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 jasondsteele@gmail.com 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. Earn signup_reward bonus miles when you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel! 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, earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠, 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 8X points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠; 4X points on flights and hotels booked direct; 3X points on dining worldwide; and 1X points on all other purchases.
Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus access to every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. You also get up to $120 credit toward the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS. This card is also offering 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 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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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 3 free nights after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, 2 free nights after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 6 months. Free nights can be redeemed at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort worldwide.
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.
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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.
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 Companion Pass through 2/28/27 and signup_reward bonus points after spending signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Additionally, earn 4 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® purchases, including flights, inflight, and Southwest gift cards; and 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and restaurants.
The card also offers the first checked bag free for cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation and 7,500 points as an anniversary bonus. It has a AnnualFees annual fee.
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Here’s your chance to earn signup_reward bonus miles and 3,000 Premier qualifying points after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount on purchases in the first three months your account is open. Yes, it has a AnnualFees annual fee, but you get $200 towards United® travel credit each card member year. Plus, this card includes the first and second checked bags for free, priority boarding, and a 10,000-mile eligible award flight discount after spending $20,000 each calendar year (terms apply).
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With this card you may be eligible for as high as signup_reward Membership Rewards® Points after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount in eligible purchases in your first six months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the card, your score may be impacted. And, it overflows with travel benefits including access to the access the Global Lounge Collection®, an airport lounge program that includes over 1,550 airport lounges worldwide, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass™ Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges (as of 07/2025). 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 Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel® (including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings); 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year; and 1X point on all other eligible purchases. Get up to $200 a year in Uber Cash and $120 Uber One Credit, 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. These perks 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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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 may be eligible for as high as signup_reward Membership Rewards® Points after you spend signup_bonus_spend_amount in eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the card, your score may be impacted. That’s why this card is worth the AnnualFees annual fee.
Please note, enrollment required for select benefits.