One of the best bank cards, in keeping with TPG founder Brian Kelly

Since beginning The Factors Man in 2010, one among my favourite issues is listening to from readers who share unimaginable tales of how they’ve maximized factors over time. It actually jogs my memory of simply how worthwhile the knowledge we share is and that it really unlocks wonderful experiences.

An enormous a part of that entails leveraging high journey rewards bank cards.

Perhaps you are seeking to get a jump-start in your incomes technique forward of a giant journey, or perhaps there are some new perks you need to leverage on your summer season travels. Maybe you are simply available in the market for a giant welcome bonus.

No matter you are seeking to do, listed below are my picks for the very best bank cards of 2025.

One of the best bank cards

*I’m a Bilt adviser and investor.

Evaluating the very best bank cards

Listed below are my high suggestions for the very best bank cards.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Welcome supply: Earn 125,000 factors $6,000 on purchases inside the first three months of account opening.

Annual payment: $795.

Standout advantages: The Sapphire Reserve is providing a wonderful welcome bonus and options new credit — along with acquainted ones just like the broad use $300 journey credit score — which cardholders can make the most of to assist offset the price of its $795 annual payment.

In the event you journey as typically as I do, the Sapphire Reserve can give you a ton of worth due to perks like entry to Chase Sapphire Lounges by the Membership, the issuer’s top-tier airport lounges, and an as much as $120 assertion credit score each 4 years for TSA PreCheck, World Entry or Nexus.

Associated: Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise — which is best for you?

The Sapphire Reserve is not only a premium journey card, although. It is also a way of life product designed to fit your day-to-day with issues like complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music memberships (as much as $250 worth yearly; one-time activation required per service; subscriptions run by means of June 22, 2027) and a $300 annual StubHub credit score (cut up up into $150 from January by means of June and one other $150 from July by means of December; activation required; legitimate by means of Dec. 31, 2027).

For extra info, try our evaluate of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

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Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve

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Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card

Welcome supply: Earn 75,000 factors after spending $5,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening.

Annual payment: $95.

Standout advantages: The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked affords profitable incomes charges and worthwhile perks like 3 factors per greenback spent on eating and a $50 annual lodge credit score, simply to call a number of, making it among the best journey playing cards, in keeping with TPG consultants. It is also a go-to card for each newcomers and consultants.

I virtually completely use my Chase Final Rewards factors to switch to greater than a dozen of Chase’s switch companions and ebook award tickets, which permits me to understand even greater worth when redeeming my factors.

In the event you’d slightly use this card’s welcome bonus in a extra easy approach, you may at all times redeem your factors by way of Chase Journey.

I additionally love this card for its journey protections and insurance coverage, even in case you use it to ebook an award ticket. Simply pay the taxes and charges with the Sapphire Most well-liked Card, and your journey is roofed.

General, my Chase factors are tremendous worthwhile as a part of my total factors and miles technique, so if you’re on the lookout for a card with a low annual payment, a strong bonus supply and nice perks, the Sapphire Most well-liked is a no brainer.

For extra info, try our evaluate of the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked.

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Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most well-liked

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Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card

Welcome supply: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening.

Annual payment: $395.

Standout advantages: If you wish to maximize factors and miles with regards to bank cards, your objective must be to earn greater than 1 level per greenback spent on all purchases. This may be laborious when most playing cards solely supply bonus rewards in key classes like eating, groceries and gasoline.

Fortunately, the bottom incomes charge on the Capital One Enterprise X is 2 miles per greenback spent, so an enormous portion of my private spending goes on this card. After I’m searching for clothes, child provides or paying for insurance coverage — all classes the place I can not earn 3, 4 or 5 miles per greenback — I put these on my Enterprise X.

Whereas it has a $395 annual payment, do not let that scare you. It is easy to offset that annual payment with advantages just like the $300 annual Capital One Journey credit score and the ten,000 bonus miles earned every account anniversary. The latter turns into much more worthwhile whenever you switch to airline loyalty applications, which I do typically.

For extra info, try our evaluate of the Capital One Enterprise X.

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Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card

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American Specific Gold Card

Welcome supply: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 100,000 Membership Rewards Factors after spending $6,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome affords differ and also you is probably not eligible for a suggestion.

Annual payment: $325.

Standout advantages: If there’s one factor I do virtually day by day, it is dine out or order in — so maximizing my factors earnings from eating and groceries is big. Since turning into a dad, my grocery invoice has gone up dramatically, so that is the place the Amex Gold is a no brainer.

For starters, you may earn 4 factors per greenback spent at U.S. supermarkets (as much as $25,000 every calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback) and 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide (as much as $50,000 every calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback). This can be a nice approach to ramp up your earnings on two large spending classes, whether or not you are eating out or entertaining at dwelling.

You additionally get varied assertion credit, which nearly fully offset the cardboard’s annual payment. This contains as much as $120 in Uber Money ($10 per thirty days, legitimate for rides and Uber Eats orders within the U.S. after utilizing any Amex card when including the Amex Gold to your Uber account) and as much as $120 in eating assertion credit with eligible eating companions (as much as $10 per thirty days). Enrollment is required.

I load my Amex Gold Card into all my supply apps: Caviar, Seamless and Uber Eats. These factors actually add up shortly. Then, to make these factors much more worthwhile, I look ahead to switch bonuses that Amex runs with journey companions so I can flip my factors into miles and ebook airfare.

For extra info, try our evaluate of the Amex Gold Card.

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Apply right here: Amex Gold

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Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card

Welcome supply: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening.

Annual payment: $95.

Standout advantages: This can be a nice card it doesn’t matter what your objectives are — whether or not you are newer to factors and miles, desire a simple incomes construction or use it as a part of a wider incomes technique, like me.

Just like the Enterprise X, it permits you to earn 2 miles per greenback spent on all purchases, making it a terrific card for transactions that do not match into widespread bonus classes.

But it surely’s particularly worthwhile due to the flexibleness it affords to cowl all types of journey with these miles.

For instance, you may redeem these miles at 1 cent apiece towards any journey prices you placed on the cardboard. Alternatively, you may ebook flights, rental vehicles or motels by means of Capital One Journey along with your miles — additionally at a price of 1 cent apiece.

But when, like me, you need to stretch the worth of these miles even additional, you may switch these miles to any of the 15-plus lodge and airline applications that associate with Capital One.

For instance, you can switch the miles to Air France-KLM Flying Blue and ebook bougie business-class seats from the U.S. to Europe beginning at 60,000 miles plus taxes and charges every approach. Or, switch to Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership, the place you will discover lie-flat Higher Class seats to the U.Ok. for as little as 29,000 factors plus taxes and charges every approach.

For extra info, try our evaluate of the Capital One Enterprise Rewards.

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Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card

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The Platinum Card from American Specific

Welcome supply: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 Membership Rewards Factors after spending $8,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome affords differ and also you is probably not eligible for a suggestion.

Annual payment: $695.

Standout advantages: Regardless of its excessive value, the Amex Platinum stays a favourite of mine — and lots of TPG staffers as nicely.

I put all airfare on my Amex Platinum as a result of I earn 5 factors per greenback spent on airfare (on as much as $500,000 per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback) after I ebook straight with an airline or by way of Amex Journey. And whereas the annual payment is steep, the advantages embody an as much as $200 annual payment assertion credit score for airline incidentals and an as much as $200 assertion credit score for pay as you go bookings with American Specific Effective Motels + Resorts and The Lodge Assortment. (The Lodge Assortment requires a minimal two-night keep; enrollment is required for choose advantages.)

Amex continues to be a frontrunner within the card lounge area, and this premium journey card supplies entry to its Centurion Lounges, plus Precedence Move lounges and Delta Sky Golf equipment when flying Delta Air Traces. (Enrollment is required for choose advantages.)

For extra info, try our evaluate of the Amex Platinum Card.

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Apply right here: Amex Platinum

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The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific

Welcome supply: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards factors after spending $20,000 in eligible purchases inside the first three months of card membership.

Annual payment: $695.

Standout advantages: Considered one of my favourite perks on this card is Pay with Factors — cardholders obtain a 35% bonus after they Pay with Factors on first- or business-class tickets by means of Amex Journey (as much as 1 million factors per calendar 12 months).

Despite the fact that this can be a enterprise card, it comes with premium journey perks and enterprise assertion credit:

• Centurion Lounge entry and Precedence Move membership
• An announcement credit score of $120 for World Entry each 4 years or a press release credit score of as much as $85 for TSA PreCheck each 4 ½ years
• An airline credit score payment of as much as $200 yearly
• Gold elite standing with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
• Entry to Amex Effective Motels + Resorts and The Lodge Assortment

Despite the fact that the annual payment is $695, the annual assertion credit and advantages greater than offset that. For instance, The Enterprise Platinum card affords:

• An as much as $150 in assertion credit on U.S. purchases made straight with Dell and an extra as much as $1,000 assertion credit score after spending $5,000 per calendar 12 months
• An as much as $360 Certainly assertion credit score per calendar 12 months (as much as $90 per quarter)
• A $250 Adobe assertion credit score after spending $600 or extra on U.S. purchases made straight with Adobe per calendar 12 months (topic to auto-renewal)
• As much as $200 in Hilton credit per calendar 12 months (as much as $50 per quarter; Hilton for Enterprise membership required)
• As much as $120 per calendar 12 months for U.S. wi-fi phone suppliers (as much as $10 per thirty days)
• An as much as $209 Clear Plus membership assertion credit score per calendar 12 months (topic to auto-renewal)
• The aforementioned as much as $200 airline payment credit score per calendar 12 months on prices made with an airline of your selecting
• The aforementioned as much as $120 World Entry/TSA PreCheck credit score

Enrollment is required for choose advantages.

For extra info, try our evaluate of the Amex Enterprise Platinum.

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Apply right here: Amex Enterprise Platinum

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Ink Enterprise Most well-liked Credit score Card

Welcome supply: Earn 90,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening.

Annual payment: $95.

Standout advantages: I like my Ink Enterprise Most well-liked card and its bonus classes — particularly the web web promoting class, which earns 3 factors per greenback spent on as much as $150,000 a 12 months (then 1 level after that). In the event you max out this annual bonus, these 450,000 factors you earn can be utilized for journey bookings by way of Chase Journey for as much as 1.75 cents every (relying on the particular redemption; see your rewards program settlement for full particulars).

Associated: The facility of the Chase trifecta

Chase factors are very versatile, and I exploit mine as shortly as I earn them. In the event you personal a small enterprise or also have a enterprise concept, you may apply utilizing your Social Safety quantity; try our posts to see who is perhaps eligible for a enterprise bank card (you is perhaps shocked!) and the best way to apply.

In my view, this card is a heavyweight, particularly for the low annual payment of $95.

For extra info, try our evaluate of the Ink Enterprise Most well-liked.

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Apply right here: Ink Enterprise Most well-liked Credit score Card

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Bilt Mastercard

Welcome supply: N/A.

Annual payment: $0 (see charges and charges).

Standout advantages: For therefore many individuals, lease is their greatest month-to-month expense. But for years, the one approach to pay for lease was to present landlords checks or Venmo funds. In the event you wished to pay by bank card, you’ll incur a payment.

The Bilt Mastercard has fully revolutionized this method. So long as you make a minimum of 5 purchases with the cardboard every assertion interval, you may earn factors on lease funds and different qualifying web purchases. Even when your landlord solely takes a examine, Bilt can ship checks and automatic clearing home direct deposits so you may earn factors on the transactions (as much as 100,000 factors per 12 months).

Since you are paying lease by way of a bank card, you may also assist construct your credit score historical past with every cost. It is an absolute no-brainer, particularly since there is not any annual payment (see charges and charges).

For extra info, try our evaluate of the Bilt Mastercard.

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Apply right here: Bilt Mastercard

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What to think about when selecting the very best card

There is not a one-size-fits-all technique for selecting the very best bank cards. There are a number of elements you need to analyze earlier than choosing which of them deserve a spot in your pockets.

Most well-liked rewards

First, contemplate the kind of rewards you need to earn on your purchases. If you’d like simplicity, a cash-back card could also be a terrific possibility because you typically have few limitations on how these rewards can be utilized. Then again, in case you’re after free journey or need to actually maximize your spending, chances are you’ll be higher off with a transferable rewards forex like American Specific Membership Rewards or Chase Final Rewards.

Welcome bonus

Incomes a giant haul of factors or miles as a welcome bonus is often the easiest way to shortly increase your rewards steadiness. That is significantly profitable if one of many playing cards you are contemplating has a limited-time supply. Simply remember to evaluate every issuer’s eligibility necessities, and contemplate checking your credit score rating prematurely of your software so you’ve an concept of whether or not you may be accepted.

Associated: 21 methods to make use of 100K Final Rewards factors

Spending habits

Earlier than opening a bank card account, analyze your spending habits over the past 12 months, together with the way you’re incomes rewards on any playing cards presently in your pockets. Many TPG readers begin with a easy, no-annual-fee card that earns 1 level, 1 mile or 1% money again on all purchases, however, as I’ve mentioned in my weekly publication earlier than, “Pals do not let pals earn just one level per greenback.”

In the event you spend a ton at eating places, ensure you’ve a card that rewards you when making eating purchases. You probably have a major commute, choose up a card that rewards you for gasoline or transit bills. It is easy to double and even triple your incomes charges for a lot of purchases with the best mixture of playing cards.

Annual payment

Lastly, you need to contemplate the out-of-pocket value of any new card in your radar. Whereas some haven’t any annual payment (or waive the payment for the primary 12 months), others have hefty ones, as you noticed within the listing above.

Within the first 12 months, virtually each card with a strong welcome supply pays for itself (after which some), however you need to take a while earlier than you apply to ensure you can really make the most of that card’s advantages, each now and sooner or later.

How we selected the very best bank cards

Many elements go into our collection of the very best bank cards, together with incomes charges, welcome affords, advantages and perks. The playing cards I listing above have personally allowed me to earn tens of 1000’s of {dollars} price of rewards over time.

You may study extra about how we analyze playing cards right here at TPG on our methodology web page.

Redemption choices for the very best bank cards

Savvy vacationers will acknowledge that every one the playing cards I listing above have one thing in widespread: Each earns transferable factors or miles. These rewards are extremely worthwhile due to their flexibility. You are not locked into one airline and its companions or one lodge program and its collaborating manufacturers. You’re within the driver’s seat when it comes time to redeem.

For instance, as an instance I need to fly Virgin Atlantic to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) within the service’s Higher Class, and the one-way flight I want is $4,000. I may use 400,000 Amex factors to ebook by means of American Specific Journey, however that very same flight is also 235,000 miles utilizing Delta SkyMiles, which is a 1:1 switch associate of Amex. Nonetheless, Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership has costs as little as 29,000 factors — and it, too, companions with Amex.

Backside line

Bank cards can play a serious function in unlocking rewards for purchases you are already going to make, however there is not any one good card that works for everybody. The above choices are just some selections that’ve labored nicely for me over time, but it surely’s essential so that you can analyze which one is sensible on your particular person scenario.

In fact, in case you do get into the world of journey bank cards, ensure you do not spend past your means and pay your balances in full and on time each month.

Associated: Finest journey bank cards of 2025

For charges and charges of the Amex Gold, click on right here.
For the charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Enterprise Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Bilt Mastercard, click on right here.
For rewards and advantages of the Bilt Mastercard, click on right here.