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 or via Pay Yourself Back, and you get an annual $300 travel credit each card year which greatly offsets the card's annual fee.

If you don't mind booking your hotel stays via the Chase Travel portal, you will earn an incredible 10X points, although as a prepaid rate you won't receive hotel chain status benefits.

Earn Rate:

• 10X total points on hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Ultimate Rewards
• 10X Ultimate Rewards points on Lyft rides through March 2025
• 5X total points on air travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards
• 3X Ultimate Rewards points on travel and dining
• 10x total points on Chase Dining purchases through Ultimate Rewards (This is powered by Tock Dining and is only in select markets)
• 1X points on all other purchases

Important Note on the 5X multiplier for airfare and 10X multiplier for hotels and car rentals:  You will only receive these bonus multipliers if you book your travel via the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel portal (using cash). Hotels booked via the portal are prepaid will not earn hotel points or provide hotel loyalty program benefits. If you book travel directly with a provider, you will earn 3X instead of 5X or 10X.

Lyft Benefits:

• Earn 10X Ultimate Rewards points on Lyft rides through March 2025.
• 2 years of complimentary Lyft Pink All Access

Instacart Benefits

• 12 free months of Instacart Express
• $15/month in statement credits

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card DoorDash Benefits

You'll get free access to DashPass which gives you $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.

Also receive $5 monthly DoorDash Credits through December 31, 2024.

Global Entry or TSA Pre ^® or NEXUS fee credit

You can also receive up to a $100 credit for enrollment in Global Entry or PreCheck once every 5 years.

Chase Will Let you “Pay Yourself Back”

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers can always use their points to book travel via the travel portal where they get 1.5 cents per point.

Now, you can redeem in the same manner for select purchase categories. Instead of using a “portal” to make the purchases, you just pay as you normally would and then go into the Chase website to “pay” for that purchase with points. You will get the same 1.5 cents per point in value as you get booking travel. The feature is branded “Pay Yourself Back^SM“. 

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 (through March 2025)
• 5X total points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 3X points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out.
• 3X points on select streaming services
• 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
• 2X Ultimate Rewards points on all travel purchases
• 1X points on all other purchases

Important Note on the 5X multiplier for travel:  This card is listed as earning 5X on travel. You will only receive 5X if you book your travel via the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel portal (using cash). Hotels booked via the portal are prepaid will not earn hotel points or provide hotel loyalty program benefits. If you book travel directly with a provider, you will earn 2X instead of 5X.

Instacart Benefits

• 6 free months of Instacart Express
• $15/quarter in statement credits

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card DoorDash Benefits

You'll get free access to DashPass which gives you $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.

Chase Will Let you “Pay Yourself Back”

Chase Sapphire Preferred cardmembers can always use their points to book travel via the travel portal where they get 1.25 cents per point.

Now, you can redeem in the same manner for selected rotating categories. Instead of using a “portal” to make the purchases, you just pay as you normally would and then go into the Chase website to “pay” for that purchase with points. You will get the same 1.25 cents per point in value as you get booking travel. The feature is branded “Pay Yourself Back^SM“. 

The only requirement is that the merchant category be in one of the specified categories and you must “Pay yourself back” within 90 days of purchase.

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers get the same opportunity, but at a higher 1.5 cents per point cash-out rate.

If you apply for a Chase credit card and don't get an instant approval, you may want to call the Chase reconsideration line.

Note: You will only be approved for a Chase credit card if you have applied for fewer than 5 personal credit cards within the last 24 months from any issuer. (Business cards do not count against the total, except for Capital One and Discover, but are subject to the policy). Learn more about the 5/24 rule here.

You also cannot be approved for a Sapphire Preferred if you currently have this card or a Sapphire Reserve card and/or if you have received a bonus on this card in the past 48 months. 

• United Club membership. Guest access includes 2 adults or 1 adult and dependent children under 21 years of age.
• The United Club membership can also access participating Star Alliance member airline lounges with up to one guest when departing on a same-day flight on a Star Alliance carrier.
• Two free checked bags for you and one companion traveling in the same reservation paid with your Club Infinite Card.
• Premier Access (including priority boarding, priority check-in, priority baggage handling, etc)
• Premier upgrades on award tickets: If you have MileagePlus^® Premier^®status and are traveling on an award ticket, you and one companion traveling on the same reservation are eligible for Complimentary Upgrades on select United- and United Express-operated flights, subject to availability.
• Expanded award availability
• Status PQD waiver with $25,000 spend
• Up to $100 in Global Entry / TSA PreCheck fee reimbursements
• 25% back on in-flight United purchases
• No foreign transaction fees
• CLEAR Membership discount
• IHG Rewards Platinum status
• Get one-year of complimentary DashPass, a membership for both DoorDash and Caviar that provides unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders.  Activate by 12/31/24. After the trial period, you will be automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate.

NOTE: In calculating your rewards for this card, we are making the assumption that all airfare entered is spent on United, which earns 4X. If part of that spend is on other airlines, that spend will earn only 1x on this card, reducing the value of your rewards.

The British Airways Visa Signature® Card earns 3x Avios on British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Air Lingus and 2x Avios on hotels booked directly with the hotel.

Also receive 10% off all British Airways flights that originate in the United States. (Must book through a special website provided with your new card.)

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.

The Iberia Visa Signature® Card offers yet another way to earn Avios, even if you already carry the British Airways credit card.

Iberia Credit Card Earn Rate

• Earn 3 Avios per dollar pent on British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Air Lingus purchases
• Earn 2 Avios per dollar spent on hotel accommodations
• Earn 1 Avios per dollar spent on any other purchases.

Iberia Credit Card Benefits

• 10% off of any Iberia flight. (Must buy the flights at Iberia.com/Chase10 using your Iberia Visa card)
• When you spend $30K on purchases on your Iberia Visa card in a year, you'll receive a discount voucher of $1,000 to use toward two tickets on the same flight.
• No foreign transaction fees
• Using this card at least once every 36 months (or any Avios transaction) will keep your Avios from expiring
• Avios can be transferred into British Airways Avios or Aer Lingus Avios via Avios.com.

NOTE: In calculating your rewards for this card, we are making the assumption that all airfare entered is spent on  Iberia, which earns 3X Avios. If part of that spend is on other airlines, that spend will earn only 1X on this card, reducing the value of your rewards.

The Aer Lingus credit card offers yet another way to earn Avios, even if you already carry the British Airways credit card.

Iberia Credit Card Earn Rate

• Earn 3 Avios per dollar pent on Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and LEVEL purchases.
• Earn 2 Avios per dollar spent on hotel accommodations
• Earn 1 Avios per dollar spent on any other purchases.

Aer Lingus Credit Card Benefits

• When you spend $30K on purchases on your Aer Lingus Visa card in a year, you'll receive a discount voucher of $1,000 to use toward two tickets on the same flight.
• No foreign transaction fees
• Using this card at least once every 36 months (or any Avios transaction) will keep your Avios from expiring
• Avios can be transferred into British Airways Avios or Iberia Avios via Avios.com.

NOTE: In calculating your rewards for this card, we are making the assumption that all airfare entered is spent on Aer Lingus, which earns 3X Avios. If part of that spend is on other airlines, that spend will earn only 1X on this card, reducing the value of your rewards.

Holders of the United℠ Explorer Card get free checked bag for you and a companion (must pay with card) and priority boarding on United flights.

• You'll also get two one-time United Club passes per cardmember year, access to the Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection, and access to both Inside Access events and United MileagePlus Events.
• You can earn a PQD status waiver with $25,000 spend and, best of all, this card entitles you to expanded saver economy award availability on United flights.
• Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck^® or NEXUS fee credit: You can receive a statement credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck^® or NEXUS when charged to your card.
• Get one-year of complimentary DashPass, a membership for both DoorDash and Caviar that provides unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders.  Activate by 12/31/24. After the trial period, you will be automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate.

Includes Primary Rental Car Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) Coverage

The coverage is Primary, so you won't have to involve your own insurance as long as you reserve and pay for the rental with this card (see issuer website for all terms).

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.

United Quest(SM) Card Earn Rate

• 3X United miles on United purchases.
• 2X on other travel (like air, hotel, and car rentals). (Recall, though, that you can earn 3X points on any airline in the world with a Chase Sapphire Reserve or 2X on any airline in the world with a $95 annual fee Chase Sapphire Preferred.
• 2X miles on dining and streaming services.
• Everything else earns just 1 mile per dollar.

United Quest Benefits

• Two 5,000 mile award flight credits each year after account anniversary. Essentially, you will get 5,000 miles “back” after you book an award flight.
• $125 annual United purchase credit. This is a statement credit against UA purchases like airfare as well as things you can buy that are related to a flight, like checked bag fees, upgrades, seats, and Wifi.
• Earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 in card spend, up to 3,000 PQP in a Calendar Year - valid up to 1K status as long as the required PQF requirements are also met.
• 2 free checked bags
• Priority boarding
• $100 in Global Entry or TSA Precheck once every 4 years.
• No foreign transaction fees
• Premier upgrades on award tickets. Prioritized after the lowest paid fare class, a Premier member with this card will get upgraded on award tickets.
• 25% statement credit on onboard purchases (food, drinks, and wifi)
• Trip Cancellation / Interruption insurance
• Trip Delay reimbursement
• Primary car rental collision / damage waiver
• Purchase protection
• Roadside assistance

NOTE: In calculating your rewards for this card, we are making the assumption that all airfare entered is spent on United, which earns 3X. Other airfare earns 2X. If part of that spend is on other airlines, that spend will earn only 2x on this card, reducing the value of your rewards.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card 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 and 25% back on all inflight purchases including WiFi, plus:

• 2X points on local transit and commuting purchases, including rideshares (like Uber and Lyft)
• 2X points on internet, cable, phone, and select streaming
• 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins per year (Worth $15-$25 each)

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.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is the mid-level personal Southwest card with a modest annual fee. Get 6,000 points per card anniversary and 3x points on Southwest flights.

• 3X points on Southwest purchases (up from 2X)
• 2X points on local transit and commuting purchases, including rideshares (like Uber and Lyft)
• 2X points on internet, cable, phone, and select streaming
• 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins per year (Worth $15-$25 each)

Note: Our rewards calculator and Estimated Rewards Values assume all of your "Airfare" is on Southwest and is therefore counted at 3x points. If you also fly another carrier, you will only earn 1x points for those purchases.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is a 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.

• 3X points on Southwest purchases
• 2X points on local transit and commuting purchases, including rideshares (like Uber and Lyft)
• 2X points on internet, cable, phone, and select streaming
• Unlimited Tier Qualifying points (TQPs) towards A-List status - 1,500 Tier qualifying points for every $10,000 that you spend on the card
• 7,500 Rapid Rewards points each year on your card anniversary. Based on our 1.4 cent value, those points along are worth $105 toward Southwest Airlines flights.
• A $75 annual Southwest travel credit. Just charge your Southwest flight to your credit card and Chase will automatically reimburse you. The credit renews every year after your card anniversary date.
• 4 Upgraded Boardings per year. Southwest is a first-come, first-served system for boarding. The earlier you check in, the better your boarding position. But upgraded boardings allow you to skip the cattle car process, automatically giving you an A1-A15 position. Normally, you need to pay for these boarding spots, but the card will reimburse you for the first four that you purchase.
• No foreign transaction fees. You won’t pay any foreign transaction fees when you use the card to make purchases abroad.
• 25% back on all inflight purchases. That includes WiFi, as well.

Note: Our rewards calculator and Estimated Rewards Values assume all of your "Airfare" is on Southwest and is therefore counted at 3x points. If you also fly another carrier, you will only earn 1x points for those purchases.

Earn Marriott points for purchases. Earn 6x at Marriott, 3x Bonvoy points on up to $6,000 in combined purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery, on groceries and at gas stations and 2x everywhere else. Get a Free Night Award, 15 elite credits, and Silver status every year.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

NOTE: In valuing your potential rewards from this card, we assumed that all spend from Hotels is at Marriott brands, which earn 6x points. If some of your hotel spend is at other hotel brands, your actual rewards will be somewhat lower.

IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card Earn Rates

• 10X IHG bonus points when staying at IHG properties (That’s up to 26 total points per $ spent when factoring in IHG Rewards earnings when you stay).
• 5X points for all travel
• 5X points at gas stations
• 5X points for dining / take out / delivery
• 3X points for all other eligible purchases

IHG properties include: InterContinental^® Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Alliance^®Resorts, Crowne Plaza^®, Hotel Indigo^®, Holiday Inn^®, Holiday Inn Express^®, Holiday Inn Resort^®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations^®, Staybridge Suites^®, Candlewood Suites^®, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE™

Additional IHG Premier credit card benefits:

• IHG Platinum Status
• An annual anniversary free night (up to 40,000 points, but you can "top up" with additional IHG Rewards points from your account for a more expensive reward)
• The fourth reward night free: Enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for any consecutive four-night stay at an IHG hotel; your fourth night will be free!
• Earn 10,000 bonus points and a $100 statement credit when you spend $20,000 plus one additional purchase each card year.
• Receive up to $50 in United Airlines TravelBank cash each year.
• Spend your way to Diamond Status with $40,000 in purchases plus one additional purchase in a calendar year.
• Get up to $800 per claim in cell phone protection against covered theft or damage (see issuer site for details and deductibles).
• No foreign transaction fees.

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.

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.

The Chase Freedom Flex is the evolution of the Chase Freedom card, long a staple of the Chase card portfolio.

0% APR Intro Offer:

0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.

The Freedom Flex takes the best part of the Chase Freedom (rotating quarterly 5X bonus categories) and adds a ton of new features:

Chase Freedom Flex Earn Rate:

• 5X on travel when purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal*
• 5X on rotating quarterly bonus categories (max of $1,500 per quarter in spend; activation required – same as existing Freedom card)
• 5X on Lyft rides through March 2025
• 3X on dining (including takeout and delivery)
• 3X at drugstores
• 1X on everything else

(* Keep in mind, booking via the portal for hotels means that you won’t, in most cases, earn any hotel points / stay credits nor have any hotel elite status honored. For airlines, the fares are generally the same or similar, however, it does mean that you have to deal with Chase for changes instead of the airline directly – and that can be a big hassle.)

Instacart Benefits

• 3 free months of Instacart Express
• $10/quarter in statement credits

Note: Our rewards optimization calculator will count all travel on this card at 5X, but please note the limitations around that above. 

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 (defined below) 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.

IHG Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card Earn Rates

• 5X per dollar spent at IHG properties
• 3X points per dollar on utilities
• 3X points per dollar on cable, Internet, and phone
• 3X points per dollar on select streaming services
• 3X points per dollar for dining
• 3X points per dollar for gas stations
• 2X points on all other eligible spend

Additional IHG Rewards Club Traveler benefits:

• The fourth reward night free: Enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for any consecutive four-night stay at an IHG hotel; your fourth night will be free!
• Earn 10,000 bonus points when you spend $10,000 in a calendar year.
• No foreign transaction fees

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card is Chase's "no fee" entrant into the lineup of Marriott Bonvoy credit cards. It is similar to the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card but with no annual fee and no annual free night certificate. It also earns considerably less points per dollar spent.

Note When calculating your Estimated Rewards Values, Hotel spend will be considered "spend at Marriott Bonvoy hotels" for the purposes of calculating your potential reward values (in this case, 3X). Hotel spend at other brands will not earn the bonus multiplier and would only earn 2X Bonvoy points (the rate for all other travel).

Instacart Mastercard Earn Rate

• 5% cash back for Instacart purchases made through the Instacart app or at Instacart.com
• 5% cash back for all travel purchased through the Chase Travel Center (only - direct bookings with airlines, hotels, etc do not qualify).
• 2% cash back at restaurants
• 2% cash back at gas stations
• 2% cash back on streaming services
• 1% cash back for all other purchases

If you are looking for a powerful card for all supermarket purchases, you'd be much better off with one of our top credit cards for supermarkets like the American Express Gold Card, which earns 4X Membership Rewards at supermarkets.

But if you are loyal to Instacart, this card is worth considering.

A no-fee Chase card offering 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points on everything, except as noted below. It's best combined with a Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred, or Chase Ink Business Preferred to unlock the power of transfer partners.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® Earn Rate:

• 5X on travel when purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal*
• 5X on Lyft until March 2025
• 3X on dining (including takeout and delivery)
• 3X at drugstores
• 1.5X on everything else

NOTE: This card can be used as cash back or as an Ultimate Rewards points card. In valuing your rewards, we assume you also have a Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred, or Chase Ink Business Preferred. You can then transfer points from this card to one of those to unlock the power of transfer partners. If you have this card without one of the above cards, your rewards value will be lower with each point worth exactly 1 cent.

Instacart Benefits

• 3 free months of Instacart Express
• $10/quarter in statement credits

0% Interest APR Intro Offer:

0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.

Note: Our rewards optimization calculator will count all travel on this card at 5X, but please note the limitations around that above. 

Formerly known as the JP Morgan Palladium card, this unbelievably heavy metal credit card is now known as the JP Morgan Reserve card.

In the travel rewards credit card space, this is the equivalent of the famous American Express Black (Centurion) Card.

In nearly every way but the design and rarity, this card is the same as the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

One difference? The JP Morgan Reserve card is said to include an annual United Club membership.  So in some ways, the JP Morgan Reserve card combined the best features of the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the United Club Infinite Card.

The annual fee is the same as the Sapphire Reserve as well.

The Chase Slate Edge℠ from Chase is designed to help those building credit to do so faster.

Receive a 0% Intro APR for 18 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers. A variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24% on balance transfers and purchases after the introductory period ends.

You will automatically be considered for an APR reduction of 2% per year when you pay on time each month and have spent at least $1,000 before your next card anniversary date.

Chase will also automatically consider you for a higher credit line: They will automatically review your account (one time) for a higher credit limit when you pay on time as long as you spend $500 within your first six months.

This card has no annual fee.