Istill have my first credit card, despite it not currently residing in my wallet. While I began my credit card journey with a mere $300 limit, over the years, my little Capital One card has undergone several credit limit increases and upgrades to better iterations.
But I don’t use it. Instead, I prefer to stay up with the latest cards to reap their benefits.
There are so many credit card offers that tear me from my typical brand loyalty — between large cash-back percentages, signing bonuses, and other rewards, it hardly makes sense to limit yourself to a single issuer, brand, or type of credit card.
Here we’ve rounded up the best available credit card offers and organized them into specific categories to help you find the next piece of plastic to reside in your wallet. Use the navigation below to skip ahead to the credit card offer that best suits your needs.
1. Best “Air Miles” Offer
Taking advantage of the best travel credit card offers is what helped me road trip across the country and even fly to Hawaii! The air miles rewards programs are often a little convoluted, so read the program offering in full before signing up, as miles accumulate differently between issuers and travel brands.
However, you can get more bang for your buck when you couple your credit card air miles with branded travel programs like frequent flyer rewards. Here is our top-rated card for racking up loads of air miles:
2. Best “0% Balance Transfer” Offer
Generally speaking, balance transfer offers are only extended to individuals with good to excellent credit. These types of credit cards are awesome for helping you pay off debt because they allow you to move a balance from a higher interest card to a lower or 0% interest card. This way, you can pay off the balance without paying extra in interest during the promotional period.
However, be aware that most cards charge balance transfer fees, which are typically charged as a small percentage (usually 3% to 5%) of the balance being transferred. Just be sure to read the small print to know what the offer entails, including the interest-free time period and the transfer fee. A card like this one offers a superb introductory period, while keeping fees to a minimum:
3. Best “0% Intro APR” Offer
An introductory offer of 0% APR is a great option for big purchases (though it is also limited to individuals with good to excellent credit). For example, if you are moving into a new place and need to purchase furniture, a 0% intro APR offer would be a great way to cover the costs of a new living room set without paying interest.
Similar to balance transfer cards, the introductory 0% APR is for a limited period of time, so be sure to read the offer fully to know when to pay the balance off before interest hits. Below is our favorite 0% introductory APR offer:
4. Best “Cash Back” Offer
The offers I always find myself gravitating toward more than any other are whichever the best cash back credit cards happen to be at the time. Most programs have purchasing categories such as gas stations, grocery stores, and specific retailers that earn a higher cash-back percentage on purchases, while offering a standard percentage for all other purchases.
It’s important to note that higher percentage cash-back earnings can get capped, so read the offer completely before committing. Only you will know what the best cash back credit card for your spending style is.
Luckily, many issuers have made redeeming cash back so easy that you can do it right online where you view your account activity. However, you may have to rack up a certain amount before you can redeem it. I generally just take my cash back as a statement credit, which is standard, but some issuers will send you a check for your cash-back earnings.
Be sure to pay attention to the interest rates for cash back offers as they tend to be rather high (it’s how the credit card company hopes to make its money back). Below is our best cash back credit card offer:
5. Best “Points & Rewards” Offer
While I tend to favor cash back rewards, often points-based rewards programs offer hefty benefits, including signing bonuses that end up equating to a few hundred bucks toward travel or merchandise. These types of rewards cards give you a specific amount of points per purchase, but be sure to know the rate at which the points accumulate because some programs are more rewarding than others.
Redeeming points for rewards can be done online or over the phone, though you’ll want to be aware of any travel blackout dates or other redemption restrictions. Because of the headache this used to cause for consumers, many cards have eased up on rewards limitations. The card below offers an amazing program for earning points rewards: