Looking for the best credit card to use in August 2023? With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one.
Fortunately, we’ve done the research for you and compiled a list of the top credit cards for August 2023, with a focus on travel rewards cards with high welcome bonuses.
Read on to find the perfect credit card for you.
Best for Premium Travel: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (review)
Best for Earning Free Nights & Elite Status: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (review)
Best for Everyday Spending: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review)
1. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Best for Premium Travel
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (review) is a premium travel rewards card that’s perfect for travelers who want outstanding travel perks like annual travel credits, worldwide airport lounge access, and travel and purchase protections. The Venture X earns 2x miles on all purchases helping you maximize every dollar of your spending. Plus, you can earn 10x miles on hotels and rental cars, and 5x miles on flights booked through Capital One. The card has a $395 annual fee, completely offset by a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, and 10,000 points (worth at least $100) for each account anniversary. Plus, you get airport lounge access via Priority Pass, Capital One, and Plaza Premium Lounges, Hertz President’s Circle elite status, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, rental car insurance, trip and luggage insurance, cell phone insurance, and purchase protection. 
2. American Express® Green Card
Best for Beginner Travelers
- Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 within the first 6 months.
- 3X Points at U.S. Restaurants, Transit, and Travel
- Annual Statement Credits for CLEAR® Plus and LoungeBuddy
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $150 Annual Fee
The American Express® Green Card (review) is a nice mid-tier travel card offering 3x Membership Rewards points on travel, restaurants, and transit, along with a $189 statement credit for $189 CLEAR® Plus credit and a $100 LoungeBuddy Credit.
3. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Best for Earning Free Nights & Elite Status
- bonus_miles_full
- 6X Points at Marriott Hotels & Resorts
- Up to a $300 Statement Credit for Eligible Purchases at Restaurants Worldwide Each Year ($25 Per Month)
- Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Status
- 25 Elite Night Credits Each Year
- Free Anniversary Night Award (Up to 85,000 Points)
- Priority Pass Airport Lounge Access
- $650 Annual Fee and No Foreign Transaction Fees (Rates and Fees)
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (review) is a premium hotel card that gets you Platinum Elite status, a free annual hotel night up to 85,000 points, 6x points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, and Priority Pass airport lounge access.
The Bonvoy Brillant comes with several great statement credits to help offset the annual fee, including:
- Up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide.
- Priority Pass airport lounge access
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
- Cell phone insurance
- 25 Marriott Elite night credits to help you reach higher status
4. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Best for Flat Rate Rewards
- bonus_miles_full
- 5x Miles on Hotels and Rental Cars via Capital One Travel
- 2x Miles Everywhere Else
- 2 Free Visits to Capital One Lounges Each Year
- Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check Credit
- Hertz 5-Star Elite Status
- Rental Car Insurance and Extended Warranty
- $95 Annual Fee
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a travel rewards credit card that earns an unlimited 2 miles per dollar on all purchases and 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
The card also comes with a range of travel benefits, including secondary rental car, no foreign transaction fees, and extended warranty coverage.
Plus, you also get two complimentary passes to visit Capital One lounges each year and an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (up to a $100 credit every four years).
5. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Best for Everyday Spending
- bonus_miles_full
- 5x Points on Travel Booked Via Chase
- 3x Points on Dining and Eligible Delivery Services
- 2x Points on All Other Travel Purchases
- 10% Anniversary Points Boost
- Trip Delay and Trip Cancellation Insurance
- Primary Rental Car Insurance
- $95 Annual Fee
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review) is one of the best rewards cards for travelers who want solid earning rates for travel and dining expenses.
For only $95 per year, this card earns 5x Chase Ultimate Rewards points on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, 3x points on dining, online groceries, and streaming services, and 2x on all other travel purchases.
Cardholders will also get a 10% anniversary points bonus, a 12-month DoorDash DashPass subscription when activated by December 31, 2024, and a $50 anniversary hotel statement credit.
Plus, it provides extensive travel protections, including trip delay, primary rental car, baggage, and purchase protection plans.
6. American Express® Gold Card
Best for Restaurants & U.S. Supermarkets
The American Express® Gold Card (review) is one of my favorite cards because it earns:
- 4x Membership Rewards® points at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.,
- 4x Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x).
- 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
Plus, card members get nice credits when you enroll your Gold Card to offset the annual fee:
- $120 Uber Cash: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account, and each month automatically get up to $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations.
7. Iberia Visa Signature® Card
Best for Iberia Flyers
The card_name (review) if you fly Iberia at least once per year, with a 10% discount on Iberia flights, 3x Avios per dollar on flights with Iberia, Aer Lingus, British Airways, and LEVEL, and a $1,000 flight discount voucher if you spend $30,000 on the card in a calendar year.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
For the rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, please click here.
For the rates and fees of the American Express® Green Card, please click here.
