Everyone has different needs when it comes to credit cards, so this article summarizes the best credit cards for various spending categories and different types of cardholders.
Contents [Hide]
- 1 Best Student Credit Cards (Updated 2025.8)
- 2 Student Credit Cards
- 3 Best Credit Cards for Groceries and Supermarkets (Updated 2025.8)
- 4 Supermarkets
- 5 Best Travel Credit Cards (Updated 2025.8)
- 6 Travel Credit Card Comparison
- 7 Best Credit Cards for Dining (Updated 2025.8)
- 8 Dining
- 9 Best Credit Cards for Gas (Updated 2024.6)
- 10 Gas
- 11 Best Premium Credit Cards (Updated 2025.9)
- 12 Premium Credit Card Comparison
- 13 Best Airline Credit Cards (Updated 2025.9)
- 14 Recommended Hotel Credit Cards (Updated 2025.9)
- 15 Comparison of Hotel Credit Cards
- 16 Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping (Updated 2025.8)
- 17 Online Shopping
- 18 Best Credit Cards for Everyday Spending (Updated 2024.10)
- 19 Credit Cards for Everyday Spending
Best Student Credit Cards (Updated 2025.8)
Many of our readers are international students studying in the U.S. As someone who also got into credit cards back when I was a student, I’d like to share some advice and guidance. For students with limited income, credit cards can still make life a little easier and more rewarding.
Student Credit Cards
| Credit Card | Rewards | Notes | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOA Customized Cash Rewards | 3% cash back in one category of your choice among online shopping, travel, drugstores, home improvement/furnishings, gas, and dining (quarterly cap of $1500); 2% at grocery stores and Wholesale clubs; 1% on all other purchases | If you have a BOA Preferred Rewards account, you can get a 10%-75% rewards bonus. This card can also be obtained by upgrading from a secured card. This card can be opened without an SSN. | Link |
| Discover It | 5% cash back each quarter (up to $1500), 1% on other purchases | The 5% categories change every quarter, with useful categories such as Amazon, grocery stores, gas, and department stores. This card is relatively easy to get approved for. | Link |
| AMEX Blue Cash EveryDay | 3% cash back at grocery stores, on online shopping, and at gas stations (up to $6000 per year in each category); 1% on other purchases | You can also use AMEX Offer. | Link |
| Chase Freedom Flex | 5x on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1500); 5x on travel booked through Chase; 3x at restaurants and drugstores; 1x on other purchases | The 5x categories rotate among grocery stores, gas, dining, online shopping, and more. | Link |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | 5x on travel booked through Chase; 3x at restaurants and drugstores; 1.5x on all other purchases | The rewards structure is simple, making it an easy everyday card to use. | Link |
| Citi Double Cash | 2x on all purchases | Earn 1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay. | Link |
| Citi Custom Cash | 5x cash back on your top eligible spending category each month among restaurants, gas, grocery stores, travel, transit, streaming, drugstores, home improvement, fitness, and entertainment (monthly cap of $500) | Link | |
| Capital One Savor | 3% at grocery stores, dining, entertainment, and streaming; 1% on other purchases | Link | |
| Detailed analysis: Best Credit Cards for Students |
Best Credit Cards for Groceries and Supermarkets (Updated 2025.8)
For Chinese Americans and others living in the U.S., grocery spending is essential. That’s why keeping a credit card that offers strong rewards on supermarket purchases is often a top choice.
Supermarkets
| Credit Card | Cash Back | Annual Fee | Notes | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMEX Gold Card | 6.4% (4xMR) | $325 | 4x on the first $25,000 in purchases | Link |
| AMEX Blue Cash Preferred | 6% | $95 | On the first $6,000 | Link |
| Citi Custom Cash | 5% | $0 | $500 per month; supermarkets must be your top eligible spending category | Link |
| Citi Premier | 4.5% (3x TYP) | $95 | No limit | Link |
| AMEX Blue Cash EveryDay | 3% | $0 | On the first $6,000 | Link |
| Capital One SavorOne | 3% | $0 | No limit | Link |
| US Bank Shopper | 3-6% | $95 | You must select the category; $1,500 quarterly limit | Link |
| Detailed analysis: Best Credit Cards for Grocery Shopping at U.S. Supermarkets |
Best Travel Credit Cards (Updated 2025.8)
Travel spending is also a major annual expense for many people in the U.S. Airfare, hotels, dining, and car rentals are hard to avoid on any trip, especially when traveling with family, where costs can add up quickly. In addition, if you need to travel back to China, airfare becomes an unavoidable expense.
Travel Credit Card Comparison
| Card | Rewards | Credits | Perks | Annual Fee | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 6.4%-12% back on flights, hotels, car rentals, and experiences | $300 travel + $2000 other | Airport lounge access, car rental insurance, luxury hotels | $795 | Apply |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | 4.8% on dining, 3.2% on travel | $50 hotel credit | Free car rental insurance | $95 | Apply |
| Citi Strata Elite | 18% on hotels and car rentals; 9% on flights; 4.5%-9% on dining | $300 hotel, $200 AA, $200 car rental | Airport lounge access, extra hotel benefits, AA lounge access | $595 | Apply |
| Citi Premier | 15% on hotels and car rentals; 4.5% on flights, gas, and dining | $100 hotel credit | None | $95 | Apply |
| AMEX Platinum | 7.5% on airfare (5x) | $200 airline incidental fee credit $200 Uber $200 hotel credit |
Airport lounge access
Hotel elite status and FHR Strong car rental insurance |
$695 | Apply |
| Capital One Venture X | 12% on car rentals and hotels; 6% on flights; 2.4% on everything else | $300 travel credit, 10k points every year | Airport lounge access, elite rental car status | $395 | Apply |
| US Bank Altitude Reserve | 4.5% on travel/mobile payments | $325 travel purchases | Airport lounge access | $400 | Apply |
| AMEX Green | 4.5% on flights, hotels, and car rentals | None | None | $150 | Apply |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey | 6% on hotels, 4.8% on flights, 3.6% at restaurants | None | $50 airline credit | $95 | Apply |
| Wells Fargo Autograph | 3.6% on dining, travel, gas, and transit | None | None | $0 | Apply |
Best Credit Cards for Dining (Updated 2025.8)
Besides groceries, dining is another significant expense for many people in the U.S. Especially for those who eat out often or rarely cook at home, it makes sense to keep a credit card that offers strong rewards on restaurant spending. Today, we’ll go over common U.S. credit cards that earn more than 2% cash back on dining.
Dining
| Credit Card | Cash Back | Annual Fee | Notes | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi Strata Elite | 4.5%/9% (6x TYP) | $595 | $700 in annual credits; 3x normally, 6x on dining on Friday and Saturday nights | Apply |
| Citi Prestige | 6.5% (5x TYP) | $495 | $250 in annual travel credits | No longer available for direct application; only obtainable via product change |
| AMEX Gold | 6.4% (4x MR) | $325 | $300 in annual credits | Apply |
| Citi Custom Cash | 5% | $0 | $500 monthly cap | Apply |
| AMEX Green | 4.8% (3x MR) | $250 | Clear credit of $189 | Apply |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | 4.8% (3x UR) | $95 | $50 hotel credit | Apply |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 4.8% (3x UR) | $795 | About $2,500 in various annual credits | Apply |
| US Bank Altitude Go | 4% | $0 | Only applies to the first $2,000 in dining purchases per quarter | Apply |
| Citi Strata Premier | 3.9% (3x TYP) | $95 | $100 annual hotel benefit | Apply |
| Capital One Savor | 3% | $0 | No annual fee for the first year | Apply |
| BOA Customized Cash | 3% | $0 | Can be boosted to 5.25% with a premium checking account | Apply |
| Wells Fargo Autograph | 3% | $0 | Apply | |
| Citi Costco | 3% | $0 | Requires at least a $55 Costco membership | Apply |
| Detailed analysis: Best Credit Cards for Dining |
Best Credit Cards for Gas (Updated 2024.6)
For people who drive to work regularly, gas is another fairly fixed monthly expense. Gas prices in places like California and central New York City are something everyone has seen firsthand. Choosing a good gas credit card can help you save quite a bit.
Gas
| Credit Card | Cash Back | Annual Fee | Notes | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMEX Business Gold | 6% (4x MR) | $375 | Only earns 5% if gas purchases are in your Top 2 spending categories, | Apply |
| Citi Custom Cash | 5% (excluding EV charging) | $0 | You only earn 5% on gas if gas is your top spending category, | Apply |
| Synchrony Sam's Club | 5% (excluding EV) | $0 | 5% on the first $6000 in purchases per year; requires a Sam's Club membership; you need to be approved for the Mastercard version | Apply |
| AMEX Everyday Preferred | 4.5% (3x MR, excluding EV) | $95 | You only earn 3 MR/$ after making 30 purchases each month | Apply |
| Citi Sears | 4% (5x points, excluding EV) | $0 | You earn Sears points, which have limited redemption options | Apply |
| US Bank Altitude Connect | 4% (including EV charging) | $95 | Will be refreshed to no annual fee in September 2024; quarterly cap of $1000 on bonus gas rewards | Apply |
| Citi Costco | 4% (including EV) | $0 | Requires at least a $55 Costco membership | Apply |
| Citi Premier Strata | 3.9% (3x TYP, excluding EV) | $95 | Apply | |
| BOA Alaska | 3.2% (2x miles, including EV) | $99 | If you have a BOA account, you can get 10% more | Apply |
| BOA Customized Cash Rewards | 3% (including EV) | $0 | With a BOA account, rewards can be boosted by up to 75% | Apply |
| Wells Fargo Autograph | 3.6% (3x points; including EV) | $0 | Apply | |
| AMEX Blue Cash Everyday | 3% (excluding EV) | $0 | Annual cap of $6000 | Apply |
| AMEX Blue Cash Everyday | 3% (excluding EV) | $95 | Apply | |
| Barclays AARP Essential | 3% (excluding EV) | $0 | Apply | |
| Detailed analysis: Best Credit Cards for Gas Stations |
Best Premium Credit Cards (Updated 2025.9)
Premium credit cards generally refer to cards with relatively high annual fees, typically above $350. In addition to the usual rewards on spending, such high annual fees naturally come with strong benefits and perks, such as elite hotel status, airport lounge access, travel credits, and more. Of course, many of these benefits overlap, so in most cases, it’s enough to choose just one premium card to keep long term. It’s also worth noting that although the annual fee is high, if you make good use of the benefits, a premium card can be an even better value than a mid-tier card.
Premium Credit Card Comparison
| Card | Annual Fee | Credits | Benefits | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $795 | $300 travel, $500 hotels, $300 dining, $300 StubHub, $300 DoorDash, $120 Apple streaming, $120 rideshare | PPS + issuer lounge network, rental car insurance | Apply |
| AMEX Platinum | $895 | $200 airline incidental fees
$200 Uber |
PPS + issuer lounge network, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, FHR,
rental car insurance, top-tier Hertz status |
Apply |
| Strata Elite | $595 | $300 hotels, $200 merchants, $200 car rental | PPS, luxury hotel benefits | Apply |
| BOA Premium Rewards Elite | $550 | $300 airfare, $150 lifestyle credit | PPS with restaurants, also available on authorized user cards | Apply |
| Capital One Venture X | $395 | $300 travel credit, plus 10k points | PPS + issuer lounge network, top-tier Hertz status | Apply |
| AMEX HiltonAspire | $550 | $200 airfare, $400 Resort purchases, uncapped FN | Hilton Diamond, PPS, rental car insurance | Apply |
| AMEX Marriott Brilliant | $650 | $300 dining credit, 85k FN | Marriott Platinum, PPS | Apply |
| Detailed analysis: Premium Credit Card Comparison |
Best Airline Credit Cards (Updated 2025.9)
Airline co-branded credit cards often come with very large welcome bonuses, and since there are many airlines, applying for several of them can help you earn a large number of free miles. Their benefits may include free checked bags, priority boarding, and more, which can make them worthwhile for frequent travelers.
For people who do not travel for work and only travel occasionally, there is usually not much value in keeping airline credit cards long term. The best strategy is often to apply when a card has a high welcome bonus, then after the first year either downgrade it to a no-annual-fee card or close it. So you can also use the airline cards in our credit card bonus rankings as a reference:
- Best U.S. Credit Card Welcome Bonuses (Personal Cards) [Updated Monthly: Up to $2,000+ in Welcome Bonuses]
- Best U.S. Small Business Credit Cards [Updated Monthly: Up to $3,000+ in Rewards]
Recommended Hotel Credit Cards (Updated 2025.9)
Hotels are one of the more important travel expenses. Choosing the right hotel can both save money and significantly improve travel comfort. Holding a good hotel co-branded credit card can make your stays more comfortable, provide extra perks, and may even give you a free night certificate every year.
Comparison of Hotel Credit Cards
| Overview | Rewards | Credits | Free Night Certificate | Annual Fee | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMEX Hilton Aspire | 14x on Hilton; 7x on airfare, restaurants, gas | $200 airline purchases; $400 Resort | Uncapped | $550 | Apply |
| Chase Marriott | 6x on Marriott; 3x on gas, groceries, restaurants; | None | 35k | $95 | Apply |
| Chase Hyatt | 4x on Hyatt; 2x on airfare, car rentals, restaurants, transit | None | cat1-4 | $95 | Apply |
| Chase IHG | 10x on IHG; 2x on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations | None | 40k | $99 | Apply |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant | 6x on Marriott; 3x on airfare, restaurants | $300 dining credit | 85k | $650 | Apply |
| Ritz-Carlton | 6x on Marriott; 3x on airfare, restaurants | $300 airline incidentals | 85k | $450 | None |
| Hilton Surpass | 12x on Hilton hotel purchases, 6x on supermarkets, restaurants, gas purchases, 3x on other purchases | $200 Hilton purchases | None | $150 | Apply |
| Detailed analysis: Comparison of Hotel Credit Cards |
Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping (Updated 2025.8)
People are shopping online more and more these days, so having a credit card that earns more than 2% cash back on all online purchases can feel great. Below, we’ll go over the best credit cards for online shopping.
Online Shopping
| Credit Card | Cash Back | Annual Fee | Notes | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOA Customized Cash Rewards | 3%-5.25% | $0 | You need to select the online shopping category. Quarterly cap of $2,500. With Preferred Rewards status, the rate can increase up to 5.25%. | Apply |
| AMEX Blue Cash Everyday | 3% | $0 | Applies to online retail, with a yearly spending cap of $6,000. | Apply |
| PayPal Credit Card | 3% | $0 | Applies to online purchases paid through PayPal. | Apply |
| US Bank Shopper Rewards | 0-6% | $95 | Choose two stores for 6% cash back and one category for 3% cash back. | Apply |
| Chase Amazon | 0-5% | $0 | 5% at Amazon, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market. You can also buy gift cards for other merchants through Amazon. | Apply |
| US Bank Cash+ | 0-5% | $0 | Choose two 5% categories such as department stores and electronics stores. | Apply |
| Detailed analysis: Online Shopping Credit Card Comparison |
Best Credit Cards for Everyday Spending (Updated 2024.10)
Everyday spending refers to cards that earn strong rewards on all purchases, making them suitable for people who prefer to use one card without worrying about spending categories.
Credit Cards for Everyday Spending
| Credit Card | Cash Back | Annual Fee | Notes | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi Double Cash | 2.6% (2x TYP) | $0 | You need a premium card to increase the value of the points. | Link |
| AMEX EveryDay Preferred | 2.4% (1.5x MR) | $95 | You need to make more than 30 purchases per month to earn 1.5x. | Link |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | 2.4% (1.5x UR) | $0 | You need a premium card to increase the value of the points. | Link |
| Capital One Venture | 2.2% (1.5x C1) | $95 | None | Link |
| Capital One Venture X | 2.2% (1.5x C1) | $395 | $300 annual travel credit + 10k bonus points, which can offset the annual fee. | Link |
| Wells Fargo Active Cash | 2% | $0 | None | Link |
| Detailed analysis: Comparison of High Cash Back Cards for Everyday Spending |