The 12 Best Rewards Credit Cards [2023]

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Rewards credit cards have become very popular lately. They offer cardholders a chance to earn points, cash back, or other cool perks just by swiping that card in their everyday life.

And the best part? These rewards can be redeemed for lots of things such as cash back, travel adventures, or transferring them to other airline and hotel programs.

Today, we’re diving deep – showing you some top-notch rewards credit cards that will help you maximize every dollar you spend.

Best Starter Travel Card: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review)

Best for Airport Lounge Access: The Platinum Card® from American Express (review)

Best All-around Travel Card: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (review

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Best Starter Travel Card

Best Starter Travel Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
  • 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

Click Here to Learn How to Apply

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. 

2. American Express® Gold Card

Best for Dining and 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.

3. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Best All-Around Travel Card

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
  • bonus_miles_full
  • $300 Annual Credit for Bookings through Capital One Travel
  • 10,000 Miles for Each Account Anniversary
  • Hertz President’s Circle Elite Status
  • Airport Lounge Access (Priority Pass, Capital One, & Plaza Premium)
  • 10X Miles on Hotels and Rental Cars, and 5x Miles on Flights Booked with Capital One Travel
  • 2X Miles on All Other purchases
  • $395 Annual Fee
Learn More Our Review

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.

4. The Platinum Card® from American Express

Best for Booking Flights & Airport Lounge Access

Airport Lounge Access
The Platinum Card® from American Express
  • bonus_miles_full
  • Potentially Higher Welcome Bonus via Referral.
  • 5x Points on Flights Booked Directly With Airlines (up to $500,000 in purchases each calendar year)
  • Airport Lounge Access (Centurion, Delta Sky Club, Priority Pass, Escape, and Plaza Premium)
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
  • $695 Annual Fee (Rates & Fees)
Learn More Our Review
American Express is a Deals Points Advertiser; Terms Apply. Enrollment is required for some benefits.

The Platinum Card® from American Express (review) is a great premium travel rewards card for travelers who want airport lounge access, including Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta), Escape Lounges, Priority Pass lounges.

The American Express Platinum has a $695 annual fee, but you receive many annual statement credits when you enroll your card to offset the fee, including:

  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Card.
  • $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
  • $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
  • $200 Uber Cash Credit: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Benefit renews annually.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive a statement credit that covers the full cost each month.
  • $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR® Plus at 45+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per year on your membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®.

You also earn 5x Membership Rewards points when booking flights directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year) and 5x Membership Rewards points when booking prepaid hotels with American Express Travel. 

On top of that, you automatically earn Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold statuses, which offer points bonuses, room upgrades, late check-out, and other premier benefits. 

5. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Best for Travel Protection

card_name

  • bonus_miles_full
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit
  • 10x Points on Hotels and Rental Cars and 5x Points on Flights Booked Through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • 3x Points on Dining, Takeout, & Eligible Food Delivery
  • 50% More Redemption Value
  • Priority Pass Airport Lounge Access
  • Trip Delay and Trip Cancellation Insurance
  • Primary Rental Car Insurance
  • $550 Annual Fee

Click Here to Learn How to Apply

The card_name (review) is a great option for travelers who want premium perks such as airport lounge access and top-tier travel protections.

The Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee, but you receive an annual easy-to use $300 travel credit and access to 1,300+ Priority Pass airport lounges.

Plus, great benefits such as trip delay insurance, primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, purchase and return protection, extended warranty, and no foreign transaction fees.

Cardmembers also earn extra points with:

  • 5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
  • 3x points on travel.
  • 3x points on dining, and food delivery purchases.
  • 1x points everywhere else.

One thing to remember is that you won’t earn points on your first $300 in travel purchases each cardmember year since the $300 travel credit covers those purchases.

You can also cash out points at a 50% bonus (1.5 cents per point) when redeeming points towards travel or transfer the points to Chase’s airline and hotel partners.

6. Bilt Mastercard®

Best for Paying Rent & No Annual Fees

No Annual Fee
Bilt Mastercard®
  • Pay Rent Without Fees and Earn 1 Point Per Dollar on Rent (up to 100,000 Points Per Calendar Year)
  • No Annual Fee
  • 3x Points on Dining
  • 2x Points on Travel
  • Transfer Rewards to Airlines and Hotels
  • Cell Phone, Primary Rental Car, and Trip Delay Insurance
Learn More Our Review

Bilt Mastercard® is a no-annual-fee credit card that allows you to pay rent without a transaction fee and earn 1 point per dollar on rent (up to 50,000 points per calendar year).

You also earn 3x points on dining, 2x points on travel, and 1x points everywhere else.

The Bilt Rewards card also has great benefits for a no-annual fee card, including cell phone insurance, primary rental car insurance, 90-day purchase protection, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and no foreign transaction fees. 

Plus, you can transfer your points to airline and hotel partners such as United Airlines, American Airlines, and World of Hyatt. Or redeem the points for travel or at Amazon.

7. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Best Starter Rewards Card

No Annual Fee

card_name

  • bonus_miles_full
  • 5% Cash Back on Travel Purchased Via Chase
  • 3% Cash Back at Restaurants and Drug Stores
  • 1.5% Cash Back on All Other Purchases
  • 0% Intro APR for 15 Months (After that, a reg_apr,reg_apr_type APR.)
  • Purchase Protection and Extended Warranty
  • No Annual Fee

Click Here to Learn How to Apply

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (review) is a good no-annual fee credit card option that offers 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back at restaurants, takeout, eligible delivery services, and on drugstore purchases. Plus it offers 1.5% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

The card also offers nice benefits such as purchase protection, extended warranty, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and secondary rental car insurance.

8. Citi Premier® Card

Best for General Spending

Citi Premier® Card
  • bonus_miles_full
  • 3x Points at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas Stations, Air Travel, and Other Hotels.
  • $100 Off a Single $500 Hotel Stay Per Year
  • Extended Warranty and Purchase Protections
  • $95 Annual Fee
Our Review Learn More
Non-Affiliate Link

The Citi Premier® Card is the best card for earning points because it offers 3x points at:

The Premier card also comes with no foreign transaction fees, purchase protection, and an extended warranty for items purchased, adding an additional 24 months to the manufacturer’s warranty.

9. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Best for Small Business Rewards

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
  • bonus_miles_full
  • 3X Points on Travel, Shipping, Advertising (Social Media and Search Engines), Internet, Cable, and Phone on the First $150,000 Each Account Year
  • 25% Additional Points Value in Travel Redemption
  • Primary Rental Car Insurance
  • Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
  • Cell Phone Protection
  • Purchase Protection and Extended Warranty
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
  • $95 Annual Fee

Click Here to Learn How to Apply

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (review)   is an excellent choice for business owners looking for a card that offers valuable rewards and benefits.

With this card, you’ll earn:

  • 3 points per $1 spent on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines (up to $150,000 in combined purchases per account anniversary year).
  • 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases, with no limit on the number of points you can earn.

Beyond the rewards, the Ink Business Preferred provides valuable benefits, including:

  • Primary rental car insurance (when renting for business purposes).
  • Cell phone protection (up to $600 per claim against theft or damage, with a maximum of three claims per year and a $100 deductible per claim).
  • Purchase and extended warranty protection.

10. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Best Cash Back at U.S. Supermarkets & Streaming

6% Cash Back at U.S. Supermarkets and on U.S. Streaming
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
  • bonus_miles_full
  • 6% Cash Back at U.S. Supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year; 1% thereafter) and on Select U.S. Streaming
  • 3% Cash Back on Transit, Ridesharing, Parking, and at U.S. Gas Stations
  • $0 Intro Annual Fee for the First Year, then $95 (rates & fees).
Learn More Our Review
American Express is a Deals Points Advertiser; Terms Apply

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (review) offers an outstanding 6% cash back rewards for purchases at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year; 1% thereafter) and on U.S. streaming services, making it perfect for anyone who wants to maximize earnings from everyday expenses. 

Plus, the card offers 3% cash back on transit, rideshare, parking, and at U.S. gas stations.

11. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Best No-Annual Fee Business Card

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
  • bonus_miles_full
  • 3X Points on Travel, Shipping, Advertising (Social Media and Search Engines), Internet, Cable, and Phone on the First $150,000 Each Account Year
  • 25% Additional Points Value in Travel Redemption
  • Primary Rental Car Insurance
  • Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
  • Cell Phone Protection
  • Purchase Protection and Extended Warranty
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
  • $95 Annual Fee

Click Here to Learn How to Apply

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (review)   is an excellent choice for business owners looking for a card that offers valuable rewards and benefits.

With this card, you’ll earn:

  • 3 points per $1 spent on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines (up to $150,000 in combined purchases per account anniversary year).
  • 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases, with no limit on the number of points you can earn.

Beyond the rewards, the Ink Business Preferred provides valuable benefits, including:

  • Primary rental car insurance (when renting for business purposes).
  • Cell phone protection (up to $600 per claim against theft or damage, with a maximum of three claims per year and a $100 deductible per claim).
  • Purchase and extended warranty protection.

12. Citi® Double Cash Card

Best for Simple Cash Back Rewards

2% Cash Back & No Annual Fee
Citi® Double Cash Card
  • 2% Cash Back (1% on Purchases, 1% When You Pay)
  • 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After That, reg_apr,reg_apr_type.
  • No Annual Fee
Our Review Learn More
Non-Affiliate Link

The Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer boasts a strong 2% rewards rate on purchases, where you get 1% back when you buy and 1% when you pay. 

This zero-annual-fee card offers a solid earning potential as long as you pay your balance on time, and it provides a simple way to rack up points with no bonus categories to track. 

You can also boost your rewards by also holding the Citi Premier® Card (review), which allows you to transfer points to airline and hotel programs. This combination effectively allows you to earn 2 airline miles per dollar on all spending with the Citi Double Cash.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.

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

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please click here.

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