15 Best Rewards Credit Cards of January 2025

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Picking the best rewards credit card may feel overwhelming. There are so many options that it can be hard to know which is best for you.

You don’t have to be an aggressive points optimizer to enjoy the perks of a good rewards credit card. With the right card and good financial habits (paying your balance off on time and in full each month), you can earn hundreds of dollars in rewards each year.

To help you pick a rewards card, CNBC Select reviewed each card’s rewards structure and additional benefits, such as discounts at select retailers, travel insurance and annual statement credits. (See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best rewards cards.)

Who’s this for? The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is ideal if you’re seeking a welcome bonus with a manageable spending requirement and reasonable annual fee.

Standout rewards: This card earns bonus miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, as well as an above-average return on all other purchases. Rewards can be redeemed at a fixed value or transferred to various airline and hotel partners.

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Who’s this for? The Citi Double Cash® Card is a solid choice if you’re looking to maximize your money without worrying about rotating rewards categories or joining a credit union.

Standout rewards: The Citi Double Cash earns at least 2% cash back on every purchase with 1% back when you buy, plus an additional 1% back when you pay for those purchases. This straightforward rewards structure allows you to earn double what most cards offer on everyday purchases.

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Who’s this for? The Bilt Mastercard® is ideal if you rent your home or apartment. It allows you to pay rent and earn versatile transferable points without extra fees.

Standout rewards: You can use Bilt points to book travel, pay for dining, shopping and fitness classes or redeem them toward rent or a down payment on a home. On top of all that, you can also transfer Bilt points to many valuable airline and hotel loyalty programs.

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*For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

*Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.

**For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.

***For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, click here. (For the Blue Cash Preferred, cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout)

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• 4X points at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X)
• 4X points on up to $25,000 in purchases at U.S. supermarkets per year, then 1X
• 3X points on flights you book directly with an airline or through Amex Travel
• 1X points on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Annual fee

$325 (see rates and fees)

Notable perks

With the American Express® Gold Card, you can receive an annual dining statement credit of up to $120 (up to $10 a month in statement credits) at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys (enrollment required). You can also receive up to $120 in Uber Cash per year ($10 a month) after adding the card to your Uber account (you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States). Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit. Terms apply.

Every year, you can also earn up to $84 in Dunkin’ credit each year when you pay with your American Express® Gold Card (up to $7 in statement credits back per month; Enrollment required) at U.S. Dunkin’ locations, and up to $100 in Resy credit each year (up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually) for in-person dining at U.S. Resy restaurants and other eligible Resy purchases (Enrollment required).

Gold Card members can also participate in Amex Offers, which allow targeted cardholders to earn statement credits or bonus Membership Rewards® points at select retailers. These limited-time offers are location-based and additional terms apply.

You can redeem Amex points for statement credits, gift cards, and when checking out at retailers like Amazon. However, you’ll get the most value from your Membership Rewards points when redeeming for travel through transfer partners.

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• 5% back on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through the Citi travel site
• 2% back on all other purchases, 1% back when you buy and 1% back when you pay

Welcome bonus

Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases within the first six months of account opening.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

The Citi Double Cash® Card offers cardholders a 0% APR for the first 18 months on balance transfers initiated within four months of opening an account. After the intro period ends, there’s a 18.49% – 28.49% variable APR, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount you transfer with a $5 minimum for transfers completed in the first four months. After that, the balance transfer fee is 5% of the amount you transfer ($5 minimum).

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$0 See rates and fees

Notable perks

When you consider that the Bilt Mastercard has no annual fee, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the insurance benefits it has. You’re covered by trip delay reimbursement, trip interruption/cancellation protection, rental car collision insurance (primary), cell phone protection and purchase protection.

You can also earn a $5 Lyft credit when you take three Lyft rides in a month (through Sept. 30, 2025) and take advantage of a range of Mastercard perks. You have access to Mastercard ID Theft Protection, Mastercard Airport Concierge, Mastercard Travel and Lifestyle Services and more.

With Bilt, you can also earn bonus points at Walgreens and link your HSA/FSA to simplify reimbursements. You can earn 2X Bilt points on Walgreens branded items and 1X Bilt points on all other eligible Walgreens purchases. On top of that, you can earn 100 bonus Bilt points on prescription refills (subject to exclusions; activation required).

The value of a Bilt Rewards point depends on how you use it. The best options for redeeming points include booking travel through the Bilt Travel Portal for 1.25 cents per point or receiving 1.5 cents per point toward a down payment on a home. To get even more value, consider taking advantage of Bilt’s transfer partners which include World of Hyatt, United MileagePlus, Emirates Skywards and many more.

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On every account anniversary, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card members receive a 10% bonus based on the total purchases from the previous year. If you spent $50,000 on the card, at the end of that year you’d receive a 5,000-point bonus. You can also earn up to a $50 Annual Chase Hotel Credit each year for hotel stays you purchase through Chase Travel℠.

This card has no foreign transaction fees and offers insurance such as trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption coverage and primary rental car insurance. Cardholders can also enroll to receive one year of free DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027).

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You’ll need to be an eligible student to qualify for the Discover it Student Cash Back, but it is available even if you have poor credit or a limited credit history. Students traveling overseas can take advantage of no foreign transaction fees.

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$695 (see rates and fees)

Notable perks

The Platinum Card® from American Express has an incredible list of statement credit offers that can be worth over $1,500 when maximized, including:

• Up to $300 in Equinox credit (enrollment required)
• Up to $200 in airline fee statement credits (enrollment required)
• $200 in Uber Cash each year (enrollment required; Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.)
• Up to $155 in Walmart+ credits (subject to auto-renewal). Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. Certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade.
• Up to $240 in digital entertainment statement credits (enrollment required)
• Up to $100 in Saks 5th Avenue statement credits each year (enrollment required)
• $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 in statement credits back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.

On top of excellent airport lounge access, cardholders can enroll for Marriott Bonvoy Gold status (enrollment required), Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required) and rental car perks with National, Avis and Hertz (enrollment required). It also has all of the built-in protections you’d want from a premium travel card, including trip delay reimbursement*, trip cancellation/interruption coverage*, return protection, purchase protection** and extended warranty coverage**. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

*Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

**Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

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$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (see rates and fees)

Notable perks

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers up to $84 in Disney bundle credit (spend $9.99 or more a month on a auto renewing Disney Bundle subscription to receive a $7 statement credit a month, enrollment required. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.)

Cardholders can also potentially save money on their purchases by taking advantage of Amex Offers; enrollment required.

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• 5% back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in rotating quarterly categories
• 5% back on travel purchases through the Chase Ultimate Rewards site
• 5% back on Lyft rides (through Mar. 31, 2025)
• 3% back on dining
• 3% back at drugstores
• 1% back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

The Chase Freedom Flex® offers a competitive 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on new purchases and balance transfers (after, 19.74% – 28.49% variable APR). There’s an intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that, it’s either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Cardholders can also enroll for three complimentary months of DashPass (activate by Dec. 31, 2027).

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Finally, ensure that the card’s bonus categories match your everyday spending. If groceries are a big part of your family’s budget, you might want to get a card that earns an elevated rewards rate at grocery stores. If you have a long daily commute, it may be a good idea to apply for a credit card that offers bonus rewards at gas stations. Consider perks and benefits as well since they may increase the card’s value. This may be especially important if you’re looking into cards with annual fees.

All in all, if a rewards credit card matches your spending habits and offers perks you can easily take advantage of to offset the annual fee, that card may be worth it for you. At the very least, if you don’t ever carry a balance and treat spending on a credit card as you would a debit card, using a no-annual-fee cash-back card would give you rewards for the spending you were already going to do anyway.

You should decide if you’re willing to pay an annual fee for a card since this can help narrow down choices. Rewards cards can have annual fees of up to $550, which can be worthwhile, but not for everyone. Do the math to see if an annual fee is within your budget and if it can be outweighed by the card’s benefits.

Next, you should figure out what type of rewards you want to earn and if you want a simple rewards program or one that may require some work. If you want a straightforward card, some generic rewards cards offer the same rewards on all purchases, which require little planning. But if you want to maximize rewards in common spending categories, such as travel, dining and gas, consider bonus rewards cards that offer over 5% back on purchases and may require activation.

It’s also a good idea to consider the card’s welcome offer. Some of the best rewards credit cards come with large welcome bonuses for new cardholders worth hundreds of dollars. And if you’re planning a big purchase, look for cards with a 0% APR offer — this way, you can still earn rewards but will have more than a year without interest charges to pay off the purchase.

Rewards aside, consider the added card perks, such as annual statement credits, lounge access and 0% APR periods, that can provide enhanced value.

There are several different kinds of reward cards. Rewards credit cards typically provide one of three reward structures: cash back, points or miles. How you earn and redeem rewards varies based on the type of credit card you open.

• Cash back: Receive a percentage of spending back, directly related to how much you spent. Spend $100 on a 1% cash-back card and earn $1 in cash-back.
• Points and miles: Earn points or miles on purchases. The value of one point or one mile doesn’t always equal one cent. They might be worth more or less than a penny depending on the credit card you have and the way you redeem rewards. Typically, you can earn points and miles on travel rewards credit cards.

Additionally, rewards cards can be broken down into three groups based on how you earn rewards:

• Flat-rate rewards: This type of rewards credit card comes with a single rewards rate that applies to all purchases. For example, the Citi Double Cash® Card earns 2% cash back on everything you buy (earn 1% cash back on all purchases and 1% when you pay off your bill)
• Bonus categories: These credit cards offer an elevated rewards rate in certain spending categories. For instance, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® from our list of the best travel rewards credit cards offers 10X points on hotels and car rentals and 5X points on flights booked through Chase Travel℠, plus 3X points on dining and all other travel purchases. Any purchases outside of these categories only earn 1X points.
• Rotating categories: This type of card offers a higher rewards rate in specific bonus categories that change every quarter. The Chase Freedom Flex® is a great example. This cash rewards credit card earns 5% back in rotating categories on up to $1,500 in purchases made each quarter (then 1%). You need to activate the categories every quarter to earn bonus cash back.

In addition to the value of cash back, points and miles varying, redemption options also fluctuate. You may be able to redeem for a statement credit, travel, gift card, merchandise or more, depending on your card.

Travel rewards are the type of credit card reward, typically either points or miles, that travel cards earn. With a travel card, you’ll also usually earn more points or miles for travel purchases and be protected by different types of credit card travel insurance.

Travel rewards can be the most valuable type of credit card rewards to earn, but how you redeem them will determine the value you receive. Most travel rewards programs offer flat-rate redemptions, such as for cash back, gift cards or booking travel. You’ll typically get around one cent per point in value for these redemptions.

The most lucrative travel programs offer flexible (or transferable) points or miles. These programs allow you to convert your travel rewards to airline miles or hotel points. While this type of redemption can be more complicated, it provides an opportunity to dramatically boost the value of your rewards. Some of the best airline loyalty programs allow you to book international business class flights that normally cost thousands of dollars for 70,000 miles, so you can easily receive two to four cents per mile or more in value.

To maximize your rewards credit card, you’ll want to look beyond the miles, points or cash back you earn on purchases. Many of the top credit cards offer additional perks beyond the rewards program. These benefits can often offset the cost of a card’s annual fee, so it’s important to understand every benefit you have access to.

Statement credits

Your rewards credit card may offer statement credits for specific purchases or a category of purchases. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has an annual travel credit of up to $300 that applies to everything from flights to toll bridges and highways. Other cards have offers that apply to specific brands or services. Many of the top travel credit cards (one of the most popular types of rewards credit cards) off an application fee credit for trusted traveler programs such as Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Insurance perks

One easily overlooked benefit that’s available with many of the best rewards credit cards is insurance coverage. Before you pay extra for an extended warranty or trip cancellation policy, check your credit card’s benefits guide to see if you already have this coverage. Credit card insurance perks can include cell phone protection, trip delay reimbursement, rental car insurance, extended warranty protection, purchase protection and much more.

Brand-specific perks

If you’re an extremely brand-loyal person or tend to book travel largely with one hotel chain or airline, opening a rewards credit card with brand-specific perks can make sense. Co-branded credit cards may offer automatic elite status, bonus rewards, brand-specific credits and fee credits. Many airline credit cards come with a free checked bag benefit, and hotel credit cards often grant free elite status to cardholders. The downside of these perks is they only apply in specific circumstances, so they aren’t as easy to maximize and won’t make sense for everyone.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best rewards credit cards.