Best credit card deals, rewards this week: Record small-business card offers, new US Bank card, elevated Hilton bonus
The best credit card deals and bonuses right now can earn you loads of points, miles, or cash back on your upcoming holiday expenses.
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Whether you're thinking of opening a new credit card to earn cash back or travel rewards on your holiday shopping or using an intro 0% APR offer to save on interest, now is a terrific time to apply. It's impossible to name one single best credit card, given the wide range of benefits, rewards, and annual fees available. But if you're looking to find the best credit card for you, breaking it down by category is a good way to approach your search.
We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Compare the best credit cards
Credit card news this week
- Chase is making a big splash with two record-high offers on its
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card andInk Business Cash® Credit Card . For a limited time, you can earnInk Business Unlimited® Credit Card . That's an incredible deal for a card with no annual fee. Here's our comparison of the Chase Ink Cash and Ink Business Unlimited to help decide which card is best for you. - There's also good news for
Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders — Chase unveiled its first Chase Sapphire Lounge at Hong Kong airport (HKG) last week. It features comfortable spaces for resting, working, and dining, and offers locally themed cuisine and craft cocktails. To access Chase Sapphire Lounges, you don't necessarily have to be aChase Sapphire Reserve® cardholder — anyone with a Priority Pass airport lounge membership can enter as well. - Amex launched an improved offer on
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card , and it's a great deal for big spenders. New cardholders can earnThe Hilton Honors American Express Business Card for a limited time. The Hilton free night certificate that comes with the bonus is valid at nearly any Hilton hotel worldwide — even properties that cost up to 150,000 points. - US Bank opened up applications for its new
U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card , which comes with a welcome bonus offer ofU.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card and an annual fee ofU.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card . Here's our full review of the Shopper Cash Rewards card with all the details. - Bilt Rewards members can activate free United Airlines elite status through November 1, 2022, as part of its new Bilt Rent Day promotion. In addition, on the first day of every month,
Bilt Mastercard® cardholders can earn double points on all non-rent spending, up to a maximum of 10,000 bonus points.
Insider's best credit card reviews from our experts
Best card for flat-rate cash rewards earning: Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
Why the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card is worth it: Between a flat 2% cash rewards rate on all purchases and a generous welcome bonus for a no-annual-fee card, the
The
It comes with a
The
What the experts love: High rewards rate across all purchases, good welcome offer, no annual fee
What the experts don't love: Foreign transaction fees
Read our review: Wells Fargo Active Cash card review
Best cash-back card for everyday spending: Chase Freedom Unlimited
Why the Chase Freedom Unlimited is worth it: Along with a generous intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, the
The
Not only does this card help you pay down credit card debt with a generous introductory APR period, but it also offers solid ongoing rewards. You'll earn 5% cash back (5x points) on travel purchases made through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® travel portal, 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2025, 3% back (3x points) on drugstores and dining, and 1.5% back (1.5x points) on everything else with no cap.
If you have a Chase card that earns transferable Ultimate Rewards points, such as the
What the experts love: Great earning rates and decent benefits with no annual fee
What the experts don't love: Foreign transaction fees
Read our review: Chase Freedom Unlimited card review
Best rewards card for high earning in everyday categories: Wells Fargo Autograph Card
Why the Wells Fargo Autograph is worth it: The new
The newest in Wells Fargo's card lineup, the
You'll earn an uncapped 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. The card also offers decent benefits, including a
What the experts love: No annual fee, generous bonus and earning rates, no foreign transaction fees
What the experts don't love: No points transfer partners
Read our review: Wells Fargo Autograph card review
Best travel rewards card overall: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is worth it: The
If you want to earn travel rewards, you'll find that Chase Ultimate Rewards points are the most user-friendly of the various bank currencies, which are also referred to as transferable points because you can transfer them over to various airline and hotel partners. In the case of Chase points, you can transfer them to partners like British Airways, Hyatt, United Airlines, and Southwest, or you can book travel directly through Chase. If you choose the latter, your points are worth 1.25 cents apiece — a 25% bonus.
The
You'll earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (2x points on all other travel purchases), 5x points on Lyft rides through March 2025, 3x points on dining, 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), 3x points on select streaming services, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. Beyond the rewards, the
Recent updates to the
What the experts love: Lucrative welcome bonus offer, excellent transfer partners and travel insurance
What the experts don't love: No airport lounge access or Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit
Read our review: Chase Sapphire Preferred card review
Best travel rewards card for beginners: Capital One Venture Rewards
Why the Capital One Venture is worth it: The
Whether you're a loyalty program expert or brand new to travel credit cards, the
New cardholders start out with a welcome bonus offer of
The easiest way to use your Capital One miles is by redeeming your miles toward eligible travel purchases made with your card at a rate of 1 cent apiece. It's possible to get even more value, however, when you transfer miles to partners like Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
Cardholders also receive numerous travel and shopping benefits, including up to a $100 credit toward the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee, two one-time Capital One Lounge passes per year, car rental insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, extended warranty, and purchase protection.
What the experts love: Big welcome bonus offer, ability to get outsized value from rewards, decent benefits
What the experts don't love: No US-based airline transfer partners
Read our review: Capital One Venture card review
Best premium travel card: Capital One Venture X
Why the Capital One Venture X is worth it: With an annual fee lower than most other premium cards, the
When the
Combined, these perks more than offset the annual fee, and the card's welcome bonus offer is generous, too —
What the experts love: Relatively low annual fee for a premium card, excellent travel benefits, substantial bonus
What the experts don't love: Annual travel credit doesn't apply to all travel purchases
Read our review: Capital One Venture X card review
Best cash-back card for families: Amex Blue Cash Preferred
Why the Amex Blue Cash Preferred is worth it: If your preference is earning cash back, the
Grocery spending can be a big part of the budget, especially for families, so earning rewards for this expense can help save a significant amount of cash. The
Cardholders can also earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services, 3% back on U.S. gas stations and transit, and 1% back on all other eligible purchases (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as statement credits). There's an annual fee of
What the experts love: Great rewards rate in bonus categories, generous welcome offer
What the experts don't love: Annual fee
Read our review: Amex Blue Cash Preferred card review
Best card for automatically customizing rewards: Citi Custom Cash
Why the Citi Custom Cash card is worth it: For those who want to maximize rewards based on where they spend the most but don't want to fuss with activating categories or rotating bonuses, the
A relative newcomer to the rewards credit card space, the
For a no-annual-fee card, the
You can potentially get more value from your points if you also carry the
What the experts love: Automatic maximizing of rewards, no annual fee, plenty of redemption options
What the experts don't love: 5x earning capped at $500 per billing cycle, foreign transaction fees
Read our review: Citi Custom Cash card review
Best premium card for travel and dining: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Why the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is worth it: Frequent travelers who spend a lot in the
Paying a high price for a premium credit card isn't for everyone, but if you're able to make the most of the card's benefits, you can often make up for the annual fee — and then some. That's the case with the
The card has an excellent elevated welcome bonus offer of
As for benefits, you'll get Priority Pass airport lounge access, access to Chase Sapphire by The Club airport lounges, top-notch travel coverage including primary car rental insurance and trip delay coverage, and a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit.
Like the
What the experts love: High-earning bonus categories, easy-to-use $300 travel credit, unparalleled travel protections
What the experts don't love: Very high annual fee might not be worth it for the average traveler
Read our review: Chase Sapphire Reserve card review
Best card for earning travel rewards on dining and groceries: Amex Gold Card
Why the Amex Gold card is worth it: Foodies can do very well with the
It's hard to beat the
Cardholders get up to $120 per calendar year (up to $10 per month) in Uber Cash credits that can be used toward eligible US Uber rides or Uber Eats purchases (the Gold Card needs to be added to the Uber app to receive the Uber Cash benefit). The card also comes with up to $120 in annual dining credits** (up to $10 per month) valid toward purchases with Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Milk Bar, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and participating Shake Shack locations.
What the experts love: Strong earning rate on dining and at US supermarkets, useful statement credits
What the experts don't love: Credits are split monthly, high annual fee
Read our review: Amex Gold card review
Best cash-back card for dining, groceries, and entertainment with no annual fee: Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards
Why the Capital One SavorOne card is worth it: Few no-annual-fee cards offer a high, uncapped 3% cash-back rate in broadly useful bonus categories — and the
If you're a foodie, like going out, or both, the
Additionally, the card recently added 5% cash back on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel and 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, and there's a promotion to earn 8% cash back on Vivid Seats purchases through January 2023.
You won't pay an annual fee or foreign transaction fees, and there's a solid welcome bonus offer, too:
You might expect a no-annual-fee card to be lean on benefits, but there are a few good perks that can come in handy, like extended warranty, travel accident insurance***, and travel emergency assistance services.
What the experts love: Excellent earning in top categories, no annual fee
What the experts don't love: Non-bonus categories only earn 1% cash back
Read our review: Capital One SavorOne card review
Best card for gas and EV charging: U.S. Bank Altitude Connect
Why the US Bank Altitude Connect card is worth it: Earning 4x points at gas stations with the
A relative newcomer to the credit card scene, the
New cardholders can earn
What the experts love: Great earning rates, good benefits, card earns bonus rewards on EV charging as well as gas
What the experts don't love: Annual fee
Read our review: US Bank Altitude Connect card review
Best card for rotating categories and flexible redemptions: Chase Freedom Flex
Why the Chase Freedom Flex is worth it: With a solid welcome bonus offer, opportunities to earn up to 5% cash back, and surprisingly good benefits for a no-annual-fee card, the
Chase's lineup of Freedom cards is among the best for earning substantial rewards without incurring an annual fee, and the
The card also offers 5% cash back on travel purchases made through Chase, 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2025, 3% back on dining and drugstores, and 1% back on everything else.
Because it's a World Elite Mastercard, the
What the experts love: High earning rate in rotating bonus categories, good benefits
What the experts don't love: Foreign transaction fees, required activation of quarterly bonus
Read our review: Chase Freedom Flex review
Best card for rotating cash-back categories: Discover it Cash Back
Why the Discover it Cash Back is worth it: Along with great rotating bonus categories, the
The
Cardholders earn 5% cash back in popular rotating quarterly bonus categories when they activate, on up to $1,500 in combined spending (then 1%), and 1% back everywhere else
New cardholders can also take advantage of a
Like other Discover cards, the
What the experts love: Rotating bonus categories, first-year Cashback Match, intro APR offer
What the experts don't love: No extras like purchase protection or travel insurance
Read our review: Discover it Cash Back card review
Best card for choosing your own cash back categories: U.S. Bank Cash+
Why the US Bank Cash+ card is worth it: Among cards that allow you to customize your rewards earning, the
Picking a card that the most rewards in the categories where you spend the most is one of the best ways to maximize your spending. The
You can also choose one "everyday" category to earn 2% cash back (gas and EV charging stations, restaurants, or grocery stores,), and you'll earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Even better, the card doesn't charge an annual fee, so there's no cost to keep it for the long term. New cardholders can earn a
This is a Visa Signature card, so it comes with built-in perks including access to the Visa Signature concierge and Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection, roadside dispatch, and travel and emergency assistance.
What the experts love: Ability to customize 5% and 2% cash-back categories from a big list, no annual fee
What the experts don't love: 5% cash back is capped at $2,000 in combined purchases per quarter
Read our review: US Bank Cash+ card review
Best cash-back card for fair or average credit: Capital One Quicksilver One Cash Rewards
Why the Capital One QuicksilverOne card is worth it: Many credit cards designed for folks with fair or average credit offer modest rewards (or none at all). But with the
When you're new to credit cards or rebuilding your credit, it can be challenging to get approved for a rewards-earning card. One exception is the
If you have a credit score in the "fair" range (580-669, according to FICO), you have a good chance of being approved for the
What the experts love: Solid earning rate on all purchases, no foreign transaction fees
What the experts don't love: No welcome bonus offer, annual fee
Read our review: Capital One QuicksilverOne card review
Best cash-back card for balance transfers: Citi Double Cash
Why the Citi Double Cash card is worth it: The
Not only does the
The Double Cash card now earns Citi ThankYou points instead of cash back directly. But you can still redeem your points for cash back (as well as travel, gift cards, and more) and get the same rate of return.
As a new cardholder, you get a
If you also have a premium Citi card like the
What the experts love: Generous and straightforward earning on all purchases, rewards awarded as Citi ThankYou points
What the experts don't love: Foreign transaction fees, doesn't always offer a welcome bonus
Read our review: Citi Double Cash card review
Best card for earning travel rewards in multiple categories: Citi Premier Card
Why the Citi Premier card is worth it: Beyond the welcome bonus offer, the
Among rewards credit cards, the
It also comes with a strong welcome offer of
As far as redemptions go, you'll typically get the most value from your points when you transfer them to Citi's airline and hotel partners to book award travel. But if you prefer a simpler approach, you can always cash in your rewards at a rate of 1 cent each for travel through the Citi ThankYou Portal, statement credits, gift cards, and more.
There's a
What the experts love: Great bonus categories, rewards flexibility, annual hotel credit
What the experts don't love: Few travel protections
Read our review: Citi Premier card review
Best for long intro 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers: Wells Fargo Reflect Card
Why the Wells Fargo Reflect card is worth it: If you're looking for an ultra-long 0% APR offer for both purchases and qualifying balance transfers, you won't do much better than the
You might wonder why a card that doesn't earn rewards appears on our list of top credit cards — and if that's your priority, you can probably give the
There are a few other cards that come with a balance transfer offer of the same length, but a shorter duration (or none at all) for purchases. And while many similar cards are skimpy on benefits, the
What the experts love: Extra long 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, no annual fee
What the experts don't love: No welcome bonus offer or rewards, and few benefits aside from cell phone protection
Read our review: Wells Fargo Reflect card review
Best secured rewards card for building credit: Discover it Secured Card
Why the Discover It Secured credit card is worth it: Only a handful of secured credit cards on the market offer cash-back rewards, including the
If you have a very limited credit history or are looking to repair bad credit, many of the cards on this list won't be available to you. Most of the top rewards cards require credit scores in the 600s or higher — if that's not where your credit is, you may need to consider a secured card to repair your credit.
Secured credit cards are easy to get approved for because they require a cash deposit upfront, which minimizes the issuer's risk. Your credit limit is equal to the cash deposit you put down.
If a secured card seems like the right option for you, the
With this card, automatic reviews start at seven months to see if Discover can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.
What the experts love: Ease of approval, rare opportunity to earn cash-back rewards on a secured card
What the experts don't love: No traditional welcome bonus offer, other cash-back cards earn higher rewards
Read our review: Discover it Secured card review
Best business credit card: Ink Business Preferred
Why the Chase Ink Business Preferred is worth it: For a moderate annual fee, the
There are lots of great small-business credit cards, and if you travel constantly, it could be worth paying the high annual fee for a more premium option like
You'll earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 you spend each cardmember year in select categories, including travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, and advertising on social media sites or with search engines, such as Google Ads. Purchases after you reach $150,000, or in any other category, earn 1 point per dollar. Also, through March 2025, this card offers 5x points on Lyft rides.
What the experts love: Massive welcome bonus offer, great transfer partners and travel coverage
What the experts don't love: No airport lounge access or TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credit
Read our review: Chase Ink Business Preferred card review
Best card for college students: Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards
Why the Capital One SavorOne Student card is worth it: Earning 3% cash back in student-friendly categories with the
There are quite a few student credit cards on the market, and of those that actually earn rewards, the
On top of that, it also earns 5% cash back on car rentals and hotels booked through Capital One Travel, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, and 8% cash back on Vivid Seats purchases (through January 2023). All other purchases earn 1% back.
You might expect a student credit card to be a little thin in the benefits department, but that's not the case here.
What the experts love: Excellent categories for students, good benefits, no annual or foreign transaction fees
What the experts don't love: There's not always a welcome bonus offer
Read our review: Capital One SavorOne Student card review
Other top credit cards that just missed the cut
We evaluated dozens of credit cards to narrow down the best picks in various categories. Some of these cards didn't make our list for one reason or another — for example, only appealing to a very specific group of consumers, or charging an exceptionally high annual fee.
We've listed some of our favorite runners-up here, and why they didn't make our final list:
The Platinum Card® from American Express — With a jaw-droppingThe Platinum Card® from American Express annual fee,The Platinum Card® from American Express is certainly not for everyone. But if you're a frequent traveler who can maximize its ever-growing list of benefits, it's possible to get thousands of dollars in value from the card each year. Read our Amex Platinum Card review to find out why it could be worth it.The Business Platinum Card® from American Express —The Business Platinum Card® from American Express chargesThe Business Platinum Card® from American Express per year. It, too, is packed with valuable perks, but they're only appealing to certain types of small-business owners. Here's our Amex Business Platinum review for all the details.-
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card — It earns a respectable 1.5% cash back on most purchases and doesn't charge an annual fee, but theCapital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card lost out to cards like theChase Freedom Unlimited® andWells Fargo Active Cash® Card , which have the potential to earn even more cash back. Find out if the card is a fit for you in our Capital One Quicksilver card review. Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card — This card comes with an extra-long intro APR on balance transfers, but it's not as generous for purchases (Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card , then aCiti® Diamond Preferred® Card ). It got edged out by theWells Fargo Reflect℠ Card (which also comes with more benefits). However, if you're looking for a Citi balance transfer card, it's a solid pick. Check out our Citi Diamond Preferred review to learn more.Discover it® Student Cash Back — This card earns 5% cash back in popular rotating bonus categories when you activate, on up to $1,500 in combined spending each quarter (then 1% back), as well as 1% back everywhere else with no limitsDiscover It Cashback rotation . That's a good deal, but you'll have to remember to activate the bonus and keep track of new categories every three months. You can get the full rundown in our Discover it Student Cash Back card review.Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card — Amazon Prime members can earn 5% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods with this card, plus 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores. But if you're not a Prime member or don't make a lot of Amazon purchases, you'll probably do better overall with a different card. Here's our Amazon Prime Rewards card review for more details.
Other Insider credit card guides
This guide highlights the best credit card option for several different types of users. If you want a to-the-point recommendation for maximizing your spending and enjoying benefits like an intro APR period, this guide will help you find a quick answer. However, if you want to go deeper, check out our in-depth credit card guides for the following categories:
- The best rewards credit cards
- The best cash-back credit cards
- The best travel rewards credit cards
- The best premium credit cards
- The best small-business credit cards
- The best small-business rewards credit cards
- The best small-business cash-back credit cards
- The best no-annual-fee small-business credit cards
- The best no-annual-fee credit cards
- The best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees
- The best credit cards for bad credit
- The best credit cards for average credit
- The best credit cards for students
- The best hotel credit cards
- The best airline credit cards
- The best credit cards for Amazon purchases
- The best credit cards for gas purchases
- The best credit cards for EV charging stations
- The best credit cards for dining
- The best credit cards for grocery shopping
- The best credit cards for streaming services
- The best credit cards for online shopping
Reading credit card reviews to get a closer look at factors like benefits, award redemption options, and fees can also help you decide if a card is right for you. You might also consider checking online credit card forums like Reddit (r/creditcards) and MyFICO to learn tips and tricks from actual cardholders.
Methodology: How we chose the best credit cards for 2022
Our list of the best credit cards is the result of an in-depth comparison between credit cards in each sub-category. We looked at America's largest credit card issuers, as well as cards frequently recommended by blogs, forums, and travel communities.
The values we prioritized when coming up with this list were:
- Simplicity — not everyone wants to invest lots of time and energy into maximizing their credit cards, so we focused on cards that make things as straightforward as possible
- Affordability — while there's a case to be made for paying a high annual fee when you're getting high value in return, most credit card users aren't looking for a card that costs $450 or more
- Value — whether we're talking about a credit card with or without an annual fee, it's important that the benefits and features are worth it
The best credit card for you very much depends on your financial situation, spending habits, and how you like to redeem rewards. For example, if you're just getting started with credit, a student credit card or a card that doesn't require a high credit score is an ideal pick. If you're looking to earn travel rewards, on the other hand, you'll want to look at cards like the
Credit card frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why should I get a credit card?
Credit cards can be powerful tools for improving your credit score and earning rewards — if you use them responsibly. It's important to only spend what you can afford to pay off each month so you don't end up in debt and start amassing steep interest fees.
Provided you're in a position to pay off your credit card statements and spend within your means, there are several reasons opening a credit card could be a good idea. For one, credit cards offer better fraud protection than debit cards or cash — if an unauthorized purchase is made with your card, you won't be on the hook.
Using a credit card responsibly can also help you build and repair your credit, since your on-time payments will be reported to the credit bureaus. Finally, a credit card can help you maximize every dollar you spend, by earning you cash back, points, or miles.
What is the best credit card?
It's impossible to name just one best credit card, because there are so many options for so many different types of users. A credit card that earns travel rewards could be the best option for one person, but if you're looking to earn cash back, you'll be better served by another pick.
For most people, a no-annual-fee cash rewards card like the
How do I choose a credit card?
Focus on your priorities, and be realistic about what cards you're able to get approved for. Most of the top rewards cards require credit scores in the high 600s at a bare minimum, so if your credit score isn't there yet, you'll want to look at options for bad to fair credit scores so you can focus on building your credit back up.
Beyond that, decide what annual fee you're comfortable paying. Some people avoid paying credit card annual fees completely, and there are several great cards in the no-annual-fee category, but it could be worth paying a modest annual fee of $95 to $99 for a travel or cash-back card that earns you higher rewards. Also, decide whether you want to earn cash back or travel rewards. Keep in mind that redeeming rewards for travel is more work than simply getting cash back in your account – the payoff can be big, but focus on what is the best option for you.
How do I build credit with a credit card?
Your credit card use is a huge factor in determining your credit score — every on-time payment you make is reported to the credit bureaus and shows potential lenders that you're able to use credit responsibly. The key to building credit with a credit card is to only spend what you can afford to pay off each month.
How many credit cards should I have?
There's no one answer to this question — it's possible to have more than 20 cards and maintain an excellent credit score, but this would probably entail several annual fees. Go slowly, space out your applications, and never bite off more than you can chew. Make sure you're able to pay off your balances in full each month, because earning rewards is never worth going into debt.
How do you apply for a credit card?
Nowadays, there are lots of different ways to apply for a credit card, including online, by phone, by mail, through the bank's app, or in person at a bank branch.
Regardless of how you choose to apply, you should have an idea of your credit score before you open a new card to be sure you have a chance of qualifying. In your application, you'll be asked for personal details like your full name, address, date of birth, Social Security Number, and income.