Best Cards To Get In 2023

1. Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
   Cardholders can earn 6 points for every dollar spent at Marriott hotels, 3 points per dollar on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on dining. gas stations, and grocery stores, and 2 points per dollar spent on all other purchases. Each year upon renewal of the card and paying the $95 annual fee. The bonus for this card is 3 free night certificates, each night being valued up to 50,000 points, after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. In addition, cardholders can receive Silver Elite status.
   
   Why I like this card:
   This card arguably is my favorite card. The annual fee is low, the rewards are simple to use, and as someone with Marriott Titanium Elite status, this is always my go-to card when traveling domestic and abroad as the card has no foreign transaction fees. With the annual certificate night and having Titanium status, I’m able to stack certificate nights to get 2 free nights without having to use points.
   

2. Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
   This card offers aggressive multipliers on everyday spend such as 12x points per dollar spent on Hilton purchases, 6x points on U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. restaurant purchases, and 3x points on all other eligible purchases. The card also comes with a generous sign-up bonus of 150,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first three months. This card comes with a $95 annual fee. One of the main benefits of the card is the automatic Hilton Honors Gold Status, which offers perks such as complimentary breakfast, room upgrades, and late check-out. Additionally, cardholders can earn Hilton Honors Diamond Status after spending $40,000 or more on the card in a calendar year.
   
   Why I like this card:
   What other card can you get 10 Priority Passes annually for $95? I’ll wait…

2. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
   This card offers 14x points per dollar spent on Hilton purchases, 7x points on dining, 7x on select travel, and 3x points on all other eligible purchases. The card also comes with a generous sign-up bonus of 150,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first three months. This is the most expensive card on this list at $450, is offset with a $250 airline incidental credit, $250 Hilton Resort credit, $100 spa credit, Priority Pass access, and complimentary Hilton Diamond status.
   
   Why I like this card:
   If you can stomach the annual fee, this card offers a world of benefits that other cards just don’t compare to. This is the only card that gives you the highest tier status just for having the card. It is also one of the only cards that give you the free weekend night certificate the first year of having the card. There are rumors of this card increasing its annual fee, so it’s worth getting the card now to lock in its current rate
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1. American Express Gold Card
   With this card, cardholders earn 4 Membership Reward points per dollar spent on restaurants worldwide and on up to $25,000 per calendar year on supermarkets, 3 Membership Reward points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com and 1 Membership Reward point per dollar spent on all other purchases. In addition to earning points, the American Express Gold Card offers a variety of benefits such as access to exclusive events, a $120 annual dining credit, $120 Uber credit, and $100 annual airline fee credit. The card comes with a $250 annual fee and offers a sign-up bonus that ranges between 60,000-90,000 after meeting the $4,000 minimum spend required within 3 months and has no foreign transaction fee.
   
   Why I like this card:
   The Gold Card is designed for people who frequently dine out and shop at supermarkets. If you consider yourself a foodie and travels occasionally, this card is great for earning Membership Reward points which have great value when transferring to transfer partners. In addition, the card is metal which is a great flex when eating out at restaurants.

5. US Bank Shopper Cash Rewards
   This card for a $95 annual fee offers 6% back on shopping destinations such as Amazon, Target, Walmart, Wayfair, Best Buy and many more. This is capped at $1,500 in spend on two categories per quarter. Additionally, it offers 3% back on gas, wholesale clubs, and bills. 1.5% on everything else. The current bonus is waiving the annual fee for the first year and a $250 cash back after $2,000 in spend in the first 120 days.
   
   Why I like this card:
   It’s hard not to find high value in this card even with an annual fee. With the annual fee being waived the first year, it’s a no brainer card for those who spend their weekends driving around and shopping. The card also gives you an extra 30 days to hit the bonus unlike other cards.

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5. Chase Sapphire Preferred
   Most beginners first travel and card with an annual fee. This card has a $95 annual fee and earns 5x points on travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, 3x points on dining, 3x on online grocery stores, 3x points on select streaming services, 2x points on travel purchases, 1x points on other purchases, and an annual $50 hotel credit. The Sapphire Preferred offers 60,000 points after $4,000 in spend in the first 3 months.
   
   Why I like this card:
   It’s one of the best beginner travel cards as the rewards and points are simple and straightforward to use. The card continues to revamp itself and offer more benefits to customers to justify the $95 annual fee after the first year.

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5. Chase Freedom Flex
   This card offers 5% cash back on quarterly spend, as well as 1% back on all other purchases, with no annual fee. Additionally, this card offers 3% cash back on dining and drugstores, and 5% when purchasing travel through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards travel portal. Cardholders will receive a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months. Chase often runs promotions of 5% back on grocery store or gas station purchases for the first year on up to $12,000 of spend in addition to the other earning rates.
   
   Why I like this card:
   For no annual fee, you can earn elevated rates on everyday spend such as dining and travel. If you get this card with one of the promotions of 5% for the first year, this can be combined with a quarterly category for an effective 9% back on those purchases.
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8. Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard
   The Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard is a premium travel rewards credit card that is designed for frequent flyers of Air France and KLM. It is issued by the Bank of America. The card allows cardholders to earn 3x Flying Blue miles when purchasing airline tickets from Skyteam members as well as 1.5x miles on everyday purchases, as well as bonus miles when they use the card to purchase flights with Air France and KLM. The card also comes with a sign-up bonus of 50,000 miles after $2,000 of spend in the first 3 months. Cardholders also get access to exclusive travel offers, priority boarding, and free checked bags. The card offers additional benefits such as travel accident insurance, car rental insurance and purchase protection. It is worth noting that the card does have an annual fee of $89.
   
   Why I like this card:
   Flying Blue has great redemptions when using their points for international purchases, especially Delta flights between the U.S and Europe. I purchased a $1,400 one way ticket from Amsterdam to Chicago for only 20,000 miles. This is also a very lucrative card that most people do not know about but gives you a bonus amount that’s good for a round trip ticket from just about anywhere in the world.
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8. Bank of America Premium Rewards
   This card offers unlimited 2% cash back on travel and dining purchases, as well as 1.5% back on all other purchases. The card has a $95 annual fee but offers up to $200 in travel statement credits. This card also grants access to world class travel perks, travel and purchase protections, the Luxury Hotel Collection and concierge service. The cash back from this card can be used as statement credit, for travel, or be deposited in to a Bank of America or Merrill Lynch investment account.
   
   Why I like this card:
   With Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards program, you can earn rates of 2.5%-3.5% back on travel and dining, as well as 1.87%-2.62 on all other purchases which is the highest rate of cash back of any card. The airline incidental credits are also much easier to use than American Express’ because you’re not forced to choose an airline and it can be used for seat upgrades.
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8. Capital One Venture X
   One of the key features of the Venture X card by Capital One is the ability to earn miles on all purchases. Cardholders earn 10 miles per dollar on hotels & rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 2x miles on everything else. This card also gives you access to Capital One’s new lounge network as well as Priority Pass. You can earn 75,000 miles after $4,000 in spend within the first 3 months. The annual fee for the Venture X is $395 but offers a $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 points each year for renewing your card.
   
   Why I like this card:
   If you’re wanting a simple reward program to stay within and an exclusive travel portal to use, this card is a perfect fit. It offers everything you would need in a travel card and at a low effective annual fee of -$5-95 if you take in to account the 10,000 anniversary credit. It’s a new and exciting card that Capital One may look to tweek and advance in the future.