.
• Shop through Chase/Chase Offers: Earn more points by shopping at participating retailers with the Shop through Chase and Chase Offers marketplaces.
• Visa Signature Concierge: Call to speak with your Visa Signature Concierge, any time, day or night.
• Premium Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Get primary coverage on eligible rental vehicles so your premiums won’t go up after an accident.
• Annual fee: $95

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel
• Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
• Earn 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2022. That’s 3X points in addition to the 2X points you already earn on travel.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Review) is the better (and more expensive) cousin of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

It earns points at higher multiples for dining and travel, has a better redemption bonus, and comes with a variety of perks and services that can help you save money and access interesting experiences.

• 10X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on:
  • Lyft rides (through 3/31/22)
  • Select streaming services (up to $1,500 spent, through 9/30/20)
• 5X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on:
  • Instacart (up to $3,000 spent, through 9/30/20)
  • Gas (up to $1,500 spent, through 9/30/20)
• 3X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on:
  • Travel (after using the full $300 travel credit)
  • Dining
• 1X Ultimate Rewards point per dollar spent on all other purchases
• 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points for spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening
  • Value: $500–$1,000 (assuming 1–2 cents per point)
  • Return on spend: 12.5%–25%

The Sapphire Reserve provides a 50% point bonus when redeeming for travel expenses through the Ultimate Rewards portal, which would make your points worth 1.5 cents each. That’d give you a cash back equivalent of 4.5% on travel and dining purchases, which isn’t too bad.

But the best way to use Ultimate Rewards points is to transfer them to a partner airline or hotel loyalty program. That could give you 2 cents per point or potentially quite a bit more, depending on how you use them.

At 2 cents per point you’d be earning a cash back equivalent of 6% on travel and dining, which is pretty competitive with the best credit cards.

• Point transfer: Transfer your points at a 1:1 rate to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs, like United, JetBlue, and Marriott.
• $300 annual travel credit: A $300 travel credit every year that will be automatically applied toward a broad range of travel-related expenses charged to the card.
• Priority Pass Select membership: Provides access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide plus a selection of restaurants. The cardholder and two guests can enter for free; additional guests cost $32 each.
• Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection: Provides complimentary services and benefits at participating hotels and resorts, including room upgrades, daily breakfast for two, and special gifts.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Application Fee Credit: Get a statement credit to offset the cost of applying for Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85), once every four years.
• Elite Hotel Benefits at Relais & Châteaux: Accelerated progress toward Club 5C member status with Relais & Châteaux luxury hotel and resort properties.
• Visa Infinite Concierge: Call for non-emergency help of all kinds, like making dinner reservations or finding good tickets to a show.
• Special Car Rental Privileges: Rental upgrades, discounts, and promotional offers at Avis, Silvercar, and National Car Rental.
• Lyft Pink membership: One free year of Lyft Pink, which includes 15% off rides, relaxed cancellations, surprise offers, and priority airport pickup.
• DoorDash membership: A free membership (DashPass) for a year, which provides free delivery and reduced service fees on orders over $12.
• $60 annual DoorDash credit: Get $60 in DoorDash credits in 2020, and $60 in credits in 2021.
• Shopping and Travel protections: You’ll get Purchase Protection, a Primary Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Trip Delay Reimbursement, and more.
• No foreign transaction fees
• Annual fee: $550

When it comes to lounge access, there’s really no beating The Platinum Card® from American Express (Review) and its Global Lounge Collection.

There are quite a few cards offering the popular Priority Pass Select membership, but the Platinum card grants access to that along with a host of other lounge brands, including Delta Sky Clubs and Amex’s own exclusive Centurion lounges.

See everything you get with the Global Lounge Collection here.

It’s worth noting that the Platinum card’s Priority Pass Select membership excludes non-lounge experiences, though they’re still offered through competing premium cards, like the Sapphire Reserve.

The business version of this card provides the same excellent lounge access, though some other card features are different: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Review).

Premium credit cards aren’t your only options for lounge access; check out the full marketplace of Credit Cards that Provide Airport Lounge Access.

• 5X Membership Rewards points per dollar on:
  • Flights booked directly through airlines or through American Express Travel
  • Prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel
• 2X Membership Rewards points per dollar on other eligible travel expenses booked through American Express Travel
• 1X Membership Rewards point per dollar on all other purchases
• 60,000 Membership Rewards points for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months after account opening
  • Value: $600–$1,200 (assuming 1–2 cents per point)
  • Return on spend: 12%–24%

Normal redemptions for flights will yield 1 cent per point, which is a poor way to use your rewards. It would be better to save up for point transfers, which could provide upwards of 2 cents per point.

At 2 cents per point you’d earn a cash back equivalent of 10% in the 5X categories. But take note that those bonus categories are a bit limited compared to what you’ll get from some other premium travel cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Review) or Citi Prestige® Card (Review).

• $200 annual airline fee credit: Good for incidental costs like checked bags and inflight food (not flight tickets) at your selected airline.
• $200 annual Uber credits: $15 in statement credits for Uber rides each month, except for December which gets $35.
• Streaming & wireless telephone credit: Get up to $320 in statement credits when you use your card to purchase select streaming and wireless telephone services from U.S. providers (up to $20 per month each, until 12/31/20).
• $100 annual Saks credits: Up to $100 in statement credits each year for Saks Fifth Avenue: $50 from January through June, and $50 from July through December.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit: A statement credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100 every four years) or TSA PreCheck ($85 once every four and a half years).
• The Hotel Collection: A $100 hotel credit and room upgrades when available for every eligible two-night stay.
• Fine Hotels & Resorts: Daily breakfast for two, room upgrades when available, amenities valued at $100, and more at eligible properties.
• Complimentary elite hotel statuses: Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold status.
• No foreign transaction fees
  
• Annual fee: $550

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first 3 months.
• Enjoy VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status available to Basic Card Member only.
• 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.
• 5X Membership Rewards points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com.
• Enjoy access to the Global Lounge Collection, the only credit card airport lounge access program that includes proprietary lounge locations around the world.
• Receive complimentary benefits with an average total value of $550 with Fine Hotels & Resorts® program at over 1,000 properties. Learn More.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit, up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one qualifying airline.
• Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $550 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• See Rates & Fees

Frequent travelers have had a long-lasting love affair with the Citi Prestige® Card (Review).

This card offer is unique for its fourth night free on hotel stays of four nights or more, a valuable perk that could help you save hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year, if you stay at high-end properties.

The Prestige used to be a powerhouse because you could use that benefit as often as you wanted, but now it’s capped at two uses per year.

This new limitation is a bit of a downer, but most people shouldn’t mind too much because Citi stated that the average cardholder didn’t use that perk more than twice per year anyway.

• 5X ThankYou points per dollar spent on:
  • Air travel
  • Restaurants
  • Eligible online purchases (up to 7,500 points; through 8/31/20)
• 3X ThankYou points per dollar spent on:
  • Hotels
  • Cruise lines
• 1X ThankYou point per dollar spent on everything else
• 50,000 ThankYou points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months after account opening
  • Value: $500–$1,000 (assuming 1–2 cents per point)
  • Return on spend: 12.5%–25%

ThankYou points are only worth 1 cent each when redeeming for past travel expenses, and so, like with many travel cards, the best way to use your rewards is a point transfer.

Citi has a variety of airline travel partners, but unfortunately there are no hotel partners. You’ll find some popular and some less-popular airlines, and point values could reach 2 cents per point or higher.

At 2 cents per point, you’d be earning a cash back equivalent of 10% in the 5X categories, and 6% in the 3X categories. That’s as good or better than what you’ll get from other top travel cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express (Review) and Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Review).

• Point transfer: To a variety of frequent flyer programs, including Etihad Guest, JetBlue TrueBlue, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
• Annual $250 travel credit: Good for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, and other travel expenses (Due to the impact of COVID-19, from 5/1/20 through 12/31/20, the $250 travel credit benefit will be expanded to include purchases made at supermarkets and restaurants).
• Complimentary 4^th Night Stay: Get your fourth night free when booking four nights in a row through ThankYou.com and paying with your card, ThankYou points, or a combination of both. Capped at twice per year.
• Priority Pass Select membership: Access to over 900 Priority Pass airport lounges and restaurants around the world.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit: A credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85), once every five years.
• Citi Prestige Concierge: Call for non-emergency help any time you need it.
• World Elite Car Rental Program: Elite memberships at Avis, Silvercar, and National.
• No foreign transaction fees
• Annual fee: $495

• 5X ThankYou points on Air travel and Restaurants
• 3X ThankYou points on Hotels and Cruise Lines
• No limit to the amount of points you can earn
• Rewards never expire
• $250 travel credit
• Complimentary 4^th night free on eligible hotel stays, capped at twice per year
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
• Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ Application Fee Credit
• No foreign transaction fees
• $495 annual fee

Frequent business travelers need to know about The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.

Some may find the rewards a bit wanting, but the travel perks can’t be beat. You’ll get the best airport lounge access possible on a credit card, elite status at Marriott and Hilton to up your hotel game, and all the valuable protections and services you’d expect with a premier business travel card.

The annual fee may seem a bit high at first glance (Rates & Fees), but consider everything you’ll get from the benefits, plus any rewards you earn: With enough travel each year you should be able to justify this card without much problem.

• Global Lounge Collection: Complimentary access to Priority Pass, Centurion, American Express International, Delta Sky Club, Escape, Airspace, Lufthansa, and Plaza Premium Lounges.
• $320 wireless telephone & shipping credit: Get up to $320 in statement credits for wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. providers and U.S. purchases for shipping (up to $20 per month each, until 12/31/20).
• Up to $200 in airline fee statement credits annually: Good for incidental costs like checked bags and in-flight food, not tickets, at your selected airline
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit: A statement credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100 every four years) or TSA PreCheck ($85 once every four and a half years)
• Complimentary elite hotel statuses: Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
• The Hotel Collection: A $100 hotel credit and room upgrades (when available) for every eligible two-night stay
• Fine Hotels & Resorts Program: Daily breakfast for two, room upgrades when available, amenities valued at $100, and more at eligible properties
• $200 Dell statement credit: Enroll to get an annual $200 statement credit for U.S. purchases with Dell: $100 from January through June, and $100 from July through December (COVID-19 update: Now get $200 in additional credits; $100 from 5/1/20–6/30/20, and $100 from 7/1/20–12/31/20).
• 35% airline bonus: Get 35% of your points back when booking eligible airfare through Amex Travel using Membership Rewards Pay with Points.
• Point transfer: To a selection of airline and hotel partners
• No foreign transaction fees
  
• Annual fee: $595
• Employee cards: Get up to 99 employee cards, at various annual fees depending on the card type ($0–$300 annually)

You can get a lot out of the Hilton Honors Aspire Card if you’ll stay at Hilton properties several times per year. You’ll be able to earn lots of points, and there are a variety of hotel credits and perks to make your stays less expensive and more enjoyable.

See The Best Hotel Credit Cards for more hotel cards for different travel brands.

• 14X Hilton Honors Bonus points per dollar for eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Portfolio
• 7X Hilton Honors Bonus points per dollar for:
  • Flights booked on Amex Travel or directly with airlines
  • Car rentals from select companies
  • U.S. restaurants
• 3X Hilton Honors Bonus points per dollar for all other purchases
• 150,000 Bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months after account opening
  • Value: $600–$1,500 (assuming 0.4–1 cent per point)
  • Return on spend: 15%–37.5%

You can earn tons of Hilton points per dollar with this card, but Hilton points aren’t usually valued as highly as points with other hotel reward programs.

At a value of 0.4–1 cent per point, you’ll be earning a cash back equivalent of 13.6–34% at Hilton properties, and 2.8–7% in the three 7X categories.

• Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status: With a 100% bonus on Base points, digital check-in, gym access, and more.
• $250 annual Hilton resort statement credit: Good for charges from Hilton resorts. Purchases at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery, will now qualify toward the $250 Hilton resort credit benefit (June through August 2020).
• $100 Hilton on-property credit: Good for incidental charges at participating Hilton properties, for every eligible stay of two-nights or more.
• $250 annual airline cee credit: Good for incidental airline fees, not ticket prices.
• Two annual Weekend Night Rewards: One free weekend night per year, and you can earn an additional night by spending $60,000 in a given year.
• Priority Pass Select membership: Complimentary airport lounge access for you and up to two guests. Additional guests cost $32 per person. Excludes non-lounge experiences.
• Personal Concierge: Call for assistance with a variety of tasks, like making reservations at restaurants or for travel.
• Purchase and Travel protections: Like Premium Roadside Assistance, Travel Accident Insurance, and Return Protection.
• No foreign transaction fees
• Annual fee: $450

The United Club℠ Infinite Card (Review) is the premier card for flying United, with perks like access to the United Club lounge, free first and second checked bags, and priority treatment at the airport.

See The Best Airline Credit Cards for more airline cards for different travel brands, or learn more about the other co-branded cards available from United.

• 9X miles per dollar for United Airlines purchases
  • 5X miles per dollar or more as a United member
  • 4X miles per dollar from the United Club card
• 2X miles per dollar spent for:
  • Restaurants
  • Travel
• 1X mile per dollar spent on all other purchases
• 100,000 bonus miles for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months

• United Club membership: Complimentary membership to the United Club airport lounge, with free access for you and two guests.
• Premier Access airport travel services: Includes priority check-in and security screening, and boarding/baggage handling privileges.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit: Get a $100 credit for the application fee of Global Entry, or $85 for TSA PreCheck, once every four years.
• Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection: Hotel perks like daily breakfast for two, complimentary WiFi, and room upgrades when available.
• World of Hyatt Discoverist status: A 10% point bonus, room upgrades, and other benefits at Hyatt properties.
• Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President’s Circle Elite Status: Get a 25% point bonus, upgrades, and exclusive offers at Hertz.
• Complimentary Premier Upgrades on United award flights: MileagePlus Premier members can get award ticket upgrades when available.
• Free first and second checked bags: For you and one traveling companion on United flights.
• No foreign transaction fees
• Annual fee: $525

If you’ll be traveling outside the U.S., you’ll probably want a credit card or two with Chip-and-PIN capability.

Most cards in the U.S. are only Chip-and-Signature, and, although many checkout terminals in foreign countries accept both Signature and PIN cards, some terminals only accept PIN cards (like some automated kiosks in Europe and other regions). So if you’re looking for the best credit cards for international travel it’s useful to have some Chip-and-PIN cards in the mix.

A few U.S. credit card issuers offer Chip-and-PIN cards (see a full list here), and out of those options it’d be tough to beat the Citi Prestige® Card (Review). Although this premium credit card is known for its fourth night free perk on hotel stays, its PIN capability will come in handy while traveling abroad.

If these bonus categories and benefits aren’t very appealing, check out the runners up below for some other PIN card options with different features, including some cards without annual fees.

• 5X ThankYou points per dollar spent on:
  • Air travel
  • Restaurants
  • Eligible online purchases (up to 7,500 points; through 8/31/20)
• 3X ThankYou points per dollar spent on:
  • Hotels
  • Cruise lines
• 1X ThankYou point per dollar spent on everything else
• 50,000 ThankYou points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months after account opening
  • Value: $500–$1,000 (assuming 1–2 cents per point)
  • Return on spend: 12.5%–25%

Your ThankYou points will be worth from 1 cent to potentially over 2 cents each, depending on how you redeem them. Point transfers will be your best option.

At a rate of 1–2 cents per point, you’d be earning a cash back equivalent of 5%–10% in the 5X categories, and 3%–6% in the 3X categories.

• Point transfer: To a variety of airline loyalty programs, including Etihad Guest, JetBlue TrueBlue, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• Annual $250 travel credit: Good for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, and other travel expenses (Due to the impact of COVID-19, from 5/1/20 through 12/31/20, the $250 travel credit benefit will be expanded to include purchases made at supermarkets and restaurants)
• Complimentary 4^th Night Stay: Get your fourth night free when booking four nights in a row through ThankYou.com and paying with your card, ThankYou points, or a combination of both. Capped at twice per year.
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership: Access to over 900 Priority Pass airport lounges and restaurants around the world
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit: A credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85), once every five years
• Citi Prestige Concierge: Call for non-emergency help any time you need it.
• World Elite Car Rental Program: Elite memberships at Avis, Silvercar, and National
• No foreign transaction fees
• Annual fee: $495

• 5X ThankYou points on Air travel and Restaurants
• 3X ThankYou points on Hotels and Cruise Lines
• No limit to the amount of points you can earn
• Rewards never expire
• $250 travel credit
• Complimentary 4^th night free on eligible hotel stays, capped at twice per year
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
• Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ Application Fee Credit
• No foreign transaction fees
• $495 annual fee

Student travelers actually have several good options here, of travel cards designed for people with limited credit histories.

The Bank of America Cash Rewards™ Credit Card for Students (Review) is the best all-around student card for travel, but you’ll need to plan your travel spending a bit in advance to get the most out of it. That’s because this card allows you to choose your 3% bonus category each month, and you’ll need to set it to Travel for the appropriate time frame before making purchases.

• 3% cash back in your choice of one category every month:
  • Gas
  • Online shopping
  • Dining
  • Travel
  • Drugstores
  • Home improvement/furnishings stores
• 2% cash back at:
  • Grocery stores
  • Wholesale clubs
• 1% cash back for everything else
• $200 cash bonus for spending $1,000 in the first 90 days
  • Return on spend: 20%

Take note that your 3% and 2% cash back categories are limited to the first $2,500 in combined spending per quarter; after that you’ll earn 1% back.

With this flexible card you can adjust your bonus category each month to fit your expected spending. So if you’re going on a trip beginning at the end of a month, for example, you could use the Travel category to get 3% back on your airfare and hotels, and even a car rental. Then, when the new month begins, you can switch your category to Gas to help fuel your adventure.

• Bank of America Preferred Rewards: Eligible bank account holders get a 25–75% bonus on rewards earned, depending on how much money is held in BofA bank accounts.
• Free credit score: Check your FICO Score 8 for free, based on your TransUnion credit report.
• Visa Platinum or Signature benefits: Depending on creditworthiness
• Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 12 months, then 16.24%–26.24% Variable
• Foreign transaction fee: 3%
  
• Annual fee: $0

• $200 cash rewards bonus for spending $1,000 in the first 90 days
• New Offer: Maximize your cash back in the category of your choice: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement /furnishings
• Now earn 3% cash back in your choice category and 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases
• You can update your choice category for future purchases once each calendar month using the Mobile banking app or Online banking, or do nothing and it stays the same.
• No changing categories and no expiration on rewards
• 0% Introductory APR for 12 billing cycles for purchases and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days, then, 16.24%–26.24% Variable APR. 3% fee (min $10) applies to balance transfers.
• If you’re a Preferred Rewards client, you can increase that bonus to 25% – 75%. Click “Apply Now” to learn more about Preferred Rewards.
• Now with chip technology for enhanced security and protection at chip-enabled terminals
• No annual fee