By Jason Steele, credit card expert
Jason Steele is a nationally recognized credit card expert whose work has appeared in over 100 top personal finance outlets since 2008. Below are some of the top credit cards from our partners that Jason personally recommends. If you have any questions, feel free to email him at [email protected] for his personalized recommendations.
Featured Card
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Capital One’s premium travel card offers some intriguing features along with an annual fee that’s lower than other cards in its class. With the Venture X card, new cardholders can earn 75,000 miles (worth $750 in travel) once spending $4,000 in the first three months. Those miles can be redeemed for travel statement credit which makes them highly flexible travel rewards and it’s worth having some in your travel rewards bank.
Everyday purchases on the card earn 2 miles per $1 spent and hotel and car rental bookings through the Capital One Travel portal earn 10X miles, while airfare and vacation rental bookings through the portal earn 5X miles. With an annual fee of just AnnualFees, this card offers airport lounge access, a 10,000-mile annual bonus and $300 annual credit for your bookings through Capital One Travel to round out its offerings and make it a card very likely worthy of a spot in your wallet.
Jason’s Favorite Chase Cards
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This card offers signup_reward bonus points after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months from account opening. The card also offers you 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.
Annual fee: AnnualFees
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This is a great card to have for more advanced award travel enthusiasts. It’s much like the Sapphire Preferred, but it offers you five points on flights and 10 points on car rentals and hotels when you book through Chase Travel℠ (on purchases after earning your annual $300 travel reimbursement); earn 3 points per $1 on all dining and on other travel (after earning your annual credit). Earn 1 point per $1 elsewhere.
There’s also a Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership and gives you 1.5 cents in value per point redeemed through Chase Travel. You also get up to $120 credit toward the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS. This card is also offering signup_reward bonus points after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months from account opening. There’s a AnnualFees annual fee for this card.
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Earn 5% back (5x points) on up to $1,500 spent each quarter on select purchases (activation of quarterly categories required), 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% back at restaurants, 3% back at drugstores and 1% back on other eligible purchase and pay no annual fee. Points combine with Ultimate Rewards points earned from your Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve and CardName.
Information related to Chase Freedom FlexSM has been collected independently by CardRatings and was neither reviewed nor provided by the card issuer
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For a limited time, earn a signup_reward bonus after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in your first three months from account opening.
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service; and 1.5% on all other purchases.
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I’m a huge fan of this card that offers you points in my favorite hotel program, the World of Hyatt. Start off with earning up to 65,000 Bonus Points – You earn 35,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first six months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent. Plus, you’ll earn two points per $1 on up to $15,000 spent during your first six months on purchases that normally earn one point per $1.
You also earn a free night every year and an additional night after you spend $15,000 in a card member anniversary year. These are Category 1-4 nights, worth as much as 15,000 points each. Other benefits include 9 total points at Hyatt hotels (4 bonus points on qualified purchases and up to 5 base points as a World of Hyatt member) and 2x points at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from airlines, on local transit and commuting as well as on fitness club and gym memberships. You also get Discoverist elite status, 5 elite night stay credits for having the card and 2 elite night stay credits for every $5,000 spent. This is well worth the card’s AnnualFees annual fee.
Information related to The World of Hyatt Credit Card has been collected independently by CardRatings and was neither reviewed nor provided by the card issuer
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I’ve already mentioned that World of Hyatt is my top hotel program and this new small business card means even more opportunity to rack up those rewards. Right now, new cardholders can earn signup_reward bonus points after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in your first three months from account opening. Free nights start at 5,000 points, so this bonus alone can gain you multiple free nights! What really sets this business card apart, however, is that you earn 2 bonus points in your top three spend categories each quarter. That makes this rewards card incredibly flexible for a wide variety of small businesses.
As if all of that weren’t enough, you can also earn up to $100 in Hyatt statement credits each anniversary year, 5 tier-qualifying night credits for every $10,000 you spend in a calendar year and World of Hyatt Discoverist status for you and up to 5 employees. Plus, earn up to 9 total points per $1 at Hyatt (that’s 4 bonus points on top of the up to 5 base points for being a World of Hyatt member) and 2 bonus points per $1 on fitness club and gym memberships as well as 1 point per $1 on your other purchases. You can easily offset the card’s AnnualFees annual fee with all the perks and rewards earning.
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This small business card has one of the top welcome bonus offers available. You earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 within three months of account opening. That’s $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠. You also earn 3x points on your first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel; shipping purchases; Internet, cable and phone services; and on advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. It also includes cell phone insurance when you pay your bill with your card, and there’s a AnnualFees annual fee for this card.
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This is the small business card I use at office supply stores and on mobile phone, internet and television services as it earns 5x points on your first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year. Points combine with Ultimate Rewards points earned from your Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve and Ink Business Preferred. You also can earn a nice welcome bonus: Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening. There’s no annual fee for this card.
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This small business card is ideal for all non-bonus purchases. Earn 1.5x points on all of your purchases, with no limits while paying no annual fee. It’s offering a welcome bonus of $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Points combine with Ultimate Rewards points earned from your Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve and Ink Business Preferred.
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New cardholders can earn signup_reward bonus points after spending signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Additionally, earn 2 points per $1 on Southwest purchases; local transit and commuting (including rideshares); and on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming. Earn 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases. You can also earn 3,000 points as an anniversary bonus and it has a AnnualFees annual fee.
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discontinuedAll information about Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by Cardratings.com.
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Earn three points per $1 on Southwest purchases as well as two points per $1 on local transit and commuting (including rideshares) and on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming and one point per $1 on other eligible purchases. This card also offers you 6,000 points as an anniversary bonus and offers two EarlyBird Check-Ins® each year. It charges a AnnualFees annual fee.
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New cardholders can earn signup_reward bonus points after spending signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Additionally, earn three points per $1 on Southwest purchases as well as two points per $1 on local transit and commuting (including rideshares) and on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming and one point per $1 on other eligible purchases.
The card also offers you a $75 annual Southwest credit, four upgraded boardings a year and 7,500 points as an anniversary bonus. It has a AnnualFees annual fee.
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Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open. All these points count towards your Companion Pass. The card also offers you 6,000 points as an anniversary bonus and it has a AnnualFees annual fee.
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I love this small business card because it offers you 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months (and these points count towards your Companion Pass). Benefits include 4x points on Southwest purchases, four upgraded boardings a year (when available) and up to 365 in-flight Wi-Fi credits per year. You also get a $100 credit towards the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and 9,000 points as an anniversary bonus. It has a AnnualFees annual fee.
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Here’s your chance to earn 90,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending signup_bonus_spend_amount within three months. Yes, it has a AnnualFees annual fee, but you get up to $200 in credits towards United purchases each card member year. Plus, this card includes TWO free checked bags, priority boarding, and up to 10,000 miles in award flight credits each year (terms apply).
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Earn signup_reward bonus miles after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months your account is open. But what makes this card invaluable is the additional Saver Award space cardholders get when they redeem their miles.
Annual fee: AnnualFees
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The small business version of this card offers signup_reward bonus miles after spending signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus, you get early boarding and a free checked bag (a savings of up to $160 per round-trip). Again, what makes this card invaluable is the additional Saver Award space cardholders get when they redeem their miles.
Annual fee: AnnualFees
Jason’s Favorite American Express Cards
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This card offers the opportunity to earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 within six months of account opening. And, it overflows with travel benefits including access to the Delta SkyClub, Priority Pass Select and American Express Centurion lounges. I also love having elite status with Marriott and Hilton hotels and Hertz and National car rentals. And whenever I purchase airfare for myself or someone else (or pay taxes and fees on an award ticket) directly with airlines or with American Express Travel I earn 5X points (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), plus on hotels booked through amextravel.com. Get up to $200 a year in Uber Cash, up to $200 in airline fee credit (with one pre-selected airline), up to $100 at Saks Fifth Avenue and a $120 or $85 credit towards a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (respectively) application, plus so much more value. In fact, new cardholders could take advantage of more than $1,400 in benefits in the first year. That makes it well worth the AnnualFees annual fee. Terms Apply. Enrollment required for select benefits. American Express is a CardRatings advertiser.
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For a limited time, you can earn signup_reward Membership Rewards® points after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. Plus, earn a $500 statement credit after you spend $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel within the first three months of card membership. You can earn one or both of these offers. Offer ends 6/30/25. As with the personal card you also get access to the Delta SkyClub, Priority Pass Select and American Express Centurion lounges. And it comes with elite status for Marriott and Hilton hotels and Hertz and National car rentals, and 5x points on prepaid airfare and hotels booked through amextravel.com. It also offers over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership, up to $200 back per year on baggage fees and other incidentals with a qualifying airline, and up to a $199 in statement credit per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal). Enrollment required for select benefits. The annual fee is AnnualFees.
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This card offers you 6% cash back on up to $6,000 spent each year at U.S. supermarkets (then 1%) and unlimited 6% back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. You also earn 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit expenses such as taxis, ridershares, parking, tolls and public transit. Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new card within the first six months. Annual fee is AnnualFees.
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This small business card lets you earn 2x Membership Rewards points on up to $50,000 in eligible purchases each year (then 1 point per $1) – terms and limitations apply, and pay no annual fee. Additionally, new cardholders can earn signup_reward Membership Rewards points after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount in eligible purchases on the card within your first three months of card membership. Also, take advantage of 0% intro interest on purchases for 12 months from account opening (then RegAPR).
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This is the card I use for all dining and grocery spending as I earn 4X points per $1 spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year), then 1X points; 4X points per $1 spent at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year) then 1X points; 3X points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com; 2X points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com; and 1X point per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases. I also get a $10 per month credit at select restaurants (enrollment required). This card also comes with up to $120 Uber cash annually; just add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. (when you select an American Express Card for your transaction). Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply. New cardholders also earn signup_reward Membership Rewards® Points after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. That’s why this card is worth the AnnualFees annual fee.
Please note, enrollment required for select benefits.
For rates and fees of the American Express cards discussed on this page, please see the following links: CardName (See Rates and Fees); CardName (See Rates and Fees); CardName (See Rates and Fees); CardName (See Rates and Fees); CardName (See Rates and Fees)
Disclaimer: The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.
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