Perhaps the best "starting out card" in miles and points.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a low annual fee, unlocks transfers from this and any linked Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card to airline and hotel partners, comes with excellent built-in trip delay insurance, primary car rental CDW coverage and earns 2x points on travel and dining.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Earn Rate:

• 5X Chase Ultimate Rewards points on Lyft rides
• 2X Ultimate Rewards points on travel and dining
• 1X Ultimate Rewards on all other purchases

The card that re-revolutionized points-earning credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a high-end travel rewards card that unlocks transfers from this and any linked Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card to airline and hotel partners and offers rich benefits for a frequent traveler.

It offers 3x Ultimate Rewards points on travel and dining. It provides a 50% boost in point value within the Chase portal and you get an annual $300 travel credit each card year which greatly offsets the card's annual fee.

New Lyft and DoorDash Benefits:

• Earn 10X Ultimate Rewards points on Lyft rides
• Get a one-time complimentary Lyft Pink (15% Lyft discounts, free bike/scooter rentals each month, and better cancellation rules). ($19.99 / month value)
• Get $60 in DoorDash credits each year (2020 and 2021).
• Get free DashPass to get free DoorDash deliveries at select restaurants with $12 or more in your order and decreased service charges.

Earn 4x World of Hyatt points at Hyatt, 2x at restaurants, airline tickets purchased directly, local transit and commuting, and fitness club and gym memberships.

The Hyatt card gives you a Category 1 - 4 night every card year at renewal and you can earn a second one with $15,000 spend. Additional benefits include automatic Discoverist status and 5 elite nights credited each calendar year as well as the ability to earn 2 elite nights for every $5,000 in purchases.

Keep in mind that all points earned on a Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred can also be transferred to World of Hyatt at a 1 to 1 ratio.

NOTE: In calculating your rewards for this card, we are making the assumption that all Hotel spend entered is spent on Hyatt. If part of that spend is on other hotel chains, that spend will earn only 1x on this card, reducing the value of your rewards.

Review: Get a free checked bag and preferred boarding on American Airlines. Earn 2x AAdvantage miles at gas stations and restaurants, as well as on American Airlines. Also earn a $100 flight discount after spending $20,000 and renewing your card.

NOTE: In calculating your potential rewards for this card, we are assuming that all spend entered as "Airline" is on American Airlines. If some of your airline spend is on other airlines, that spend will earn 1x rather than 2x miles and reduce your expected rewards.

Review: Get full Admirals Club Membership for the primary cardholder, plus Admirals Club access for authorized users. Get a free checked bag for you and up to 8 companions on the same record, priority boarding, priority check-in, and priority screening (screening where available).

Earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles, and earn a bonus of 10,000 EQMs (towards elite qualification) in any calendar year you spend $40,000 on the card.

NOTE: In calculating your potential rewards for this card, we are assuming that all spend entered as "Airline" is on American Airlines. If some of your airline spend is on other airlines, that spend will earn 1x rather than 2x miles and reduce your expected rewards.

The IHG credit card offers an annual anniversary free night, the fourth reward night free whenever you redeem for 4 or more nights, and Platinum status.

Earn 10x at IHG and 2x at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants. Also earn 10,000 bonus points when you spend $20,000 plus one additional purchase each card year.

NOTE: In calculating your rewards values for this card, we are making the assumption that all Hotel spend entered is spent on IHG. If part of that spend is on other hotels, that spend will earn only 1x on this card, reducing the value of your rewards.

This card earns 3x Avios on British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Air Lingus.

Earn a Travel Together Ticket, good for bringing a companion for just the taxes and fees when you redeem a reward flight for yourself, when you spend $30,000.

NOTE: In calculating your rewards for this card, we are making the assumption that all airfare entered is spent on British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Aer Lingus. If part of that spend is on other airlines, that spend will earn only 1x on this card, reducing the value of your rewards.

ALSO: While the bonus offer can net you up to 100,000 bonus Avios, we only count the first 50,000 in our calculations because of the steep spend requirement to receive the full 100,000.

This is the entry-level Chase Southwest card and has the lowest annual fee of the three. Get 2x points on Southwest flights and 3,000 points per card anniversary in exchange for your annual fee each year.

Note: Our rewards calculator and Estimated Rewards Values assume all of your "Airfare" is on Southwest and is therefore counted at 2x points. If you also fly another carrier, you will only earn 1x points for those purchases.

A mid-level personal Southwest card with a modest annual fee. Get 6,000 points per card anniversary and 2x points on Southwest flights.

Note: Our rewards calculator and Estimated Rewards Values assume all of your "Airfare" is on Southwest and is therefore counted at 2x points. If you also fly another carrier, you will only earn 1x points for those purchases.

This premium-level Southwest card comes with extra benefits for loyal Southwest flyers. Get 7,500 points, a $75 Southwest credit, and 4 upgraded boarding positions each card anniversary.

Note: Our rewards calculator and Estimated Rewards Values assume all of your "Airfare" is on Southwest and is therefore counted at 2x points. If you also fly another carrier, you will only earn 1x points for those purchases.

This United card offers a free checked bag for you and a travel companion (must pay with card) and priority boarding. You get two one-time United Club passes per card year, the Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection, and access to both Inside Access events and United MileagePlus Events. You earn 2x at restaurants, hotels purchased directly, and, of course, United. You can earn a PQD status waiver with $25,000 spend and, best of all, this card entitles you to expanded saver award availability on United flights.

NOTE: Our rewards calculator and Estimated Rewards Values assume all "Airfare" is on United and is therefore counted at 2x points. If you also fly another carrier, you will only earn 1x points for those purchases and your Reward Values would be lower than indicated.

This is the no-fee version of the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card, with somewhat reduced benefits in exchange for not having an annual fee.

The IHG credit card is best suited for spend at IHG properties where it earns IHG points at the rate of 5x IHG points per dollar (vs. 10x IHG points with the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card).

This card still gives you the 4th Night Free on an Award Stay benefit which is one of the best reasons to have either IHG credit card, although you do give up many other features of the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card which does have an annual fee.

Round up to the nearest 10 points on all purchases. Earn 2x at supermarkets and gas stations for the first $6,000 combined per year, and 1x everywhere else, before rounding up. Excellent for small purchases.

Note: Your earnings will be larger than those shown in our calculations because we cannot factor in the "round up" feature of this card as it correlates to each exact transaction you will make.

This no-fee card earns 2x AAdvantage miles at grocery stores, as well as 2x on American Airlines.

NOTE: In calculating your potential rewards for this card, we are assuming that all spend entered as "Airline" is on American Airlines. If some of your airline spend is on other airlines, that spend will earn 1x rather than 2x miles and reduce your expected rewards.

The ABOC Platinum Rewards Mastercard® Credit Card offers an intro 0% APR for your first 12 months.

It earns 1 point per dollar and also earns 5X points on categories that rotate each quarter, up to $1,500 per quarter, like dining, groceries, Amazon.com, gas, etc. 

ABOC points are redeemed for gift cards or travel and are worth approximately 0.8 cents each - equating to about a 4% cash back on the rotating quarterly categories. 

This is also a popular card for people with credit rated "Fair" or "Average".

This Costco-branded card earns 2% cash back at Costco. It also earns an incredible 4% cash back at gas stations, both Costco and otherwise, for the first $7,000 per year. Additionally, it earns 3% cash back at restaurants and on travel.

You must have a Costco membership to be eligible for this card.