Coronavirus-pandemien har ændret mange facetter af livet, og hvordan du bruger belønningskreditkort kan være en af dem. Hvis du er blevet hunket hjemme i løbet af det seneste år, har du ikke samlet mange point eller miles på rejsekøb eller udvekslet belønninger for flyrejser og hotelophold.
Under pandemien har nogle udstedere skaffet rejsebelønningskort ved at give midlertidige belønninger i kategorier, der er mere i overensstemmelse med, hvordan forbrugerne har brugt deres penge - og tilbyder ekstra cash back eller point, når du bruger på dagligvarer, gas, boligforbedringer eller takeaway-ordrer, for eksempel eller give højere pointværdier, når du indløser belønninger for sådanne køb. Selv når rejser tager fart igen, kan udstedere af rejsekort også blive ved med at udråbe forhøjede belønninger på kategorier uden for rejsearenaen.
Men efterhånden som pandemien aftager, vil robuste rejsebelønninger igen være i centrum for både kortudstedere og kunder. Indledende bonusser - hvorigennem nye kortholdere kan tjene en bunke ekstra penge tilbage, point eller miles, normalt ved at opfylde et forbrugsminimum i de første par måneder - kan blive mere generøse på rejsekort senere i år, siger Matt Schulz fra CompareCards. com.
Uanset om du vil samle miles og point til din post-pandemiske ferie eller holde dig til simple cashback-belønninger, har du ingen mangel på gode valg blandt vores 2021-valg af de bedste belønninger kreditkort. Vi har tildelt medaljer til kort i 17 kategorier.
Disse kort giver enkle og stærke belønninger på alle køb.
Citi Double Cash vinder toppræmier i denne kategori år efter år, fordi dens belønninger er enkle og rigelige:Du får 1 % kontant tilbage, når du foretager et køb og yderligere 1 % tilbage, når du betaler regningen, for i alt 2 % på alle udgifter. Indløs en tilbagebetalingssaldo på mindst $25 for en check, et indskud på en tilknyttet Citi-opsparings- eller checkkonto eller en hvilken som helst checkkonto, hvorfra du har betalt din kreditkortregning mindst to gange, eller en kontoudtog. (Hvis du vælger en kontokredit, vil du ikke modtage 1 % kontant tilbage på betalingen.) Belønninger udløber, hvis du ikke tjener penge tilbage i 12 måneder.
Hvis du har en PayPal-konto, så tjek dette kort. Det giver 2% kontant tilbage på hvert køb, og du kan bruge det overalt, der accepterer Mastercard-betalinger. Indløs penge tilbage til din PayPal-konto; derfra kan du overføre det til en tilknyttet bankkonto. Eller brug det til at foretage køb eller sende penge til andre PayPal-brugere, hvis du har en Cash- eller Cash Plus-konto.
Tjen 1,5 % kontant tilbage på hvert køb, som du kan indløse i et hvilket som helst beløb for en check eller kontoudtog. Kortet har ingen udenlandske transaktionsgebyrer, hvilket gør det til en god mulighed at have i din pung, når du tager til udlandet. Det kan udstedes på Mastercard- eller Visa-netværket.
For det første år skal du ikke betale noget årligt gebyr og få et fremragende afkast på 3 % på alle køb. Derefter betaler du et årligt gebyr på $99, men du tjener stadig imponerende 2,5 % på alle udgifter. Belønninger spores som point, som du kan veksle til en kurs på hver en krone til et bankkontoindskud eller kontoudtog (minimum indløsningsbeløb:5.000 point). Eller du kan indløse point til rejse-, merchandise- eller begivenhedsbilletter, men pointværdier og minimumsindløsningsbeløb varierer. Alle kan blive medlem af Farmers Insurance FCU ved at melde sig ind i American Consumer Council og indsætte $5 på en opsparingskonto.
Alliant Cashback Visa giver 2,5% kontant tilbage på alle udgifter. Belønningsindtjening er begrænset til $250 ($10.000 i køb) pr. månedlig faktureringscyklus. Når du har akkumuleret mindst $50 i kontanter tilbage, kan du indløse det som en kontoudtog eller indsætte det på en Alliant Credit Union check- eller opsparingskonto. Cash back udløber fra fire til fem år efter, du har optjent dem. For at blive medlem af kreditforeningen kan du blive medlem af velgørenhedsorganisationen Foster Care to Success (Alliant betaler medlemsgebyret på 5 USD på dine vegne). Du skal også åbne en opsparingskonto; Alliant laver et gratis depositum på $5 til dig.
Sidste år introducerede Chase Freedom Flex, som tilbyder høje rabatter både i roterende kvartalskategorier og i andre kategorier, der forbliver stabile. Hele året får du 5 % tilbage på rejser, som du bestiller gennem Chase’s Ultimate Rewards-program, 3 % tilbage på indkøb af restauranter og apoteker og 1 % tilbage på andre udgifter. Du vil også tjene 5 % tilbage i en kategori, der ændres hvert kvartal (5 % belønninger er begrænset til 1.500 USD brugt pr. kvartal). I 2021 omfattede kvartal-en-kategorierne engrosklubber (bemærk, at Costco Wholesale i sine butikker kun accepterer kreditkortbetalinger fra kort udstedt på Visa-netværket); internet-, kabel- og telefontjenester; og udvalgte video- og musikstreamingtjenester. Kvartal-to kategorier er tankstationer og boligforbedringsbutikker. Kategorier for kvartal tre og fire blev ikke offentliggjort på pressetidspunktet. Som en midlertidig fordel får du til og med marts 2022 5 % tilbage på ture med samkørselstjeneste Lyft. Belønninger kommer i form af Chase Ultimate Rewards-point, som er værd 1 cent hver for cash back (kan indløses i ethvert beløb), rejse- eller gavekort (minimum kan variere).
Med dette kort skal du vælge to kategorier hvert kvartal, der tjener 5 % kontant tilbage på op til $2.000 brugt på kombinerede køb. For nylig omfattede de 12 muligheder tv, internet og streamingtjenester; jordtransport; husholdningsapparater; mobiltelefonudbydere; fastfood; og stormagasiner. Du får også 2 % tilbage i én valgfri kategori:tankstationer, restauranter eller dagligvarebutikker. Alle andre udgifter får 1 % tilbage. Indløs belønninger som en kredit- eller indbetaling på en amerikansk bankkonto eller opsparingskonto. Eller få et forudbetalt betalingskort fra amerikansk bank (minimum 25 USD). Cash back udløber efter tre år.
Hvert kvartal tilbyder Discover It 5 % kontant tilbage på op til $1.500 brugt i en ny kategori. I 2021 omfattede 5 %-kategorien køb i dagligvarebutikker, Walgreens og CVS i første kvartal. Rabatten på 5 % gælder for tankstationer, engrosklubber og udvalgte video- og musikstreamingtjenester i andet kvartal; restaurant- og PayPal-køb i tredje kvartal; og Amazon.com, Walmart.com og Target.com i fjerde kvartal – praktisk til ferieindkøb. Alle andre udgifter tjener 1% kontant tilbage. Indløs belønninger i et hvilket som helst beløb for en velgørende donation, bankkontoindskud eller kontoudtog eller for at foretage køb direkte hos udvalgte forhandlere. Eller med en minimumsaldo på 20 USD, indløs penge tilbage til gavekort.
Hvis du har brug for motivation til at gemme dine belønninger i opsparing, så overvej dette kort fra Fidelity Investments. Du får to point per dollar ved hvert køb, hvilket resulterer i en tilbagebetaling på 2 %, hvis du indløser point som et kontant depositum til en kvalificeret Fidelity-konto. Du kan opdele belønninger mellem op til fem konti, inklusive en mæglerkonto, en kontantstyringskonto, en IRA, en sundhedsopsparingskonto, en 529 college-opsparingsplan eller en velgørende konto. Eller direkte belønninger til en vens eller et familiemedlems konto - f.eks. indbetal dem i et barnebarns 529-plan. Hvis du i stedet indløser point til rejser, merchandise, gavekort eller kontoudtog, er de kun cirka halvdelen af værdien værd. Du skal bruge mindst 2.500 point for enhver form for indløsning.
Få et afkast på 2 % af hver brugt dollar, hvis du indløser dine belønninger til en kvalificeret TD Bank check- eller opsparingskonto. Du optjener et point pr. dollar ved hvert køb, og point er hver en krone værd, når du indløser dem til kontanter til en TD-bankkonto (minimumsindløsning på 2.500 point). TD indsætter yderligere 1 cent på kontoen for hvert point, der indløses. Hvis du indløser point til en kontoudtog, kontanter tilbage til en ikke-TD bankkonto, rejse- eller gavekort, er point værd mindst en krone stykket (1 % afkast af forbrug), men TD matcher ikke indskud eller kreditter .
Dette kort fra finansteknologiselskabet SoFi giver to point for hver brugt dollar, og det tilskynder til besparelser ved at tilbyde en tilbagebetaling på 2 % på hvert køb, hvis du indsætter dine belønninger på en SoFi kontantstyringskonto eller investeringskonto. Eller ansøg kontant tilbage på dit SoFi studielån eller personlige lån. Hvis du indløser point for kontoudtog, er de kun halvdelen af værdien værd.
Chase Freedom Unlimited, som Chase fornyede sidste år, tilbyder nu fem Ultimate Rewards-point pr. dollar brugt på rejsebookinger gennem Chase Ultimate Rewards-portalen, samt tre point pr. dollar på køb af restauranter og apoteker. Derudover tjener Lyft-forlystelser fem point pr. dollar til og med marts 2022. Få 1,5 point pr. dollar på alle andre udgifter – højere end standarden på et point eller 1 %, som mange kort tilbyder ved køb uden for deres maksimale rabatkategorier. Point er værd 1 cent hver for tilbagebetaling (kan indløses i ethvert beløb), rejse- eller gavekort (minimum kan variere). Lad dette kort blive derhjemme, hvis du rejser til udlandet – det opkræver et gebyr på 3 % udenlandsk transaktion.
Belønninger er ukomplicerede med dette kort:Du optjener tre point per brugt dollar, når du bestiller rejser gennem Bank of America's Travel Center og 1,5 point per dollar på andre udgifter. Point er 1 cent værd stykket, når du indløser dem til kontokreditter på rejse- og restaurantkøb, eller 0,6 cent hver, når du veksler dem til cash back, såsom en check eller indbetaling på en Bank of America-indskudskonto eller Merrill-kontantadministrationskonto ( Minimumsindløsning på 2.500 point for nogen af disse optioner). Pointværdier varierer for gavekortindløsninger (minimum 3.125 point).
Capital One Venture vinder guldmedaljen for sin enkle, men lukrative belønningsstruktur:Du tjener fem miles per dollar brugt på hotel- og billejekøb foretaget gennem Capital One Travel og to miles per dollar på alt andet. Miles kan indløses i ethvert beløb til en sats på en krone stykket for kontokreditter på rejsekøb eller rejsebookinger gennem Capital One; miles er værd 0,5 cent hver, hvis du indløser dem til en kontokredit på ikke-rejsekøb. Eller overfør dine miles til et af mere end et dusin deltagende loyalitetsprogrammer for hoteller og flyselskaber, inklusive dem fra Air France, JetBlue og Wyndham Hotels &Resorts (du får 1,5 point eller miles fra de fleste loyalitetsprogrammer for hver to Capital One-mile, der overføres). En anden god frynsegode for rejsende:Hvert fjerde år, modtag refusion af ansøgningsgebyret for Global Entry ($100) eller TSA PreCheck ($85); hver giver hurtig sikkerhedsscreening i lufthavnen. Kortet kan udstedes på Visa- eller Mastercard-netværket.
Dette kort giver fem point pr. dollar på forudbetalte hotel- og billeje bestilt gennem US Banks FlexPerks Rewards Center, tre point på restauranter, to point på køb af flyselskaber og tankstationer og et point på andre udgifter. Nøglen til at maksimere værdien af point er at bytte dem til rejsebookinger gennem belønningscentret (minimumsindløsning på 1.000 point), for hvilke de hver er stærke 1,5 cent værd. Eller byt dem til en kurs på en øre hver for ikke-rejseindløsninger, såsom en kontokredit eller indbetaling på en amerikansk bankindskudskonto (minimumsindløsning på 5.000 point). Point udløber fem år efter udgangen af det kalenderkvartal, hvor de blev optjent. Kortholdere nyder også godtgørelse af op til $100 for et TSA PreCheck eller Global Entry ansøgningsgebyr og gratis Boingo Wi-Fi hotspot adgang.
Tjen tre point pr. dollar brugt i en solid samling af kategorier:restauranter, supermarkeder, tankstationer og flyrejser og hoteller. Alle andre udgifter tjener et point per dollar. Byt point til en kurs på 1 cent hver for gavekort (minimumsindløsning på 10 USD) eller rejsebookinger gennem Citis ThankYou-belønningsportal. Du kan også overføre ThankYou-point til deltagende flyselskabers hyppige flyvninger, inklusive dem fra JetBlue og Virgin Atlantic (de fleste overførsler er i forholdet 1:1). Hvert kalenderår giver Premier-kortet en rabat på 100 USD på et forudbetalt hotelophold på 500 USD eller mere.
This card gets top marks for flexibility, thanks to healthy point values and the ability to transfer points to an appealing list of partner travel loyalty programs. You earn two Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on restaurant and travel purchases, and one point per dollar on all other spending. Points are worth 1.25 cents apiece when you use them to book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards (minimum redemption amounts may vary). And with the Pay Yourself Back feature, you can get a 1.25-cent value when redeeming points for statement credits against purchases in rotating categories; through September, the categories include grocery stores, home-improvement stores, restaurants and select charities. Points are worth a penny each for cash (no minimum to redeem) or gift cards (minimums may vary). Or transfer points at a one-to-one ratio to partner travel loyalty programs, including Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt.
A few temporary perks:five points per dollar spent on Lyft rides through March 2022, up to $60 back on a Peloton Digital or All-Access membership through December, and a free subscription of at least a year to DashPass, which offers waived and reduced fees with food-delivery service DoorDash (activate by December 31).
With the American Express EveryDay card, earn Amex Membership Rewards points without paying an annual fee. You get two points for every dollar spent at supermarkets (up to $6,000 spent per year; one point thereafter) and one point per dollar on other spending. Each month that you make at least 20 purchases on the card, you get a 20% bonus on the points you’ve earned. You can transfer points to partner travel loyalty programs, including Delta SkyMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. (Most transfers are at a one-to-one ratio; the ratio for Hilton is one Membership Rewards point per two Hilton points). Or exchange points at a rate of a penny each for flights booked through American Express Travel (minimum 5,000 points). You can also redeem points for hotel reservations and other travel bookings, as well as statement credits or gift cards, but point values are often lower. The card charges a 2.7% foreign-transaction fee.
If you are a frequent guest at Marriott properties, you should consider this card because you can either redeem Marriott Bonvoy points that you earn with it for hotel stays or transfer them to more than 40 frequent-flier programs, including American AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, Southwest Rapid Rewards and United MileagePlus (at a ratio of three Marriott points to one mile for most programs). For every 60,000 points that you transfer, you get a bonus of 5,000 miles. The card doles out six points per dollar spent at Marriott hotels and two points per dollar on all other spending. Points expire if your account is inactive for 24 months.
Frequent travelers can squeeze a lot of value out of this feature-packed card. It offers a $300 annual statement credit on travel spending—and through December, gas and grocery store purchases count toward the credit, too. Other benefits include a credit of up to $100 every four years for a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee and free access to airport lounges through Priority Pass Select. Through December, cardholders get up to $120 back for a Peloton Digital or All-Access membership and up to $60 in statement credits for purchases with food-delivery service DoorDash. You have until December 31 to activate a free subscription of at least a year to DashPass, which provides reduced fees on DoorDash deliveries, and until March 2022 to start one year of free membership with Lyft Pink, which provides discounted rides, priority airport pickups and other perks from Lyft.
Sapphire Reserve pays out three Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on dining and travel purchases and one point per dollar on other spending, and through March 2022, Lyft rides earn 10 points per dollar. Points have a rich value of 1.5 cents each if you use them to book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards (minimum redemption amounts may vary). Recently, through the Pay Yourself Back feature, you could also get a 1.5-cent point value when redeeming points for statement credits against purchases in rotating categories; through September, the categories include grocery stores, home-improvement stores, restaurants and select charities. Or transfer points to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs, as with Chase Sapphire Preferred (see the Flexible Travel Redemptions category).
American Express Platinum is a great choice among premium cards if you spend a lot of time at airports. It provides free access to several lounge networks, including Amex’s own well-regarded Centurion lounges. And you get free visits to lounges from Airspace, Escape, Delta Sky Club and Priority Pass Select, too. Cardholders also get a $200 yearly credit for incidental fees (such as for checked baggage or in-flight meals) on one airline of choice; $15 in Uber Cash per month for Uber rides or Uber Eats deliveries ($35 in December); Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status; an application-fee credit of up to $100 for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry; extras such as early breakfast, late checkout, and dining and spa credits at select hotels; and complimentary membership in premium car-rental programs from Avis, Hertz and National.
Earn five Amex Membership Rewards points per dollar on flights (up to $500,000 spent yearly) and prepaid hotel reservations booked through Amex Travel. During your first six months of card membership, the card recently offered 10 points per dollar on up to $15,000 in combined gas station and supermarket purchases, too. Other spending gets one point per dollar. Points are transferable to partner travel loyalty programs (for details, see the Amex EveryDay card, the silver medalist in the Flexible Travel Redemptions category), or exchange points at a rate of a penny each for flights booked through American Express Travel (minimum 5,000 points).
Pick up five points per dollar on restaurant and airfare spending, three points per dollar on hotel and cruise line purchases, and one point per dollar on other spending. Points are redeemable at a rate of a penny apiece for travel bookings through Citi’s ThankYou Travel Center, or you can transfer them to participating airline frequent-flier programs, including those from JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic (most transfers are at a 1:1 ratio). Cardholders also get free airport lounge access with a Priority Pass Select membership, reimbursement of up to $100 every five years for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee, a free fourth night during a hotel stay of at least four consecutive nights booked through Citi’s ThankYou.com (you can use the benefit twice per year) and a $250 statement credit on travel purchases each year. Through December, supermarket and restaurant purchases count toward the credit, too.
This card awards two SkyMiles per dollar not only on Delta purchases but also in two other attractive cate-gories:restaurant and supermarket spending. All other purchases earn one SkyMile per dollar. Cardholders also get one free checked bag for up to nine passengers on a flight reservation, priority boarding, a 20% discount on in-flight purchases (excluding Wi-Fi) and a $100 credit for a Delta flight if you spend at least $10,000 on the card in a year.
Frequent fliers on Southwest Airlines get a lot of bang for their buck to offset the annual fee with this card. Included are a $75 yearly travel credit for Southwest purchases (excluding upgraded boarding and in-flight purchases), annual reimbursement for up to four upgraded flight boardings to positions A1 to A15, a bonus of 7,500 Rapid Rewards points on your account anniversary each year, and 1,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List or A-List Preferred status for each $10,000 in purchases on the card (up to $100,000 yearly). Cardholders earn two points per dollar on Southwest purchases and one point per dollar on other spending. Recently, you could also get three points per dollar spent at restaurants for the first year.
This card will prove lucrative for frequent JetBlue flyers. It provides six TrueBlue points per dollar spent on purchases from JetBlue, two points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores, and one point per dollar on other spending. Plus, you get 5,000 bonus points on your account anniversary each year; one free checked bag for you and up to three other passengers on a flight reservation; a 50% discount on in-flight cocktail and food purchases; a $100 annual statement credit if you purchase a JetBlue Vacations package of at least $100 with the card; and Mosaic loyalty status if you spend $50,000 or more on the card in a calendar year. Each time you redeem points for a flight, you get back a 10% point bonus.
Healthy point values help boost the Hyatt card to the top of the heap among hotel cards. Earn four World of Hyatt Bonus points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and two points per dollar for purchases with restaurants, airlines, local transit, fitness clubs and gyms. In the first six months of card membership, you also get two points per dollar on all other purchases (on up to $15,000 spent); after that, you earn one point per dollar on other spending. Each year after your cardmember anniversary, you get a free night at a Hyatt property (in hotel categories one through four), as well as an extra free night if you spend at least $15,000 on the card in a calendar year. Cardmembers also enjoy Discoverist loyalty status, five qualifying night credits toward the next tier status each year, and two more qualifying night credits for each $5,000 spent on the card.
This card makes up for low Hilton Honors point values by piling on plenty of extra points in everyday spending categories. You earn 12 points per dollar spent at Hilton properties, six points per dollar on restaurant, supermarket and gas purchases, and three points per dollar on all other spending. (Points typically expire if you are inactive in the Hilton Honors program for 15 months, and earning points with the credit card counts as activity; points set to expire in 2021, however, will not expire until December 31.) Plus, get automatic Hilton Honors Gold loyalty status, or Diamond status if you spend at least $40,000 on the card in a calendar year. If you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, you get a free weekend-night reward. Through Priority Pass Select, cardholders can visit participating airport lounges free up to 10 times a year. Rather skip the annual fee? Check out the Hilton Honors Amex, which also provides bountiful points in a range of categories.
Earn six Wyndham Rewards points per dollar spent at Wyndham properties, four points per dollar on restaurant and grocery store purchases, and one point per dollar on other spending. (Points expire if your Wyndham Rewards account is inactive for 18 months.) Cardholders get a 7,500-point bonus on their account anniversary each year, automatic Platinum status with Wyndham’s loyalty program, discounts on the best available rates for overnight Wyndham stays, and a 10% discount on points needed to reserve hotel stays with the program’s Go Free awards, which allow you to book free nights with specified point increments.
Get 5% cash back on fuel purchases paid at the pump and 1% back on other retail spending. Rewards redemption is simple:Abound automatically applies cash back to your account each month. To become a member of the credit union, join nonprofit organization USA Cares (no fee applies), pay a one-time, $10 membership fee to the credit union, and deposit $5 into a savings account.
This credit card from wholesale retailer Sam’s Club offers 5% cash back on up to $6,000 spent yearly on gas station purchases (1% thereafter). You also earn 3% back at restaurants, and if you have a Plus membership ($100 a year), the card provides 3% back on Sam’s Club purchases, in addition to the 2% back that Plus members get on store purchases regardless of whether they have the credit card. Those with a Club membership ($45 yearly) get 1% back on Sam’s Club purchases, and all cardholders earn 1% on spending that does not fall into any of the other rebate categories. Cash-back rewards are limited to $5,000 a year, and the previous year’s rewards are automatically loaded to your membership account starting each February. You can use cash back to make purchases at Sam’s Club stores and SamsClub.com.
Earn 4% cash back on gas purchases, 3% at restaurants and 2% at grocery stores on the first $8,000 of combined spending in those categories each year. All other spending gets 1% back. When your cash-back balance reaches $25, you can redeem it for an account credit or a deposit into an eligible PNC bank or investment account. If you live in a region with PNC Bank branches, you can use the card without having any other PNC accounts. If you live outside of PNC’s branch footprint, you must have an online bank account with PNC to use the card.
Amex’s Blue Cash Preferred has long been the gold standard among grocery-rebate cards for its unbeatable 6% cash back on up to $6,000 spent yearly at supermarkets (1% thereafter). Cardholders also get 6% back on qualifying video- and music-streaming subscriptions, 3% back on transit (such as taxis, ride-sharing services, parking and tolls) and gas purchases, and 1% on other spending. When your cash-back balance is $25 or more, you can redeem it for a statement credit. If you prefer a no-fee card, consider Amex Blue Cash Everyday, which offers 3% back on up to $6,000 in annual supermarket spending, 2% back on gas and select department-store purchases, and 1% back on other spending.
If you’re a customer of Verizon’s wireless services, you can apply for the carrier’s credit card. It provides a generous 4% back on grocery store and gas purchases, 3% back on restaurant spending, 2% back on Verizon purchases, and 1% back on other spending. Rewards are distributed as Verizon Dollars, which you can use to pay your Verizon wireless or Fios bill and to buy Verizon devices and accessories. If your account is inactive for 24 months, you forfeit unused Verizon Dollars. If you use the card to make automatic payments for your Verizon wireless bill and sign up for paperless billing, you can get a monthly discount of $5 or $10, depending on your plan, for each line on your wireless plan.
If you qualify for membership with Navy Federal Credit Union, check out this card, which offers three points per dollar spent at supermarkets and restaurants and on gas and transit. Other purchases earn one point per dollar. Points are worth 1 cent each when you redeem them for cash back, travel bookings and gift cards. Navy Federal membership isn’t open to everyone, but the standards are fairly broad:You can join as a military servicemember or veteran, a roommate or immediate family member of a servicemember (including spouses, children, parents, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren), or a Department of Defense civilian employee. Members must deposit at least $5 into a savings account.
Get an appetizing four points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases with this card, which U.S. Bank introduced last year. It also provides two points per dollar spent on groceries, gas and eligible video- and music-streaming services and one point per dollar on other spending. Points are redeemable at a rate of a penny apiece for merchandise, gift cards and travel bookings (1,000-point minimum redemption for those options), and points have the same value for statement credits or deposits into a U.S. Bank savings or checking account (2,500-point minimum). You also get a $15 statement credit each year that you charge 11 consecutive months of payments to eligible streaming services, such as Apple Music, Hulu and Netflix.
The SavorOne card offers 3% cash back on restaurant and entertainment spending (the entertainment category includes purchases at movie theaters, sporting events, amusement parks, zoos and some other venues), 2% back at grocery stores and 1% back on other purchases. Redeem cash back in any amount for a statement credit or check. Cardholders also get dining perks, such as premium service with restaurant-reservation app OpenTable and presale tickets for benefit dinners through Capital One’s Taste America program. If you spend significant amounts on dining purchases, the $95 fee on the Capital One Savor card may be worthwhile because it pays a higher rate of 4% back on dining purchases.
Amex Gold is well suited to travelers who dine out frequently and can make good use of a strong grocery rebate, too. You get four Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and on up to $25,000 spent yearly at U.S. supermarkets, three points on airfare, two points on qualifying purchases at AmexTravel.com, and one point on other spending. Redeem points at a rate of a penny apiece for flights booked through Amex Travel, or transfer them to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs. (For more detail on transfers, see the Amex EveryDay card, the silver medalist in the “Flexible Travel Redemptions” category). Plus, cardholders get $10 in Uber Cash each month—which you can spend on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides—and a $10 monthly statement credit for purchases through Grubhub, Seamless, Boxed and other participating food-delivery services. And when you stay at properties in Amex Travel’s Hotel Collection, get up to $100 in credit for qualifying activities at the hotel, such as visiting its restaurants or spa.
If you’re a regular visitor to Walmart’s website and stores, you can get good value from its credit card, which offers five points per dollar spent at Walmart.com (including grocery delivery or pickup). For the first year, you also get five points per dollar spent on in-store purchases if you use the card through Walmart Pay, Walmart’s mobile payment app; after that, you get two points per dollar at the store. Purchases at Walmart and Murphy USA gas stations, as well as restaurant and travel spending, earn two points per dollar, and other spending earns one point per dollar. Exchange points in any amount at a rate of a penny each for checks, statement credits, gift cards or travel bookings.
Amazon’s credit card pays out three points per dollar spent at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market—or five points per dollar if you��re a member of Amazon’s $119 yearly Prime service. The card also pays two points per dollar spent at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores, and one point per dollar on other purchases. Redeem points at a rate of a penny each for cash back, purchases directly at Amazon.com, gift cards (2,500-point minimum) or travel bookings.
Members of Costco Wholesale can take advantage of a desirable set of rebates with this card. You get 4% cash back on up to $7,000 spent on gas per year (1% thereafter), 3% on restaurant and travel spending, 2% on Costco and Costco.com purchases, and 1% on other spending. After your February billing statement closes each year, you’ll receive the cash back you earned the previous year as a reward certificate, which you can redeem for cash or merchandise in a single transaction at Costco. You have until December 31 the year your certificate is issued to redeem it.
You can use this card only at Target’s stores or website, but Target fans will appreciate the 5% rebate on in-store and online purchases. The discount extends to clearance prices and in-store Starbucks purchases, but prescription drugs, Target Optical eye exams, and certain other items and services are not eligible. Cardholders get free shipping on most deliveries from Target.com and an additional 30 days to make returns or exchanges.
With the Lowe’s Advantage card, you get a 5% discount on every purchase. Alternatively, you can choose to get six months of no-interest payments on a purchase of at least $299 (a 26.99% interest rate is charged retroactively to the purchase date if you don’t pay the full balance within six months) or 84 fixed monthly payments at a reduced 7.99% interest rate on a minimum $2,000 purchase.
Earn five points per dollar spent at stores in the TJX family, including HomeGoods, Homesense, Marshalls, T.J.Maxx and Sierra. For every 1,000 points you earn, you get a $10 rewards certificate, which expires two years after its issue date. Note that TJX also offers a version of the card that is usable anywhere Mastercard is accepted, but its only other rebate category is one point per dollar on purchases outside of TJX stores.
This card comes with several student-friendly features. To start, its rewards scheme is simple and sensible for the student lifestyle, offering 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (on up to $1,000 in combined purchases per quarter) and 1% back on other spending. Cash back is redeemable in any amount for statement credits, bank account deposits, charitable donations or direct payments to select merchants; gift card redemptions come with a $20 minimum. After the first year, Discover matches the cash back you’ve earned, so students don’t have to meet a spending minimum to secure an initial bonus.
Each school year a student has a grade point average of at least 3.0 (for up to five years) earns him or her a $20 statement credit. And when it comes to interest and penalties, Discover’s policies are forgiving for young people who are learning the ropes of managing a credit card:It never charges a penalty interest rate after a late payment, and it waives the late fee for the first missed payment.
Choose one category that earns 3% cash back. The options are gas, online shopping, restaurants, travel, drugstores, and home improvement and furnishings (you can change the category each calendar month). You also get 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. Each quarter, a combined $2,500 spending cap applies to the 3% and 2% categories—after that, purchases in those categories earn 1% back, and all other spending gets 1% back, too. Redeem rewards in any amount for a statement credit or deposit into a Bank of America checking or savings account; certain other redemptions, such as receiving a check, require a $25 minimum
Consider this card if you prefer a basic, flat-rate structure for cash back and would appreciate a little extra encouragement to pay your bills on time. Each month that you make timely payments, the card provides a 1.25% payback (otherwise, you get 1% back) and a $5 statement credit toward eligible music- and video-streaming service subscriptions charged to the card (limited to $60 in credits within the first 18 months of card membership). Cash back is redeemable in any amount for a statement credit or check. Capital One charges no foreign-transaction fees, and Mastercard is widely accepted worldwide, so this card is a good one for students to keep in their pockets for studying abroad.
If you like straightforward rewards and redemptions, this card does the job:You earn 2% cash back for every purchase on up to $50,000 spent per calendar year and 1% back thereafter. Cash back is automatically credited to your statement. You can add employee cards to your account, set spending limits and keep an eye on their spending with alerts and reports. Prefer to earn Amex Membership Rewards points instead? The American Express Blue Business Plus card provides two points per dollar on up to $50,000 spent per year and one point per dollar after that.
Spark Cash provides an unlimited 2% cash back on all spending, making it a fitting selection for business owners who charge significant sums. Cash back is redeemable in any amount for a statement credit or check. You can add employee cards to your account free, track employee spending and set spending limits for the cards. Spark Cash may be issued on the Mastercard or Visa network. It charges no foreign-transaction fee—a nice perk for international business travelers.
If you have large expenses coming up and can spend $15,000 in the first three months of card membership, the recent sign-up bonus of an eye-popping 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points—worth $1,250 in travel bookings through Chase or $1,000 in cash back—will make up for the annual fee several times over. The card pays out three points per dollar on up to $150,000 per year in combined spending on shipping purchases; advertising on social media sites and search engines; internet, cable and phone services; and travel. All other spending nets one point per dollar spent. Points are worth 1.25 cents apiece when you redeem them for travel bookings through Chase Ultimate Rewards (minimum redemption amounts may vary) or 1 cent for cash back (no minimum required) and gift cards (minimums may vary). You can also transfer points to participating hotel and airline loyalty programs, including Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. The card charges no foreign-transaction fee, so business travelers benefit, too.
Employee cards are free, and you can set spending limits on them. Another helpful feature:You get insurance for cell phones against damage or theft, for both you and employees listed on your phone bill, if you pay the bill with the card (there’s a $100 deductible per claim and a maximum of three claims per year).
If you like the Chase family of cards but want to avoid an annual fee, check out the Chase Ink Business Cash Visa. It offers five Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on up to $25,000 in combined annual spending at office-supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services; two points per dollar on up to $25,000 in combined annual spending at gas stations and restaurants; and one point per dollar on other spending. Points are worth a penny apiece for cash back, gift cards and travel bookings.
If a low interest rate is more important to you than dazzling rewards, consider these cards.
Long-term 0% introductory rate: The 0% introductory period on the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum card (www.usbank.com) lasts 20 months for both purchases and balance transfers; after that, the variable rate was recently 14.49% to 24.49%. The balance-transfer fee is the greater of 3% of the amount transferred or $5.
No-fee balance transfers: If you have access to a Chase bank branch, you can visit it to apply for the Chase Slate Visa card , which provides a 0% introductory rate on balance transfers for 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74%) and charges no fee on transfers made within 60 days of opening the account. Recently, most customers could not apply for the card online.
Low ongoing rate:The Lake Michigan Credit Union Prime Platinum Visa (www.lmcu.org) offers an interest rate as low as 6.25% and charges no balance-transfer fee. Anyone can join the credit union by donating $5 to the ALS Foundation and depositing $5 into a savings account.
For each card, we’ve calculated a typical annual rebate using spending patterns listed in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey and assuming $24,000 charged to the card each year (unless otherwise noted). For cards that do not waive their annual fee the first year, we subtracted the fee from the cash value of the annual rebate. Other criteria play into card placement, too, such as ease and flexibility of earning and redeeming rewards and whether you must be a member of a club or financial institution to apply for a card. Except where noted, rewards do not expire or have caps, and the travel-focused cards do not charge foreign-transaction fees.
We do not include a typical annual rebate for premium travel rewards cards because they also provide considerable value outside of the points they award for everyday spending.
We did not encounter a contender for bronze medalist in the “Flat-Rate Cash Back (Worth the Fee)” category. Additionally, we selected Wells Fargo Propel American Express as the gold medalist among no-fee travel rewards cards. Recently, however, Wells Fargo paused acceptance of applications for the card.
Rankings were based on terms available in March 2021 and may have changed since. We've noted updates for some of these cards here:New Perks From Our Best Rewards Cards.