25 cards, ranked by what you get after the annual fee, how hard the spending requirement is, and how well the points transfer. If you are new, start with number one. Offers last checked Oct 13, 2026.
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The best starter travel card. You earn flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points that transfer to airline and hotel partners, plus 3x on dining, online groceries, and select streaming, and 5x on travel booked through Chase. A $100 annual hotel credit and a low $95 fee make it easy to keep long-term. If you're building your first points setup, start here.
Our top overall pick if you pay rent or a mortgage. You earn up to 1.25 points per dollar on housing payments with no transaction fee, 2 points per dollar on everyday purchases, and 4 points per dollar on hotels booked through Bilt Travel. A $400 yearly hotel credit, $200 of Bilt Cash and Priority Pass help offset the $495 fee. Points transfer 1:1 to 28 airline and hotel partners.
The premium pick for frequent travelers. It earns 8x on Chase Travel and 4x on flights and hotels booked direct, and comes with Priority Pass plus Chase Sapphire Lounge access. A $300 annual travel credit and other statement credits can offset much of the $795 fee, but only if you'll actually use the lounges and credits. Best for people who fly often.
The simplest strong travel card. You earn 2 miles per dollar on everything, so there are no categories to track, and 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. A $300 travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles worth $100 cover the $395 fee from the second year. Miles transfer to 22 airline and hotel partners, or cover any travel purchase at 1 cent each.
A powerhouse for food spending, earning 4x at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets (up to an annual cap). Monthly dining and Uber credits help soften the $325 fee, and Membership Rewards points transfer to a deep bench of airline and hotel partners. One of the best everyday cards for foodies and families.
A strong $95 card for everyday spending. It earns 3 points per dollar at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations, and on air travel and hotels. A $100 discount on one hotel stay of $500 or more booked through Citi Travel each year covers the fee if you use it. ThankYou points transfer to partners including American Airlines.
The luxury travel flagship, with Centurion and Priority Pass lounge access, elite hotel status, and 5x on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel. It's loaded with premium credits (airline, hotel, entertainment, and more), but the $895 fee only pays off if you'll actually use them. Best for frequent travelers who value lounges.
The best entry-level hotel card. A free night at any Category 1 to 4 Hyatt every year after your anniversary can cover the $95 fee by itself. A second night comes after $15,000 in a calendar year. You earn 4 points per dollar at Hyatt and 2 points per dollar on dining, airfare and transit. The offer is 30,000 points after $3,000 in 3 months, plus up to 30,000 more from double points in the first 6 months.
The luxury hotel card. Its yearly free night has no points cap, so it works at Hilton's most expensive resorts, and it includes top-tier Diamond status. Up to $400 in Hilton resort credits and $200 in flight credits can cover most of the $550 fee if you use them. The 200,000-point offer ends January 13, 2027.
The best card for spending abroad. It earns 3 points per dollar on foreign purchases, dining, and Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines, and adds a 25,000-point Global Companion Award every anniversary. You also get 8 Alaska Lounge passes a year and a free checked bag for you and up to 6 companions on the same reservation.
A no-annual-fee business card that earns a flat 1.5x on every purchase, with no categories to track. On its own it's cash back, but paired with a Sapphire or Ink Preferred card, those points become full-value Ultimate Rewards you can transfer to travel partners. A simple, high-value companion card almost everyone should hold.
A no-annual-fee business card that earns 2 points per dollar on everything, on the first $50,000 a year, then 1 point per dollar. Those are Membership Rewards points, so they transfer to Amex's airline and hotel partners without a premium card. A 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months gives room for a large business expense.
No annual fee and outsized 5x categories (office supply stores and internet, cable, and phone services, up to a cap) make this a cash-back workhorse. Its welcome offer posts as flexible Ultimate Rewards points when you also hold a Sapphire or Ink Preferred card. A wallet staple that pairs well with the Ink Unlimited.
A strong-value travel card with one of the more reachable welcome offers on this list, plus elevated earning on hotels and airfare, no foreign transaction fees, and solid travel protections, all for a modest $95 fee. A good pick if you want to diversify beyond Chase and Amex.
One of the highest welcome offers available anywhere, paired with a premium travel toolkit: lounge access, 5x on flights and prepaid hotels through Amex Travel, and a stack of annual business statement credits. Best for businesses with real travel spend that can hit the $20,000 requirement and use the perks against the $895 fee.
Automatically earns 4x points on your top two eligible business spending categories each month (up to an annual cap), so it flexes to however your business spends. Monthly business credits help offset the $375 fee. A high-earning, flexible pick for small businesses with concentrated spend.
A great offer right now: 150,000 Hilton points plus a Free Night Reward after $8,000 in 6 months, through January 13, 2027. At about half a cent per point, the points alone are worth roughly $750, before the free night. The card earns 12 points per dollar at Hilton and 5 points per dollar on other purchases, on the first $100,000 a year. Complimentary Gold status adds an 80% bonus on base points for a $195 fee.
The business version of the Reserve, earning 8x through Chase Travel and 4x on flights and hotels booked direct, with lounge access and strong travel protections. Its large welcome offer makes it compelling for businesses that book a lot of travel and can meet the $30,000 spend. Pairs well with the no-fee Ink cards.
Earns 3x points on travel, shipping, internet, cable, and phone, and advertising with search engines and social media (up to an annual cap), and its welcome offer is one of the easiest big bonuses available right now. Points are full-value Ultimate Rewards, especially strong paired with the no-fee Ink cards. A cornerstone business card.
The United card most travelers should start with. It opens United's cardholder-only Saver award seats in economy and business, takes at least 10% off United award flights, and checks a free bag for you and one companion. The fee is $0 the first year, then $150. Add an authorized user in the first 3 months for 10,000 more miles.
For United flyers who chase status with spending. It earns 1 PQP per $20, up to 18,000 PQP a year, adds 1,000 bonus PQP every year and gives up to 20,000 miles of award discounts a year. Free first and second checked bags, a $200 United credit each year, plus the cardholder Saver seats and award discount.
Pays for itself if you'd buy a United Club membership anyway, since it includes one worth $750+. It earns 1 PQP per $15, up to 32,000 PQP a year from 2027 (enough for 1K), plus 1,500 bonus PQP a year. Free first and second bags, Premier Access, and the cardholder Saver seats and award discount.
The no-fee way to earn United miles, with 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months. The cardholder Saver seats and 10% award discount start only after $10,000 of spending in a calendar year. There's no free bag until then either, so most United flyers do better with the Explorer.
A side hustle counts: Chase lets sole proprietors apply with their own name and Social Security number. You get the cardholder Saver seats, at least 10% off United awards, a free checked bag and 2 United Club passes a year. Hold it with a personal United card and get 5,000 bonus miles every anniversary.
The business version of the United Club Card: a United Club membership worth $750+, free first and second bags, Premier Access, and 1.5 miles per dollar on everyday spending. It earns 1 PQP per $15, up to 32,000 PQP a year from 2027, plus the cardholder Saver seats and award discount.
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