Below we list some of the best credit cards on the market right now, with an emphasis on cash back and travel rewards cards:

Best Cash Back Credit Cards

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card – Why We Like It: Offers generous cash back in everyday categories where you are likely to be doing real spending, with no annual fee! Earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases. EARLY SPEND BONUS: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express – Why We Like It: 6% cash back on up to $6,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarkets, 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back on transit purchases, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. Annual fee: $95. See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

Synchrony Premier World Mastercard® – Why We Like It: Simple cash back formula at a high rewards level. You’ll earn 2% cash back on every purchase with the card AND that cash back gets credited to your statement each month automatically — no jumping through hoops to redeem your cash.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® – Why We Like It: Good cash-back on everyday categories, and a nice “catch all” reward rate on other purchases, with no annual fee. Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services), 3% on drugstore purchases, and 1.5% on all other purchases. INTRO OFFER FOR NEW CARDHOLDERS: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). Could be worth up to $300 cash back 👀

Chase Freedom Flex℠ – Why We Like It: Good everyday earnings, plus the opportunity to earn 5% cash back in certain purchases throughout the year. Earn: 5% on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate, 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, 3% on drugstore purchases, 1% on all other purchases. NEW CARDHOLDER BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express – Why We Like It: Maybe the best rewards credit card for grocery purchases with no annual fee. EARN: 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 2% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations, 1% cash back on all other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

Most people looking for travel credit cards gravitate toward cards with flexible rewards — programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, and Capital One’s Venture miles program. Which program to choose and which card within that program to choose will depend on your travel habits or travel aspirations:

Best Luxury Travel Credit Cards: American Express

Frequent travelers often choose American Express because their cards offer more features that make travel easier. However, those features come at a higher price (as luxury often does), so you’ll want to think about your travel plans and card spending patterns before jumping in. The two best American Express cards for travel:

The Platinum Card® from American Express – If there is one travel credit card that is most associated with “prestige” or “luxury”, this is it. Rewards and perks galore including 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year), 5X points on prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com, probably the best, most extensive airport lounge network of all the luxury travel cards (The Global Lounge Collection), strong travel insurances/protections, and a wealth of potential credits on airline and hotel purchases as well as certain purchases from Uber, Clear, Saks Fifth Avenue, Equinox and more.

Points can be redeemed for travel booked at AmexTravel.com or you can transfer Membership Rewards points into the loyalty programs of American Express travel partners including Delta, Hilton, Marriott, as well as a number of international airlines and other partners. (You can use your points in other ways, too, if you choose.)

NEW CARDHOLDER BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. $695 annual fee. See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

American Express® Gold Card – If you aspire to travel more (but maybe don’t spend a lot on travel now), you might prefer this American Express card with a lower $250 annual fee and more points-earning opportunities on “everyday living” purchases. You can earn: 4X points at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.), 4X points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per year), 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, 1X points on other eligible purchases.

Points can be redeemed for travel booked at AmexTravel.com or you can transfer Membership Rewards points into the loyalty programs of American Express travel partners including Delta, Hilton, Marriott, as well as a number of international airlines and other partners. (You can use your points in other ways, too, if you choose.)

Potential Credits To Consider Include: Up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (add the Card to your Uber account to get $10 in Uber Cash each month for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S.) and an up to $120 Dining Credit annually (up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.).

New Cardholder Bonus Opportunity: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $4,000 within the first 6 months. See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

Most Flexible Travel Credit Cards: Chase / Chase Ultimate Rewards

Chase’s Ultimate Rewards program gives you the most flexibility as a cardholder when it comes to redeeming the points you receive, and the right combination of Chase cards can really supercharge your rewards earning and spending power. Here’s how:

1. Chase lets you redeem your Ultimate Rewards points for travel through its own Ultimate Rewards travel portal, where you can book your airfare, hotel, rental car, etc., all in one place OR you can transfer your points into desirable travel partner loyalty programs including Southwest, United, Hyatt, Marriott and more. Even better, if you decide you don’t want to use points for travel, you can still redeem them for cash back at a penny-per-point rate, which is much better than the “cash out” rate from American Express or Capital One.
2. If you hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the points you earn get a “boost” in value when used through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards booking portal. Specifically, you’ll get a 25% boost with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® and a 50% boost with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. IN ADDITION, you can hold other Chase credit cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited® and combine the points you earn from those cards with the points from the Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Chase Sapphire Reserve® — and still get that 25% or 50% boost on the points that came from the other cards. So what, you say? Well, in the case of the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and its 5% rotating reward categories, the 5 points per dollar you earn could increase in value by another 25% or 50%, meaning that 5% could equal 6.25% (at a 25% boost) or even 7.5% (at a 50% boost) when combined with a Sapphire card and used through the Chase travel booking portal.

Here are the two Chase Sapphire Cards to consider:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® – This $95 annual fee card recently beefed up its rewards (including 3 points per dollar on dining purchases and 5x/10x on most travel when booked through Chase’s travel portal), making it attractive as an everyday credit card. But, as noted above, it’s maybe even more attractive as the foundation to a larger strategy of obtaining multiple Chase cards and combining points to redeem at a 25% premium through Chase’s travel booking site or to get access to Chase travel transfer partners including United, Southwest, Hyatt, Marriott and more.

NEW CARDHOLDER BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. (Worth $750 in travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.)

Chase Sapphire Reserve® – Why We Like It: Despite a $550 annual fee, a frequent traveler can often find the value to justify that fee, including yearly travel reimbursements of up to $300, airport lounge access, good travel insurances, a 50% boost in reward point value when booking travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, and a great list of travel transfer partners, allowing you to transfer points into the loyalty programs of Southwest, United, Hyatt, JetBlue, Marriott, and a number of international airlines. NEW CARDHOLDER BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, which is worth $900 toward travel if you redeem through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® travel portal!

In terms of everyday rewards, you’ll earn 5 points per dollar on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, and 3x points on other travel. (Note that points aren’t earned on purchases toward the yearly $300 travel credit.) Also, you’ll earn 3x points on dining, including restaurants, eligible delivery services, and takeout (and earn 10x if dining reserved through Chase Dining), and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

! And if you choose a Chase Sapphire card, remember you may want to increase your earning/redeeming power with the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and/or the Chase Freedom Unlimited®.

We all know Starbucks is ridiculously successful and has tens of thousands of locations in the United States and around the world. But which location is the most successful, hauling in the most revenue each year?

We asked Starbucks. They wouldn’t tell us. (“We do not release this level of information,” they said.)

So we had to try to figure it out on our own. How? Well, with a little science, a little supposition, and a little hearsay, we made this list of 7 Starbucks locations that are probably at least in the top ten, though it’s hard to know which might take the top spot for making the most money.

(Note that this list does not include the massive Starbucks Roastery locations. The Shanghai Roastery has been confirmed by Starbucks as having the highest revenue of any single location, but it is much larger than a traditional Starbucks store, so we decided not to count it or the Seattle Roastery location.)

• The Original, 1912 Pike Place, Seattle, Washington – Technically, Starbucks did not start here (it moved here from a previous spot nearby), but it is the child of the original and is thus the location open longest. It’s small, at only about 1,000 square feet, but you won’t be surprised to learn that visitors are more than willing to stand in line (out the door) to say they had a cup at the very first Starbucks location. Translation: this store makes a LOT of money, maybe the most of any Starbucks location.
• 43rd & Broadway, New York City – The “Times Square Starbucks” is likely to be doing a brisk business. In fact, in the past, Starbucks reps have said that it is one of the top two stores, with the original location above being the other. Which location is #1 today?

(This is a regularly updated post; last update 7/1/22.) If you’ve ever been pitched on opening a new credit card at a retail store while making a purchase, you know that some stores are more than happy to give you instant credit — you apply on the spot, get approved, and you can use the card immediately. Below we offer a list of such cards, including regular bank credit cards as well as retail credit cards. Apply online and get shopping today. (Note that instant approval is not guaranteed.)

• Chase Credit Cards – Most Chase consumer credit cards (not business cards) now offer a “Spend Instantly” feature that gives you the potential for instant approval and then same-day usage through digital wallets Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. (You add your new Chase card to the digital wallet via the Chase mobile app.) Popular Chase credit cards include: Chase Freedom Flex℠, Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Chase Sapphire Preferred®, Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
• American Express Cards – Most American Express cards offer the possibility of an “Instant Card Number” upon approval. Your eligibility is based on the “ability to instantly validate your identity.” If eligible, use the Instant Card Number even before you have the physical card (though possibly not the card’s complete credit line). Instant Card Number cards include: Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, American Express® Gold Card, The Platinum Card® from American Express. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

Updated July 1, 2022 – Comenity Bank and its sister company Comenity Capital Bank are the issuers behind many retail store credit cards and other credit cards. (Both banks are subsidiaries of Bread Financial, formerly named Alliance Data.) If you have a credit card from one of the companies listed below, it’s not issued by the store whose name is on the front, but instead by Comenity:

• Academy Sports Credit Card
• AKC (American Kennel Club) (Card no longer offered)
• Alphaeon Medical Credit
• Ann Taylor
• Appliances Connection
• Arhaus
• Ashley Stewart
• Avenue
• B&H Payboo Credit Card
• Ballard Designs
• Bealls Florida Credit Card
• Bealls Outlet / Burkes Outlet
• Bed Bath & Beyond
• Big Lots

The best business credit cards have generous business-focused rewards while allowing you to separate business expenses from personal. Among the business credit cards that meet that standard:

American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card – Why We Like It: Generous, simple CASH BACK rewards formula with no annual fee. Choose this if you want great rewards without having to think too hard about those rewards while you’ve got your mind on your business.

Your business earns: 2% Cash Back on eligible business purchases up to $50,000 per calendar year, automatically credited to your statement. (Eligible purchases are purchases for goods and services minus returns and other credits.) Your business then earns 1% cash back on other eligible purchases after the first $50K spent on your Card, automatically credited to your statement.

New Cardholder Welcome Bonus Opportunity: Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months. See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express – Why We Like It: Generous, simple-to-understand rewards with no annual fee. Great option if you’re already earning Membership Rewards® points with other American Express credit cards.

Your business earns: 2X Points on eligible business purchases, on up to $50,000 in spending per calendar year. (Eligible purchases are purchases for goods and services minus returns and other credits.) Your business then earns 1X Points on other eligible purchases after the first $50K spent with the card. Points can be redeemed within the popular Membership Rewards program toward a variety of travel rewards as well as other options.

New Cardholder Welcome Bonus Opportunity: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card – Why We Like It: High reward opportunities (as high as 5%) on common small business categories, big new cardholder bonus opportunity, and no annual fee.

EARN: 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

NEW CARDHOLDER BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening.

Below are the current AAA Five Diamond hotels for 2022. (The 5 Diamond list was originally announced in April of 2022.)

Five Diamond Hotels in the United States

👇

Arizona

• Fairmont Scottsdale Princess – Scottsdale
• Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North – Scottsdale
• The Phoenician – Scottsdale
• The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician – Scottsdale
• The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain – Marana (Tucson)

California (listed north to south):

Northern:

• The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe – Truckee
• The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco – San Francisco
• Chateau du Sureau – Oakhurst

Los Angeles & Surrounding:

• Ojai Valley Inn – Ojai
• Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village – Westlake Village
• The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows – Beverly Hills
• The Peninsula Beverly Hills – Beverly Hills
• Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills – Beverly Hills
• Hotel Bel-Air – Los Angeles
• The Resort at Pelican Hill – Newport Beach
• Montage Laguna Beach – Laguna Beach
• Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach – Dana Point
• The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel – Dana Point

San Diego & Surrounding:

• Park Hyatt Aviara Resort – Carlsbad
• Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa – Rancho Santa Fe
• Fairmont Grand Del Mar – San Diego
• The Lodge at Torrey Pines – La Jolla / San Diego

NOTE: Chase doesn’t publish information on card approval odds or minimum credit scores needed. This article is based on information from past successful (and unsuccessful) Chase Freedom Flex℠ applicants; your results may differ.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is on the easier end of Chase’s credit card lineup when it comes to approval odds. If you’re not completely new to credit, and if you’ve successfully handled one or more other credit cards for at least a year, your chances of approval will be fairly high. On the other hand, if you’ve never had a credit card before, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ probably won’t be your first.

Chase Freedom Flex Approval Odds / Credit Score Needed

You’ll probably need at least a 650 credit score to have a chance at approval for the Chase Freedom Flex℠, with the odds increasing as your credit score increases. In general, you could look at the following credit score ranges to assess your odds:

• If you have at least one year of credit history and a credit score over 750, your chances for approval with the Chase Freedom Flex℠ are very good — probably 80%-90% of applicants would be approved with those qualifications. If you have greater than two years of credit history and a 750+ score, your chances are even better.
• If you’re between a 700 and 750 credit score, your chances are still good for approval, with probably 70%-75% of such applicants being approved. Again, your chances will be better with at least a year of credit history, and even better with two years or more.
• If your FICO credit score is 650 to 700, your approval odds are probably only 50-50, and you might want to wait until you’ve achieved a 700 score before you apply.