Many of the best rewards credit cards earn valuable points, miles, or cash back on your purchases.
Opening a rewards credit card is a great way to maximize your spending and work toward an award flight or hotel stay, or put some cash back in your pocket. Just remember to pay your statement balance in full each month to avoid incurring interest.
Business Insider's experts constantly monitor the credit card landscape to update this list of the best rewards credit cards. We compare annual fees, earning rates, complimentary benefits, and potential drawbacks to help you understand which option is best for your lifestyle.
These are the top rewards credit cards you can apply for right now.
Best Rewards Credit Cards of June 2025
| Best For | Card | Annual Fee |
| Best for no annual fee | Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0 |
| Best for travelers | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (rates and fees) | $95 |
| Best for easy redemptions | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | $95 |
| Best for families | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | $395 |
| Best for foodies | American Express® Gold Card | $325 (rates and fees) |
| Best for travel insurance | Chase Sapphire Reserve® (rates and fees) | $550 |
| Best for luxury lovers | The Platinum Card® from American Express | $695 (rates and fees) |
Best Rewards Credit Card with No Annual Fee
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is best for cost-conscious credit cardholders because it earns generous rewards on food, travel, and entertainment without charging an annual fee.
Concertgoers and foodies can quickly rack up rewards by earning 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Best Rewards Credit Card for Travelers
$95
N/A
19.99% - 28.24% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- High intro bonus offer starts you off with lots of points
- Strong travel coverage
- Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit
If you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.
Chase Sapphire Preferred- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is Business Insider's top-choice travel rewards credit card for travelers. It offers strong purchase protections and generous rewards on common expenses in exchange for a reasonable $95 annual fee.
These benefits are more than enough for most people, unless you can make use of premium perks like airport lounge access on a regular basis.
This card comes with an annual statement credit of up to $50 for hotels booked through Chase. And each year on your account anniversary, you'll receive a points bonus equal to 10% of all purchases made in the previous year.
Right now, new cardholders can also earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
You'll also get some of the best travel insurance coverage in the industry: primary car rental coverage, trip delay coverage, and purchase protection.
Best Rewards Credit Card for Easy Redemptions
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is an excellent card for easy redemptions because Capital One miles are very simple to earn and redeem.
Cardholders earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel Portal, and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases.
Cardholders also get an impressive range of perks including up to $120 in credit every four years toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fees, car rental insurance, and more.
New cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. This bonus is worth $1,275 based on Business Insider's assessment of what points and miles are worth.
Best Rewards Credit Card for Families
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a great fit for families who travel because it offers airport lounge access for the whole family and reimbursement for nonrefundable expenses when your trip is delayed or canceled for eligible reasons.
This card has an annual fee of $395, but comes with an annual credit of up to $300 a year toward travel booked through Capital One Travel. If you can maximize this benefit each year, the annual fee feels more affordable.
The Capital One Venture X's other standout benefit is Priority Pass and Capital One lounge access — even for authorized users, whom you can add to your account without an additional fee.
Cardholders also earn generous rewards on most purchases: 10 miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles on all other purchases. You'll also get a 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary that's worth $100 in travel, plus Visa Infinite travel and purchase benefits.
New cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Best Rewards Card for Foodies
$325
N/A
See Pay Over Time APR
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of Card Membership
Good to Excellent
- Great rewards for dining and for shopping at U.S. supermarkets
- Monthly statement credit for eligible dining purchases recoups some of the annual fee
- Underwhelming welcome bonus
Foodies and travelers alike will appreciate the American Express Gold's generous welcome bonus and Membership Rewards points earning. Its Uber Cash credits are useful for rides and Uber Eats, and monthly dining credits with participating merchants like GrubHub and Seamless are easy to use.
Amex Gold Card- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. 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, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
The American Express® Gold Card is one of the best cards for foodies because it earns generous rewards on groceries, restaurants, and flights. And since it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, it's great for international dining (rates and fees). Terms apply.
Cardholders earn 4 Membership Rewards® points on purchases at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point), 4 points at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point), 3 points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, 2 points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com, and 1 point on all other eligible purchases. Terms apply.
The Amex Gold Card has an annual fee of $325 (rates and fees), but offers more than $300 in annual credits for different forms of dining after enrollment. However, most credits are restricted to specific restaurant chains in monthly allotments. Terms apply.
Best Rewards Credit Card for Travel Insurance
$550
N/A
20.24% - 28.74% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- Annual travel credit can effectively shave $300 off the annual fee if you use it
- Strong travel insurance
- Strong bonus rewards on travel and dining
- Very high annual fee
If you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.
Chase Sapphire Reserve- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority PassTM Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a wonderful option for adventure travelers or people who need a little extra protection on the road, because it offers some of the best complimentary travel insurance coverage from a credit card.
Its $550 annual fee is steep, but becomes much more reasonable when you consider it as an alternative to an annual travel insurance policy, especially after factoring in premium benefits like Priority Pass and Chase Sapphire Lounge access.
Cardholders also get an annual travel credit of up to $300, which is extremely easy to use since it applies to almost any form of transportation including cabs, subway fares, parking, tolls, and flights.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns 5 points on flights and 10 total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually, 3 points on other travel and dining, and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. It also earns 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides.
Best Rewards Card for Luxury Lovers
$695
N/A
See Pay Over Time APR
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points
Good to Excellent
- Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
- Statement credits with Saks and Uber (enrollment required)
- Bonus categories leave something to be desired
- One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards
If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, and more.
Amex Platinum Card- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $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 Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 per Calendar year in statement credits, when you pay for a CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
The Platinum Card® from American Express is best for people who fly a lot. It has a high $695 annual fee (rates and fees), but luxury travelers will come out well ahead on this expense in benefits alone.
The Amex Platinum Card comes with complimentary access to Priority Pass airport lounges (enrollment required); up to 10 annual visits to Delta Sky Clubs when you fly Delta (or unlimited visits after spending $75,000 or more in a calendar year); and unlimited access to Amex Centurion Lounges. Terms apply.
This card is also one of the best options for earning rewards from flights since it earns 5 Amex points per dollar on airfare purchased directly with airlines and through American Express Travel®. Terms apply.
Of course, $695 (rates and fees) is a lot to shell out each year, but you can lessen that sting with up to $200 in annual airline fee credits when you enroll and select a qualifying airline and up to $200 in Uber Cash credits each year (doled out as $15 monthly with a bonus $20 in December) when you add the card to your Uber account. However, this airline credit can be difficult to use if you aren't checking bags or buying drinks on flights. Terms apply.
Choosing the Best Rewards Credit Card
Rewards credit cards give you something back for every dollar you spend — whether that's points or miles for travel, or cash back that you can use to lower your monthly bill or to treat yourself to a splurge.
Choose a rewards credit card that aligns with your personal spending habits, not the other way around. If you don't travel often, focus on cash back rewards. If you eat out very frequently, look for a card with extra rewards for restaurants or delivery benefits.
Get the Credit Card You Want: Credit Score Requirements
The best rewards credit cards typically require a good credit score at least, and ideally, an excellent credit score for approval. You are most likely to be approved for a credit card if your credit profile shows a low credit utilization ratio.
If you currently carry a balance on an existing credit card, prioritize paying off that debt as soon as possible to raise your credit score before applying for a new card. Always pay off your balance in full, since any rewards you could earn will be wiped out by high interest rates from your existing card debt.
Rewards Credit Card Structures and Benefits
Credit card rewards typically fall into a few categories. You can choose from flat-rate rewards, tiered bonus categories, cards that reward you for additional banking relationships, and rotating category cards. You can also choose between earning cash back or points and miles.
In addition, many cards offer high welcome bonuses to new cardholders who meet a spending requirement in the first few months after opening a card. Some cards also include benefits like travel and purchase protection.
Choosing the Right Card(s) for Maximizing Rewards
The best way to optimize rewards card benefits is by making sure each dollar you spend earns at least 1.5 cents or more in value. You can do this by combining several credit cards in your wallet for different expenses — the American Express® Gold Card for groceries and restaurants, for example, plus the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for flights and hotels.
Combining Credit Card Rewards From the Same Issuer
A great way to maximize your credit card rewards is by combining your points and miles between credit cards from the same issuer. Chase, Amex, and Capital One all allow cardholders to link accounts between specific cards, and some even allow different people to combine rewards across member accounts within the same household.
Amex
You can use Amex Membership Rewards points to purchase travel, gift cards, or products directly from the issuer, or you can get significantly more value by transferring points to American Express transfer partners.
Capital One
Capital One cardholders can use their miles to "erase" travel purchases at a rate of 1 cent per mile. Alternatively, you can transfer Capital One credit card rewards to airlines and hotels among Capital One transfer partners to book award travel at even better rates.
Chase
Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are worth 1.25 cents apiece on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ when you book with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, or 1.5 cents apiece when booked with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
You can also can transfer Chase points to airline and hotel partners to book business- or first-class flights and luxury hotels.
Know How Much Your Rewards Are Worth
Wondering what your rewards can buy? Some cards offer as many as 14 points per dollar on certain categories, but the points multiplier is only half of the equation. You also need to know how much each point is worth.
Check out Business Insider's guide to what points and miles are worth to understand how many cents you'll get in value with different loyalty currencies.
These valuations are based on all the different ways you can use a given type of points or miles, from redeeming them as statement credits to transferring them to a travel partner to book a flight.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Rewards Credit Cards
The best rewards credit card for you should offer benefits you can use that are worth the annual fee (if there is one). Look for perks such as statement credits that cover travel purchases and travel protection benefits such as trip delay and trip cancellation insurance.
When evaluating your next rewards credit card, consider the following factors:
- Does this card earn bonus points or miles where I spend the most? For example, you won't benefit much from a card with bonus rewards on gas or EV charging if you don't have a car.
- Can those points or miles be applied to rewards I'd actually want? It doesn't make sense to earn rewards for airlines or hotels you never use.
- Is it easy to redeem my rewards? Getting lost in a maze of draconian rules, restrictions, and blackout dates is a nightmare with certain award programs.
With these guidelines in mind, our editorial team of experts purposely left out many rewards credit cards currently available to new applicants to focus on the very best options.
We define "the very best options" as offering concrete value through benefits like annual statement credits and airport lounge access, and through rewards such as bonus points on your everyday spending.
This list doesn't include any of our best airline credit cards or best hotel credit cards since those rewards are tied directly to a single brand. If you're specifically interested in travel rewards rather than cash back, check out our full list of the best travel rewards credit cards.
Read Business Insider's guide to how we rate and review credit cards for more information on our methodology.
FAQs
Can I use rewards credit cards for all types of purchases?
Yes, rewards credit cards can typically be used for a wide range of purchases, including groceries, dining, travel, and online shopping. However, some cards may offer higher reward rates for specific categories, so it's beneficial to choose a card that aligns with your spending habits.
What should I look for in a rewards credit card?
Look for a rewards program that offers high earning rates in categories you frequently spend in. You should also evaluate how you redeem your rewards, whether the card offers a valuable welcome bonus, and additional perks like travel insurance or purchase protection. Finally, consider the card's annual fee and whether the rewards and benefits justify the cost.
Which credit card gives the best reward points?
The American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express earn some of the best rewards on flights, while the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card earns up to 8% back on live shows and tickets purchased through Capital One.
Are reward credit cards really worth it?
Yes, the best rewards credit cards are absolutely worth keeping in your wallet. The right card for you will reward you on everyday purchases, either in the form of cash back or travel rewards. Many credit cards do not charge an annual fee, so you won't have any additional costs to consider.
***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.
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.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
