Greatest bank cards: 4 high picks primarily based on firsthand expertise

On the subject of bank card choices, we’re dwelling in a tremendous age. Choice has by no means been higher, with aggressive choices throughout a variety of worth factors and reward sorts. Selecting the best bank card to your particular way of life and journey targets could make an enormous distinction in what number of rewards you earn and the way rapidly you earn them. With so many sturdy contenders on the market, it may be robust to slender down the checklist to seek out your finest match.

To get you began, I’ve rounded up 4 of my high picks. Any of those playing cards can be a terrific addition to your pockets; they’ve all cemented a spot in mine.

Methodology

Selecting the very best bank card is not a precise science. So many components go into it (your spending habits, most well-liked rewards and journey targets, to call just a few) that it is inconceivable to level to a common “finest card.” As a substitute, I’ve chosen a handful with broad enchantment due to their incomes charges, advantages, welcome bonuses and past.

As TPG’s director of factors, miles and bank card content material, I constantly monitor the cardboard panorama. That is additionally an important a part of my private factors and miles technique, which helped me compile this checklist primarily based on my firsthand expertise with these playing cards.

These are the workhorses in my pockets and the merchandise which have helped me amass the factors to fly enterprise class to Tahiti, keep in an overwater bungalow within the Maldives and take numerous different journeys each close to and much. If used to their full potential, I am assured they’re going to do the identical for you.

The very best bank cards of September 2025

*TPG founder Brian Kelly is a Bilt adviser and investor.

Greatest total bank card: Bilt Mastercard

If there’s one card I refuse to half with, it is the Bilt Mastercard. Whereas it is best recognized for its means to earn factors on hire (a characteristic I completely love as a renter), I might argue it is a worthwhile pickup for anybody due to its sturdy incomes charges and unbeatable checklist of switch companions. It does not include a welcome supply, but it surely additionally lacks an annual charge, so any means you slice it, you may come out forward by including this card to your pockets.

Why we find it irresistible

Firsthand expertise

After initially reserving the Bilt card for my hire funds, I moved a lot of my different spending over as soon as I noticed how precious Bilt Rewards Factors will be. I’ve transferred them to top-tier airline and lodge companions like Alaska Airways Atmos Rewards, United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt, and leveraged Bilt’s frequent and profitable switch bonuses, which have reached as excessive as 100%. One other plus: Bilt factors seem in your account as quickly as you make a cost. This distinctive characteristic helped me snag restricted award area on a cross-country flight final summer season earlier than it disappeared.

For extra, take a look at our evaluation of the Bilt Mastercard.

Apply right here: Bilt Mastercard

Greatest bank card for novices: Chase Sapphire Most popular

For those who’re on the lookout for your first bank card or nonetheless getting acquainted with journey rewards, the Chase Sapphire Most popular is a wonderful place to begin. It is a terrific go-to for incomes bonus factors in common spending classes, and contemplating its comparatively low annual charge, it packs some significantly precious perks. By nabbing the cardboard’s present welcome supply, you may be effectively in your solution to your first redemption with a terrific base to begin rising your steadiness of Final Rewards factors, a extremely precious and transferable reward foreign money.

Why we find it irresistible

Firsthand expertise

My private favourite perk on the Chase Sapphire Most popular is the three factors per greenback it earns on on-line groceries (excluding Walmart, Goal and wholesale golf equipment). I am an enormous advocate for on-line grocery purchasing, and placing that weekly expense on my Sapphire Most popular helps me accrue factors rapidly. One in all my favourite methods to make use of them is to switch them to World of Hyatt. Whether or not I am reserving a no-frills Hyatt Place to cheaply journey to a live performance or a high-end worldwide Park Hyatt or Andaz because the centerpiece of an enormous journey, I’ve discovered tons of worth in utilizing my factors this manner. I’ve additionally made nice use of the first rental automotive protection when renting vehicles in Eire, Scotland and the Azores.

For extra, take a look at our evaluation of the Chase Sapphire Most popular.

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most popular

Greatest card for luxurious perks: The Platinum Card from American Specific

For a premium card expertise, it is laborious to high the Amex Platinum. It comes loaded with advantages and assertion credit so as to add a contact of luxurious to your journey expertise, together with Gold standing with each Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy (Enrollment is required), airline charge credit, and plentiful lounge entry. However the Amex Platinum additionally comes with loads of perks you should use even if you’re not touring; assume assertion credit for transit prices, purchasing and leisure, plus purchasing advantages and protections.

Why we find it irresistible

• World Lounge Assortment entry for eligible cardmembers, together with Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Golf equipment when flying on an eligible Delta flight**
• Assertion credit, together with as much as $200 airline charge assertion credit score and up-to-$240 digital leisure assertion credit score (enrollment required for each assertion credit talked about)
• Wholesome incomes price of 5 factors per greenback spent on flights bought immediately with an airline†

**When touring on same-day Delta flights; eligible Amex Platinum cardmembers will obtain 10 visits per eligible Amex Platinum card per 12 months to the Delta Sky Membership or to Seize and Go when touring on a same-day Delta-operated flight.

†Additionally, you will earn 5 factors per greenback on airfare bought by way of American Specific Journey®. There’s a $500,000 cap on these purchases per calendar 12 months; you’ll earn 1 level per greenback thereafter.

Firsthand expertise

The Amex Platinum’s excessive incomes price on airfare bought immediately with an airline initially drew me to the cardboard seven years in the past, but it surely’s the lounge entry and assertion credit which have saved me paying this card’s $695 annual charge 12 months after 12 months.

Since I usually fly itineraries with connections, I admire gaining access to Centurion Lounges on my layovers, even after I’m solely popping in for a couple of minutes to seize some meals or change in a clear lavatory after a red-eye. And with all of the assertion credit that include this card, I’ve discovered it simple to offset the annual charge, although it is on the upper facet. I significantly love the airline charge credit score, which I take advantage of for checked baggage charges on Alaska Airways, and the digital leisure credit score, which covers my subscription to New York Instances Cooking.

For extra, take a look at our evaluation of the Amex Platinum Card.

Apply right here: Amex Platinum

Greatest bank card for lodge rewards: Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card

I hate to play favorites, however I’ll anyway: The Hilton Honors Aspire is my favourite card of all time. I’ve had it because it launched, and I nonetheless cannot recover from the truth that it comes with top-tier elite standing, large resort assertion credit and, better of all, an annual free evening certificates that can be utilized at virtually any Hilton property worldwide. If tropical holidays are your factor, this card can prevent hundreds of {dollars} annually.

Why we find it irresistible

• Computerized Hilton Honors Diamond elite standing
• A free evening certificates in your cardmember anniversary annually
• As much as $400 in Hilton resort assertion credit every calendar 12 months (disbursed as as much as $200 biannually)

Firsthand expertise

The Aspire grew to become my very best trip companion in 2018, after I realized simply what number of of its perks I may maximize on a visit to the Maldives. Since then, I’ve used the annual free evening certificates to remain at among the world’s high luxurious seaside properties, together with the Conrad Bora Bora Nui, the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal and Maui’s Grand Wailea.

The very best half? The resort credit offset a lot of my on-property bills, permitting me to primarily flip any resort into an all-inclusive for a few days. Subsequent up for me: a free keep at Portugal’s Conrad Algarve, booked with a free evening certificates and factors earned utilizing the cardboard.

For extra, take a look at our evaluation of the Hilton Aspire Card.

Apply right here: Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card

For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Hilton Aspire Card, click on right here.
See Bilt Mastercard charges and costs click on right here.
See Bilt Mastercard rewards and advantages right here.