Coronavirus-pandemin har förändrat många aspekter av livet, och hur du använder belöningskreditkort kan vara en av dem. Om du har hamnat i hemmet under det senaste året har du inte fått många poäng eller mil på reseköp eller utbytt belöningar för flyg och hotellvistelser.
Under pandemin har vissa emittenter saftat upp resebelöningskort genom att tillhandahålla tillfälliga belöningar i kategorier som är mer i linje med hur konsumenterna har spenderat sina pengar – erbjuder extra pengar tillbaka eller poäng när du spenderar på matvaror, bensin, hemförbättringar eller avhämtningsbeställningar, till exempel, eller ge högre poängvärden när du löser in belöningar för sådana köp. Även när resandet tar fart igen, kan utgivare av resekort fortsätta att bjuda på höjda belöningar även för kategorier utanför researenan.
Men när pandemin avtar kommer robusta resebelöningar återigen att vara i centrum för både kortutgivare och kunder. Initiala bonusar – genom vilka nya kortinnehavare kan tjäna en hög med extra pengar tillbaka, poäng eller miles, vanligtvis genom att uppfylla ett utgiftsminimum under de första månaderna – kan bli mer generösa på resekort senare i år, säger Matt Schulz på CompareCards. com.
Oavsett om du vill samla miles och poäng för din post-pandemiska semester eller hålla fast vid enkla cashback-belöningar, har du ingen brist på bra val bland våra 2021 val av de bästa belöningskreditkorten. Vi har delat ut medaljer till kort i 17 kategorier.
Dessa kort ger enkla och starka belöningar på alla köp.
Citi Double Cash tar högsta betyg i den här kategorin år efter år eftersom dess belöningar är enkla och rikliga:du får 1 % kontant tillbaka när du gör ett köp och ytterligare 1 % tillbaka när du betalar räkningen, totalt 2 % på alla utgifter. Lös in ett cashback-saldo på minst 25 USD för en check, en insättning på ett länkat Citi-spar- eller checkkonto eller något checkkonto från vilket du har betalat din kreditkortsräkning minst två gånger, eller ett kontoutdrag. (Om du väljer ett kontoutdrag får du inte 1 % kontant tillbaka på betalningen.) Belöningar upphör att gälla om du inte tjänar pengar tillbaka på 12 månader.
Om du har ett PayPal-konto, kolla in det här kortet. Den erbjuder 2 % kontant tillbaka på varje köp, och du kan använda den var som helst som accepterar Mastercard-betalningar. Lös in pengar tillbaka till ditt PayPal-konto; därifrån kan du överföra den till ett länkat bankkonto. Eller använd den för att göra inköp eller skicka pengar till andra PayPal-användare om du har ett Cash- eller Cash Plus-konto.
Tjäna 1,5 % kontant tillbaka på varje köp, som du kan lösa in med valfritt belopp för en check eller kontoutdrag. Kortet har ingen utländsk transaktionsavgift, vilket gör det till ett bra alternativ att ha i plånboken när du åker utomlands. Den kan utfärdas på Mastercard- eller Visa-nätverket.
För det första året, betala ingen årsavgift och få en enastående 3 % avkastning på alla köp. Därefter betalar du en årsavgift på 99 USD men tjänar fortfarande imponerande 2,5 % på alla utgifter. Belöningar spåras som poäng, som du kan växla till en kurs av en slant vardera mot en bankkontoinsättning eller kontoutdrag (minsta inlösenbelopp:5 000 poäng). Eller så kan du lösa in poäng för resor, varor eller evenemangsbiljetter, men poängvärdena och lägsta inlösenbelopp varierar. Vem som helst kan bli medlem i Farmers Insurance FCU genom att gå med i American Consumer Council och sätta in $5 på ett sparkonto.
Alliant Cashback Visa ger 2,5 % cashback på alla utgifter. Belöningsintäkter är begränsade till 250 USD (10 000 USD i köp) per månatlig faktureringscykel. När du har samlat på dig minst 50 USD i kontanter tillbaka kan du lösa in det som ett kontoutdrag eller sätta in det på ett Alliant Credit Union check- eller sparkonto. Cashback förfaller från fyra till fem år efter att du tjänat in den. För att gå med i kreditföreningen kan du bli medlem i välgörenhetsorganisationen Foster Care to Success (Alliant betalar medlemsavgiften på 5 USD för din räkning). Du måste också öppna ett sparkonto; Alliant gör en gratis insättning på $5 till dig.
Förra året introducerade Chase Freedom Flex, som erbjuder höga rabatter både i roterande kvartalskategorier och i andra kategorier som förblir stabila. Hela året får du 5 % tillbaka på resor som du bokar genom Chase’s Ultimate Rewards-program, 3 % tillbaka på restaurang- och apoteksinköp och 1 % tillbaka på andra utgifter. Du kommer också att tjäna 5 % tillbaka i en kategori som ändras varje kvartal (5 % belöningar är begränsade till 1 500 USD som spenderas per kvartal). År 2021 inkluderade kategorierna för kvartal ett grossistklubbar (observera att Costco Wholesale i sina butiker accepterar kreditkortsbetalningar endast från kort utfärdade i Visa-nätverket); Internet-, kabel- och telefontjänster; och välj video- och musikstreamingtjänster. Kvartal-två kategorier är bensinstationer och heminredningsbutiker. Kategorier för kvartal tre och fyra tillkännagavs inte vid presstillfället. Som en tillfällig förmån får du till och med mars 2022 5 % tillbaka på resor med samåkningstjänsten Lyft. Belöningar kommer i form av Chase Ultimate Rewards-poäng, som är värda 1 cent vardera för cashback (kan lösas in i valfritt belopp), resor eller presentkort (minimum kan variera).
Med det här kortet kan du välja två kategorier varje kvartal som tjänar 5 % pengar tillbaka på upp till 2 000 USD som spenderas i kombinerade köp. Nyligen inkluderade de 12 alternativen TV, internet och streamingtjänster; marktransport; hemverktyg; mobiltelefonleverantörer; snabbmat; och varuhus. Du får också 2% tillbaka i en kategori att välja på:bensinstationer, restauranger eller livsmedelsbutiker. Alla andra utgifter får 1 % tillbaka. Lös in belöningar som ett kontoutdrag eller insättning på ett check- eller sparkonto i USA. Eller skaffa ett förbetalt bankkort i USA (minst 25 USD). Cashback förfaller efter tre år.
Varje kvartal erbjuder Discover It 5 % cashback på upp till 1 500 USD som spenderas i en ny kategori. År 2021 inkluderade 5%-kategorin inköp i livsmedelsbutiker, Walgreens och CVS under första kvartalet. Rabatten på 5 % gäller bensinstationer, grossistklubbar och utvalda video- och musikstreamingtjänster under andra kvartalet; restaurang- och PayPal-köp i kvartal tre; och Amazon.com, Walmart.com och Target.com under fjärde kvartalet – bekvämt för semestershopping. Alla andra utgifter tjänar 1% kontant tillbaka. Lös in belöningar i valfritt belopp för en donation till välgörenhet, bankkontoinsättning eller kontoutdrag eller för att göra inköp direkt med utvalda handlare. Eller med ett minsta saldo på 20 USD, lös in kontanter tillbaka för presentkort.
Om du behöver motivation för att spara dina belöningar, överväg detta kort från Fidelity Investments. Du får två poäng per dollar på varje köp, vilket resulterar i en återbetalning på 2 % om du löser in poäng som en kontantinsättning till ett kvalificerat Fidelity-konto. Du kan dela belöningar mellan upp till fem konton, inklusive ett mäklarkonto, ett kontanthanteringskonto, ett IRA, ett hälsosparkonto, en 529 college-sparplan eller ett välgörenhetskonto. Eller rikta belöningar till en väns eller familjemedlems konto – t.ex. sätt in dem på ett barnbarns 529-plan. Om du istället löser in poäng för resor, varor, presentkort eller kontoutdrag är de bara värda ungefär hälften av värdet. Du behöver minst 2 500 poäng för alla typer av inlösen.
Få 2 % avkastning på varje spenderad dollar om du löser in dina belöningar till ett kvalificerat TD Bank check- eller sparkonto. Du tjänar en poäng per dollar på varje köp, och poäng är värda ett öre var när du löser in dem mot kontanter till ett TD-bankkonto (minimiinlösen på 2 500 poäng). TD sätter in ytterligare 1 cent på kontot för varje poäng som löses in. Om du löser in poäng för ett kontoutdrag, kontanter tillbaka till ett icke-TD-bankkonto, rese- eller presentkort, är poäng värda minst ett öre per styck (1 % avkastning på utgifterna), men TD matchar inte insättningar eller krediter .
Det här kortet från finansteknikföretaget SoFi ger två poäng för varje spenderad dollar, och det stimulerar till sparande genom att erbjuda en återbetalning på 2 % på varje köp om du sätter in dina belöningar på ett SoFi kontanthanteringskonto eller investeringskonto. Eller ansök kontant tillbaka på ditt SoFi-studielån eller privatlån. Om du löser in poäng för kontoutdrag är de bara värda halva värdet.
Chase Freedom Unlimited, som Chase förnyade förra året, erbjuder nu fem Ultimate Rewards-poäng per dollar som spenderas på resebokningar via Chase Ultimate Rewards-portalen, samt tre poäng per dollar på restaurang- och apoteksköp. Dessutom tjänar Lyft-resor fem poäng per dollar till och med mars 2022. Få 1,5 poäng per dollar på alla andra utgifter – högre än standarden en poäng eller 1 % som många kort erbjuder vid köp utanför deras maximala rabattkategorier. Poäng är värda 1 cent vardera för cashback (kan lösas in i valfritt belopp), resor eller presentkort (minimum kan variera). Lämna det här kortet hemma om du reser utomlands – det tar ut en utlandstransaktionsavgift på 3 %.
Belöningar är okomplicerade med detta kort:Du tjänar tre poäng per spenderad dollar när du bokar resor genom Bank of America's Travel Center och 1,5 poäng per dollar på andra utgifter. Poäng är värda 1 cent styck när du löser in dem mot kontoutdrag på resor och restaurangköp, eller 0,6 cent vardera när du byter in dem mot kontanter tillbaka, såsom en check eller insättning på ett Bank of America insättningskonto eller Merrill kontanthanteringskonto ( 2 500 poängs minsta inlösen för något av dessa alternativ). Poängvärden varierar för inlösen av presentkort (minst 3 125 poäng).
Capital One Venture vinner guldmedaljen för sin enkla men lukrativa belöningsstruktur:Du tjänar fem miles per dollar som spenderas på hotell och hyrbilsköp som görs genom Capital One Travel och två miles per dollar på allt annat. Miles kan lösas in i valfritt belopp till en kurs av ett öre styck för kontoutdrag på reseköp eller resebokningar genom Capital One; miles är värda 0,5 cent vardera om du löser in dem mot ett kontoutdrag för köp utan resor. Eller överför dina miles till något av mer än ett dussin deltagande lojalitetsprogram för hotell och flygbolag, inklusive de från Air France, JetBlue och Wyndham Hotels &Resorts (du får 1,5 poäng eller miles från de flesta lojalitetsprogram för varannan Capital One-mil som överförs). En annan trevlig förmån för resenärer:Vart fjärde år, få återbetalning av ansökningsavgiften för Global Entry ($100) eller TSA PreCheck ($85); var och en tillhandahåller snabb säkerhetskontroll på flygplatsen. Kortet kan utfärdas på Visa- eller Mastercard-nätverket.
Detta kort ger fem poäng per dollar på förbetalda hotell- och biluthyrningar bokade via U.S. Banks FlexPerks Rewards Center, tre poäng på restauranger, två poäng på köp av flygbolag och bensinstationer och en poäng på andra utgifter. Nyckeln till att maximera poängens värde är att byta ut dem mot resebokningar via belöningscentret (minimiinlösen på 1 000 poäng), för vilka de är värda 1,5 cent vardera. Eller byt dem till en kurs av ett öre vardera för inlösen utanför resor, till exempel en kredit eller insättning på ett amerikanskt bankkonto (minimiinlösen på 5 000 punkter). Poäng förfaller fem år efter utgången av det kalenderkvartal då de tjänades in. Kortinnehavare får också ersättning på upp till 100 USD för en ansökningsavgift för TSA PreCheck eller Global Entry och gratis tillgång till Boingo Wi-Fi-hotspot.
Tjäna tre poäng per spenderad dollar i en solid samling av kategorier:restauranger, stormarknader, bensinstationer och flygresor och hotell. Alla andra utgifter tjänar en poäng per dollar. Byt poäng till en kurs av 1 cent vardera för presentkort (minimiinlösen på 10 USD) eller resebokningar via Citis ThankYou-belöningsportal. Du kan också överföra Tack-poäng till deltagande flygbolagsprogram, inklusive de från JetBlue och Virgin Atlantic (de flesta överföringar är i förhållandet 1:1). Varje kalenderår ger Premier-kortet en rabatt på 100 USD på en förbetald hotellvistelse på 500 USD eller mer.
Detta kort får toppbetyg för flexibilitet, tack vare sunda poängvärden och möjligheten att överföra poäng till en tilltalande lista med partnerreselojalitetsprogram. Du tjänar två Ultimate Rewards-poäng per dollar som spenderas på restaurang- och reseköp, och en poäng per dollar på alla andra utgifter. Poäng är värda 1,25 cent per styck när du använder dem för att boka resor genom Chase Ultimate Rewards (minsta inlösenbelopp kan variera). Och med funktionen Betala tillbaka kan du få ett värde på 1,25 cent när du löser in poäng för kontoutdrag mot köp i roterande kategorier; till och med september inkluderar kategorierna livsmedelsbutiker, hemförbättringsbutiker, restauranger och utvalda välgörenhetsorganisationer. Poäng är värda en slant var för kontanter (inget minimum att lösa in) eller presentkort (minimum kan variera). Eller överför poäng i ett-till-ett-förhållande till partnerreselojalitetsprogram, inklusive Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Marriott Bonvoy och World of Hyatt.
Några tillfälliga förmåner:fem poäng per dollar som spenderas på Lyft-turer till och med mars 2022, upp till 60 $ tillbaka på ett Peloton Digital- eller All-Access-medlemskap till och med december, och en gratis prenumeration på minst ett år på DashPass, som erbjuder undantag och reducerat avgifter med matleveranstjänst DoorDash (aktiveras senast 31 december).
Med American Express EveryDay-kortet kan du tjäna Amex Membership Rewards-poäng utan att betala en årsavgift. You get two points for every dollar spent at supermarkets (up to $6,000 spent per year; one point thereafter) and one point per dollar on other spending. Each month that you make at least 20 purchases on the card, you get a 20% bonus on the points you’ve earned. You can transfer points to partner travel loyalty programs, including Delta SkyMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. (Most transfers are at a one-to-one ratio; the ratio for Hilton is one Membership Rewards point per two Hilton points). Or exchange points at a rate of a penny each for flights booked through American Express Travel (minimum 5,000 points). You can also redeem points for hotel reservations and other travel bookings, as well as statement credits or gift cards, but point values are often lower. The card charges a 2.7% foreign-transaction fee.
If you are a frequent guest at Marriott properties, you should consider this card because you can either redeem Marriott Bonvoy points that you earn with it for hotel stays or transfer them to more than 40 frequent-flier programs, including American AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, Southwest Rapid Rewards and United MileagePlus (at a ratio of three Marriott points to one mile for most programs). For every 60,000 points that you transfer, you get a bonus of 5,000 miles. The card doles out six points per dollar spent at Marriott hotels and two points per dollar on all other spending. Points expire if your account is inactive for 24 months.
Frequent travelers can squeeze a lot of value out of this feature-packed card. It offers a $300 annual statement credit on travel spending—and through December, gas and grocery store purchases count toward the credit, too. Other benefits include a credit of up to $100 every four years for a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee and free access to airport lounges through Priority Pass Select. Through December, cardholders get up to $120 back for a Peloton Digital or All-Access membership and up to $60 in statement credits for purchases with food-delivery service DoorDash. You have until December 31 to activate a free subscription of at least a year to DashPass, which provides reduced fees on DoorDash deliveries, and until March 2022 to start one year of free membership with Lyft Pink, which provides discounted rides, priority airport pickups and other perks from Lyft.
Sapphire Reserve pays out three Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on dining and travel purchases and one point per dollar on other spending, and through March 2022, Lyft rides earn 10 points per dollar. Points have a rich value of 1.5 cents each if you use them to book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards (minimum redemption amounts may vary). Recently, through the Pay Yourself Back feature, you could also get a 1.5-cent point value when redeeming points for statement credits against purchases in rotating categories; through September, the categories include grocery stores, home-improvement stores, restaurants and select charities. Or transfer points to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs, as with Chase Sapphire Preferred (see the Flexible Travel Redemptions category).
American Express Platinum is a great choice among premium cards if you spend a lot of time at airports. It provides free access to several lounge networks, including Amex’s own well-regarded Centurion lounges. And you get free visits to lounges from Airspace, Escape, Delta Sky Club and Priority Pass Select, too. Cardholders also get a $200 yearly credit for incidental fees (such as for checked baggage or in-flight meals) on one airline of choice; $15 in Uber Cash per month for Uber rides or Uber Eats deliveries ($35 in December); Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status; an application-fee credit of up to $100 for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry; extras such as early breakfast, late checkout, and dining and spa credits at select hotels; and complimentary membership in premium car-rental programs from Avis, Hertz and National.
Earn five Amex Membership Rewards points per dollar on flights (up to $500,000 spent yearly) and prepaid hotel reservations booked through Amex Travel. During your first six months of card membership, the card recently offered 10 points per dollar on up to $15,000 in combined gas station and supermarket purchases, too. Other spending gets one point per dollar. Points are transferable to partner travel loyalty programs (for details, see the Amex EveryDay card, the silver medalist in the Flexible Travel Redemptions category), or exchange points at a rate of a penny each for flights booked through American Express Travel (minimum 5,000 points).
Pick up five points per dollar on restaurant and airfare spending, three points per dollar on hotel and cruise line purchases, and one point per dollar on other spending. Points are redeemable at a rate of a penny apiece for travel bookings through Citi’s ThankYou Travel Center, or you can transfer them to participating airline frequent-flier programs, including those from JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic (most transfers are at a 1:1 ratio). Cardholders also get free airport lounge access with a Priority Pass Select membership, reimbursement of up to $100 every five years for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee, a free fourth night during a hotel stay of at least four consecutive nights booked through Citi’s ThankYou.com (you can use the benefit twice per year) and a $250 statement credit on travel purchases each year. Through December, supermarket and restaurant purchases count toward the credit, too.
This card awards two SkyMiles per dollar not only on Delta purchases but also in two other attractive cate-gories:restaurant and supermarket spending. All other purchases earn one SkyMile per dollar. Cardholders also get one free checked bag for up to nine passengers on a flight reservation, priority boarding, a 20% discount on in-flight purchases (excluding Wi-Fi) and a $100 credit for a Delta flight if you spend at least $10,000 on the card in a year.
Frequent fliers on Southwest Airlines get a lot of bang for their buck to offset the annual fee with this card. Included are a $75 yearly travel credit for Southwest purchases (excluding upgraded boarding and in-flight purchases), annual reimbursement for up to four upgraded flight boardings to positions A1 to A15, a bonus of 7,500 Rapid Rewards points on your account anniversary each year, and 1,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List or A-List Preferred status for each $10,000 in purchases on the card (up to $100,000 yearly). Cardholders earn two points per dollar on Southwest purchases and one point per dollar on other spending. Recently, you could also get three points per dollar spent at restaurants for the first year.
This card will prove lucrative for frequent JetBlue flyers. It provides six TrueBlue points per dollar spent on purchases from JetBlue, two points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores, and one point per dollar on other spending. Plus, you get 5,000 bonus points on your account anniversary each year; one free checked bag for you and up to three other passengers on a flight reservation; a 50% discount on in-flight cocktail and food purchases; a $100 annual statement credit if you purchase a JetBlue Vacations package of at least $100 with the card; and Mosaic loyalty status if you spend $50,000 or more on the card in a calendar year. Each time you redeem points for a flight, you get back a 10% point bonus.
Healthy point values help boost the Hyatt card to the top of the heap among hotel cards. Earn four World of Hyatt Bonus points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and two points per dollar for purchases with restaurants, airlines, local transit, fitness clubs and gyms. In the first six months of card membership, you also get two points per dollar on all other purchases (on up to $15,000 spent); after that, you earn one point per dollar on other spending. Each year after your cardmember anniversary, you get a free night at a Hyatt property (in hotel categories one through four), as well as an extra free night if you spend at least $15,000 on the card in a calendar year. Cardmembers also enjoy Discoverist loyalty status, five qualifying night credits toward the next tier status each year, and two more qualifying night credits for each $5,000 spent on the card.
This card makes up for low Hilton Honors point values by piling on plenty of extra points in everyday spending categories. You earn 12 points per dollar spent at Hilton properties, six points per dollar on restaurant, supermarket and gas purchases, and three points per dollar on all other spending. (Points typically expire if you are inactive in the Hilton Honors program for 15 months, and earning points with the credit card counts as activity; points set to expire in 2021, however, will not expire until December 31.) Plus, get automatic Hilton Honors Gold loyalty status, or Diamond status if you spend at least $40,000 on the card in a calendar year. If you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, you get a free weekend-night reward. Through Priority Pass Select, cardholders can visit participating airport lounges free up to 10 times a year. Rather skip the annual fee? Check out the Hilton Honors Amex, which also provides bountiful points in a range of categories.
Earn six Wyndham Rewards points per dollar spent at Wyndham properties, four points per dollar on restaurant and grocery store purchases, and one point per dollar on other spending. (Points expire if your Wyndham Rewards account is inactive for 18 months.) Cardholders get a 7,500-point bonus on their account anniversary each year, automatic Platinum status with Wyndham’s loyalty program, discounts on the best available rates for overnight Wyndham stays, and a 10% discount on points needed to reserve hotel stays with the program’s Go Free awards, which allow you to book free nights with specified point increments.
Get 5% cash back on fuel purchases paid at the pump and 1% back on other retail spending. Rewards redemption is simple:Abound automatically applies cash back to your account each month. To become a member of the credit union, join nonprofit organization USA Cares (no fee applies), pay a one-time, $10 membership fee to the credit union, and deposit $5 into a savings account.
This credit card from wholesale retailer Sam’s Club offers 5% cash back on up to $6,000 spent yearly on gas station purchases (1% thereafter). You also earn 3% back at restaurants, and if you have a Plus membership ($100 a year), the card provides 3% back on Sam’s Club purchases, in addition to the 2% back that Plus members get on store purchases regardless of whether they have the credit card. Those with a Club membership ($45 yearly) get 1% back on Sam’s Club purchases, and all cardholders earn 1% on spending that does not fall into any of the other rebate categories. Cash-back rewards are limited to $5,000 a year, and the previous year’s rewards are automatically loaded to your membership account starting each February. You can use cash back to make purchases at Sam’s Club stores and SamsClub.com.
Earn 4% cash back on gas purchases, 3% at restaurants and 2% at grocery stores on the first $8,000 of combined spending in those categories each year. All other spending gets 1% back. When your cash-back balance reaches $25, you can redeem it for an account credit or a deposit into an eligible PNC bank or investment account. If you live in a region with PNC Bank branches, you can use the card without having any other PNC accounts. If you live outside of PNC’s branch footprint, you must have an online bank account with PNC to use the card.
Amex’s Blue Cash Preferred has long been the gold standard among grocery-rebate cards for its unbeatable 6% cash back on up to $6,000 spent yearly at supermarkets (1% thereafter). Cardholders also get 6% back on qualifying video- and music-streaming subscriptions, 3% back on transit (such as taxis, ride-sharing services, parking and tolls) and gas purchases, and 1% on other spending. When your cash-back balance is $25 or more, you can redeem it for a statement credit. If you prefer a no-fee card, consider Amex Blue Cash Everyday, which offers 3% back on up to $6,000 in annual supermarket spending, 2% back on gas and select department-store purchases, and 1% back on other spending.
If you’re a customer of Verizon’s wireless services, you can apply for the carrier’s credit card. It provides a generous 4% back on grocery store and gas purchases, 3% back on restaurant spending, 2% back on Verizon purchases, and 1% back on other spending. Rewards are distributed as Verizon Dollars, which you can use to pay your Verizon wireless or Fios bill and to buy Verizon devices and accessories. If your account is inactive for 24 months, you forfeit unused Verizon Dollars. If you use the card to make automatic payments for your Verizon wireless bill and sign up for paperless billing, you can get a monthly discount of $5 or $10, depending on your plan, for each line on your wireless plan.
If you qualify for membership with Navy Federal Credit Union, check out this card, which offers three points per dollar spent at supermarkets and restaurants and on gas and transit. Other purchases earn one point per dollar. Points are worth 1 cent each when you redeem them for cash back, travel bookings and gift cards. Navy Federal membership isn’t open to everyone, but the standards are fairly broad:You can join as a military servicemember or veteran, a roommate or immediate family member of a servicemember (including spouses, children, parents, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren), or a Department of Defense civilian employee. Members must deposit at least $5 into a savings account.
Get an appetizing four points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases with this card, which U.S. Bank introduced last year. It also provides two points per dollar spent on groceries, gas and eligible video- and music-streaming services and one point per dollar on other spending. Points are redeemable at a rate of a penny apiece for merchandise, gift cards and travel bookings (1,000-point minimum redemption for those options), and points have the same value for statement credits or deposits into a U.S. Bank savings or checking account (2,500-point minimum). You also get a $15 statement credit each year that you charge 11 consecutive months of payments to eligible streaming services, such as Apple Music, Hulu and Netflix.
The SavorOne card offers 3% cash back on restaurant and entertainment spending (the entertainment category includes purchases at movie theaters, sporting events, amusement parks, zoos and some other venues), 2% back at grocery stores and 1% back on other purchases. Redeem cash back in any amount for a statement credit or check. Cardholders also get dining perks, such as premium service with restaurant-reservation app OpenTable and presale tickets for benefit dinners through Capital One’s Taste America program. If you spend significant amounts on dining purchases, the $95 fee on the Capital One Savor card may be worthwhile because it pays a higher rate of 4% back on dining purchases.
Amex Gold is well suited to travelers who dine out frequently and can make good use of a strong grocery rebate, too. You get four Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and on up to $25,000 spent yearly at U.S. supermarkets, three points on airfare, two points on qualifying purchases at AmexTravel.com, and one point on other spending. Redeem points at a rate of a penny apiece for flights booked through Amex Travel, or transfer them to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs. (For more detail on transfers, see the Amex EveryDay card, the silver medalist in the “Flexible Travel Redemptions” category). Plus, cardholders get $10 in Uber Cash each month—which you can spend on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides—and a $10 monthly statement credit for purchases through Grubhub, Seamless, Boxed and other participating food-delivery services. And when you stay at properties in Amex Travel’s Hotel Collection, get up to $100 in credit for qualifying activities at the hotel, such as visiting its restaurants or spa.
If you’re a regular visitor to Walmart’s website and stores, you can get good value from its credit card, which offers five points per dollar spent at Walmart.com (including grocery delivery or pickup). For the first year, you also get five points per dollar spent on in-store purchases if you use the card through Walmart Pay, Walmart’s mobile payment app; after that, you get two points per dollar at the store. Purchases at Walmart and Murphy USA gas stations, as well as restaurant and travel spending, earn two points per dollar, and other spending earns one point per dollar. Exchange points in any amount at a rate of a penny each for checks, statement credits, gift cards or travel bookings.
Amazon’s credit card pays out three points per dollar spent at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market—or five points per dollar if you��re a member of Amazon’s $119 yearly Prime service. The card also pays two points per dollar spent at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores, and one point per dollar on other purchases. Redeem points at a rate of a penny each for cash back, purchases directly at Amazon.com, gift cards (2,500-point minimum) or travel bookings.
Members of Costco Wholesale can take advantage of a desirable set of rebates with this card. You get 4% cash back on up to $7,000 spent on gas per year (1% thereafter), 3% on restaurant and travel spending, 2% on Costco and Costco.com purchases, and 1% on other spending. After your February billing statement closes each year, you’ll receive the cash back you earned the previous year as a reward certificate, which you can redeem for cash or merchandise in a single transaction at Costco. You have until December 31 the year your certificate is issued to redeem it.
You can use this card only at Target’s stores or website, but Target fans will appreciate the 5% rebate on in-store and online purchases. The discount extends to clearance prices and in-store Starbucks purchases, but prescription drugs, Target Optical eye exams, and certain other items and services are not eligible. Cardholders get free shipping on most deliveries from Target.com and an additional 30 days to make returns or exchanges.
With the Lowe’s Advantage card, you get a 5% discount on every purchase. Alternatively, you can choose to get six months of no-interest payments on a purchase of at least $299 (a 26.99% interest rate is charged retroactively to the purchase date if you don’t pay the full balance within six months) or 84 fixed monthly payments at a reduced 7.99% interest rate on a minimum $2,000 purchase.
Earn five points per dollar spent at stores in the TJX family, including HomeGoods, Homesense, Marshalls, T.J.Maxx and Sierra. For every 1,000 points you earn, you get a $10 rewards certificate, which expires two years after its issue date. Note that TJX also offers a version of the card that is usable anywhere Mastercard is accepted, but its only other rebate category is one point per dollar on purchases outside of TJX stores.
This card comes with several student-friendly features. To start, its rewards scheme is simple and sensible for the student lifestyle, offering 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (on up to $1,000 in combined purchases per quarter) and 1% back on other spending. Cash back is redeemable in any amount for statement credits, bank account deposits, charitable donations or direct payments to select merchants; gift card redemptions come with a $20 minimum. After the first year, Discover matches the cash back you’ve earned, so students don’t have to meet a spending minimum to secure an initial bonus.
Each school year a student has a grade point average of at least 3.0 (for up to five years) earns him or her a $20 statement credit. And when it comes to interest and penalties, Discover’s policies are forgiving for young people who are learning the ropes of managing a credit card:It never charges a penalty interest rate after a late payment, and it waives the late fee for the first missed payment.
Choose one category that earns 3% cash back. The options are gas, online shopping, restaurants, travel, drugstores, and home improvement and furnishings (you can change the category each calendar month). You also get 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. Each quarter, a combined $2,500 spending cap applies to the 3% and 2% categories—after that, purchases in those categories earn 1% back, and all other spending gets 1% back, too. Redeem rewards in any amount for a statement credit or deposit into a Bank of America checking or savings account; certain other redemptions, such as receiving a check, require a $25 minimum
Consider this card if you prefer a basic, flat-rate structure for cash back and would appreciate a little extra encouragement to pay your bills on time. Each month that you make timely payments, the card provides a 1.25% payback (otherwise, you get 1% back) and a $5 statement credit toward eligible music- and video-streaming service subscriptions charged to the card (limited to $60 in credits within the first 18 months of card membership). Cash back is redeemable in any amount for a statement credit or check. Capital One charges no foreign-transaction fees, and Mastercard is widely accepted worldwide, so this card is a good one for students to keep in their pockets for studying abroad.
If you like straightforward rewards and redemptions, this card does the job:You earn 2% cash back for every purchase on up to $50,000 spent per calendar year and 1% back thereafter. Cash back is automatically credited to your statement. You can add employee cards to your account, set spending limits and keep an eye on their spending with alerts and reports. Prefer to earn Amex Membership Rewards points instead? The American Express Blue Business Plus card provides two points per dollar on up to $50,000 spent per year and one point per dollar after that.
Spark Cash provides an unlimited 2% cash back on all spending, making it a fitting selection for business owners who charge significant sums. Cash back is redeemable in any amount for a statement credit or check. You can add employee cards to your account free, track employee spending and set spending limits for the cards. Spark Cash may be issued on the Mastercard or Visa network. It charges no foreign-transaction fee—a nice perk for international business travelers.
If you have large expenses coming up and can spend $15,000 in the first three months of card membership, the recent sign-up bonus of an eye-popping 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points—worth $1,250 in travel bookings through Chase or $1,000 in cash back—will make up for the annual fee several times over. The card pays out three points per dollar on up to $150,000 per year in combined spending on shipping purchases; advertising on social media sites and search engines; internet, cable and phone services; and travel. All other spending nets one point per dollar spent. Points are worth 1.25 cents apiece when you redeem them for travel bookings through Chase Ultimate Rewards (minimum redemption amounts may vary) or 1 cent for cash back (no minimum required) and gift cards (minimums may vary). You can also transfer points to participating hotel and airline loyalty programs, including Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. The card charges no foreign-transaction fee, so business travelers benefit, too.
Employee cards are free, and you can set spending limits on them. Another helpful feature:You get insurance for cell phones against damage or theft, for both you and employees listed on your phone bill, if you pay the bill with the card (there’s a $100 deductible per claim and a maximum of three claims per year).
If you like the Chase family of cards but want to avoid an annual fee, check out the Chase Ink Business Cash Visa. It offers five Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on up to $25,000 in combined annual spending at office-supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services; two points per dollar on up to $25,000 in combined annual spending at gas stations and restaurants; and one point per dollar on other spending. Points are worth a penny apiece for cash back, gift cards and travel bookings.
If a low interest rate is more important to you than dazzling rewards, consider these cards.
Long-term 0% introductory rate: The 0% introductory period on the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum card (www.usbank.com) lasts 20 months for both purchases and balance transfers; after that, the variable rate was recently 14.49% to 24.49%. The balance-transfer fee is the greater of 3% of the amount transferred or $5.
No-fee balance transfers: If you have access to a Chase bank branch, you can visit it to apply for the Chase Slate Visa card , which provides a 0% introductory rate on balance transfers for 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74%) and charges no fee on transfers made within 60 days of opening the account. Recently, most customers could not apply for the card online.
Low ongoing rate:The Lake Michigan Credit Union Prime Platinum Visa (www.lmcu.org) offers an interest rate as low as 6.25% and charges no balance-transfer fee. Anyone can join the credit union by donating $5 to the ALS Foundation and depositing $5 into a savings account.
For each card, we’ve calculated a typical annual rebate using spending patterns listed in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey and assuming $24,000 charged to the card each year (unless otherwise noted). For cards that do not waive their annual fee the first year, we subtracted the fee from the cash value of the annual rebate. Other criteria play into card placement, too, such as ease and flexibility of earning and redeeming rewards and whether you must be a member of a club or financial institution to apply for a card. Except where noted, rewards do not expire or have caps, and the travel-focused cards do not charge foreign-transaction fees.
We do not include a typical annual rebate for premium travel rewards cards because they also provide considerable value outside of the points they award for everyday spending.
We did not encounter a contender for bronze medalist in the “Flat-Rate Cash Back (Worth the Fee)” category. Additionally, we selected Wells Fargo Propel American Express as the gold medalist among no-fee travel rewards cards. Recently, however, Wells Fargo paused acceptance of applications for the card.
Rankings were based on terms available in March 2021 and may have changed since. We've noted updates for some of these cards here:New Perks From Our Best Rewards Cards.
