chase travel card vs capital one venture

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Capital One Venture vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred 2024: Sapphire Shines a Bit Brighter

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card don’t provide the multitude of perks you’d find with ultra-premium travel cards, but they both offer quite a bit of value thanks to generous sign-up bonuses and comparatively modest annual fees.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card stands out for how simple it is to use, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes out slightly ahead because the points it earns are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel through Chase. If you carry other cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ or Chase Freedom Unlimited® , you can transfer points to your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to redeem for that higher rate.

Here’s how to decide which is right for you.

» MORE: NerdWallet’s best travel credit cards

At a glance

on Chase's website

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

5 points per $1 spent on all travel booked through Chase.

3 points per $1 spent on dining (including eligible delivery services and takeout).

3 points per $1 spent on select streaming services.

3 points per $1 spent on online grocery purchases (not including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).

2 points per $1 spent on travel not booked through Chase.

1 point per $1 spent on other purchases.

Through March 2025: 5 points per $1 spent on Lyft.

Points are worth 1.25 cents apiece when redeemed for travel through Chase.

5 miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

2 miles per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Transfer points to airline and hotel partners.

Travel protections including rental car insurance, trip cancellation, interruption or delay coverage, and baggage delay coverage.

Up to $100 credit to cover Global Entry or TSA Precheck.

Rental car and travel accident insurance.

Two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges.

Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is better for most people

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card boasts higher point-earning opportunities, depending on your spending. In general, Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are worth 1 cent each. But if you redeem them for travel booked through Chase, their value rises to 1.25 cents apiece. That effectively makes your rewards rate 2.5% on travel and dining and 1.25% on everything else. It's also the choice if you're the type who strives to squeeze maximum value out of your rewards, especially since you can transfer points earned on certain other Chase cards to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , supersizing your stash of rewards.

Chase boasts some big-name transfer partners, too, including JetBlue, Southwest, United and Marriott Bonvoy.

And if you’ve ever experienced travel plans completely falling apart, you’ll appreciate the card’s built-in travel protections:

Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: Get reimbursed for up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip if you must cancel or go home early due to a covered reason like illness or severe weather.

Rental car coverage: Primary collision and theft insurance.

Baggage delay insurance: Get up to $100 a day for five days to buy clothing and toiletries if your baggage is delayed.

Trip delay reimbursement: If you’re delayed for more than 12 hours or must stay overnight, you’re covered for up to $500 per ticket on your reservation for meals and lodging.

Emergency assistance: This is helpful if you experience an emergency while traveling. You will be responsible for the cost of any services you opt into.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers rental car coverage and travel accident insurance, which is helpful, but doesn’t go above and beyond.

» MORE: 11 benefits of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Who might prefer the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a remarkably easy card to use. Not only do you earn 2 miles per $1 on all purchases, so there’s no need to keep track of spending categories, but redeeming for travel is as simple as requesting a statement credit. Capital One considers purchases from the following merchants to count as travel: airlines, hotels, rail lines, car rental agencies, limousine services, bus lines, cruise lines, taxi cabs, travel agents and timeshares. Miles are worth one cent each when redeemed for travel.

You can also transfer miles to more than a dozen airline and hotel loyalty programs, but Capital One doesn't have any domestic airlines as travel partners.

You can transfer Capital One miles to other Capital One cards that earn miles, including the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Spark Miles for Business , which is a definite advantage. You can also transfer cash rewards to the Capital One cards that earn miles.

» MORE: Capital One Miles: How the program works

Which card should you get?

Both cards have their upsides, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes out slightly ahead because of its higher point redemption rate, robust list of transfer partners and comprehensive travel protections.

» Learn more: Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card worth its annual fee?

If you’d simply prefer the flexibility to book however you want and pay with rewards later, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is probably more your speed.

» MORE: How to choose a travel credit card

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. 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.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

1%-10% Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases. 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. Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024. Terms apply.

$200 Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

2x-10x Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture

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Key takeaways

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card both have an annual fee of $95, but their similarities end there.
• These two popular travel rewards credit cards have fairly different rewards structures, meaning that choosing between them will likely come down to your spending habits and the ways you like to travel.
• For those who like maximizing their rewards through category spending, the Sapphire Preferred will likely be a better pick, while those looking for a travel card with a strong flat-rate rewards rate will likely prefer the Venture.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card are two of the most flexible travel credit cards on the market today, but they vary dramatically in terms of how you can redeem your rewards. Both cards let you exchange points or miles for travel directly or transfer them to airline and hotel partners, but they do so at very different values and with a different set of partners.

The way you earn points or miles with each card also varies, with the Venture Rewards card, commonly called the Venture, offering a flat 2X miles on all purchases and the Sapphire Preferred giving cardholders a higher rate in select categories.

With both of these travel credit cards offering generous sign-up bonuses right now, you may be wondering which one would leave you better off. Bankrate’s expert analysis below will help you determine the value of each offer and which card might work better for your needs.

Main details

Chase sapphire preferred vs. capital one venture highlights.

At first glance, these cards seem somewhat similar in terms of their rewards structures and bonuses. However, they earn different types of rewards, which are not valued the same. We go over the most popular categories each card stands out in below.

Why they tied

At first glance, it may seem like the Capital One Venture Rewards, which is offering a welcome bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening, has the better offer. The welcome bonus , also called a sign-up bonus, from Chase Sapphire Preferred lets new cardholders earn 60,000 points when they spend $4,000 on their card within three months of account opening, which is 15,000 points less than the Venture.

But because of how much these points are worth, the result is a tie. Each welcome bonus offer is worth up to $750 when redeemed through each issuer’s respective travel portal.

However, it’s good to keep in mind that there are other ways to redeem your points, meaning that 15,000 more of them from the Venture might work out better for you. Also, Capital One miles are worth up to 1.7 cents and Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth up to 2.0 cents each with the right high-value transfer partner, based on Bankrate’s points and miles valuations . So if you want to transfer your points to a high-value partner, you’d likely get more worth out of the Sapphire Preferred.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth more in general, and because the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers boosted rewards in a variety of spending categories, it pulls ahead of the Capital One Venture.  With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can get:

• 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 3X points on dining (including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out)
• 3X points on select streaming services
• 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs)
• 2X points on other travel purchases
• 1X points on everything else

The card also currently has a promotion with Lyft to provide 5X points total — 2X points from the general travel category plus 3X points as a bonus.

The Venture, on the other hand, offers a flat 2X miles for each dollar you spend, which will likely help you rack up more miles on all your regular spending and bills over time. On top of that, you’ll still get boosted rewards of 5X miles for hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal.

Because the Sapphire Preferred gives you more chances to earn higher boosted rewards, particularly in popular spending categories, it wins when it comes to rewards rates. However, the real winning card depends on how you like to spend. A cardholder who puts all their purchases on one card will likely come out ahead with the Venture’s flat rate of 2X miles for all other purchases when compared to the Sapphire Preferred’s rate of 1X points.

You should do the math on your own budget to see which works better for your individual needs (check out how to calculate this in our spending example below).

Both of these cards charge the same $95 annual fee , which is very reasonable considering the rewards proposition each card offers. The fact you can earn such a big bonus the first year with both cards also makes the fee a good value for the first year especially.

Neither card charges foreign transaction fees on purchases you make outside of the United States. That means both are a good value and a good option if you travel abroad often or purchase online from foreign websites.

Which card earns the most?

With the Capital One Venture letting cardholders earn 2X miles for every dollar they spend, this card can easily help you rack up a higher number of miles over time. But with the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards points being higher in general, the Chase Sapphire Preferred can still help you earn a similar amount of value in rewards.

Let’s do the math.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture spending example

Imagine you’re someone who spends a lot on travel and dining each month, but that you also use your credit card to pay for regular spending and bills. In that case, your monthly spending might look something like this:

• $200 per month spent on dining
• $100 per month spent on general travel
• $200 per month spent on eligible travel through the travel portals
• $300 per month spent on groceries
• $1,200 spent on other purchases

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you’d earn 3,900 points per month, which would be 46,800 points per year. With the welcome bonus, that comes out to 106,800 for the first year.

With the Capital One Venture, you’d get 4,600 miles per month, equating to 55,200 miles per year. Add the welcome bonus you earned to that number, and your first year’s total would be 130,200 miles. That’s a difference of 23,400 miles in the first year and a difference of 8,400 miles per year after that.

However, due to the valuations of these rewards points when redeemed in their respective travel portal, 55,200 Capital One miles are worth $552, but 46,800 Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth $585. So, while you may earn more miles with the Capital One Venture, the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s Ultimate Rewards points will  give you more bang for your buck.

This is all from one specific spending example, however, and it comes with some caveats. For example, while both cards earn 5X the points or miles on travel booked through their respective travel portals, the Capital One Venture only includes hotels and rental cars in that category, so you wouldn’t earn 5X the points on flights the way you could with the Chase Sapphire Preferred. But the Sapphire Preferred also requires cardholders to track their spending more closely to make sure they’re maxing out their rewards categories. If you don’t buy your groceries online, for example, you wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the Sapphire Preferred’s boosted rewards on grocery purchases.

Money tip: If you'd prefer not to worry much about bonus categories or find yourself spending more in miscellaneous purchases, then earning the flat 2X miles with the Capital One Venture is going to be the better choice. If you spend a lot in certain categories and like how much value you get from Ultimate Rewards points, then the Sapphire Preferred would likely be better for you.

Why should you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

With so many bonus categories, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a good rewards card whether you travel often or not. Plus, when it comes to using your rewards, you can cash them in for a lot more than travel.

Here are some additional reasons to consider signing up:

Additional benefits

Sapphire Preferred cardholders also get a 10 percent anniversary point bonus each account anniversary. That means if you earned 50,000 points in a year, you’d receive 5,000 additional bonus points.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred also gives cardholders perks like trip cancellation and interruption insurance worth up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. You also qualify for benefits such as:

• Primary auto rental coverage
• Baggage delay insurance
• Lost luggage reimbursement
• Trip delay reimbursement
• Travel and emergency assistance services
• Travel accident insurance
• Purchase protection
• Extended warranties

Redemption options

The Chase Sapphire Preferred really stands out in terms of its rewards program. Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for options like statement credits, cash back, gift cards and merchandise. However, you can also redeem points for travel through the Chase Travel portal and get 25 percent more value when you do.

The Chase Ultimate Rewards program also offers a robust transfer program that lets you move your points to airline and hotel partners like Marriott Bonvoy, Southwest Rapid Rewards, World of Hyatt and United MileagePlus. With high-value transfer partners, each point can be worth up to 2 cents each.

Recommended credit score

To successfully apply for a Chase Sapphire Preferred, you typically need at least a FICO credit score of 670 or better.

Why should you get the Capital One Venture?

The Capital One Venture lets you earn a flat 2X miles for each dollar you spend, which can be a better deal if you don’t like to keep track of bonus category spending. Here are some additional reasons you might prefer the Venture over the Sapphire Preferred:

The Capital One Venture stands out due to the fact you get up to a $100 credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership as a cardholder perk. This credit can be used for the primary cardholder or someone else. You also get free cardholder benefits such as:

• An auto rental collision damage waiver
• 24-hour travel assistance

Learn more: The Capital One Venture Rewards benefits guide

When you earn miles with this card, you can redeem them to cover travel purchases at a rate of 1 cent per point or cash them in for purchases made on Amazon.com. You can also transfer your miles to airline and hotel partners like Aeromexico, Aeroplan, Flying Blue / Air France, Accor and more.

Just remember that Capital One miles do not transfer at the same favorable ratio as Chase Ultimate Rewards. Using a high-value transfer partner will mean that your miles are worth up to 1.7 cents each, but in other scenarios, your points might lose value. Some Capital One mile transfer partners let you convert miles at a ratio of 2:1.5. Others, like Accor, Emirates and Singapore Airlines, let you transfer at an even worse ratio of 2:1.

To get approved for the Capital One Venture, you typically need at least a FICO credit score of 670 or better.

The bottom line

Both of these rewards credit cards offer generous welcome bonuses with the same annual fee of $95, and they both let you redeem your points for travel or for additional options for more flexibility.

However, each card has a different type of rewards structure and a different set of transfer partners that may work better for you depending on your spending and travel habits. If you prefer to charge everything to one card and tend to spend a lot in miscellaneous categories, then the Capital One Venture might be your best bet. If you want to maximize your rewards in certain categories, want more travel protections and prefer the value that comes with earning Chase Ultimate Rewards, then you’d be better off with the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

If you can’t decide between these Chase and Capital One credit cards , consider checking out other travel rewards credit cards before applying. You can use Bankrate’s card comparison tool to help you find out which one is right for you.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture: Card comparison

• How to use Chase Ultimate Rewards points

How to use Capital One Venture miles

• Benefits comparison
• Which card should you choose?

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture: How to decide which travel rewards credit card is best for you

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred has long been a favorite among travelers with its useful spending categories and top-notch travel and purchase protections. But it faces stiff competition from the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card , which comes with a fantastic intro offer of its own.

While both of these travel credit cards are a terrific choice for beginners and experts alike, each offers a unique set of rewards, benefits, and costs. Depending on where you spend most and how you like to travel, one may make more sense for your needs than the other (though it's certainly possible to have both).

Here's a head-to-head face-off between these cards to help you decide which best fits your situation.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card are both travel rewards credit cards with similar annual fees. The way you earn and redeem rewards with each card is different, so it's important to look at what sets them apart to decide which could be best for your needs.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers:

• 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides through March 2025
• 5 points per dollar on all travel purchased through Chase Travel
• 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
• 2 points per dollar on other travel
• 1 point per dollar on everything else

That's comparatively many bonus categories when compared to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which earns 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One and an unlimited flat 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. This card trades bonus categories for a substantial return on  all  spending.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Capital One miles work differently, and each may appeal to a different type of traveler. In general, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is better for those who want to squeeze out more value per point and are willing to put in a little time to figure out the best way to redeem points with the Chase Ultimate Rewards® program's airline and hotel transfer partners.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is better for those looking for really easy and flexible redemptions. To understand why, let's dive into the details of each program and how the redemption options work.

How to use Chase Ultimate Rewards points from the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. Earn 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. Earn 2x on all other travel purchases. Earn 1x on all other purchases.

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Earn 60,000 bonus points

Good to Excellent

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. High intro bonus offer starts you off with lots of points
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong travel coverage
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit

If you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• 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.
• 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, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Chase points are worth 1.25 cents apiece toward travel reservations booked through the Chase Travel Portal℠ when you hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Points can be worth a lot more, however, when you transfer to partner airlines. You can also transfer to hotel partners, but airlines tend to offer the best value. For example, I got a huge value when I took my dad to Israel in business class with Chase points transferred to my United account .

All Chase Ultimate Rewards® transfers are at a 1:1 ratio, meaning 1 Chase point = 1 airline mile or 1 hotel point.

The Sapphire Preferred card lived in my wallet for a very long time until I decided to upgrade it to the ultra-premium Chase Sapphire Reserve . But I still think the Sapphire Preferred is the best card for people new to travel rewards. It gives you a ton of value and a lot of protections. If you ever have any trouble, Chase customer support for these cards is very good.

Don't overlook the value of the Sapphire Preferred's other benefits, too. Chase helped my sister get her money back after a bad experience with an African tour guide operator. But that's a story for another day.

The card charges a $95 annual fee and currently has an intro bonus offer of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That can get you $1,080 in travel (based on Insider's valuations) when you transfer points to airline and hotel partners.

The easiest way to use Capital One miles is to redeem them to cover travel charges from your Venture card statement posted within the past 90 days. All you need to do is open your online account, find the charge in your transaction history, and erase it with miles at a rate of 1 cent per mile.

If you're willing to get a bit more complicated, Capital One now offers 18 airline and hotel partners with which you can receive outsized redemption value.

The list offers a wide array of international airlines, including some of the most aspirational in the world — Singapore, Emirates, and Etihad often battle for the title of the world's most luxurious airline.

Because flights sometimes go on sale, you might get the best value by redeeming right through the Capital One portal. Similar to Chase, you can always run the numbers for a specific flight to compare.

The card charges a $95 annual fee ( rates and fees ) and currently offers a substantial bonus: 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture benefits comparison

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card waive foreign transaction fees  and a wide range of travel and purchase coverage.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred includes trip cancellation insurance, primary car rental insurance, baggage delay insurance, trip delay insurance, and travel emergency assistance. At the checkout counter, it offers purchase protection and extended warranty on eligible items. It also offers up to $50 in credit each year toward hotels booked through the Chase Travel Portal℠.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card comes with travel assistance service***, secondary car rental insurance***, travel emergency assistance***, and extended warranty on eligible purchases***. One big benefit you don't get with the competitor, in this case, is up to $100 credit for TSA's Global Entry or PreCheck programs when you pay with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

For benefits, Capital One's card is a little lighter than what you get from Chase. Depending on how much you travel and the anticipated costs along the way, those insurance and protection benefits can be very valuable.

Should you choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture?

If I had to pick a winner, it would be the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

While the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card gives you more miles per dollar across the board and offers more transfer partners, its airline partners won't be as useful to many US travelers, so it's harder to get outsized value.

Advanced travelers and those who are willing to research award availability on major US travel partners can get the best results from Chase Sapphire Preferred. Those who just want to keep things easy and flexible will enjoy the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card's structure a little more.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred also has the edge when it comes to travel protections like primary car rental insurance and trip delay insurance — hopefully, you don't have to put these benefits to use, but if you do they can save you some serious cash. You've also got plenty of non-travel redemption options with the Chase Sapphire Preferred if you're not ready to stray too far from home just yet.

Either way, regular travelers looking to get a travel rewards card with an annual fee of around $100 will do very well with one of these cards. 

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

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Chase sapphire preferred card vs. capital one venture x rewards card: which card is better for travel, the capital one venture x rewards card comes with a higher annual fee but more travel perks..

The  Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the  Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card  are two popular credit cards designed for rewarding those who love to spend on travel. They do have big differences in the annual fees they charge — the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a $95 annual fee while the Venture X card has a $395 annual fee (see rates and fees ). But their rewards programs and perks should be enough to offset each respective fee. The two cards are consistently solid contenders for those who want to upgrade to a card that gives them more bang for their buck, especially when booking flights and hotels.

Below,  CNBC Select  compares both cards to help you figure out which one works best with your lifestyle and spending needs.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Capital One Venture X Rewards Card

Card rewards, redemption options, the welcome bonus, additional perks, bottom line, chase sapphire preferred® card.

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, and $50 annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

21.49% - 28.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers

Balance transfer fee

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

Foreign transaction fee

Credit needed.

Excellent/Good

Terms apply.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review .

• Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel via Chase Travel℠
• Transfer points to leading frequent travel programs at a 1:1 rate, including: IHG® Rewards Club, Marriott Bonvoy™ and World of Hyatt®
• Travel protections include: auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance and trip delay reimbursement
• No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
• $95 annual fee
• No introductory 0% APR

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Unlimited 2X miles on all eligible purchases, and 5 Miles per dollar on flights and 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booked via Capital One Travel portal

Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you

Foreign transaction fees

See rates and fees , terms apply.

Read our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review.

• Large welcome bonus
• No foreign transaction fees
• Up to $100 statement credits for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• High annual fee
• No introductory 0% APR period

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card sit at opposite ends of the annual fee spectrum. The Sapphire Preferred card has a $95 annual fee , which makes it among the most affordable. The Venture X card, on the other hand, charges a hefty $395 annual fee (see rates and fees ).

Granted, the annual fee on the Venture X Card still isn't as high as the Chase Sapphire Reserve®   $550 annual fee , or The Platinum Card® from American Express $695 fee (see rates and fees ), but it's still a considerable expense. Terms apply.

Of course, both cards have perks and benefits that can offset the cost of that fee, so make sure you determine whether or not you can truly make that fee worthwhile.

WINNER: The Chase Sapphire Preferred card's annual fee costs $300 less than the Venture X card's. This already makes it appealing to those who want to upgrade to a card with more perks but don't quite have the appetite for a higher annual fee. Again, both cards offer benefits that can offset the costs of those annual fees.

Both credit cards are well known for their earnings for booking travel, but there are many key differences in the way you rack up rewards.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Cardholders can earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3X points on dining, 3X points on select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs), 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.

Capital One Venture X Card: Earn unlimited 2X miles on all eligible purchases, and 5 miles per dollar on flights and 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booked via Capital One Travel portal.

At first glance, you'll notice that the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card lets you earn points while the Venture X Card lets you earn miles. However, the miles you earn on the Venture X card actually function similarly to transferable points programs since they can be redeemed for more than just travel (below, we break down the different ways cardholders can redeem their rewards for both cards).

The Chase Sapphire Preferred impressive offer of 5X points on travel purchases through Chase Travel℠ appears similar to the Venture X Card's offer of 5 miles per dollar on flights. However, the Venture X Card also offers an impressive 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars that get booked through their travel portal.

However, the point and mile values can be very different when redeeming them for rewards through each card provider's respective travel portals. For instance, 75,000 miles from the Venture X Card's welcome bonus is worth around $750 , while you only need 60,000 bonus points earned through the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card's welcome bonus to achieve the same cash value of $750.

Rewards experts like The Points Guy take into account the different transfer options when valuing points. Because of this, they value the points at 1.25 cents per point for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, making the value of the bonus work out to $1,200. They also value the miles for the Venture X card at 1.85 cents per point (when again, taking into account the various transfer options), making the full value of the bonus work out to be $1,387.50 toward travel.

Aside from travel rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card gives a generous 3X earnings for money spent on dining, streaming services and grocery store purchases, whereas the Venture X Card lets users earn 2X on other eligible purchases.

WINNER: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Card comes out on top since the full value of its welcome bonus works out to be higher than that of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. On top of that, at the very least, you'll earn 2X miles on other eligible purchases with the Venture X card while the Chase Sapphire Preferred card only lets you earn 1X points on other eligible purchases. So even if you don't spend a ton on travel or dining, you'll still earn more for other types of purchases with the Venture X card.

There are a variety of ways to redeem your rewards for both credit cards.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card:

Cardholders can redeem points for cash back or gift cards at a rate of 1 cent per point.

If redeeming through Chase Travel℠, though, you'll increase the value of your points to 1.25 cents apiece. If you use this redemption option, the 60,000-point welcome bonus is worth $750.

The most valuable option is generally to  transfer your points  to one of Chase's hotel and airline partners. Transferring your points to partners typically yields a much higher value, especially if you want to redeem them for luxury travel.

Chase's 14 transfer partners include:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards
• Flying Blue (KLM and Air France)
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• IHG One Rewards
• Marriott Bonvoy
• World of Hyatt

Capital One Venture X Rewards Card:

Capital One miles can be redeemed in several ways, including:

• Booking travel directly through Capital One Travel
• Transferring them to 17 different airline and hotel partners (like Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Air Canada Aeroplan)
• Using them for recent travel purchases on your credit card statement
• Redeeming them for gift cards
• Redeeming them for cash back (note: similar to the CSP card, this is the least valuable option)

The most valuable way to redeem Capital One miles is to transfer them to the various travel partners and book business or first-class award flights.

Capital One's 17 transfer partners include:

• Air France-KLM
• ALL Accor Live Limitless
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Choice Privileges
• Singapore Airlines
• TAP Air Portugal
• Turkish Airlines
• Wyndham Hotels

Both credit cards come with ambitious welcome bonuses.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Capital One Venture X Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

Both credit cards have a fairly short time horizon for earning the welcome bonus ; new cardholders will have to spend $4,000 within the first 3 months after opening an account. While it may appear that you earn a larger bonus for spending the same amount on the Venture X card, when you calculate the value of the miles when redeemed for travel through each card's respective rewards portal, it comes out to $750 for both credit cards.

Again, though, when you take into consideration the value of rewards when redeeming through transfer partners, the Venture X card comes out on top since the welcome bonus is valued at $1,387.50 toward travel and the Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus is valued at $1,200.

WINNER: If you plan to redeem the welcome bonus through each card's respective rewards portal, it's a tie since the value of the welcome bonus works out to be the same. However, if you're redeeming the bonus through transfer partners, the Venture X card provides the best value.

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Both cards come with an appealing array of perks that are meant to satisfy different lifestyle needs.

Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders can enjoy these additional perks:

• Exclusive shopping discounts at select retailers
• Up to $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Primary rental car insurance
• Baggage delay insurance
• Trip delay reimbursement
• Each account anniversary, you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year. For instance, if you spend $25,000 on purchases, you'll receive 2,500 bonus points
• Cardholders can get complimentary access to DashPass, which is a membership that can be used for DoorDash and Caviar. You'll pay $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders for a minimum of one year when you activate this perk by December 31, 2024
• 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ membership if activated by July 31, 2024 (membership auto-renews). Instacart+ members can also earn up to $15 in statement credits quarterly through July 2024

Capital One Venture X cardholders can enjoy these additional perks:

• Up to $300 in annual statement credits each year for bookings made through Capital One Travel
• A 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary, starting on your first card anniversary
• Up to $100 statement credit for either  Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Access to over 1,300 Priority Pass lounges, as well as Capital One Lounges. Free entry for up to two guests per visit ($45 per visit for additional guests)
• *Complimentary cell phone insurance (terms and conditions apply)
• *Baggage delay reimbursement
• *Trip delay reimbursement

WINNER: As far as travel credit cards go, the Capital One Venture X card comes out on top for its more robust set of travel perks. The Sapphire Preferred card does offer some lifestyle benefits, like the complimentary DashPass and Instacart+ membership, but those perks may not be most valuable to those who are just looking for a travel credit card that'll give them more bang for their buck.

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Capital One Venture X card are such strong travel credit cards that it can be genuinely difficult to go with one over the other.

The Venture X card comes with a hefty annual fee of $395 (see rates and fees ), though, perks like the $300 annual travel credit and airport lounge access make up for that cost. The Sapphire Preferred $95 annual fee may feel a bit more manageable to more people but still offers valuable benefits like trip delay insurance and monthly credits for popular delivery services.

Overall, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card may be best suited for those who value the best of both travel and dining perks.

The Capital One Venture X card is best for those serious travelers who want elite perks without elite airline status.

Both cards offer a ton of value if used correctly. However, if you still want some to earn towards travel without paying high annual fees, you might consider opting for a low or no-cost credit card like the  Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees ).

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

5 Miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 1.25X miles per dollar on every purchase

Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months

19.99% - 29.99% variable

3% for the first 15 months; 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time

See rates and fees . Terms apply.

Read our Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card review.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of  credit cards ,  banking  and  money , and follow us on  TikTok ,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here .

*For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

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Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture: Which $95 Annual Fee Card Should You Pick?

March 7, 2024

Going has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Going and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses, and recommendations are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of all of the card offers that appear on this page are from advertisers; compensation may affect how and where the cards appear on the site; and Going does not include all card companies are all available card offers.

In life, we’re constantly asked to choose between two options, and that’s true when it comes to travel credit cards. 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Card are two entry-level travel cards that are great for folks who want to start earning points and miles. How do you choose which one is right for you?

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Card

Let’s start with how the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Card similar. 

Let’s start with how the card_name and card_name are similiar.

Each card carries an annual fee of annual_fees , which means the barrier to entry is relatively low.

In addition, both cards come with a foreign_transaction_fee foreign transaction fee, which means that you will not pay extra pesky fees when you use your card internationally. Instead, your credit card issuer converts the purchase into US dollars based on the exchange rate on the date of the transacation.

Both beginner cards earn points that transfer to a handful of airline and hotel partners. They also both come with nice welcome offers that can get you at least a head start toward a free flight. 

Since the cost of holding the cards is equal, how do they compare? Which one is right for you? 

Earning points

I say this often but pay close attention to your card’s earning rates. While a welcome offer is exciting, the bonus points your card earns on your daily purchases will matter in the long term. 

The card_name and card_name differ most when it comes to earning bonus points.

Capital One Venture Rewards Card

The card_name is quite simple: you’ll earn 2X points per dollar spent on all eligible purchases.

That’s it. Nothing else to think about. 

Going to a football game? Buying tickets to a concert? This card will earn you 2X points on every purchase. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The card_name earns bonus points in several spending categories. The card’s sweet spots are in experiences like travel, food, and streaming services.

More specifically, you’ll earn: 

• 2X points per dollar on travel purchases: This is a pretty capacious category and includes things like public transit and Amtrak trains, as well as airfare. 
• 5X points per dollar on purchases through the bank’s travel portal:  If you book your flight through Chase Travel(SM), the bank’s travel portal, you’ll earn at this higher rate. Just do your homework first and compare the price if you bought directly from the airline.
• 3X points per dollar on dining at restaurants takeout, and eligible delivery services:  Who doesn’t like to eat?
• 3X points per dollar on online grocery stores (excluding Target, Wal-Mart and wholesale clubs):  This could be a great card to use if you ever order groceries online through services like Instacart or FreshDIrect.
• 3X points per dollar on streaming services:  This could be a great card to put your monthly Netflix or Disney+ subscription on. 
• 1X points per dollar on all other purchases.

Plus, on each card anniversary, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card awards you extra bonus points. You’ll receive an anniversary bonus equal to 10% of the total amount you spent last year. So, if you spent  $10,000 on purchases, you’d get 1,000-anniversary bonus points.

Welcome offers

Both cards come with welcome offers granting you thousands of flexible travel points after spending a certain amount. Their offers are:   

bonus_miles_full

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

In sheer raw numbers, the welcome offer on the Capital One Venture Rewards card is higher. 

But, I’d argue that the welcome offer on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is more valuable because of where you can transfer its points. I’ll explain more below.

Transfer partners

The best way to maximize the value of your credit card points is to transfer them to the bank's airline and hotel partners . Called “transfer partners” or “travel partners,” you convert your hard-earned credit card points into miles with a specific airline. 

Both the card_name and the card_name transfer to a lot of the same international airlines. Common transfer partners with each include:

The Capital One Venture Rewards card also has Avianca LifeMiles and Turkish Miles&Smiles among its  transfer partners . We have sent several Going with Points deals making use of these airline partners.

However, I think it is Chase Sapphire Preferred’s  travel partners where the card really shines. In addition to the partners listed above, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has several US domestic airlines as partners including, United MileagePlus, Southwest Airlines, and JetBlue. 

In addition, Iberia airlines is another airline partner, which can be a great way to fly business class to Europe for a reasonable amount of miles. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card also transfers to Hyatt hotels, which is a favorite of point and miles enthusiasts. 

To be perfectly honest with you, the breadth of transfer partners for a relatively low annual fee is why the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is my favorite card in my wallet. 

Extra card perks and protections

One of the great things about the Capital One Venture Rewards card is that it offers a statement credit for an application fee for  Global Entry or TSA PreCheck . 

You can use this application credit once every four years. And, if you already have it you could use this card’s credit for a loved one’s application. 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card doesn’t have the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, but it is one of our top picks for  credit cards with rental car insurance because it comes with Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver. 

While many travel credit cards offer secondary rental car insurance coverage, this card provides primary coverage on car rentals, which means you would not need to file a claim with your personal auto insurance.  So, if you used this card to pay for your rental car, you could potentially decline the rental company’s collision insurance and save on your costs. 

This is the full list of travel protections that the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers:

• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: Up to $10,000 reimbursed per person if your trip is cancelled or cut short by sickness, severe weather or other covered situations. 
• Auto rental collision damage waiver: Primary coverage
• Baggage delay insurance: Reimburses baggage delays over 6 hours up to $100 a day for five days.
• Trip delay insurance: Up to $500 per ticket when your carrier is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay. Can include meal and lodging expenses.

Should you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture Rewards Card?

For most people, the card_name is the better option, simply because Chase points are more valuable than Capital One Miles (their term for points). While the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit is tempting, I think most casual travelers are better off with the travel protections that the Chase Sapphire Preferred provides. You could always get Global Entry or TSA PreCheck through another card that compliments its bonus categories.

Still, if you’d rather not track categories, and just want to earn a flat 2X points per dollar, then the  card_name might be the better option for you.

Of course, there’s no reason why you can’t have both. They complement each other and allow you to earn more points together. 

Still need to think about it? Read our reviews of each card to help you decide. 

• Review: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
• Review: Capital One Venture Rewards Card

Published March 7, 2024

Last updated March 28, 2024

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On This Page

• Key takeaways
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Which card is better?
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Welcome bonus
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Rewards
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Travel Perks
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Other card benefits
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Rates and fees
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Eligibility

Should I get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card?

Faq: chase sapphire preferred vs. capital one venture.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture: Which Is Best?

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is slightly better overall than the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card .
• The Chase Sapphire card reigns supreme in terms of rewards, travel perks and other card benefits.
• The Capital One Venture card has a better welcome offer.
• Chase’s travel perks are a major benefit for cardholders who love to travel.
• Both cards have a $95 annual fee and similar variable APR rates.

In the battle between credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card go head-to-head.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred boasts a strong reputation and diverse benefits, while the Capital One Venture offers simplicity and rewards tailored to travelers and everyday spenders. 

This comparison breaks down rewards, bonuses and travel perks to help you choose the best fit for your needs.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture: Which card is better?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a mighty contender thanks to big-time name recognition and the promise of ample rewards, but the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is heady competition with its own cache of rewards and perks. 

In the case of Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture, Chase Sapphire Preferred has the edge in several categories. An attractive list of rewards, useful travel perks and a regularly updated slate of other card benefits all help nudge Chase into the winner’s circle.

But depending on how you plan to use your credit cards, you may find Capital One Venture to be better for your specific needs. 

To help you learn what each of these rewards cards has to offer and see how signing up for a Chase or Capital One card could shape your finances, we’ll take a look at each category or perk on a granular level.

Why should I get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?

For starters, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a higher point redemption rate, including higher rates for things like online grocery shopping, dining out and some streaming services. There are also many rewards partners if you want to shift your points. You can take advantage of some 14 airline loyalty programs and three hotel loyalty programs, giving you access to upgrades, lounges and other benefits the world over.

The final feather in Chase’s cap is the card’s robust list of travel protections. If you often find yourself exploring the planet, you’ll likely rest easier knowing you have backup if weather delays your flight or there’s a problem and you need to get home.

Why should I get the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card?

The Capital One Venture card is a solid choice for people who are most interested in earning rewards for travel and everyday spending. This card gives you 2 miles per dollar for purchases outside travel and 5 miles per dollar for travel. You won’t get the same higher rates for dining and other lifestyle purchases like Chase offers, but depending on how you spend, that might not matter.

Also take a look at Capital One’s partner list. If there are airlines or hotels listed that you favor over Chase’s partners, that’s an additional reason to go for the Venture card over the Sapphire Preferred.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture: Welcome bonus

Winner of this category: Capital One Venture Rewards

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a welcome bonus of 60,000 points. This reward is only available once you spend a minimum of $4,000 on purchases within three months of opening your account.

The Capital One Venture card seems to come out ahead here because the welcome bonus is 75,000 miles. It’s also only available when you spend $4,000 on purchases within three months of opening your account.

However, in both cases, the points or miles you get once you achieve the bonus threshold are redeemable for up to $750 of free travel. This assumes a $1.25 and $1 redemption rate for Chase and Capital One, respectively, as discussed in more detail below.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture: Rewards

Winner of this category: Chase Sapphire Preferred

Rewards are the cornerstone of both cards, but how you earn those rewards differs significantly.

With Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can earn the following amounts in these ways:

• 5 points per dollar spent on travel purchases using Chase Travel℠
• 3 points per dollar spent on dining, eligible delivery services, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (Walmart, Target and wholesale club purchases excluded)
• 2 points per dollar spent on travel purchased without using Chase Travel℠
• 1 point per dollar spent on anything not covered above

There are sometimes limited-time-only offers as well, such as the current promotion (as of January 2024) of 5 points per dollar spent with Lyft through March 2025.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a simpler but less exciting rewards scheme:

• 5 miles per dollar spent on rental cars and hotels only when booked through Capital One Travel
• 2 miles per dollar spent on anything else

Which is better for earning rewards?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers far more ways to earn rewards. While the emphasis is on Chase Rewards travel, you can still rack up a decent number of points just for grocery shopping, going to lunch or streaming your favorite shows.

Capital One Venture Rewards only wins out if you use the card for Capital One Travel purchases, as those are the only ones eligible for top-level 5 miles per dollar rewards. The 2 miles per dollar you get for “other purchases” with Capital One beats Chase’s 1 point per dollar rate, but that only helps you come out ahead if you aren’t spending much on dining, streaming, online grocery purchases and other travel.

Which is better for redeeming rewards?

No matter which card you choose, you can redeem rewards for a huge variety of highly desirable things. Travel-related redemptions are king, though.

It’s probably easier to compare if we just look at rates for simple redemptions. Chase Sapphire Preferred has a more favorable redemption rate of 1.25 cents per point for travel or 1 cent per point for cash rewards or statement credits. Venture Miles are redeemable at a fixed rate of 1 cent per mile.

Sapphire Preferred tips the scale again courtesy of that 25% bonus just for redeeming your points through Chase Travel℠ for travel.

But before you decide, think about which of these travel cards has partners that better align with your lifestyle.

Chase Sapphire Preferred allows you 1:1 point transfers to 14 airlines and loyalty clubs.

These airlines include:

• Air France-KLM Flying Blue
• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Other partners include hotel loyalty programs such as IHG One Rewards, World of Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has its own list of 15 transfer partners, some at a 1:1 transfer ratio and some at 2:1 or 4:3 ratios. 

Some of the airline partners are:

• Aeromexico Rewards
• Avianca LifeMiles
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
• Choice Privileges (U.S.-based accounts only)
• Finnair Plus
• Qantas Frequent Flyer

The card’s only current hotel transfer partner is Wyndham Rewards.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture: Travel Perks

You won’t settle the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture debate simply by looking at point transfer rates. Operating as both hotel cards and airline cards , these two cards allow you to shift points or miles to their respective airline and hotel partners. 

Chase Sapphire also offers travel protections , including trip cancellation , trip interruption and delay coverage, baggage delay coverage, emergency assistance and rental car insurance.

Those Chase Sapphire travel insurance perks can come in quite handy if your plans go awry. For instance, the baggage delay coverage includes up to $100 per day for five days if your suitcases take a different flight than you do. That’s plenty of money to cover toiletries, clothes and other essentials. If your trip is delayed by more than 12 hours or you have an unexpected overnight stop en route to your destination, there’s help for that too. Chase’s trip delay reimbursement will pay up to a maximum of $500 per reservation ticket to cover your meals and accommodations.

Capital One Venture echoes the rental car coverage and adds travel accident insurance, but you’ll have to go elsewhere if you want to cover possible cancellations, delays or interruptions. Instead of those perks, Capital One throws in up to a $100 credit to cover application/enrollment fees for TSA Precheck or Global Entry (once every four years). You’ll love that fast pass paired with the two complimentary visits you’ll get each year to Capital One or Plaza Premium Lounges.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture: Other card benefits

Some additional benefits don’t fall into the other categories, but they should absolutely be considered before you decide whether you’re going the Chase route or hopping on board with Capital One.

Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders are eligible for a $50 annual Chase Travel℠ hotel credit. You can also get a 10% annual points bonus and extended warranty and purchase protection. The last two items on that list are often overlooked but can save you a bundle of money if you buy a product with your card that doesn’t perform as expected. Other benefits are time-sensitive or limited-time-only, such as complimentary DashPass memberships from DoorDash (terms and conditions apply).

With Capital One Venture, additional perks are limited to extended warranty protection, and that benefit may not be available to all cardholders.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture: Rates and fees

Winner of this category: It’s a tie!

One major aspect of the Chase Sapphire vs. Capital One Venture debate has to do with the fees you’ll pay for the privilege of using each card. Luckily, the main consideration is easy to remember: Both cards carry an annual fee of $95. They’re also tied for foreign transaction fees ($0 across the board).

But with all this talk of perks and rewards, we must also look at the credit card interest rates you’ll be paying on those big, point-earning purchases. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card charges 21.49% - 28.49% variable APR on all new purchases. For Capital One Venture Rewards, the range is a bit wider, at 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR.

Some credit cards incentivize applicants with offers of a 0% introductory APR for a certain period, where failing to pay on time each month could hurt your credit score and lead to lots of unintended interest charges. You won’t need to worry about that with either of these cards, as introductory APR rates aren’t offered.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture: Eligibility

Neither card has super-specific eligibility requirements — you don’t have to belong to a certain club or work at a preferred company to apply. There are no official credit score requirements either, but most rewards-based credit cards with similar perks require a good credit score . 

Assume you need a VantageScore or FICO credit score of at least 690 to be eligible for Chase Preferred and 670 or higher for Capital One Venture. It will also help if you have a low income-to-debt ratio, no recent late payments or loan defaults and no bankruptcy declarations within the last five years.

To reach a final verdict regarding Capital One Venture vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred, we have to review every category and also take individual needs into account. 

You might be better off with the Capital One Venture Card if you like to book through Capital One Travel and use the card for miscellaneous purchases. Chances are more people will be satisfied with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card though, given its superior rewards scheme, expansive partner list and oodles of travel perks.

But there’s one huge caveat everyone should keep in mind. These two cards are not mutually exclusive. You don’t necessarily have to choose one or the other. Applying for and using both cards responsibly could help you maximize rewards in every possible way. Just be strategic about when and how you do your spending.

First, revel in the tingly feeling you’ll get from doubling up on welcome bonuses. Then, rely on your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for travel, dining, online grocery shopping and other higher-reward activities. Get out your Capital One Venture Card for all “miscellaneous” purchases and take advantage of the double miles for each dollar you spend.

Featured offers

Chase sapphire preferred® card, capital one venture rewards credit card, which is better: chase sapphire preferred or capital one venture.

When it comes to deciding between the Capital One Venture Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred, the top choice depends on your needs and lifestyle. Chase Sapphire Preferred has a slight edge over Capital One Venture, especially if you spend a lot on travel and dining.

Are Chase or Capital One points worth more?

Chase points are worth more at about $1.25 per point, while Capital One Venture miles are worth about $1. Other factors, like the 25% bonus Chase offers customers who redeem points for travel, can drive that $1.25 redemption rate even higher.

Should I switch from Chase to Capital One?

You can switch from Chase to Capital One at any time by applying for the Venture card and closing your Chase account. However, you might be better served by having both cards and using them depending on which offers better rewards for whatever you happen to be buying.

Is Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture harder to get?

In terms of exclusivity, the Capital One Venture and the Chase Sapphire Preferred cards are pretty much tied. You need good credit (a score of 670 or above) for approval with Capital One, and a score of 690 or higher with Chase. These are unofficial numbers, though, and other factors, such as your debt-to-income ratio and recent payment history, may have an impact as well.

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• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Travelers seeking to earn an array of rewards, including a generous welcome bonus and flexible redemption options, may consider applying for either the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

MoneyGeek analyzed the differences between the two to help you find the card that suits you best.

Updated: March 29, 2024

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• Comparison Overview

Comparison Summary

Which card should you get.

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card have similar features, including a welcome bonus of 60,000 points, an annual fee of $95 and no foreign transaction fees.

To establish the best card for your needs, you can compare the cost, features and benefits of Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. For instance, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers better rewards and more flexible redemption methods. In contrast, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card provides you with more travel benefits, such as better insurance coverage.

• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card at a Glance
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card at a Glance

Comparison Overview: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Has Balance Transfer Offer
• Has APR Offer
• Cash Back Rewards
• Hotel Benefits
• Has Foreign Transaction Fee
• Recommended Credit Excellent Good–Excellent

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card At a Glance

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card credit card is a good option for frequent travelers who wish to earn unlimited rewards on their purchases. Cardholders can redeem their points for travel, gift cards or in the form of cash. The card also has a generous welcome offer of 60,000 points for cardholders who spend at least $4,000 within three months of opening the account — that’s equivalent to $750 toward travel if redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards. The annual fee for the card is $95.

A very good rewards card with no foreign transaction fees and comprehensive travel cover

• 1–5 Points per $1 Rewards Rate
• 21.49% – 28.49% Variable APR
• $95 Annual Fee
• Excellent Recommended Credit

What are the pros and cons?

• Generous new cardholder bonus
• High rewards on travel and dining
• No foreign transaction fees
• With travel insurance and benefits
• Flexible rewards redemption options
• With annual fee applies
• High credit requirement
• Rewards program can be complex
• Potentially high APR

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase TravelSM.
• 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.
• 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, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Learn more about this card

Terms, rates and fees apply

Compare this credit card with other cards with lower interest rates.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card At a Glance

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card provides you with unlimited rewards redeemable in various ways, including transfers to loyalty programs. The card has an annual fee of $95 and no international transaction fees. Cardholders who spend at least $3,000 on purchases within three months receive an early spend bonus of 60,000 points. They can also add an authorized user to the card at no additional fee.

Strong entry-level travel card with high rewards rates

• 2-5 miles Rewards Rate
• 19.99% – 29.99% Variable APR
• Good–Excellent Recommended Credit
• Unlimited miles on select travel and everyday expenses
• Generous welcome offer
• Flexible redemption options
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application credit
• Significant spend requirement for welcome offer
• Minimal travel perks

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel 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 Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Enjoy two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges through the Partner Lounge Network 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 Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Compare this credit card with other top-rated cards from our partners.

MoneyGeek compared the differences between the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. You can use our breakdown to determine the better travel rewards card for your needs.

When choosing between the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, it is advisable to consider your spending habits and needs.

Who Should Consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a solid travel credit card for individuals who wish to earn generous rewards and redeem them in a wide variety of ways. The card has an annual fee of $95 and no international transaction fees, making it ideal for frequent travelers.

International travelers will benefit from the card’s generous rewards and flexible redemption options, including a $50 statement credit every account anniversary for hotel stays booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.

Those who wish to break up large card purchases into monthly payments without paying additional interest fees would benefit from the My Chase Plan.

≫ More: Read Our Full Review

Who should consider the capital one venture rewards credit card .

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is best suited for those seeking to earn travel rewards on purchases. This card also has a $95 annual fee and no international transaction fees.

Individuals who want to earn unlimited rewards and spend these directly on travel can transfer their points to external partners.

Travelers who book hotels and use rental car services frequently will rack up 5X miles per dollar on these purchases when made through Capital One Travel.

These two cards are close competitors as they offer similar benefits and features. However, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers slightly better benefits as you can earn more than 2x miles per dollar on several popular categories. Additionally, the card offers a comprehensive travel insurance policy for all cardholders.

Other Helpful Decision-Making FAQs

Because information is vital in selecting the best credit card for your needs , MoneyGeek responds to these commonly asked questions about the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to help you make the best choice.

Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card better than the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card?

The better choice between the two cards solely depends on your needs. But in most use cases, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card will be the better choice.

Can you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card if you have the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card?

Yes. If you believe that both travel credit cards are beneficial to you, you can open both accounts.

Can you transfer points from the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card participates in the Ultimate Rewards Program, which allows you to transfer cards to external partners. However, you cannot transfer points from the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Instead, you can transfer the points to a travel program that’s accepted by both cards.

Can you switch from the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card?

Yes, you can switch from Chase Sapphire Preferred Card to Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. However, you will not be able to transfer your points directly to the card unless you do this through a travel program shared by both cards.

What’s harder to get, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card?

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card may be more difficult to get because you need to have excellent credit for your application to go through, whereas Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card requires a good to excellent credit score.

How much do you have to spend for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to get the welcome bonus?

Both cards offer an early spend bonus of 60,000 points earned within three months. However, for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, you must spend at least $4,000 within these months to get the bonus, compared to $3,000 for Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

Still Not Sure About These Cards? Consider These Options

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card are excellent cards for international travelers interested in valuable rewards. If you’re not satisfied with the features of the two cards, you may consider checking out other recommended travel and rewards cards .

Learn more about credit cards in general

Best Business Credit Cards

Business vs. Corporate Credit Cards

About Doug Milnes, CFA

Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.

Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.

• Chase Bank . " Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Credit Card ." Accessed January 9, 2022 .
• Capital One . " Venture Rewards from Capital One ." Accessed January 9, 2022 .

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• Best Rewards Cards

Best Rewards Cards Of April 2024

Fact Checked

Updated: Apr 9, 2024, 8:42am

It can be challenging to compare rewards credit cards as there are so many varieties of them. In addition to these cards having different earnings rates, their rewards often come in the form of ambiguous points or miles.

Some rewards cards also have earning and redemption rules that make it harder to gauge their true value potential. We’ve cut through the clutter by breaking down the key features of the top rewards credit cards available today to help you find one of the best ones for you.

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Our editors are committed to bringing you unbiased ratings and information. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and companies, so all are measured equally. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the credit card methodology for the ratings below.

• 31 Spending Categories Considered
• 29 Loyalty Programs Covered
• 210 Credit Cards Rated
• 53 Years of Industry Experience

Best Rewards Credit Cards

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Best for Earning Ultimate Rewards
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : Best Premium Flexible Rewards Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Best Flexible Rewards Card for Travel Protections
• The Platinum Card® from American Express : Best Premium Card for Lounge Access
• American Express® Gold Card : Best for Dining and Groceries
• Chase Freedom Flex℠ : Best No-Annual-Fee Chase Card
• Citi Custom Cash® Card : Best for Flexible Cash Back
• Prime Visa : Best for Online Shopping
• Instacart Mastercard® : Best for Grocery Delivery
• Discover it® Cash Back : Best for Cash Back Match
• Aeroplan® Credit Card : Best Mid-Tier Airline Card
• British Airways Visa Signature® Card : Best Airline Card for Short Flights
• United Quest℠ Card : Best Mid-Tier U.S. Airline Card
• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card : Best Hotel Card for Earning IHG Points
• The World of Hyatt Credit Card : Best Hotel Card for Earning Hyatt Points
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card : Best Hotel Card for Earning Hilton Points
• Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card : Best Hotel Card for Earning Wyndham Points
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card : Best Hotel Card for Earning Marriott Points
• Best Credit Cards Of 2024
• Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best First Credit Cards To Build Credit
• Best Travel Credit Cards
• Best Business Credit Cards

The Platinum Card® from American Express

5X Reward Rate

Earn 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and on flights booked directly Read More

Welcome Bonus

Earn 80,000 points

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Score

Excellent/Good (700 - 749)

The Platinum Card is destined for frequent travelers who intend to fully leverage the rich set of luxury travel benefits and Platinum Concierge service. In the right hands, the classic status card’s staggering annual fee is well justified.

• High reward potential on flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel
• Multiple credits can help justify the fee
• Comprehensive airport lounge access
• Luxury travel benefits and elite status with Hilton and Marriott with enrollment
• Very high annual fee
• Maximizing the statement credits takes some work and could be unworkable for many
• Reward rate outside of travel is sub-par for a premium card
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• 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 and 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 with American Express Travel when you pay with 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: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $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: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 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.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. 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 Apply.

Best Flexible Rewards Cards

Best for earning ultimate rewards, chase sapphire preferred® card.

Up to 5x Reward Rate

Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all Read More

60,000 bonus points

21.49%-28.49% Variable

Excellent, Good (700 - 749)

Though Chase offers a few cards that earn transferable points, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card balances phenomenal redemptions with a reasonable annual fee, making it my personal favorite.

Why We Like It

This card is equally good for travelers who want to transfer points to travel partners or those who want to book (with a bonus) on the travel portal to avoid blackout dates and other restrictions.

What We Don’t Like

Many purchases only earn one point per dollar spent.

Who It’s Best For

Casual and frequent travelers who don’t want a steep annual fee.

• Earn high rewards on several areas of spending
• Transfer points to travel partners at 1:1 rate
• Many travel and shopping protections
• No intro APR offer
• Best travel earning rates are only for bookings through Chase
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• 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.
• 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, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Best Premium Flexible Rewards Card

Capital one venture x rewards credit card.

Up to 10X Reward Rate

Earn 2 miles per dollar on all eligible purchases, 5 miles per dollar on flights and 10 miles per dollar Read More

Earn 75,000 bonus miles

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Excellent (750 - 850)

Not only are Capital One Rewards valuable, but the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card ( rates & fees ) comes with a slew of upmarket travel benefits that make it worthy of its high-end reputation and a mainstay in my wallet.

Flat-rate rewards on every purchase make this card super straightforward.

Capital One Rewards are worth less than a penny apiece if you want to redeem them as cash back.

Travelers who want premium perks and an easy-to-offset annual fee.

• Annual fee lower than others in its category
• Annual travel credit through Capital One Travel and anniversary miles alone could justify the annual fee
• Miles are easy to earn and easy to use
• Lack of domestic airline and upscale hotel travel partners
• Capital One lounge network in its infancy
• Lack of hotel status benefits
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®

Best Flexible Rewards Card for Travel Protections

Chase sapphire reserve®.

Up to 10x Reward Rate

Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Read More

22.49%-29.49% Variable

I love that the list of included travel insurances on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® puts it head to head with individually paid policies without the separate cost.

The Reserve’s annual travel credit is one of the easiest to use, since it’s automatically applied to qualifying purchases.

To earn the highest rate of rewards on travel, you need to book your trip through Chase Travel.

Frequent travelers who want to maximize their reward value on travel redemptions.

• $300 annual travel credit is incredibly flexible
• Generous welcome bonus
• Get 50% more value when you redeem points for travel through Chase
• Points Transfer to valuable airline and hotel partners
• High annual fee
• High variable APR on purchases
• Excellent credit recommended
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more

Best Premium Card for Lounge Access

Travelers get access to a long list of credits and benefits with The Platinum Card® from American Express ( rates & fees ), including airport lounge access that goes above and beyond Priority Pass so you don’t go crazy on your next connection.

There’s a travel credit or benefit for nearly any scenario.

Many of the statement credit offers have a lot of fine print that can make it more inconvenient to earn your credits.

Frequent travelers who want rich travel and lifestyle perks.

Best for Dining and Groceries

American express® gold card.

Up to 4X Reward Rate

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.; Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at Read More

Earn 60,000 points

If you’re looking for strong rewards when grocery shopping, eating out or ordering in, you can’t beat the American Express® Gold Card ( rates & fees ). Dining and delivery statement credits caught my attention.

You’ll earn rewards quickly, thanks to a 4x multiplier on eligible purchases.

The annual fee on this card isn’t insignificant.

Foodies and families who spend a lot on dining and groceries.

• High rewards earnings possibilities
• Points transfer option to many partners
• Add up to 5 authorized users for no additional annual fee
• Can choose from regular or rose gold versions
• No lounge benefits
• Limited options to carry a balance
• High APR for pay over time feature
• High pay over time penalty APR
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

Best Cash-Back Rewards Credit Cards

Best no-annual-fee chase card, chase freedom flex℠ *.

Up to 5% Reward Rate

Earn 5% cash back in categories that rotate quarterly on up to $1,500 when enrolled, 5% on travel purchased through Read More

$200 bonus + 5% on Gas and Grocery (excluding Target and Walmart)

20.49% - 29.24% Variable

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ * includes elevated cash back on three categories year-round plus 5% rotating bonus categories each quarter, which makes it a winner by my standards.

The earning rates on the Freedom Flex are generous for a no annual fee credit card.

Quarterly bonus categories require card members to activate the promotion and watch for spending limits.

People who want to maximize rewards on a variety of everyday spending categories throughout the year.

• No annual fee
• Rotating quarterly categories earn 5% rewards when activated, up to a combined quarterly $1,500 maximum
• Travel rewards rate rivals some of the best premium travel cards
• Generous rewards rate in several other categories
• Travel bookings must be made through Chase Travel℠ to earn 5% cash back
• Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 5% cash back on combined gas station and grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year
• 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining and drugstores and 1% on all other purchases

Best for Flexible Cash Back

Citi custom cash® card.

5% cash back on up to $500 in purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle. All other Read More

19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)

Excellent, Good, Fair

Cardholders automatically earn a generous 5% cash back on their top eligible spending category for hands-off, flexible rewards on the Citi Custom Cash® Card . That’s a relief when your life gets busy.

In addition to cash rewards, this card also offers an introductory 0% APR to new cardholders.

Earnings are limited, despite the high rate, due to a relatively low $500 spending limit on bonus categories each billing cycle.

People who want bonus rewards that adapt to their spending.

• No registration required to earn bonus rewards
• Cash-back categories are unique categories that other cards may not offer bonus rewards for
• Introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers
• High balance transfer fee
• High foreign transaction fee
• Some everyday rewards categories are neglected
• 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.
• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
• No Annual Fee

Best for Online Shopping

Up to 5% back

Earn 5% back on purchases at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Read More

Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card

19.49% - 27.49% Variable

Good, Excellent (700 - 749)

The benefits and unparalleled rewards on the Prime Visa make it a must-have for Prime members who shop at Amazon as much as I do.

If you prefer, you can choose to receive 0% financing on qualifying Amazon.com purchases instead of earning rewards.

Your rewards rate on Amazon purchases will drop if you ever cancel your Prime membership.

Amazon Prime members.

• 5% cash back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases
• No spending required for the welcome bonus
• No foreign transaction fees
• Travel and shopping protections
• Requires an Amazon Prime membership
• No 0% introductory APR
• Low cash back for purchases outside of bonus categories
• Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
• Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership
• Earn unlimited 5% back on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
• Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
• Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
• No annual credit card fee
• No more waiting. Redeem daily rewards at Amazon.com as soon as the next day

Best for Grocery Delivery

Instacart mastercard®.

Up to 5% Cash Back

Earn 5% cash back on Instacart app and Instacart.com purchases; earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through the Chase Read More

Instacart credit + 1 free year of Instacart+

20.24% - 28.99% Variable

Customers who buy all their groceries through Instacart can earn bountiful cash back with the Instacart Mastercard® without the commitment of an annual fee.

It’s rare to earn 5% cash back on grocery purchases on a no-annual-fee card.

The card earns lackluster rewards if you shop in person, which might mean it’s a bad fit for an occasional delivery indulgence.

Frequent Instacart shoppers.

• Generous cash-back rate on Instacart orders
• Free year of Instacart+ membership
• Redeem cash back for any amount
• No annual fee or foreign transaction fee
• Rate on gas, groceries and streaming is just OK
• No elevated earnings on non-Instacart groceries, beyond Chase Travel purchases
• Doesn’t offer a 0% introductory APR period
• Get a free year of Instacart+ and a $100 Instacart credit automatically upon approval. Membership auto-renews. Terms apply.
• Earn 5% cash back on Instacart app and Instacart.com purchases
• Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through the Chase Travel Center, including flights, hotels and more
• Earn 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations and on select streaming services
• Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
• No annual card fee

Best for Cash Back Match

Discover it® cash back.

Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, Read More

Cashback Match™

17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR

Excellent/Good

In the first year of card membership, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned on the Discover it® Cash Back for an easy jumpstart to your rewards balance. I love that there are no limits.

You can earn up to 5% cash back on rotating quarterly bonus categories.

Discover cards aren’t accepted at many international locations, so it is a poor choice for travelers.

Big spenders who want to maximize rewards on various everyday spending categories and all their first-year spending.

• 5% cash back on quarterly rotating spending categories throughout the year (activation required)
• Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
• No minimum cashback redemption
• 5% bonus cashback rate is limited to $1,500 per quarter in spending
• Bonus categories must be activated quarterly
• Low 1% base reward rate on everything else
• INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
• Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
• Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
• Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
• Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
• No annual fee.
• Terms and conditions apply.

Best Airline Rewards Cards

Best mid-tier airline card, aeroplan® credit card.

Up to 3x Reward Rate

Earn 3x points for each dollar spent on grocery stores, dining at restaurants including takeout and eligible delivery services, and Read More

21.74% - 28.74% Variable

Even if you don’t fly Air Canada often, the Aeroplan rewards program is top notch. The Aeroplan® Credit Card earns miles at superb rates and I’m impressed it offers preferred award pricing to cardholders.

In addition to earning strong rewards, the Aeroplan card offers tons of benefits while flying—including elite status for new cardholders.

Aeroplan miles might not be an immediate choice for U.S.-based flyers.

Travelers who want to earn award flights with Air Canada.

• Excellent rewards earning
• Travel benefits including perks for Air Canada flyers
• $95 annual fee
• Lacks non-travel related benefits
• Earn 60,000 bonus points
• Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
• $95 Annual Fee
• Redeem points for both international and domestic flights with the Aeroplan® Credit Card.
• Fly to another continent and travel the world with the Aeroplan® Credit Card.
• Earn 3X points for each dollar spent at grocery stores, on dining at restaurants, and Air Canada directly. Earn 1X point for each dollar spent on all other purchases.
• 500 bonus points for every $2,000 you spend in a calendar month – up to 1,500 points per month.

Best Airline Card for Short Flights

British airways visa signature® card.

Earn 75,000 Avios.

I don’t fly to or through London enough to need this card, but the British Airways Visa Signature® Card bundles great benefits for British Airways flyers, including discounts on paid flights, statement credits toward taxes and fees on eligible rewards flights and the opportunity to earn a Travel Together ticket.

British Airways makes a lot of award seats available, meaning it’s easier to find a redemption and the card perks offset some of the notorious fees.

For an airline card, this one is notably absent in benefits while flying like free checked bags or in-flight food and beverage discounts.

Travelers who want to earn award flights with British Airways and partner airlines.

• Generous rewards on eligible flights
• Potential to earn a companion ticket
• Lucrative welcome bonus
• No foreign transaction fee
• Rewards rate poor outside of Avios-earning airlines
• Subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule
• No checked baggage or lounge perks
• Limited time offer! Earn 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. 5x Avios on up to $10k in gas, grocery stores, and dining purchases for first 12 months!
• Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL.
• Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel.
• 10% off British Airways flights starting in the US when you book through the website provided in your welcome materials.
• Every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you’ll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.
• Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
• Simply tap to pay with your contactless British Airways Visa Signature Card. Just look for the contactless symbol at checkout. It’s fast, easy and secure!

Best Mid-Tier U.S. Airline Card

United quest℠ card.

Up to 3X Reward Rate

3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases. 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, select streaming services & all Read More

Earn 60,000 bonus miles

21.99% - 28.99% Variable

Good/Excellent (700 - 749)

Despite the above-average annual fee, the United Quest℠ Card stands out for anniversary flight credits, statement credits toward United purchases and perks while flying that make travel a breeze.

The benefits while flying go beyond the checked bags you’re expecting: The card also offers potential upgrades on award flights.

Since the anniversary mile bonus requires you to make and fly eligible award flights, not all cardholders will maximize this benefit every year.

Travelers who want to earn award flights with United Airlines.

• $125 annual United purchase credit
• Earn up to two 5,000-mile award flight credits annually
• Two free checked bags for cardholder and a companion traveling on the same reservation
• Earn up to 6,000 Premier Qualifying Points annually
• Primary auto collision damage waiver for eligible rentals
• Checked baggage benefit only applies to one companion
• Earnings for general purchases are only 1 mile per dollar
• Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 PQP after qualifying purchases
• Earn 3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
• Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel, dining and select streaming services
• Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Free first and second checked bags – a savings of up to $320 per roundtrip (terms apply) – and priority boarding
• Up to a $125 United® purchase credit and up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year (terms apply)
• Earn up to 6,000 Premier qualifying points (25 PQP for every $500 you spend on purchases)

Best Hotel Rewards Cards

Best hotel card for earning ihg points, ihg one rewards premier credit card.

Up to 26X Reward Rate

Earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts; 5 points per Read More

Earn 140,000 bonus points

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Anyone who stays at IHG hotels regularly would do well with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card , which offers an Anniversary Free Night, “fourth night free” perks and oodles of points-earning opportunities. I love this card for its benefits more than the points, though.

The Anniversary Free Night alone—which is easy to use—is worth more than the annual fee, making the other perks feel “free”.

Other travel rewards cards offer better earning rates on travel outside of the IHG umbrella.

Travelers who want to earn free stays at IHG hotels and resorts.

• Earn up to 26 points per dollar spent on IHG hotels worldwide
• Free night award every account anniversary
• Fourth night free on point redemption stays
• Automatic Platinum Elite status
• Poor earnings for everyday and non-category hotel purchases
• Low overall point value
• No worthwhile redemption options outside of IHG properties
• Earn 140,000 Bonus Points
• Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG® hotel stay.
• Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
• Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier cardmember
• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
• IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®

Best Hotel Card for Earning Hyatt Points

The world of hyatt credit card.

Up to 9X Reward Rate

Earn up to 9 points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4 bonus points per $1 when you use Read More

Up to 60,000 Bonus Points

21.49% - 28.49% variable

I’ve heard stories of how amazing Hyatt status is, and The World of Hyatt Credit Card puts it in reach—plus, it offers a free night certificate annually.

This is one of the few alternate ways to work toward elite status.

Although Hyatt’s footprint is growing, there are still fewer destinations serviced worldwide, which could limit your award options.

Travelers who want to earn free stays at Hyatt hotels and resorts and want a jumpstart toward earning status.

• Annual free night certificate on cardmember anniversary
• Complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status
• High points redemption values
• Limited number of properties
• No worthwhile redemption options aside from Hyatt properties
• Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
• Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
• Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
• Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
• Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
• Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
• Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
• Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships

Best Hotel Card for Earning Hilton Points

Hilton honors american express surpass® card.

Up to 12X Reward Rate

Earn 12X Hilton Honors bonus points on eligible purchases at participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton portfolio; Earn 6X Read More

Earn 155,000 bonus points

20.99%-29.99% Variable

Good,Excellent (700 - 749)

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card ( rates & fees ) wraps up Hilton statement credits, meaningful elite status and a boatload of points at a palatable price.

The elite status offered by most hotel credit cards is mid, but the Surpass lifts you right up to Gold.

Hotel statement credits are provided quarterly, so you’ll need to make multiple purchases over the course of a year to max out this perk.

Who it’s Best For

Travelers who want to earn free stays at Hilton hotels and resorts.

• Complimentary elite Gold status
• Up to $200 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases
• 4 points per dollar on U.S. online retail purchases
• Points have a low redemption value aside from Hilton Properties
• Earn 155,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Get up to $200 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases after you use your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
• Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 6X Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
• Earn 4X Points for each dollar on U.S. Online Retail Purchases.
• Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
• Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
• Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors ™ Gold Status with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
• Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year.
• Enjoy complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status. Enrollment in the complimentary Emerald Club® program is required. Terms apply.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• $150 annual fee.

Best Hotel Card for Earning Wyndham Points

Wyndham rewards earner® plus card *.

Up to 6X Reward Rate

Earn 6 points per $1 spent on eligible purchases made at participating By Wyndham hotels and at gas stations; Earn Read More

100,000 bonus points

20.99% - 29.99% variable

Excellent/Good Credit (700 - 749)

We picked the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card * for its strong earning rate on Wyndham stays and gasoline purchases, but the annual points bonus and room discounts don’t hurt either.

Wyndham Rewards give you lots of options for free stays, especially in North America where they also partner with Vacasa vacation rentals.

Wyndham points expire even if there’s activity on your account, so you can’t hoard points (you shouldn’t anyway).

Travelers who want to earn free stays at Wyndham hotels, motels and resorts.

• Automatically receive Wyndham Rewards Platinum elite status
• Enjoy extra discounts on local attractions when booking “Go Free” awards
• APR can be high, depending on your creditworthiness
• Target and Walmart only earn 1 point per dollar spent
• Only hotel redemptions offer good value
• Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. Resort fees may apply
• Earn 6 points per $1 spent on hotels by Wyndham and gas purchases
• Earn 4 points per $1 spent on dining and groceries (excluding Target and Walmart)
• Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Receive Wyndham Rewards PLATINUM membership, which includes early check-in, car rental upgrades and more
• Receive 7,500 bonus points each anniversary year

Best Hotel Card for Earning Marriott Points

Marriott bonvoy boundless® credit card *.

Earn 6 points for every $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3 points for every $1 spent each year (up Read More

Earn 5 Free Night Awards

Compared to other Marriott cards, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card * is my favorite because it comes with a Free Night Award every anniversary on top of rewarding you handsomely for Marriott charges.

The annual fee is a steal considering it includes a Free Night Award.

Unbonused spend earns 2 Bonvoy points per dollar spent, which isn’t worth as much as you’d get from a 2% cash-back card.

Travelers who want to earn free stays at Marriott hotels and resorts.

• Free night certificate every year (valued at 35,000 points)
• 15 Elite Night Credits per year
• Automatic Silver Elite status
• Stingy earnings structure
• Earn 5 Free Night Awards after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
• Earn 6 points per dollar on qualifying Marriott Bonvoy hotel stays
• Earn 3 points per dollar spent on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on groceries, gas stations, and dining
• Earn 2 points per dollar spent on all other purchases
• Points don’t expire as long as you make purchases on your credit card every 24 months

Here’s a Summary of the Best Rewards Credit Cards

More about the best rewards credit cards.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has long been one of the most beloved travel rewards cards thanks to its pairing of a reasonable annual fee with strong earnings and travel perks.

Rewards: Earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.

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

Annual fee: $95

Other benefits and drawbacks: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card lets you access the lucrative Chase Ultimate Rewards® program. Cardholders reap 25% more value from their points when they use them to book travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal . They also receive an additional 10% points bonus on each cardholder anniversary based on their previous year’s spending.

The card also features trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, primary auto rental coverage, trip delay insurance, purchase protection and extended warranties.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card ( rates & fees ) comes with an array of luxury benefits and travel coverages to rival other premium cards, but at a price point that’s best-in-class.

Rewards: Earn 2 miles per dollar on all eligible purchases, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25 and 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booking via Capital One Travel.

Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Annual fee: $395

Other benefits and drawbacks: Venture X benefits include a $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel and 10,000 anniversary bonus points worth $100 in travel. This credit can be used on airfare, hotels or car rentals, but only through the site. Additionally, the card offers access to partner lounges within the Priority Pass and Plaza Premium networks as well as to its growing list of Capital One lounges. The Venture X also comes with a credit of up to $100 for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee.

Unlike other premium travel cards, the Venture X offers authorized user cards for no additional charge. It also provides several additional travel and consumer benefits, including return protection, extended warranty, travel accident insurance, cell phone protection and a primary auto rental collision damage waiver.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® remains one of the top travel credit cards on the market today due to its generous rewards and benefits structure and the ability to gain 50% more value when redeeming points through Chase Travel℠.

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

Annual fee: $550

Other benefits and drawbacks: The rewards you earn with the Sapphire Reserve may be transferred 1:1 to many popular airline and hotel partners, potentially providing even more value. You can also redeem rewards for gift cards, cash back or merchandise.

The Sapphire Reserve also includes a Priority Pass Select membership, an annual travel credit worth up to $300, a credit toward Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA PreCheck application and a suite of important travel protections, including baggage delay coverage, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, travel accident insurance and auto rental collision damage waiver.

With its unmatched range of benefits and perks, The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, see rates & fees ) offers a multitude of opportunities for cardholders to make its hefty annual fee worthwhile.

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

Welcome offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 on purchases on the card in the first 6 months of card membership.

Annual fee: $695

Other benefits and drawbacks: Other benefits of the Amex Platinum card include access to airport lounges worldwide, complimentary elite status with various hotel and car rental loyalty programs and a generous rewards program that offers points for every dollar spent.

Cardholders also get cellphone protection ¹ and a ton of opportunities to earn statement credits. However, there are also some drawbacks to consider. The Amex Platinum card has a high annual fee, which may not be worth it for those who don’t travel frequently or take advantage of the card’s perks. Additionally, the card is not widely accepted outside of major cities and tourist destinations.

Whether you love to eat out or try out new recipes at home, the American Express® Gold Card (terms apply, see ( rates & fees ) offers top-tier rewards and benefits for food enthusiasts.

Rewards: Earn 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point per dollar), 3 Membership Rewards® points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months of card membership.

Annual fee: $250

Other benefits and drawbacks: In addition to great rewards, the card offers a statement credit of up to $10 per month when you use your card for purchases at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations (enrollment required). You’ll also automatically get $10 per month in Uber Cash when you add your card to your Uber account, which you can use for food delivery with Uber Eats or rides with Uber. Uber Cash expires at the end of the month and won’t carry over.

Those two perks alone are enough to cover the majority of the card’s annual fee. Just keep in mind that using food delivery apps like Grubhub and Uber Eats comes with extra costs, including delivery and service fees and higher menu prices, which could offset some of the value you’re getting.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ * charges no annual fee and features rotating 5% bonus categories along with other valuable bonus categories that are fixed.

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

Welcome offer: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 5% cash back on combined gas station and grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.

Annual fee: $0

Other benefits and drawbacks: The Chase Freedom Flex℠ * offers purchase and extended warranty protections, plus travel benefits, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, travel and emergency assistance services and secondary auto rental collision damage coverage . When you pay your phone bill with the Freedom Flex card, you’ll also receive cellphone protection limited to two claims of up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year. A $50 deductible applies.

One of the central reasons this card remains so powerful is the ability to transfer the points earned on your Freedom Flex to another premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card to redeem them for more value through Chase Travel .

With the Citi Custom Cash® Card , you’ll get the rare benefit of a fantastic 5% rewards rate that automatically applies to your top eligible spending category each month.

Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 in spending each billing cycle and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn $200 in cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. The bonus points come in the form of 20,000 ThankYou® Points that can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

Other benefits and drawbacks: The card also comes with a 0% introductory APR for 15 months from date of account opening on purchases and from date of first transfer for balance transfers completed within 4 months of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on creditworthiness. There is also a balance transfer fee of 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.

While the bonus rewards structure offers flexibility, it’s capped at $500 in eligible spending each month and there are no alternative options to earn bonus cash back with the card.

If you’re an Amazon Prime member and you shop regularly with the online retail giant, the Prime Visa is a clear choice. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better consistent rewards rate on Amazon purchases than what you get with this card.

Who it’s best for: Amazon Prime members.

Rewards: Earn 5% back on purchases at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, 2% back at gas stations, restaurants and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and 1% back on other purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn a $100 Amazon gift card upon approval with an eligible Prime membership.

Other benefits and drawbacks: Despite being a cash-back card, the Prime Visa offers great value for travelers, including no foreign transaction fees, travel accident insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and an auto rental collision damage waiver.

If you need to pay off an Amazon purchase of $50 or more over time, you can opt for a payment plan with a 0% promotional APR for six or 12 months. Just keep in mind that you can’t get promotional financing and cash-back rewards for the same purchase.

If you prefer having your groceries delivered to shopping in person, the Instacart Mastercard® offers an opportunity to earn great rewards on your Instacart purchases.

Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on Instacart app and Instacart.com purchases, and on travel purchased through the Chase Travel Center, 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations and on select streaming services and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn a $100 Instacart credit plus 1 free year of Instacart+ automatically upon approval.

Other benefits and drawbacks: The card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. Paired with auto rental collision damage coverage, purchase protection, extended warranty protection, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and travel accident insurance, you may be tempted to think it’s a travel card. However, if you alternate between grocery shopping through Instacart and in person, be aware there are no increased rewards for in-store grocery store purchases.

The Discover it® Cash Back , like most Discover Cards, matches all the cash back earned at the end of your first year, making your first-year rewards particularly valuable. But even beyond that, the rotating categories allow you to earn 5% cash back on select categories with quarterly enrollment.

Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter up to a quarterly maximum of $1,500 in spending when activated. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.

Welcome offer: Discover will automatically match all the cash back earned at the end of the first year as a cardmember. There's no minimum spending or maximum rewards.

Other benefits and drawbacks: With few additional benefits beyond $0 fraud liability, the ability to freeze spending on the card from a mobile app or online and dark web monitoring to help protect your Social Security number, the Discover it® Cash Back card’s focus is on rotating categories to maximize your rewards potential.

Beware, the Discover it® Cash Back’s rotating categories are capped at a maximum earning potential of $300 cash back per year. You also have to remember to activate your bonus category rewards each quarter, or you won’t earn the higher cash-back rate.

The Aeroplan® Credit Card offers stellar earnings in several everyday spending categories and the ability to use its points for its own Air Canada flights or flights with Star Alliance carriers and other airline partners.

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

Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.

Other benefits and drawbacks: The Aeroplan card includes a free first checked bag benefit and adds access to reduced prices when redeeming points, so you can fly even further. New cardholders receive automatic 25K Status for the remainder of the calendar year plus the following year. It also offers a  Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS fee credit and a comprehensive set of travel insurances, auto rental coverage and purchase protection.

British Airways offers a distance-based award chart, so counterintuitively, the British Airways Visa Signature® Card is going to offer the most outsized value for people who often take shorter flights on British Airways partner airlines, like American Airlines.

Rewards: Earn 3 Avios per dollar on purchases with Iberia, British Airways, Aer Lingus, and LEVEL, 2 Avios per dollar on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel and 1 Avios per dollar on all other purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 Avios after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening, plus 5 Avios per dollar spent on up to $10,000 in gas, groceries, and dining purchases for the first 12 months of account opening.

Other benefits and drawbacks: The British Airways card offers cardholders the ability to earn a Travel Together Ticket every calendar year after making $30,000 in purchases on the card. This ticket is valid for two years when you redeem Avios on British Airways for a companion traveling on the same flight. You can also use it for a 50% discount on the mileage charge when traveling solo. Cardholders also can get 10% off British Airways flights starting in the U.S. when booking through a dedicated website and up to $600 in Reward Flight statement credits when you book a reward flight to London on British Airways and pay taxes, fees and carrier charges with the card.

The United Quest℠ Card outdoes other airline cards just a little bit by offering above-average earning rates on a variety of bonus categories and a high welcome offer.

Rewards: Earn 3 miles per dollar on United® purchases, 2 miles per dollar on dining, select streaming services and all other travel and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

Other benefits and drawbacks: Yes, you’ll pay more in annual fees than the average airline card, but United flyers can justify the cost easily. Each year, cardholders can earn a $125 United purchase credit and two 5,000-mile anniversary award flight credits. Here’s the catch: these extras don’t come automatically. You’ll need to make United purchases and redeem awards to qualify—though that should be easy enough if you fly United regularly. While you’re flying, enjoy free checked bags, priority boarding and other perks.

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is a solid option for those who stay at IHG properties regularly. It offers oversized rewards on IHG-brand hotel stays, a free annual anniversary night, automatic Platinum Elite status and a fourth-night-free perk on award bookings. For a modest annual fee, the card is well worth it.

Rewards: Earn up to 26 points per dollar spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts, 5 points on travel, gas stations, and restaurants and 3 points on all other purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Annual fee: $99

Other benefits and drawbacks: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card also offers the ability to earn a $100 statement credit and 10,000 bonus points after you spend $20,000 each calendar year and includes travel and purchase protections like baggage delay insurance and purchase protection.

For those who prefer to stay at a Hyatt-branded property, The World of Hyatt Credit Card can help you earn free nights faster and add value to your stays.

Rewards: Earn 9 points total per dollar spent at Hyatt - 4 bonus points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and 5 base points per dollar from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member. Earn 2 bonus points per dollar spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

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

Other benefits and drawbacks: The Hyatt card provides one complimentary Category 1 to 4 hotel night each year after the cardmember anniversary. Plus, you have the ability to earn a second complimentary night after spending $15,000 on the card each year. It also comes with automatic World of Hyatt Discoverist  elite status, five elite qualifying night credits each year and the opportunity to earn two additional elite qualifying night credits for every $5,000 spent.

If you travel at least a few times a year and prefer Hilton for your accommodations, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (terms apply, see ( rates & fees ) makes it easy to accumulate points with the hotel chain and enjoy special treatment every time you stay.

Rewards: Earn 12 Hilton Honors bonus points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton portfolio, 6 points on eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations, 4 points on eligible U.S. online retail purchases and 3 points for other eligible purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn 155,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first 6 months of card membership.

Annual fee: $150

Other benefits and drawbacks: Each quarter, you can get up to $50 in statement credits for eligible Hilton purchases. If you spend $15,000 in a calendar year, you’ll also earn a Free Night Reward, which you can use at most Hilton properties around the world.

You’ll also enjoy complimentary Hilton Gold elite status, which comes with perks like food credits and space-available room upgrades. You can even get an upgrade to Diamond status—the rewards program’s highest tier—when you spend $40,000 in a calendar year. Cardholders can also access some special rental car perks by receiving complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status (enrollment required).

If you regularly take road trips or your hotel budget is on the lower side, the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card * can be your ticket to free nights and great perks.

Rewards: Earn 6 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases made at Hotels by Wyndham as well as on qualifying gas purchases, 4 points on eligible dining and grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart) and 1 points on other purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening, resort fees may apply.

Annual fee: $75

Other benefits and drawbacks: Each year, you’ll receive 7,500 bonus points, which is enough for a free night at some of Wyndham’s more affordable properties. You’ll also get a 10% discount on your award stays, making it easier to earn free nights with your everyday spending.

Cardholders also enjoy complimentary Platinum elite status with the hotel rewards program, which comes with perks like early check-in, car rental upgrades with Avis and Budget and a status match with the Caesar Rewards program.

If you prefer Marriott over other hotel brands, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card * offers great value in the form of rewards and perks for a modest annual fee.

Rewards: Earn 6 points per dollar at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3 points per dollar spent each year (up to $6,000) on combined grocery stores, gas stations and dining purchases and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn 5 Free Night Awards after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening, a value of up to 250,000 points.

Other benefits and drawbacks: Each year, you’ll get a Free Night Award that’s good for a redemption level of up to 35,000 points. You can also receive a complimentary one-year membership to DoorDash DashPass when activated by December 31, 2024.

The card only offers complimentary Silver Elite status, which is the hotel program’s lowest elite status tier. Benefits include late checkout, earning 10% more points on Marriott purchases as well as complimentary Wi-Fi. However, if you spend $35,000 in a calendar year, you can get an upgrade to Gold elite status which offers more value.

Methodology

While there’s no such thing as a single best rewards card, Forbes Advisor evaluated over 200 credit cards to determine the best credit cards for specific scenarios.

We considered:

• Annual fees
• Welcome offers
• Ongoing reward rates
• Reward redemption options
• Additional cardholder benefits

Forbes Advisor rates cards both as stand-alone products (the card rating on the review) and compared to others in a specific use case (the card rating you see on a specific “Best” list). The rating for each card changes on different “Best” lists according to how a person looking for a card in that category may value certain card features.

For instance, a card that might be considered mediocre on a list of rewards cards could be the top card on a list of rewards cards with no annual fee. That’s because the card might offer limited features compared to other rewards cards, but after we remove cards that charge an annual fee, it’s the best card that remains.

To learn more about our rating and review methodology and editorial process, check out our guide on how Forbes Advisor rates credit cards .

Guide to Rewards Credit Cards

What is a rewards credit card, how do i earn rewards, what is a rewards program, types of credit card rewards programs, cash-back rewards, flexible travel rewards, airline miles, hotel points, business rewards, how to choose the best rewards credit card, who should get a rewards card, how to make the most of credit card rewards, best ways to use credit card rewards, rewards credit cards in the news, bottom line, frequently asked questions (faqs).

A rewards credit card can maximize the value of many of your credit card purchases by allowing you to earn rewards in the form of cash back, points or miles when you use the card. Typically, cardholders earn a specific percentage of qualifying spending as cash back or earn a specific number of points with each dollar spent on qualifying purchases. Rewards cards may also offer a welcome bonus that can provide new cardholders extra rewards when they spend a certain amount of money within a set period after opening the card.

How Do Credit Card Rewards Work?

A fee is charged whenever a credit card is used to make a purchase. Usually, this transaction processing fee is paid by the vendor and thus either charged directly to the consumer by the vendor or included in the price of the goods or services purchased.

Credit card networks, card issuers and co-branded partners may each receive a cut of this transaction fee. To incentivize credit card use among qualifying cardholders, credit card issuers provide rewards on qualifying credit card spend and return some of the value of this fee to the purchasing consumer in the form of cash back.

Rewards cards typically allow a cardholder to earn rewards as a percentage of purchases in either cash back or as points or miles per dollar spent. Some rewards credit cards may also offer a welcome bonus which offers extra rewards if a cardholder spends a certain amount of money within the first few months of card ownership.

When vendors mark up all goods and services to include the cost of transaction fees, those who do not pay with credit cards pay this fee as well. In other words, the transaction fees that fund credit card rewards also may drive a higher cost for those not paying with a credit card. If you can’t afford a credit card, you’re paying the same markup as those who can—all so banks, card networks and issuers can take a cut and potentially provide rewards.

Cardholders typically earn rewards by using a card to make eligible purchases. Eligible purchases do not usually include the purchase of cash equivalents such as cash advances, lottery tickets, gift cards or money orders. The rewards you earn are tied to the amount of money you spend with the card. These values are often expressed as a cash-back percentage or as “points per dollar.”

The term “reward program” generally refers to a reward program agreement—a contract often agreed to during the application process for a rewards card. This program document, sometimes called “offer details,” outlines how rewards are earned, redeemed and whether or not rewards expire among other terms.

Pros and Cons of Rewards Credit Cards

Pros of Rewards Credit Cards

• Earn cash back, miles or points through normal spending
• Many rewards credit cards include a welcome bonus
• Rewards cards come in many forms and from multiple issuers
• Rewards cards may include additional cardholder benefits

Cons of Rewards Credit Cards

• Rewards credit cards may come with annual fees or higher APRs
• Some cards may cap earnings on purchase categories
• Rewards may expire or be devalued
• It may take time or effort to learn how to redeem rewards for the most value

Are Credit Card Rewards Worth It?

Credit card rewards can provide a modest budget boost or help save money on your next vacation. If you can qualify for a rewards card, you can reap extra value from purchases you’re likely already making. Look at your spending and consider your personal time and highest expense categories to determine what kind of rewards card fits you best.

Should I Get a Rewards Credit Card?

Dozens of credit card rewards programs exist, each with unique features and benefits. It can be overwhelming to sift through all the options, but once you know what to look for, it becomes much easier to weigh your choices and decide on the best credit card for you.

While there is not a perfect credit card for everyone, there are many factors to consider when researching the wide variety of card choices available. If you’re applying for your first credit card , here are some additional resources to help you understand what questions to ask and what factors to evaluate while searching for a card:

• What is APR? What’s a good APR?
• What’s the difference between APR, APY and interest rates?
• How can I avoid paying interest on a credit card balance?
• How do I decipher my credit card bill?
• How does paying my bill work?
• Which credit card fees do I need to pay attention to? How can I avoid paying extra credit card fees?
• How do I actually apply for a credit card?

Rewards cards are classified in many ways, but two common types include cash-back cards and travel rewards cards . Cash-back cards earn a percentage of eligible purchases as cash back or points that can be redeemed as a statement credit or deposit into a bank account.

Travel rewards cards offer points or miles and can be co-branded with airline or hotel partners to earn travel with loyalty programs. Redemption options for travel rewards cards often involve brand-specific redemptions, such as for stays at hotels or airline tickets.

Depending on the specific cash-back card used, a consumer may earn flat-rate or tiered-rate cash back on select purchases. Earning schemes and structures may involve higher earning rates in certain spending categories such as gas or dining and may also include caps on the amount of rewards earned.

How Does Cash Back Work on Credit Cards?

With cash-back credit cards, cardholders earn cash back for making eligible purchases. Cash-back cards offer significant variety regarding earning structure. Some cards offer a flat cash-back rate on all purchases, while others offer higher rates in individual categories such as restaurants or gas.

Flat Rate Cash-Back Credit Cards

A flat-rate cash back credit card offers one standard rate for all purchases. Cardholders can earn anywhere from 1% to 2% or occasionally more, depending on the offer.

A few examples of flat-rate cash-back cards include:

• Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
• American Express Cash Magnet® Card * : Earn 1.5% cash back.
• Citi Double Cash® Card: Earn 2% cash back on all purchases—1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off.
• Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Earn 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Flat-rate cash-back credit cards are easy to manage because you can expect one rate for every purchase. On the other hand, they tend to offer lower rates than the elevated categories on tiered-rate cards.

Tiered-Rate Cash-Back Credit Cards

Tiered cash-back credit cards typically have various rates for different purchase categories, like travel, dining, gas, grocery or drugstore purchases. Some credit cards will offer better rates for certain types of purchases, while providing a flat rate for all other purchases.

For example, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card earns 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases, plus an additional 1.5% cash back on the first $20,000 in purchases the first year.

Co-branded store cards can also feature lucrative offers. For example, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi * earns 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases for the first $7,000 spent annually, 1% thereafter, 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases, 2% cash back on purchases from Costco and Costco.com and 1% cash back on all other purchases. A Costco membership is required to apply. Before applying for a tiered cash-back card, think about which types of purchases you make most frequently.

Rotating Category Cash-Back Credit Cards

A rotating cash-back credit card typically cycles through purchase categories every quarter. Cardholders may be offered a higher than average rate (sometimes as high as 5%) for one type of purchase for a limited time. It might sound enticing, but card issuers can limit or cap how much you can earn or spend. Issuers often don’t disclose the bonus categories in advance.

For example, the Discover it® Cash Back earns 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter up to a quarterly maximum of $1,500 in spending when activated. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.

Rotating rewards might appeal to some, but cardholders sometimes must remember to activate certain categories and your biggest spending may not align with the elevated category that month. Generally, it’s easier to maximize the rewards potential of a flat-rate or tiered-rate cash-back credit card.

How Do I Get Cash Back on Credit Cards?

Many cash-back credit cards offer online redemption options through the card issuer’s website. Check with your card issuer or read the terms and conditions of the rewards program or card agreement to understand exactly how to redeem rewards. Cash back will often be redeemable as a statement credit, credit toward past purchases, check or deposit to a bank account. Not all cards offer every redemption option, so be sure to examine the card agreement carefully before applying. Some cash-back cards require a minimum redemption amount.

A travel rewards credit card earns points or miles on qualifying purchases, which can often be redeemed either in partnership with an airline or hotel loyalty rewards program or with the card issuer’s rewards program for travel, including airline tickets, hotel stays or cruises.

How Do Travel Credit Cards Work?

Travel rewards cards offer similar earning structures to cash-back rewards cards, but earn points or miles instead of cash back. Like cash-back cards, these cards may also offer a welcome bonus for spending a certain amount on the card in a specific period of time following account opening. Travel credit cards typically offer additional benefits such as airline fee credits, hotel or resort rebates, lounge access and more.

How Do I Redeem Travel Rewards?

Travel reward redemptions often come with complex terms and conditions specific to the cardholder agreement. Every card is different, but many flexible travel reward cards feature an online site where redemptions can be made for travel.

Are Travel Rewards Cards Worth It?

For many, travel rewards have become a way of life, and credit cards offer a handy way to unlock travel benefits. Beware of generally higher interest rates and fees with rewards credit cards. It’s important to carefully manage credit card accounts since carrying a balance and racking up interest charges will quickly outweigh any rewards earned. Do the math on your personal spending and consider how you’ll use the benefits before applying for a new card.

Frequent travelers may consider airline credit cards . These cards allow you to use your earned miles or points with an airline’s reward program. Cards like these are co-branded with a specific airline, but issuer-branded cards may offer more flexibility to redeem miles with different airlines. One major consideration with airline cards are the additional benefits: Many cards unlock access to travel lounges, waive checked baggage fees or provide other travel-related perks. If you aren’t sure where to start, Forbes Advisor evaluated the best airline rewards credit cards .

How Do Airline Miles Work?

Airlines offer rewards or frequent flyer programs to encourage brand loyalty from customers. Though traditionally miles were earned for spending with the airline, co-branded credit cards offer the ability to earn airline reward miles as a reward for credit card purchases nearly anywhere. These miles can usually be redeemed toward upgrades, benefits or award ticket purchases.

Each airline loyalty program and each co-branded airline credit card work a little differently. Be sure to read the fine print in the cardholder agreement and terms of use for the rewards program before applying for a credit card as a means of earning more airline miles.

How Do I Earn Airline Miles?

Because each airline miles program functions differently and your travel preferences and needs will vary from the next person’s, the best way to earn miles depends on your situation. For example, if you fly Alaska Airlines exclusively, an Alaska co-branded credit card might make sense for you. But if you fly a different airline each time you travel, a general travel card or set of cards may make more sense.

How Do I Redeem Airline Miles?

Since most airline rewards cards deposit accumulated miles directly into your reward program account, the easiest way to redeem miles is often with the airline. This may vary per program, as each rewards program is different. Some miles may have much better value when transferred to a partner airline, but value is ultimately measured by the specific redemption you make.

How Much Are Airline Miles Worth?

The value of your airline miles depends on the type of mile and the price of any given redemption. For instance, if a flight costs 50,000 miles or $500, you’ll be redeeming your points at 1 cent per mile. If that same flight costs $1,000 or 50,000 miles, the value doubles to 2 cents per mile.

How Do I Buy Airline Miles?

Most major airlines allow customers to buy airline miles online. We advise cardholders to focus on earning bonus miles instead of spending money out of pocket to buy miles. Generally, purchasing miles from an airline is more costly than earning them through purchases.

No matter how tempting it is to buy more miles from an airline, keep your eyes to the skies, looking for rewards opportunities instead.

The exception is if you have an upcoming redemption and are short a few thousand miles or you know that the comparable cash ticket price is higher than the cost of buying miles.

Hotel credit cards provide perks such as elite status, award-free nights and more while also allowing cardholders to earn rewards they can redeem for additional stays. If you’re a loyal patron of a specific brand of hotel, this type of credit card may help you achieve a higher status or provide the occasional discount or award-free stay. If you’re not loyal to any specific hotel, a general travel card with flexible rewards may allow you to transfer points to multiple loyalty program partners or book any hotel you want with your points.

How Do Hotel Points Work?

If you’re loyal to a specific hotel brand, a co-branded credit card can be a great way to earn rewards fast and achieve elite status with a specific hotel’s loyalty program. Just note that you typically will only be able to redeem a hotel’s points for a free award night with the brand. If you don’t have a hotel preference, you may want to consider a travel rewards credit card that allows you to transfer your rewards to multiple loyalty programs or that offers cash back as a redemption method.

How Do I Get Hotel Points?

Hotel loyalty program points can often be accumulated in several ways, including booking a hotel stay directly on the hotel website. But a rewards credit card may be a convenient way to boost points beyond your bookings. The exact ratio of points per dollar earned depends on the specific card and its structured terms. While spending money with your card is the main way you’ll earn these points, being savvy with how you redeem them can maximize the value of your rewards.

How Much Are Hotel Points Worth?

Though the exact value of your hotel points varies based on specific redemptions and hotel brands, most of the time hotel points are worth less than one cent each.

Business credit cards offer plenty of benefits to companies both large and small. The key to finding the best credit card for you is figuring out which perks matter most to your business and determining what you prefer: rewards, cash back or help building credit. If you are looking to open a business rewards credit card, Forbes Advisor maintains an updated list of the best business credit cards .

How Do Business Rewards Work?

A business credit card can help keep your business and personal expenses separate. It also offers a way to track how much you’re spending on your business, especially at tax time. Some small business cards come with a rewards program, and some also offer welcome bonuses.

Reward Programs for Small Businesses

For liability reasons , it’s often important to keep your business finances separate from your personal ones. As a small business grows, it may be time to consider a credit card specifically designed for a small business . A business credit card offers a tool to access the credit you need to grow the operation month-to-month while also earning cash back and other valuable perks.

Credit card rewards are an often-profitable way to earn a little bit extra from the purchases you make on your credit card. Whether you choose cash back, points or miles, rewards can add up over time and help you pay for vacations or everyday expenses. Look at your spending and consider your personal goals to determine what kind of rewards program is the best fit for you. Also consider the negatives of a card. What fees are charged and what risk do you take on with a rewards card?

An annual fee is essentially a fee you pay to have the credit card. The annual fee will vary by card, but the cards charging higher annual fees often grant you additional perks and higher rewards rates that may make the annual fee worth paying.

Sign-Up Bonus

A sign-up bonus, also called a welcome bonus , is an incentive offered by a credit card issuer to encourage new customers to sign up for a credit card. These bonuses can include additional cash back, points or miles for hitting a spending threshold in a certain amount of time after your card approval. Some cards may also offer additional perks, reduced annual fees, introductory APR periods or even merchandise as a sign-up bonus.

0% APR Period

A 0% APR credit card is one offering a limited period introductory 0% APR on either purchases, balance transfers or both. This break from interest during the introductory period on either purchases or balance transfers typically lasts anywhere from six months to nearly two years. With a deferred interest offer, if balances are not paid off by the end of the period, interest will be charged retroactively to the date of the purchase or balance transfer.

Most balance transfers apply a fee for each transfer of $5 to $10 dollars or 3% to 5%, whichever is greater. Make sure you consider the fees when exploring a balance transfer. And if you select a card with only 0% balance transfer APR, you will likely be assessed interest on any new purchases. Carrying a balance typically nullifies your grace period . Read the terms and conditions carefully to ensure you don’t end up with surprise fees

Foreign Transaction Fees

A foreign transaction fee is typically 1% to 3% of the amount of a purchase and is charged when you make a purchase in a foreign country or in another currency. Some credit cards do not charge foreign transaction fees, so if you plan to travel internationally and use your card, look for one without the fee.

Find the Best Credit Cards for 2024

No single credit card is the best option for every family, every purchase or every budget. We've picked the best credit cards in a way designed to be the most helpful to the widest variety of readers.

Everyone should get a rewards credit card, assuming your credit is good enough to be approved and you regularly pay your bill in full and on time. Otherwise, you’re leaving rewards on the table with every purchase. A reward of 1% to 2% cash back or 1 to 2 points per dollar spent may not sound like a lot, but it can add up to hundreds of dollars per year.

Maximizing credit card rewards starts with educating yourself about your options and considering what’s the best fit for your spending habits. You may wait until a credit card issuer offers an excellent welcome bonus or focus on building your credit so you can qualify for better cards.

If you spend significantly on eating out and primarily get around by bike, applying for cards with high reward rates on groceries and gas probably wouldn’t be the best move. If you travel only once a year, a co-branded airline card may not make as much sense as a cash-back card you can use for other expenses. Knowing your goals before selecting a rewards program is important.

Many theories about the best value exist when it comes to maximizing redemptions. Generally, cash-back rewards are redeemed at a percentage of the purchase value, so the only major trick to increasing the redemption value is to redeem more often such that your reward value does not deteriorate with inflation.

The best ways to use credit card rewards depend on the credit card rewards system and your personal goals. The most valuable types of credit card rewards tend to be cash back, airline miles, hotel points and flexible rewards points that can be redeemed in a variety of ways.

If you earn airline miles, hotel points, or flexible rewards, the best ways to use your credit card rewards will typically involve travel. Several rewards cards also offer reasonable cash-back redemptions for maximum flexibility.

At the beginning of a quarter, there’s always a lot of rewards cards news. Chase just announced their rotating 5% bonus categories on the Chase Freedom Flex℠ * for April through June. Similarly, Discover’s 5% bonus categories also released for the second quarter. They both have excellent options that will coincide with major household spending.

But not all credit card news is good news: the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, a premium travel rewards card , is now losing restaurant privileges through its Priority Pass membership. For some cardholders, that may represent a distinct loss in value.

With so many credit card options to choose from, Forbes Advisor is here to help you make the best choice for you. Earning rewards is a great way to make credit cards more useful, but choosing a rewards card best suited to your spending is important.

We recommend never carrying a balance if it can be avoided. This goal is particularly important with rewards credit cards as APRs are generally higher. Any interest charges on a balance will quickly wipe out the value of any rewards earned. It remains critical to fully understand the terms and conditions of a credit card agreement before applying.

To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page .

To view rates and fees for American Express® Gold Card please visit this page .

To view rates and fees for Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card please visit this page .

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

¹Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

What is the best credit card for rewards?

The best credit card depends on you and your financial needs. Carefully consider your spending habits—do you frequently spend money on gas, groceries, travel or at a particular store? Look for a rewards card or a set of rewards cards that provide you the most return on each dollar you spend, whether it’s cash back for dining purchases or points that can be redeemed for travel, Amazon purchases or more.

How do you redeem credit card rewards?

Redemption options and values vary depending on the type of rewards card you carry and the card issuer or co-brand offering the card. Cash back can often be redeemed as a direct deposit, statement credit or purchase. Points can be redeemed on the card issuer’s website if there is a travel or purchase portal with special offers. Airline miles or hotel points can easily be redeemed on an airline or hotel’s website via your personal loyalty account when booking travel.

How many credit card points can I earn?

Many credit cards have no limit to how many points you can earn, but some impose quarterly or annual earning caps. The card’s terms and conditions may limit how much of your spending will earn higher rewards, especially those with a category bonus.

How do I account for credit card rewards?

While some credit cards allow you to easily see and track your rewards online or in a mobile app, that’s not always the case. With the right information, you can usually figure out exactly how many points a purchase will earn and use that info to maximize your rewards. Learn more about how to track your credit card points and miles .

What credit score do I need to get a rewards credit card?

Better rewards cards in general (including travel credit cards) typically require good to excellent credit , but this isn’t always the case. Credit cards for students and even some secured cards designed for those building or rebuilding credit may offer rewards too.

How much are credit card rewards points worth?

Credit card points vary in value based on the card issuer’s reward program and the type of redemption you choose. Cash back is straightforward, since it’s expressed as a straight percentage, for example 1%. Many credit card rewards points work on the same scale, with 1 point equal to 1 cent. However, some specific reward redemptions may be worth up to 1.5 cents or more. Airline mile cards have rewards usually worth about 1 to 1.5 cents each and hotel rewards are usually on the lower side of 0.5 to 0.8 cents each.

Are credit card rewards taxable?

Whether or not your rewards are taxable depends on how you receive rewards. For example, the IRS often views cash-back rewards as a rebate, not taxable income. Welcome bonuses and bonus points from referrals (especially lucrative ones) can be viewed as taxable income if the amounts pass a certain threshold. Talk to a representative from your credit card company and a tax advisor for more information on your personal situation.

Who pays for credit card rewards?

Issuers primarily pay for their credit cards rewards through merchant transaction fees that are charged every time a card is swiped, in addition to charging interest on carried balances and sometimes levying annual fees. Merchants may compensate for the 1% to 3% more in fees that it costs them to process credit card transactions by raising prices for everyone. This ultimately hurts cash-paying customers the most, who aren’t able to offset these higher prices by earning rewards on their purchases.

Other Credit Cards to be Considered

• Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Hotel Rewards Credit Cards
• The 4 Best Apps To Track Credit Card Rewards
• Best Credit Cards For Excellent Credit
• Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card Review
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card Review

*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor: Chase Freedom Flex℠, Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, American Express Cash Magnet® Card, Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi . The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

With more than 50 million redeemed miles under her belt, Becky Pokora is a rewards travel expert. She's been writing about credit cards and reward travel since 2011 with articles on Forbes Advisor, BoardingArea, The Points Guy and more. Her redemptions have helped her travel to more than 50 countries and all seven continents.

Yury is an accomplished marketing professional with over 15 years experience driving growth for businesses and a sought-after speaker on digital trends, profitable business models and online business acquisitions. Yury is also an avid adventurer and has been location independent for over 5 years traveling to more than 30 countries, experiencing new cultures and meeting people from all walks of life. Yury's passion for travel and adventure has given him a unique perspective on life and business.

How to use the Chase Sapphire Reserve $300 annual travel credit to save on travel

Editor's Note

In addition to the bonus points on travel and dining charges, a marquee benefit of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® since its debut in 2016 has been its $300 travel credit each year. And unlike similar perks on competing cards, this credit is incredibly easy to use on all sorts of travel.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with a $550 annual fee , but if you spend at least $300 per year on travel, the effective annual fee is much less painful.

This annual credit is in addition to other Sapphire Reserve perks, such as Priority Pass membership , the application fee credit toward Global Entry/PreCheck every four years, bonus points on Lyft rides (through March 2025) and up to $5 in monthly DoorDash credits (plus a DashPass membership when activated by Dec. 31, 2024), which together make it an easier call to continue holding the card.

So how exactly do you use the Sapphire Reserve's travel credit? Thankfully, it's really, really easy. The (sorta) bad news? It's so simple and automatic that you may use the credit before you even realize it.

When do you earn the $300 Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve annual $300 travel credit is awarded each year that you have the card and is ready to use as soon as you open your new account.

In most cases, when this credit resets, it is tied to a cardmember year, not a calendar year. That means when you first opened the card will usually determine the date you get a fresh $300 travel credit each year.

The exception is those who opened a Sapphire Reserve before May 21, 2017, who are awarded the annual travel credit based on a calendar year. In that case, the credit is awarded after the last statement closure date in December, regardless of when during the year the account was opened.

This contrasts American Express' airline fee credits on cards such as The Platinum Card® from American Express , as those are always awarded on a calendar-year basis (enrollment is required).

Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. the Amex Platinum

What counts toward the Sapphire Reserve's travel credit?

A great element of the Chase Sapphire Reserve's travel credit is that it is quite broad in what types of charges it covers.

Essentially, you can typically use the annual travel credit on anything that codes as travel on your Sapphire Reserve. Remember, you'll earn 3 points per dollar on travel charges by swiping the card, so the charges that award bonus points will be the same charges you can use toward the travel credit. (However, know that you don't earn points on the travel charges offset by the $300 travel credit.)

Some examples of types of purchases that count for the Sapphire Reserve's travel credit include:

• Airline charges
• Campgrounds
• Car rental agencies
• Cruise lines
• Travel agency services
• Train tickets
• Bus tickets
• Taxis and car services
• Toll bridges and highways
• Parking lots and garages

Because airline charges generally code as travel, you can use the credit on purchases such as airline tickets, taxes on award tickets, upgrades, seat assignment fees, checked bag fees, onboard snacks, change fees and lap infant fees.

Your cruise deposits and payments should also count, as do hotel bookings and deposits. If you have to pay for parking, taxis or road tolls in your normal life, you can even use the travel credit toward those everyday charges.

What does not count toward the Sapphire Reserve travel credit?

Of course, not all purchases you may think of in the travel space code as travel charges. If a purchase doesn't code as a travel charge, you won't be able to use the $300 travel credit from the Sapphire Reserve.

Items that code as travel vary and can also change at any time. Some things that may not code as travel include theme park tickets brought directly from theme parks, ski lift tickets , Points.com purchases, some airline or travel gift card purchases , inflight purchases that are processed by a third party and some meals eaten at a hotel but not charged to a room.

(Pro tip: If you want Disney tickets to code as a travel charge, book them via a third-party travel site such as Get Away Today or Undercover Tourist .)

How do you use the Sapphire Reserve travel credit?

Using your Sapphire Reserve travel credit is very simple: just use the card to pay for eligible travel purchases — that's it. There is nothing to activate, no codes to use or special sites to book through.

The offsetting statement credits will usually automatically appear on your account within a couple of days, as shown below, and this will continue until you've used the year's travel credit in full.

Related: The best travel credit cards

How to see if you've used your Sapphire Reserve travel credit

If you've lost track of whether you've used up your Sapphire Reserve annual travel credit, you can easily figure it out by logging into Chase Travel℠ , selecting your Chase Sapphire Reserve card and scrolling down the home page.

This section will tell you the month when the next year's credit will become available so you know to use up this year's credit before then.

Bottom line

It's great when credit cards give you annual travel credits that are easy to use, and the $300 travel credit on the Chase Sapphire Reserve is about as simple as it comes. Every year, you'll automatically get $300 in statement credits whenever your card is used on a travel purchase — effectively lowering the fee on the card to $250 per year if you maximize the credit.

Of course, if you aren't making the most of the Sapphire Reserve benefits, you could also talk to Chase about potentially downgrading to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or even the no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Unlimited® .

To learn more about the card, read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve .

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve

What you need to know about the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Card

• How other travel cards compare to the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card
• 4 important details about the Autograph Journey 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Could Lose Its Crown to This Wells Fargo Travel Card

The newest Wells Fargo card comes up short in a few areas, but that could change soon.

Holly Johnson

Contributor

Holly Johnson is a credit card expert and writer who covers rewards and loyalty programs, budgeting, and all things personal finance. In addition to writing for publications like Bankrate, CreditCards.com, Forbes Advisor and Investopedia, Johnson owns Club Thrifty and is the co-author of "Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love."

Tiffany Connors

Tiffany Wendeln Connors is a senior editor for CNET Money with a focus on credit cards. Previously, she covered personal finance topics as a writer and editor at The Penny Hoarder. She is passionate about helping people make the best money decisions for themselves and their families. She graduated from Bowling Green State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and has been a writer and editor for publications including the New York Post, Women's Running magazine and Soap Opera Digest. When she isn't working, you can find her enjoying life in St. Petersburg, Florida, with her husband, daughter and a very needy dog.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card* -- Wells Fargo’s latest and best travel card -- recently launched with an impressive set of features. Its competitive rewards, welcome bonus and redemption options take aim at incumbent travel credit cards from Chase, American Express and Capital One.

What gives Wells Fargo’s first foray into the point-transfer space an edge is that you don’t have to book travel in a portal to earn the highest rewards rates. 

Here’s why we think the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey could go toe-to-toe with some of the best travel credit cards, plus four insider tips to help you decide if you should add it to your credit card lineup.

Before we dive into the hidden features and benefits, here’s an overview of what you can expect with the Autograph Journey:

• Earn 60,000 welcome bonus rewards points after spending $4,000 in purchases within three months of account opening.
• Earn unlimited 5x points on hotels, 4x points on airlines, 3x points on other travel and dining and 1x on other purchases.
• Receive an annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Other benefits include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, roadside dispatch and cell phone insurance.
• $95 annual fee.

How other travel cards compare to the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

4 important details about the autograph journey .

Here’s a rundown of four facts we discovered about the Autograph Journey that you should know when deciding whether to apply.

1. You can transfer points with Wells Fargo point-based cards

The launch of the Autograph Journey also marks the first transferable points program from Wells Fargo, which joins other card issuers like Chase and Capital One, which have their own pooling programs .

Autograph Journey will be able to do a points transfer with the no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card . This is especially notable since the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers bonus rewards in different categories than the Autograph Journey. 

For example, the Autograph card earns unlimited 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans, plus 1x points on other purchases. So you can maximize your point earning across different categories, then transfer your points to your Autograph Journey account to access premium travel redemptions.

2. It offers more options for earning bonus miles on travel than some competitors

The Autograph Journey will offer more flexibility than many travel rewards cards when it comes to earning more points on travel purchases. For example, cardholders earn unlimited 5x points on hotels booked directly with hotel brands and 4x points on airfare booked with airlines. 

This helps the card stand out from other popular travel credit cards that offer the most bonus points only if you book travel through their portals. For example, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card * and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card * only offer the highest bonus rewards on travel booked through Capital One Travel. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also offers its highest rate of 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, whereas other travel purchases earn 2x points.

Autograph Journey cardholders also earn a minimum of 3x points on other travel purchases, which could include rental cars, cruises and travel booked through online travel agencies like Expedia and Priceline.

3. The card may grow in value as more transfer partners join

The Autograph Journey Card will earn flexible travel rewards points that transfer to a selection of airline and hotel partners, similar to Amex Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards . While the list of transfer partners is limited, Wells Fargo stated in its initial press release that “more partners will continue to be added throughout the year.”

Points transfers could dramatically change the value proposition of the Autograph Journey, especially if new partners include domestic airlines and popular hotel loyalty programs. 

Wells Fargo point transfers will be available to new cardholders starting on April 4. For now, Wells Fargo transfer partners include the following:

4. You may need to wait to apply

If you’ve applied for another Wells Fargo card in the last six months, you’ll likely have to wait a little longer before applying for the Autograph Journey.

Wells Fargo states in its terms and conditions, “If you opened a Wells Fargo Credit Card account within the last six months, then you may not qualify to open an additional Wells Fargo Credit Card account. We may also limit how many open Wells Fargo Credit Card accounts you have.”

So if you want the new Autograph Journey, you should steer clear of applying for other cards from Wells Fargo for now. If you’re approved and use the card responsibly for six months or longer, you can consider adding additional Wells Fargo credit cards to your portfolio.

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After writing about hundreds of credit cards, these two are still my favorite, 6 reasons the chase sapphire preferred should be your next credit card, 3 steps to take when your flight is canceled or delayed, 8 best credit card strategies to maximize earnings in 2024, as a foodie who enjoys a night out on the town, this credit card gives me plenty to savor.

* All information about the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card have been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

CNET editors independently choose every product and service we cover. Though we can’t review every available financial company or offer, we strive to make comprehensive, rigorous comparisons in order to highlight the best of them. For many of these products and services, we earn a commission. The compensation we receive may impact how products and links appear on our site.

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Credit Cards > Reviews

Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card review 2024: Money-saving perks for fans of the startup carrier

Stella Shon

Allie Johnson

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Grace Pilling

Published 6:07 a.m. UTC April 10, 2024

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Breeze Airways remains relatively unknown, but this startup airline is a breath of fresh air for travelers in underserved areas. The airline offers nonstop routes from smaller airports to popular U.S. destinations, allowing flyers to skip connecting through busy airports.

Now, the low-cost airline is launching its first credit card, the Breeze Easy™ Visa® Credit Card * The information for the Breeze Easy™ Visa® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . Cardholders can earn BreezePoints on Breeze flights and everyday expenses and redeem them for flights, bags, seat assignments, and more.

Here’s our full Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card review and our take on whether frequent Breeze flyers should take a closer look. 

Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card basics

• Annual fee: $89.
• Welcome bonus: 50,000 BreezePoints after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.
• Rewards: Earn up to 10 points per $1 on Nicer Bundles, Nicest Bundles and trip add-ons (5 points per $1 when the flight is purchased, plus 5 points per $1 once the flight is completed), up to 4 points per $1 on Nice Bundles (2 points per $1 when the flight is purchased, plus 2 points per $1 when flight is completed), 2 points per $1 on eligible grocery store and restaurant purchases (including inflight food and beverages and 1 point per $1 on other purchases.
• APR: 21.24% to 29.99% variable.
• Recommended credit score: Good to excellent.
• Does the card offer preapproval? No.
• Other benefits: Points never expire with the card, Group 1 Priority boarding, complimentary inflight Wi-Fi on Breeze Airbus fleet, 7,500-anniversary points after spending $10,000 in a year and no foreign transaction fees.

Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card review

A loyalty program is key to repeat business, and Breeze is offering its frequent flyers even more with the debut of a new travel rewards credit card. While the Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card isn’t for everyone, it provides plenty of value for the right cardholder.

You can earn up to 10 points per $1 on Nicer Bundles, Nicest Bundles and trip add-ons (5 points per $1 when the flight is purchased, plus 5 points per $1 once the flight is completed), up to 4 points per $1 on Nice Bundles (2 points per $1 when the flight is purchased, plus 2 points per $1 when flight is completed), 2 points per $1 on eligible grocery store and restaurant purchases (including inflight food and beverages and 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

In other words, you can get up to a 10% return on eligible Breeze purchases.

Your BreezePoints never expire as long as you have the card, and you can redeem them at a flat 1-cent-per-point rate for flights and other traveler extras such as checked bags and seat assignments.

But with an $89 annual fee, you’ll need to crunch the numbers to see if the card will provide enough value to justify the cost.

The card offers benefits you’d expect from any airline credit card , such as access to priority boarding for the cardholder and companions on the same reservation. And cardholders get free inflight Wi-Fi, saving $8 each way. (By the end of the year, Breeze plans to become a fleet of all Airbus A220s, one of the most comfortable regional jets to fly.)

In sum, Breeze offers an economical way to fly to dozens of U.S. destinations, and its new credit card is a natural fit for frequent Breeze travelers.

• Elevated points spent on Breeze flights and trip add-ons: That’s one of the best rewards rates on any airline credit card, giving flyers a generous haul of points for booking Breeze flights. 
• Complimentary Wi-Fi for all travelers on the same reservation: You won’t have to pay for internet connectivity, saving you $8 on every one-way flight.
• BreezePoints won’t expire : BreezePoints normally expire after 24 months, but the card will extend their shelf life for as long as your account remains open.
• Anniversary bonus: You’ll get a 7,500-point bonus every account anniversary, worth $75 for Breeze flights and more, if you spend at least $10,000 on the card each year. 
• No free bags: Airline credit cards typically come with a free checked bag, but this card does not waive the cost of checked bags. 
• BreezePoints are worth 1 cent apiece: While Breezy Rewards is a straightforward program, there’s no opportunity for outsized value, as with other frequent flyer program currencies.
• Full rewards only after your flight : With the card’s earning rate, you’ll earn half of the BreezePoints when purchasing the flight and the other half after the flight is complete. 

Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card rewards

Perhaps the most eye-catching feature of Breeze’s first-ever credit card is the ability to earn huge rewards on eligible Breeze Airways purchases. Let’s take a closer look at how the rewards break down:

Cardholders can earn up to 10 points per $1 on Nicer Bundles, Nicest Bundles and trip add-ons (5 points per $1 when the flight is purchased, plus 5 points per $1 once the flight is completed), up to 4 points per $1 on Nice Bundles (2 points per $1 when the flight is purchased, plus 2 points per $1 when flight is completed), 2 points per $1 on eligible grocery store and restaurant purchases (including inflight food and beverages and 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

New applicants can also earn 50,000 BreezePoints after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days of account opening. 

Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has around $25,087 in annual expenses that can be charged to a credit card. 

We assumed the example cardholder purchased flights at the base-level ticket (Nice fare class). Here’s how our sample household’s rewards could break down:

Cardholders will earn BreezePoints through the Breezy Rewards program. In this example, the cardholder earned 37,119 points from card purchases, worth $371.19 for Breeze flights, baggage fees, seat assignments, and more. 

Breeze Airways is not part of an airline alliance, nor does it have any partnerships, except with new partner Priceline. You can only redeem your points for Breeze-related purchases, meaning there’s no opportunity to maximize rewards on other airlines. This is a key consideration if you want to apply for the Breeze card. 

Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card perks

An airline credit card is best suited to those who fly almost exclusively with the carrier, and the Breeze Easy Visa is no exception. Cardholders get the major advantage of free inflight Wi-Fi, saving them and companions on the same reservation $8 each way.

Furthermore, cardholders and their travel companions on the same reservation get Group 1 priority boarding. That means you’ll have first dibs on precious overhead bin space. The more you fly, the more value you’ll get from these benefits. 

In addition, cardholders get the chance to earn 7,500 bonus points each anniversary year after spending $10,000 in purchases. Those BreezePoints are worth $75 — nearly the cost of the annual fee — adding even more ongoing value. 

Although the airline has no international flights, the Breeze Easy card is a keeper for traveling abroad because there are no foreign transaction fees. It’s a Visa Signature card, which comes with complimentary travel insurance perks such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay coverage and more.

Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card drawbacks

One crucial feature the card is missing: a free bag benefit. Most airline credit cards will waive the cost of the first checked bag as a cardholder-exclusive perk. This could be a dealbreaker for some travelers.

At the lowest fare classes, Breeze only allows for one free personal item that must fit under the seat. The airline also operates on a dynamic bag pricing model, so the cost of a carry-on and checked bag will vary slightly depending on your flight route. 

While this may disappoint, remember that BreezePoints can be redeemed for extra charges, including bag fees. For instance, you can use 3,500 BreezePoints to wipe out a $35 carry-on bag charge. And, if you’ve booked a higher fare class (Nicer or Nicest), the cost of bags is included in the ticket bundle.

How the Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card compares to other travel cards 

Breeze easy visa credit card vs. chase sapphire preferred® card.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card , which has a $95 annual fee, is ideal for travelers looking to earn bonus points on travel and everyday purchases. You’ll earn 5 points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per $1 on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.

Chase Ultimate Rewards® has an enticing list of transfer partners, including United and Southwest. Cardholders can redeem miles at an elevated 1.25-cent rate for travel purchases via the Chase travel portal. Unfortunately, you can’t book Breeze Airways flights on Chase Travel, so this isn’t a fit if you want to redeem points for Breeze flights. 

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s Take

• Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
• $50 annual statement credit toward Chase Travel hotel bookings.
• Valuable travel protections.
• $95 annual fee.
• Category bonuses are limited and not competitive against other travel cards.
• Transfer partner list is limited compared to programs like Amex Membership ® Rewards and Citi ThankYou ® .

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• 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.
• 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, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card also has a $95 annual fee and offers the benefit of simplicity with 5 miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and purchases through Capital One Entertainment and 2 miles per $1 on other purchases. You can redeem Capital One miles as a statement credit for any travel purchases made within the past 90 days at a rate of 1 cent apiece. This rewards flexibility is a big plus.

It’s also possible to outsize those rewards with Capital One’s airline and hotel transfer partner roster, especially for international flights. You’ll also benefit from a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit (up to $100), a nice added travel perk. 

Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card vs. JetBlue Plus Card * The information for the JetBlue Plus Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

We’d be remiss not to offer a comparison to the JetBlue Plus card to see how the Breeze Easy card stacks up. The JetBlue Plus Card has a slightly higher $99 annual fee. It’s also issued by Barclays and offers similar earnings: 6 points per $1 on eligible JetBlue purchases, 2 points per $1 at restaurants and eligible grocery stores and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. 

You’ll earn TrueBlue points, which can be redeemed for flights on the airline or partner carriers such as Qatar Airways or Hawaiian Airlines. The JetBlue Plus card offers a free first checked bag. This benefit provides at least $35 in savings each way, which helps offset the annual fee. 

Is the Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card worth it?

Between the card’s welcome bonus and ongoing rewards rates, there’s a lot of potential to stockpile BreezePoints. But unless you exclusively fly with the airline, it’s worth shopping around to see if another travel credit card will serve you better in the long term, especially if your goal is to save money on flights with a range of carriers, rather than just Breeze Airways.

Breeze Easy Visa Credit Card is right for you if:

• You frequently fly out of the airline’s main hubs .
• You want to earn rewards to save money on Breeze flights and travel purchases.
• You want to save money onboard Breeze flights with the card’s complimentary Wi-Fi.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Airline credit cards, such as the new Breeze Easy card, offer ways for the most loyal flyers to save money on travel. This card is no exception, with plenty of ways to earn BreezePoints, free Wi-Fi and more for ultra-loyal Breeze passengers.

The Breeze Easy card costs $89 per year. This fee is in line with competing travel cards, which you might also want to consider for more flexible rewards earning, redemption and perks.

While the issuing bank, Barclays, does not disclose a specific credit score requirement, you’ll want to have good to excellent credit to increase your chances of qualifying for most travel credit cards. 

Breeze Airways does not offer a true business-class product, but the airline has a spacious recliner seat called “Ascent class” on its Airbus A220 fleet, and extra legroom seats. 

*The information for the Breeze Easy™ Visa® Credit Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and JetBlue Plus Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Stella Shon is a freelance writer that connects the dots between personal finance and travel. Her work has appeared in The Points Guy, ValuePenguin and MoneyUnder30, and she's been interviewed by The New York Times, CNBC and more.

Allie is a journalist with a passion for money tips and advice. She's been writing about personal finance since the Great Recession for online publications such as Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MyWalletJoy and ValuePenguin. She's also written personal finance content for Discover, First Horizon Bank, The Hartford, Travelers and Synovus.

Grace Pilling is a deputy editor for credit cards at USA TODAY Blueprint. She believes credit cards are the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure tools of the financial world and gets excited about helping people discover the best credit card strategy for their unique goals. Prior to joining Blueprint, Grace worked on and led personal finance teams at Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MoneyUnder30 and MoneyGeek. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and writing and a diploma in editing and publishing.

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The best credit cards for music festivals

W ith tickets for music festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo more expensive than ever, you might wonder if there's a best credit card for music festivals, concerts or event tickets. Does it matter how you pay?

The short answer is "yes" because using the right card can help you earn extra points or cash back on the purchase. Other cards will offer benefits while you're at the festival, such as exclusive merchandise, invitation-only experiences or even separate bathrooms with shorter lines.

Before thinking about what to pack for this year's festivals, you should figure out which credit cards will be at the front of your wallet. These are the best credit cards for music festivals and concerts this year.

Overview of the best credit cards for music festivals

Most travel credit cards and rewards credit cards aren't tailored to music festival-goers, and festivals don't offer their own credit cards. That said, some cards still offer music festival-related perks, including bonus earnings rates, extra rewards on ticket purchases and exclusive access to VIP experiences.

The information for the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Here are the details on these cards and why they're the best credit cards for concerts and music festivals.

Details on the best credit cards for music festivals

Capital one savor cash rewards credit card.

Annual fee: $95

Welcome bonus: Earn a $300 cash bonus after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Earning rates: Earn 4% cash back on dining, entertainment purchases and popular streaming services, 3% back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target) and 1% on everything else. Plus, earn 8% back on Capital One Entertainment purchases.

Why we like it: If you want a high return on music festival expenses and like simplicity, the Capital One Savor is a no-brainer. The card has an annual fee of $95 and earns 4% cash back on all entertainment purchases, including tickets to music festivals. It also earns 4% cash back on dining, which is great when you need some grub between performances. That's the highest cash-back amount currently offered across all credit cards for both dining and entertainment.

And although it's not as extensive as some of the other issuers in this list, Capital One offers cardholders special access to certain festivals, which in the past have included the iHeartRadio Music Festival and JamFest at the March Madness Music Festival. Capital One has also offered cardholders other music-related perks, such as presale access to Taylor Swift tickets .

Read our full review of the Savor for more details.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Annual fee: $395 (see rates and fees )

Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,388.

Earning rates: Earn 10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked via Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked via Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases.

Why we like it: In addition to earning 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases, you'll get $300 in credits annually for bookings made through Capital One Travel and an anniversary bonus of 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary, starting on your first anniversary (worth at least $100 toward travel).

Read our full review of the Venture X for more details.

Learn more: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card

Welcome bonus: Earn 150,000 miles after spending $30,000 in the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $2,775.

Why we like it: Like its personal counterpart, you'll get $300 in credits annually for bookings made through Capital One Travel plus a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus, along with an an up-to-$100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Read our full review of the Venture X Business for more details.

Learn more: Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Annual fee: $95 (see rates and fees )

Earning rates: Earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel , 5 miles per dollar on purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases.

Why we like it: In addition to earning 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment and 2 miles per dollar on ticket purchases, you'll have access to reimbursement for your application fee to Global Entry or TSA PreCheck .

Read our full review of the Venture Rewards for more details.

Learn more: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

Annual fee: $0 for the first year, then $95 (see rates and fees )

Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 miles once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening

Why we like it: The Spark Miles for Business earns straightforward rewards useful to any business with even an infrequent travel schedule, all with an annual fee that's waived for the first year.

Read our full review of the Spark Miles for Business for more details.

Learn more: Capital One Spark Miles for Business

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Annual fee: $0

Welcome bonus: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (up to $20,000 spent in the first year), worth up to $300.

Earning rates: Earn 5% back on travel purchased through the Chase travel portal , 3% back on dining (including restaurants, takeout and eligible delivery services), 3% on drugstore purchases and 1.5% on all other purchases.

Why we like it: In addition to earning 1.5% cash back on everyday spending, you'll have access to purchase protection, extended warranty protection, trip cancellation/interruption insurance and car rental damage protection when using the Freedom Unlimited card. You'll also gain access to Chase Experiences for exclusive events and experiences.

Read our full review of the Freedom Unlimited for more details.

Apply here: Chase Freedom Unlimited

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,230.

Earning rates: Earn 5 points per dollar on travel booked through the Chase travel portal (excluding hotel purchases covered by the annual $50 hotel credit ), 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025, 3 points per dollar on dining, 3 points per dollar on select streaming services and online grocery purchases, 2 points per dollar on travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. Plus, receive a 10% anniversary points boost each year.

Why we like it: While American Express reserves its pop-up lounges and premier events for those who hold its most expensive credit cards, Chase allows even those holding the $95-per-year Sapphire Preferred card into its experiences at concerts, festivals and sporting events.

Previous events included the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in San Francisco, where Sapphire Preferred cardholders enjoyed a happy hour discount at food vendors when paying with their card.

Plus, you'll have top-notch travel and shopping protections , and you can get food with Instacart to keep your stomach full along the way.

In addition to the lounges, the Chase Sapphire Preferred comes with access to exclusive experiences. This gets you preferred pricing on VIP packages for music festivals, concerts and other events. And while it's not the best use of your points , you can even use your points to pay for these experiences.

Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred for more details.

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Citi Premier Card

Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,080.

Earning rates: For a limited time, earn 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ Portal through June 30, 2024. Earn 3 points per dollar at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.

Why we like it: You'll have access to Citi Entertainment, which offers presale ticket access, VIP event experiences and preferred seating. The Citi Premier Card also offers an annual $100 hotel savings benefit, valid on a hotel stay of $500 or more booked with the Citi travel portal (excluding taxes and fees).

Read our full review of the Citi Premier for more details.

Apply here: Citi Premier Card

The Platinum Card from American Express

Annual fee: $695 (see rates and fees )

Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. TPG values this bonus at $1,600.

Earning rates: Earn 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Why we like it: While American Express doesn't have any cards that earn bonus points for music festival spending, it offers cardholders some of the best benefits. The Amex Platinum and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express come with three levels of VIP event access: Entertainment Access, American Express Preferred Seating and By Invitation Only. Just as it sounds, these grant exclusive access to ticket presales, special seating and cardmember-only events, among other perks.

In previous years, the issuer has provided Platinum cardholders (and up to three guests) access to the pop-up American Express Platinum House at Coachella , which included SoulCycle classes and premium food and drinks, as well as makeup and hair services and even live performances from musical artists such as Justine Skye and Julia Michaels. Other Coachella-specific perks included a $10 statement credit after spending $10 at participating Coachella vendors, a free Ferris wheel ride for you and a guest, access to the priority Uber lane and admission to the on-site Amex Card Member Club for you and three guests. Cardmembers enjoyed similar benefits at the last Austin City Limits festival .

The card also comes with a slew of non-music festival-related benefits, including statements credits for up to $200 in annual airline fee credits , up to $200 in annual Uber Cash, up to $100 in annual Saks Fifth Avenue shopping credits (up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December) and access to numerous airport lounges . Enrollment is required in advance for select benefits.

Read our full review of the Amex Platinum for more details.

Apply here: The Platinum Card from American Express

Bottom line

Credit cards aren't useful for just booking business-class trips and scoring upgrades to larger hotel rooms . They also can provide serious value at events like music festivals. For cards providing pop-up experiences, it's worth noting that simply having the card in your wallet should be sufficient. You don't need to purchase your festival tickets with that card to get in. Whether you're looking for additional earnings or VIP events, having the right credit card in your wallet can make all the difference at your next music festival.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here .

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Why the Amex Platinum Is the Only Card I’ll Use To Book Flights

Carissa Rawson

Senior Content Contributor

249 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 51 U.S. States Visited: 36

Stella Shon

News Managing Editor

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The Amex Platinum Card Earns Me the Most Points

The amex platinum card has excellent travel insurance, amex’s global lounge collection is industry-leading, amex points are my favorite flexible currency, final thoughts.

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Although I’m not technically a digital nomad, I fly enough to qualify as one.

With trips taking me on roughly 100 flights per year, I’ve done a lot of research when it comes to booking airfare.

Though I have plenty of credit cards to spare, The Platinum Card ® from American Express always finds its way to the front when it comes time to pay — here’s why.

There are plenty of credit cards that earn bonus points on travel , and especially airfare. However, the Amex Platinum card personally beats out others, despite its $695 annual fee ( rates & fees ).

This is because it earns 5x American Express Membership Rewards points per $1 spent (up to $500,000 per year) on flights booked directly with the airline or via AmexTravel.com .

The Platinum Card ® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment ( airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit )
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Access to Amex International Airline Program
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card ® , Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• 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 and 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 with American Express Travel when you pay with 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: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card ® . Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $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: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card ® . Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 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.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card ® . An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. 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 Apply.

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• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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If you travel often, you know that booking with a third party , such as Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, or even an issuer’s travel portal, can save you some money. But it can also lead to huge amounts of headache s if your flight needs to be changed or canceled or if there are crazy delays and you need to be rerouted.

This is because booking through a third-party agency makes them responsible for your ticket rather than the airline, so they need to be the middleman.

Compare the Amex Platinum card’s earning rates to other premium travel rewards cards :

• Chase Sapphire Reserve ® : 5x points per $1 spent on Chase Travel; 3x points on all other travel purchases
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : 5x miles per $1 spent on airfare booked with Capital One Travel,

In order to earn these elevated rewards, you’ll need to book your flights with either issuer’s travel portal, which means you’ll be using a third party. That opens you up to issues in the event your travel plans change, which mine often do.

While the Amex Platinum card does have a limit on your 5x earnings up to $500,000 annually, I’ve never even come close to hitting the cap. This means that I’m always able to book directly with the airline while still earning the most rewards.

I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest proponent of travel insurance . I know that it’ll protect you if you get injured, lose your bags, or have travel delays, but purchasing a policy goes against my “spend as little as possible” ethos when it comes to travel.

That’s another reason why I love the Amex Platinum card and use it for my flights. As a premium travel card, it offers complimentary travel insurance . For it to kick in, I need to pay for my travel with my card and it will apply in eligible scenarios.

What kind of travel insurance is offered? A lot:

• Rental car insurance (secondary)
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Trip delay insurance
• Baggage insurance plan
• Premium Global Assist Hotline (emergency medical evacuation and emergency medical transport)

There are two things that really stand out when it comes to the Amex Platinum card’s travel insurance: emergency medical evacuation and emergency medical transport as part of the Premium Global Assist Hotline. Neither of these has a cap, which isn’t something you’ll find often, even when purchasing a policy.

There is only one exception where I’ll use a card other than the Amex Platinum card to pay for my flights, and that’s when I’ve booked an award flight.

This is because Amex has limitations on its baggage insurance plan for award flights, whereas competitors, such as the travel insurance on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card , do not. In this case, the Amex Platinum card won’t cover lost luggage unless you’ve paid the ticket in cash or you’ve used Amex Membership points for your flight. Other award flights outside of this don’t count :

“Other loyalty programs (i.e. non-American Express) do not qualify on purchases redeemed in part or full or pre-arranged travel cost,” according to the terms of baggage insurance plan on the Amex Platinum card. “An example would be common carrier frequent flyer miles point redemption.”

I’m not a snob about a lot of things, but airport lounge access is certainly one of them. I know that as more credit cards offer lounge access, they can be crowded.

That’s one reason I value the Global Lounge Collection offered by Amex’s high-end cards.

This collection includes a Priority Pass Select membership (upon enrollment), Centurion Lounges, Escape — The Centurion Studio lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, Lufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa), Delta SkyClubs (when flying Delta), and more.

That’s far more than you’ll get with other credit cards and lessens the chance that you’ll find yourself in a standing-room-only situation.

This is probably not the most popular opinion, but I think Amex Membership Rewards beat out Chase Ultimate Rewards , Capital One Miles , Citi ThankYou points , and Bilt Rewards .

While each currency has their own strengths and weaknesses, Amex points fit my travel style better than the others. Sure, I love that Chase has World of Hyatt (and it’s where I use my points most often) and that Citi transfer to Choice at double Amex’s rate, but Amex has more usable transfer partners .

I’ll be even more unpopular and say that I’ll often transfer Amex points over to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio, especially when they’re offering a transfer bonus . This isn’t usually a good idea, but I spend my Hilton points at high-end resorts such as the Conrad Maldives and the Conrad Bora Bora , where I can easily net 5-10 cents in value per point. That makes it worth it for me.

Other transfer partners that I frequently use include:

• ANA MileageClub : For low-cost business class flights to Europe
• Avianca LifeMiles : For Lufthansa first class
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club : For first and business class redemptions on ANA
• Qantas Frequent Flyer : For cheap Air Tahiti Nui flights to French Polynesia

Beyond transfer partners and the Amex Platinum card, I also find Amex points easier to earn . This is due to a variety of reasons, including their robust lineup of Amex point-earning cards , Amex Offers (upon enrollment), and their Rakuten partnership.

I’m not going to throw out all my other credit cards in favor of the Amex Platinum card — I love points and miles too much ever to let that happen. But there’s certainly a strong case for it sticking around in my wallet.

Sure, it offers lots of statement credits (enrollment required for some benefits) and other perks. But I’ll keep the Amex Platinum card to book my airfare. And it’ll stay that way until someone else can match the high earnings and travel insurance offerings, which I don’t anticipate happening anytime soon.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the premium global assist hotline benefit of the Amex Platinum card, you can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Plus, we may provide emergency medical transportation assistance and related services. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by premium global assist hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

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About Carissa Rawson

Carissa served in the U.S. Air Force where she developed her love for travel and new cultures. She started her own blog and eventually joined The Points Guy. Since then, she’s contributed to Business Insider, Forbes, and more.

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