Chase credit cards
This card fits travelers who want flexible points without a premium fee. It earns 5x on Chase Travel, 3x on dining, select streaming, online groceries, gas stations and EV charging, and 2x on other travel. The annual fee is $95 and there are no foreign transaction fees. The 3x everyday categories carry exclusions, including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs for online grocery.
This card is for people who want one no-fee card that earns on everything. Every purchase pays at least 1.5%, dining and drugstores pay 3%, and Chase Travel bookings pay 5%. New cardmembers get a $200 bonus after $500 in spend and 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. The 3% foreign transaction fee makes it a poor card to take abroad.
This card is built for people who travel often and will actually use its credits. It earns 8x on Chase Travel, 4x on flights and hotels booked direct and 3x on dining. The $795 annual fee, plus $195 per authorized user, only makes sense if the $300 travel credit, hotel and dining credits and lounge network get used. Points are worth up to 2x on select flights and hotels through Points Boost.
This card rewards people who will activate and chase quarterly categories. Up to $1,500 in combined purchases earns 5% each quarter you activate, with 3% on dining and drugstores year round. New cardmembers get a $200 bonus after $500 in spend and 15 months of 0% intro APR on purchases and transfers. Category caps mean the ceiling on 5% earnings is $75 per quarter.
The starter card for United flyers. You get a free first checked bag, priority boarding, two United Club one-time passes a year and up to 60,000 bonus miles. The first year costs $0, then $150. The partner statement credits can outweigh the fee, but only if you actually use Instacart, rideshare and United's hotel portal.
The lowest-cost door into Southwest's ecosystem. The 50,000-point welcome offer needs only $1,000 of spending in 3 months, and 3,000 anniversary points offset a third of the $99 fee at typical values. Earning beyond Southwest purchases is thin, so the card is more about the perks and the Companion Pass boost than everyday rewards.
A strong everyday earner for Air Canada flyers. You get 3x Aeroplan points on grocery stores, dining and Air Canada purchases, free first checked bags on Air Canada itineraries, and Aeroplan 25K status through your first full calendar year. The annual fee is $95. Status renewal after that requires $15,000 in yearly card spend.
The middle child of United's lineup and the sweet spot for regular flyers. The $200 annual United travel credit and two free checked bags on every trip offset most of the $350 fee. You earn 10x total miles on United flights and can pick up two 10,000-mile award discounts a year. Lounge access is not included; that is the Club card's job.
This card is a lounge membership with a credit card attached. United Club access for you and a guest, first and second checked bags free, and Premier Access treatment cover the frequent flyer basics, while $925 plus in partner credits chips away at the $695 fee. If you are not in a United Club at least monthly, the Quest card is the smarter buy.
The card for people who fly Southwest constantly. You pick a Preferred seat at booking, upgrade to Extra Legroom inside 48 hours when available, and collect 7,500 anniversary points that cover a real chunk of the $229 fee. Spending earns 4X on Southwest and adds tier qualifying points toward A-List status.
Made for flyers who book British Airways reward flights. You earn 3 Avios per $1 on British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia flights, and the card refunds up to $600 a year of taxes and fees on reward flights. The annual fee is $95. The Travel Together Ticket requires $30,000 in purchases in a calendar year.
Built for travelers who cross the Atlantic on Aer Lingus. You earn 3 Avios per $1 on Aer Lingus, British Airways and Iberia flights and start with a 75,000 Avios welcome offer. The annual fee is $95. The headline perk, an economy companion ticket, requires $30,000 in purchases in a calendar year.