Our Guide to The Best Rewards Credit Cards

We like using rewards credit cards for stuff we already buy. If you’re spending the money anyway, you might as well get something back. The perks come in handy too—especially when you’re traveling.

When we first got into this, we figured we had to pick one airline or hotel program and stick with it. That’s not how it works.

Once we started using cards with transferable points, it changed everything. You’re not locked in. You get more flexibility, and the points are usually worth more.

Some cards even throw in transfer bonuses now and then. That gives your points a boost. We like holding onto ours until we actually need them. If one partner suddenly makes their points less useful, no big deal—we move them somewhere else.

Still, none of that helps if you’re not paying your balance off each month. Interest charges can wipe out anything you earn.

Whether you travel a little or a lot, whether you’re running a business or just covering rent—we’ve pulled together the best rewards cards that are worth checking out.

At a Glance: Top Rewards Credit Cards

To kick things off, here’s a quick comparison of some of our favorite rewards credit cards (personal and business). This chart highlights key details like annual fees, sign-up bonuses, rewards rates, and what each card is best for.

(All information is current as of April 2025. “Miles” and “points” are rewards currencies; redemption values vary. Categories and offers subject to change.)

Now, let’s break down these cards into categories and discuss why we think they’re awesome. We’ll cover travel rewards, cash-back cards, premium cards with perks, and small business cards – so you can decide which suits your needs best.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

We’re going to be real with you—this card makes earning Ultimate Rewards points feel easy. That 100,000-point welcome offer? It’s one of the biggest we’ve seen on this card, and it’s only around for a limited time. If you hit that $5,000 spend in three months, those points are yours. For a card with a $95 annual fee, that’s a solid deal.

We’ve used this one for years. The boosted points on travel and dining help a lot, especially if those are categories where your spending naturally lives. And they usually are.

When people ask us which card to start with for rewards, this is the one we bring up first. It’s straightforward, flexible, and powerful—especially right now with that huge bonus.

Even though there are tons of strong transfer partners under the Ultimate Rewards program, we’ve personally leaned on World of Hyatt for most redemptions. Their award charts haven’t gotten out of hand yet, and the value holds up. We’ve booked stays that felt like real wins.

One trip that stands out: The Grayson in New York City. It’s part of the Unbound Collection. We stayed there for a special birthday—used Hyatt points, no resort fees, no surprise costs. Four nights, paid entirely with rewards. We got a view of the Empire State Building from the window, and yeah, there was an audible gasp when we walked in.

That’s just one use case. Another? We recently moved 100,000 points to Aeroplan and booked a 10.5-hour Lufthansa first-class flight—from Frankfurt to Houston. Seat was in the nose of a Boeing 747-8. Not kidding. They drove us across the tarmac in a private luxury car. Full caviar service, flowing Champagne, and an 81-inch bed that somehow beat our actual bed at home. It was the kind of flight you tell people about years later.

We’ve had this card longer than any other rewards card we own. Still carry it. Still get value from it. If you’ve been on the fence about trying a rewards card, this is the time. That 100,000-point offer doesn’t come around often—and it’s worth grabbing before it’s gone.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

We like this one for the welcome offer alone—you’re earning a big chunk of miles and getting a travel credit. It’s rare to see both in one deal, especially on a card with a $95 fee.

The everyday earnings are strong too. You get 2 miles per dollar on pretty much everything. Then, when you book hotels, vacation rentals, or rental cars through Capital One Travel, it jumps to 5 miles per dollar. That adds up quickly if you travel even a little.

There are some extra perks that make this one feel solid beyond just points. You’re covered with rental car insurance and travel assistance, plus they’ll reimburse up to $120 for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application every four years.

If you’re looking for a travel card without foreign transaction fees, this one works well overseas. We’ve found it to be more reliable than some cards—American Express, for example, doesn’t always get accepted abroad.

Now, if the $395 annual fee on the Venture X makes you pause, this one feels more manageable. It still earns 2 miles per dollar on everything, and we’ve been happy with the value we’ve gotten.

That said, if a transfer partner doesn’t work for the trip you’re planning, you can always redeem miles through Capital One Travel at 1 cent per mile. That’s come in handy for getting home from places that don’t always show up in partner searches.

This card makes it easy to earn and easy to redeem. If you’re after flexibility and don’t want to overthink it, this one’s worth a spot in your wallet.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

This card comes with some serious earning potential—5 points per dollar on flights when you book directly through airlines or through Amex Travel, up to $500,000 per year. After that, it’s 1 point per dollar. You also get 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel. If you travel regularly, this card pulls weight.

There are a lot of them. Used right, they can easily offset the annual fee. Here’s what you’re looking at:

• Up to $200 back each year for fees charged by one U.S. airline you pick. Things like checked bags or seat selection.
• Up to $200 hotel credit annually, when you book prepaid stays through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection. (The Hotel Collection needs at least a two-night stay.)
• $199 Clear Plus credit per year. If you use Clear to skip the ID check line at security, you’ll get that back—one time per year, automatically if you’re enrolled.
• Up to $20 back monthly for streaming. Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, The New York Times, Peacock, WSJ—it adds up to $240 across the year.
• Up to $200 in Uber Cash per year—$15 every month, with a $20 bonus tossed in for December. Works for Uber rides and Uber Eats. You just need to add the Platinum card to your Uber account.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit—you get reimbursed up to $120 every four years for Global Entry or $85 every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck. Either way, it helps you skip the worst parts of airport lines.
• Up to $100 for Saks Fifth Avenue, split into $50 credits: one for the first half of the year, another for the second.

There are a few other credits included, and we don’t use all of them ourselves, but depending on where you shop or travel, some of those could be useful too. Just know that enrollment is required for some benefits, and terms apply.

So why would you pick this one?

The Amex Platinum isn’t cheap. But if you travel at all, the benefits stack up quickly.

We use the Centurion Lounges as often as we can. They’re in 15 airports already, with more coming. The food’s legit—designed by real chefs, not microwave meals—and the drinks don’t disappoint. It’s actually worth getting to the airport early.

Flying Delta? If you’re on a same-day Delta flight, you can get into the Sky Club up to 10 times a year with this card. And if neither Centurion nor Sky Club is an option, you still have access to over 1,400 lounges in 140 countries, thanks to the Global Lounge Collection.

We also like that you get Gold elite status with both Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy just for having the card. Especially with Hilton outside the U.S.—free breakfast makes a difference when you’re not looking to blow $60 on eggs and toast. (In the U.S., you’ll get a food and beverage credit instead.) Again, make sure you’re enrolled for these.

We don’t use every credit every year, and that’s fine. But the ones we do use—Global Entry, Uber, airline credits, Saks, hotel perks—they more than make up for the cost. If you’re spending on travel and shopping anyway, this card gives a solid return. And that’s why we’ve kept it.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

This card doesn’t mess around. You get a massive welcome bonus and access to Chase Ultimate Rewards—still one of the most flexible, high-value points currencies out there. And you’re getting it all on a card with a manageable $95 fee.

You’ll earn 3 points per dollar on up to $150,000 in combined spending every year across several categories: travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and ad buys on social media and search engines. Once you hit that cap, or if you’re spending in other categories, you’re still earning 1 point per dollar.

It’s built for businesses that spend regularly across those categories. If that sounds like you, the points rack up fast.

On top of that, you get several built-in protections—cell phone insurance, primary rental car coverage, trip delay and trip cancellation insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty. All the stuff you want quietly working in the background.

We’ve gotten serious value from Ultimate Rewards points, especially through 1:1 transfers. One of our favorite hotel redemptions was Crossbasket Castle in Scotland, when it was still part of the World of Hyatt program. It’s now with Hilton Honors, but back when it was available through Hyatt, we booked it with points and didn’t look back.

We also like Flying Blue, the loyalty program for Air France-KLM. We’ve used Ultimate Rewards to transfer at a 1:1 rate and book flights to Europe starting at 40,000 points in premium economy. KLM’s newer premium economy seats are impressive—genuinely one of the best we’ve flown.

The 90,000-point intro bonus is huge. Combine that with the strong earning rate across categories most business owners spend in already, and this card makes a lot of sense. If you want to build up a stash of points you can actually use, this one delivers.

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

If you’re looking for a business card that doesn’t overcomplicate things, this is a solid pick—especially if you’re watching cash flow early on. While we always suggest paying your full balance every month, this card gives you an intro 0% APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening. After that, your rate shifts to a variable 17.49% to 23.49%.

Beyond that, it comes with a few protections we think are worth knowing:

• Purchase protection covers new items against damage or theft for up to 120 days. The limit is $10,000 per claim, $50,000 total per account.
• Auto rental coverage applies when you rent for business purposes. Decline the rental company’s collision insurance, and you’re covered up to the car’s value if it’s stolen or damaged. Works for most rentals, both in the U.S. and abroad.
• Extended warranty adds an extra year to eligible U.S. warranties of three years or less, which comes in handy more often than you’d think.

So why pick this card?

It’s simple: you get 1.5% cash back on every purchase, no categories to track or rotate. That’s a clean way to save on everything you charge for the business. Pair that with the 90,000-point welcome offer, and you’re stacking up value from day one.

If you pair this card with any of these three—Ink Business Preferred, Chase Sapphire Preferred, or Chase Sapphire Reserve—you can convert your cash back into Ultimate Rewards points. That unlocks transfers to airlines and hotels, and suddenly, you’re not just earning—you’re booking travel at serious value.

Citi Strata Premier® Card

This card includes an easy win right off the bat: every calendar year, you get $100 off one hotel stay of $500 or more when you book through Citi Travel. Taxes and fees don’t count toward the $500 minimum, but still—one booking and you’ve covered your annual fee.

Now, this one tends to fly under the radar, but it shouldn’t. While a lot of rewards cards only give bonus points in one or two areas, the Strata Premier earns 3 points per dollar in a wide range of categories: air travel, hotel stays outside of Citi Travel, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and EV charging stations. That’s a big spread, and it lines up well with how most of us actually spend.

We can’t think of another card that hits all those categories at 3x. That’s been a game-changer for us. We’ve collected a huge stash of Citi ThankYou Rewards, and we keep moving them over to partners like JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, and Singapore Airlines.

One of our favorite redemptions? Virgin’s Saver fares—you can fly to London for as little as 6,000 Virgin points, transferred from Citi at 1:1. You’ll still need to cover taxes and fees, but that’s a tiny amount for a transatlantic flight. On another trip, we used Virgin points to fly home from Tanzania in KLM business class after a birthday safari. Picked up one of those little Delft house souvenirs they hand out on board. Worth it.

Booking through the Citi Travel portal? That’s where this card really shines—you earn 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals, and attractions. According to TPG’s valuations, that works out to an 18% return in points. For anyone booking travel regularly, it’s hard to match.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

This card keeps it easy. No fees, no categories to track, and you’re earning solid cash back right out of the gate. You get 1.5% back on everything, which already beats the 1% most no-annual-fee cards offer. But it goes further.

Dining and drugstore purchases earn 3%, which covers more of your daily spend than you might think. And if you book travel through Chase Travel, you’ll get 5% back on those bookings—flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, all of it.

We get it—not everyone wants to juggle points, programs, or charts. If you just want cash back without the work, this card delivers.

We usually suggest this card when someone wants to earn more than a basic 1% cash back, but doesn’t want to deal with any fees. And with only a $500 spend required to unlock the $250 welcome bonus, it’s one of the easiest offers to hit.

If travel’s your thing, booking through Chase Travel makes life simpler. You can plan the entire trip—flights, hotel, car, all in one place—and earn 5% back doing it.

Here’s one more move we like: if you pair this card with a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred, you can turn your cash back into Ultimate Rewards points. That opens up transfers to Chase’s travel partners, which gets you way more value than using the cash outright.

Straightforward, flexible, and easy to use. That’s what makes this card worth having in your wallet.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

This one hits hard on everyday spending. You’ll earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 per year—after that, it drops to 1%. You also get 6% back on select U.S. streaming services. If you’re buying groceries regularly and streaming Netflix, Disney+, or similar, this one pays you back fast.

For a card that doesn’t charge a fee the first year, that’s already strong value. Add the $250 welcome credit, and you’re well ahead before you even get into your normal spending.

It doesn’t stop at food and streaming. You’ll also earn 3% back at U.S. gas stations and on transit, which includes buses, trains, ride shares, tolls, parking—you name it. The cash-back categories are wide enough to cover most of what you’re already spending money on.

We like this card especially for households with big grocery bills. If you’re shopping for a family, the return adds up quickly.

One thing to keep in mind: the cash back comes in the form of Rewards Dollars. You can use them as a statement credit or when you check out at Amazon.com. Either way, it’s straightforward and flexible.

If you’re focused on cash back instead of points or miles, and your monthly budget includes food, fuel, and streaming, this card delivers strong value—especially in the first year.

American Express® Gold Card

If groceries and dining take up a chunk of your spending, this card puts those habits to work. You’ll earn 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide and 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per year in each category. After that, it drops to 1 point per dollar.

There are a few monthly perks that help you get some of that annual fee back in practice:

• $10 in dining credits each month, usable at spots like Grubhub, Goldbelly, The Cheesecake Factory, Wine.com, and Five Guys—$120 per year total. You’ll need to enroll.
• $10 in Uber Cash every month. That’s another $120 per year, usable on Uber rides or Uber Eats in the U.S., but it only loads to one Uber account when your Gold Card is added as a payment method.
• There’s also up to $100 in Resy dining credits each year, split into two $50 credits, one in each half of the calendar year. Again, enrollment required.

If food is a regular part of your life—at home or on the go—this card just makes sense.

We’re often out eating with friends or clients. When it’s a big group, we’ll sometimes cover the check ourselves and have everyone pay us back. That way, we earn all the points, which can really stack up fast on a big night out.

We also like the transfer options. We’ve moved Membership Rewards points over to British Airways Club and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer for flights, and the value holds up.

Even if you don’t use every perk, just taking advantage of Uber, Grubhub, and the Resy credits a few times a month can make a big dent in the fee. If your lifestyle already lines up with food and travel, the Gold Card returns way more than it costs.

Bilt Mastercard®

Let’s start with the standout feature—you can earn points on rent with no transaction fee. That’s rare. You’ll earn 1 point per dollar on rent, up to 100,000 points per calendar year. Even if your landlord isn’t in Bilt’s network, you’re covered. Bilt can send a check or let you pay through your landlord’s online portal using ACH, and still—no fee.

To unlock the rent rewards, you just need to use the card five times during each statement period. Once you hit that, you’ll earn points on both rent and everyday purchases:

• 3 points per dollar on dining
• 2 points per dollar on travel
• 1 point per dollar on everything else

There’s more baked in here than you’d expect from a no-fee card. You get Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection, with coverage up to $5,000 if your plans fall apart for a covered reason. You’re also covered with Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, and cell phone protection up to $800 (with a $25 deductible), as long as you pay your phone bill with the Bilt card.

And then there’s Rent Day—on the first of each month, Bilt boosts your earning:

• 6x on dining
• 4x on travel
• 2x on everything else (except rent)
  That’s capped at 1,000 bonus points per Rent Day, but if you’re already spending in those categories, it’s a good bump.

Some people skip over this card because it doesn’t have a welcome bonus. We wouldn’t. The point transfers are where this card shines. You can move Bilt points to 18 airline and hotel programs, including Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and World of Hyatt—both tough to earn otherwise, and both super valuable.

We keep coming back to Hyatt redemptions. Their points stretch far, and Bilt’s 1:1 transfer makes them easy to stockpile. Combine that with the option to send points to Alaska, and you’ve got two of the best partners on one no-annual-fee card.

You’ll also get $5 in Lyft credits each month, after you’ve taken three rides and paid with your Bilt card. If you’re already using Lyft regularly, that’s free money.

No welcome offer, sure—but if you’re paying rent every month and want your everyday spending to mean something, this card seriously pulls its weight.

What to consider when choosing a rewards credit card

There are a lot of options out there. Each card has its own welcome bonus, annual fee, points structure, and extra perks—and it can get overwhelming fast. That’s why it helps to set some basic guidelines around how you plan to actually use the card, and what kind of rewards fit your habits.

And just so we’re clear—you’re never locked into one card forever. We apply, downgrade, or cancel cards as our spending or travel needs shift. You’re allowed to adjust as you go.

What kind of rewards do you want?

Start by thinking about what kind of rewards you care about. Is it cash back, or would you rather earn points and miles that transfer to airlines or hotels? There’s no single right answer—it’s about what works best for you.

If managing transfer partners, award charts, and bonus windows sounds like too much right now, that’s fine. You might want to begin with a cash-back card. Once you’re more comfortable, you can level up to one that earns points or miles. Nothing wrong with starting simple.

How much is the welcome bonus really worth?

We’ve definitely been guilty of picking cards just because the bonus looked huge. It’s tempting. But not every offer is as straightforward as it looks.

If you’re looking at one card with a $750 cash-back bonus and another with 75,000 points, don’t assume they’re equal just because 1 point might be worth a cent. The truth is, points often carry more value—but how much more depends on how you redeem them.

Before you jump, check the point values. We usually refer to TPG’s monthly valuations to figure out how much a welcome bonus is really worth in dollar terms.

Where do you actually spend money?

Think about your regular spending. Is it groceries, gas, travel, takeout? Knowing your biggest categories makes it easier to figure out which card gives you the best return.

You should also check if the card’s network works for you. For example, some places still don’t take American Express. That’s good to know up front.

And if you’re planning to travel, make sure the card doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee. Those fees can eat up any rewards you earn real quick.

Is the annual fee worth it?

Some of the cards we’ve talked about charge annual fees. No one’s excited to pay one, but that doesn’t mean the card’s a bad deal. If the value you get from it—points, credits, benefits—is higher than the fee, it might still be the right move.

Here’s how we usually look at it: for the first year, try to find a welcome bonus that’s clearly worth more than the fee. After that, check whether the ongoing perks (like statement credits, lounge access, or protections) make the card worth keeping.

If you’re unsure, start with a no-annual-fee card. Use it for a while. See what kind of value you’re getting. Then decide if it makes sense to move to something with a fee later on.

Rewards cards aren’t one-size-fits-all. The right one is the one that fits what you actually do—not what looks best on paper.

Redemption options for rewards credit cards

If you’re working with a cash back card, one of the easiest ways to use it is to apply your cash rewards directly to your statement. That’s a quick way to shrink your bill—and who doesn’t want that?

But if you’d rather do something else with the cash, you’ve got options. Most issuers let you redeem it at checkout on sites like Amazon, move it into your bank account, or in some cases, convert it into points, depending on what other cards you hold from that same issuer.

If you’re using a points or miles card, redemptions usually happen through the issuer’s travel portal. In most cases, you’re looking at a value of around one cent per point, though it depends on the card.

That can be convenient, but in our experience, you usually get better value when you transfer points to travel partners—like airlines or hotel programs. Each issuer has its own set of partners, and many of them offer 1:1 transfers, which keeps things simple. You can let your points sit in your card account until a solid transfer deal comes along. No need to rush.

How we think about rewards

Using rewards credit cards has totally changed how we approach spending—and travel. We put every purchase on the right card, even small stuff like gum or coffee. We’re always thinking about earning categories and which card gets the job done.

Now, you don’t have to go that deep with it. But if you take a little time now to pick a rewards card that matches your habits and travel plans, you’ll be in a good spot. The benefits add up faster than you’d expect.

We’ve picked up hundreds of thousands of points and miles over the years—without paying huge fees. And the perks? Lounge access, hotel upgrades, random statement credits, and trips we probably wouldn’t have taken otherwise. That’s what makes these cards worth it.