Skip to Main Content

Best rewards credit cards of March 2024

Updated March 18, 2024

Rewards credit cards are a great way to make the most of your everyday expenses, allowing you to earn bonus miles, points or cash back on your purchases. While cash back is one of the simplest forms of rewards, miles or points may offer even more value for frequent travelers and shoppers.

These card offers from our partners carry some of the best rewards value and perks out there, with each issuer offering a variety of programs to suit your unique spending habits. Whether you need a flat-rate card to cover any purchase, a bonus or rotating category card for specialized spending or even a choice category card for ultimate flexibility, we’ll help you find the credit card that helps you reach your rewards goals.

Info
awards-badge
2024 Bankrate Awards Winner
Best for food and entertainment
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0
Info
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

1% - 8%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
Best for for flat-rate travel rewards
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
4.9
Info
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

$1275

Offer valuation

Info

2 Miles - 5 Miles

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
awards-badge
2024 Bankrate Awards Winner
Best for flat-rate cash rewards
Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
4.3
Info
Apply now Lock
on Wells Fargo's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

2%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

BEST FOR EVERYDAY TRAVEL
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4.0
Info
Apply now Lock
on Wells Fargo's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit

Intro offer

Info

$200

Offer valuation

Info

1X - 3X

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
Best for luxury travel
Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5
4.8
Info
Apply now Lock
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

$1600

Offer valuation

Info

5X - 5X

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
Best for occasional travel
Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
4.7
Info
Apply now Lock
on Citi's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

$960

Offer valuation

Info

1X - 3X

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
BEST BANK OF AMERICA TRAVEL CARD
Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2
Info
Apply now Lock
on Bank of America's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

$600

Offer valuation

Info

1.5X - 2X

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
awards-badge
2024 Bankrate Awards Winner
Best for groceries
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Info
Apply now Lock
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

1% - 6%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
Best starter travel card
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0
Info
Apply now Lock
on Chase's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

$1200

Offer valuation

Info

1x - 5x

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
awards-badge
2024 Bankrate Awards Winner
Best for affordable travel perks
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0
Info
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site
Excellent (740 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

$1275

Offer valuation

Info

2 Miles - 10 Miles

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Best for category variety
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Info
Apply now Lock
on Discover's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit

Intro offer

Info

1% - 5%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
Best starter rewards card
Rating: 3.8 stars out of 5
3.8
Info
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

1.5% - 5%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Best no annual fee travel card
Rating: 4.1 stars out of 5
4.1
Info
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit

Intro offer

Info

$340

Offer valuation

Info

1.25 Miles - 5 Miles

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
awards-badge
2024 Bankrate Awards Winner
Best for gas
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Info
Apply now Lock
on Citi's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

1% - 5%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

awards-badge
2024 Bankrate Awards Winner
BEST FOR PAYING RENT
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4.0
Info
Apply now Lock
on Wells Fargo's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit

N/A

Intro offer

Info

N/A

Offer valuation

Info

1X Points - 3X Points

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
awards-badge
2024 Bankrate Awards Winner
Best for food and travel
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0
Info
Apply now Lock
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

$1200

Offer valuation

Info

3X - 4X

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
awards-badge
2024 Bankrate Awards Winner
Best rewards value
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0
Info
Apply now Lock
on Chase's secure site
Excellent (740 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
Info

Intro offer

Info

$1200

Offer valuation

Info

1x - 10x

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

BEST FOR SMALL-BUSINESS OWNERS
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0
Info
Apply now Lock
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit

Intro offer

Info

1X - 4X

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

BEST FOR ONLINE SHOPPING
Rating: 4.1 stars out of 5
4.1
Info
Apply now Lock
on Amazon's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit

Intro offer

Info

1% - 5%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

BEST CARD FOR EVERYDAY SPENDING
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0
Info
Apply now Lock
on Chase's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit

Intro offer

Info

1.5% - 5%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Compare Bankrate’s top rewards credit cards

Card name Our pick for Rewards highlights
Annual fee
Bankrate review score
Food and entertainment
10% cash back on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders (through Nov. 14, 2024)
 
8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
 
5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
 
3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery store purchases (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
 
$0

5.0 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site
Flat-rate travel rewards
5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
 
2X miles on every purchase
 
Bankrate’s rewards value: 1.7 cents per mile*
 
$95

4.9 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site
Flat-rate cash rewards
2% cash rewards on purchases
 
$0

4.3 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Wells Fargo's secure site
Everyday travel
3X points on restaurant, travel, transit, gas station, phone plan and popular streaming service purchases
 
1X points on all other purchases
 
Bankrate’s rewards value: 1.0 cents per point*
 
$0

4.0 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Wells Fargo's secure site
Luxury travel
5X points on directly-booked airfare and flights and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 spent per calendar year) 
 
1X points on all other purchases 
 
Bankrate’s rewards value: 2.0 cents per point*
 
$695

4.8 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Occasional travel
10X points on hotel and car rentals booked through the Citi Travel portal (through June 30, 2024) 
 
3X points on restaurant, supermarket, gas station, hotel and air travel purchases.  
 
Bankrate’s rewards value: 1.6 cents per point*
 
$95

4.7 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Citi's secure site
Savers
2X points on travel and dining
 
1.5X points on all other purchases
 
Bankrate’s rewards value: 1.0 cents per point* (Bank of America Preferred Rewards members can receive boosted rates of up to 3.5X points on travel and dining, and 2.62X points on all other purchases)
 
$95

4.2 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Bank of America's secure site
Groceries

6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions and at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in supermarket purchases, then 1%)

3% cash back on U.S. gas station and transit purchases

 
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

4.4 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply

Starter travel card

5X points on Chase Ultimate Rewards travel and Lyft rides (Lyft offer through March 31, 2025)
 
3X points on dining (including eligible delivery services), select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs)
 
2X points on all other travel purchases
 
25% increased redemption value toward travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards 
 
Bankrate’s rewards value: 2.0 cents per point*
 
$95

5.0 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Chase's secure site
Affordable travel perks
10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
 
5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
 
2X miles on all other purchases
 
Bankrate’s rewards value: 1.7 cents per mile*
 
$395

5.0 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site

Category variety

5% cash back on rotating bonus categories after activation (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter, then 1%)
 
$0

4.4 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Discover's secure site

Starter rewards card

5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
 
1.5% cash back on all purchases
 
$0

3.8 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site
No-annual-fee travel card
5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
 
1.25X miles on all other purchases
 
Bankrate’s rewards value: 1.7 cents per mile*
 
$0

4.1 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site
Gas
5% cash back on purchases on the top eligible spend category each billing cycle (up to the first $500 spent each cycle, 1% cash back thereafter)
 
1% cash back on all other purchases
 
$0

4.4 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Citi's secure site
Paying rent
3X points on dining
 
2X points on travel
 
1X points on rent payments (up to a maximum 100,000 points per year) and other purchases 
 
(Bilt Rent Day doubles all rewards rates on the first day of each month for 2X points to 6X points on non-rent purchases, up to 10,000 points.)
 
Bankrate’s rewards value: 2.1 cents per point*
 
None

4.0 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Wells Fargo's secure site

Food and travel

4X points on restaurants, eligible delivery service and U.S. supermarket purchases (supermarket rate on up to $25,000 of purchases per year, then 1X points)
 
3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or via American Express Travel
 
Bankrate’s rewards value: 2.0 cents per point*
 
$250

5.0 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Rewards value
10X points on hotels, car rentals and Chase Dining purchases via Chase Travel℠, and on Lyft rides (Lyft offer through March 31, 2025)
 
5X points on air travel via Chase Travel℠
 
3X points on dining and other travel
 
50% increased redemption value toward travel through Chase Travel℠
 
Bankrate’s rewards value: 2.0 cents per point* (Points on travel purchases only earned after the first $300, which is covered by the annual travel credit)
 
$550

5.0 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Chase's secure site

Small-business owners

4X points on up to $150,000 per calendar year in your top two of six eligible categories (then 1X thereafter; only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count toward the $150,000 cap)
 
3X points on eligible travel purchases 
 
Bankrate’s rewards value: 2.0 cents per point*
$375

5.0 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply

Online shopping

5 percent back on Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market and Chase Travel purchases
2 percent back on restaurant, gas station, local transit and commuting purchases (including rideshares)
 
Baseline rewards value: 1 cent per point
$0

4.1 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Amazon's secure site

Everyday spending

5% cash back on Lyft purchases (through March 2025) and travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards

3% cash back on dining at restaurants and drugstore purchases

1.5% cash back on all other purchases

$0

5.0 / 5

Info
(Read card review)
Apply now Lock
on Chase's secure site
Image of American Express® Green Card
American Express® Green Card
Transit

3X points on eligible dining, transit and travel purchases (including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, vacation rentals and travel purchases through third-party travel websites and the American Express Travel portal)

Bankrate’s rewards value: 2.0 cents per point*
$150
Image of My GM Rewards® Mastercard®
My GM Rewards® Mastercard®
GM payments and leases
7X points on eligible GM purchases
 
4X points on all other purchases 
 
Baseline rewards value: 1 cent per point (toward eligible GM purchases)
 
$0

*The information about the My GM Rewards® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

*Bankrate’s points and miles valuations are based on an average of the issuer’s five highest-value transfer partners (if available).

What to know about rewards credit cards

Rewards credit cards earn points, miles or cash back for purchases either at a flat rate on all purchases or at a higher rate in specific bonus categories. For instance, you could earn unlimited 2 percent cash back on all purchases or 5 points on every dollar for just travel purchases. 

The issuer credits your account with your accumulated earnings, which you can redeem based on the card's redemption options. Understanding the issuer’s credit card rewards program can help you take advantage of all the perks and benefits it offers.

Lightbulb

From our experts

Based on the most recent J.D. Power U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study, our expert Ted Rossman breaks down the data and how you should factor these trends into your credit card decision.

Types of rewards credit cards

Some of the most common types of rewards credit cards include cash back cards, travel rewards cards and business rewards cards. 

  • Dollar Coin

    Cash back credit cards

    Cash back cards work by rewarding you a percentage of your purchases paid back to you, usually in the form of statement credit. 

    • Flat-rate cash back cards offer a fixed percent back on all purchases. 
    • Tiered cash back cards and rotating bonus category cards reward certain categories of purchases at a higher rate, such as groceries.

    Learn more: How to choose a cash back credit card.

  • Travel

    Travel rewards credit cards

    There are two main types of travel rewards credit cards: co-branded and general-purpose. 

    • A co-branded travel card offers boosted rewards on purchases with a specific airline or hotel, typically earning points or miles that can often only be redeemed with the brand affiliated with the card. This makes it less flexible than a general travel card. 
    • General-purpose travel cards are not tied to a single airline or hotel brand; you can usually earn more valuable rewards on wider variety of everyday purchases and redeem those rewards for more options. Some cards even let you transfer points or miles to a partner loyalty program.
  • Business

    Business rewards credit cards

    Business rewards cards earn cash back, points or miles on your most common business expenses — like copier ink, advertising services or flights. These rewards cards sometimes carry exclusive perks like employee cards, unique annual credits (like for tech or office supply purchases), higher spending limits and bigger sign-up bonuses.

    Learn more: How to choose a business credit card

Whether your card earns points or miles doesn’t matter much — what’s more important is the value of the rewards you earn.

Bankrate's image file
Check Out

Beginner’s Guide to Credit Card Points

Arrow Right

Weighing rewards’ value

  • Credit card rewards are usually earned as cash back (like “1 percent cash back”) or points or miles (like “1X points” or “1X miles).
  • This means you’ll get a certain number of points/miles or a certain percentage of your purchase back per dollar spent. (Example: 1 percent cash back on $100 = $1 cash back, or 1X points/miles on $100 = 100 points/miles back)
  • Rewards rates usually range on whether it’s a flat-rate, tiered category, or rotating category rewards card. Flat-rate cards typically earn 1.5 percent to 2 percent rewards, tiered category cards earn anywhere from 2 percent to 6 percent rewards and rotating category cards often earn 5 percent rewards on categories that change each quarter.
  • Some rewards rates have spending caps, meaning the rewards rates drop down to 1 percent rewards after you spend a certain amount in that category within a timeframe. This is often up to $1,500 per quarter or up to $6,000 per year.
  • Reward redemption options differ by card, but often include cash back, travel bookings, gift cards and merchandise through the issuer portal. 
  • Gift cards and merchandise are often discouraged since you may get more bang for your buck via cash back or travel.
  • Cash back redemption values are easy — it’s simply 1 cent back per dollar spent. You can often choose to receive this as a statement credit or direct deposit to a linked checking or savings account.
  • Travel redemptions are often the most valuable option, but often require the most work. You can usually redeem points or miles through the issuer travel portal for airfare, hotel stays, travel experiences or rental cars. Some issuers add extra value to their portal redemptions, like an extra quarter- or half-cent back.
  • Some travel rewards programs allow you to transfer your points or miles to partner travel loyalty programs, which can offer the best redemption value for your rewards.
  • The baseline redemption value you should aim for is 1 cent per point or mile (or 1 percent back per dollar spent). Some travel rewards can be worth more, or upwards of 2 cents with the right transfer partner. However, redeeming travel rewards for cash back often yields less than 1 cent per point/mile.
  • To find out if a rewards card is worth it for you, you’ll need to do some quick math. The easiest way to calculate the value of your rewards points is to divide the cash value of what you’re redeeming your points for by the number of points required to redeem it. (Example: $700 plane ticket / 70,000 points needed = 1 cent point value) 

To make it easier to gauge the right rewards card for the job, we’ve already crunched the numbers for you. Our up-to-date list of point and mile values gives you a sense of how much the most popular airline and hotel rewards are worth on average.

Looking for a particular type of cash-back credit card?

Pros and cons of rewards credit cards

A rewards card can be a great way to save on purchases but there are some downsides if you’re not careful. If you're wondering whether rewards credit cards are worth it, here are a few pros and cons to keep in mind:

Pros

  • Checkmark

    Rewards: You can save money by earning rewards on purchases.

  • Checkmark

    Sign-up bonuses/intro APRs: You can take advantage of a generous sign-up bonus or intro APRs kickstart your rewards or help pay down purchases or a previous balance.

  • Checkmark

    Perks: Many cards feature handy benefits, like travel savings and purchase protections.

Cons

  • Rewards caps: Some cards limit the earnable rewards, which could reduce the card’s value if your spending far exceeds the cap.

  • High APRs: Cards’ high APRs can cancel out any rewards you may earn.

  • Annual fees: Unless you maximize your reward earnings or card perks, it may be hard to outweigh the cost of some cards’ annual fees.

Whether a rewards card is a good idea

A rewards card might be an advantage — or disadvantage — in these situations:

  • You travel often: Whether you're already a frequent flyer or occasional traveler, a travel card can help cut costs for your next trip. Plus, the best travel credit cards usually offer the most valuable sign-up bonuses.
  • You own a small business: Freelancers and store owners can boost their bottom line with a business card’s rewards and purchasing power. Business cards often feature bonus categories and perks tailored to small businesses, such as office supply store rewards and annual credits for some expenses.
  • You manage credit responsibly: Since some of the best rewards credit cards require a good-to-excellent credit score, someone with a great credit score who pays their balances in full each month can get a lot of bang for their buck with a rewards card.
  • You won't be able to pay off your balance: Rewards credit cards tend to have higher APRs, so any interest owed would outweigh your rewards.
  • You’re building credit: If you are working toward positive credit, you may want to consider credit-building cards instead. Once you have solid credit, you can qualify for some of the top-tier rewards cards.

Tips for choosing the best rewards card for you

Navigating all the rewards card options available can be difficult. Here are some tips that can help you decide which rewards card would fit you best

  • Figure out where you spend the most each month. Once you know your major monthly categories, you match your spending with a fitting rewards card. For instance, one of best credit cards for groceries would be great if you spend a lot at supermarkets.
  • Look at the card's fees.  Fees like the APR and foreign transaction cost are worth keeping an eye on, but the annual fee is the most important. You'll need to decide whether the card’s benefits and potential rewards can help offset the yearly cost, or if your needs don’t realistically justify the premium perks.
  • Consider intro APR offers or sign-up bonuses. Many rewards cards offer sign-up bonus rewards and a zero-percent introductory APR on balance transfers and/or new purchases. Short-term value isn’t everything, but these offers can give a card an edge if you prioritize earning rewards, paying off debt or the middle-ground: a shorter intro APR with rewards.
  • Factor in perks that are valuable to you. Perks that come with a card can play a key role in determining its overall value, especially if the perks can help offset the annual fee. For example, cash back cards are light on perks to keep fees low, but premium travel cards is more fitting if you want annual credits, travel insurance and lounge access.
  • Determine how you’d like to redeem your rewards. Cash back cards are generally easiest if you want to put your rewards back into your everyday spending. If you don’t mind strategizing, you could earn more valuable points with a travel rewards card when you redeem through the issuer’s portal utilize transfer partners.

What people are saying about rewards credit cards

Bankrate regularly dips into social media to see what big rewards card topics are getting people talking. So what’s on consumers' minds as we head into 2024? 

One of the more popular, newer discussions is over the Credit Card Competition Act, a proposed legislation that could potentially damage credit card rewards programs. The fear: if card issuers ultimately make less income on interchange fees, they’ll reduce consumer card reward opportunities to make up the difference. One Reddit user doesn’t have high hopes:

“They did push exactly this measure through a decade ago for debit cards; now the same guy is pushing the same law for credit cards. Optimistic to bet against him, I fear.”*

Reddit user

User comments from financial Youtuber ClearValue Tax’s videos on the topic hold a similar sentiment:

“Rewards is a HUGE reason I use credit cards other than to build credit. If this happens I would go down to having 1 credit card instead of managing 6 for maximum rewards.”*

ClearValue Tax video comment

A piece of legislation like the Credit Card Competition Act could cripple credit card rewards as we know them. We’ll know more about this piece of legislation and whether it has a chance of passing unchanged in 2024. 

Other than that, it’s business as usual over on other sites like the credit cards subreddit, Flyertalk and Tiktok. Users are mainly talking about the typical point-chasing topics like best rewards program and card combinations. Some things never change — if we’re lucky.  

*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.

How this Bankrate editor chose his rewards card

Here’s Bankrate writer and credit card reviewer Garrett Yarbrough on how he chose his primary rewards card:

Although I knew which cards carried the highest rewards rates, most impressive sign-up bonuses and most valuable perks, I started my search by considering what I wanted most out of my card. I knew I wanted a versatile card that could reward my biggest expenses and remain a valuable staple in my rewards strategy even after I added more cards to my wallet.

APRs weren’t a huge concern since I already had a low-interest card from my credit union and I avoid carrying a balance. So I focused on rewards. While a cash back card would be a good fit, I didn’t want to close the door to more valuable travel rewards and transfer partners in the future.

My biggest expenses tend to be bills and everyday purchases like groceries, gas and dining, but I also shop at Walmart and online in a rush. I love to cook, too, so I’d probably lean on a card with a grocery rewards category more than one with a restaurant category. On paper, my spending habits meant a card with a high rewards rate at grocery stores would be helpful. But in practice, I’d likely rack up more rewards with a flat-rate card. Knowing I wanted a future-proof, flat-rate rewards card with diverse redemption options and plenty of pairing opportunities helped me quickly narrow my search to the Chase Freedom Unlimited.

Although it doesn’t carry the highest flat cash back rate, its combination of both 1.5 percent back on general purchases and 3 percent back on dining and drugstore purchases gives it an extra layer of rewards value.

Down the road, I can even boost the value of the Freedom Unlimited card’s rewards by adding the Chase Sapphire Preferred to my wallet and redeeming points for travel. I can also shore up my rewards earning with the categories from a card like the Capital One SavorOne or Blue Cash Everyday.

Until then, the Freedom Unlimited gives me a stellar foundation on which to build my rewards strategy.

— Garrett Yarbrough, Writer, Credit Cards

Expert advice for rewards cards

Once you have your card in hand, you can put it to work by maximizing its rewards.

  • Congrats

    Optimize your rewards spending and redemption

    Concentrate your spending on categories that earn higher rewards and track your spending to see if you’re missing out on any reward opportunities. Then, redeem your rewards for their maximum value.

    You may need to shift your credit card strategy depending on lifestyle changes. For instance, credit card rewards can help minimize inflation costs on groceries, dining and other major expenses. Or if you’re commuting again, a card that rewards gas purchases, travel or transit may fit your budget better.

  • Moneybag

    Earn your sign-up bonus

    Make a plan to meet the spending requirement without overspending, and redeem your bonus through the optimal redemption method (e.g., transfer partners, the issuer travel portal, etc.).

  • Rewards

    Leverage your extra benefits

    Make sure you can offset your annual fee via your typical rewards spending. Better yet, do so with your card’s annual credits and perks without relying on your rewards. If you can barely cover the fee or fall short, you may want to downgrade to a no-annual-fee card. Big spenders in the same position may want to upgrade to a premium card for more valuable perks.

  • Credit Card Cash Back

    Double up on cards to earn more

    You can rake in more rewards by pairing a card that rewards your highest spending category with a supporting flat-rate card. This cornerstone strategy ensures you earn rewards on as many purchases as possible, including those that fall outside of typical categories.

    Learn more: Best credit card combinations to maximize rewards

  • Online Search

    Understand merchant category codes (MCCs)

    These four-digit codes classify where purchases fall into your card’s bonus categories. Knowing your card network’s MCCs allows you to see whether you need to change your shopping habits, which card is better for which expense and how you may be able to snag unexpected rewards.

    Learn more: How to earn more cash back with merchant category codes

  • Calendar Money

    Don’t carry a balance

    Carrying a balance leads to interest charges, which will eat through any rewards you’ve earned.

Bankrate's image file
Check Out

Underrated ways to earn credit card rewards

Arrow Right

How we assess the best rewards credit cards

Document
150+
cards rated
Congrats
50+
rewards programs valued
Search
1800
data points analyzed
Credit Card Reviews
40+
perks evaluated

When evaluating the best rewards cards, we consider a mix of factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether cards offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards in popular categories to scoring a large sign-up bonus or high-value perks. Whenever possible, we also feature cards that are available at various credit levels and price points. 

We analyzed over 150 of the most popular cards and scored each based on its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup of the best rewards cards.

Here are some of the key factors that we considered:

Have more questions for our credit card editors? Feel free to send us an email, find us on Facebook, or Tweet us @Bankrate.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.


Frequently asked questions about rewards credit cards

Learn more about rewards credit cards

Ask the experts: What's your go-to method for maximizing credit card rewards?


Financial Educator, Debt and Credit

As someone who travels a lot, I focus on travel rewards, mostly hotel accommodations, with no hotel brand affinity. I use an online discount travel site’s branded card, using promo codes at the point of sale. I earn the most points on travel booked through the site, and I also get a bonus on points I’ve redeemed toward past travel purchases. The points can also be used to purchase trips on the site, and points are earned on those purchases as well. I also use the Upromise.com browser extension that lets you know when you can earn an additional 5 percent cash back shopping online that goes automatically into a 529 college savings account.

Contributor, Personal Finance

Most people focus their credit card strategy on how to earn the most points possible and then later think about what they might be able to redeem them for. I think this is backwards. I like to start by knowing what reward I’m working toward, then reverse engineer my earning strategy. I’m not just earning points — I’m earning the right points, and I know I’m going to be able to put them into use! This is much more motivating.

Contributor, Credit Cards

I spend naturally, but use my credit cards for almost every expense. I don't look at how many rewards I have earned monthly because I like being surprised by how many I have to redeem.