aaa travel visa signature card

Your go-to credit card

Aaa travel advantage visa signature ® credit card.

Two girs sitting in the back of an electric vehicle waiting for charge

Meet your go-to credit card for everywhere you go. Using your  AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature ®  Credit Card , you can take advantage of cash back on a wide range of purchases and experiences.

With purchases, earn $100 statement credit when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days of opening. 3

AAA travel advantage credit card

 Use the AAA Travel Advantage card to start earning:

  • 5% cash back  on gas purchases and electric vehicle-charging stations 1
  • 3% cash back  on travel, restaurants, grocery store, and purchases at AAA 1
  • 1% cash back  on all other purchases 2
  • No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees 4

With the AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature ® Credit Card you can earn 5% cash back on the first $7,000 spent on gas & electric vehicle-charging purchases in a calendar year, then 1% thereafter. 

Credit card offers are subject to credit approval. 

AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature ® Credit Card Accounts are issued by Comenity Capital Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Visa is a registered trademark of Visa International Service Association and used under license.

1 Offer is exclusive to AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature ® Credit Card holders enrolled in the AAA Travel Advantage program. For offers associated with a specific category, earnings will only be awarded if the merchant code for the purchase matches a category eligible for the offer. Each merchant is assigned a code by a third party that indicates the merchant’s area of business. Comenity Capital Bank does not have the ability to control assignment of merchant codes. Maximum of $350 USD in cash back in a calendar year on the 5% category, and earn 1% cash back on all net eligible purchases thereafter. Excludes third-party insurance and offers, automobile extended warranties, and trip insurance. Cash back can be redeemed as statement credits, direct deposit, rewards and qualifying purchases at participating AAA locations. This rewards program is provided by Comenity Capital Bank and its terms may change at any time. For full Rewards Terms and Conditions, please see AAA.com/AdvantageTravelTerms.

2 Offer is exclusive to AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature ® Credit Card holders enrolled in the AAA Travel Advantage program. Cash Back can be redeemed as Statement Credits, Direct Deposit, Rewards and qualifying purchases at participating AAA locations.

3 Valid one time only. Offer is exclusive to AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature ®  Credit Card holders enrolled in the AAA Travel Advantage program. Maximum of $100 statement credit per account.

4 For new accounts, as of January 2024: Variable Purchase APR of 19.24% to 33.24% based on your credit worthiness at the time of account opening and the Prime Rate. Balance Transfer APR of 26.99%. Variable Cash Advance APR of 34.24%, based on Prime Rate. Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Balance Transfer Fee of the greater of $10 or 5% of the transfer. Cash Advance Fee of the greater of $10 or 5% of the advance.

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AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card

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The AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card is a cash back rewards card designed for anyone who didn’t apply for the AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card, because you have to choose one or the other–you can’t have both. You don’t have to be a AAA member, however. This card has a small welcome offer and great ongoing rewards, although you are limited to a maximum of $350 cash back earned on the 5% category in a calendar year, then 1%. The 3% cash back categories are uncapped. Some benefits may depend on your location. We dive into the details and your approval odds in this AAA Travel Advantage review.

AAA Travel Advantage

Welcome Offer

0% on Purchases

Reward Rate

1% to 5% cash back

0% on Balance Transfers

Earn a $100 statement credit when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days of account opening.

Features & Benefits

Interest rates & fees, what credit score is required to get the aaa travel advantage visa signature® credit card.

The following credit score data are based on publicly available information we have collected from various forums. We have no way to confirm the accuracy of this data. In addition, keep in mind that credit card issuers use numerous factors in their underwriting process, and these factors can change at any time.

Lowest Approved Credit Score : 784

Average Approved Credit Score : 784

Pros & Cons

  • Welcome offer
  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fee
  • Up to 5% cash back
  • Requires good credit

What Are the Best Alternatives?

PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card

PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card

Rewards Range

1x to 5x points

No Annual Fee

Citi Premier® Card

Citi Premier® Card

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

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Aaa visa credit cards review: generous bonus cash-back categories with no annual fee, there are two aaa cash-back credit cards with different bonus spending categories..

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The American Automobile Association (AAA) offers two cash-back credit cards that are surprisingly rewarding for certain purchases: The AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card and AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card . These cards shine for earning cash back on groceries, gas and EV charging. However, both cards have caps on some the most rewarding spending categories, so they aren't the best fit for everyone.

CNBC Select has the details for the rewards, welcome bonus and rates and fees of these no-annual-fee cash-back credit cards .

AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card

*You can earn a maximum of $350 in combined cash back each calendar year at gas stations and electric vehicle charging stations, after that purchases earn 1% for the rest of the year.

Welcome bonus

Earn a $100 statement credit when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days of account opening.

Regular APR

19.24% to 33.24%, based on your creditworthiness

Foreign transaction fee

Balance transfer fee.

Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card

*You can earn a maximum of $500 in combined cash back each calendar year at grocery stores, gas stations and wholesale clubs, after that purchases earn 1% for the rest of the year

AAA Visa Signature cards review

Benefits and perks, how to earn and use cash back, rates and fees, alternatives to the aaa credit cards, are the aaa credit cards right for you, bottom line.

Both AAA Visa Signature cards have the same welcome bonus, which allows you to earn a $100 statement credit after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days from account opening.

Both of these cards come with a handful of Visa Signature credit card perks , including:

  • Three free months of Shipt membership (free delivery on $35+ orders)
  • Three free months of Skillshare membership
  • Travel and emergency assistance services
  • Visa concierge services
  • Exclusive access to Sofar events and eligibility for a free ticket per show

The AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card and AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card are both cash-back rewards credit cards, but they earn bonus cash back on different purchases.

The AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card earns:

  • 5% cash back on grocery store purchases
  • 3% cash back on gas and electric vehicle charging stations, wholesale clubs, streaming services , pharmacy and AAA purchases
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases

Cardholders can earn a maximum of $500 combined from the 5% and 3% bonus categories each calendar year at grocery stores, gas stations and wholesale clubs , after that purchases earn 1% for the rest of the year. So if you use this card exclusively for grocery store purchases, you would earn 5% back on $10,000 in spending.

The AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card earns:

  • 5% cash back on gas and electric vehicle charging station purchases
  • 3% cash back on grocery stores, restaurants , travel and AAA purchases

The AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card lets you earn a maximum of $350 in combined cash back each calendar year in the 5% bonus category, after that purchases earn 1% back for the rest of the year. That's the equivalent of spending $7,000 a year at gas stations and electric vehicle charging stations.

You can redeem cash back for a direct deposit or statement credit once you have earned at least $5 in rewards. You can also cash out your rewards for gift cards or merchandise and travel through participating AAA clubs.

Both AAA credit cards have the same rates and fees. There are no annual fees and no foreign transaction fees . Balance transfers and cash advances are charged a 5% fee of the amount of the transaction with a $10 minimum. The standard APR is a variable 19.24% to 33.24% and there is no introductory APR offer . There is a fee of up to $41 for late payments and returned payments.

AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card vs. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is CNBC Select's best credit card for groceries . It has a higher rate of return for groceries than the AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card on grocery purchases (6% back on the first $6,000 in purchases per year at U.S. supermarkets) and U.S. streaming services (6% back).

It also has a more generous welcome offer and a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (see rates and fees ). The Amex Blue Cash Preferred card has better benefits, including return protection, up to $84 a year in Disney Bundle credits ($7 a month with an eligible $9.99 a month Disney Bundle subscription) and up to $120 in annual Equinox credit ($10 a month). These credits can offset the card's annual fee (see rates and fees ), so the decision may come down to how much cash back you'll earn with each card. The AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card limits select bonus cash-back categories to $500 in rewards each year before the return drops to 1%. So if you expect to earn more cash back than that, the Blue Cash Preferred could be more lucrative.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 3% cash back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.

Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months. 

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

0% for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening

19.24% - 29.99% variable. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.

Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Credit needed

Excellent/Good

See rates and fees , terms apply.

AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card vs. Chase Freedom Flex℠

The Chase Freedom Flex earns 5% cash back on the first $1,500 in combined purchases in a variety of rotating quarterly categories . That's a potential $75 in bonus cash per quarter or $300 per year. While this is $50 lower than the $350 annual cash-back cap for the AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card's 5% bonus category (then 1% back), it applies to a wider range of purchases and the Chase Ultimate Rewards points you earn with the Freedom Flex can be much more valuable.

When you pair the Freedom Flex card with a Chase credit card that allows point transfers such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® , you can also transfer the points you've earned with your Freedom Flex card. For example, $300 cash back is 30,000 Chase points, which you can transfer to Hyatt to book a standard night award at a Category 7 hotel, like the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa or Park Hyatt Tokyo. A night at these hotels can cost $700+, so having the ability to transfer Chase points dramatically increases the Freedom Flex's value.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate (then 1%), 5% cash back on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on drugstore purchases and on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services), 1% cash back on all other purchases

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

0% for the first 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers

20.49% - 29.24% variable

Intro 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, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Member FDIC. Terms apply. Information about the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Read our Chase Freedom Flex℠ review.

The AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card and AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Cards both have value. They have no annual fees and earn cash back, which is always useful and never complicated. If you want to add a card to your wallet to use exclusively for groceries or gas stations, then these cards are hard to beat. However, some of the most rewarding bonus cash-back categories for both cards have an annual limit, then the return drops to 1%. So heavy spenders may be better off with a card with unlimited bonus categories .

Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.  Sign up here .

The American Automobile Association offers two co-branded credit cards , the AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card and AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card . These are no-annual-fee cash-back cards with generous bonus spending categories. However, the amount of bonus cash-back you can earn each year is capped for select categories (then it drops to 1%), which limits the value for anyone whose spending will exceed these limits.

Why trust CNBC Select?

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.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of  credit cards ,  banking  and  money , and follow us on  TikTok ,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please click here .

Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify that certain AAA credit card bonus categories have capped cash-back rates and earn a lower return once that limit is reached.

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AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card

Use your card to enjoy the benefits below.

  • ​ 5% cash back on gas purchases and electric vehicle charging 2
  • ​ 3% cash back on grocery stores, restaurants, travel and AAA purchases 2
  • ​ 1% cash back on all other purchases 3
  • ​ No annual fee or foreign transaction fees 4

AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature Credit Card

Premium travel benefits with everyday rewards when you use your card

  • ​ Gas pump 5% cash back 2 on gas purchases and electric vehicle charging
  • ​ Shopping cart 3% cash back 2 on grocery store, restaurants, travel, and AAA purchases
  • ​ Globe 1% cash back 3 on all other purchases
  • ​ No fees No annual fee or foreign transaction fees 4

Earn a $100 statement credit

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Credit Cards With the Best Perks

The right cards can put hundreds—even thousands—of dollars back in your pocket

illustration of hands holding various credit cards

There are more than 1,000 credit cards out there that offer rewards. With these, you get something in return each time you spend, usually cash back and sometimes points or miles (as with airline-branded cards). But how do you choose the best one (or two, or maybe three or more) for you?

If you carry balances on your credit cards, this is not a question even worth asking, because any reward you earn will be offset by interest charges and late fees . But if you pay in full every month, look for cards that most generously reward you for the kind of charging you usually do.

Do you spend heavily on travel ? Dining out? Entertainment? On gas or groceries? Check out the cards below, organized by spending styles, to find the ones that will reward you the most.

  • You're a : Road Tripper Discount Seeker Culture Lover Avid Traveler Big Food Shopper
  • Special Perks You Might Not Know About

Can You Have Too Many Credit Cards?

Road tripper.

If a large chunk of your monthly expenses goes to gas and related road-trip charges, and you usually visit just one company’s stations, you may be tempted to get its rewards card. For example, the Exxon Mobil Smart Card+ saves you 12 cents a gallon on premium fuel, 10 cents on other grades. "The drawback is you are typically limited to earning rewards at only Exxon Mobil locations," says Nick Ewen, senior editorial director for the travel site The Points Guy.

Illustration: Alex Eben Meyer Illustration: Alex Eben Meyer

Want more choice? Then consider the Wells Fargo Autograph Card. It charges no annual fee and offers an unlimited 3 points earned on each dollar spent on gas and at electric vehicle charging stations, as well as for parking, tolls, garages, train trips, subways, taxis, limousines, and ferries. It offers the same 3 points earned on hotels, car rentals, flights, restaurants, and streaming services , which include Apple TV+, Disney+, and Hulu. There are no reward limits.

If you belong to a warehouse club, you can earn generous rewards at gas stations with its credit card. For example, Costco Anywhere Visa gives you 4 percent cash back on gas (and EV charging) at any eligible gas station up to $7,000 annually. Plus you get 3 percent back on restaurants, car rentals, airfare, hotels, cruise lines, and trips booked through Costco Travel (1 percent on other purchases). Basic annual membership in the club is $60. Sam’s Club Mastercard gives 5 percent cash back on gas up to $6,000 annually (1 percent back on additional gas spending), plus 3 percent back on dining and takeout (1 percent on purchases at Sam’s Club and elsewhere). Basic annual membership is $50. BJ’s One Mastercard nets you 10 cents off a gallon of BJ’s gas for its $55 membership, plus 3 percent cash back on most BJ’s purchases (1.5 percent spent elsewhere).

Discount Seeker

If you’re someone who appreciates having a card that partners with a large and varying array of retailers (often high-end) for special shopping discounts, consider the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card. You earn 6 percent cash back at two retailers you choose each quarter, up to $1,500 each quarter (1.5 percent cash back on additional charges). Retailers recently included Apple, Amazon, Chewy, Crate & Barrel, Ikea, Lululemon, Nordstrom, Restoration Hardware, and Williams Sonoma.

You can also get 3 percent back each quarter (up to $1,500) on an everyday purchase category you choose, including wholesale clubs, gas and EV charging stations, or utility bills (then 1.5 percent cash back on other purchases). You also earn 1.5 percent cash back when you shop at over 1,100 online retailers through its shopping portal. There’s no annual fee for the first year, then it’s $95.

If you have a PayPal account, the PayPal Cashback Mastercard gives you 3 percent unlimited cash back at the more than a million merchants online or in stores, plus 2 percent back anywhere Mastercard is accepted.

Fans of the Simon Malls, Mills, and Premium Outlets should consider the Simon American Express card. It provides 5 percent cash back for purchases at its more than 200 locations and 1 percent back on other purchases, up to $10,000 annually. Stores include Athleta, Armani, Brooks Brothers, and Polo Ralph Lauren.

Culture Lover

Does a chunk of your credit card charges go toward tickets for theatrical and musical events? Each month, the Citi Custom Cash Card gives cardholders 5 percent back on the eligible spending category of their choice, one of which is live entertainment. You can earn up to $6,000 back a year on concerts, live sporting events, live theatrical productions, amusement parks, and orchestra performances. And there’s no annual fee.

If you like to have early access, Capital One gives cardholders presale tickets to concerts and theatrical shows (including some on Broadway), wine and food festivals, and James Beard Foundation tastings across the country. It also offered presale tickets to the Taylor Swift Eras tour. Its Capital One SavorOne offers unlimited 3 percent cash back on entertainment, which includes ticket purchases made at movie theaters, sporting events, live theater, amusement parks, tourist attractions, aquariums, zoos, dance halls, pool halls, and bowling alleys. SavorOne has no annual fee. If you spend enough on cultural events to cover a $95 annual fee, the Capital One Savor has a similar rewards program but provides 4 percent cash back on entertainment charges.

Another option: Amex cardholders also get presale access to live theater, concerts, sporting events, dining experiences, and more. For example, cardholders were recently offered advance tickets to Coachella, the U.S. Open, the Grand Prix, and Carrie Underwood’s Las Vegas show.

All Bank of America cardholders can take advantage of its Museums on Us program. It partners with 225 cultural institutions across the U.S., mostly museums, to provide free general admission during the first full weekend of every month.

Avid Traveler

"If you’re super loyal to one airline , it might make sense to get its card since they can offer perks like free checked bags and seat upgrades," says Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate.com. But if you’re looking for a card that offers access to airport lounges, upgrades at fancy resorts, passes for early boarding, first dibs for high-end restaurant reservations, and so on, there are other options. These cards tend to have high annual fees, but when used wisely they can save you hundreds of dollars a year, if not more.

Capital One Venture X has a $395 annual fee, but every year you get a $300 credit for travel purchases if you book flights, hotels, or rental cars through Capital One Travel. You’ll also get 10 miles per dollar spent booking those hotels and rental cars, 5 miles per dollar spent to book flights, plus 2 miles on all other charges. And you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 toward travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary. The card provides up to a $100 credit every four years for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck , and unlimited access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges worldwide from Priority Pass, Plaza Premium Group, and Capital One. You also get 10 miles per dollar spent when you use its Premier Collection service to book luxury hotels, resorts, and spas around the world through Capital One, plus up to a $100 experience credit to use during your stay. Capital One miles can also be transferred to 15 airline and three hotel partners. It recently offered a bonus of 75,000 miles if you spent $4,000 in the first three months.

The even pricier Chase Sapphire Reserve is $550 a year. But the first $300 you spend on travel annually is credited back to you. Then you get 5 points on flights and 10 points on hotels and car rentals when you use your card through Chase Travel. You get 3 points per dollar spent on eligible dining, delivery services, and takeout. There’s also free access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide with up to two guests, including Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club and Priority Pass lounge locations. And you can transfer your points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs at a one-to-one value. The card also provides up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage for rental cars; trip cancellation insurance up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip; and trip reimbursement for travel delays of more than 6 hours or that require an overnight stay, including reimbursement of up to $500 for lodging and meals.

You also get up to $3,000 per passenger for lost or damaged luggage , plus baggage delay insurance up to $100 per day up to five days. And you get emergency medical and dental benefits, roadside assistance , and emergency evacuation coverage. Its initial bonus was recently 60,000 points if you spent $4,000 on purchases in the first three months.

Big Food Shopper

We all buy groceries, but if supermarket items are an especially big budget item for you, it pays to be rewarded for it. You’ll get 6 percent cash back annually on up to $6,000 worth of groceries bought at U.S. supermarkets with the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express. It’s free the first year and $95 annually after that. You also get an unlimited 6 percent back on select streaming services and an unlimited 3 percent on gas, ride-share services, tolls, parking, subways, ferries, trains, and taxis.

Another possibility, this one with no annual fee, is the AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature Credit Card, which pays 5 percent cash back on groceries at supermarkets—and 3 percent at wholesale stores and gas stations—and will pay up to $500 a year in combined rewards. More of an online food shopper? The Capital One Walmart Rewards Card will pay 5 percent cash back on orders placed at Walmart.com for no annual fee and also pay 5 percent cash back on in-store purchases for the first 12 months when you use your card with Walmart Pay.

Special Perks Worth Knowing About

The credit cards you currently have could have perks you’re not even aware of. For specifics on your card, check your issuer’s website or app, or call the number on the back. Some possibilities:

Cell Phone Insurance This can keep you from having to pay the full cost of a replacement phone if yours is stolen or damaged and you’ve exhausted other insurance you hold (i.e., homeowners , renters, and automobile) . You have to use the card to pay your phone bill. Mastercard offers cell phone insurance with most World and World Elite cards, and American Express offers it with several of its premium cards. It’s included with all Wells Fargo consumer cards.

Typically the card will pay a set amount per incident (generally $600 to $800), often on two or three claims a year after you pay a $25 to $100 deductible.

Extended Warranty Coverage Many cards extend the manufacturer’s warranty by a year if you use the card to buy an eligible item. "My wife bought an expensive electric toothbrush with her Amex card, and it broke 6 months after the manufacturer’s warranty expired," says Ewen of The Points Guy. "But she got the replacement cost credited back."

Price Protection If you buy an item and within a certain time find it advertised for less, with this perk you can file a claim asking to be refunded the difference. Reimbursement caps vary by card. For example, the Wells Fargo Visa Signature Credit Card tops out at $250 per item and up to $1,000 a year if you find an eligible item within 60 days of the purchase date.

Purchase Protection This can insure certain goods against theft or accidental damage for a limited time after you buy them. The coverage amount and the duration of the protection differ by card. The no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex card, for example, covers new purchases for 120 days for damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. Rewards cards with high annual fees may provide more protection. For example, Chase Sapphire Reserve, which charges a $550 annual fee, provides coverage up to $10,000 per claim for up to $50,000 per year within 120 days of purchase.

Car Rental Coverage Programs vary, but generally, you have to pay for your rental car with a card that has this coverage and decline the insurance offered by the rental car company. The coverage that most credit cards offer, typically for damage to or theft of the rental car, kicks in after your personal auto insurance pays.

If you like to keep things simple, one or two no-annual-fee cards that reward your main spending styles may be right for you, says Ewen. But if you’re game to invest some energy into maximizing rewards across multiple cards (we’re talking three or four or more) to cover more types of spending, you may find the additional savings to be significant.

Signing up for additional cards is more likely to help, not hurt, your credit score . That’s because when credit is extended to you, your debt-to-credit ratio decreases. And that has a big impact on your FICO credit score. There’s also no need to cancel no-fee card accounts that no longer fit your needs. Simply stop using them. But "if the card has an annual fee, call the issuer or check its website to see if it has a no-fee card that fits your current needs," says Rossman of Bankrate.com . If you switch cards with the same issuer, it usually won’t have an impact on your credit score. If you don’t, and you decide to cancel a card, your credit score will rebound in a couple of months if you pay your bills promptly.

Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the May/June 2024 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

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Credit Cards With the Best Perks

The right cards can put hundreds—even thousands—of dollars back in your pocket

There are more than 1,000 credit cards out there that offer rewards. With these, you get something in return each time you spend, usually cash back and sometimes points or miles (as with airline-branded cards). But how do you choose the best one (or two, or maybe three or more) for you?

If you carry balances on your credit cards, this is not a question even worth asking, because any reward you earn will be offset by interest charges and late fees . But if you pay in full every month, look for cards that most generously reward you for the kind of charging you usually do.

Do you spend heavily on travel ? Dining out? Entertainment? On gas or groceries? Check out the cards below, organized by spending styles, to find the ones that will reward you the most.

Road Tripper

If a large chunk of your monthly expenses goes to gas and related road-trip charges, and you usually visit just one company’s stations, you may be tempted to get its rewards card. For example, the Exxon Mobil Smart Card+ saves you 12 cents a gallon on premium fuel, 10 cents on other grades. "The drawback is you are typically limited to earning rewards at only Exxon Mobil locations," says Nick Ewen, senior editorial director for the travel site The Points Guy.

Illustration: Alex Eben Meyer

Want more choice? Then consider the Wells Fargo Autograph Card. It charges no annual fee and offers an unlimited 3 points earned on each dollar spent on gas and at electric vehicle charging stations, as well as for parking, tolls, garages, train trips, subways, taxis, limousines, and ferries. It offers the same 3 points earned on hotels, car rentals, flights, restaurants, and streaming services , which include Apple TV+, Disney+, and Hulu. There are no reward limits.

If you belong to a warehouse club, you can earn generous rewards at gas stations with its credit card. For example, Costco Anywhere Visa gives you 4 percent cash back on gas (and EV charging) at any eligible gas station up to $7,000 annually. Plus you get 3 percent back on restaurants, car rentals, airfare, hotels, cruise lines, and trips booked through Costco Travel (1 percent on other purchases). Basic annual membership in the club is $60. Sam’s Club Mastercard gives 5 percent cash back on gas up to $6,000 annually (1 percent back on additional gas spending), plus 3 percent back on dining and takeout (1 percent on purchases at Sam’s Club and elsewhere). Basic annual membership is $50. BJ’s One Mastercard nets you 10 cents off a gallon of BJ’s gas for its $55 membership, plus 3 percent cash back on most BJ’s purchases (1.5 percent spent elsewhere).

Discount Seeker

If you’re someone who appreciates having a card that partners with a large and varying array of retailers (often high-end) for special shopping discounts, consider the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card. You earn 6 percent cash back at two retailers you choose each quarter, up to $1,500 each quarter (1.5 percent cash back on additional charges). Retailers recently included Apple, Amazon, Chewy, Crate & Barrel, Ikea, Lululemon, Nordstrom, Restoration Hardware, and Williams Sonoma.

You can also get 3 percent back each quarter (up to $1,500) on an everyday purchase category you choose, including wholesale clubs, gas and EV charging stations, or utility bills (then 1.5 percent cash back on other purchases). You also earn 1.5 percent cash back when you shop at over 1,100 online retailers through its shopping portal. There’s no annual fee for the first year, then it’s $95.

If you have a PayPal account, the PayPal Cashback Mastercard gives you 3 percent unlimited cash back at the more than a million merchants online or in stores, plus 2 percent back anywhere Mastercard is accepted.

Fans of the Simon Malls, Mills, and Premium Outlets should consider the Simon American Express card. It provides 5 percent cash back for purchases at its more than 200 locations and 1 percent back on other purchases, up to $10,000 annually. Stores include Athleta, Armani, Brooks Brothers, and Polo Ralph Lauren.

Culture Lover

Does a chunk of your credit card charges go toward tickets for theatrical and musical events? Each month, the Citi Custom Cash Card gives cardholders 5 percent back on the eligible spending category of their choice, one of which is live entertainment. You can earn up to $6,000 back a year on concerts, live sporting events, live theatrical productions, amusement parks, and orchestra performances. And there’s no annual fee.

If you like to have early access, Capital One gives cardholders presale tickets to concerts and theatrical shows (including some on Broadway), wine and food festivals, and James Beard Foundation tastings across the country. It also offered presale tickets to the Taylor Swift Eras tour. Its Capital One SavorOne offers unlimited 3 percent cash back on entertainment, which includes ticket purchases made at movie theaters, sporting events, live theater, amusement parks, tourist attractions, aquariums, zoos, dance halls, pool halls, and bowling alleys. SavorOne has no annual fee. If you spend enough on cultural events to cover a $95 annual fee, the Capital One Savor has a similar rewards program but provides 4 percent cash back on entertainment charges.

Another option: Amex cardholders also get presale access to live theater, concerts, sporting events, dining experiences, and more. For example, cardholders were recently offered advance tickets to Coachella, the U.S. Open, the Grand Prix, and Carrie Underwood’s Las Vegas show.

All Bank of America cardholders can take advantage of its Museums on Us program. It partners with 225 cultural institutions across the U.S., mostly museums, to provide free general admission during the first full weekend of every month.

Avid Traveler

"If you’re super loyal to one airline , it might make sense to get its card since they can offer perks like free checked bags and seat upgrades," says Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate.com. But if you’re looking for a card that offers access to airport lounges, upgrades at fancy resorts, passes for early boarding, first dibs for high-end restaurant reservations, and so on, there are other options. These cards tend to have high annual fees, but when used wisely they can save you hundreds of dollars a year, if not more.

Capital One Venture X has a $395 annual fee, but every year you get a $300 credit for travel purchases if you book flights, hotels, or rental cars through Capital One Travel. You’ll also get 10 miles per dollar spent booking those hotels and rental cars, 5 miles per dollar spent to book flights, plus 2 miles on all other charges. And you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 toward travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary. The card provides up to a $100 credit every four years for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck , and unlimited access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges worldwide from Priority Pass, Plaza Premium Group, and Capital One. You also get 10 miles per dollar spent when you use its Premier Collection service to book luxury hotels, resorts, and spas around the world through Capital One, plus up to a $100 experience credit to use during your stay. Capital One miles can also be transferred to 15 airline and three hotel partners. It recently offered a bonus of 75,000 miles if you spent $4,000 in the first three months.

The even pricier Chase Sapphire Reserve is $550 a year. But the first $300 you spend on travel annually is credited back to you. Then you get 5 points on flights and 10 points on hotels and car rentals when you use your card through Chase Travel. You get 3 points per dollar spent on eligible dining, delivery services, and takeout. There’s also free access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide with up to two guests, including Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club and Priority Pass lounge locations. And you can transfer your points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs at a one-to-one value. The card also provides up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage for rental cars; trip cancellation insurance up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip; and trip reimbursement for travel delays of more than 6 hours or that require an overnight stay, including reimbursement of up to $500 for lodging and meals.

You also get up to $3,000 per passenger for lost or damaged luggage , plus baggage delay insurance up to $100 per day up to five days. And you get emergency medical and dental benefits, roadside assistance , and emergency evacuation coverage. Its initial bonus was recently 60,000 points if you spent $4,000 on purchases in the first three months.

Big Food Shopper

We all buy groceries, but if supermarket items are an especially big budget item for you, it pays to be rewarded for it. You’ll get 6 percent cash back annually on up to $6,000 worth of groceries bought at U.S. supermarkets with the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express. It’s free the first year and $95 annually after that. You also get an unlimited 6 percent back on select streaming services and an unlimited 3 percent on gas, ride-share services, tolls, parking, subways, ferries, trains, and taxis.

Another possibility, this one with no annual fee, is the AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature Credit Card, which pays 5 percent cash back on groceries at supermarkets—and 3 percent at wholesale stores and gas stations—and will pay up to $500 a year in combined rewards. More of an online food shopper? The Capital One Walmart Rewards Card will pay 5 percent cash back on orders placed at Walmart.com for no annual fee and also pay 5 percent cash back on in-store purchases for the first 12 months when you use your card with Walmart Pay.

Special Perks Worth Knowing About

The credit cards you currently have could have perks you’re not even aware of. For specifics on your card, check your issuer’s website or app, or call the number on the back. Some possibilities:

Cell Phone Insurance

This can keep you from having to pay the full cost of a replacement phone if yours is stolen or damaged and you’ve exhausted other insurance you hold (i.e., homeowners , renters, and automobile) . You have to use the card to pay your phone bill. Mastercard offers cell phone insurance with most World and World Elite cards, and American Express offers it with several of its premium cards. It’s included with all Wells Fargo consumer cards.

Typically the card will pay a set amount per incident (generally $600 to $800), often on two or three claims a year after you pay a $25 to $100 deductible.

Extended Warranty Coverage

Many cards extend the manufacturer’s warranty by a year if you use the card to buy an eligible item. "My wife bought an expensive electric toothbrush with her Amex card, and it broke 6 months after the manufacturer’s warranty expired," says Ewen of The Points Guy. "But she got the replacement cost credited back."

Price Protection

If you buy an item and within a certain time find it advertised for less, with this perk you can file a claim asking to be refunded the difference. Reimbursement caps vary by card. For example, the Wells Fargo Visa Signature Credit Card tops out at $250 per item and up to $1,000 a year if you find an eligible item within 60 days of the purchase date.

Purchase Protection

This can insure certain goods against theft or accidental damage for a limited time after you buy them. The coverage amount and the duration of the protection differ by card. The no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex card, for example, covers new purchases for 120 days for damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. Rewards cards with high annual fees may provide more protection. For example, Chase Sapphire Reserve, which charges a $550 annual fee, provides coverage up to $10,000 per claim for up to $50,000 per year within 120 days of purchase.

Car Rental Coverage

Programs vary, but generally, you have to pay for your rental car with a card that has this coverage and decline the insurance offered by the rental car company. The coverage that most credit cards offer, typically for damage to or theft of the rental car, kicks in after your personal auto insurance pays.

Can You Have Too Many Credit Cards?

If you like to keep things simple, one or two no-annual-fee cards that reward your main spending styles may be right for you, says Ewen. But if you’re game to invest some energy into maximizing rewards across multiple cards (we’re talking three or four or more) to cover more types of spending, you may find the additional savings to be significant.

Signing up for additional cards is more likely to help, not hurt, your credit score . That’s because when credit is extended to you, your debt-to-credit ratio decreases. And that has a big impact on your FICO credit score. There’s also no need to cancel no-fee card accounts that no longer fit your needs. Simply stop using them. But "if the card has an annual fee, call the issuer or check its website to see if it has a no-fee card that fits your current needs," says Rossman of Bankrate.com . If you switch cards with the same issuer, it usually won’t have an impact on your credit score. If you don’t, and you decide to cancel a card, your credit score will rebound in a couple of months if you pay your bills promptly.

Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the May/June 2024 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2024, Consumer Reports, Inc.

Credit Cards With the Best Perks

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  14. Credit Cards With the Best Perks

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