Smart credit card decisions start here
Our Nerds scrutinized sign-up bonuses, rewards rates, added perks, and more to uncover the top credit cards of 2023. While some winners may be partners, this didn't influence our decisions.
Check out the winners
Best All-Purpose Travel Rewards Credit Card
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-5x
Points
Intro offer
60,000
Points
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Primary rental car coverage
- Flexible rewards redemption
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Complicated rewards
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Primary rental car coverage
- Flexible rewards redemption
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Complicated rewards
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Member FDIC
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-5x
Points
Intro offer
60,000
Points
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Primary rental car coverage
- Flexible rewards redemption
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Complicated rewards
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Primary rental car coverage
- Flexible rewards redemption
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Complicated rewards
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Member FDIC
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-5x
Points
Intro offer
60,000
Points
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Primary rental car coverage
- Flexible rewards redemption
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Complicated rewards
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Primary rental car coverage
- Flexible rewards redemption
- Transfer partners
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Complicated rewards
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Member FDIC
Why our Nerds love it
For a modest fee you’ll earn rich rewards in many categories, plus multiple transfer partners, annual hotel credit, anniversary points and a big sign-up bonus.
Read our methodologyBest Airline Credit Card
on American Express' website
on American Express' website
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $150
Rewards rate
1x-2x
Miles
Intro offer
40,000
Miles
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
- Free checked bag
- Early boarding
- Rewards don't expire
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
Pros
- Free checked bag
- Early boarding
- Rewards don't expire
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $60 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $240 per round-trip flight.
- Receive Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members can earn up to $100 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
- Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Terms Apply.
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $150
Rewards rate
1x-2x
Miles
Intro offer
40,000
Miles
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
- Free checked bag
- Early boarding
- Rewards don't expire
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
Pros
- Free checked bag
- Early boarding
- Rewards don't expire
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $60 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $240 per round-trip flight.
- Receive Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members can earn up to $100 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
- Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Terms Apply.
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $150
Rewards rate
1x-2x
Miles
Intro offer
40,000
Miles
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
- Free checked bag
- Early boarding
- Rewards don't expire
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
Pros
- Free checked bag
- Early boarding
- Rewards don't expire
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $60 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $240 per round-trip flight.
- Receive Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members can earn up to $100 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
- Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Terms Apply.
Why our Nerds love it
Bonus rewards at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets help rack up miles faster. A generous checked-bag benefit and other perks make travel easier. Terms apply.
Read our methodologyBest Hotel Credit Card
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-9x
Points
Intro offer
30,000
Points
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Automatic free night annually
- Bonus categories
- Luxury perks
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Complicated rewards
- Limited redemptions
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Automatic free night annually
- Bonus categories
- Luxury perks
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Complicated rewards
- Limited redemptions
- Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
- Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
- Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
- Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
- Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
- Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays - 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
- Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- Member FDIC
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-9x
Points
Intro offer
30,000
Points
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Automatic free night annually
- Bonus categories
- Luxury perks
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Complicated rewards
- Limited redemptions
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Automatic free night annually
- Bonus categories
- Luxury perks
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Complicated rewards
- Limited redemptions
- Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
- Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
- Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
- Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
- Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
- Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays - 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
- Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- Member FDIC
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-9x
Points
Intro offer
30,000
Points
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Automatic free night annually
- Bonus categories
- Luxury perks
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Complicated rewards
- Limited redemptions
Pros
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Automatic free night annually
- Bonus categories
- Luxury perks
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Complicated rewards
- Limited redemptions
- Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
- Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
- Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
- Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
- Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
- Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays - 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
- Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- Member FDIC
Why our Nerds love it
The card earns solid rewards and is packed with perks, including a free night every year and a chance to earn a second one, on top of a valuable sign-up bonus.
Read our methodologyBest Premium Travel Credit Card
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
Annual fee
$550
Rewards rate
1x-10x
Points
Intro offer
60,000
Points
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
- High rewards rate
- Luxury perks
- Premium travel protections
- Transfer partners
- Primary rental car coverage
Cons
- High annual fee
- Requires excellent credit
Pros
- High rewards rate
- Luxury perks
- Premium travel protections
- Transfer partners
- Primary rental car coverage
Cons
- High annual fee
- Requires excellent credit
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
- Member FDIC
Annual fee
$550
Rewards rate
1x-10x
Points
Intro offer
60,000
Points
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
- High rewards rate
- Luxury perks
- Premium travel protections
- Transfer partners
- Primary rental car coverage
Cons
- High annual fee
- Requires excellent credit
Pros
- High rewards rate
- Luxury perks
- Premium travel protections
- Transfer partners
- Primary rental car coverage
Cons
- High annual fee
- Requires excellent credit
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
- Member FDIC
Annual fee
$550
Rewards rate
1x-10x
Points
Intro offer
60,000
Points
Recommended Credit Score
Pros
- High rewards rate
- Luxury perks
- Premium travel protections
- Transfer partners
- Primary rental car coverage
Cons
- High annual fee
- Requires excellent credit
Pros
- High rewards rate
- Luxury perks
- Premium travel protections
- Transfer partners
- Primary rental car coverage
Cons
- High annual fee
- Requires excellent credit
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
- Member FDIC
Why our Nerds love it
Get a yearly $300 travel credit, airport lounge access, multiple transfer partners, TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit, and rich rewards on travel and dining.
Read our methodologyFrequently asked questions
NerdWallet's award winners are chosen through a rigorous evaluation process involving 43 writers and editors. NerdWallet's ratings formulas for credit cards, for example, consider the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel, or balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards, and other features. For mortgages, our evaluation includes loan types, loan products, online capabilities, online rate information, customer service, and complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. For more info, see our methodologies.
Our team of Nerdy experts is composed of writers and editors — based all across the country — who have a combined 452 years of journalistic experience reviewing and writing about personal finance products for consumers.
Yes. Writers and editors use comprehensive scoring formulas that assess each financial product’s key features, weighting them according to their importance to consumers.
Nope. Editorial team members are solely responsible for creating all product reviews and ratings, and these assessments reflect their opinions alone. Only products that meet the editorial team’s standards appear in our Best-Of Awards lists, meaning no company can “buy” an award.
Our Best-Of Awards are given annually to the top financial products on the market. Our other “best” articles may:
This year's Best-Of-Awards list winners were chosen in mid-October 2022.
- be longer than our Best-Of Awards list
- offer additional consumer choices
- get updated as products change or are discontinued and as new products emerge
This year's Best-Of-Awards list winners were chosen in mid-October 2022.
Our 2022 Best-Of Award winners are still live. If you’d like to see who won last year, feel free to take a look and compare with this year’s winners.
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