The
Chase Freedom Flex℠, launched with a splash in late 2020. When paired
with a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card like the Chase
Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Ink Business
Preferred® Credit Card, it can earn powerful Chase Ultimate Rewards
points.

Even as a standalone cash back card, it’s tough to beat considering it also has no annual fee.

Rewards: 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in categories
that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% on travel purchased
through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores and 1% on
all other purchases

Welcome Offer: $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee: $0

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The Chase Freedom Flex
packs a huge punch for a card without an annual fee. The biggest
downside to this card? You’ll have to remember to activate the quarterly
bonus categories and track how much you’ve spent because the rotating
categories have a $1,500 cap—at least if you’re planning to optimize
your spending.

You can also benefit from complementary cell phone insurance
protection when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your card.
Claims are limited to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year total.

This card does charge a foreign transaction fee so it is not a good choice if you plan to travel abroad.

Read the Chase Freedom Flex℠ review to learn more.

If
you’re wanting to get into transferable points but the annual fees of
the top-tier cards scare you away, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
may be a good place to start.

Rewards: 5 points per dollar on travel purchased
through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3 points per dollar on dining and 2
points per dollar on all other travel purchases and one point per dollar
on all other eligible purchases

Welcome Offer: 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee: $95

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Ultimate Rewards are
both flexible and valuable, which is why the Sapphire Preferred Card
makes our list if you can’t justify the Sapphire Reserve’s higher annual
fee. You have the ability to transfer Ultimate Rewards to a variety of
airline frequent flyer programs and hotel chains, such as United
Airlines and Hyatt.

An Ultimate Rewards point from your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is
worth 1.25 cents per point when redeemed through the Chase travel
portal or when using Pay Yourself Back, but if you are going to use the
travel portal we would recommend considering the higher annual fee Chase
Sapphire Reserve® instead because your points will be worth 1.5 cents
each in the same instances. The Chase Sapphire Preferred also offers
best-in-class travel protections, though they’re not quite as good as
the Sapphire Reserve’s coverage.

The Chase Ultimate Rewards cards are best taken as a family:
partnering a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card with a Chase Freedom Flex℠
and an eligible Chase Ink business card allows you to earn Ultimate
Rewards quickly. Rewards can also be combined between family members to
really speed up the pace.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review to learn more.

If
you’re after a luxury travel experience, especially if you want access
to a variety of airport lounges, The Platinum Card® from American
Express (terms apply, see rates and fees) is a good choice. It’s packed full of other benefits and perks, too.

Rewards: 5 membership rewards points per dollar for
flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on
up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels
booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on all other
eligible purchases

Welcome Offer: 100,000 membership rewards points after spending $6,000 on purchases on the card in the first 6 months of card membership

Annual Fee: $695

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The Platinum Card from
American Express is packed full of additional benefits. For starters,
you’ll benefit from access to a number of different airline lounges:
Amex Centurion Lounges, over 1,200 Priority Pass airport lounges
(excluding restaurant locations, enrollment required), and Delta
SkyClubs when flying Delta same-day.

Cardholders will also receive up to $200 in airline incidental
credits with the eligible airline they select each year (enrollment
required), valid for purchases such as seat selection and checked bags.
Additionally, cardholders will receive a credit to cover the TSA
PreCheck or Global Entry application fee and annual CLEAR membership,
plus up to $200 annually in Uber credits ($15 per month plus a $20 bonus
in December when your eligible card is linked to your Uber account,
good for U.S. Uber Eats and rides). The Platinum Card also offers Gold
status with both Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy with enrollment.

In 2021, the Platinum Card added additional lifestyle benefits to the
card including up to $300 in annual Equinox credits in $25-per-month
statement credits, up to a $300 bike credit when you purchase a
SoulCycle at-home bike, monthly Walmart+ membership fee credit and up to
$240 (doled out monthly in $20 increments) in digital entertainment
credit for subscriptions to eligible services which include Audible and
the New York Times.

Read our The Platinum Card® from American Express review to learn more.

The
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, launched in November 2021,
was a big shake-up to the travel card market. It offers benefits similar
to other premium travel rewards cards with a lower annual fee—making
this card a great option for even the occasional traveler.

Rewards: 2 miles per dollar on all eligible
purchases and 5 miles per dollar on flights and 10 miles per dollar on
hotels and rental cars when booking via Capital One Travel

Welcome Offer: 100,000 bonus miles after spending
$10,000 on purchases within the first six months of account opening.
Plus, for a limited time, receive up to $200 back in statement credits
for vacation rentals charged to the account within the first year

Annual Fee: $395

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: In addition to the ability to earn solid rewards, the Capital One

Venture X card offers up to $300 back annually as statement credits
for bookings through Capital One Travel and 10,000 bonus miles on each
card anniversary.

Cardholders receive a Priority Pass lounge membership, access to
Capital One lounges and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee
credit after paying for the application fee with the card.
Read our full review of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card to learn more.

If
you have a balance on another credit card and would like the chance to
pay it down with an introductory APR, the Bank of America® Customized
Cash Rewards credit card is a logical choice.

Rewards: 3% cash back in the eligible category of
your choice, 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

Intro APR Offer: 0% introductory APR for 15 billing
cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60
days. After the intro APR offer ends, a 13.99% – 23.99% variable APR
will apply. A 3% fee (min $10) applies to all balance transfers

Welcome Offer: $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening

Annual Fee: $0

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Bank of America Preferred Rewards
clients can earn a 25% to 75% bonus on all rewards earned. This card
charges a foreign transaction fee so it is not a good choice for use
abroad.

Read our Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card review to learn more.

The
Wells Fargo Reflect℠ Card has no annual fee and new cardholders get a
best-in-class introductory period to pay down balances. Just remember
that you only have 120 days to make the transfer before a higher balance
transfer fee kicks in.

Annual Fee: $0

Balance Transfer Offer: Get a 0% intro APR for 18
months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance
transfers. An extension of up to 3 months of additional introductory APR
will apply with on-time minimum payments during the introductory and
extension periods. An introductory balance transfer fee of either $5 or
3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, for
120 days from account opening applies. After that, up to 5% for each
balance transfer, with a minimum of $5.

Balance Transfer Fee: The fee for a balance transfer is up to 5%; min: $5.

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: To get the absolute
longest balance transfer window, make sure not to make a late payment.
If you do you may lose the three month extension offered for good
payment behavior. The card also comes with up to $600 in cell phone
protection when you pay your monthly bill with the card (subject to a
$25 deductible) and access to roadside dispatch.

Read our full review of the Wells Fargo Reflect℠ Card.

In
a crowded market of 2% cash back cards, the Wells Fargo Active Cash℠
Card stands out because of its introductory APR offer and Visa Signature
benefits.

Rewards: 2% cash rewards on purchases

Intro APR Offer: 0% intro APR for 15 months from
account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a
14.99% to 24.99% variable APR applies. Balance transfers made within
120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3%. Balance transfers
made after that time are charged a fee of up to 5%, min: $5

Welcome Offer: $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee: $0

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The Wells Fargo Active
Cash offers cell phone protection when you pay your cell phone bill
with the card each month. It charges a foreign transaction fee so it is
not a good choice for use abroad.

To learn more about the Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Card, read our full review.

If you have a large grocery bill, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (terms apply, see rates and fees)
is the most rewarding card out there—as long as you don’t go over the
spending cap. The card is also rewarding for carpoolers and road
trippers, offering elevated cash back at gas stations.

Rewards: 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) and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases. Cash back is
received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a
statement credit

Welcome Offer: $300 statement credit after making $3,000 in purchases within the first 6 months

Annual Fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: In addition to
amped-up earnings on groceries, you get access to Amex Offers. The offer
savings could add up quickly as long as you remember to activate and
use them. The card also offers return protection and car rental loss and
damage insurance.

Read our Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express review to learn more.

Those
who regularly dine out can easily up their rewards by picking up the
no-annual-fee U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card. You’ll also
earn elevated rewards on groceries so basically anyone who likes to eat
will benefit from the Altitude Go.

Rewards: 4 points per dollar on takeout, food
delivery and dining, 2 points per dollar at grocery stores, grocery
delivery, gas stations and on streaming services and 1 point per dollar
on all other eligible purchases

Welcome Offer: 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening

Annual Fee: $0

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The U.S. Bank Altitude
Go card also offers 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for
the first 12 billing cycles, followed by a regular variable APR of
14.99% – 23.99%. Cardholders also receive a $15 annual streaming credit
and are not charged foreign transaction fees.

Read our U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card review to learn more.

Many
trips have non-refundable elements that are tied to specific dates such
as hotel or prepaid tour reservations. If you are interrupted or have
to cancel your trip, you could be out a tremendous amount of money.

In addition to offering the ability to earn valuable points on
purchases, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers trip cancellation and
interruption insurance for covered situations, trip delay insurance,
lost baggage and baggage delay insurance, primary rental car insurance
and more. All of these best-in-class protections helped this card top
the list for the best travel rewards credit card.

Rewards: 5 points per dollar on air travel and 10
points per dollar on hotels and car rentals when purchasing travel
through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is
spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3 points per dollar on other
travel and dining and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Welcome Offer: 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee: $550

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The high annual fee of
this premium rewards card comes with $300 in travel credits that are
applied automatically when you make qualifying purchases.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits include Priority Pass airport
lounge membership that includes airport restaurant locations, which the
American Express versions of Priority Pass do not include. This means
that when you fly, you’ll be able to eat and drink at Priority Pass
restaurants in addition to the over 1,200 airport lounge locations
worldwide as long as you enroll, which could save your family a nice
chunk of change.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are transferable to a large number of
travel partners including United Airline MileagePlus and World of Hyatt.
Points are redeemable on Chase’s travel portal or using the Pay
Yourself Back feature where they’re worth 1.5 cents each.

Read the Forbes Advisor Chase Sapphire Reserve® review to learn more.

If
you’re looking for some increased benefits at hotels but aren’t ready
to shell out the big bucks for the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from
American Express*, the World of Hyatt Credit Card*
is a good place to look. This card doesn’t have a high annual fee and
still offers a free night certificate each year for a Category 1 to 4
hotel and a base level of status with Hyatt.

Rewards: 9 points total per $1 spent at Hyatt – 4
bonus points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5 bonus
points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member. Earn 4 points per
dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and 2 points per dollar spent at
restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on
local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships.
All other eligible purchases earn 1 point per dollar

Welcome Offer: 30,000 bonus points after spending
$3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up
to 30,000 more bonus points by earning 2 bonus points total per dollar
spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that
normally earn 1 bonus point, on up to $15,000 spent

Annual Fee: $95

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Each year when you
renew your card, you’ll get a free night valid at Category 1 to 4 Hyatt
properties. This benefit alone can easily offset the annual fee of the
card.

A second Category 1 to 4 free night certificate can be earned after spending $15,000 or more on the card each year.

This card comes with base-level Hyatt Discoverist status and will
give you five nights of credit toward earning higher tiers of credit.
You can earn two nights of elite credit for every $5,000 you spend on
the card each year. It’s possible to earn top-tier Hyatt Globalist
status through spending alone, but the majority of users will not spend
the hefty sum required to do so.

Additionally, you’ll receive some purchase protections and basic travel protections.

Read the World of Hyatt Credit Card* review to learn more.

The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express*
offers top-tier Diamond elite status in the Hilton program which offers
upgrades, breakfast at participating hotels, late checkout and other
benefits.

Rewards: 14 Hilton Honors bonus points at
participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton Portfolio, 7 points
per dollar on eligible purchases for flights booked directly with
airlines or American Express Travel, car rentals booked directly from
select car rental companies and U.S. restaurants and 3 points per dollar
on all other eligible purchases

Welcome Offer: 150,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of opening an account

Annual Fee: $450

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The hefty annual fee can easily be
worth it for those who make use of the $250 Hilton resort credit and the
$250 airline incidental credit for an eligible airline you choose each
year. Cardholders will also receive a free weekend night certificate
each year when they renew the card.

The Aspire confers automatic top-tier status, which makes it worth
holding for that reason alone if you stay at Hilton hotels often but not
enough to earn status.

You’ll also receive a Priority Pass Select membership with access to
over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide after you enroll in the program,
however, your membership will not include access to Priority Pass
restaurant locations.

This card also has some travel and purchase protections including
baggage insurance for lost, damaged or stolen baggage and return
protection.

Read the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express* review to learn more.

If
you’re a regular United flyer, especially if you value having access to
United Club lounges, the United Club℠ Infinite Card could be your
go-to. Even if you value none of the card’s other benefits, this card is
a smart way to gain access to United Club lounges.

Rewards: 4 miles per dollar on United® purchases, 2
miles per dollar on all other travel, on dining including eligible
delivery services and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases

Welcome Offer: 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee: $525

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The show-stopping
benefit on the Chase United Club Infinite Card is a full United Club
lounge membership. This lounge membership also includes access to Star
Alliance lounges when you are flying a Star Alliance member airline
same-day. You can bring in up to two guests. Getting access to a United
Club lounge membership through this credit card is less expensive than
buying just a lounge membership directly.

Additionally, you’ll benefit from Premier Access which includes
priority check-in and boarding, your first and second checked bags for
free when flying United, a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee
credit.

This card also comes with travel and purchase protections including
trip delay and cancellation insurance, lost and damaged baggage
insurance, delayed baggage insurance, primary rental car insurance
coverage, purchase protection, extended warranty and more.

Read the full United Club℠ Infinite Card review to learn more.

Another
newcomer to the market in 2021, the Aeroplan® Credit Card offers a good
way to earn miles if you’re willing to get a bit outside of your
comfort zone and learn about a program not based in the U.S.

Rewards: 3 points per dollar spent on dining,
takeout and eligible delivery services, grocery stores and each dollar
spent directly with Air Canada including vacations and cruises and 1
point per dollar for all other eligible purchases

Welcome Offer: 2 flight reward certificates valid
for up to 50,000 points each (up to 100,000 total points) after spending
$4,000 on the card in the first three months

Annual Fee: $95

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The Aeroplan Card also
offers up to a $100 statement credit to reimburse your Global Entry,
TSA PreCheck or NEXUS application fee every four years. This is the only
U.S. card that currently extends an application fee reimbursement for
NEXUS.

Cardholders will get their first and second checked bag for free for
themselves and up to eight companions when traveling on Air Canada. The
card does not charge foreign transaction fees and offers insurance for
trip delay, trip cancellation and interruption, baggage delay, lost and
damaged baggage, and an auto rental collision damage waiver.

While this card does offer good mileage earning and solid additional
benefits, potential cardholders should be prepared to spend some extra
time learning about Air Canada Aeroplan before applying.

To learn more about the Aeroplan® Credit Card, read our review.

The
Discover it® Student Cash Back offers a unique combination of strong
earning rates and a welcome bonus not typically seen in student cards.
If leveraged properly, cardholders can earn some serious cash back.

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

Welcome Offer: Earn an unlimited cashback match –
Discover will automatically match all the cash back earned at the end of
the first year. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards

Annual Fee: $0

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Discover is not as
widely accepted as Mastercard, Visa or even American Express if you plan
to use it overseas. This is a drawback for students who travel or study
abroad. The quarterly bonus categories may or may not fit how you
spend, meaning you might not maximize your earning potential every
single quarter and you need to remember to activate the bonus each
quarter.

Read our full Discover it® Student Cash Back review to learn more.

Those
who have bad credit but can still qualify for an unsecured card should
consider the Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card, issued by
WebBank, Member FDIC. When you apply, more than just a credit profile
may be used when determining who qualifies for a card, potentially
allowing more people to be approved for Petal than with other cards.

Rewards: 2%-10% cash back at select merchants

Welcome Offer: This card does not offer a welcome bonus

Annual Fee: $0

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The Petal 1 card does
not charge foreign transaction fees and cardholders have access to
secondary auto rental collision damage waiver when renting cars.

To learn more about the Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card, read our full review.

If
you’re new to credit or have made credit mistakes in the past, you may
need a secured card to help build or rebuild your credit. In exchange
for a security deposit, Discover will provide you with an equal credit
line if you are approved. Most secured credit cards do this, but the
Discover it® Secured Credit Card adds rewards to the mix.

Rewards: 2% cash back at gas stations and
restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Plus,
earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases

Welcome Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match – Discover will automatically match all the cash back earned at the end of the first year

Annual Fee: $0

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The Discover it®
Secured Credit Card is one of only a few secured cards that earn cash
back on purchases, so it’s a great option to build credit and earn
rewards. You can have a maximum of a $2,500 credit limit by putting down
a $2,500 deposit. Discover will review your account for graduation to
an unsecured card and the refund of your security deposit starting at
seven months.

Like any good secured card, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card reports to all three major credit bureaus.

Read our Discover it® Secured Credit Card review to learn more.

The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card*
has always been a good card. The recent increase in our reliance on
Amazon for daily needs makes it a great one. If you’re spending most of
your shopping budget with Amazon or other companies in the Amazon
ecosystem, you might as well get rewarded for it.

Rewards: 5% cash back in rewards at Amazon.com and
Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership, 2% cash back at
restaurants, gas stations and drugstores and 1% on all other purchases

Welcome Offer: Amazon.com gift card instantly on card approval

Annual Fee: $0 with Prime membership

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: If you’re not a
regular Amazon or Whole Foods shopper, this card probably doesn’t make
sense for you. The $119 cost of Prime membership effectively acts as an
annual fee. If you’re already spending it, then the card has no
additional cost to carry.

You can redeem rewards as an Amazon credit with no minimum. However,
you can also redeem your cash back as a statement credit or direct
deposit to a checking or savings account once your rewards balance
reaches $20 or more.

The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card has a number of benefits
making it great for travel including no foreign transaction fees,
travel accident insurance and baggage delay insurance. It also has perks
like Visa Signature’s Luxury Hotel Collection and Concierge Service.

Read our Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card* review to learn more.