Stella is a full-time writer with expertise in credit cards, points and miles, and all things travel. She is a journalism graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and previously worked as a copywriter at JetBlue Airways and as a credit cards writer at LendingTree.
Compliance manager Stanley Sanford has years of compliance experience in the credit card industry dating back to 2017. He's reviewed content for several reputable sites, including CreditCards.com, Bankrate, CNET. and even thepointsguy.com before leading the compliance team for The Points Guy full time in early 2022.
Emily Thompson specializes in beginner content as a credit cards editor. She taps into her prior experience as a high school English teacher to help others demystify credit scores and unlock experiences that credit card rewards can make possible.
also contributed to this story
May 7, 2025 • 7 min read
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Quick summary
Graduates entering adulthood are encouraged to consider opening their first general-purpose credit card to build credit and access travel rewards.
A leading option for beginners offers a large introductory bonus, flexible redemption choices and a range of partner benefits.
Points earned can be redeemed for travel through a dedicated portal or transferred to airline and hotel loyalty programs for potentially higher value.
The card includes valuable protections for travel and purchases, such as trip cancellation insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and extended warranty coverage.
What to consider
To receive the introductory bonus, a significant minimum spend is required within the first three months.
Some partner benefits, like complimentary delivery service memberships, require activation by specific dates and may have order minimums.
Travel and purchase protections only apply when purchases are made with the card.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of travel protections, redemption strategies and partner benefits that can maximize the value of your first credit card.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
To recent grads: Congratulations! Graduating from college is a huge milestone, and your hard work and efforts should be celebrated.
Whether you’re jumping into your first job or embarking on a post-grad trip, it can feel overwhelming to launch into adulthood.
Don’t fret — there are tools to make this transition easier. A significant step into adulthood is opening your first credit card. Perhaps you’re ahead of the game and have been a proud owner of a student card throughout your four years as an undergrad. Or you may be shopping around for your first “adult” credit card.
Either way, we firmly believe the (see rates and fees) should be every graduate’s first credit card.
Here’s why.
High welcome bonus
For a card with a (reasonable) $95 annual fee, you’re looking at 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. TPG’s June 2025 valuations put Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents each, meaning this welcome bonus is worth $1,538.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
But before you get too excited, ensure you can manage the spending requirement to get the bonus. It works out to about $1,667 in monthly spending for your first three months, which you can easily hit if you’re about to spend a solid chunk on moving expenses and a professional wardrobe for your launch into adulthood.
If you want to learn about the world of points and miles, you’ve come to the right place. Here at TPG, we have a plethora of resources to get you started, including our beginners guide and our list of the best first credit cards.
One of the things you’ll see in these guides is that is always at the top of the list. It’s a beginner-friendly card that will ease you into “travel hacking” or learning how to use your credit card rewards to unlock free flights or hotel stays.
There are many redemption options with this card, but you’ll find the most value as a travel rewards card by using your points for travel.
MICHAEL STAVARIDIS/HYATT
To break it down in simple terms, you have two options for booking travel with this card.
First, you can book through Chase Travel℠ at a rate of up to 1.75 cents each, depending on the specific redemption (see your rewards program agreement for full details). For example, 10,000 points translates to up to $175 value in travel. You can book a variety of travel on this portal, including flights, hotels, car rentals and cruises.
Chase lets you move your points at a 1:1 rate to its airline and hotel partners, so your 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points can equal 75,000 points in the loyalty program of your choice.
Of course, some partners are better than others, but some of our high-value favorites include Air Canada Aeroplan and World of Hyatt. With these partners, getting much more than 1.75 cents of value per point is possible. We’ve even gotten up to 4.5 cents in value with a business-class ticket on Air France before, so the sky is the limit when it comes to Chase’s transfer partners.
The is a popular card, especially among Gen Z, since it comes with many useful partner benefits that can help you save money and reward you at the same time.
One of the most valuable perks is a complimentary one-year membership to DoorDash DashPass (activate by Dec. 31, 2029). This membership will get you free delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible orders of $12 or more. This subscription service usually costs $9.99 monthly, so this benefit is valuable enough to justify the card’s $95 annual fee.
DOORDASH
You’ll also enjoy 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027). Depending on how often you use Lyft, this is a fantastic way to earn bonus points on this rideshare service.
Finally, it’s worth checking the Chase Offers on your card. They’ll update every week or so.
CHASE
All of these partner offers can help you save money on your everyday purchases.
One more reason you’ll love the : No other card with a $95 annual fee comes with as many travel and shopping protections.
HINTERHAUS PRODUCTIONS/GETTY IMAGES
Hopefully, you never have to use any of these benefits, but these coverages will give you peace of mind and save you money if an emergency arises:
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: Reimburses you up to $10,000 per person (or $20,000 per trip) for your pre-paid, nonrefundable trip expenses due to covered reasons, such as sickness, severe weather and more.
Lost luggage reimbursement: Covers loss or damage to your luggage by a common carrier (such as an airline) for up to $3,000 per passenger.
Trip delay reimbursement: Reimburses you up to $500 per ticket to purchase meals or lodging for trip delays of 12 hours or more (or requiring an overnight stay).
Purchase protection: Covers damage or theft on new purchases, up to $500 per claim and up to $50,000 per account.
Baggage delay insurance: Reimburses you up to $100 per day (for up to five days) for baggage delays more than six hours to cover the purchase of essential items.
Extended warranty protection: Extends a U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on warranties of three years or less.
Primary car rental coverage: Covers theft and damage up to the actual cash value of the rental car on bookings of less than 31 consecutive days. Note that most credit cards only offer secondary coverage.
If you’ve just graduated, do yourself a favor and add the to your wallet.
With its fantastic welcome bonus, long-term earning potential and useful perks, you’ll love having this card along for your journey into the adult world.
Apply here: with 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
