코로나바이러스 팬데믹은 삶의 많은 측면을 변화시켰으며 보상 신용 카드를 사용하는 방법이 그 중 하나일 수 있습니다. 지난 1년 동안 집에만 있었다면 여행 구매에 대해 많은 포인트나 마일리지를 적립하거나 항공편 및 호텔 숙박에 대한 보상을 교환하지 않은 것입니다.
팬데믹 기간 동안 일부 발급사는 소비자의 지출 방식에 따라 범주별로 임시 보상을 제공함으로써 여행 보상 카드를 부풀렸습니다. 예를 들어, 그러한 구매에 대한 보상을 사용할 때 더 높은 포인트 값을 제공합니다. 여행이 다시 시작되더라도 여행 카드 발급사는 여행 분야 이외의 범주에 대해 계속해서 높은 보상을 선전할 수 있습니다.
그러나 팬데믹이 진정되면서 카드 발급사와 고객 모두에게 강력한 여행 보상이 다시 한 번 전면 및 중심에 있게 될 것입니다. CompareCards의 Matt Schulz는 신규 카드 소지자가 일반적으로 처음 몇 개월 동안 최소 지출을 충족함으로써 추가 캐쉬백, 포인트 또는 마일리지를 쌓을 수 있는 초기 보너스가 올해 후반에 여행 카드에 더 관대해질 수 있다고 말합니다. 컴.
팬데믹 이후 휴가를 위해 마일과 포인트를 적립하고 싶거나 간단한 캐시백 보상을 유지하고 싶으시다면 2021년 추천 상품 중에서 선택의 폭이 넓습니다. 최고의 보상 신용 카드 중. 17개 카테고리의 카드에 메달을 수여했습니다.
이 카드는 모든 구매에 대해 간단하고 강력한 보상을 제공합니다.
Citi Double Cash는 보상이 간단하고 풍부하기 때문에 매년 이 부문에서 최고의 영예를 안고 있습니다. 구매 시 1%의 캐시백을 받고 청구서를 지불할 때 추가로 1%를 돌려받으며 총 2%에 해당합니다. 모든 지출. 수표, 연결된 Citi 저축 또는 당좌 예금 계좌 또는 신용 카드 청구서를 최소 두 번 지불한 모든 당좌 예금 계좌 또는 명세서 크레딧을 위해 최소 $25의 캐쉬백 잔액을 사용하십시오. (내역서 크레딧을 선택하시면 결제금액의 1% 캐쉬백을 받으실 수 없습니다.) 12개월 동안 캐쉬백이 적립되지 않으면 리워드가 소멸됩니다.
PayPal 계정이 있는 경우 이 카드를 확인하세요. 모든 구매에 대해 2% 캐시백을 제공하며 마스터카드 결제가 가능한 모든 곳에서 사용할 수 있습니다. PayPal 계정으로 캐시백 사용 거기에서 연결된 은행 계좌로 이체할 수 있습니다. 또는 Cash 또는 Cash Plus 계정이 있는 경우 이를 사용하여 구매하거나 다른 PayPal 사용자에게 송금할 수 있습니다.
모든 구매에 대해 1.5%의 캐시백을 받으며 수표 또는 명세서 크레딧으로 원하는 금액으로 사용할 수 있습니다. 카드는 해외 거래 수수료가 없기 때문에 해외로 나갈 때 지갑에 넣어두는 것이 좋습니다. Mastercard 또는 Visa 네트워크에서 발급할 수 있습니다.
첫해에는 연회비를 내지 않고 그리고 모든 구매에 대해 뛰어난 3%의 수익을 얻으십시오. 그 후에는 연회비 99달러를 지불하지만 모든 지출에 대해 여전히 인상적인 2.5%를 받습니다. 보상은 포인트로 추적되며 은행 계좌 예금 또는 명세서 크레딧(최소 상환 금액:5,000포인트)으로 각각 1페니의 비율로 교환할 수 있습니다. 또는 여행, 상품 또는 이벤트 티켓에 대해 포인트를 사용할 수 있지만 포인트 가치와 최소 사용 금액은 다릅니다. 미국 소비자 위원회에 가입하고 저축 계좌에 5달러를 예치하면 누구나 Farmers Insurance FCU의 회원이 될 수 있습니다.
Alliant Cashback Visa는 모든 지출에 대해 2.5%의 캐시백을 제공합니다. 보상 수입 한도는 월별 청구 주기당 $250(구매 시 $10,000)입니다. 최소 $50의 캐쉬백이 적립되면 명세서 크레딧으로 상환하거나 Alliant Credit Union 당좌예금 또는 저축예금 계좌에 입금할 수 있습니다. 캐쉬백은 적립 후 4년에서 5년 사이에 만료됩니다. 신용 조합에 가입하려면 Foster Care to Success 자선 단체의 회원이 될 수 있습니다(Alliant는 귀하를 대신하여 $5의 회비를 지불합니다). 또한 저축 계좌를 개설해야 합니다. Alliant는 귀하를 위해 5달러를 무료로 예치합니다.
작년에 Chase는 프리덤 플렉스(Freedom Flex)를 도입했습니다. 이 프리덤 플렉스(Freedom Flex)는 회전하는 분기별 카테고리와 안정적으로 유지되는 다른 카테고리 모두에서 높은 리베이트를 제공합니다. 일년 내내 Chase의 Ultimate Rewards 프로그램을 통해 예약한 여행에 대해 5%, 레스토랑 및 약국 구매에 대해 3%, 기타 지출에 대해 1%를 돌려받습니다. 또한 분기마다 변경되는 카테고리에서 5%를 다시 적립할 수 있습니다(5% 보상은 분기당 지출된 $1,500로 제한됨). 2021년 1분기 카테고리에는 도매 클럽이 포함되었습니다(매장에서 Costco Wholesale는 Visa 네트워크에서 발급된 카드로만 신용 카드 결제를 허용합니다). 인터넷, 케이블 및 전화 서비스; 비디오 및 음악 스트리밍 서비스를 선택합니다. 2/4 범주는 주유소와 주택 개조 매장입니다. 3분기와 4분기의 카테고리는 보도 시간에 발표되지 않았습니다. 일시적인 혜택으로 2022년 3월까지 승차 공유 서비스 Lyft를 통해 승차 요금의 5%를 돌려받으실 수 있습니다. 보상은 Chase Ultimate Rewards 포인트의 형태로 제공되며 캐시백(금액에 상관 없이 사용 가능), 여행 또는 기프트 카드(최소 금액은 다를 수 있음)에 대해 각각 1센트의 가치가 있습니다.
이 카드를 사용하여 분기별로 2개의 카테고리를 선택하여 결합 구매에 지출한 최대 $2,000에 대해 5% 캐시백을 받으세요. 최근에는 TV, 인터넷 및 스트리밍 서비스가 포함된 12가지 옵션이 있습니다. 지상 교통 수단; 가정용 유틸리티; 휴대전화 제공업체; 패스트 푸드; 그리고 백화점. 또한 주유소, 레스토랑 또는 식료품점 중 한 가지 카테고리에서 2%를 돌려받습니다. 다른 모든 지출은 1%를 돌려받습니다. 보상을 명세서 크레딧으로 사용하거나 U.S. Bank 당좌예금 또는 저축예금 계좌에 입금하십시오. 또는 U.S. Bank 선불 직불 카드를 받으십시오(최소 $25). 캐시백은 3년 후에 만료됩니다.
분기마다 Discover It은 새로운 카테고리에서 지출한 최대 $1,500에 대해 5% 캐시백을 제공합니다. 2021년 5% 카테고리에는 1분기 식료품점, Walgreens 및 CVS에서의 구매가 포함됩니다. 5% 리베이트는 2분기에 주유소, 도매 클럽 및 일부 비디오 및 음악 스트리밍 서비스에 적용됩니다. 3분기 레스토랑 및 PayPal 구매 4분기에는 Amazon.com, Walmart.com 및 Target.com이 제공되어 휴가 쇼핑에 편리합니다. 다른 모든 지출은 1% 캐시백을 적립합니다. 자선 기부, 은행 계좌 예금 또는 명세서 크레딧을 위해 금액에 관계없이 보상을 사용하거나 선별된 판매자와 직접 구매할 수 있습니다. 또는 최소 잔액이 $20인 경우 캐시백을 기프트 카드로 교환하세요.
보상을 저축할 동기가 필요하다면 Fidelity Investments의 이 카드를 고려하십시오. 구매할 때마다 1달러당 2포인트가 적립되며, 포인트를 적격 Fidelity 계정에 현금 보증금으로 사용하면 2%의 환급을 받습니다. 중개 계좌, 현금 관리 계좌, IRA, 건강 저축 계좌, 529 대학 저축 계획 또는 자선 기부 계좌를 포함하여 최대 5개의 계좌로 보상을 분할할 수 있습니다. 또는 친구나 가족의 계정에 직접 보상을 제공합니다. 예를 들어 손자의 529 플랜에 입금합니다. 대신 여행, 상품, 기프트 카드 또는 명세서 크레딧으로 포인트를 사용하는 경우 가치의 약 절반만 가치가 있습니다. 모든 유형의 사용에 대해 최소 2,500포인트가 필요합니다.
적격 TD 은행 당좌예금 또는 저축예금 계좌로 보상을 상환하면 지출한 금액당 2%의 수익을 얻을 수 있습니다. 구매할 때마다 1달러당 1포인트가 적립되며 TD 은행 계좌로 현금으로 교환할 때마다 포인트는 1페니 가치가 있습니다(최소 2,500포인트 사용). TD는 사용된 모든 포인트에 대해 추가로 1센트를 계정에 예치합니다. 명세서 크레딧, TD가 아닌 은행 계좌, 여행 또는 기프트 카드로 포인트를 사용하는 경우 포인트는 최소 1페니(지출 수익률 1%)의 가치가 있지만 TD는 예금 또는 크레딧과 일치하지 않습니다. .
금융 기술 회사 SoFi의 이 카드는 지출 1달러당 2포인트를 제공하며 SoFi 현금 관리 계정이나 투자 계정에 보상을 입금하면 모든 구매에 대해 2%의 페이백을 제공하여 저축을 장려합니다. 또는 SoFi 학자금 대출 또는 개인 대출에 캐시백을 적용하십시오. 명세서 크레딧으로 포인트를 사용하는 경우 가치는 절반에 불과합니다.
체이스가 작년에 개편한 체이스 프리덤 언리미티드(Chase Freedom Unlimited)는 이제 체이스 얼티밋 리워드 포털을 통해 여행 예약에 지출한 1달러당 5개의 얼티밋 리워드 포인트와 레스토랑 및 약국 구매에 대해 3포인트를 제공한다. 또한, Lyft 라이드는 2022년 3월까지 1달러당 5포인트를 적립합니다. 기타 모든 지출에 대해 1달러당 1.5포인트를 받으십시오. 이는 최대 리베이트 범주를 벗어난 구매에 대해 많은 카드가 제공하는 표준 1포인트 또는 1%보다 높습니다. 포인트는 캐시백(금액에 상관 없이 사용 가능), 여행 또는 기프트 카드(최소 금액은 다를 수 있음)에 대해 각각 1센트의 가치가 있습니다. 해외 여행 시 이 카드를 집에 두십시오. 3%의 해외 거래 수수료가 부과됩니다.
이 카드를 사용하면 보상이 복잡하지 않습니다. Bank of America의 여행 센터를 통해 여행을 예약하면 지출 1달러당 3포인트, 기타 지출에 대해 1달러당 1.5포인트가 적립됩니다. 포인트는 여행 및 레스토랑 구매에 대한 명세서 크레딧으로 교환할 때 개당 1센트의 가치가 있으며, Bank of America 예금 계좌 또는 Merrill 현금 관리 계좌( 해당 옵션에 대해 최소 2,500포인트 사용). 포인트 값은 기프트 카드 사용에 따라 다릅니다(최소 3,125포인트).
Capital One Venture는 단순하지만 수익성 있는 보상 구조로 금메달을 획득했습니다. Capital One Travel을 통해 호텔 및 자동차 렌탈 구매에 지출한 1달러당 5마일, 그 외의 모든 항목에 대해 1달러당 2마일을 적립할 수 있습니다. 마일리지는 Capital One을 통한 여행 구매 또는 여행 예약에 대한 명세서 크레딧에 대해 1페니의 비율로 금액에 관계없이 사용할 수 있습니다. 마일은 여행 외 구매에 대한 명세서 크레딧으로 교환하는 경우 각 0.5센트의 가치가 있습니다. 또는 Air France, JetBlue 및 Wyndham Hotels &Resorts의 프로그램을 포함하여 12개 이상의 참여 호텔 및 항공사 로열티 프로그램 중 하나로 마일을 양도하십시오(이전된 Capital One 마일 2마다 대부분의 로열티 프로그램에서 1.5포인트 또는 마일을 얻음). 여행자를 위한 또 다른 좋은 특전:4년마다 Global Entry($100) 또는 TSA PreCheck($85) 신청비를 환급받습니다. 각각은 공항에서 신속한 보안 검색을 제공합니다. 카드는 Visa 또는 Mastercard 네트워크에서 발급할 수 있습니다.
이 카드는 U.S. Bank의 FlexPerks Rewards Center를 통해 예약한 선불 호텔 및 렌터카에 1달러당 5포인트, 레스토랑에서 3포인트, 항공사 및 주유소 구매에 2포인트, 기타 지출에 1포인트를 제공합니다. 포인트 가치를 극대화하는 열쇠는 보상 센터(최소 1,000포인트 사용)를 통해 여행 예약과 교환하는 것입니다. 포인트는 각각 1.5센트의 가치가 있습니다. 또는 명세서 크레딧이나 U.S. Bank 예금 계좌에 입금하는 것과 같은 여행 외 상환에 대해 각각 페니 환율로 거래하십시오(최소 5,000포인트 상환). 포인트는 적립된 분기말로부터 5년 후에 만료됩니다. 카드 소지자는 또한 TSA PreCheck 또는 Global Entry 신청 수수료 및 무료 Boingo Wi-Fi 핫스팟 액세스에 대해 최대 $100를 환급받을 수 있습니다.
레스토랑, 슈퍼마켓, 주유소, 항공 여행 및 호텔과 같은 다양한 카테고리에서 지출한 금액당 3포인트를 적립하세요. 다른 모든 지출은 1달러당 1포인트를 받습니다. Citi의 ThankYou 보상 포털을 통해 기프트 카드($10 최소 상환) 또는 여행 예약에 대해 각각 1센트의 비율로 포인트를 거래하십시오. 또한 ThankYou 포인트를 JetBlue 및 Virgin Atlantic의 프로그램을 포함하여 참여 항공사 상용 고객 프로그램으로 양도할 수 있습니다(대부분의 양도는 1:1 비율임). 매년 Premier 카드는 $500 이상의 선불 호텔 숙박에 대해 $100 할인을 제공합니다.
This card gets top marks for flexibility, thanks to healthy point values and the ability to transfer points to an appealing list of partner travel loyalty programs. You earn two Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on restaurant and travel purchases, and one point per dollar on all other spending. Points are worth 1.25 cents apiece when you use them to book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards (minimum redemption amounts may vary). And with the Pay Yourself Back feature, you can get a 1.25-cent value when redeeming points for statement credits against purchases in rotating categories; through September, the categories include grocery stores, home-improvement stores, restaurants and select charities. Points are worth a penny each for cash (no minimum to redeem) or gift cards (minimums may vary). Or transfer points at a one-to-one ratio to partner travel loyalty programs, including Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt.
A few temporary perks:five points per dollar spent on Lyft rides through March 2022, up to $60 back on a Peloton Digital or All-Access membership through December, and a free subscription of at least a year to DashPass, which offers waived and reduced fees with food-delivery service DoorDash (activate by December 31).
With the American Express EveryDay card, earn Amex Membership Rewards points without paying an annual fee. You get two points for every dollar spent at supermarkets (up to $6,000 spent per year; one point thereafter) and one point per dollar on other spending. Each month that you make at least 20 purchases on the card, you get a 20% bonus on the points you’ve earned. You can transfer points to partner travel loyalty programs, including Delta SkyMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. (Most transfers are at a one-to-one ratio; the ratio for Hilton is one Membership Rewards point per two Hilton points). Or exchange points at a rate of a penny each for flights booked through American Express Travel (minimum 5,000 points). You can also redeem points for hotel reservations and other travel bookings, as well as statement credits or gift cards, but point values are often lower. The card charges a 2.7% foreign-transaction fee.
If you are a frequent guest at Marriott properties, you should consider this card because you can either redeem Marriott Bonvoy points that you earn with it for hotel stays or transfer them to more than 40 frequent-flier programs, including American AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, Southwest Rapid Rewards and United MileagePlus (at a ratio of three Marriott points to one mile for most programs). For every 60,000 points that you transfer, you get a bonus of 5,000 miles. The card doles out six points per dollar spent at Marriott hotels and two points per dollar on all other spending. Points expire if your account is inactive for 24 months.
Frequent travelers can squeeze a lot of value out of this feature-packed card. It offers a $300 annual statement credit on travel spending—and through December, gas and grocery store purchases count toward the credit, too. Other benefits include a credit of up to $100 every four years for a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee and free access to airport lounges through Priority Pass Select. Through December, cardholders get up to $120 back for a Peloton Digital or All-Access membership and up to $60 in statement credits for purchases with food-delivery service DoorDash. You have until December 31 to activate a free subscription of at least a year to DashPass, which provides reduced fees on DoorDash deliveries, and until March 2022 to start one year of free membership with Lyft Pink, which provides discounted rides, priority airport pickups and other perks from Lyft.
Sapphire Reserve pays out three Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on dining and travel purchases and one point per dollar on other spending, and through March 2022, Lyft rides earn 10 points per dollar. Points have a rich value of 1.5 cents each if you use them to book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards (minimum redemption amounts may vary). Recently, through the Pay Yourself Back feature, you could also get a 1.5-cent point value when redeeming points for statement credits against purchases in rotating categories; through September, the categories include grocery stores, home-improvement stores, restaurants and select charities. Or transfer points to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs, as with Chase Sapphire Preferred (see the Flexible Travel Redemptions category).
American Express Platinum is a great choice among premium cards if you spend a lot of time at airports. It provides free access to several lounge networks, including Amex’s own well-regarded Centurion lounges. And you get free visits to lounges from Airspace, Escape, Delta Sky Club and Priority Pass Select, too. Cardholders also get a $200 yearly credit for incidental fees (such as for checked baggage or in-flight meals) on one airline of choice; $15 in Uber Cash per month for Uber rides or Uber Eats deliveries ($35 in December); Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status; an application-fee credit of up to $100 for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry; extras such as early breakfast, late checkout, and dining and spa credits at select hotels; and complimentary membership in premium car-rental programs from Avis, Hertz and National.
Earn five Amex Membership Rewards points per dollar on flights (up to $500,000 spent yearly) and prepaid hotel reservations booked through Amex Travel. During your first six months of card membership, the card recently offered 10 points per dollar on up to $15,000 in combined gas station and supermarket purchases, too. Other spending gets one point per dollar. Points are transferable to partner travel loyalty programs (for details, see the Amex EveryDay card, the silver medalist in the Flexible Travel Redemptions category), or exchange points at a rate of a penny each for flights booked through American Express Travel (minimum 5,000 points).
Pick up five points per dollar on restaurant and airfare spending, three points per dollar on hotel and cruise line purchases, and one point per dollar on other spending. Points are redeemable at a rate of a penny apiece for travel bookings through Citi’s ThankYou Travel Center, or you can transfer them to participating airline frequent-flier programs, including those from JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic (most transfers are at a 1:1 ratio). Cardholders also get free airport lounge access with a Priority Pass Select membership, reimbursement of up to $100 every five years for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee, a free fourth night during a hotel stay of at least four consecutive nights booked through Citi’s ThankYou.com (you can use the benefit twice per year) and a $250 statement credit on travel purchases each year. Through December, supermarket and restaurant purchases count toward the credit, too.
This card awards two SkyMiles per dollar not only on Delta purchases but also in two other attractive cate-gories:restaurant and supermarket spending. All other purchases earn one SkyMile per dollar. Cardholders also get one free checked bag for up to nine passengers on a flight reservation, priority boarding, a 20% discount on in-flight purchases (excluding Wi-Fi) and a $100 credit for a Delta flight if you spend at least $10,000 on the card in a year.
Frequent fliers on Southwest Airlines get a lot of bang for their buck to offset the annual fee with this card. Included are a $75 yearly travel credit for Southwest purchases (excluding upgraded boarding and in-flight purchases), annual reimbursement for up to four upgraded flight boardings to positions A1 to A15, a bonus of 7,500 Rapid Rewards points on your account anniversary each year, and 1,500 tier qualifying points toward A-List or A-List Preferred status for each $10,000 in purchases on the card (up to $100,000 yearly). Cardholders earn two points per dollar on Southwest purchases and one point per dollar on other spending. Recently, you could also get three points per dollar spent at restaurants for the first year.
This card will prove lucrative for frequent JetBlue flyers. It provides six TrueBlue points per dollar spent on purchases from JetBlue, two points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores, and one point per dollar on other spending. Plus, you get 5,000 bonus points on your account anniversary each year; one free checked bag for you and up to three other passengers on a flight reservation; a 50% discount on in-flight cocktail and food purchases; a $100 annual statement credit if you purchase a JetBlue Vacations package of at least $100 with the card; and Mosaic loyalty status if you spend $50,000 or more on the card in a calendar year. Each time you redeem points for a flight, you get back a 10% point bonus.
Healthy point values help boost the Hyatt card to the top of the heap among hotel cards. Earn four World of Hyatt Bonus points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and two points per dollar for purchases with restaurants, airlines, local transit, fitness clubs and gyms. In the first six months of card membership, you also get two points per dollar on all other purchases (on up to $15,000 spent); after that, you earn one point per dollar on other spending. Each year after your cardmember anniversary, you get a free night at a Hyatt property (in hotel categories one through four), as well as an extra free night if you spend at least $15,000 on the card in a calendar year. Cardmembers also enjoy Discoverist loyalty status, five qualifying night credits toward the next tier status each year, and two more qualifying night credits for each $5,000 spent on the card.
This card makes up for low Hilton Honors point values by piling on plenty of extra points in everyday spending categories. You earn 12 points per dollar spent at Hilton properties, six points per dollar on restaurant, supermarket and gas purchases, and three points per dollar on all other spending. (Points typically expire if you are inactive in the Hilton Honors program for 15 months, and earning points with the credit card counts as activity; points set to expire in 2021, however, will not expire until December 31.) Plus, get automatic Hilton Honors Gold loyalty status, or Diamond status if you spend at least $40,000 on the card in a calendar year. If you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, you get a free weekend-night reward. Through Priority Pass Select, cardholders can visit participating airport lounges free up to 10 times a year. Rather skip the annual fee? Check out the Hilton Honors Amex, which also provides bountiful points in a range of categories.
Earn six Wyndham Rewards points per dollar spent at Wyndham properties, four points per dollar on restaurant and grocery store purchases, and one point per dollar on other spending. (Points expire if your Wyndham Rewards account is inactive for 18 months.) Cardholders get a 7,500-point bonus on their account anniversary each year, automatic Platinum status with Wyndham’s loyalty program, discounts on the best available rates for overnight Wyndham stays, and a 10% discount on points needed to reserve hotel stays with the program’s Go Free awards, which allow you to book free nights with specified point increments.
Get 5% cash back on fuel purchases paid at the pump and 1% back on other retail spending. Rewards redemption is simple:Abound automatically applies cash back to your account each month. To become a member of the credit union, join nonprofit organization USA Cares (no fee applies), pay a one-time, $10 membership fee to the credit union, and deposit $5 into a savings account.
This credit card from wholesale retailer Sam’s Club offers 5% cash back on up to $6,000 spent yearly on gas station purchases (1% thereafter). You also earn 3% back at restaurants, and if you have a Plus membership ($100 a year), the card provides 3% back on Sam’s Club purchases, in addition to the 2% back that Plus members get on store purchases regardless of whether they have the credit card. Those with a Club membership ($45 yearly) get 1% back on Sam’s Club purchases, and all cardholders earn 1% on spending that does not fall into any of the other rebate categories. Cash-back rewards are limited to $5,000 a year, and the previous year’s rewards are automatically loaded to your membership account starting each February. You can use cash back to make purchases at Sam’s Club stores and SamsClub.com.
Earn 4% cash back on gas purchases, 3% at restaurants and 2% at grocery stores on the first $8,000 of combined spending in those categories each year. All other spending gets 1% back. When your cash-back balance reaches $25, you can redeem it for an account credit or a deposit into an eligible PNC bank or investment account. If you live in a region with PNC Bank branches, you can use the card without having any other PNC accounts. If you live outside of PNC’s branch footprint, you must have an online bank account with PNC to use the card.
Amex’s Blue Cash Preferred has long been the gold standard among grocery-rebate cards for its unbeatable 6% cash back on up to $6,000 spent yearly at supermarkets (1% thereafter). Cardholders also get 6% back on qualifying video- and music-streaming subscriptions, 3% back on transit (such as taxis, ride-sharing services, parking and tolls) and gas purchases, and 1% on other spending. When your cash-back balance is $25 or more, you can redeem it for a statement credit. If you prefer a no-fee card, consider Amex Blue Cash Everyday, which offers 3% back on up to $6,000 in annual supermarket spending, 2% back on gas and select department-store purchases, and 1% back on other spending.
If you’re a customer of Verizon’s wireless services, you can apply for the carrier’s credit card. It provides a generous 4% back on grocery store and gas purchases, 3% back on restaurant spending, 2% back on Verizon purchases, and 1% back on other spending. Rewards are distributed as Verizon Dollars, which you can use to pay your Verizon wireless or Fios bill and to buy Verizon devices and accessories. If your account is inactive for 24 months, you forfeit unused Verizon Dollars. If you use the card to make automatic payments for your Verizon wireless bill and sign up for paperless billing, you can get a monthly discount of $5 or $10, depending on your plan, for each line on your wireless plan.
If you qualify for membership with Navy Federal Credit Union, check out this card, which offers three points per dollar spent at supermarkets and restaurants and on gas and transit. Other purchases earn one point per dollar. Points are worth 1 cent each when you redeem them for cash back, travel bookings and gift cards. Navy Federal membership isn’t open to everyone, but the standards are fairly broad:You can join as a military servicemember or veteran, a roommate or immediate family member of a servicemember (including spouses, children, parents, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren), or a Department of Defense civilian employee. Members must deposit at least $5 into a savings account.
Get an appetizing four points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases with this card, which U.S. Bank introduced last year. It also provides two points per dollar spent on groceries, gas and eligible video- and music-streaming services and one point per dollar on other spending. Points are redeemable at a rate of a penny apiece for merchandise, gift cards and travel bookings (1,000-point minimum redemption for those options), and points have the same value for statement credits or deposits into a U.S. Bank savings or checking account (2,500-point minimum). You also get a $15 statement credit each year that you charge 11 consecutive months of payments to eligible streaming services, such as Apple Music, Hulu and Netflix.
The SavorOne card offers 3% cash back on restaurant and entertainment spending (the entertainment category includes purchases at movie theaters, sporting events, amusement parks, zoos and some other venues), 2% back at grocery stores and 1% back on other purchases. Redeem cash back in any amount for a statement credit or check. Cardholders also get dining perks, such as premium service with restaurant-reservation app OpenTable and presale tickets for benefit dinners through Capital One’s Taste America program. If you spend significant amounts on dining purchases, the $95 fee on the Capital One Savor card may be worthwhile because it pays a higher rate of 4% back on dining purchases.
Amex Gold is well suited to travelers who dine out frequently and can make good use of a strong grocery rebate, too. You get four Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and on up to $25,000 spent yearly at U.S. supermarkets, three points on airfare, two points on qualifying purchases at AmexTravel.com, and one point on other spending. Redeem points at a rate of a penny apiece for flights booked through Amex Travel, or transfer them to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs. (For more detail on transfers, see the Amex EveryDay card, the silver medalist in the “Flexible Travel Redemptions” category). Plus, cardholders get $10 in Uber Cash each month—which you can spend on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides—and a $10 monthly statement credit for purchases through Grubhub, Seamless, Boxed and other participating food-delivery services. And when you stay at properties in Amex Travel’s Hotel Collection, get up to $100 in credit for qualifying activities at the hotel, such as visiting its restaurants or spa.
If you’re a regular visitor to Walmart’s website and stores, you can get good value from its credit card, which offers five points per dollar spent at Walmart.com (including grocery delivery or pickup). For the first year, you also get five points per dollar spent on in-store purchases if you use the card through Walmart Pay, Walmart’s mobile payment app; after that, you get two points per dollar at the store. Purchases at Walmart and Murphy USA gas stations, as well as restaurant and travel spending, earn two points per dollar, and other spending earns one point per dollar. Exchange points in any amount at a rate of a penny each for checks, statement credits, gift cards or travel bookings.
Amazon’s credit card pays out three points per dollar spent at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market—or five points per dollar if you��re a member of Amazon’s $119 yearly Prime service. The card also pays two points per dollar spent at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores, and one point per dollar on other purchases. Redeem points at a rate of a penny each for cash back, purchases directly at Amazon.com, gift cards (2,500-point minimum) or travel bookings.
Members of Costco Wholesale can take advantage of a desirable set of rebates with this card. You get 4% cash back on up to $7,000 spent on gas per year (1% thereafter), 3% on restaurant and travel spending, 2% on Costco and Costco.com purchases, and 1% on other spending. After your February billing statement closes each year, you’ll receive the cash back you earned the previous year as a reward certificate, which you can redeem for cash or merchandise in a single transaction at Costco. You have until December 31 the year your certificate is issued to redeem it.
You can use this card only at Target’s stores or website, but Target fans will appreciate the 5% rebate on in-store and online purchases. The discount extends to clearance prices and in-store Starbucks purchases, but prescription drugs, Target Optical eye exams, and certain other items and services are not eligible. Cardholders get free shipping on most deliveries from Target.com and an additional 30 days to make returns or exchanges.
With the Lowe’s Advantage card, you get a 5% discount on every purchase. Alternatively, you can choose to get six months of no-interest payments on a purchase of at least $299 (a 26.99% interest rate is charged retroactively to the purchase date if you don’t pay the full balance within six months) or 84 fixed monthly payments at a reduced 7.99% interest rate on a minimum $2,000 purchase.
Earn five points per dollar spent at stores in the TJX family, including HomeGoods, Homesense, Marshalls, T.J.Maxx and Sierra. For every 1,000 points you earn, you get a $10 rewards certificate, which expires two years after its issue date. Note that TJX also offers a version of the card that is usable anywhere Mastercard is accepted, but its only other rebate category is one point per dollar on purchases outside of TJX stores.
This card comes with several student-friendly features. To start, its rewards scheme is simple and sensible for the student lifestyle, offering 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (on up to $1,000 in combined purchases per quarter) and 1% back on other spending. Cash back is redeemable in any amount for statement credits, bank account deposits, charitable donations or direct payments to select merchants; gift card redemptions come with a $20 minimum. After the first year, Discover matches the cash back you’ve earned, so students don’t have to meet a spending minimum to secure an initial bonus.
Each school year a student has a grade point average of at least 3.0 (for up to five years) earns him or her a $20 statement credit. And when it comes to interest and penalties, Discover’s policies are forgiving for young people who are learning the ropes of managing a credit card:It never charges a penalty interest rate after a late payment, and it waives the late fee for the first missed payment.
Choose one category that earns 3% cash back. The options are gas, online shopping, restaurants, travel, drugstores, and home improvement and furnishings (you can change the category each calendar month). You also get 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. Each quarter, a combined $2,500 spending cap applies to the 3% and 2% categories—after that, purchases in those categories earn 1% back, and all other spending gets 1% back, too. Redeem rewards in any amount for a statement credit or deposit into a Bank of America checking or savings account; certain other redemptions, such as receiving a check, require a $25 minimum
Consider this card if you prefer a basic, flat-rate structure for cash back and would appreciate a little extra encouragement to pay your bills on time. Each month that you make timely payments, the card provides a 1.25% payback (otherwise, you get 1% back) and a $5 statement credit toward eligible music- and video-streaming service subscriptions charged to the card (limited to $60 in credits within the first 18 months of card membership). Cash back is redeemable in any amount for a statement credit or check. Capital One charges no foreign-transaction fees, and Mastercard is widely accepted worldwide, so this card is a good one for students to keep in their pockets for studying abroad.
If you like straightforward rewards and redemptions, this card does the job:You earn 2% cash back for every purchase on up to $50,000 spent per calendar year and 1% back thereafter. Cash back is automatically credited to your statement. You can add employee cards to your account, set spending limits and keep an eye on their spending with alerts and reports. Prefer to earn Amex Membership Rewards points instead? The American Express Blue Business Plus card provides two points per dollar on up to $50,000 spent per year and one point per dollar after that.
Spark Cash provides an unlimited 2% cash back on all spending, making it a fitting selection for business owners who charge significant sums. Cash back is redeemable in any amount for a statement credit or check. You can add employee cards to your account free, track employee spending and set spending limits for the cards. Spark Cash may be issued on the Mastercard or Visa network. It charges no foreign-transaction fee—a nice perk for international business travelers.
If you have large expenses coming up and can spend $15,000 in the first three months of card membership, the recent sign-up bonus of an eye-popping 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points—worth $1,250 in travel bookings through Chase or $1,000 in cash back—will make up for the annual fee several times over. The card pays out three points per dollar on up to $150,000 per year in combined spending on shipping purchases; advertising on social media sites and search engines; internet, cable and phone services; and travel. All other spending nets one point per dollar spent. Points are worth 1.25 cents apiece when you redeem them for travel bookings through Chase Ultimate Rewards (minimum redemption amounts may vary) or 1 cent for cash back (no minimum required) and gift cards (minimums may vary). You can also transfer points to participating hotel and airline loyalty programs, including Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. The card charges no foreign-transaction fee, so business travelers benefit, too.
Employee cards are free, and you can set spending limits on them. Another helpful feature:You get insurance for cell phones against damage or theft, for both you and employees listed on your phone bill, if you pay the bill with the card (there’s a $100 deductible per claim and a maximum of three claims per year).
If you like the Chase family of cards but want to avoid an annual fee, check out the Chase Ink Business Cash Visa. It offers five Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on up to $25,000 in combined annual spending at office-supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services; two points per dollar on up to $25,000 in combined annual spending at gas stations and restaurants; and one point per dollar on other spending. Points are worth a penny apiece for cash back, gift cards and travel bookings.
If a low interest rate is more important to you than dazzling rewards, consider these cards.
Long-term 0% introductory rate: The 0% introductory period on the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum card (www.usbank.com) lasts 20 months for both purchases and balance transfers; after that, the variable rate was recently 14.49% to 24.49%. The balance-transfer fee is the greater of 3% of the amount transferred or $5.
No-fee balance transfers: If you have access to a Chase bank branch, you can visit it to apply for the Chase Slate Visa card , which provides a 0% introductory rate on balance transfers for 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74%) and charges no fee on transfers made within 60 days of opening the account. Recently, most customers could not apply for the card online.
Low ongoing rate:The Lake Michigan Credit Union Prime Platinum Visa (www.lmcu.org) offers an interest rate as low as 6.25% and charges no balance-transfer fee. Anyone can join the credit union by donating $5 to the ALS Foundation and depositing $5 into a savings account.
For each card, we’ve calculated a typical annual rebate using spending patterns listed in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey and assuming $24,000 charged to the card each year (unless otherwise noted). For cards that do not waive their annual fee the first year, we subtracted the fee from the cash value of the annual rebate. Other criteria play into card placement, too, such as ease and flexibility of earning and redeeming rewards and whether you must be a member of a club or financial institution to apply for a card. Except where noted, rewards do not expire or have caps, and the travel-focused cards do not charge foreign-transaction fees.
We do not include a typical annual rebate for premium travel rewards cards because they also provide considerable value outside of the points they award for everyday spending.
We did not encounter a contender for bronze medalist in the “Flat-Rate Cash Back (Worth the Fee)” category. Additionally, we selected Wells Fargo Propel American Express as the gold medalist among no-fee travel rewards cards. Recently, however, Wells Fargo paused acceptance of applications for the card.
Rankings were based on terms available in March 2021 and may have changed since. We've noted updates for some of these cards here:New Perks From Our Best Rewards Cards.