What Are the Best Reward Credit Cards?
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Let's have an open thread today: what are the best reward credit cards? Which ones do you use if you travel a lot; which ones do you use otherwise?
We had an Amazon Prime visa for years (years!) until I realized we could literally only get cash back with it, and we weren't getting very many “extra” points because I didn't do that much shopping on Amazon or at Whole Foods.
A few years ago we made the switch to Chase Preferred and I feel like we've made better use of the points we've gotten (on travel), and that it better maximizes points for things that we do spend money on, like restaurants. (If you want a referral link to check them out, here's mine — apparently you can get 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5K on purchases in the first 3 months.)
The most recent threadjack on this point was one from April 2025 — interestingly readers were saying Chase Reserve is the better deal of the two main offerings from Chase. (Chase Preferred is $95 per year with 3x points on dining and 2x on travel, while the Reserve has $795 annual fee but 8x points on all Chase Travel purchases. You used to get access to hotel lounges with both cards, but now you need the Reserve to get access.)
Other cards that came up in the thread…
- AA Executive World Elite
- Amex Gold
- Costco's Visa
- Fidelity Credit Card
- Amex Blue Cash
Readers, what reward credit cards do you swear by if you travel often? If you DON'T travel often, which are your preferred cards?
Stock photo via Stencil.
I have sworn by my Chase Sapphire Reserve but they’ve changed the rules and I’m about ready to give up. Anybody have any thoughts on keeping it or letting it go?
I have this identical question. Also, my DH doesn’t like spending the points because he always thinks there’s going to be a more efficient way to spend the points than just spending on what we’d have bought otherwise. So I just keep accumulating points. This is why I also have an Amazon card and use the points regularly.
Costco Visa. It’s a great all-rounder for folks like me who like the rewards, but have no desire to optimize/chase after points.
If I were in the US, were going to pay all bills every month, and wanted travel points, I’d just look at the Points guy’s recommendations and if those make sense for the airlines and travel available from the airports you use the most or the destinations you most want to use your points for, that’s a good starting point.
Some people want to use points for long haul business class, some want to see family two hours away, some want lounges and perks. I don’t think any one card makes sense until you know what you want.