Best Rewards Credit Cards

[Minnie404]

Hi I was wondering what everyone feels is the best rewards credit card? We currently have a few credit cards and I use my Discover to get as much cash back as possible. Just wondering what everyone feels is the most bang for their buck. We have a BP credit card but since they changed the rewards last year, I'm trying to figure out the best card to put all of the fuel on since the new rewards are horrible.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

I had Discover for years but a couple years ago they changed the structure for cash back and it was resulting in barely anything! I pay for everything on my CC and pay in full each month. I have used the Disney Visa (pre-annual fee) but that too didn't seem to rack up very quickly. I still have it but only use it for discounts and the 0% financing.

Almost 2 years ago I got the Southwest Visa. It does have an annual fee but I have gotten more out of this card by far than any other. We've taken several trips in the last 2 years paid with our rapid rewards points that we've racked up using the CC. Has made my travel to WDW much easier! I recommend it if you have the option to fly Southwest where you live.

 

[jmartinez1895]

it truly depends on what type if rewards you would get the most out of. A person who flies often would get more value out of a sky miles reward than a person who would only fly every few years. In the past I have found Discover and Disney chase to be the most user friendly and fit the needs of my family the best. I would use the cash back as a statement credit on discover and who on these boards does not like disnye dollars.

 

[HM]

The GM credit card. It gives 5 points per $100. We've saved thousands of dollars on our cars. Of course, only good if you are interested in buying new GM cars in the future.

 

[elaine amj]

We tend to use whatever card earsn points we're interested in. For the last few years, it was the Choice Visa - mostly because it gave us the most number of hotel nights a year. Most bloggers would say it wasn't the best value because point redemption per dollar saved isn't that high. Choice hotels (Comfort, Quality, Clarion, etc) are cheap to begin with. That said, we have stayed in lots of fancy places and on the whole for us a room is a room so we value a night at a Comfort Inn the same as a night at the Hilton. So when I compare how much I have to spend on my credit card vs how many free night stays I earn - Choice gives us the most room nights for our credit card spend.

This year, we have been focusing on Southwest points because we earned a free Companion pass - so right now Southwest points are the most valuable. Everything is going on our Southwest card.

We also do credit card churning - and today we are applying for the Chase Ink Bold.

I don't find the Disney cards as good as many others - with only 1% in Disney dollars as return. My travel cards, I usually end up with 1.5 - 2% back. Again - because those points are of value to me.

 

[rlduvall]

I love my Chase Freedom card. 1% cashback on everything and every quarter they have different categories good for 5% cashback, i.e. gas, hotels, restaurants, groceries, etc.

No annual fee.

 

[scard192]

Kind of bummed that Chase Freedom and Discover too, do not have groceries as a 5% bonus category this year. Amex Blue pays 3% cash back on groceries all the time.

I have Chase Freedom, Discover, Amex Blue and Disney Visa and use whichever one pays the most cash back that quarter. Anything that is only 1% goes on the Disney Visa.

Love that you can use your Discover and Chase Freedom on Amazon. I have close to $150 in Discover Rewards I have accumulated that I plan to use to buy an new digital camera for our WDW trip this year.

Pay off all my credit cards every month so love the free rewards.

 

[DonnaL]

As another poster said....we also put everything possible on our cc and pay it off monthly....everything from groceries, gas to monthly utilities (only if that utility doesn't charge a service fee to use a cc) to house and car insurances....so do rack up the charges pretty easily. For years we had used a CITI Mastercard since they allow up to 4 payments per month and it made it easier for my record keeping to pay it weekly rather than monthly.....and we were satisfied with the reward program.....we most frequently cashed in for gift cards.....either for travel or dining....usually about $300 to $600 yearly depending on our expenses that year......however, with the beginning of this year we began using our Southwest Visa and in just a little over a month have enough points for a free one way from PHL to MCO....so it looks like we will be continuing to use the SWA Visa.

 

[rlduvall]

Kind of bummed that Chase Freedom and Discover too, do not have groceries as a 5% bonus category this year.

I never had any luck with the groceries category because I usually buy at WalMart which is considered a discount store and not eligible.

 

[maurene]

I've been really happy with the rewards I've earned with Chase Freedom. I seem to earn a lot of points and they are easy to redeem.

Chase Sapphire seems to be a really popular one with frequent fliers.

 

[jgreco]

+ 1 on Chase Freedom and AMEX Blue Cash.
I cash out the cash as soon as possible and put the "savings" in savings. I would rather have the cash than be restricted to a specific airline or hotel chain.

 

[geckodani]

We have an AMEX Blue Cash Preferred and I adore it. 6% on Groceries, 3% on gas and department stores, 1% on everything else.

It has a $75 annual fee, but we've earned over $500 since I opened the card last may - it's more than paid for itself.

I frequently purchase gift cards for other stores at the grocery store to take advantage of the 6% back. Including Disney gift cards.

ETA: I also have a Disney Visa that I use for the "everything else" when I know we've got a Disney trip coming up.

 

[robinb]

We have a Disney Visa and use the rewards at WDW. We have also picked up the occasional hotel card to earn free nights. We got a Hyatt card last year and earned 2 free nights anywhere. We used those nights in a junior suite here:

WELL worth the $50 annual fee .

 

[ski_mom]

This year, we have been focusing on Southwest points because we earned a free Companion pass - so right now Southwest points are the most valuable. Everything is going on our Southwest card.

How do you earn a companion pass on Southwest?

 

[ICF]

I like the Hilton Honors AMEX card for Hotel rewards....also use a Disney Visa and SW card too.

 

[hsmamato2]

How do you earn a companion pass on Southwest?

accumulate 110,00 rapid rewards points in one calendar year
you can either get 2 SWA visa cards in your name/account,then spend 10k more,or do it the old fashioned way.....(bonus for getting cards,etc) there are lots of forums with info all over the web on how to do it....

 

[ski_mom]

accumulate 110,00 rapid rewards points in one calendar year
you can either get 2 SWA visa cards in your name/account,then spend 10k more,or do it the old fashioned way.....(bonus for getting cards,etc) there are lots of forums with info all over the web on how to do it....

Thanks! DH and I each got a SWA visa the summer of 2011. I cancelled mine, but have been thinking of trying to get one again to get the bonus points again. If I timed it right, I might be able get there.

 

[Minnie404]

Thanks everyone for the great ideas. My Discover card is working well for us right now-got a lot if cash back around Xmas and was able to turn it into a $100 gift card that I plan to use at Disney. Hoping I'll get a little more between now and the May trip. . We have an Citi advantage card for miles but not sure if I want to continue that one or just get a chase freedom card.

 

[Happyjen27]

I like Discover Card. Cold, hard cash. And a fair amount of it at the rate at which we spend. I pay it off every month, we pay no annual fee.

There may be better "bang for your buck" cards with better bonuses out there, but there is often a cost in using those bonuses. If I got free flights or rooms I would have to pay for a trip to use them.

I am super busy and can't always get away. But, I can always use cash.

 

[Chuck65]

I use AMEX Delta Sky Miles Gold Card. You can also link your debit card to help you accumulate Delta miles plus I get my first bag checked free if I book the flight on that card. It has a $95 annual fee, but I paid for that in saving on the baggage fee.