Best Points Credit Cards

The credit card points that are worth the most are U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Rewards points, worth 1.5 cents per point when used for travel and 1.11 cents each on average. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are a close second, worth an average of 1.07 cents per point and up to 1.5 cents each when used for travel.

Most Valuable Credit Card Points

For comparison, credit card points are usually worth about 1 cent each, but this varies by issuer, card and redemption method.

* You can get the best redemption value for the UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card when you use your points to pay for the $495 annual fee. Otherwise, the best redemption option is travel, which gets you 1.1 cents per point.

Other Credit Cards with Valuable Points

Certain cards may offer a high redemption value for a particular option but low savings potential overall due to low earning rates. One example is the Mastercard® Gold Card, which offers points worth 1.33 cents on average and 2 cents when redeemed for cash back. However, cardholders only earn 1 point per $1 spent on purchases and must pay a $995 annual fee. As a result, we did not include this card in the table above.

You may also be able to get a higher value with U.S. Bank FlexPerks Rewards Program points, which are worth 1.18 cents on average, but FlexPerks cards are not currently available to new applicants. Additionally, several of the largest credit card issuers have different points programs for different cards, and the value of their points can vary between programs.

Most Valuable Co-Branded Credit Card Points

You can also get significant value out of loyalty points from co-branded cards like the Amtrak Credit Card. Amtrak Guest Rewards points are worth up to 2.67 cents each and are most valuable when used for Amtrak travel. The Amtrak Credit Card offers 1 - 3 points per $1 spent, and the points can be redeemed for hotel stays, car rentals, cruises, gift cards, and Amtrak travel.

For more options, check out WalletHub’s picks for the best rewards cards overall. You can also learn how to maximize your rewards from WalletHub’s full guide on credit card points.

The best double points credit card is the Fifth Third Bank Preferred Cash/Back Card because it offers 2 points per $1 spent on all purchases. The card also has a $0 annual fee, and it requires excellent credit for approval.

There are more cards that offer double points in select purchase categories or on all purchases. You can check out the best options below.

Best Double Points Credit Cards in 2024

Double points credit cards can give you an excellent return on...

The difference between cash back and points is that the former is the most versatile type of credit card rewards, as it can be redeemed for anything, and there’s never any doubt about how much it’s worth. Points, on the other hand, have a value set by the credit card company and tend to be worth the most when redeemed for travel. Credit card companies won’t always clearly disclose points values, and those values can change over...

You earn Chase Freedom Unlimited points, not cash back. More specifically, Chase Freedom Unlimited is part of the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, which is a points-based system. But you can still trade your points for cash back. So, the 1.5 points you get for every $1 you spend are the equivalent of 1.5% cash back.

This is why you may see cash back instead of points in Chase marketing materials when referring to the rewards you earn for Chase Freedom Unlimited.

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The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for travel and dining purchases. For example, 10,000 Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card points are worth $100 in travel expenses. Redeeming for travel and dining is your best option with this card. 

The points are significantly less valuable when redeemed for gift cards or cash back. For example, each point is worth 0.6 cents when redeemed for cash back. Gift card redemption values vary by merchant.

Yes, rewards credit cards are worth it as long as you don’t overspend just to earn the rewards and you avoid interest charges by paying your bill in full every month. The best rewards credit cards are worth more than $2,000 in savings for the average person over the first two years of use, after annual fees.

You need good or excellent credit to get the most worthwhile rewards cards, however. Things aren’t as clear-cut for people with lower scores.

You can earn and redeem American Express Platinum card points by using this card for purchases. With your American Express Platinum card, you’ll earn 1 - 5 points per $1 spent on purchases. To qualify for this card’s 5 points / $1 rewards rate, flights must be booked directly through the airline’s website or through Amex Travel (up to $500,000 spent per year), and hotels must be booked through Amex.

In addition, the American Express Platinum card offers 80,000 points for spending $8,000 in the first 6 months. When you redeem American Express Platinum card points, they’re generally worth around 0.7 cents to 1...