The world of bank cards can appear overwhelming if you’re simply beginning. However if you wish to transfer on out of your cash-back card (or perhaps a scholar card), you are in the precise place. The proper starter journey card can supply far more rewarding perks.
With a lot data and so many choices, how have you learnt which card to decide on? Would you like transferable factors? Airline miles? Free nights with a resort chain? There aren’t any proper or fallacious solutions to those questions — it is all about what’s essential to you.
We have assembled this record of one of the best starter bank cards so you do not find yourself with rewards that do not match your objectives. None of those playing cards are tied to difficult, difficult-to-understand applications, nor have they got intimidating annual charges, although all of them have the potential for outsize worth.
And all of them are value retaining in your bank card stock for the long run.
Associated: The way to choose the precise journey bank card for you
Greatest starter journey rewards playing cards
The data for the American Categorical Inexperienced Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
| Card | Welcome supply | Bonus classes |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card | Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 within the first three months from account opening. |
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| Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card | Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 throughout the first three months from account opening. Plus, obtain a $250 Capital One Journey credit score to be used within the first cardholder 12 months upon account opening. |
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| Citi Strata Premier Card | Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 throughout the first three months of account opening. |
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| American Categorical Gold Card | Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 throughout the first six months of cardmembership. You may even see greater, focused presents within the CardMatch instrument (topic to vary at any time; not everybody might be focused for a similar presents). |
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| American Categorical Inexperienced Card | Earn 40,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 throughout the first six months of cardmembership. |
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| Bilt Mastercard | None |
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| Financial institution of America Journey Rewards bank card | Earn 25,000 bonus factors after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days of account opening. |
|
Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card
Annual price: $95
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Welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 within the first three months from account opening.
In response to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, these 100,000 bonus factors are value $2,050.
Why it is an incredible starter card: There is a good motive why the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked is our prime choose for our record of starter playing cards. Along with the profitable welcome supply, cardholders earn 5 factors per greenback on journey booked by means of Chase Journey, together with the next:
- 5 factors per greenback with Lyft (by means of Sept. 31, 2027) and on Peloton gear and accent purchases of $150 or extra (by means of Dec. 31, 2027, with a restrict of 25,000 bonus factors)
- 3 factors per greenback on eating (together with takeout and supply), choose streaming providers and on-line grocery orders (excluding Walmart, Goal and wholesale golf equipment)
- 2 factors per greenback on different journey
- 1 level per greenback on all different purchases
The Final Rewards factors it earns are straightforward to make use of with 11 airline and three resort loyalty program companions, equivalent to United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt. Your factors can be redeemed for 1.25 cents apiece to e-book journey by means of Chase Journey.
The cardboard additionally has terrific journey advantages, together with major insurance coverage when renting a automotive and no international transaction charges. You will additionally get pleasure from $50 in annual assertion credit for resort stays booked by means of Chase Journey, and every year, in your account anniversary, you will get pleasure from a ten% factors bonus in your spending from the earlier 12 months.
If you add within the welcome bonus and an annual price of solely $95, you could have a card that gives nice worth, particularly in the event you’re simply beginning out on the earth of journey rewards.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most well-liked Card
Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
Annual price: $95
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 throughout the first three months from account opening. Plus, obtain a $250 Capital One Journey credit score to make use of within the first cardholder 12 months upon account opening.
In response to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, this welcome supply is value $1,638 when contemplating the worth of the journey credit score.
Why it is an incredible starter card: This card’s flexibility makes it ideally suited for vacationers getting began within the factors and miles world or those that aren’t inherently loyal to a single resort chain or airline.
First, you earn a flat 2 miles per greenback spent on every part, which means you do not have to maintain monitor of various spending classes. Nevertheless, that incomes price jumps to five miles per greenback for resorts, trip leases and automotive leases booked by means of Capital One Journey.
You will additionally get an up-to-$120 credit score to cowl the appliance price for TSA PreCheck or World Entry.
With this card, you’ll reap the benefits of Capital One’s 15-plus airline and resort companions. This card packs rather a lot in for a $95 annual price and even makes the minimize as certainly one of our general finest journey bank cards.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card.
Study extra: Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
Citi Strata Premier Card
If you need a single card to cowl a variety of bonus classes, the Strata Premier is precisely what you are searching for.
Annual price: $95
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 throughout the first three months of account opening.
In response to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, this welcome supply is value $1,080.
Why it is an incredible starter card: The fantastic thing about the Citi Strata Premier Card is its breadth of bonus classes. The cardboard earns 3 ThankYou factors per greenback on air journey, different resort purchases, eating places, fuel stations, EV charging stations and supermarkets, serving to you rack up numerous factors very quickly.
In the event you e-book resorts, points of interest and automotive leases by means of CitiTravel.com, you will get pleasure from a implausible 10 factors per greenback in your spending.
In relation to spending these factors, you’ll be able to switch them to any of Citi’s 21 journey companions.
You too can obtain $100 off one resort keep of $500 or extra (excluding taxes and charges) per 12 months if you e-book by means of CitiTravel.com. The cardboard has no international transaction charges and a $95 annual price.
To be taught extra, see our full evaluation of the Citi Strata Premier.
Apply right here: Citi Strata Premier Card
American Categorical Gold Card
Annual price: $325 (see charges and charges)
Welcome supply: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 throughout the first six months of cardmembership. Nevertheless, make sure to test the CardMatch instrument to see in the event you’re focused for an excellent greater bonus (presents are topic to vary at any time; not everybody might be focused for a similar presents).
In response to TPG’s April 2025 valuations, this welcome supply is value $1,200.
Why it is an incredible starter card: The Amex Gold Card is implausible for anybody seeking to leverage their on a regular basis spending for glorious rewards — whereas additionally having fun with helpful assertion credit for issues like eating and ride-hailing providers.
You will earn 4 factors per greenback at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback) and on as much as $25,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months at U.S. supermarkets (then 1 level per greenback), 3 factors per greenback on flights booked straight with airways or on amextravel.com, 2 factors per greenback spent on pay as you go resorts and different eligible purchases booked on amextravel.com and 1 level per greenback on every part else.
Cardmembers additionally obtain as much as $120 in assertion credit every calendar 12 months (as much as $10 monthly) towards eating purchases at choose retailers and as much as $120 per calendar 12 months ($10 monthly) in Uber Money towards U.S. Uber rides and U.S. Uber Eats orders after downloading and enrolling your Amex Gold card in your Uber account. You may redeem it with any Amex card. Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply.
Different perks embody entry to The Lodge Assortment*, the World Help Hotline^ and a number of other purchasing and journey protections on the cardboard.
*Minimal two evening keep required; eligible prices differ by property.
^Eligibility and Profit degree varies by Card. Phrases, Situations and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Card Members are answerable for the prices charged by third-party service suppliers.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Amex Gold Card.
Apply right here: American Categorical Gold Card
American Categorical Inexperienced Card
The Amex Inexperienced is usually neglected, but it surely’s positively a card younger professionals and newbie vacationers alike ought to take into account.
Annual price: $150
Welcome supply: Earn 40,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 throughout the first six months of cardmembership.
In response to TPG’s valuations, this welcome supply is value $800.
Why it is an incredible starter card: The Amex Inexperienced Card’s broad bonus-earning classes and comparatively low annual price make it nice for newbie vacationers. With it, you will earn 3 factors per greenback on journey, transit and eating at eating places worldwide (together with takeout and supply within the U.S.), permitting you to rack up factors each at dwelling and whereas touring.
The Membership Rewards you will earn with this card are extraordinarily versatile, and you’ll e-book your subsequent journey very quickly by transferring your factors to certainly one of Amex’s 21 switch companions, together with Delta Air Traces SkyMiles and Marriott Bonvoy.
You will additionally get journey advantages like an as much as $199 Clear Plus credit score every calendar 12 months, journey insurance coverage and purchasing protections. Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply.
Study extra: American Categorical Inexperienced
Bilt Mastercard
In the event you pay hire, having the Bilt Mastercard in your pockets is a great selection.
Annual price: No annual price (see charges and charges)
Welcome supply: None
Why it is an incredible starter card: Many newbies on this pastime additionally pay month-to-month hire. In the event you pay by financial institution deposit, money or test, your landlord should not cost you a price. Paying your hire by bank card usually includes transaction charges, however that is not true with the Bilt Mastercard.
The Bilt card even works with landlords who do not settle for bank card funds, so you’ll be able to earn Bilt Factors with out paying a transaction price (see charges and charges). Cardholders can earn as much as 100,000 factors on hire every calendar 12 months.
Nevertheless, it’s essential make at the very least 5 transactions in your card every month to earn rewards, which come on the price of 1 level per greenback on hire, 2 factors per greenback on journey and three factors per greenback on eating bought exterior of Bilt Eating. Cardholders can even earn 5 factors per greenback on Lyft after connecting their Bilt and Lyft accounts.
Moreover, the cardboard presents a number of perks like Journey Cancellation and Interruption Safety, Journey Delay Reimbursement and No International Transaction Charges (see charges and charges). The cardboard additionally presents World Elite Mastercard advantages, together with Mobile Phone Safety (topic to a $25 deductible; see rewards and advantages) and Lyft credit each month you utilize your card to pay for 3 or extra Lyft rides.
The factors earned on this card will be transferred to 13 airways and 5 resort companions.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Bilt Mastercard.
Apply right here: Bilt Mastercard
Financial institution of America Journey Rewards Credit score Card
If you need a card that gives simplicity or in the event you’re a Financial institution of America Most well-liked Rewards® member, we suggest trying out the Financial institution of America Journey Rewards.
Annual price: No annual price
Welcome supply: Earn 25,000 bonus factors after spending $1,000 inside 90 days of account opening.
Why it is an incredible starter card: For newbies, factors and miles can appear daunting, so it is good to have a card with a easy incomes construction. The Financial institution of America Journey Rewards presents 3 factors per greenback on journey purchases within the Financial institution of America Journey Heart and a limiteless 1.5 factors per greenback spent on all different purchases.
What’s extra, if you’re a Financial institution of America banking buyer, you’ll be able to earn further factors beneath the Most well-liked Rewards program. Financial institution of America Most well-liked Rewards members earn a factors increase between 25% and 75% (relying in your tier) on each buy.
Simply notice that you’re going to want a three-month common of at the very least $20,000 throughout your Financial institution of America and Merrill accounts to qualify.
The factors earned on this card will be redeemed as an announcement credit score for journey or eating purchases at a flat price of 1 cent per level. This card does not cost a international transaction price.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Financial institution of America Journey Rewards card.
Apply right here: Financial institution of America Journey Rewards
What credit score rating do you want for a journey bank card?
Most journey bank cards require good-to-excellent credit score, which means you will desire a rating over 650. That is to not say that you simply will not be accredited in case your rating is not that top, however it’s a good rule of thumb when contemplating making use of for a bank card.
In the event you do not at present have a superb credit score rating or lack credit score historical past, you will need to construct credit score with a newbie or secured card or by turning into a licensed consumer on another person’s card.
Associated: What credit score rating do I want for the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked?
Remember about Chase’s 5/24 rule
In the event you’re nonetheless torn about which card to get, it is value serious about Chase’s 5/24 rule, as it may well affect your choice. In response to this rule, Chase will doubtless reject your software in the event you’ve opened 5 or extra private playing cards throughout all issuers within the final 24 months (most enterprise playing cards do not depend towards your complete).
Due to this restriction, standard knowledge is to start out by utilizing up your 5 slots with Chase earlier than shifting on to different issuers. If you’re simply beginning with journey rewards, it may be straightforward to underestimate the significance of this rule, however Chase presents among the most beneficial journey rewards playing cards available on the market. If you aren’t getting them first, you may not have the ability to get them for some time.
Generally, it is smart to disregard the 5/24 rule and set off in a unique course, but it surely’s not a choice you must make evenly. Except you could have a superb motive for trying elsewhere, you must begin with a Chase card first.
For extra on this rule and the principles the banks use for bank card functions, see our information to bank card software restrictions.
Backside line
With so many journey rewards playing cards on the market, selecting which one to use for may appear overwhelming. However you’ll be able to’t go fallacious with any of the alternatives on this record, as all of the choices supply nice rewards charges and an introduction to the world of factors and miles. So, resolve what your journey objectives are, then use this information to choose the precise card.
Associated: Are journey bank cards value it?
For charges and charges of the Amex Gold Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Bilt Mastercard, click on right here.
For rewards and advantages of the Bilt Mastercard, click on right here.
