Best Rewards Credit Cards of 2023

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the most popular travel rewards credit card on the market. Offering an excellent return on travel and dining purchases, the card packs a ton of value that easily offsets its $95 annual fee. Cardholders can redeem points at 1.25 cents each for travel booked through Chase or transfer points to one of Chase’s 13 valuable airline and hotel partners.

With a great earning rate, solid sign-up bonus and perks like a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit, the Capital One Venture is a formidable mid-tier travel card. Now that Capital One has added airline transfer partners, this card is even more compelling for anyone looking to earn bonus rewards on every single purchase.

With a $395 annual fee, the card undercuts more expensive competitors in this space, but an annual fee is just a small part of the story. Add in a 10,000-mile bonus every account anniversary and lounge access, and the card may become the strongest option out there for a lot of travelers.

The Ink Business Unlimited’s sign-up bonus gives you a generous $750 cash back spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening plus unlimited 1.5% cash back on every business purchase. It fills in rewards gaps not covered by the Ink Business Cash Credit Card and the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card. You can maximize this card by pairing it with cards including the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Ink Business Preferred.

If you’re looking for luxury travel benefits, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better card than The Platinum Card from American Express. You’ll get hundreds of dollars in annual credits, unrivaled lounge access, elite status benefits at Hilton and Marriott, solid purchase protections and so much more. While the card does come with a steep annual fee, you can easily offset that cost by taking advantage of this card’s many perks.

The American Express® Gold Card wants a seat at your table, whether you’re dining out at restaurants or buying groceries at U.S. supermarkets. The card offers four points per dollar spent at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 a calendar year, then 1x). With a record-high welcome offer, the Amex Gold card is looking better than ever.

If you feel like paying an annual fee negates your will to learn about travel rewards, the Capital One VentureOne is the perfect place to begin. With no annual fee and a simple 1.25 miles per dollar rate on all purchases, you’ll earn miles that can be used for travel purchases or transferred to Capital One’s 16 airline or three hotel partners.

The Wells Fargo Autograph card packs a punch for a no-annual-fee product, with an array of bonus categories plus solid perks and straightforward redemption options. Read our full review of the Wells Fargo Autograph here.

The Citi Premier Card is one of the best starter travel rewards cards due to its gracious amount of bonus spend categories. You’ll not only earn triple points on air travel and hotel, but also on restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations — offering plenty of opportunities to earn on your everyday purchases. Best of all, your points are flexible and can transfer to a variety of frequent flyer programs in every airline alliance. Finally, enjoy an annual $100 hotel savings benefit through Citi on single-stay bookings of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees).

The Capital One SavorOne is a great cash back credit card for beginners looking for a solid rewards structure and no annual fee. Dining, entertainment and groceries are high-value bonus categories, and it’s rare for a card to hit all three.

If you like cash back and spend a lot on groceries at U.S. supermarkets, you can’t get much better than the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. This card offers 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%).

The Business Platinum Card from American Express is a great card for frequent travelers looking to add a touch of luxury to their business trips. While the card does come with a high annual fee, you’re also getting a ton of valuable benefits in return.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card delivers simplicity to cardholders who want to pay for their purchases without worrying if you’re maximizing every last dollar. With a 2% cash rewards rate, you’ll rest easy knowing that you’re earning bonus points whether you’re online shopping or paying your hairdresser. Plus, enjoy other benefits like cell phone protection and access to the Visa Signature Concierge luxury hotels.

This card is a solid mid-level credit card for anyone who wants to earn American Airlines miles and enjoy elite status-like benefits. You don’t have to be a frequent American Airlines flyer to benefit from this card. Its travel benefits will improve your AA flying experience, even if you’re loyal to other airlines.

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards takes the guesswork out of earning cash-back rewards by offering an unlimited 1.5% earning rate on all purchases. We love that there’s no minimum redemption amount when it comes to redeeming your rewards, meaning that you can apply your earnings immediately to your statement credit and lower your charges.