Our Favorite Miles and Points Credit Cards

Written By Todd Fisher

SIGN-UP BONUS as HIGH as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points

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SIGN-UP BONUS as HIGH as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points 🔥

  • When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than the Platinum Card® from American Express.

    Make no mistake — this is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

  • Pros

    • The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,550 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges,Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!

    • 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)

    • 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

    Cons

    • $895 annual fee

    • Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

    • You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.

    • Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.

    • More Value! With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.

    • More Value! $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.

    • More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners. Enrollment required.

    • More Value! $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.

    • New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.

    • More Value! $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.

    • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.

    • Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.

    • New! $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.

    • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®.*Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.

    • $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.

    • Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.

    • $895 annual fee.

    • Terms Apply.

  • This is one of the best cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

    Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

  • Pros

    • 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal

    • 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services

    • 2x points on all other travel worldwide

    Cons

    • $95 annual fee

    • No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

    • Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

    • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases

    • Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠

    • 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.

    • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.

    • Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.

    • Member FDIC

  • This card is the secret tool to status with Delta Airlines. Not to mention the GENEROUS annual 2500 MQD award, but the SkyMiles earn multiplier when using this card to book Delta-branded flights is unmatched!

    Other perks we found value in are the 3x miles per dollar spent on eligible Delta and hotel purchases, 1.5x miles on transit, 1x mile on everything else. Oh, and don’t forget the Delta SkyMiles Sopping Portal where you can earn SkyMiles multipliers and 1 MQD per $20 spent.

    • Earn 100,000 Delta SkyMiles® after spending $8,000 in qualifying purchases on the card within your first six months of card membership

    • Earn 3x SkyMiles® on select Delta and hotel purchases

    • 20% cash back on in-flight Delta purchases

    • Earn 1x SkyMiles® per dollar for all other purchases

    • Delta SkyMiles Shopping Portal for elevated earnings

    • Annual Companion Certificate (yes, there are some restrictions)

    Cons

    • Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta

    • $350 annual fee

    • SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency

  • Watch the video below. If you find it useful, please support our efforts and Subscribe to our channel on YouTube. Each one of you make a difference.

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  • The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® can offer value for travel and everyday purchases, but it’s only an ideal match if you can make full use of the card’s benefits to offset the annual fee ($99, waived for the first 12 months).

    Making up that cost is easier to do if you typically check bags when traveling. The card offers free first checked bags for you and up to four people on the reservation, a potential value of hundreds of dollars if used often. And you'll also earn double miles on purchases in two big everyday categories: at restaurants and gas stations. Every purchase also earns points toward elite status on the airline.

    If you’re an American Airlines loyalist who can make use of these benefits, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is a solid pick. 

  • Pros:

    • Free checked bag

    • Early boarding

    • Bonus categories

    • Extra earning on gas and restaurants

    • No foreign transaction fees

    Cons:

    • Has annual fee

    • Rewards have limited flexibility

  • We turned $1,600 in Christmas shopping into nearly 12,000 airline miles — without spending a penny extra

  • The Hilton Honors Americann Express Business Card is a useful hotel business card. With mid-tier Hilton Gold elite status, car rental status and great earnings on Hilton purchases, it provides premium benefits (enrollment required for select benefits). If Hilton is your company's hotel chain of choice, this card could be a worthwhile addition to your wallet.

    The Hilton Amex Business card is made for small-business owners, but you don't need a bustling office or dozens of employees to apply. A side hustle or consulting gig that requires travel is more than enough to qualify for a small-business card.

    One of the best perks of the Hilton Business card is its automatic Hilton Gold elite status. From daily food and beverage credits to room upgrades (based on availability), this card can provide meaningful benefits right from the start.

    With a $195 annual fee the card isn't going to break the bank for most. Applicants approved for the Hilton Amex Business typically have a good to excellent credit score.

  • Pros:

    • Complimentary Hilton Gold Elite status

    • Complimentary National Emerald Club Executive status†

    • Pathway to Hilton Diamond status via credit card spending

    • High earning rate

    • Generous welcome offer

    • Automatic Hilton Gold status

    Cons:

    • Free anniversary night requires high spend

    • Annual fee

  • I go into detail at 19:00 mark in this video

  • The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

    Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

  • Pros

    • 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

    • 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases

    • Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

    • No annual fee

    Cons

    • $95 annual fee

    • Limited elite benefits

    • Rewards have limited flexibility

    • Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel

    • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day

    • Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

    • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn

    • Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®

    • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel

    • Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection

    • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

  • The Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is the only cobranded credit card that includes a complimentary membership to the American Airlines Admirals Club lounge network. The primary cardmember also enjoys priority check-in (where available), screening (where available) and boarding for themselves and up to eight travel companions. Other perks include a free checked bag for domestic travel, 25% off eligible inflight purchases and an up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck.

  • Pros:

    • Offers Admirals Club lounge access — cheaper than purchasing a membership

    • Earns valuable AAdvantage miles for travel on AA and its partners

    • Boost elite status with Loyalty Points on everyday spending

    • Free checked bag when traveling domestically

    • Inflight food and beverage discount

    • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee statement credit

    Cons:

    • High annual fee ($595)

    • Miles redemption is limited to American Airlines and its partners

    • Inflight credit doesn't include Wi-Fi

    • Have to pay to add authorized users

  • The Citi / AAdvantage Executive is best for frequent AA flyers and regular Admirals Club visitors. It is also a great card that allows regular flyers to fast-track their elite status, as you earn Loyalty Points on every dollar you spend.

Todd Fisher
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