To see rates & fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please click here.
To see rates & fees for the Platinum Card® from American Express please click here.
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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
LendingTree is an advertising-supported comparison service. The site features products from our partners as well as institutions which are not advertising partners. While we make an effort to include the best deals available to the general public, we make no warranty that such information represents all available products.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
December 10, 2021
*Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through a credit card issuer partnership.
This article was last updated December 10, 2021 . Terms and conditions may have changed. For the most accurate information, please consult the issuer website.
An excellent credit score can help you qualify for the best credit cards on the market, with generous rewards and valuable benefits. Whether you need travel rewards, cash back, an introductory 0% APR period or something else, having excellent credit means higher odds that you’ll be approved. Based on a review of cards available on LendingTree, as well as from top national issuers, we’ve selected the top credit cards for excellent credit in a variety of categories. If you’re wondering what constitutes excellent credit, here are the FICO® Score ranges:
Once your score hits the very good or exceptional tier, you should be able to qualify for some of the best rates on credit products. Typically, the highest credit score you can get is 850, though some scoring models have different ranges. For example, the FICO Bankcard Score 8 goes up to 900.
While there are many credit cards that earn flat-rate rewards, it’s common to earn 1.5% cash back or less per $1 spent. The Citi® Double Cash Card offers better: Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. And because the annual fee is $0, all the cash back you earn is net money in your bank account (assuming you don’t incur interest charges or other fees) right from the start. Be aware that unlike some competing flat-rate cards, this one doesn’t give you the full 2% back up front — you earn the second half as long as you make at least the minimum payment each month, but if you’re late on a payment, you’ll sacrifice that extra 1%.
If you don’t want to deal with higher rewards in certain spending categories and lower rewards in others, or having to activate rotating bonus categories each quarter, a flat-rate cashback card like the Citi® Double Cash Card is probably what you want in your wallet. The card also comes with a lengthy intro APR period on balance transfers, so it’s a good choice for those who need to pay off high-interest debt from another credit card. Get 0% for 18 months on balance transfers. After, a 16.24% - 26.24% (variable) APR applies. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
While there are many credit cards that earn flat-rate rewards, it’s common to earn 1.5% cash back or less per $1 spent. The Citi® Double Cash Card offers better: Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. And because the annual fee is $0, all the cash back you earn is net money in your bank account (assuming you don’t incur interest charges or other fees) right from the start. Be aware that unlike some competing flat-rate cards, this one doesn’t give you the full 2% back up front — you earn the second half as long as you make at least the minimum payment each month, but if you’re late on a payment, you’ll sacrifice that extra 1%.
If you don’t want to deal with higher rewards in certain spending categories and lower rewards in others, or having to activate rotating bonus categories each quarter, a flat-rate cashback card like the Citi® Double Cash Card is probably what you want in your wallet. The card also comes with a lengthy intro APR period on balance transfers, so it’s a good choice for those who need to pay off high-interest debt from another credit card. Get 0% for 18 months on balance transfers. After, a 16.24% - 26.24% (variable) APR applies. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Check out our review of the Citi® Double Cash Card .
If earning 2% back on every purchase isn’t enough to get you excited, check out the Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card. Earn up to 2.5% cash back on your first $10,000 of qualifying eligible purchases (1.5% for purchases over $10,000).
Note that to earn the 2.5% back rate, you must qualify for Tier One rewards, which means meeting the requirements for an Alliant High-Rate Checking account for each month of the preceding quarter, and keeping an average daily balance of $1,000 or more in that account during the preceding quarter as well.
Otherwise, you’ll earn Tier Two rewards, which means 1.5% back on all eligible purchases.
The card’s annual fee is $0.
This card is best for consumers who can afford to maintain a large amount of cash in a Alliant High-Rate Checking account. Without that ability, you won’t be able to qualify for this card’s elevated cashback rate. That said, those who do qualify will earn a generous flat cashback rate.
Also, you have to join Alliant Credit Union to get this card. Ways to qualify for membership include:
For consumers unable to qualify through the above methods, Alliant offers the option to join by supporting a partner charity, Foster Care to Success (FC2S). You don’t have to join FC2S separately — when applying for Alliant membership, you can allow the credit union to share your name and contact information with FC2S and pay the $5 membership fee on your behalf.
If earning 2% back on every purchase isn’t enough to get you excited, check out the Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card. Earn up to 2.5% cash back on your first $10,000 of qualifying eligible purchases (1.5% for purchases over $10,000).
Note that to earn the 2.5% back rate, you must qualify for Tier One rewards, which means meeting the requirements for an Alliant High-Rate Checking account for each month of the preceding quarter, and keeping an average daily balance of $1,000 or more in that account during the preceding quarter as well.
Otherwise, you’ll earn Tier Two rewards, which means 1.5% back on all eligible purchases.
The card’s annual fee is $0.
This card is best for consumers who can afford to maintain a large amount of cash in a Alliant High-Rate Checking account. Without that ability, you won’t be able to qualify for this card’s elevated cashback rate. That said, those who do qualify will earn a generous flat cashback rate.
Also, you have to join Alliant Credit Union to get this card. Ways to qualify for membership include:
For consumers unable to qualify through the above methods, Alliant offers the option to join by supporting a partner charity, Foster Care to Success (FC2S). You don’t have to join FC2S separately — when applying for Alliant membership, you can allow the credit union to share your name and contact information with FC2S and pay the $5 membership fee on your behalf.
Frequent travelers will find much to love about the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and it is often rated as one of the best rewards cards among travel bloggers. For starters, it offers a $300 annual travel credit, which automatically reimburses cardholders for travel purchases made on the card. And for rewards, earn 5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
There’s a generous sign-up bonus as well: New Offer! Earn 60,000 bonus points 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®. And for cardholders who enroll in an eligible Peloton membership through an enrollment link provided by Chase, earn up to $120 back on that membership as a statement credit. This offer is valid through June 30, 2022.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is best for travelers who value flexibility and are willing to pay for a card with premium benefits. With a $550 annual fee, it’s not for someone who travels once or twice a year. Points earned with this card are Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, and when redeemed for travel via the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, each point is worth 50% more — for example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel. You can also transfer your points at a 1:1 value to the following travel partners:
You can take this card abroad with no worries, because the foreign transaction fee is $0.
And finally, cardholders get a complimentary membership (enrollment required) in Priority Pass Select, which offers access to more than 1,000 airport lounges in over 500 cities.
Frequent travelers will find much to love about the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and it is often rated as one of the best rewards cards among travel bloggers. For starters, it offers a $300 annual travel credit, which automatically reimburses cardholders for travel purchases made on the card. And for rewards, earn 5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
There’s a generous sign-up bonus as well: New Offer! Earn 60,000 bonus points 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®. And for cardholders who enroll in an eligible Peloton membership through an enrollment link provided by Chase, earn up to $120 back on that membership as a statement credit. This offer is valid through June 30, 2022.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is best for travelers who value flexibility and are willing to pay for a card with premium benefits. With a $550 annual fee, it’s not for someone who travels once or twice a year. Points earned with this card are Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, and when redeemed for travel via the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, each point is worth 50% more — for example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel. You can also transfer your points at a 1:1 value to the following travel partners:
You can take this card abroad with no worries, because the foreign transaction fee is $0.
And finally, cardholders get a complimentary membership (enrollment required) in Priority Pass Select, which offers access to more than 1,000 airport lounges in over 500 cities.
Check out our review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Foodies can rake in the points with the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card, all for a $0 annual fee. Earn 4X points on dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery, 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, gas stations, EV charging stations and on streaming services. Plus, a $15 credit for annual streaming purchases like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify®, Apple Music, Disney+, HBO Max and more! And earn 1X points on all other eligible purchases.
There’s also a sign-up bonus that offers excellent value for a reasonable spend amount. Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
If you frequently dine out at restaurants or order a lot of takeout and delivery, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card can reward you handsomely. It’s also a great choice if you love streaming TV, because there’s an annual $15 streaming credit after 11 consecutive calendar months of eligible streaming service purchases (such as Netflix or Spotify). Note that U.S. Bank may deny applicants who have applied for any credit card in the past six months, or have applied for more than one credit card in the past year.
Foodies can rake in the points with the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card, all for a $0 annual fee. Earn 4X points on dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery, 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, gas stations, EV charging stations and on streaming services. Plus, a $15 credit for annual streaming purchases like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify®, Apple Music, Disney+, HBO Max and more! And earn 1X points on all other eligible purchases.
There’s also a sign-up bonus that offers excellent value for a reasonable spend amount. Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
If you frequently dine out at restaurants or order a lot of takeout and delivery, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card can reward you handsomely. It’s also a great choice if you love streaming TV, because there’s an annual $15 streaming credit after 11 consecutive calendar months of eligible streaming service purchases (such as Netflix or Spotify). Note that U.S. Bank may deny applicants who have applied for any credit card in the past six months, or have applied for more than one credit card in the past year.
Check out our review of the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns the highest rate on U.S. supermarket purchases of any card we’ve come across, as well as competitive rates on gas and transit. Cardholders can earn 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more), 1% Cash Back on other purchases. Terms apply.
Cardholders can also earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months. Cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit.
If you spend a lot on grocery store purchases, gas and transit, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is designed for you. Be aware there’s a $95 annual fee. If you spend at least $132 a month on purchases that earn 6% cash back, you can recoup that amount.
To see rates & fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please click here.
To see rates & fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please click here.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns the highest rate on U.S. supermarket purchases of any card we’ve come across, as well as competitive rates on gas and transit. Cardholders can earn 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more), 1% Cash Back on other purchases. Terms apply.
Cardholders can also earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months. Cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit.
If you spend a lot on grocery store purchases, gas and transit, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is designed for you. Be aware there’s a $95 annual fee. If you spend at least $132 a month on purchases that earn 6% cash back, you can recoup that amount.
To see rates & fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please click here.
To see rates & fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please click here.
Check out our review of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Terms apply. Plus, earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. There’s also airport lounge access and travel benefits, which we’ll detail next.
Travelers willing to pay a $695 annual fee for a luxury card with top-of-the-line benefits and unparalleled airport lounge access will love the Platinum Card® from American Express. It offers access to the Global Lounge Collection, which includes more than 1,200 lounges across 130 countries and counting.
The Global Lounge Collection includes airport lounges in the following networks:
This card also offers flexibility in how you use your rewards. Points earned on the Platinum Card® from American Express can be transferred to the following airline and hotel travel partners, often at a 1:1 ratio:
To see rates & fees for the Platinum Card® from American Express please click here.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Terms apply. Plus, earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. There’s also airport lounge access and travel benefits, which we’ll detail next.
Travelers willing to pay a $695 annual fee for a luxury card with top-of-the-line benefits and unparalleled airport lounge access will love the Platinum Card® from American Express. It offers access to the Global Lounge Collection, which includes more than 1,200 lounges across 130 countries and counting.
The Global Lounge Collection includes airport lounges in the following networks:
This card also offers flexibility in how you use your rewards. Points earned on the Platinum Card® from American Express can be transferred to the following airline and hotel travel partners, often at a 1:1 ratio:
To see rates & fees for the Platinum Card® from American Express please click here.
Check out our review of The Platinum Card® from American Express.
This card earns handsomely on Hilton stays: Earn 14X per $1 of eligible purchases on your card directly with a participating Hilton hotel or resort, 7X for eligible purchases: on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com; on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies; & at U.S. restaurants, and 3X for other purchases on your card. Plus, earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express is aimed at travelers who frequent Hilton properties and don’t mind paying a $450 annual fee for a card with luxury travel benefits. Cardholders get complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status, which comes with benefits such as 100% bonus points on all base points you earn, room upgrades and more. Plus, you can get one weekend night reward every year after your card renewal, as well as earn an additional night if you spend $60,000 on purchases in a calendar year.
This card earns handsomely on Hilton stays: Earn 14X per $1 of eligible purchases on your card directly with a participating Hilton hotel or resort, 7X for eligible purchases: on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com; on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies; & at U.S. restaurants, and 3X for other purchases on your card. Plus, earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express is aimed at travelers who frequent Hilton properties and don’t mind paying a $450 annual fee for a card with luxury travel benefits. Cardholders get complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status, which comes with benefits such as 100% bonus points on all base points you earn, room upgrades and more. Plus, you can get one weekend night reward every year after your card renewal, as well as earn an additional night if you spend $60,000 on purchases in a calendar year.
It’s hard to beat this card’s intro APR period of 0% for 21 months on balance transfers. After, a 15.99% - 25.99% (variable) APR applies. There’s also an intro APR period for purchases: 0% for 12 months on purchases. After, a 15.99% - 25.99% (variable) APR applies.
The card does not offer a sign-up bonus or rewards.
If you’re carrying high-interest debt on another credit card, doing a balance transfer to the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card could help you become debt-free more quickly by giving you a period of time where your payments go entirely to the principal of the debt, rather than toward interest charges first and then the principal. Note that a balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum. However, depending on what you’re paying in interest charges while carrying a balance, you might still save money after paying the balance transfer fee on this card.
Note that you cannot transfer debt from another card issued by Citi. Finally, the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is also a solid choice if you’re planning a big purchase and would like to spread the payments out over time without incurring interest.
It’s hard to beat this card’s intro APR period of 0% for 21 months on balance transfers. After, a 15.99% - 25.99% (variable) APR applies. There’s also an intro APR period for purchases: 0% for 12 months on purchases. After, a 15.99% - 25.99% (variable) APR applies.
The card does not offer a sign-up bonus or rewards.
If you’re carrying high-interest debt on another credit card, doing a balance transfer to the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card could help you become debt-free more quickly by giving you a period of time where your payments go entirely to the principal of the debt, rather than toward interest charges first and then the principal. Note that a balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum. However, depending on what you’re paying in interest charges while carrying a balance, you might still save money after paying the balance transfer fee on this card.
Note that you cannot transfer debt from another card issued by Citi. Finally, the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is also a solid choice if you’re planning a big purchase and would like to spread the payments out over time without incurring interest.
Check out our review of the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card.
This card from Chase offers a versatile rewards program: Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases—with no limit to the amount you can earn. There’s a sign-up bonus, too: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Business owners who want rewards in a variety of categories and who desire flexibility in how they can use rewards will appreciate the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, it earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. When redeemed for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, points are worth 25% more. For example, 100,000 points redeemed through the portal are worth $1,250 in travel. You can also transfer points at a 1:1 value to a variety of airline and hotel travel partners.
This card from Chase offers a versatile rewards program: Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases—with no limit to the amount you can earn. There’s a sign-up bonus, too: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Business owners who want rewards in a variety of categories and who desire flexibility in how they can use rewards will appreciate the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, it earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. When redeemed for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, points are worth 25% more. For example, 100,000 points redeemed through the portal are worth $1,250 in travel. You can also transfer points at a 1:1 value to a variety of airline and hotel travel partners.
Check out our review of the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Glen Luke Flanagan is a senior credit card writer for LendingTree. He joined the team in June 2019, and covers topics including new credit cards, how your credit score works and what you need to know about credit card interest.
Before joining LendingTree, Glen worked in journalism and government communications. As a journalist at newspapers in North Carolina and South Carolina, his reporting won awards from the North Carolina Press Association and the South Carolina Press Association, respectively.
Glen earned his bachelor’s degree in media studies with a concentration in journalism from Radford University, graduating summa cum laude in May 2014. He also earned a master’s degree in English with a concentration in technical and professional communication, as well as a graduate certificate in marketing, from East Carolina University in May 2022.
The above offers and/or promotions may have since changed, expired, or is no longer available. Check the Issuers’ website for more details.