Earn 5X points on Chase Travel? purchases, 3X points on dining, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services, and 1X points on other purchases.
A rewards credit card lets you earn rewards for each dollar you spend. Some rewards cards offer a flat rate of points, miles, or?cash back on everything?you buy, whereas others offer more points in specific categories people shop in. In some cases, bonus rewards can be capped based on a specific amount of spending. In other cases, the rewards you can earn are unlimited.
Keep reading to learn more about rewards cards and which ones we recommend.
Earn 5X points on Chase Travel? purchases, 3X points on dining, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services, and 1X points on other purchases.
Earn 6% cash back on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each year (then 1% back), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit, 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 or at Amazon.com checkout.
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Although this card has an annual fee, most families will be able to easily get enough value out of the everyday categories to make it worth it.
Enjoy 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 services, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 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 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
Earn 5X miles per dollar on hotel stays, vacation rentals or rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2X miles on all other purchases.
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The massive sign-up offer and generous, flexible rewards make this card a great option for casual travelers.
Earn 3% cash back on up to $6,000/year spent at U.S. supermarkets (then 1%), 3% cash back on up to $6,000/year at U.S. gas stations (then 1%), 3% cash back on up to $6,000/year on U.S. online retail purchases (then 1%), and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
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For a no-annual-fee option, the reward rate on this card is pretty solid, but for heavy spenders, other cards may offer more value.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards? points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, and 1X points on other eligible purchases.
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This is quite a spectacular card with incredibly valuable benefits, but the annual fee is objectively very high.
Earn 10X miles on hotel and rental car purchases made through Capital One Travel, 5X miles on airfare and vacation rentals purchased through the portal, and 2X miles per dollar spent on all other purchases.
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With a lower annual fee than some premium cards and extremely valuable benefits, this card can easily be worth the annual fee for the frequent traveler.
Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart? and Target?), plus 1% back on all other purchases. Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases when you book through the Capital One Entertainment portal. Earn 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
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The cash-back categories and welcome bonus are pretty solid, especially for a card without an annual fee.
Earn 7X Hilton Honors Points on eligible Hilton purchases, 5X points on eligible U.S. restaurant, U.S. supermarket, and U.S. gas station purchases, and 3X on all other eligible purchases.
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If you’re opposed to paying an annual fee for a hotel card, this one offers decent rewards for no yearly charge. It’s pretty lackluster on other benefits, though.
Earn 10X points on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Travel? immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually, 10X points on Chase Dining purchases, 5X points on flights booked through Chase Travel, 3X points on non-Chase travel and dining, and 1X points on all non-bonus spending.
Earn unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases
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The lack of an annual fee coupled with high flat-rate rewards makes this card a valuable asset to any wallet.
Earn 2X miles on restaurant purchases (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.), 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets and on Delta purchases, and 1X miles on all other eligible purchases.
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The perks this card delivers can easily make up for the annual fee but may not be worth it if you aren’t a Delta enthusiast.
After making an eligible purchase on a rewards credit card, you’ll receive a portion back in cash, points, or miles. These rewards will likely be redeemable through your account on the credit card issuer’s website or mobile app.
For example, let’s say you make a $200 purchase on an eligible hotel stay using the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. As this card earns 5X miles on hotel stays booked through Capital One Travel, you’ll receive 1,000 miles (worth approximately $14).
There are several types of reward cards to be aware of, but the two main types are travel and cash back:
Cash back credit cards let consumers earn a specific percentage of cash back on their spending, often between 1% and 6%.
Should you get a rewards card? That depends, but if the following statements sound like you, you may want to consider it:
These are just some reasons to pick up a rewards credit card, but there are plenty of others. Most people can benefit from a rewards credit card, as even 1% back on purchases can add up quickly.
Although most people can benefit from a rewards credit card, they aren’t right for everyone.
Here are some of the potential problems to be aware of before you pick up a new rewards card:
Choosing a rewards card can be tricky, but these factors can help narrow your choices.
Here are the main rewards card factors you should think about before you decide:
Whether you want to earn cash back or flexible points like Chase Ultimate Rewards, you need to decide on this factor ahead of time. After all, the type of rewards you want the most can help you narrow down card options considerably.
Also look for credit cards that offer bonus categories that make sense with your spending, whether you spend a lot at U.S. supermarkets or you splurge on travel purchases. Finally, look for cards that offer a generous earning rate on other purchases you make with your card.
?? See our picks: Best credit cards for groceries and best credit cards for dining
Rewards credit cards typically offer generous welcome offers, allowing you to earn a pile of points, miles, or cash-back. To earn these bonuses, you need to spend a set amount within a short period. Make sure this bonus is achievable; don’t overspend just to earn it.
?? See our picks: Best credit card welcome offers
If you want a 0% interest period on purchases,?balance transfers, or both for a limited time, this factor can also help you narrow down your choices.
?? See our picks: Best 0% APR credit cards
If you spend a lot on travel purchases or traverse the globe fairly often, look for cards that offer airport lounge access, travel statement credits, and affordable travel insurance.
?? See our picks: Best travel credit cards
If consumer protections are important to you, look for cards that offer purchase protection against damage or theft and extended warranties on items that come with a manufacturer’s warranty.
Finally, make sure you’re only paying an annual fee if you’re getting something in return. Also, watch out for transaction fees that can eat away at your rewards haul.
?? See our picks: Best no-annual-fee rewards credit cards and best cards with no foreign transaction fees
After choosing your perfect rewards credit card, it’s time to ensure you maximize those rewards.
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For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday? Card from American Express, please visit this page.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred? Card from American Express, please visit this page.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card? from American Express, please visit this page.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, please visit this page.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles? Gold American Express Card, please visit this page.
The best credit card varies from person to person. However, cash back credit cards are typically best for people who want to earn points they can redeem for statement credits, gift cards, or a check. Meanwhile, travel credit cards are geared to people who want to redeem their points for travel-related redemptions such as airfare, hotel stays, or upgrades.
You can have more than one rewards credit card provided you have the income and credit score to qualify.
The right credit card rewards program depends on your goals. However, we believe flexible programs like Capital One Miles and Chase Ultimate Rewards are best due to their overall flexibility.
Credit card rewards are considered a rebate on your spending, so they’re not counted as taxable income.
Store rewards cards can be “good” since they let you earn points and score special discounts. However, store cards can be limiting since you can only use them in specific stores or families of stores. By contrast, credit cards from networks like Visa and Mastercard can be used at millions of retailers, restaurants, and vendors around the world.
Most rewards credit cards require good or excellent credit to qualify, but there are options for those with poor credit, no credit history, and students. The perks may not be as spectacular as other rewards cards, but they still offer you something, especially while you are building or rebuilding your credit.
Yes! Capital One Spark Miles for Business is our pick for travel rewards and the American Express? Business Gold Card has 4x rewards on the first $150,000 spent! You can read more about these cards and the other business cards we recommend on the Best Business Credit Cards page.
* Opinions expressed here are those of LA Times Compare and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser or entities included within this content. See our editorial policy for more details.
All products or services are presented in this content without warranty. The information, including card details such as rates and fees, is accurate at the time of publication. Please visit each bank's website directly for the most current information.