Cards that pay 3x or more on restaurants, takeout, and delivery. The dining bonus is where transferable-points cards routinely beat flat 2% cash back. Pair a dining-heavy points card with a Sapphire, Premier, or Platinum and the math gets meaningful.
After the 2025 refresh this is a $795 credits machine with the best protections in the market. The math works if you use The Edit and the dining credit. If you will not, the Preferred keeps most of the earning power.
The mid-tier travel card most people keep for years. Transfer partners and strong protections at a $95 fee, with a meaningful refresh arriving June 15, 2026.
Still the strongest food-spend card in the market. The $325 fee nets down fast if the monthly credits fit your habits, and the 2026 refresh added real hotel earning.
The widest 3x coverage of any $95 card. If your spending spreads across gas, groceries, dining, and travel, this earns more than a Sapphire Preferred. Protections are weaker.
The best no-fee sidekick in the Chase system. Standalone it is a fine 1.5% card. Paired with a Sapphire it becomes a transfer-partner earning machine.
The best no-fee card for households that eat out and stream a lot. The grocery bonus is a meaningful upgrade over flat 2% cards.
The anti-portal travel card. Top-tier earn rates on hotels and flights booked anywhere, which beats portal-locked rivals for travelers who book direct. No trip delay coverage is the notable gap.
The grocery card to beat for families that hit the $6,000 cap. At $360 in supermarket cash back alone, the math works for almost any household with a full kitchen.
The grocery card to beat for families that hit the $6,000 cap. At $360 in supermarket cash back alone, the math works for almost any household with a full kitchen.
A no-fee cash-back card that punches well above its weight, especially when paired with a Sapphire to unlock transfer partners.
The set-it-and-forget-it answer for category cash back. The 5% picks itself based on where you actually spent.
The best no-fee travel earner. 3x on six categories covers most of a trip and most of a normal month. Points pool with the Autograph Journey for transfers.
Mediocre at face value, exceptional with Platinum Honors status. If you keep $100K at Merrill this quietly outearns nearly every flat-rate card. Points are fixed at 1 cent.
The forgotten middle child earns full Membership Rewards on every travel dollar with no portal games. The CLEAR credit covers most of the fee.
The two-free-bags change in 2026 made this an easy call for Delta households. Earning rates are modest, so pair it with a stronger everyday card.
A premium card that only makes sense for Preferred Rewards Platinum Honors households, where the effective earn rates and $450 in credits beat the fee. Everyone else has better options.
