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How to Save Money on Flights, Hotels, and Other Travel Expenses

Key points about: saving money on travel.

Travel websites often offer deals to save money on flights and hotels, and travel credit cards may allow you to redeem miles to use on these and other travel expenses.

With a  Discover it® Miles credit card, you can earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on travel purchases and all your everyday purchases, which you can then redeem in a variety of ways.

You can save money by traveling during off-peak times, flying midweek, or booking a travel package that includes airfare, hotel, and a rental car.

Those travel photos you see on social media that look like a million dollars have a secret—many hot locales may be more accessible than you think. No matter your destination, from the top tourist spots to the places off the beaten trail, researching transportation and lodging, looking for deals, and using your credit card to earn rewards and  redeem  them when possible can be just some of the ways you can save money on travel.

Here are more tips for how to save money while traveling.

Save money by traveling off-peak

If you can travel during off-peak times, or the weeks just before or just after peak travel times (what’s known as the shoulder season), you might save serious cash on a dream destination. Many factors determine peak season. In the U.S., peak times are usually summer, when the days are long and warm, and schools are out. But in South America or Australia, January is summer and March is the shoulder season.

How to save money on flights

Saving on airfare  is probably near the top of your list, but there’s been so much written on the subject that it makes more sense to reduce it to the basics.

With so many travel sites that offer flight and hotel deals, you can almost always find a way to save on a trip. If you want a flexible travel card that lets you earn Miles on everyday purchases and redeem miles for cash to use on travel, consider a  Discover it ® Miles  credit card. Your morning coffee, online shopping, and even groceries automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase. And we’ll automatically match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There is no limit to how much we’ll match. 1 Learn More , Opens new tab

Fly midweek

Weigh the cost of the days you plan to travel. For example, Sunday prices can soar as travelers race home before the workweek, but flights on a Thursday could be ideal.

Plan your flights ahead

Many trip-planning websites allow you to set price alerts for chosen destinations. And some airlines offer discounted rates for taking connecting flights instead of nonstop. You might even be able to include hotel and car rental reservations with a package that costs less than it would if you had booked each element separately.

Pick your destination based on airfare

Instead of deciding where to go and then looking for the cheapest airfare, it can be easier to save money by choosing your destination by how much it costs to get there.

Watch for savings within 24 hours

U.S. law requires that airlines allow you to cancel your booking within 24 hours. This means that you can save money by booking a lower airfare if the price drops within one day.

Did you know? If you often travel by air, having a credit card built for airline travel can be a great way to build rewards for your future trips. Travelers who want more flexibility may appreciate the unlimited Miles and great benefits they can find on a Discover Card. Learn More , Opens new tab

How to save money on hotels

Don’t be afraid to ask hotel staff about promotions or specials. If you’re traveling in a shoulder or off-season, you may be able to score a three-star room for a one-star price. Travel websites can offer significant deals and opportunities to save money by bidding on properties or taking advantage of lower rates for places that want to fill rooms fast.

For hotels, consider booking your room at the last minute to take advantage of cancellations. If you do see a low price on a third-party site, consider asking the hotel directly if they’ll match the price.

Some hotels give their best rates to members of their loyalty program, so signing up can let you save money.

Ways to save money when you travel by car

Road trips often seem like the best option for cost-conscious travelers, but driving can be quite expensive.

Before you go, get a tune-up so you can avoid wasting money on emergency repairs during your trip. Portable devices that allow you to jump-start your car or inflate your tires can be inexpensive and well worth the cost.

Before you leave, create at least a rough itinerary so you’ll know if you’ll need a bathing suit, hiking shoes, gym clothes, camping equipment, or other essentials. Pack plenty of snacks and a cooler full of drinks and plan to stop at grocery stores along the way to create less expensive meals.

Consider the cost of gas and tolls as well. Parking, too, could be a hassle depending on your destination, and a pricey one at that. Apps and online tools can help you find the cheapest gas in your area. You might also be able to save money by filling up well outside of major cities.

Ways to save money on other travel expenses

Account for dining in your travel budget.

When it comes to dining on vacation, you can save money while still enjoying the local cuisine. If your lodging comes with a kitchen, shop for local groceries to prepare meals to take with you. Stocking up on little things like water and snacks can wind up saving you money. If food feels like a key part of your travel, one restaurant meal a day can be a budget-friendly option.

Don’t let shopping derail your travel budget

Shopping can feel like a travel treat that may allow you to experience a different aspect of your destination. But it’s also something that could break your travel budget.

One way you could save money for travel is to make sure you know the exchange rates and where to exchange. Exchanging cash at a convenient airport kiosk will typically charge you an unfavorable rate, so either obtain cash from your bank before leaving or use a regional ATM once you arrive.

Open-air and flea markets may be good places to find unique gifts that you can sometimes negotiate on price.

If you’re visiting multiple countries or regions, save your shopping for the most affordable destination.

Save money on popular attractions

Museums, amusement parks, and other attractions can tack big expenses onto an already expensive jaunt. You may be able to save money on admission by booking in advance or using discounted rates if you qualify, such as military, student, AAA, or senior.

Many amusement parks also offer a variety of entertainment choices and great discount packages that could save you money.

How to Save Money on Cruises

If you want to hit the high seas on a cruise, research when the best deals are offered before your departure date. And if you live close to the coast, you may be able to save money on a flight if you board closer to home.

Also, make sure enough is included in the pricing option you select and read the fine print. The least inclusive option might save on the base price of a cruise, but you may be on the hook for lots of additional onboard expenses.

If you think you can’t afford a vacation, think again. These tips can save you money on flights, hotels, and other travel expenses that might get you closer to your travel budget than you think. Before you travel, be sure to inform your banks and  credit card  companies that you’ll be accessing accounts from unusual locations. Otherwise, a charge from a foreign merchant may set off fraud alerts. Discover  makes it easy to register your travel plans  online or through our mobile app.

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• Discover Match ® : We'll match all the Miles rewards you've earned on your credit card from the day your new account is approved through your first 12 consecutive billing periods or 365 days, whichever is longer, and add it to your rewards account within two billing periods. You've earned Miles rewards only when they're processed, which may be after the transaction date. We will not match: rewards that are processed after your match period ends; statement credits; rewards transfers from Discover checking or other deposit accounts; or rewards for accounts that are closed. This promotional offer may not be available in the future and is exclusively for new cardmembers. No purchase minimums.
• Legal Disclaimer:  This site is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional advice. The material on this site is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice and does not indicate the availability of any Discover product or service. It does not guarantee that Discover offers or endorses a product or service. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, you may wish to consult a qualified professional.

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Key takeaways

• The Discover it® Miles is a good starter travel rewards credit card for those who don't want to spend much time tracking spending categories or redemption values.
• Unlike most other travel rewards credit cards, the Discover it® Miles offers a flat-rate rewards structure instead of boosted category rewards — and instead of using miles to book flights or hotel stays, cardholders redeem miles for statement credits for travel purchases charged to the card.
• The Discover it® Miles doesn't have nearly as many benefits as some other travel rewards credit cards on the market — especially the premium ones — but its ease of use and broad definition of what counts as "travel" might still make it worthwhile to some cardholders.

If you’re looking for a card that’s straightforward and easy to use to help you save on travel, the Discover it® Miles credit card should probably be on your radar.

The Discover it® Miles is a flat-rate travel rewards card with a structure that’s different from most travel rewards cards. You won’t get a boosted rewards rate for travel-related purchases like many other cards offer. The Discover it® Miles simply earns 1.5X miles back on every purchase, and instead of cardholders redeeming miles to book things like flights and hotels, they use miles to reimburse themselves for travel-related purchases.

Plus, unlike other travel rewards credit cards that put spending limitations on their category rewards, the Discover it® Miles card doesn’t offer levels or limits. You get the same 1.5X miles rate no matter what you buy, making this card great for those who want to earn miles without putting too much effort into tracking category spending.

The Discover it® Miles card also comes with some benefits that might make the card worthwhile for you, especially since it has no annual fee . Here’s a breakdown of all the perks you can get with the Discover it® Miles card:

Discover it Miles benefits

The benefits of the Discover it Miles can be broken down into the following travel and shopping categories:

Travel benefits

The Discover it Miles won’t net you airport lounge access or the ability to transfer points to high-value travel partners like premium travel cards would, but it still offers a solid range of starter travel benefits. Those looking for a straightforward travel credit card will appreciate that the Discover it Miles offers:

No points expiration dates

Your miles never expire, and you can redeem them for travel purchases charged to your account or for statement credits or cash back in your bank account. Plus, the miles you earn on your spending are worth 1 cent each, regardless of your redemption choice.

No blackout dates

The Discover it Miles lets you redeem miles to cover any eligible travel purchases you make with your card, including airfare, hotel stays and more. This means you don’t have to book travel through a specific portal, nor do you have to worry about blackout dates or capacity controls.

Find the travel you want, book it with your card and redeem your miles to cover all or part of the expense. It’s as simple as that.

No foreign transaction fees

Purchases you make abroad with the Discover it Miles will incur no foreign transaction fees , like every credit card from Discover . This can make a big difference when you’re traveling internationally, since these fees are typically around 3 percent of each transaction.

Double miles after the first year

As an added bonus for new cardholders, all the miles you’ve earned after the first year are doubled with Discover Match. That’s on top of the 1.5X miles you already earn on every purchase.

Say for example you make $20,000 in purchases over the first year you have this card. You would wind up with a total of 30,000 miles earned, and Discover would double this amount to 60,000 miles at the end of that year. With Discover’s 1:1 redemption rate, that’s worth $600 in travel.

Broad travel redemption opportunities

Discover’s definition of travel is rather broad and offers a lot of flexibility. Eligible purchases include:

• Hotel stays
• Car rentals
• Travel website bookings
• Travel agent bookings
• Commuter transit purchases
• Gas station purchases

Keep in mind: Cardholders who want to get reimbursed for travel must do so within 180 days of the initial purchase.

Shopping benefits

While the Discover it Miles is a travel rewards card, there are also some shopping benefits that can help you save money on interest, make it easier to build and monitor your credit and more. Those benefits include:

0% introductory APR offers

The Discover it Miles comes with a 0 percent intro annual percentage rate (APR) on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, followed by a variable APR of 17.24 percent to 28.24 percent. This 0 percent introductory rate can lead to significant savings if  you want to make a large purchase and pay it down over time, or if you have debt from other cards to consolidate.

In addition to the 0 percent introductory APR offer, the Discover it Miles also offers an introductory balance transfer fee of 3 percent. This fee applies to all balance transfers made before June 10, 2024. After that, the balance transfer fee will increase to 5 percent for future balance transfers.

FICO credit score checks for free

You’ll also get a FICO credit score for free on your credit card statement each month, which can help you make sure you’re keeping your credit score in check. The score is available to you whether you receive paper statements in the mail or opt to use the app or the bank’s online portal to access your account. Having this score readily available can help you track your progress as you build credit, as well as help you keep an eye out for any sudden dips that could indicate fraudulent activity.

The ability to freeze your card

For added safety, Discover offers a “Freeze it®” switch for your account, which lets you freeze your card if it’s lost or stolen. You can also freeze your card if you want to stop using it for a while and think it would help you avoid temptation.

Redemption options at PayPal and Amazon.com

You can link your Discover it Miles card to your PayPal or Amazon account and use your miles for purchases. Amazon and PayPal both have the same redemption rate at 100 miles for $1, so you won’t be losing any value by using your miles this way.

Maximizing the Discover it Miles card

There are many reasons to love the Discover it Miles , from the unlimited 1.5 miles for each dollar you spend to Discover Match bonus and no annual fee or foreign transaction fees.

To make the most of this card, your best bet is to use it for as many purchases as you can to maximize your 1.5X rewards. This is especially true for the first year of membership since Discover doubles all rewards earned during year one.

From there, you can use the Discover it Miles you’ve earned to cover any travel bookings by turning your miles into statement credits for travel purchases made within the last 180 days. It may be useful to bank your miles rewards, then redeem them when you’re ready to book your next big trip.

Keep in mind: Discover does not let you transfer miles to another travel rewards program. This means you cannot convert your Discover miles into frequent flyer miles or hotel points. Likewise, you cannot turn points or miles you've earned through another travel rewards program into Discover miles.

That said, you can still use the miles you earn for cash back or for online purchases through Amazon or PayPal if you want added flexibility. This might be beneficial during periods when you’re not traveling as often, but you still want to save.

The bottom line

If you want a card that will reward you for every dollar you spend without annual fees or complicated loyalty program rules, the Discover it Miles has a lot to offer. For some travelers, it might be the travel rewards card they never knew they needed — especially since there aren’t many other travel cards with comparable rewards rates and redemption options .

Before you decide, make sure you read our full review of the Discover it Miles card . And don’t forget to consider other travel card options that may better suit your travel spending and budget, including those with credit card rewards programs that let you transfer points to airlines or hotels or book travel through a portal at a better rate, like Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards .

Why I love the Discover it Miles

Discover it Miles vs. Capital One Venture

Is the Discover it Miles better for cash back or travel?

Discover it Miles review

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On Discover 's Secure Website.

Discover it® Miles

Discover it® Miles offers flexible travel rewards but lacks the benefits that come with some other travel rewards cards.

Credit Needed

Excellent, Good

Intro Offer

Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

Rewards Rate

1.5X Miles on every dollar of every purchase

Cardholders automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase .

Offers flexible redemption options to help you avoid blackout dates.

Lacks a traditional sign-up bonus.

Gives no opportunities to earn bonus rewards.

Offers no airline or hotel partners to transfer rewards.

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Discover it® Miles Summary

Discover it® Miles is a flexible travel rewards credit card with no annual fee. Cardholders automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase , which you can redeem as cash, a statement credit for travel purchases, at checkout with Amazon or as a PayPal payment.

Instead of a traditional sign-up bonus, Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. Discover it® Miles features include Online Privacy Protection at no cost offered by Discover Bank, and free access to your FICO credit score.

• Rates and Fees
• Highlights from Issuer
• Issuer Name Discover
• Credit Needed Excellent, Good
• Annual Fee $0
• Regular APR 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
• Purchases Intro APR 0% Intro APR for 15 months
• Balance Transfer Fee 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
• Cash Advance Fee Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
• Foreign Transaction Fee None

On Discover's Secure Website.

Is the Discover it® Miles Right for Me?

Yes, if you:

• Want to earn flexible flat-rate travel rewards with no annual fee.
• Spend enough to get a lot of value out of the first-year miles matching bonus.
• Don’t need extensive travel benefits.

Tips for Using the Discover it® Miles

The Discover it® Miles card offers a lot of value in the first year, since Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. It’s a good idea to maximize this bonus if you need to make big purchases in the first year.

New cardholders can take advantage of the 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. You’ll also get 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers from the date of your first transfer. After that, the 17.24% to 28.24% variable APR applies, so you should plan to pay off your balance before the introductory rate expires.

Editor's Take

This card is good if you want flexible travel rewards and don’t want to pay an annual fee. With a $0 annual fee and a flat-rate 1.5x Miles per dollar travel rewards, you can get a lot of value out of the Discover it® Miles card, especially if you can capitalize on the fact Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

But the Discover it® Miles card’s 1.5x Miles per dollar isn’t the greatest rewards rate you can earn with a travel rewards card. You could get more value from a card that charges an annual fee but offers more in rewards and travel benefits. For example, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a $95 annual fee but earns a flat-rate 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day , with the opportunity to earn 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Travel hotel and rental car bookings. ( See Rates & Fees )

Current Welcome Offers 

You won’t get a traditional sign-up bonus with the Discover it® Miles card, but Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

How to Maximize Rewards With Discover it® Miles

With a flat-rate 1.5x Miles per dollar on all purchases, there are no bonus categories to keep track of to maximize earnings – you can just use your card to earn miles. You'll get a boost in earning rewards since Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

Comparing the Discover it® Miles With Other Credit Cards

U.s. news credit card rating methodology, alternative pick.

On Capital One 's Secure Website.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Comparative assessments and other editorial opinions are those of U.S. News and have not been previously reviewed, approved or endorsed by any other entities, such as banks, credit card issuers or travel companies. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired.

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We've got good news for you! All Discovery Bank clients and now Vitality members through the new �iscovery Account , have access to the Vitality Travel platform and all the benefits of discounted travel. Please read our ongoing travel updates here .

Upgrade your travel experience with Vitality Travel. BOOK. FLY. STAY. PLAY.

Enjoy an end-to-end enhanced travel experience with all the benefits of vitality travel, brought to you by discovery bank. you can now book your discounted local and international flights in the discovery bank app - tap, tap, fly, vitality travel is the first-of-its-kind integrated travel booking platform in south africa, enabling you to make all your travel bookings in one place, with unprecedented discounts on a wide range of flights, accommodation, car hire and exciting local and international travel experiences., this, coupled with the discovery bank priority fast track and premium lounge access, makes travelling locally or internationally more affordable, easier to book, and stress-free., planning your next great escape here's how much you can save, get from 10% to 75% off local and international flights, as a member with vitality health, you get between 10% and 25% off your flights with the ?iscovery account. boost that up to 75% with discovery bank and vitality money. if you are a discovery bank client only (without vitality health), you can save between 10% and 50% ..

It gets even better! Book your discounted flights in just a few taps, in the Discovery Bank app.

Personalised savings on two international flight bookings and six one-way local flights (base fare and YQ tax) a year, followed by an unlimited 10% saving afterwards.

Get from 10% to 25% off holiday accommodation

As a member with vitality (health), you get 25% off at local vitality holiday accommodation partners. if you are a discovery bank client only (without vitality health), you can save between 10% and 25%..

Get access to millions of non-discounted local and international listings on Vitality Travel, through Booking.com and have the option of paying with your Discovery Miles, and having all your bookings in one place.

Enjoy from 10% to 15% off your next beach holiday, cruise or city adventure

To book, read more here ..

Save from 10% to 25% on car hire

Go everywhere in south africa with unlimited car hire bookings..

As a member with Vitality Health, you can get 25% off on car hire. If you are a Discovery Bank client only (without Vitaliity Health) you can save between 10% and 25% .

A Discovery member, but not a Discovery Bank client yet?

Activate the �iscovery Account now and get access to Vitality Travel. Enjoy 10% to 25% off local and international flights. All this with no monthly fee .

Scan the QR code to download the Discovery Bank app.

Want to boost your rewards even more?

Join discovery bank and get up to 75% off local and international flights, enjoy free visits to over 1 200 airport lounges worldwide, and faster security clearance at or tambo and cape town international airports..

Discovery Bank clients can now enjoy all the benefits of Vitality Travel:

An enhanced travel experience.

• View and book your flights, accommodation and car hire
• View and access all your Vitality Travel benefits in one place

Booking flights in your banking app

• Browse all local, and international flights
• Select, filter and sort your search results by airline, cabin class, fare type, stops and times
• Pay seamlessly from your Discovery Bank cards and accounts, or with Discovery Miles

Broaden your horizons

• Choose from more travel partners, including a wide variety of hotels, B&Bs, resorts, and lodges across South Africa
• Browse exclusive travel offers and deals

Plus, get even more travel benefits with Discovery Bank

Explore all the travel rewards you can get with discovery bank, discover the lounge.

Discovery has partnered with South African Airways (SAA) to give clients with qualifying account access to The Lounge, a world-class airport lounge experience. You can enjoy unlimited complimentary visits for the rest of 2022 . Plus, enjoy access to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide for you and a partner with LoungeKey. Find out more .

Priority queuing

Enjoy faster security clearance with a Discovery Bank Black or Purple account at OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airports with Discovery Bank Priority Fast Track. Simply show your bank card and you and up to five guests can skip the longer queues.

Card benefits

You can make purchases worldwide, wherever Visa is accepted, as well as make cash withdrawals from all Visa-linked ATMs. Discovery Bank clients qualify for additional card benefits.

Free travel insurance

Get free travel insurance when booking your international flights using a Discovery Bank credit card, debit card or your Discovery Miles. Find out more .

Secure payment

Use your Discovery Bank card, virtual card or Discovery Miles to pay securely online.

Take your money places

With the only Real-Time Forex Accounts from Discovery Bank, you can open an account in seconds and start saving in British Pounds, Euros and US Dollars. Add a free multicurrency virtual debit card for stress-free, secure spending using your smart device while you're abroad. You can also add a physical multicurrency debit card for cash withdrawals. Find out more .

Our partners

With a wider selection of amazing specialist travel partners, you can now book all your leisure trips and access all your benefits through Vitality Travel, exclusive to Discovery Bank.

...and many more

Explore a world of adventure with Vitality Travel

Vitality travel blog.

Five reasons to visit Amsterdam

When COVID-19 restrictions stranded Andy Fenner in Amsterdam, an unexpected new life chapter unfolded that changed the course of his life for the better.

The World-Beaters

They dreamt, they went, they conquered. Chad le Clos, Tatjana Schoenmaker, Kgothatso Montjane, Caster Semenya, Wayde van Niekerk and Makazole Mapimpi share stories from the cities that shaped them.

Fhatuwani Mukheli in Zanzibar

Zanzibar is not as far away as you think. Visit for adventure, romance and more.

The Digital Nomad

Free-spirited road tripper Mischke Bosse has been on an inspirational year-long adventure exploring South Africa in her 2000 Jeep Cherokee XJ.

Five local destinations you can book for under R3 000

Fancy a weekend away or a staycation? Vitality members go everywhere, for less. Check out how a family of Diamond Vitality members save 35% off these premium properties.

Here's how we've travelled much more, with Vitality in a year

Without being an extremely fit, but active family, we make sure that our family gets to Diamond Vitality status, and recently, Diamond Vitality Money status with Discovery Bank every year - so we can holiday for less, writes Shanthini Naidoo.

How to travel safely these holidays

The new travelling norms mean reconsidering how we travel, which we haven't had to think about for a while.

We know that being on an aircraft is relatively safe due to strict conditions and strong air filters.

Three idyllic SA cities to visit during the school holidays

South Africans are lucky to have the mountains and the sea, quiet and quaint highveld towns, safari and bush breaks to choose from for short holiday breaks. School holidays offer the perfect timing to take the family exploring.

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You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

Benefits of Discover it Cash Back

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

The Discover it® Cash Back offers a standout welcome offer and a high ongoing cash-back rate on popular spending categories that change every quarter (activation required).

With bonus categories that commonly include major line items in many people's budgets the Discover it® Cash Back is suitable as an everyday card, but it also pair nicely with a flat-rate cash-back credit card that earns a decent rewards rate on all purchases.

Here's a list of the benefits this card offers.

» MORE: NerdWallet’s best cash-back credit cards

Discover it® Cash Back

Spending rewards

1. cash back in popular areas.

The Discover it® Cash Back earns 5% back on rotating quarterly categories up to a maximum of $1,500 in purchases per quarter (requires activation). Other purchases, including in the bonus categories after hitting the quarterly cap, earn 1%. Previous bonus categories have included gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and others. Here are the current categories:

» MORE: Which 5% cash-back credit card should I choose?

2. Redemption flexibility

You can redeem your cash back in any amount whenever you like, and into any bank account you choose.

Other redemption options include gift cards, instant eCertificates, donations to charities, statement credit or Amazon.com purchases. (Gift cards and eCertificates do have a minimum redemption requirement of $5.)

» MORE: How to make the most of the Discover it® Cash Back

Eye-catching introductory offers

3. a long 0% intro apr period.

The Discover it® Cash Back offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 17.24%-28.24% Variable APR .

4. A valuable sign-up bonus for new cardholders

There's a potentially lucrative sign-up bonus, depending on how much you spend. Discover describes the offer this way:

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.

» MORE: Best credit card bonus offers

A considerate late-payment policy

5. no late fee the first time you pay late.

You also won’t have to worry about a penalty APR raising your interest rate.

» MORE: NerdWallet review of the Discover it Cash Back

Light on fees

6. no foreign transaction fees.

You won't pay extra to use the card abroad. However, Discover's international acceptance isn't as widespread compared with Visa's or Mastercard's.

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Consumer-friendly features and benefits

7. an account-locking function.

If you misplace your credit card, you can easily lock your card to prevent new purchases, cash advances or balance transfers. Access the website or mobile app to turn the switch on or off. (Some recurring bills and other transactions may remain active.) If you need a new card, Discover offers free overnight shipping for replacement cards to any U.S. street address. Terms apply.

» MORE: Card lock: What it does, who offers it, how to use it

8. Social Security number alerts

Discover monitors the web and your Experian credit report to protect you against identity theft . The issuer notifies you when your Social Security number is found on the dark web or if a new account is opened and listed in your credit report. You have to opt in to this feature.

9. Cash at checkout

This benefit can save you a trip to the ATM when you use your credit card at a qualifying register to get cash. You won’t pay a transaction fee, ATM fee or a bank fee, but your regular purchase APR will apply to the cash you request. You can get up to $120 per 24-hour period at certain stores .

» MORE: NerdWallet’s best Discover credit cards

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