We dug into each card’s perks and drawbacks to find the best ones.We dug into each card’s perks and drawbacks to find the best ones.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Trying to choose the right rewards credit cards can be overwhelming. You have to consider not only the rewards but also the annual fee, credit score requirement and other benefits. There is no one-size-fits-all card, but there’s likely to be an option that’s just right for you.
To help streamline your search, CNBC Select has organized the top rewards credit cards based on each card’s strengths. (See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best rewards cards.)
Best rewards credit cards of February 2025
- Best for welcome bonus:Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Best for dining: American Express® Gold Card
- Best for no annual fee: Citi Double Cash® Card
- Best for cash back: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Best for paying rent: Bilt Mastercard®
- Best for travel rewards: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Best for bad credit: Discover it® Secured Credit Card
- Best for college students: Discover it® Student Cash Back
- Best for airport lounge access: The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Best for balance transfers: Citi Simplicity® Card
- Best for groceries:Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Best for luxury travel:Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Best for online shopping: Prime Visa
- Best for entertainment: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Best for rotating bonus categories: Chase Freedom Flex®
Best for welcome bonus
Who’s this for? The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is ideal if you’re seeking a welcome bonus with a manageable spending requirement and reasonable annual fee.
Standout rewards: This card earns bonus miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, as well as an above-average return on all other purchases. Rewards can be redeemed at a fixed value or transferred to various airline and hotel partners, including Emirates Skywards, Avianca LifeMiles and Wyndham Rewards.
Best for dining
Who’s this for? The American Express® Gold Card is ideal for earning travel rewards on everyday spending categories like dining and groceries.
Standout rewards: Whether you like to dine out or cook at home, you’ll earn bonus points on restaurant and U.S. supermarket spending. Travelers also benefit from earning bonus points on flights booked directly with airlines or Amextravel.com.
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
Best for no annual fee
Who’s this for? The Citi Double Cash® Card is a solid choice if you’re looking to maximize your money without worrying about rotating rewards categories or joining a credit union.
Standout rewards: The Citi Double Cash earns at least 2% cash back on every purchase with 1% back when you buy, plus an additional 1% back when you pay for those purchases. This straightforward rewards structure allows you to earn double what most cards offer on everyday purchases.
Best for cash back
Who’s this for? The Chase Freedom Unlimited®, our top cash-back card, is ideal for anyone looking for a simple way to maximize cash back on everyday spending.
Standout rewards: You’ll earn bonus cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, as well as at drugstores and on dining at restaurants (including takeout), plus an above-average return on all other purchases.
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
Best for paying rent
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Use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points -Earn 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year, 3x points on dining, 2x points on travel, and 1x points on other purchases
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See Terms
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Up to 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5.
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Excellent/Good
See rates/fees and rewards/benefits; terms apply.
Who’s this for? The Bilt Mastercard® is ideal if you rent your home or apartment. It allows you to pay rent and earn versatile transferable points without extra fees.
Standout rewards: You can use Bilt points to book travel, pay for dining, shopping and fitness classes or redeem them toward rent or a down payment on a home. On top of all that, you can also transfer Bilt points to many valuable airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Best for travel rewards
Who’s this for? The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a versatile card with a strong suite of benefits and a generous rewards program.
Standout rewards: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card members earn bonus points on travel, streaming services, online grocery purchases and dining. When you factor in how valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points can be when you redeem them for travel, it places this card firmly in the conversation for the best travel credit card.
Best for bad credit
Who’s this for? Secured credit cards provide an opportunity to grow or repair your credit score, so they typically don’t offer rewards or other benefits. However, Discover it® Secured Credit Card is an exception.
Standout rewards: Discover it Secured Credit Card cardholders earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. That’s a nice return, but it’s even better for the first year because Discover will match all of the cash back you earn for the first year.
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
Best for college students
Who’s this for? Unlike many student credit cards, the Discover it® Student Cash Back provides an opportunity to earn cash-back rewards while you’re in college and building your credit history.
Standout rewards: The Discover it Student Cash Back offers rotating quarterly categories where you’ll earn 5% back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases (then 1%) and 1% back on all other purchases. To qualify for the bonus cash back, you’ll need to activate the new categories each quarter.
Best for airport lounge access
Who’s this for? The Platinum Card® from American Express is a top-tier card, that’s loaded with all sorts of perks.
Standout rewards: The Amex Platinum card is hard to beat if you want access to airport lounges. Cardholders get access to Priority Pass™ Select lounges (enrollment required), American Express Centurion Lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, Lufthansa lounges, Escape Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs.
Best for balance transfers
Who’s this for? If you have credit card debt and are looking to save on interest, the Citi Simplicity® Card is one of the best options for 0% intro APR balance transfer offers.
Standout rewards:The Citi Simplicity Card doesn’t provide any rewards, but its intro-APR period for balance transfers is exceptionally generous.
Best for groceries
Who’s this for? The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a great choice for anyone who regularly spends big at grocery stores and gas stations.
Standout rewards: If you’ve cut the cord, you’ll appreciate earning 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions and 6% back on the first $6,000 in purchases at U.S. supermarkets per year, (then 1%). You’ll also earn bonus cash back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and at U.S. gas stations.
Best for luxury travel
Who’s this for? If you’re a frequent traveler looking to make your flights and hotel stays more luxurious, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® should be on your radar.
Standout rewards: This card is geared toward frequent travelers, offering bonus points on dining and travel, plus benefits like a $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge access and no foreign transaction fees. The points you earn with this card are worth 1.5 cents apiece when redeemed through Chase Travel℠, or potentially more when taking advantage of Chase’s hotel and airline partners.
Best for online shopping
Who’s this for? Frequent Amazon and Whole Foods shoppers will want to look into the Prime Visa. The card also offers a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.
Standout rewards: All Prime Visa purchases at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods earn a generous 5% cash back. Cardholders also get bonus cash back at gas stations, restaurants, on local transit and commuting (including rideshare) and Chase Travel℠ purchases.
Best for entertainment
Who’s this for? If you need to relax, Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card earns cash back where it matters most.
Standout rewards: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Card members earn bonus cash back on dining, entertainment, streaming services and at grocery stores. No matter how you like to unwind, this card can make it more affordable.
Best for rotating bonus categories
Who’s this for? If you’re looking to maximize cash-back rewards, consider a rotating bonus category card like the Chase Freedom Flex®.
Standout rewards: Chase Freedom Flex cardholders earn 5% on the first $1,500 in combined purchases in different categories each quarter. You’ll need to activate the categories to earn the bonus cash back. In addition to rotating rewards, you can earn bonus cash back on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, dining and drug store purchases.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Good to excellent | $95 | 5X miles on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 2X miles on every other purchase | Up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck; Travel and purchase protections** |
American Express® Gold Card | Good to excellent | *$95 | 4X points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X) and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X), 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, 2X points on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel booked through Amextravel.com and 1X points on all other purchases | Dining credits, *Uber credits (enrollment required) |
Citi Double Cash® Card | Fair to excellent | $0 | 2% cash back on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% cash back as you pay for those purchases. | Intro-APR offer |
Chase Freedom Unlimited® | Good to excellent | $0 | 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 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. | Intro-APR offer, shopping and travel protections |
Bilt Mastercard® | Good to excellent | $0 | 1X points on rent payments without a transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year, 3X points on dining, 2X points on travel, and 1X points on other purchases. You must make five or more purchases with the card each statement period to earn points | Travel and purchase protections; Earn points on rent payments with no fee |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Good to excellent | $95 | 5X points on travel purchase through Chase TravelSM; 3X points on dining, online groceries and select streaming services; 2X points on all other travel; 1X points on all other purchases | $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit; 10% anniversary points boost; Travel and purchase protections |
Discover it® Secured Credit Card | New to credit/rebuilding credit | $0 | 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically (then 1% cash back). Plus earn unli 1% cash back on all other purchases. | No foreign transaction fees |
Discover it® Student Cash Back | New to credit/Fair credit | $0 | 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in rotating quarterly categories when you activate (then 1% cash back). Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. | No foreign transaction fees |
The Platinum Card® from American Express | Good to excellent | $695 ** | Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, 2X points on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel booked through Amextravel.com and 1X points on all other eligible purchases | Travel credits, Uber credits*, shopping credits*, airport lounge access, trusted traveler program credits (*enrollment required) |
Citi Simplicity® Card | Good to excellent | $0 | None | Intro-APR offer |
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Good to excellent | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.*** | 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, 3% cash back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and 1% cash back on other purchases*** | Intro-APR offer, statement credit offer |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Excellent | $550 | 5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining, 1X points on all other purchases | Travel credit, airport lounge access, trusted traveler programs credit |
Prime Visa | Good to excellent | $0 | 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), unlimited 1% back on all other purchases | No foreign transaction fee, shopping and travel protections |
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | Good to excellent | $0 | 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; Terms apply, 3% cash back on dining and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), 3% cash back on popular streaming services and entertainment, and 1% cash back on all other purchases | No foreign transaction fee |
Chase Freedom Flex® | Good to excellent | $0 | 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate (then 1%), 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, 3% on drugstore purchases and on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services), 1% cash back on all other purchases | Intr-oAPR offer |
*For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
**For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
***For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, click here. (For the Blue Cash Preferred, cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout)
More on our best rewards credit cards
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Rewards
- 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One travel
- 2X miles on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Annual fee
$95
Notable perks
Every four years, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers a credit of up to $120 to cover Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® membership. This card has no foreign transaction fees and comes with a bunch of additional travel perks, such as access to extended warranty protection*, Travel Assistance Services*, Purchase Assurance*, MasterRental Insurance*, Master RoadAssist®*, and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Coverage*.
Capital One miles can be used to book flights, hotels, rental cars and more directly through Capital One Travel, or to offset recent travel purchases at a fixed value of one cent per point. Alternatively, they can be transferred to various hotel and airline partners including Accor Live Limitless, Air Canada Aeroplan, Etihad Guest and others to get even more value from your miles.
*Benefit available to accounts approved for the World Elite Mastercard product, subject to terms, conditions, and exclusions in the World Elite Mastercard Guide to Benefits. See Account Terms or Application Terms for more details. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply.
American Express® Gold Card
Rewards
- 4X points at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X)
- 4X points on up to $25,000 in purchases at U.S. supermarkets per year, then 1X
- 3X points on flights you book directly with an airline or on AmexTravel.com
- 1X points on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Annual fee
$325 (see rates and fees)
Notable perks
With the American Express® Gold Card, you can receive an annual dining statement credit of up to $120 (up to $10 a month in statement credits) at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys (enrollment required). You can also receive up to $120 in Uber Cash per year ($10 a month) after adding the card to your Uber account (you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States). Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit. Terms apply.
Every year, you can also earn up to $84 in Dunkin’ credit each year when you pay with your American Express® Gold Card (up to $7 in statement credits back per month; Enrollment required) at U.S. Dunkin’ locations, and up to $100 in Resy credit each year (up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually) for in-person dining at U.S. Resy restaurants and other eligible Resy purchases (Enrollment required).
Gold Card members can also participate in Amex Offers, which allow targeted cardholders to earn statement credits or bonus Membership Rewards® points at select retailers. These limited-time offers are location-based and additional terms apply.
You can redeem Amex points for statement credits, gift cards, and when checking out at retailers like Amazon. However, you’ll get the most value from your Membership Rewards points when redeeming for travel through transfer partners.
Citi Double Cash® Card
Rewards
- 5% back on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through the Citi travel site
- 2% back on all other purchases, 1% back when you buy and 1% back when you pay
Welcome bonus
Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases within the first six months of account opening.
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
The Citi Double Cash® Card offers cardholders a competitive intro APR on balance transfers.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Rewards
On up to $20,000 spent in the first year:
- 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service)
- 3% on all other purchases
After your first year or $20,000 spent:
- 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 5% back on Lyft rides (through March 2025)
- 3% back at drugstores
- 3% back on dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services)
- 1.5% on all other purchases.
Welcome bonus
Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back!
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers new cardholders an introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers. Freedom Unlimited cardholders also receive three free months of DoorDash DashPass, then nine months at 50% off. New enrollees starting February 1, 2025, will receive six free months of DashPass.
Bilt Mastercard®
Rewards
- 1X points on rent payments with no transaction fee (up to 100,000 points each calendar year)
- 3X points on dining
- 2X points on travel
- 1X point on all other purchases
To earn points with the Bilt card, you need to make at least five transactions per billing cycle.
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$0 See rates and fees
Notable perks
When you consider that the Bilt Mastercard has no annual fee, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the insurance benefits it has. You’re covered by trip delay reimbursement, trip interruption/cancellation protection, rental car collision insurance (primary), cell phone protection and purchase protection.
You can also earn a $5 Lyft credit when you take three Lyft rides in a month (through Sept. 30, 2025) and take advantage of a range of Mastercard perks. You have access to Mastercard ID Theft Protection, Mastercard Airport Concierge, Mastercard Travel and Lifestyle Services and more.
With Bilt, you can also earn bonus points at Walgreens and link your HSA/FSA to simplify reimbursements. You can earn 2X Bilt points on Walgreens branded items and 1X Bilt points on all other eligible Walgreens purchases. On top of that, you can earn 100 bonus Bilt points on prescription refills (subject to exclusions; activation required).
The value of a Bilt Rewards point depends on how you use it. The best options for redeeming points include booking travel through the Bilt Travel Portal for 1.25 cents per point or receiving 1.5 cents per point toward a down payment on a home. To get even more value, consider taking advantage of Bilt’s transfer partners which include World of Hyatt, United MileagePlus, Emirates Skywards and many more.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Rewards
- 5X on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 5X points on Lyft rides (through Mar. 31, 2025)
- 5X points on eligible Peloton purchases over $150 (earn a max of 25,000 points through Mar. 31, 2025)
- 3X points on dining
- 3X points on online grocery purchases
- 3X points on select streaming services
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X points on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee
$95
Notable perks
On every account anniversary, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card members receive a 10% bonus based on the total purchases from the previous year. If you spent $50,000 on the card, at the end of that year you’d receive a 5,000-point bonus. You can also earn up to a $50 Annual Chase Hotel Credit each year for hotel stays you purchase through Chase Travel℠.
This card has no foreign transaction fees and offers insurance such as trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption coverage and primary rental car insurance. Cardholders can also enroll to receive one year of free DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027).
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Rewards
- 2% back on the first $1,000 in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each quarter
- 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Discover will match the cash back you earn in the first year of card membership.
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
The Discover it Secured Credit Card requires a minimum deposit of $200 to qualify. However, after seven months, Discover will automatically review your account to see if you qualify for an upgrade to an unsecured credit card. This card has no foreign transaction fees.
Discover it® Student Cash Back
Rewards
- 5% back on up to $1,500 in purchases in rotating quarterly categories (then 1%) (activation required)
- 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Discover will match the cash back you earn in the first year of card membership.
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
You’ll need to be an eligible student to qualify for the Discover it Student Cash Back, but it is available even if you have poor credit or a limited credit history. Students traveling overseas can take advantage of no foreign transaction fees.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Rewards
- 5X points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year)
- 5X points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn 80,000 points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership.
Annual fee
$695 (see rates and fees)
Notable perks
The Platinum Card® from American Express has an incredible list of statement credit offers that can be worth over $1,500 when maximized, including:
- Up to $300 in Equinox credit (enrollment required)
- Up to $200 in airline fee statement credits (enrollment required)
- $200 in Uber Cash each year (enrollment required)
- Up to $155 in Walmart+ credits (subject to auto-renewal). Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. Certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade.
- Up to $240 in digital entertainment statement credits (enrollment required)
- Up to $100 in Saks 5th Avenue statement credits each year (enrollment required)
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 in statement credits back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
- Receive either a $120 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.
On top of excellent airport lounge access, cardholders can enroll for Marriott Bonvoy Gold status (enrollment required), Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required) and rental car perks with National, Avis and Hertz (enrollment required). It also has all of the built-in protections you’d want from a premium travel card, including trip delay reimbursement*, trip cancellation/interruption coverage*, return protection, purchase protection** and extended warranty coverage**. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
*Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
**Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Citi Simplicity® Card
Rewards
None
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
In addition to this card’s balance transfer intro APR, the Citi Simplicity® Card offers an introductory APR on purchases.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Rewards
- 6% back on up to $6,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarkets (then 1%)
- 6% back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 3% back on transit
- 3% back at U.S. gas stations
- 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of account opening.
Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (see rates and fees)
Notable perks
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers up to $84 in Disney bundle credit (spend $9.99 or more a month on an auto renewing Disney Bundle subscription to receive a $7 statement credit a month, enrollment required. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.)
Cardholders can also potentially save money on their purchases by taking advantage of Amex Offers; enrollment required.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Rewards
- 10X points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 10X points on Lyft rides (through Mar. 31, 2025)
- 10X points on Chase Dining purchases
- 10X points on eligible Peloton purchases ( up to 50,000 points through Mar. 31, 2025)
- 5X points on flights purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on travel
- 3X points on dining
- 1X points on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Annual fee
$550
Notable perks
Every card anniversary year, Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders get a $300 travel credit, which automatically applies to eligible purchases. Plus, cardholders can get a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit worth up to $120 every four years. Both of those credits are on top of the complimentary Priority Pass Select membership (valued at roughly $469 a year), which grants you unlimited visits to over 1,500 airport lounges worldwide.
This card also comes with a host of top-notch travel and purchase protections, including:
- Return protection
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty protection
- Trip delay reimbursement
- Baggage delay insurance
- Lost luggage insurance
- Rental car coverage
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Travel accident insurance
Having this card also increases the value of your points by 50% when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruise reservations when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. This is a good way to boost the value of your Chase points. You can also take advantage of complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
Prime Visa
Rewards
- 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods and on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM
- 2% back at gas stations, restaurants and on local transit
- 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Receive an instant $100 Amazon gift card upon approval.
Annual fee
$0 (requires an Amazon Prime membership)
Notable perks
The Prime Visa has no foreign transaction fees, purchase protection and extended warranty protection. It also has valuable travel insurance including, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and rental car coverage.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Rewards
- 10% back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases
- 3% back on dining
- 3% back on entertainment
- 2% back on eligible streaming services
- 3% back at grocery stores
- 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn a one-time $200 bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has no foreign transaction fees and grants you access to exclusive events and experiences through Capital One Entertainment and Capital One Dining.
Chase Freedom Flex®
Rewards
- 5% back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in rotating quarterly categories
- 5% back on travel purchases through the Chase Ultimate Rewards site
- 5% back on Lyft rides (through Mar. 31, 2025)
- 3% back on dining
- 3% back at drugstores
- 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Annual fee
$0
Notable perks
The Chase Freedom Flex® offers a competitive intro APR on new purchases and balance transfers.
Cardholders can also enroll for three complimentary months of DashPass, then nine months at 50% off. New enrollees starting February 1, 2025, will receive six free months of DashPass.
Should you open a rewards credit card
Whether you should open a rewards credit card depends on your spending habits and how you plan to use the card.
If you’re going to carry a balance, even the best rewards credit cards won’t be worth it for you. High interest rates will cancel out any value from the rewards you earn.
Next, consider how complex you want your credit card strategy to be. If you enjoy chasing the best value and don’t mind putting some thought into managing your cards, a rewards card with bonus rewards or rotating categories may be a good fit. If you’d rather keep things simple, you might do better with a flat-rate rewards card that earns the same rate on all purchases.
You’ll also want to ensure that the card’s bonus categories align with your everyday spending. If groceries are a big part of your budget, look for a card that earns an elevated rewards rate at grocery stores. If you have a long daily commute, you may benefit from a credit card that offers bonus rewards at gas stations. Consider perks and benefits as well since they may increase the card’s value. This may be especially important if you’re considering cards with annual fees.
All in all, if a rewards credit card matches your spending habits and offers perks you can easily take advantage of to offset the annual fee, that card may be worth it for you. At the very least, if you never carry a balance and treat spending on a credit card like a debit card, even a no-annual-fee cash-back card can offer rewards for purchases you were already planning to make.
How to choose a rewards credit card
Rewards credit cards come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s important to choose the card that best matches your spending habits. You want a card that will reward you for your everyday purchases without having to adjust your spending to maximize card rewards.
You should decide if you’re willing to pay an annual fee for a card since this can help narrow down choices. Rewards cards can have annual fees of up to $550, which can be worthwhile, but not for everyone. Calculate if an annual fee is within your budget and can be outweighed by the card’s benefits.
Don’t want to pay your credit card’s annual fee? Here’s how to ask for a retention offer
Next, you should figure out what type of rewards you want to earn and if you want a simple rewards program or one that may require some work. If you want a straightforward card, some generic rewards cards offer the same rewards on all purchases, which require little planning. But if you want to maximize rewards in common spending categories, such as travel, dining and gas, consider bonus rewards cards that offer over 5% back on purchases and may require activation.
It’s also a good idea to consider the card’s welcome offer. Some of the best rewards credit cards come with large welcome bonuses for new cardholders worth hundreds of dollars. And if you’re planning a big purchase, look for cards with a 0% APR offer — this way, you can still earn rewards but will have more than a year without interest charges to pay off the purchase.
Rewards aside, consider the added card perks, such as annual statement credits, lounge access and 0% APR periods, that can provide enhanced value.
How to compare rewards credit cards
There’s a wide range of rewards credit cards, so it can feel difficult to compare your options. To simplify the process, focus on three key factors: cost, rewards and benefits.
Cost
The main cost to pay attention to is the card’s annual fee. If you plan on adding authorized users or employee cards to your account, there could be an additional fee. While interest and late fees are avoidable if you pay your bill on time and in full each month, a lower APR may be worth considering if you anticipate carrying a balance.
Rewards
Comparing credit card rewards can sometimes be like comparing apples to oranges, especially when considering travel rewards. Cash-back rewards are straightforward — $1 in rewards generally equals $1 in cash. However, flexible travel rewards can vary in value dramatically depending on the program and how you redeem your points or miles.
In addition to the value of the rewards, compare the rate at which you’ll earn rewards for various purchases. Many cards offer bonus rewards for common expenses like dining, groceries, or gas, while others provide a flat-rate return on all purchases. Choose a card that aligns with how you typically spend.
Benefits
Credit card perks can provide significant value and often offset the annual fee. Tangible benefits like annual statement credits are easy to quantify, while other perks like airport lounge access and travel insurance depend on how often you use them.
Consider every perk you’ll have access to with each card and what they’re worth to you.
How different types of rewards credit cards work
There are several different kinds of reward cards. Rewards credit cards typically provide one of three reward structures: cash back, points or miles. How you earn and redeem rewards varies based on the type of credit card you open.
- Cash back: Receive a percentage of spending back, directly related to how much you spent. Spend $100 on a 1% cash-back card and earn $1 in cash-back.
- Points and miles: Earn points or miles on purchases. The value of one point or one mile doesn’t always equal one cent. They might be worth more or less than a penny depending on the credit card you have and the way you redeem rewards. Typically, you can earn points and miles on travel rewards credit cards.
Additionally, rewards cards can be broken down into three groups based on how you earn rewards:
- Flat-rate rewards: This type of rewards credit card comes with a single rewards rate that applies to all purchases.For example, the Citi Double Cash® Card earns 2% cash back on everything you buy (earn 1% cash back on all purchases and 1% when you pay off your bill)
- Bonus categories: These credit cards offer an elevated rewards rate in certain spending categories. For instance, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® from our list of the best travel rewards credit cards offers 10X points on hotels and car rentals and 5X points on flights booked through Chase Travel℠, plus 3X points on dining and all other travel purchases. Any purchases outside of these categories only earn 1X points.
- Rotating categories: This type of card offers a higher reward rate in specific bonus categories that change every quarter. The Chase Freedom Flex® is a great example. This cash rewards credit card earns 5% back in rotating categories on up to $1,500 in purchases made each quarter (then 1%). You need to activate the categories every quarter to earn bonus cash back.
In addition to the value of cash back, points and miles varying, redemption options also fluctuate. You may be able to redeem for a statement credit, travel, gift card, merchandise or more, depending on your card.
What are travel rewards and how do they work?
Travel rewards are the type of credit card reward, typically either points or miles, that travel cards earn. With a travel card, you’ll also usually earn more points or miles for travel purchases and be protected by different types of credit card travel insurance.
Travel rewards can be the most valuable type of credit card rewards to earn, but how you redeem them will determine the value you receive. Most travel rewards programs offer flat-rate redemptions, such as for cash back, gift cards or booking travel. You’ll typically get around one cent per point in value for these redemptions.
The most lucrative travel programs offer flexible (or transferable) points or miles. These programs allow you to convert your travel rewards to airline miles or hotel points. While this type of redemption can be more complicated, it provides an opportunity to dramatically boost the value of your rewards. Some of the best airline loyalty programs allow you to book international business class flights that normally cost thousands of dollars for 70,000 miles, so you can easily receive two to four cents per mile or more in value.
Making the most of your rewards card benefits
To maximize your rewards credit card, you’ll want to look beyond the miles, points or cash back you earn on purchases. Many of the top credit cards offer additional perks beyond the rewards program. These benefits can often offset the cost of a card’s annual fee, so it’s important to understand every benefit you have access to.
Statement credits
Your rewards credit card may offer statement credits for specific purchases or a category of purchases. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has an annual travel credit of up to $300 that applies to everything from flights to toll bridges and highways. Other cards have offers that apply to specific brands or services. Many of the top travel credit cards (one of the most popular types of rewards credit cards) off an application fee credit for trusted traveler programs such as Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Insurance perks
One easily overlooked benefit that’s available with many of the best rewards credit cards is insurance coverage. Before you pay extra for an extended warranty or trip cancellation policy, check your credit card’s benefits guide to see if you already have this coverage. Credit card insurance perks can include cell phone protection, trip delay reimbursement, rental car insurance, extended warranty protection, purchase protection and much more.
Brand-specific perks
If you’re an extremely brand-loyal person or tend to book travel largely with one hotel chain or airline, opening a rewards credit card with brand-specific perks can make sense. Co-branded credit cards may offer automatic elite status, bonus rewards, brand-specific credits and fee credits. Many airline credit cards come with a free checked bag benefit, and hotel credit cards often grant free elite status to cardholders. The downside of these perks is they only apply in specific circumstances, so they aren’t as easy to maximize and won’t make sense for everyone.
Find the best rewards credit card for you by reviewing offers in our credit card marketplace or get personalized offers via CardMatch™.
Pros and cons of rewards credit cards
Pros
- Additional savings: With the right credit card, you can earn rewards on all of the purchases you were going to make anyway. As long as you don’t spend more than you otherwise would, these rewards are an easy way to save on expenses.
- Built-in protections: Reward credit cards typically offer liability protection, so you won’t be on the hook for unauthorized charges. You may also have additional shopping and travel insurance perks, which can save you money and provide peace of mind.
- Welcome bonuses: Rewards credit cards tend to have the best welcome bonus offers, which can be worth $500 or more when you meet the requirements.
Cons
- High APR: Rewards credit cards usually have exceptionally high interest rates, with APRs regularly topping 20%, which makes them extremely expensive if you carry a balance.
- Hard to get: Many of the most rewarding credit cards have stricter requirements, you’ll typically need a good credit score or higher to qualify for the most lucrative offers.
- Annual fees: The credit cards with the highest rewards rates and best benefits, typically have annual fees, and premium credit cards can have annual fees of $400 or more.
FAQs
What is a rewards credit card?
A rewards credit card lets you earn cash back, points or miles when making purchases with that card. Beyond rewards, these cards sometimes come with additional perks like travel and purchase protections.
Are rewards credit cards worth it?
Rewards credit cards are worth it as long as you maintain good credit habits, such as paying off your balance each month. When used responsibly, rewards credit cards can save you hundreds of dollars annually.
Who should apply for a rewards card?
If you pay for purchases with cash or debit, you’re leaving extra money on the table. Using a rewards credit card can earn you hundreds of dollars in rewards annually.
However, using a rewards card only makes sense if you pay off your credit card bill in full every month. Not even the most generous rewards rates can offset the high interest charges of credit cards. Additionally, rewards credit cards often require good or excellent credit (FICO scores above 670), so check your credit score before applying for one of these cards.
Do credit card rewards expire?
Credit card rewards usually don’t expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. However, if you close your credit card, you could lose your rewards or have a certain amount of time to redeem them. It’s also important to read the fine print to be aware of every caveat because each rewards program is different.
Are credit card rewards taxable?
Credit card rewards are typically not taxable because they are considered a discount or rebate. However, there are situations where miles and points could be taxable, for example, if you earned them for opening a bank account and there was no spending requirement. Always consult a tax professional if you’re uncertain.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best rewards credit cards.
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Our methodology
To determine which cardsare the most rewarding, CNBC Select analyzed over 250 major credit cards issued through FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions that are widely available in the U.S.
We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR and balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks (e.g., ongoing travel or merchant statement credits), cardholder protections (e.g., purchase protection, $0 liability protection and travel insurance), the application process when available (e.g., is there a credit pull or required credit score) and how easy it is to redeem points (e.g., are rewards are tied to a specific brand; if transferable, to how many/which partners, can you redeem for straight cash back).
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
For the cards that offered a rewards program, we considered consumer spending data forecasts from location intelligence firm Esri to determine where U.S. consumers are spending the most money, like on dining and travel. We used this to help determine what bonus categories are most useful for consumers. Since the value of a point or mile varies based on what they can be redeemed for, we also considered things like transferability and the ability to redeem for cash-back.
When choosing the best rewards credit cards, we focused on cards that offer some type of return for your spending, including cash-back, travel points and other types of rewards.
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