Best Credit Cards of 2024

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card can be a great option for everyday spenders and those who travel frequently, as it offers flexible rewards on both travel and non-travel purchases. It also has an insanely good welcome offer, comes with exceptional travel insurance benefits, and more, all for a very reasonable $95 annual fee.

It’s close to perfect, but not quite. This card may fall short for premium travelers, as it lacks some of those higher-end benefits like airport lounge access and TSA PreCheck^® fee credits. But overall, it’s a really good card.

Other notable perks: $50 annual hotel credit, 25% more point value through Chase Travel℠, 10% anniversary points bonus

It’s hard not to love the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express. It earns cash-back at an exceptional rate on everyday purchases like at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, making it ideal for families. Its 6% back on U.S. streaming services is also top-notch for people (like me) who maintain a comprehensive collection of streaming accounts.

I don’t love the annual fee, but I can appreciate the brief respite from it, with a $0 intro fee for the first year. After that, it’s only $95 a year which is honestly not too bad, especially if you can maximize its highest-earning bonus categories. It’s also not ideal if you enjoy traveling overseas— you’ll want to keep another card in your back pocket— this one has a 2.7% foreign transaction fee (see rates and fees) and a lower international acceptance rate than, say, Visa or Mastercard.

Other notable perks: Up to $7 back per month on an eligible Disney Bundle subscription (enrollment required, terms apply)

If you’re a restaurant or entertainment fiend, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card may be just what you need. With 3% back on dining, entertainment, and even grocery store purchases, this card can reward you handsomely for your nights (or days) out. As an added perk, you won’t have to pay an annual fee so there’s no pressure to “make up” for a yearly cost.

Grocery store purchases don’t extend to those made at Walmart, Target, or the like, which isn’t ideal if you do most of your food shopping at those stores. It’s also missing a few essential bonus categories like gas stations and non-bonus purchases only earn 1% back.

Other notable perks: No foreign transaction fees, flexible redemption options, easy-to-earn welcome bonus

If you’re in the market for a credit card that’s well-rounded enough to use for almost all of your purchases, the Chase Freedom Unlimited^® might meet the brief. It offers a valuable combination of high cash-back rates in various categories and a generous sign-up bonus, all for no annual fee. Additionally, rewards are earned through Chase Ultimate Rewards, meaning they’re extremely flexible to redeem. Plus, if you have another Chase card in your wallet, you can pool your points together for added value.

Freedom Unlimited falls flat in a few key areas, though. Any international purchases will be subject to a 3% foreign transaction fee, and those costs can add up quickly. It’s also missing bonus categories like groceries or gas, which may limit its value for some users.

Other notable perks: Three months of free DashPass, purchase protection, trip insurance benefits

Although the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® boasts a hefty $550 annual fee, it provides plenty of value for the frequent traveler to make it worthwhile. This card has a high reward rate on eligible travel purchases, an annual $300 travel statement credit, 50% more point value through Chase Travel℠, and access to airport lounges, among other perks. 

Barring the high fee, Sapphire Reserve has other potential downsides to consider. The best rewards only come through the Chase Travel℠ platform, which may limit your searches. The travel credit also comes with a stipulation— you’ll only start earning points on travel after the first $300 is spent yearly— that first $300 spent on travel automatically goes toward the travel credit.

Other notable perks: Insanely good travel insurance benefits, application fee credit for TSA PreCheck^®, Global Entry, or NEXUS, DoorDash and Lyft benefits

As the upgraded sibling of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card card, the Venture X Card offers quite a bit more value. Primarily, cardholders can earn roughly twice the amount of miles on eligible travel purchases. It also has extra benefits like complimentary unlimited airport lounge access and a $300 annual travel credit.

I won’t glaze over that annual fee, though. Almost $400 per year to maintain a credit card account is no small thing. But if you travel frequently, the $300 annual travel credit offsets most of the cost. Venture X is also missing some of the partner benefits other premium cards may boast, but sometimes it’s nice not to worry about maximizing a ton of individual credits and memberships.

Other notable perks: TSA PreCheck^® or Global Entry fee credit, hotel experience credits, 10,000 annual bonus miles

Credit card categories can get confusing and difficult to keep track of, so the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card keeps things simple. Cardholders can earn 2X miles per dollar on all purchases, and an elevated rate of 5X miles per dollar on eligible travel purchases. It also has a fee credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^® membership, which is surprising considering Venture’s low annual fee.

It lacks premium benefits, with no complimentary airport lounge access and few travel credits, which may limit its value for frequent travelers. And while its simple rewards are a plus, having very few bonus categories decreases your earning potential on everyday expenses.

Other notable perks: Hotel experience credits, no foreign transaction fees

The Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express is like the slightly less exciting sibling of the Blue Cash Preferred, but it doesn’t have an annual fee. Its reward rate is quite nice, with 3% back on up to $6,000 in everyday categories like purchases made at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. online retailers (then 1%).

Like Blue Cash Preferred, it’s important to note that Blue Cash Everyday holds a 2.7% foreign transaction fee (see rates and fees), so it’s less than ideal to take on travels abroad. Its welcome offer is also pretty small compared to the spending requirement and its reward cap may limit your overall earning potential if you spend a lot.

Other notable perks: Up to $7 per month Disney Bundle credit (enrollment required), up to $15 per month Home Chef credit (enrollment required). Terms apply.

If you saw the $695 annual fee on The Platinum Card^® from American Express and said “immediately, no,” don’t count it out yet. For the frequent traveler who likes to journey in luxury, this card offers a TON of value. It includes over $1,500 worth of statement credits annually, airport lounge access, and way more. If you’re willing to commit yourself to squeezing as much value as possible out of this card, the annual fee is well worth it.

Looking past the yearly fee, Amex Platinum has some other drawbacks. The statement credits are complicated and very specific, so you’ll have to put in some work to make sure you’re maximizing them. It also doesn’t have any non-travel bonus categories, so you may have a hard time racking up rewards on your daily purchases.

Other notable perks: Hotel elite status with Marriott and Hilton, generous travel insurance benefits. Terms apply.

The American Express^® Gold Card is a great option for individuals who frequently dine out and spend a lot at restaurants. With this card, you can earn 4X points per dollar on up to $50,000 spent on restaurant purchases per year (then 1X). Additionally, you can enjoy dining-related perks like up to $120 in annual dining credits (provided as statement credits), up to $120 in Uber Cash every year, and up to $84 annually in Dunkin’ credits.

However, the annual fee is high and Amex Gold lacks some of the perks of other cards in its same fee tier (like airport lounge access and TSA PreCheck^® fee credits). And while the statement credits add to its value, that’s only if they fit into your lifestyle.

Other notable perks: Hotel experience credits, no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees). Terms apply.