| Credit Card | Rewards Rate | Welcome Bonus | Intro APR | Regular APR | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2026 AWARD WINNER
Best for Dining Out
Apply Now
Chase Freedom Unlimited® |
1.5% - 5%
Cash Back
|
$250
Bonus
|
Balance Transfer:
0%, 15 months
Purchases:
0%, 15 months
|
18.24% - 27.74% Variable
|
$0
|
|
2026 AWARD WINNER
Best Overall Travel Credit Card
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card |
1X - 5X
Points
|
75,000
Points
|
Balance Transfer:
N/A, N/A
Purchases:
N/A, N/A
|
19.24% - 27.49% Variable
|
$95
|
|
2026 Award Winner
Best Overall Cash Back Credit Card
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Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card |
2%
Cash rewards
|
$200
Cash rewards
|
Balance Transfer:
0%, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Purchases:
0%, 12 months from account opening
|
18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% Variable
|
$0
|
Apply Now
Discover it® Cash Back |
1% - 5%
Cash back
|
Cashback Match™
|
Balance Transfer:
0%, 15 months
Purchases:
0%, 15 months
|
17.49% - 26.49% Variable
|
$0
|
|
2026 AWARD WINNER
Best Card for Lounge Access
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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card |
2X - 10X
Miles
|
75,000
Miles
|
Balance Transfer:
N/A, N/A
Purchases:
N/A, N/A
|
19.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
|
$395
|
|
2026 AWARD WINNER
Best for Simple Travel Rewards
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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card |
2X - 5X
Miles
|
75,000 Miles + $250 Capital One Travel credit
|
Balance Transfer:
N/A, N/A
Purchases:
N/A, N/A
|
19.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
|
$95
|
|
2026 AWARD WINNER
Best Travel Card Debut
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Citi Strata Elite℠ Card |
1.5X - 12X
Points
|
75,000
Points
|
Balance Transfer:
N/A, N/A
Purchases:
N/A, N/A
|
20.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
|
$595
|
Today's Top Credit Card Welcome Offers
- Limited Time Offer: Earn a $250 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can use points to redeem for cash through an account statement credit or an electronic deposit into an eligible Chase account located in the United States!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.24% - 27.74%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
- Earn 75,000 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
- 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
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem cash back for any amount. No annual fee.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.49% to 26.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- Terms and conditions apply.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and participating Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Top rated mobile app
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app
- Earn 75,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
- Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time
- Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Bottom Line
The Chase Freedom Unlimited®(Rates and fees) is a great choice for almost everyone. Cardholders can benefit from a generous cash back program while also enjoying 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on balance transfers and purchases (APR then 18.24% - 27.74% Variable) — all without an annual fee.
- Cash rewards: Cardholders can earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- Intro APR: Enjoy a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. After the intro period the APR is 18.24% - 27.74% Variable.
- No annual fee: The Freedom Unlimited card has a $0 annual fee, which is perfect for someone looking to pay down debt, not add to it.
- Welcome bonus: Earn a $250 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening (limited-time offer).
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about travel credit cards? We've answered the most common ones below to help you choose the right card.
Whether cash back or points/miles are better depends on what you value most. Big travel spenders might appreciate rewards that can be traded in for airline tickets, statement credits, and hotel stays. These points may be worth more than cash back depending on how you earn and redeem them.
However, some credit cards offer cashback rewards that can save customers a lot of money annually, which may be more important for you. In the end, it’s up to you to decide which is better for your lifestyle.
If you'd prefer more flexibility, certain cashback rewards cards allow you to use your cash back to book travel. This can give you the best of both worlds if you're on the fence about which type of card to choose.
When you use a cash back credit card, the issuer gives you back rewards as a percentage of what you spend on qualifying purchases. You can usually redeem these rewards for statement credits, and sometimes for other things, like gift cards.
There are different types of cash back credit cards. For example, if you have a flat-rate cash back card that offers 1.5% back on all purchases and you buy a $10 birthday cake, the card issuer will give you 15 cents back.
Certain cash back cards also offer rotating bonus categories, which typically vary from quarter to quarter. One quarter, bonus cashback categories might include eligible online shopping purchases on sites like Amazon, Target, or Walmart. The next quarter, you might earn bonus cash at a wholesale club or home improvement store, or on a streaming subscription. As an added bonus, some issuers will even match the cash back you earn at the end of your first year, up to a certain amount.
The exact rewards structure will vary from card to card, though redemption options may be similar across credit cards. Some typical cashback redemption options include statement credits, direct deposits to your checking account, mailed checks, or credits you can use to purchase gift cards.
Travel credit cards earn points (sometimes called miles) each time you make an eligible purchase. The typical earning rate is 1 to 2 points per dollar spent, and many cards give you extra points for certain purchases, typically within travel categories.
The value of a point (or mile) depends on the card that earned it and how you redeem it, but a good rule of thumb is to assume each point is worth an average of about 1 cent.
Your points accumulate in a rewards account, where you can use them to pay for travel. Most cards let you book travel directly using a portal, but instead of paying cash, you can pay with your points or miles. Depending on the card, you may also have the option of booking travel directly from your airline or hotel of choice, then cashing in your points for a credit against those expenses.
While cash back cards offer a straightforward reward system, travel rewards cards often provide greater flexibility and value. With travel rewards, you can redeem points or miles for flights, hotels, car rentals, and more. This can lead to significant savings on your vacations and trips. Additionally, travel rewards cards often come with exclusive perks like airport lounge access, travel insurance, and priority boarding. By choosing a travel rewards card, you can turn your everyday spending into unforgettable travel experiences.
To maximize your travel rewards, consider these strategies:
- Utilize welcome offers: Many travel cards offer substantial welcome bonuses when you meet a minimum spending requirement within a certain timeframe.
- Maximize bonus categories: Look for cards that offer bonus points or miles on spending categories where you make regular purchases, such as dining or groceries.
- Use your card for everyday purchases: By using your travel rewards card for regular expenses, you can accumulate points or miles over time.
- Consider a premium card: Premium travel cards often offer higher earning rates and exclusive perks, but they may also have annual fees. Weigh the benefits against the cost to determine if it's worth the investment. It’s not uncommon for frequent travelers to get more value from a premium card than casual travelers.
- Transfer points strategically: Some travel rewards programs allow you to transfer points to airline or hotel loyalty programs. This can be a great way to redeem your points for specific travel experiences.
How we chose these cards
FinanceBuzz evaluated a selection of cards from our partners, looking at various criteria including the annual fee, travel benefits, and bonus offers. We did not review all cards in the category and compensation was considered when evaluating and ordering the cards.