Owl's Best Credit Cards by category for 2024
Owl Banking reviewed dozens of credit cards to find the BEST credit cards for your daily life, travel goals, small business, or other big life events you have upcoming. Based on our proprietary ranking strategy, each category had one card that really stood above the rest.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Sign-Up Bonus
60,000 pts
Sign-Up Bonus Requirements
Spend $4,000 within 3 months
Annual Fee
$95
Rewards Rate
1x-5x points
Key Features
→ 60,000 pts sign-up bonus, $750 value through Chase Rewards®
→ High flexibility to use points for flights, hotel, car rental, cruises, and more.
→ Enjoy 5x pts on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards® and Peloton, and Lyft purchases, 3x pts on dining, grocery, and streaming purchases, and 2x pts on all other travel purchases
→ Each account anniversary, you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
→ $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more
→ Point reimburesements are very flexible
→ $95 Annual Fee
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Sign-Up Bonus
$250
Sign-Up Bonus Requirements
Spend $3,000 within 6 months
Annual Fee
$0 (Yr 1 only)
Rewards Rate
1%-6% cash back
Key Features
→ $250 cash-back sign-up bonus
→ Earn 6% cash-back at U.S supermarkets and U.S streaming subscriptions, and 3% cash-back at U.S. gas stations
→ 1% cash-back on all purchases
→ $0 Introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $95 thereafter
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority
Sign-Up Bonus
85,000 pts (+7.5k/yr)
Sign-Up Bonus Requirements
Spend $1,000 within 3 months
Annual Fee
$149
Rewards Rate
1x-3x points
Key Features
→ 85,000 pts (expires 10/9!) sign-up bonus
→ $7,500 anniversary points and $75 annual Southwest® travel credit each year
→ Earn 3x pts on all Southwest purchases, 2x pts on select hotel and car rental partners, and other services, and 1x pts on all other purchases
→ 4 upgraded boardings per year
→ Free checked bags and no change fees
→ No foreign transaction fees
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Sign-Up Bonus
80,000 pts
Sign-Up Bonus Requirements
Spend $8,000 within 6 months
Annual Fee
$695
Rewards Rate
1x-5x points
Key Features
→ 80,000 points sign-up bonus
→ Earn 5x points on all American Express Travel purchases (flights and hotels) and 1x points on all other purchases
→ Up to $1,500 in value for credits to hotels, airline bookings, Walmart, select streaming (including Disney+, Hulu, The Wall Street Journal, ESPN+ and others), monthly Uber Cash, Equinox credit, CLEAR Plus Credit, Saks Fifth Avenue
→ $695 Annual Fee (which is high, but these benefits are very strong)
American Express® Business Gold Card
Sign-Up Bonus
100,000 pts
Sign-Up Bonus Requirements
Spend $15,000 within 3 months
Annual Fee
$375
Rewards Rate
1x-4x points
Key Features
→ 100,000 points sign-up bonus
→ Earn 4x points in the 2 select categories that you spend the most, 3x points on all American Express Travel purchases (flights and hotels) and 1x points on all other purchases
→ Up to $395 in value for credits to select office supply stores and Walmart
→ $375 Annual Fee
Amazon Prime Visa Card
Sign-Up Bonus
$100
Sign-Up Bonus Requirements
None
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1%-5% rewards
Key Features
→ $100 Amazon gift card sign-up bonus
→ 5% back Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel purchases
→ 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and local transit (incl. Uber and Lyft), and 1% back on all other purchases
→ No annual fee
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Sign-Up Bonus
$200
Sign-Up Bonus Requirements
Spend $500 within 3 months
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1.5-5% cash back
Key Features
→ $200 sign-up bonus and 5% cash back at gas stations and grocery stores
→ 5% cash back on travel purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, 1.5% on all other purchases
→ 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers.
→ No Annual Fee
Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card
Sign-Up Bonus
$0
Sign-Up Bonus Requirements
None
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1%-5% cash back
Key Features
→ 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in rotating categories that you activate like gas stations, grocery stores & restaurants
→ 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases
→ No Annual Fee
→ Key drawback: tracking categories and quarterly activations