Best rewards credit cards where you can use points toward things like travel, cash back

If you are going to be spending money anyway, you might as well earn some points when you swipe.

There are several different types of rewards credit cards you can apply for. When thinking about the best one for you, look into your spending habits and pinpoint where the majority of your money is going. Then try to find a credit card that offers high rewards matching your spending.

You’ll also want to think about what is most important to you. Is it a necessity that the credit card you possess has no annual fee? Maybe you don’t care about the annual fee as long as the benefits outweigh that cost.

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Many rewards credit cards operate on a points system. As a baseline, each dollar you spend will earn you at least one point. Then, depending on the card you have, you can exchange your points for things like cash back and travel experiences. In general, with rewards cards, you’ll get the most bang for your buck if you use your points towards travel.

Below are five popular rewards credit cards you can apply for today.

Chase Freedom Unlimited
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Capital One Venture
American Express Gold
Bilt Mastercard

1. Chase Freedom Unlimited

The Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card is great for beginners to earn rewards. The rewards with this card are very simple, and it’s easy to trade in your points for a variety of rewards.

The first plus to this card is that there is no annual fee, but it still offers a generous welcome bonus of $200 if you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months of opening the account.

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This credit card also offers 0% APR for the first 15 months of opening the card. Once those 15 months pass, there is a 20.49%-29.24% APR on this card.

With this card, you’ll earn 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% back on drugstore purchases, 3% on dining and 1.5% back on all other purchases.

The points you gather do not expire and there are no minimum points you need to obtain before cashing them in.

If you don’t want cash back, no problem. You have plenty of other options at your disposal. You can book travel arrangements with your points, redeem gift cards at your favorite stores and restaurants or even pay for your Amazon purchase with your points.

2. Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is a big step up from the Freedom card. This card is ideal for the luxury traveler.

This card comes with a hefty annual fee of $550, but it may be worth it if you travel often and can fully take advantage of all the benefits it offers.

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With this card, you can earn up to a $300 travel credit each year that can be used toward travel-related purchases.

A huge perk of this card is the access it grants to luxurious airport lounges. If you are a frequent flyer, having access to these lounges can really elevate your travel experience.

This card also comes loaded with travel insurance and will reimburse you for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry/NEXUS up to $100 every four years.

With this card, you’ll earn 3x points on dining and travel purchases, 10x points on hotels and car rentals and 5x points on flights. All of these rates will kick in once $300 is spent on travel each year.

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The best way to use the points you earn on this card is on travel-related purchases.

3. Capital One Venture

The Capital One Venture card comes with a $95 annual fee. The current welcome bonus for this card is 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening the account.

Even though you’ll earn miles with this credit card, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to use your miles for travel.

Capital One miles work the same way as points do for other credit cards. Miles can be exchanged for travel when booked through Capital One Travel, but they don’t have to be.

Miles can also be used for exclusive event tickets through Capital One Entertainment or redeemed for cash or gift cards. You can gift your miles to another that has a Venture card.

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With this card, you’ll earn two miles per dollar on every purchase you make and five miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. You’ll also earn up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

In terms of Capital One’s rewards cards, this one falls somewhat in the middle. If you want a card with no annual fee, you could go with VentureOne Rewards.

If you want even more benefits wrapped up in your card, you can apply for the Venture X card. This card has a $395 annual fee. You’ll receive a $300 annual Capital One Travel credit, TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit and access for you and two guests to over 1,300 airport lounges.

4. American Express Gold

If you love dining out, the American Express Gold card is one to consider.

This card has a $250 annual fee. You’ll earn 4x times points at restaurants, 4x points on grocery store purchases, 3x points for flights booked through Amex Travel and 1x points on all other eligible purchases.

With this card, you’ll also earn up to $120 in Uber Cash annually.

5. Bilt Mastercard

The Bilt Mastercard was launched in 2021 and is ideal for renters.

This credit card is extremely unique in the sense that you can pay rent and earn points with the card, with no transaction fees.

With this card, you’ll earn 3x on dining, 2x on travel and 1x on other purchases, including rent payments. For purchases made on the first of each month, you’ll earn 6x on dining, 4x on travel and 2x on other purchases, excluding rent.