When searching for travel credit cards, it’s essential to consider several key features that can enhance your travel experience and maximize your rewards.
First, look for a card that offers generous sign-up bonuses, as these can provide a significant boost to your points or miles balance right from the start. Additionally, consider the earning potential of the card; cards that offer higher rewards rates on travel-related purchases, such as flights, hotels, and dining, can help you accumulate points faster. It’s also important to evaluate the card’s foreign transaction fees, as avoiding these fees can save you money when traveling abroad.
Furthermore, examine the card’s travel benefits, such as access to airport lounges, travel insurance, and concierge services, which can add comfort and convenience to your journeys.
Lastly, consider the annual fee and ensure that the card’s benefits and rewards outweigh this cost. By carefully assessing these factors, you can select a travel credit card that aligns with your travel habits and financial goals. Our true comparisons & industry-standard reviews can help you make the smartest decision.
BEST CARDS BALANCE TRANSFER 0% INTRO APR CASH BACK REWARDS NO ANNUAL FEE STUDENTBest Travel Credit Cards of 2025 (Updated March 2025)
Best for: High flat-rate travel rewards
Smartfinancialways rating
4.7/5
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
2x -5x
Miles
Intro offer
75,000 bonus miles+ $250 Capital One Travel credit
Recommended credit score
670-850 (Good – Excellent)
Get your free credit score
Limited time offer
Up to $1,000 in travel bonuses that includes $250 Capitol One Travel Credit
Travel Offer
No foreign transaction fees & no blackout dates
Regular APR
19.99% – 29.24% Variable APR
Card rewards breakdown
- 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.
Card details
- Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.
- Earn 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options.
- Earn unlimited 2x miles on every purchase, every day.
- Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn.
- Redeem for past travel purchases: Simply book your travel through your preferred travel website, travel agent, or other travel resource using your Capital One Rewards card. Then, sign in to your account at capitalone.com, go to Rewards and select Cover Your Travel Purchases or call our Rewards Center to redeem your miles.
- You can redeem miles for travel, cash back, gift cards, unforgettable experiences and more.
- Skip the airport lines, receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®.
- Elevate your stay, enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection stay.
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs.
- Skip the rental counter and choose from a wider selection of cars. Eligible Venture cardholders receive complimentary Hertz® Five Star status.
- With Capital One Dining, access exclusive dining events and hard-to-get reservations at an expertly curated selection of top restaurants.
- With Capital One Entertainment, access cardholder-only VIP packages and thousands of tickets to events in sports, music, dining, theater and more, plus redeem your rewards for tickets and packages.
- Shop at Amazon.com, now you can pay for Amazon.com purchases using your Captiol One rewards.
- Redeem rewards with Paypal, use your Capitol One rewards on eligible purchases at millions of online stores.
Smartfinancialways insight
Pros
- High rewards rate
- Miles are ultra-flexible: You can redeem for travel, transfer to airline and hotel partners or even as a reimbursement to cover travel purchases
- One of the best sign-up bonuses you can get on a general travel rewards card available at such a low cost
- Has annual fee
- After the 1st year, You won’t be able to offset the card’s cost with just annual credit or perk value
- Capital One’s transfer partners don’t include a major U.S. airline
Other smart choices
- The Capitol One VentureOne® Rewards Card
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card
Best for: Bonus points & travel rewards
Smartfinancialways rating
4.9/5
Annual fee
$95
Travel Rewards rate
5x on travel purchases on Chase Travel
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points
Recommended credit score
690-850 (Good – Excellent)
Get your free credit score
DoorDash DashPass Subscription
$120 for 12 months on DoorDash & Caviar
Lyft
Earn 5x on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025
Regular APR
20.49% – 27.49% Variable APR
Card rewards breakdown
- Points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
- Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out.
- Earn 3x points on select streaming services.
- Earn 3x points on online groceries.
- Earn 2x points on all other travel purchases.
- Earn 1x points on all other purchases.
- Earn 5x points on qualifying Lyft products and services purchased through the Lyft mobile application through 03/31/2025.
Card details
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. These 60,000 points are worth $750 when redeemed for travel purchases, or $600 when redeemed for cash.
- “Purchases” do not include balance transfers, cash advances, travelers checks, foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers or similar cash-like transactions, lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, race track wagers or similar betting transactions.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Plus, ultimate rewards points do not expire as long as the account is open.
- Each account anniversary you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year. That means if you spend $25,000 on purchases, you’ll get 2,500 bonus points.
- Eligible cardmembers* can break up card purchases of $100 or more* into fixed monthly payments with Chase Pay Over Time®. No interest, just a fixed monthly fee.
- Member FDIC.
Smartfinancialways insight
Pros
- Annual hotel statement credits and anniversary points bonus can carry enough value to easily justify the annual fee
- 25% redemption value boost via Chase Travel, Ultimate Rewards points are some of the most valuable rewards available through both transfer partners and the issuer portal
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Primary rental car coverage
- Flexible rewards redemption
- Transfer partners
- Steep curve to earn bonus points. To receive your bonus, you must make purchases totaling $4,000 or more during the first 3 months from account opening
- Waiting period of 6 to 8 weeks for bonus points to post to your account
- Complicated set of procedures for rewards
- Requires good to excellent credit to qualify
- Has annual fee
Other smart choices
- The Capital One Venture® Rewards Credit Card
- The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
Best for: Luxury travel perks
Smartfinancialways rating
4.4/5
Annual fee
$695
Rewards rate
5x – 5x – 1x
Intro offer
Earn 80,000
Points
Recommended credit score
670-850 (Good – Excellent)
Get your free credit score
Rewards on flights
5x points on flights up to $500K per year
Rewards on hotel booked
5x points on hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
Regular APR
Pay Over Time APR: 20.24% – 29.24%
Card rewards breakdown
- Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.
- Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- Unlock Over $1,500 in Value with your Platinum Card® with benefits across travel, entertainment and dining.
- Earn 1x Membership Rewards® Points on other eligible purchases.
Card details
- Apply with confidence. Know if you’re approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you’re approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
- With American Express Global Lounge Collection® you can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Smartfinancialways insight
Pros
- Earns one of the highest travel rewards rates of any American Express card
- There’s around $1,700 of yearly value in ongoing credits, which is perhaps unrivaled in the rewards card market
- Comes with cell phone protection against damage or theft up to $800 per claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per year
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Not all of the card’s niche perks and credits are practical for the average person, so the card may end up costing more than it’s worth
- It earns just 1X points on all non-travel spending, so it won’t make much sense if you want a standalone rewards card to cover everyday spending
- Has a high annual fee which is tailored towards frequently traveling and hotel booking customers
Other smart choices
- The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Best for: Simple travel rewards + intro APR period offer
Smartfinancialways rating
4.2/5
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5x – 3x
Points
Intro offer
25,000 Points
Recommended credit score
690-850 (Good – Excellent)
Get your free credit score
Purchase intro APR
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months
Balance transfer intro APR
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months
Regular APR
18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR
Card rewards breakdown
- No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on all purchases everywhere, every time.
- Intro APR for 15 billing cycles from account opening on purchases.
- Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days.
- 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days.
- 0 blackout dates or no restrictions and points do not expire as long as your account remains open.
Card details
- No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center.
- 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening – that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
- Use your card to book your trip how and where you want – you’re not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
- Flexibility to redeem points for a statement credit to pay for flights, hotels, vacation packages, cruises, rental cars or baggage fees, and also at restaurants—including takeout.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. After the Intro period, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% – 28.24% will apply.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro period, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% – 28.24% will apply.
- A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
- After intro offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
- APR for Cash Advances is 21.24% to 28.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- If you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases. You could earn 3.75-5.25 points for every $1 you spend on travel purchases made through the Bank of America Travel Center.
- By adding your Bank of America® credit card to your mobile device you can shop in-store or in-app using Apple Pay®, Google Pay™ or Samsung Pay.
- Contactless Cards – The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Smartfinancialways insight
Pros
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Offers intro APR period on both purchases and qualifying balance transfers
- Unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on all purchases everywhere, every time
- Get a bonus of 25% to 75% of the rewards earned on every purchase if you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® client
- New cardholder 25,000 points bonus offer
- No bonus categories
- Best rewards limited to certain customers who are Bank of America Preferred Rewards® client
- Card has a low sign-up bonus compared with some of the top travel cards on the market
- Requires good to excellent credit to qualify
Other smart choices
- The Capitol One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
- The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Best for: Travel rewards for beginners
Smartfinancialways rating
4.2/5
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.25 Miles – 5 Miles
Intro offer
Earn 20,000 miles
Recommended credit score
670-850 (Good – Excellent)
Get your free credit score
Purchase intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months
Balance transfer intro APR
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months
Regular APR
19.24% – 29.24% Variable APR
Card rewards breakdown
- Earn unlimited 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- Earn unlimited 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase.
- Earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
Card details
- No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel.
- Earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options.
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel.
- Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn.
- Earn unlimited 1.25x miles on every purchase, every day.
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.24% – 29.24% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies.
Smartfinancialways insight
Pros
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus could be one of the most valuable upfront offers
- Unlike many travel rewards cards, it comes with solid intro APR offers
- No annual fee ever
- Flexible rewards redemption
- 1.25x-mile flat rate is lower than other starter travel cards’ flat rates, even those with no annual fees
- Travel incentives aren’t very noteworthy when compared to other travel rewards cards
- Rewards have limited flexibility
- Requires good to excellent credit to qualify
Other smart choices
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card
- The Capital One Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Best for: Best all-in-one cash rewards card
Smartfinancialways rating
4.9/5
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5% – 5% on purchases
Intro offer
Upto $200 bonus
Recommended credit score
690-850 (Good – Excellent)
Get your free credit score
Purchase intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months
Balance transfer intro APR
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months
Regular APR
19.49% – 28.24% Variable APR
Card rewards breakdown
- Cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
- Cash back on drugstore purchases.
- Cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout.
- Cash back on eligible delivery services.
- Cash back on all other purchases.
Card details
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 19.49-28.24%.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.49-28.24%.
- INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back!
- 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
- Earn Unlimited Double Cash Back: Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned at the end of your first year. There is no limit to how much cash back you can earn. Every dollar you earn is a dollar Chase will match.
- After your 1st 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 unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- Shop with points at Amazon: Link your Chase Freedom Unlimited card to your Amazon.com account and instantly redeem your Cash Back rewards to pay for all or part of your eligible Amazon.com orders at checkout.
- Gift cards: Redeem for a variety of gift cards and certificates for shopping, dining and entertainment, and more..
- Zero Liability Protection: You won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card.
- Purchase Protection: Covers your eligible new purchases for 120 days from the date of purchase against damage or theft up to $500 per item.
- Extended Warranty Protection: Extends the time period of the manufacturer’s U.S. warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance: You can be reimbursed up to $1,500 per covered traveler and $6,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares, if your trip is canceled or cut short.
- Auto Rental Coverage: Decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card. Coverage provides reimbursement for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance: If you run into a problem while traveling away from home, this benefit provides legal and medical referrals and access to other travel and emergency assistance services.
- 5% Cash Back on Lyft Rides: arn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025.
- 29.24% is cash advance APR. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate..
- You can earn $50 cash back for each friend who gets any participating Chase Freedom® credit card.
- Member FDIC
Smartfinancialways insight
Pros
- No minimum to redeem for cash back
- High rewards rate
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers
- It could offer much better long-term value than the typical no-annual fee rewards card, especially for frequent travelers
- No annual fee ever
- Most of the times requires excellent to good credit
- A few other cards offer a higher flat cash back rate (2 percent on all purchases), so they could prove more beneficial if you don’t spend much on travel or dining
Other choices
- The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
- The Citi Double Cash® Card
- The Capitol One Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Best for: Travel rewards + hotel bookings
Smartfinancialways rating
4.5/5
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x – 5x
Points
Intro offer
60,000
Bonus points
Recommended credit score
690-850 (Good – Excellent)
Get your free credit score
Purchase intro APR
N/A
Balance transfer intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
20.24% – 25.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR
Card rewards breakdown
- Unlimited Points on hotels.
- Unlimited Points on airlines.
- Unlimited Points on other travel and restaurants.
- Unlimited Points on other purchases.
- Bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in first 3 months.
- Cell phone protection against damage or theft.
Card details
- $95 annual fee.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.
- Earn unlimited 5x points on hotels, 4x points on airlines, 3x points on other travel and restaurants.
- Earn unlimited 1x points on other purchases.
- Worldwide Automatic Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance: Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card & get Travel Accident Insurance protection of up to $1,000,000.
- Lost Baggage Reimbursement: Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card & receive up to $3,000 in luggage reimbursement per trip if your bags are lost due to theft or misdirection.
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection: Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card & get reimbursed up to $15,000 for lodging, flights, and activities if the trip is canceled for a covered reason.
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Pay for rental cars using your Autograph Journey card & get reimbursed for covered damage or theft.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services: Book with this card & count on emergency assistance while traveling anywhere in the world.
- No Foreign Transaction Fee: Using your card abroad is like using it at home. We won’t charge a fee for converting your purchases to U.S dollars.
- Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
- Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Redeem your rewards points to pay for all or part of your eligible purchases at millions of online merchants when shopping with Paypal, including anything you may need for your travels.
- Emergency Cash Disbursement and Card Replacement: Visa credit cardholders can get an emergency cash advance disbursed or a card replaced within one to three business days.
- Roadside Dispatch®: Referral dispatch network that provides emergency roadside assistance, towing, or locksmith service.
- Zero Liability protection: It ensure that you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized transactions, as long as they’re reported promptly.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
Smartfinancialways insight
Pros
- Cardholders will earn a generous 5 points per $1 spent on hotel stays
- Cardholders will earn a generous 4 points per $1 spent on airline
- Cardholders will earn a generous 3 points per $1 spent on travel and dinning.
- New cardholder bonus offer
- No cap on rewards
- Paying your cellphone bill with this card gets you cellphone protection upto $1000 for damage or theft.
- $50 Annual airfare credit good to offset the $95 annual fee
- Travel bookings can be made directly with airlines (4x points) and hotels (5x points)
- No foreign transaction fees
- Has annual fee
- No free checked baggage
- No free anniversary night
- Requires good to excellent credit to qualify
Other smart choices
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card
- The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Best for: High flat-rate cash back + long intro APR on balance transfers
Smartfinancialways rating
4.8/5
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1% – 5%
Cashback
Intro offer
$200 cash back
Recommended credit score
630-850 (Fair – Excellent)
Get your free credit score
No Caps & No Category Restrictions
No need to enroll or categories to keep track of
Balance transfer intro APR
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months
Regular APR
18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR
Card rewards breakdown
- Cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of your Citi Double Cash® card account opening.
- Unlimited cash back: 1% when you buy, 1% as you pay for those purchases.
- Special Travel Offer: Cash back on hotel, car rental & attractions when you booked on Citi Travel ℠portal through 12/31/2025.
- Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers.
Card details
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.24% – 28.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
Smartfinancialways insight
Pros
- Intro balance transfer fee
- High rewards rate
- Long Intro APR period on balance transfers
- No annual fee ever
- Intro APR offer doesn’t include purchases
- There is a 3% foreign transaction fee, which becomes a hassle for some people when they use this card abroad.
Other smart choices
- The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
- The Chase Freedom Unlimited® Credit Card
- The Capitol One Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Best for: Entertainment and dining + intro on purchases & transfers
Smartfinancialways rating
5.0/5
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1% – 8%
Cashback
Intro offer
$200 Cash back
Recommended credit score
690-850 (Good – Excellent)
Get your free credit score
Purchase intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months
Balance transfer intro APR
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months
Regular APR
19.24% – 29.24% Variable APR
Card rewards breakdown
- No annual fee.
- Cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases.
- Cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- Cash back on dining.
- Cash back on entertainment.
- Cash back on popular streaming services.
- Cash back on select grocery stores.
- Cash back on all other purchases.
Card details
- No annual fee.
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases.
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms & conditions apply.
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®).
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services.
- Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards.
- Cash back won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how much you can earn.
- No foreign transaction fee.
Smartfinancialways insight
Pros
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period on both purchases and qualifying balance transfers
- Some of the best spending category coverage and unlimited rewards potential available on one card
- Redeem your rewards with Paypal when you make purchases online
- Use your rewards, pay for millions of items at Amazon.com
- No foreign transaction fees
- Virtual Card Numbers from Eno
- This card is missing a handful of rewards categories e.g gas, general travel & transit
- Requires good to excellent credit to qualify
Other smart choices
- The Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card
- The Citi Double Cash® Card
- The Wells Fargo Attune℠ Card
Best for: Simple cash back rewards + intro APR period offer
Smartfinancialways rating
4.6/5
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5% – 5%
Cashback
Intro offer
$200 cash bonus
Recommended credit score
690-850 (Fair – Excellent)
Get your free credit score
Purchase intro APR
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months
Balance transfer intro APR
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months
Regular APR
19.24% – 29.24% Variable APR
Card rewards breakdown
- Annual fee plus no foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside of the United States.
- Cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options.
- Cash back on every purchase, every day.
- Cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
- Intro APR for 15 months on purchases.
- Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers.
Card details
- $0 annual fee, and $0 foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees.
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capitol One Travel.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day.
- No rotating categories to keep track of or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards.
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases; 19.24% – 29.24% variable APR after that.
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers; 19.24% – 29.24% variable APR after that; Balance transfer fee applies.
- 29.24% is APR for cash advances. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.
- Your cash back won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how much you can earn.
- Use your Capitol One rewards to make purchases at millions of online stores when you check out with PayPal.
- Use your rewards at Amazon.com, to pay for millions of items at checkout.
- Get cardholder-only access to a collection of VIP packages, events, on-site perks and more.
- Use your rewards, your card or a combination of both to get tickets to thousands of events.
- Enjoy booking made easy. Pick your event, choose your seats and buy tickets online, in just a few taps.
- Extended Warranty: Get additional warranty protection at no charge on eligible items that are purchased with your credit card.
- Travel Accident Insurance: Get automatic insurance for a covered loss at no extra charge when you use your credit card to purchase your fare.
- Virtual Card Numbers from Eno: Pay for online purchases with virtual card numbers and keep your actual card safe.
- $0 Fraud Liability: If your card is lost or stolen, you will not be responsible for unauthorized charges.
Smartfinancialways insight
Pros
- No annual fee
- Good option to take with you when travelling internationally, as it has No foreign transaction fees
- Medium to high rewards rate
- $0 intro APR period on both purchases & balance transfers
- No rotating categories to keep track of or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards
- Rewards are unlimited, also allows you to redeem your rewards in any amount, at any time
- No bonus categories
- Flat cash back rate is lower than the flat rates issuers offer on other rewards cards
- Better suited for hotel, rental car reservations, & online shopping not good choice for dining, gas & groceries
- Requires good to excellent credit to qualify
Other smart choices
- The Citi Double Cash® Card
- The Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card
- The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Best for: Everyday shopping + cash back in quarterly bonus categories
Smartfinancialways rating
4.7/5
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1% – 5%
Cashback
Intro offer
$200 bonus
Recommended credit score
690-850 (Good – Excellent)
Get your free credit score
Purchase intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months
Balance transfer intro APR
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months
Regular APR
19.49% – 28.24% Variable APR
Card rewards breakdown
- Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Cash back on activated bonus category purchases each quarter (up to $1,500 in purchases, then 1 %).
- Cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
- Cash back on dining, including takeout and delivery services.
- Cash back on drugstore purchases.
- Cash back on all other purchases..
- Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers.
Card details
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex® card.
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more.
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 19.49%-28.24%.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.49%-28.24%.
- Shopping at Amazon.com: Link your Chase Freedom Flex® card to your Amazon.com account and instantly redeem your Cash Back rewards to pay for all or part of your eligible Amazon.com orders at checkout.
- $0 Liability Protection: You won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card
- Purchase Protection: Covers your eligible new purchases for 90-120 days from the date of purchase against damage or theft up to $500 per item.
- Extended Warranty Protection: Extends the time period of the manufacturer’s U.S. warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
- Cell Phone Protection: Get up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per 12-month period in cell phone protection against covered theft or damage.
- Auto Rental Coverage: When you charge entire rental cost to your card, this coverage provides reimbursement for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles.
- Keep tabs on your credit health – Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
- Foreign Transaction fee is 3% of the amount of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
- Member FDIC.
Smartfinancialways insight
Pros
- Offer flat-rate cash back
- Offer rotating bonus categories
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Intro APR period on purchases & balance transfers
- No annual fee ever
- It gives excellent travel protections and partner benefits for a no-annual-fee card
- You’ll need to pair it with a higher-tier Chase card to get top redemption value for travel purchases
- You must enroll to take advantage of the bonus categories each quarter
- You’ll only earn a top rewards rate on your first $1,500 in spending each quarter, so it’s not ideal for large purchases or big spenders
- Quarterly categories may not be the best fit for you if you have consistent spending habits, making earning rewards more complicated
Other smart choices
- The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
- The Discover It® Cash Back Card
Best for: Everyday travel & commuting
Smartfinancialways rating
4.2/5
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1x – 3x
Points
Intro offer
20,000
Points
Recommended credit score
690-850 (Good – Excellent)
Get your free credit score
Purchase intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months
Balance transfer intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR
Card rewards breakdown
- Unlimited Points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans.
- Unlimited Points on other purchases.
- Intro APR for 12 months on purchases.
- Cell phone protection against damage or theft.
Card details
- $0 annual fee.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s a $200 cash redemption value.
- Earn unlimited 3x points on the things that really add up – like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans.
- Earn unlimited 1x points on other purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR thereafter.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: Covers theft, damage, valid loss-of-use charges imposed and substantiated by the rental company.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services: Offers emergency assistance and referral services designed to help you in case of an emergency while traveling.
- Roadside Dispatch®: Referral dispatch network that provides emergency roadside assistance, towing, or locksmith service.
- Zero Liability protection: It ensure that you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized transactions, as long as they’re reported promptly.
- Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for Balance Transfers is 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- APR for Cash Advances and Overdraft Protection Advances is 29.99%, will vary with the market based on the U.S. Prime Rate.
- No Foreign Transaction Fee: Using your card abroad is like using it at home. It won’t charge a fee.
Smartfinancialways insight
Pros
- No annual fee
- New cardholder bonus offer
- No cap on rewards
- Paying your cellphone bill with this card gets you cellphone protection against damage or theft (limit of two up to $600 claims per year, subject to a $25 deductible)
- Earn unlimited 3 points per dollar spent on travel, dining, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans
- No categories to track or quaterly activations
- 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- No travel such baggage discount or airport lounge access
- Requires good to excellent credit to qualify
Other smart choices
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card
- The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card