USA TODAY 10Best
Elevate your finances: Discover the 10 best credit cards for rewards
Best Rewards Credit Card (2023)
A good rewards credit card offers users greater flexibility on how they earn and redeem points, with no need to fly the same airline, stay in the same hotel chain, or rent from the same car company on every trip.
We asked a panel of miles-and-points experts to tell us their favorite general rewards credit cards, then our readers voted to help crown the winners. Here are the 10 best rewards credit cards.
- Chase Freedom Unlimited Visa
- Bank of America Premium Rewards Visa
- Capital One Venture Rewards
- American Express Green Card
- Capital One Savor
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- American Express Platinum Card
- Discover it Cash Back
- Quicksilver from Capital One
No. 10:
Chase Freedom Unlimited cardholders earn 5% cash back on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on restaurants, and 1.5% on all purchases. There's no annual fee, and the card comes with a $200 cash back bonus offer on $500 of purchases in the first three months. Even better, the cash back rewards don't expire.
Photo courtesy of Bank of America
No. 9:
With the Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card, cardholders earn 60,000 bonus points with eligible purchases, two points per dollar spent on travel and dining and 1.5 points per dollar on everything else. Other perks include up to $200 in travel statement credits, travel insurance protections, and no foreign transaction fees.
No. 8:
Venture Rewards cardholders earn 2 miles per dollar on all purchases. When paired with an attractive 75,000-mile sign-up bonus, a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and flexible redemption options, it becomes a great all-around card for frequent travelers who want a simple and effective way to earn miles.
Photo courtesy of American Express
No. 7:
The American Express Green Card comes with a 60,000-point sign-up bonus after qualifying purchases and no foreign transaction fees. Cardholders earn three points per dollar spent on dining (including takeout and delivery), transit, airfare, hotels, and car rentals. Other perks include a $189 CLEAR Plus credit and $100 LoungeBuddy credit.
No. 6:
Capital One Savor offers unlimited 4% cash back on dining and entertainment, as well as popular streaming services, and 3% cash back at grocery stores. New cardmembers enjoy a $300 bonus with qualifying purchases.
No. 5:
Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a 60,000-point sign-up bonus, plus a $300 annual travel credit, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, no foreign transaction fees, and three points per dollar spent on travel and restaurants worldwide. Cardholders get 50% more value when they redeem points for travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
No. 4:
Chase Sapphire Preferred offers perks like a 60,000-point sign-up bonus, no foreign transaction fees, and the chance to earn five points per dollar spent on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Cardholders enjoy two points per dollar on all other travel purchases. Points can be converted one-to-one with several loyalty programs, including United and Southwest.
Photo courtesy of American Express
No. 3:
While the Platinum Card from American Express has a higher-than-average annual fee, it can be well worth it, thanks to perks like an 80,000-point sign-up bonus, $200 airline fee credit, $15 worth of Uber rides or Eats orders each month, $189 CLEAR Plus credit, and the chance to earn five points per dollar on flight booked directly with airlines and on prepaid hotels.
Photo courtesy of Discover
No. 2:
Discover it cardholders earn 5% cash back on rotating categories like gas stations, Amazon.com, restaurants, and wholesale clubs, plus 1% back on all other purchases. Discover matches the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year.
No. 1:
Quicksilver offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, a $200 sign-up bonus, no annual fees, and no foreign transaction fees. It's a great low-fee, low-maintenance option for travelers who value simplicity.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Cindy Greenstein
Cindy Greenstein is a mother of three young adults... Read More
Cindy Greenstein is a mother of three young adults and a credit-card points expert who loves to travel for free. During her more than 20 years of marriage, she has used credit card points to travel the world while rarely paying for airline flights and hotel rooms. Some of her five-figure travel savings include trips to Aspen ($26,000); Greece ($23,000) and London ($15,000). Her favorite credit cards for point accumulation include the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Capital One Venture X and American Express Gold. Cindy—an attorney and former certified public accountant—founded The Points Mom to share her credit card rewards-program expertise with family friends and small business owners who don’t have the time to learn how to maximize their points. Her services include one-on-one consultations, group consultations, speaking engagements, and reward-program tutorials. She provides the latest offers as well as tons of tips and tricks on Instagram at thepointsmom_ . When Cindy pays for travel or hotels, she is strategic about the credit cards that she uses. For example, on her trips she pays with the card that will earn her the most rewards, gets her the closest to elite status and offers her the most lucrative benefits.
Cindy Greenstein
Cindy Greenstein is a mother of three young adults and a credit-card points expert who loves to travel for free. During her more than 20 years of marriage, she has used credit card points to travel the world while rarely paying for airline flights and hotel rooms. Some of her five-figure travel savings include trips to Aspen ($26,000); Greece ($23,000) and London ($15,000). Her favorite credit cards for point accumulation include the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Capital One Venture X and American Express Gold. Cindy—an attorney and former certified public accountant—founded The Points Mom to share her credit card rewards-program expertise with family friends and small business owners who don’t have the time to learn how to maximize their points. Her services include one-on-one consultations, group consultations, speaking engagements, and reward-program tutorials. She provides the latest offers as well as tons of tips and tricks on Instagram at thepointsmom_ . When Cindy pays for travel or hotels, she is strategic about the credit cards that she uses. For example, on her trips she pays with the card that will earn her the most rewards, gets her the closest to elite status and offers her the most lucrative benefits.
Ramsey Qubein
Ramsey Qubein is a freelance travel journalist... Read More
Ramsey Qubein is a freelance travel journalist covering hotels, cruises, airlines and loyalty programs from around the globe. His work has appeared in numerous publications including Conde Nast Traveler, Travel+Leisure, Forbes.com, CNBC.com, AFAR, Robb Report, Readers Digest, BBC Worldwide, USA Today, NerdWallet.com and Business Traveler magazine among others. Ramsey flies more than 450,000 miles per year and has traveled to 168 countries, all seven continents and 50 U.S. states. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter or via his website.
Ramsey Qubein
Ramsey Qubein is a freelance travel journalist covering hotels, cruises, airlines and loyalty programs from around the globe. His work has appeared in numerous publications including Conde Nast Traveler, Travel+Leisure, Forbes.com, CNBC.com, AFAR, Robb Report, Readers Digest, BBC Worldwide, USA Today, NerdWallet.com and Business Traveler magazine among others. Ramsey flies more than 450,000 miles per year and has traveled to 168 countries, all seven continents and 50 U.S. states. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter or via his website.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
