When it comes to picking credit cards, not all card issuers are created equal. From small local credit unions to large national banks, the perks and rewards for credit cards can vary.
One constant you will find in the industry is an abundance of card options from Chase Bank. Whether its no-annual-fee cards or high-end travel cards, Chase usually has a compelling credit card option.
Team Clark regularly assesses credit cards in an effort to help consumers identify the best options for rewards, cash back, travel and more.
In this article, we’ll walk you through some of our favorite Chase credit cards options for 2023. Read more about our credit card analysis methodology to better understand the selections.
Best for Everyday Cash Back: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
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Annual Fee:
$0.00
Rewards Program Details:
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back or more on all purchases. You’ll get 3% on dining and drugstores and 5% on travel purchased through Chase.
Bonus Offer:
Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, 5% cash back on grocery store purchases on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
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Why We Like It: You get a minimum of 1.5% cash back on every purchase you make, but there’s a chance to earn an even better rate on popular spending categories like dining and travel. The bonus offer is attractive for new customers as well. However, if you’re willing to look outside the Chase credit card ecosystem, there are some credit cards that offer a flat 2% cash back on every purchase you make.
Best for Rotating Rewards: Chase Freedom Flex® Card
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Annual Fee:
$0.00
Rewards Program Details:
Earn 5% cash back on different categories like gas stations, grocery stores (excluding Target® and Walmart®) and select online merchants on up to $1,500 in total combined purchases each quarter you activate. Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services. Earn 3% on drugstore purchases. Earn 1% on all other purchases.
Bonus Offer:
Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
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Why We Like It: This card checks a lot of boxes. Not only do you get the rotating 5% cash back categories, but you also get a steady 3% on restaurants and drug stores. It also has grocery, ride-sharing and food delivery perks. An easy welcome bonus is the cherry on top. This card is on our list for best credit cards with no annual fee.
Best for Travel Rewards: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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Annual Fee:
$95
Rewards Program Details:
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
Bonus Offer:
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Bonus Offer Disclaimer:
after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
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Why We Like It: This card lands just right with a strong welcome bonus and an annual fee under $100. And you’re getting yourself into a pretty solid card once the sign-up bonus disappears.
Best for High-Volume Travel: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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Annual Fee:
$550
Rewards Program Details:
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Bonus Offer:
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Bonus Offer Disclaimer:
after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
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Why We Like It: The annual fee is hefty, but serious travelers are likely to get a good return on their investment in this card. You can earn a $300 annual travel credit and receive TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry fee credits as well. Based on Team Clark’s review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can easily make the case that this card is a net positive for your wallet if you’re spending more than $10,000 per year on travel and dining.
Best for Online Shopping: Prime Visa
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Annual Fee:
$0.00
Rewards Program Details:
Bonus Offer:
Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card (or more) instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
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Why We Like It: If you need to buy something online, there’s a good chance that Amazon has it and will deliver it to your front door tomorrow-ish. So if you had to pick just one card for your online shopping, getting 5% off everything you buy from Amazon and Whole Foods seems like a sound strategy. This card is on our list of best credit cards with no annual fee.
Best for Hotel Rewards: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
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Annual Fee:
$95.00
Rewards Program Details:
Up to 17X total points at Marriott: Earn 6X points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels. Plus, earn up to 10X points from Marriott for being a Marriott Bonvoy® member. Plus, earn up to 1X point from Marriott with Silver Elite Status, a benefit of being a Marriott Bonvoy Boundless cardmember. 3X points per $1: Earn 3X points for every $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining. 2X points per $1: Earn 2X points for every $1 you spend on all other purchases and your points don’t expire as long as you make purchases on your credit card every 24 months. Free Night Award every anniversary: As a Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Cardmember, you’ll enjoy a Free Night Award every year after your account anniversary, valid for a one-night hotel stay at a property with a redemption level up to 35,000 points.
Bonus Offer:
Earn 100,000 Bonus Points
Bonus Offer Disclaimer:
After you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.
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Why We Like It: If you make frequent hotel stays, you’ve probably figured out that it’s best to pick one of the major brands and stick with it for the rewards perks. The next level to that methodology is to get the branded credit card to earn even more points. There are several options for both Marriott and Hilton, but this one strikes us as the best bang for your buck. You’ll receive a free reward night each year that should cancel out the $95 annual fee on this card. You’ll also get Silver Elite status automatically each year. Oh, and you get the free premium WiFi during your Marriott stays (it’s the little things, right?).
Best for Airline Rewards: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
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Annual Fee:
$149
Rewards Program Details:
Receive 7,500 anniversary points, 4 upgraded boardings when available, and a $75 Southwest® travel credit each year. Enjoy benefits including 3X points on Southwest purchases, 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare, 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming, 10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year, and more.
Bonus Offer:
Earn 75,000 bonus points
Bonus Offer Disclaimer:
after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
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Why We Like It: A lot of the perks some other airline cards offer, such as waivers on bag fees or change fees, are standard for all Southwest Airlines customers. That allows this card to focus on going a little deeper with its promotions such as unlimited rewards seats and no blackout dates. Also, you’ll get an annual $75 Southwest credit that is like slashing the annual fee in half. Clark carries this card in his wallet.
Methodology for Credit Card Analysis
For the purposes of determining which rewards cards are “best” in various categories, we got input from Clark Howard and sought to find cards that fit his credit card strategy best.
Team Clark spent many hours reviewing the rewards credit cards on the market, assessing them for several factors including:
- Annual fees (Clark recommends avoiding them in most cases, but there are times it is worth it.)
- Rewards programs
- Welcome bonuses
- Length of Introductory APR periods
- Balance transfer introductory periods
- Additional fees (transaction or otherwise)
- Perks offered to cardholders
We did not factor in non-introductory APR as a part of the evaluation, because interest rates are going to vary based on your financial circumstances. Clark recommends never carrying a balance on credit cards, so the non-introductory interest rate shouldn’t matter for your card anyway.
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