ImagePixel/Getty Images; Illustration by Issiah Davis/Bankrate
Key takeaways
The right credit card program for you depends on how you spend and how you prefer to redeem rewards.
Top rewards programs offer flexible earning structures and valuable redemption options, including points transfers.
Many also include extra perks like limited-time offers, dining rewards and exclusive access to entertainment and events.
Choosing the right credit card for your lifestyle and goals means considering the card’s full picture. What are its rates and fees? Does it offer additional perks you can use? Can you use it every day?
If you’re considering a new rewards credit card, you should also be considering what its rewards program offers and if it can enhance your financial goals.
Beyond the basic “earn rewards, redeem rewards” steps, each credit card rewards program works differently. Differing redemption options and program rules will likely make one program a better fit for you, while another program could work better for someone else.
Best rewards programs of this year
To build our list of top credit card rewards programs, Bankrate considered the ease of earning and redeeming rewards, the potential value of those rewards and how a program fits into a particular lifestyle.
Let’s take a closer look at the best credit card rewards programs in 2026, including some of the best cards to consider from each.
Badge Icon Best For Beginners
The Capital One miles program offers serious earning potential for frequent travelers, but it’s the straightforward redemption options that make this our top pick for those just starting to explore how travel rewards cards work.
Rewards program basics: Earn Capital One miles with one of several credit cards, ranging from no-annual-fee options to a premium card with luxury perks for the frequent traveler. If you hold multiple Capital One cards that earn miles, you can pool rewards in a single bucket to stretch your rewards even further.
How to redeem miles: The simplest way to redeem your miles is for a statement credit to cover travel purchases made on your card. You can also transfer rewards to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs, or redeem them for cash back, merchandise, gift cards and more.
Redemption options and value of rewards: The value you get from your miles depends on how you redeem them.
Badge Icon Best for base rate earning
The Citi ThankYou Rewards program is a standout because you can increase your earning potential substantially by using more than one Citi credit card and pooling your Citi ThankYou points together. Several of the cards offer stellar intro 0% APR options as well as top base-rate earnings.
Rewards program basics: Citi ThankYou points can accumulate quickly thanks to high earnings on everyday purchases across several card options. With a premium Citi card, you can transfer points to travel partners for top value.
How to redeem: You can typically redeem Citi ThankYou points for cash back, travel through the Citi portal, gift cards, merchandise or charitable donations. You can also pay with points when shopping with select merchants, and your points may be transferable to Citi travel partners, depending on the card you have.
Redemption options and value of rewards: Once again, the value of your rewards depends on how you redeem them as well as which Citi cards you have.
Badge Icon Best for combining multiple rewards cards
The Chase Ultimate Rewards program offers a long list of ways to earn and redeem rewards, and some redemption options even come with a higher value base rate.
Rewards program basics: Chase Ultimate Rewards are easy to earn through regular spending on a number of different credit cards, including several options with no annual fee. Combine your rewards across multiple cards and with up to one person sharing your household to see your rewards bank grow more quickly.
How to redeem points: Redeem Chase points through the Chase Travel℠ portal for travel, gift cards, merchandise, cash back and more. If you hold a premium card, you can also transfer rewards to travel loyalty partners.
Redemption options and value of rewards: The value of your points depends on how you redeem them.
Badge Icon Best for a wide variety of redemption options
The American Express Membership Rewards program has an impressive variety of redemption options, which include booking travel through the Amex portal, statement credits, gift cards, select merchandise or transferring Amex points to hotel and airline partners.
Rewards program basics: American Express features a number of high-value transfer partner options, making Membership Rewards one of the best card rewards programs for travel card aficionados. American Express is also transparent about the value of points for various redemption options, which simplifies how you spend your points.
How to redeem points: Membership Rewards points open the door to a wide range of redemption options, including travel, transfers to partners, gift cards, paying with points and more.
Redemption options and value of rewards: Your points value depends on how you redeem your points, but travel redemptions and transfers to travel partners generally net the most value.
Badge Icon Best for loyalty
The Bank of America travel rewards program offers a simplistic approach to credit card rewards. But for people with an established Bank of America relationship and balances that qualify for the Preferred Rewards program, earnings can be impressive.
Rewards program basics: The program offers access to the Bank of America Travel Center. Some cards also feature Visa Signature benefits, which may include such perks as extended warranty protection, baggage delay reimbursement, trip cancellation and interruption insurance and concierge services, among others.
How to redeem: Earn rewards points for every dollar spent with eligible cards in this program. Many cards in this program offer a higher, flat rewards rate on all purchases, but some also offer higher rewards rates on dining and travel-related purchases. Plus, if you’re a member of the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program, you can earn 25% to 75% more rewards in each spending category, depending on your membership tier.
Redemption options and value of rewards: Your points value depends on how you redeem your points, but travel redemptions and transfers to travel partners generally net the most value.
Badge Icon Best for points flexibility
Bilt Rewards is highly valued for its redemption flexibility and numerous transfer partners. With recent changes to its rewards program, this may be one of the top rewards card suites to watch.
Rewards program basics: In January 2026, Bilt upgraded its rewards program, making its points some of the most flexible when it comes to redemption options. Bilt recently introduced Bilt Cash, a new currency in the program that can be redeemed at dollar-for-dollar value for hotel credits, dining credits and more. Bilt Cash can begin to be earned and redeemed in February 2026, and does not replace Bilt Points, which can also be earned by cardholders and stacked with Bilt Cash. In addition, Bilt offers Rent Day rewards on the first of every month which usually involve special promotions.
How to redeem: Bilt has a travel portal and everyday rewards portal for cardholders to redeem their rewards, making it easy to redeem, transfer, and use Bilt Cash and Points.
Redemption options and value of rewards: Cardholders can redeem their points and Bilt Cash with any of the 16 airline partners or 6 hotel partners available. They can also use their points for everyday expenses like Lyft rides, gift cards and Amazon.com purchases. According to Bankrate’s latest valuations, Bilt Rewards stand to be the highest-valued, with each Bilt Point averaging 2.1 cents when transferred to a high-value partner.
How to maximize value through your credit card rewards program
To maximize the value of your credit card rewards, start with our four tips:
Get a credit card that rewards your existing spending habits. If you spend a lot on gas, groceries or business expenses, get a card that rewards you for these types of purchases.
Activate program offers and rotating categories (if applicable). Some offers or categories need to be activated before you can earn rewards. This typically applies to cash back cards that offer rotating categories which change each quarter.
Take advantage of any welcome offers. You can earn additional rewards as a new cardholder by earning a welcome bonus, which usually involves meeting a specific spending threshold within a specific time period — typically three to six months.
Redeem rewards with transfer partners, when possible. You’ll often get the most value for your points or miles when you transfer them to eligible airline partners.
The bottom line
Credit cards can be a fantastic tool for earning rewards on purchases you’re likely to make anyway. The key is to use a credit card responsibly, which includes only borrowing what you can comfortably afford to pay back and paying the balance in full each month to avoid interest charges. With responsible behavior and a great credit card rewards program, you can get a lot of value from your credit card.
Frequently asked questions about credit card reward programs
The best way to use a rewards card is to use it for purchases that you already make, especially if those purchases earn a boosted rewards rate. To ensure you’re making the most of your spending, compare rewards programs and rewards credit cards before you apply.
To earn credit card rewards, first find a rewards program and a card that suits your goals and spending habits. The best credit card rewards programs include a variety of ways to earn and redeem your rewards. Once you’ve chosen a program, simply make purchases with a participating credit card to begin earning your rewards.
The ways in which you can redeem credit card rewards differ by the rewards program and the specific card you have. The top credit card rewards programs typically allow you to redeem rewards for travel, cash back, gift cards and more.
*Information about the American Express Green Card® has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.
The Bank of America content in this post was last updated on Jan. 14, 2026.
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