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CREDIT CARD REWARDS OFFERS
With a rewards credit card, you can earn rewards for every dollar you spend. These rewards can be redeemed for airline miles, cash back rebates as well as merchandise and giftcards. In our opinion, the best credit card rewards programs are the free ones that offer cashback.
Cashback is by far the best and most popular type of reward. Cashback rewards are easy to redeem, can never lose value, and almost always come with no annual fees. Some airline rewards cards are very good, especially those that offer miles that can be used on any airline with no restrictions. However, most airline specific miles cards come with hefty annual fees and blackout dates, so these cards are best for knowledgeable frequent flyers.
Below you will find information on rewards credit cards as well as links to secure online applications. All links open in new windows. If a link fails to open, temporarily disabling your pop-up blocker will fix the problem.
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CAPITAL ONE® VENTUREONE(SM) REWARDS CREDIT CARD |
 
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- 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
- Redeem miles for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals and more
- No limit on the miles you can earn and miles won't expire
- Fly free on any airline, any time with no blackout dates
- Use rewards for travel, merchandise, gift cards and more
- 0% intro APR on purchases until September 2011
- No foreign transaction fees
- No annual fee
- To apply online click the Apply Now button or call 1-866-960-8708
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Intro APR on Purchases |
Intro APR on Transfers
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Type
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0% until September 2011*
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n/a
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13.9%(V)*
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None
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Excellent
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CITI® DIAMOND PREFERRED® REWARDS CARD |
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- $50 gift card - Redeem 6,000 bonus points after $300 in purchases within 3 months of account opening
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 12 months. After that, the APR will be 12.99%-20.99% based on creditworthiness*. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.
- 5 ThankYou® Points for every $1 spent on purchases at supermarkets, drugstores and gas stations for 12 months, 1 ThankYou Point thereafter**
- Redeem ThankYou Points for merchandise, travel rewards, gift cards, cash and more
- No annual fee
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Intro APR on Purchases |
Intro APR on Transfers
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Type
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0% for 12 Months*
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0% for 12 Months*
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12.99%-20.99% Variable*
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None
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Good
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CAPITAL ONE® NO HASSLE CASH(SM) REWARDS - EXCELLENT CREDIT |
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- 2% cash back on gas and groceries
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- No limit on the cash you can earn and cash won't expire
- Redeem cash rewards for statement credit, check or gift card
- Get your cash back whenever you want, even set up automatic redemption
- 0% intro APR on purchases until September 2011
- No foreign transaction fees
- No annual fee
- To apply online click the Apply Now button or call 1-866-960-8708
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Intro APR on Purchases |
Intro APR on Transfers
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Type
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0% until 9/2011*
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n/a*
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14.9%(V)*
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None
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Excellent
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AMERICAN EXPRESS(R) GOLD CARD |
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- Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards(R) bonus points when you spend $500 in your first 3 months of Card membership - redeemable for select gift cards valued at $100!
- The Membership Rewards program - Turn your everyday purchases into Membership Rewards points, and then redeem them for an amazing collection of travel, shopping, dining and entertainment rewards.
- Gold Card Events - exclusive access to tickets for select concerts, shows, major sporting events, and more in cities nationwide.
- Express Approval. Get a decision in 60 seconds.
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Intro APR on Purchases |
Intro APR on Transfers |
Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Type
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N/A*
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N/A*
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N/A*
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$125 annual fee*
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Excellent
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CAPITAL ONE® VENTURE(SM) REWARDS CREDIT CARD |
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- 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
- 10,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 in your first 3 months
- No limit on the miles you can earn and miles won't expire
- Fly free on any airline, any time with no blackout dates
- No foreign transaction fees
- Exclusive award-winning customer service
- Visa Signature® benefits like complimentary concierge and travel upgrades
- First year's annual fee is on us
- To apply online click the Apply Now button or call 1-866-960-8708
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Intro APR on Purchases |
Intro APR on Transfers
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Type
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n/a
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n/a
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13.9%(V)*
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$59
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Excellent
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MILES BY DISCOVER® CARD - GET 12,00 FREE MILES |
MORE DETAILS HERE
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- 12,000 Bonus Miles – Earn 1,000 Miles each month you make a purchase for your 1st year
- 1 Mile per $1 on every purchase
- Plus, 2 Miles on travel and restaurant purchases on your first $3,000 each year
- No limit on the Miles you earn and Miles don’t expire*
- Fly on any airline, book any hotel or car, with no blackout dates
- Use Miles for travel, merchandise, gift cards or cash
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months than the regular APR
- No Annual Fee, No Overlimit Fee, No Redemption Fee
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Intro APR on Purchases |
Intro APR on Transfers
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Type
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0% for 6 Months*
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0% for 6 Months*
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10.99% Variable*
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None
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Good
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Additional Information about Credit Card Rewards
Cash Back is the Best Credit Card Reward
Although some people swear by frequent flyer miles, almost every credit card user stands to benefit most from cash back credit cards. With cash back rewards, you don't need to spend tens of thousands of dollars to earn a free flight. There are no blackout dates or seat restrictions. You simply earn money that you can spend as you please.
Additionally, cash back credit cards almost always come with no annual fees and have lower interest rates than airline miles cards. These two factors alone make cash back a better deal. Once you factor in how simple cash rewards are to use, it's really a no-brainer.
Airline Miles are Decent Credit Card Rewards
While not as simple to redeem as cash back rewards, some airline rewards programs are very good. Generally, the best credit card offers that earn airline miles charge no annual fees and allow you to use your miles on multiple airlines without blackout dates or seat restrictions.
Airline specific cards are much more complicated. Not only do they come with oftentimes very steep annual fees, they also have blackout dates and high redemption requirements that could take years of spending to reach. Nevertheless, people who know how to find deals through frequent flyer programs can benefit substantially with a miles card. However, most people are better off with cash back rewards cards, as frequent flyer program fine print is harder to understand than credit card application fine print.
Credit Card Reward Points are Not Good
With the exception of American Express Membership rewards points, most credit card reward points are useless. Yes, they can be redeemed for everything from DVD's to giftcards, but you can use cashback to purchase these items or anything else you wish and you usually don't have to spend nearly as much to earn rewards with a cash back card.
Another huge drawback to points is the fact that they have no real cash value. One day, you may be able to buy a $50 giftcard for 5,000 points. The next, you may need 10,000 points. If you had earned cashback instead of points, you'd have $50 or more after spending $5,000. With points, the same spending might only earn you $25 in rewards. So, unless you're earning American Express points and taking advantage of the other benefits that come with Amex membership, you should avoid point rewards and stick to cash back or miles.
*Important Disclaimer: See online credit card applications for complete details about terms and conditions. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. When you click on the “Apply Now" button, you can review the credit card terms and conditions on the issuing company's website.
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