Rewards credit cards are a great way to earn valuable reward currency for expenses you already make regularly. Plus, they make travel more comfortable thanks to transferable points and miles.
In fact, transferable credit card points transformed the way I travel because this currency is so much more valuable than points earned directly through an airline or hotel loyalty program.
Coupled with regular transfer bonuses to select transfer partners, the transferable points' value becomes much more evident. I can hold onto my credit card rewards until I'm ready to use them, and if one transfer partner unexpectedly increases their redemption rates, I can switch to a different transfer partner, protecting myself from unpleasant devaluations.
Regardless of the valuable rewards you earn on a credit card, prioritize using it responsibly and paying your bills in full each month. Otherwise, the interest and penalties you incur will likely be much higher than the value of any rewards received.
Whether you are a beginner traveler or an experienced one, a business owner or a renter, here are my top selections for the best rewards credit cards.
The best rewards credit cards
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees)
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees)
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees)
- Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees)
- American Express® Gold Card
Comparing the best rewards credit cards
Here's a deeper dive so you can see how my top recommendations for the best rewards credit cards stack up.
| Card | Best for | Welcome offer | Earning rates | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <strong><a href="https://ift.tt/lK6a0Vx" target="_blank">Chase Sapphire Reserve</a></strong> | Premium travel perks and credits | Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | <ul> <li>Earn 8 points per dollar spent on all purchases through Chase Travel℠</li> <li>Earn 4 points per dollar spent on flights and hotels booked direct</li> <li>Earn 3 points per dollar spent on dining</li> <li>Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases</li> </ul> <p><em>The Sapphire Reserve underwent a refresh on June 23. The earning rates outlined above will be available to new applicants upon receipt of their new Sapphire Reserve card. Existing cardholders will have access to the <a href="https://ift.tt/kGs43x1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">updated earning rates</a> shown here on Oct. 26, 2025.</em></p> | $795 |
| <strong><a href="https://ift.tt/xliceEh" target="_blank">Chase Sapphire Preferred Card</a></strong> | Beginner travelers | Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. | <ul> <li>Earn 5 points per dollar spent on travel purchased through Chase Travel</li> <li>Earn 3 points per dollar spent on dining, select streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs)</li> <li>Earn 2 points per dollar spent on all other travel purchases</li> <li>Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases</li> </ul> | $95 |
| <strong><a href="https://ift.tt/27N0SfQ" target="_blank">The Platinum Card from American Express</a></strong> | Lounge access | <p style="font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; color: #333333; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;">Find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.</p> | <ul> <li>Earn 5 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 of airfare purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)</li> <li>Earn 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel</li> <li>Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases</li> </ul> | $895 (see <a href="/tc/22504813?pid=22504813&name=The%20Platinum%20Card%C2%AE%20from%20American%20Express&data-testid=ratesFees" target="_blank">rates and fees</a>) |
| <strong><a href="https://ift.tt/vtBmA2K" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card</a></strong> | Earning flat-rate miles | Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | <ul> <li>Earn 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel</li> <li>Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase, every day</li> </ul> | $95 |
| <strong><a href="https://ift.tt/0VsJ9Cc" target="_blank">Citi Strata Premier Card</a></strong> | Starter travel | Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. | <ul> <li>Earn 10 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com</li> <li>Earn 3 points per dollar spent on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, on gas and EV charging stations</li> <li>Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases</li> </ul> | $95 |
| <strong><a href="https://ift.tt/xeIABXk" target="_blank">Chase Freedom Unlimited</a></strong> | Flexible cash rewards | Earn $200 after spending $500 in the first three months from account opening. | <ul> <li>Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel</li> <li>Earn 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services)</li> <li>Earn 1.5% cash back on all other purchases</li> </ul> | $0 |
| <strong><a href="https://ift.tt/pZATWmP" target="_blank">American Express Gold Card</a></strong> | Dining at restaurants | Find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer. | <ul> <li>Earn 4 points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year (then 1 point for the rest of the year)</li> <li>Earn 4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar spent for the rest of the year)</li> <li>Earn 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com</li> <li>Earn 2 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com</li> <li>Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases</li> </ul> | $325 (see <a href="/tc/6344?pid=6344&name=American%20Express%C2%AE%20Gold%20Card&data-testid=ratesFees" target="_blank">rates and fees</a>) |
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Welcome offer: Earn 125,000 points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Annual fee: $795.
Standout benefits: The Sapphire Reserve has recently received a face-lift and features new reward-earning rates, credits and, yes, a big annual fee.
Despite these changes, the Sapphire Reserve still offers a solid value proposition for those who can max out most of the credits and, in turn, offset the new $795 annual fee.
If you're a frequent traveler who wants access to credits that suit your lifestyle, the revamped Sapphire Reserve could be a great addition to your wallet, especially with perks like an annual $500 The Edit credit you can use (up to $250 biannually for stays of two nights or more) at 1,000+ hand-picked properties all over the world.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, this perk changes. Cardholders will automatically get a credit of up to $250 for each prepaid (two-nights or longer) booking with The Edit (up to $500 annually). Cardholders will also receive a new $250 credit for select Chase Travel hotels to use in the 2026 calendar year.
For more details, see our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Annual fee: $95.
Standout benefits: With an excellent welcome bonus of 75,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, the Chase Sapphire Preferred makes it easy to earn lots of valuable Ultimate Rewards points all for a low annual fee. You can increase your earnings with elevated rewards rates in the (massively popular) travel and dining categories.
Why it's great for rewards: When friends and family ask me which card I recommend most for beginning to collect rewards, I usually recommend this one, given its healthy welcome bonus.
Even though there are so many great Ultimate Rewards transfer partners, I have redeemed most of mine over the years through World of Hyatt for the simple reason that their award charts are really reasonable, and I know I can always get great value like at The Grayson, an Unbound Collection property in the heart of New York City (which I've previously done for a special birthday trip to celebrate my husband).
With no resort fees on World of Hyatt redemptions, we enjoyed four nights of accommodation with no out-of-pocket costs, and he gasped when he saw the view of the Empire State Building from our window.
I recently redeemed 100,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points (an Ultimate Rewards 1:1 transfer partner) for a 10.5-hour Lufthansa first-class flight from Frankfurt Airport (FRA) to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), sitting in the nose of the iconic "Queen of the Skies" Boeing 747-8.
It was one of the best flights of my life, including being driven across the tarmac in Frankfurt from the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in a private luxury vehicle, enjoying caviar with all the trimmings, plenty of Champagne and an 81-inch bed that was more comfortable than my bed at home.
This is the credit card I have held the longest and still love, and if you've ever considered a rewards-earning credit card, now is the ideal time to apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
For more details, see our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
The Platinum Card from American Express
Welcome offer: Find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Annual fee: $895.
Standout benefits: The Amex Platinum earns a generous 5 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases making it an excellent travel companion.
This card is packed with annual credits* which can easily cover the cost of the annual fee, including:
- Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by one airline you select with all major U.S. airlines available to choose from
- Up to a $600 annual hotel credit per calendar year, in the form of a statement credit, on prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with Amex Travel when you pay with your Amex Platinum (Hotel Collection stays require a two-night minimum). Distributed as two semi-annual up to $300 credits.
- An up to $209 Clear Plus statement credit to help cardholders pass through airport security faster at 50+ airports nationwide; get up to $209 back per calendar year on membership (subject to auto-renewal) when using your Platinum card
- You receive up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year on eligible purchases made on your favorite streaming services like Disney+, a Disney+ Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, Paramount+, YouTube Premium, YouTube TV, and The Wall Street Journal (up to a $25 per month).
- This card provides up to $200 per calendar year in Uber Cash, valid on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders in the U.S. (split into monthly up to $15 credits plus an up to $20 bonus in December). Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Platinum as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4½ years for a TSA PreCheck (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to the Platinum Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Up to $100 in annual Saks Fifth Avenue credits, split into one up to $50 statement credit between January and June, then another up to $50 statement credit between July and December
The Amex Plat provides a number of additional credits that I don't use myself, but they may benefit you if you frequent specific places.
*Select benefits require enrollment.
Why it's great for rewards: I can't think of another personal card that offers more perks than the almighty Amex Platinum. There's no denying that the annual fee is a serious investment, but even if you travel infrequently, the number of travel benefits can't be beaten.
I love accessing the Centurion Lounges with my Amex Platinum, already open at 15 U.S. airports, with new lounges opening soon. These spaces feature food and drinks from award-winning chefs and top mixologists and are worth arriving early to enjoy before your next flight.
Did you know that if you fly Delta on a same-day flight and show your Amex Platinum you can enjoy 10 Sky Club visits yearly? Plus, if you're flying out of or through an airport without a Centurion Lounge or Delta Sky Club, eligible cardmembers can still access more than 1,400 lounges across 140 countries thanks to American Express' Global Lounges Collection.
For more details, see our full review of The Platinum Card from American Express.
Apply now: The Platinum Card from American Express
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $95.
Standout benefits: In addition to its industry-leading 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase, every day, when you book hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars through Capital One Travel, the earning rate increases to 5 miles per dollar spent.
This card also has rental car insurance, travel assistance insurance and up to $120 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years.
Why it's great for rewards: With no foreign transaction fees, this is a great card for traveling compared with an American Express card, which I've found may not be accepted in quite as many places abroad. If you aren't comfortable paying the $395 annual fee of the Venture Rewards big sister, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, the Venture Rewards annual fee is more palatable with a $95 annual fee.
It still earns an impressive 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase. I love the 15-plus transfer partner options, especially transferring my Capital One miles to Air Canada's Aeroplan program to book business-class flights to Europe in fancy lie-flat seats from as little as 60,000 points or domestic flights on United from just 6,000 points in economy.
Or, if you want to book a flight or hotel that is not available through a transfer partner, you can also redeem Capital One miles at a rate of 1 cent each through Capital One Travel. This perk has helped me return home from some of the more unusual destinations I've visited.
For more details, see our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Learn more: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Citi Strata Premier Card
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $95.
Standout benefits: The Citi Strata Premier offers $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, once per calendar year when you book through Citi Travel. This is an easy way to cover the cost of the annual fee each year.
Why it's great for rewards: This card tends to fly under the radar, and while some other rewards cards offer bonus points in one or two major categories, the Strata Premier has been one of the most valuable cards I've ever held because it features an earning rate of 3 points per dollar spent in popular categories including air travel, other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations.
I can't think of another card that earns 3 points per dollar across so many categories where I spend regularly. This has helped me to earn tons of Citi ThankYou Rewards, which I transfer to programs like JetBlue TrueBlue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
Virgin Atlantic's fantastic new Saver fares allow me to book flights to London for as low as 6,000 Virgin points (transferred from Citi at a 1:1 rate) plus fees, taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges, as well as to fly back from Tanzania following a special birthday safari in KLM business class recently, also with Virgin points where I collected one of their cute Delft houses.
When I book travel through the Citi Travel portal, I earn an incredible 10 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rental and attractions, which I value as earning 19% back as points according to TPG's August 2025 valuation of ThankYou Rewards. This card is so rewarding for all the travel I book; the Citi Strata Card has been one of the best cards I've added to my wallet.
For more details, see our full review of the Citi Strata Premier Card.
Apply here: Citi Strata Premier Card
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Welcome offer: Earn $200 after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Annual fee: $0.
Standout benefits: Earn at least 1.5% cash back on every purchase you make on the card, increasing to 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services), and 5% back on travel booked through Chase Travel.
Why it's great for rewards: I can appreciate not everyone is as obsessed with loyalty programs as I am, and you might just want to be rewarded with uncomplicated cash back. The Chase Freedom Unlimited keeps things simple while still generously rewarding you.
I recommend this as a great option if you're looking for a card that earns more than 1% cash back on all purchases without paying an annual fee, and the welcome offer also sweetens the amount you can earn back in the first year.
If you love to travel, then consider the convenience of booking flights, hotels, cars, cruises and more through Chase Travel. Not only can this be a one-stop shop for your next vacation, but you'll earn a generous and rewarding 5% cash back on all travel booked via Chase Travel.
You can also convert the cash back you earn from this card into transferable points by pairing it with a card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
For more details, see our full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
Apply here: Chase Freedom Unlimited
American Express Gold Card
Welcome offer: Find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Annual fee: $325.
Standout benefits: This card gives you many ways to earn more than one point per dollar, especially if groceries and dining out (or ordering takeout) take up a lot of your budget.
There's also a single $10 monthly dining credit you can use at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com and Five Guys (up to a $120 annual statement credit per calendar year; enrollment required), plus $10 per month in Uber Cash, which can be used on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Gold Card as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.
Why it's great for rewards: I dine out regularly, especially when traveling and away from my home kitchen, so this is a great way to eat my way to more Membership Rewards points.
For group dinners where splitting the bill at the restaurant can be awkward, I sometimes offer to pay on my card and then have my dining companions send me their share of the check. I can earn the points for the entire check — which can easily be thousands of Membership Rewards points for a big group dinner (enrollment required).
I love transferring this reward currency to British Airways Club and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
Even beyond earning 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (up to $50,000 each calendar year for restaurants and up to $25,000 each calendar year on groceries at U.S. supermarkets, then 1 point per dollar on other purchases), the monthly credits can quickly add up to cover the annual fee each year. Even if I only order from Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Five Guys once a month, the credits are seriously rewarding. And that's before I've factored in the up to $100 annual Resy statement credits every calendar year (broken down as two up to $50 credits biannually; for purchases at U.S. Resy-affiliated restaurants and other eligible purchases). Enrollment is required.
If you love eating out at places that accept American Express, this card should be in your pocket.
For more details, see our full review of the American Express Gold Card.
Apply here: American Express Gold Card
What to consider when choosing a rewards credit card
The first step in choosing a rewards card is identifying how you plan to use a card and its accompanying rewards.
Remember: you're not locked into one card for life. I apply for, downgrade and cancel my cards relatively regularly as my spending and travel habits evolve.
Preferred rewards
Think about how you want to earn rewards — whether it's simple cash back or points and miles you can redeem through a travel portal or transfer to partners.
Your choice depends on your preferences and travel habits. If transfer options, award charts, and bonuses feel overwhelming, consider starting with a cash-back card and moving up to a points or miles card later.
Welcome bonus
It's easy to gravitate toward the card with the biggest welcome bonus — I've done it myself. But comparing a $750 cash-back bonus to 75,000 points isn't always straightforward. While you might assume points are worth one cent each, they can often be worth more, depending on how you redeem them.
While a large welcome bonus of points and miles can certainly sweeten the deal of applying for a new rewards credit card, I'd recommend checking the value of any points against TPG's current monthly valuations to put an approximate cash value on the welcome bonus.
Spending habits
Which categories do you tend to spend the most in? Do the places you shop at accept American Express? If you can determine this before applying for anything, deciding which card will earn you the most rewards is easier.
If you plan to take the card traveling with you, ensure it does not charge a foreign transaction fee. Otherwise, this fee will likely be more than the value of the rewards you would earn.
Annual fee
Though nobody likes paying an annual fee, it may be justified if the benefits of being a cardholder and the accompanying credits provide value that outweighs the fee.
A good rule of thumb that is to try and find a welcome bonus that is valued higher than the annual fee for the first year. I then look at the value of the benefits like statement credits, bonus miles and travel protections and benefits to estimate whether they would be higher than the annual fee cost in the second and subsequent years when the welcome bonus would not be applicable.
When in doubt, you could start with a card with no annual fee to be certain you are getting real value from it before considering a card with an annual fee.
How we chose the best rewards credit cards
We rated the best rewards credit cards based on several factors, including but not limited to the welcome offers these cards provide, reward earning rates — especially in popular bonus categories, transfer partners and their rates and other perks associated with each card.
Check out our methodology here to learn how TPG evaluates and chooses cards for our roundups.
Redemption options for rewards credit cards
For cash-back credit cards, consider using your rewards to reduce your statement balance. If you'd prefer to use the cash elsewhere, most issuers let you redeem it in other ways, such as applying it to Amazon.com purchases, converting it to points or transferring it to your bank account.
For points and miles cards, you can usually redeem rewards through the issuer's travel portal at around one cent per point, depending on the card. However, you'll often get better value by transferring points to airline or hotel loyalty programs.
Related: Credit card transfer partners: Guide to transferring points and miles to airlines and hotels
Bottom line
Rewards credit cards have completely changed how I spend and travel. I use them for everything — from a pack of gum to a cup of coffee — to maximize points through elevated earning rates.
Even with low or no annual fees, these cards have earned me hundreds of thousands of points and miles, along with perks like lounge access and hotel elite status.
Whether you're new to points or a seasoned collector, these tips can help you find the right rewards card for your goals.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be 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 Gold card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
Related: The best credit card welcome bonuses of August 2025
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.
from The Points Guy Articles https://ift.tt/1HQTjwB
