After years of reviewing credit cards, these are my top picks for people with strong credit

If your credit score is around average, there’s a good chance you already fall into the “good credit” range.

Experian says the average credit score in 2025 was 713, and roughly 70% of U.S. consumers with credit scores are at 700 or above, which Experian classifies as good credit.

That can make it easier to qualify for a mortgage or auto loan at more favorable rates. It can also open the door to credit cards that earn cash back or travel rewards.

If your credit is in good shape, you may want to look at some of the best cards for people in that category.

These cards offer different perks, earning structures and fees, so comparing them can help you choose the one that best fits your spending habits.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for casual travelers

• Why it stands out: Bonus points in popular spending categories and a strong welcome offer, all for a modest annual fee.
• Annual fee: $95.
• Welcome offer: 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first three months from account opening.
• Who it’s for: Occasional travelers who want points usable across many airlines and hotel programs.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has long been a go-to travel card for many people. For its $95 annual fee, it offers solid value, even if it doesn’t come with top-tier luxury perks. Its sign-up bonus can also give cardholders with good credit a strong head start toward a future trip.

The card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which are among the most flexible rewards currencies available. They can be transferred to several airline and hotel programs, including Hyatt, Southwest and United. You can also redeem them through Chase Travel℠, where the Points Boost feature can improve redemption value. Either way, the points can get you traveling quickly.

This card also earns bonus points in categories many people use regularly. It is one of our favorite cards for online grocery purchases and among the best choices for dining.

You’ll earn points at these rates:

• 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠.
• 3x points on dining, online grocery purchases, vacation homes through eligible providers such as Airbnb and Vbro, gas and EV charging, and select streaming services.
• 2x points on other travel purchases.
• 1x point on all other purchases.

New cardholders can currently earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That bonus alone can be quite valuable. For instance, 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points transferred to Air Canada Aeroplan could help cover a business-class ticket from the East Coast of the U.S. to western Europe, including nonstop flights on airlines such as United and Lufthansa.

Additional benefits include broad travel and purchase protections, such as rental car insurance and trip delay coverage for eligible out-of-pocket costs during delays of more than 12 hours or overnight. The card also includes a $100 annual hotel statement credit usable through Chase Travel℠.

If you have good credit and are new to travel rewards, this can be a strong first card. It rewards common spending and offers access to some of the best airline and hotel transfer partners. It is also appealing to experienced points users. In some ways, it is the younger sibling of the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve®, but it can be especially strong for everyday spending.

American Express Platinum Card®: Best for airport lounge access

• Why it stands out: Offers the most extensive airport lounge access of any card on the market.
• Annual fee: $895 (see rates & fees).
• Welcome offer: Earn as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you use your new card to make $12,000 in purchases in the first 6 months after opening the account. The welcome offer varies, and you may not be eligible for an offer. You’ll need to apply first to find out your exact welcome offer amount (with no credit score impact; however, if you’re approved and choose to accept the card offer, your score may be impacted).
• Who it’s for: Very frequent travelers who can make full use of its travel benefits and statement credits.

For premium travel perks, the American Express Platinum Card stands out. Its annual fee is among the highest available at $895, but the travel and lifestyle benefits can more than make up for it. It is also a strong choice for airfare, earning 5 points per dollar on those purchases, though everyday spending earns only 1 point per dollar.

The card’s biggest draw is airport lounge access. American Express’ Global Lounge Collection includes more than 1,550 lounges* across networks such as Delta Sky Clubs, Plaza Premium and American Express Centurion Lounges. Cardholders also receive Priority Pass™ Select membership, which opens the door to many third-party lounges around the world. *As of 01/2026.

Additional perks include complimentary elite status with Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, Hertz Gold Rewards, National Executive Club and Avis Preferred, as long as the account remains open and in good standing. These statuses can unlock upgrades and other benefits when staying at participating hotels or renting with eligible car rental brands.

The Amex Platinum also includes a long list of statement credits that can help offset the annual fee. They cover areas such as hotels, dining and more, but they do require keeping track of the details. You can manage them in the American Express app. Included credits are:

• Up to $600 hotel credit: Redeemable on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel®; $300 can be used semiannually. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. Effective January 1, 2027, Fine Hotels + Resorts® bookings will require a minimum two-night stay to qualify for the $600 Hotel Credit.
• Up to $200 airline fee credit: Covers incidental fees with one selected airline per calendar year, such as seat selection or lounge passes.
• Up to $209 CLEAR+ credit: Annual CLEAR+ membership for faster airport security at select airports.
• Uber Credits ($200+): $15 per month in Uber Cash, plus a $20 bonus in December, usable for rides or UberEats orders.
• Up to $400 Resy dining credit: $100 per quarter at eligible Resy restaurants.
• Up to $300 digital entertainment credit: Monthly credits for eligible digital subscriptions.
• Up to $300 Lululemon credit: $75 per quarter for eligible U.S. Lululemon in-store or online purchases.
• Up to $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit: Redeemable in-store or online, with $50 available semiannually.
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit: Up to $120 for Global Entry or $85 for TSA PreCheck once every four years.

Take a close look at the benefits and credits and decide how many you would realistically use each year. If you can fully offset the annual fee, this is a card worth considering for frequent travelers.

American Express® Gold Card: Best for groceries and restaurants

• Why it stands out: It earns industry-leading rewards rates at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide, which can add up quickly for food-focused spending.
• Annual fee: $325 (see rates and fees).
• Welcome offer: Earn as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you use your new card to make $8,000 in purchases in the first six months of membership. The welcome offer varies, and you may not be eligible for an offer. You’ll need to apply first to find out your exact welcome offer amount (with no credit score impact; however, if you’re approved and choose to accept the card offer, your score may be impacted).
• Who it’s for: City residents and suburban shoppers who dine out often and can make use of the statement credits.

The Amex Gold Card is a favorite at CNN Underscored and a top pick for people with high grocery and dining spending. Its strong earn rates in those categories, along with its dining credits, can help offset the $325 annual fee (see rates and fees).

The card earns American Express Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred to partners such as Delta Air Lines, Air Canada and Hilton. That flexibility makes it easy to use the rewards for travel.

It earns points at the following rates:

• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
• 4x points on restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year.
• 4x points at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year.
• 3x points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or directly with airlines.
• 2x points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
• 1x point on all other purchases.

Like the Amex Platinum, this card includes statement credits that can help reduce the cost of holding it. These credits are mostly tied to dining and are fairly easy to use if you live in or near a major city.

• Up to $120 dining credit: $10 per month at eligible dining partners such as Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wonder and Five Guys.
• Up to $120 Uber Cash: $10 per month in Uber Cash for rides or Uber Eats orders when the card is linked to your Uber account.
• Up to $100 Resy credit: Redeemable at eligible U.S. Resy restaurants, with $50 available semiannually.
• Up to $84 Dunkin credit: $7 per month at U.S. Dunkin locations for in-store or app-based purchases.

Through the end of 2026, cardholders can also get a one-time statement credit of up to $96 when using the Amex Gold Card to pay for an annual Uber One membership. For regular Uber or Uber Eats users, that can effectively cover the subscription cost, which includes perks like discounted rides and delivery benefits. Be sure to add the offer before purchasing the membership.

Because of its rewards rates and credits, this card is best suited for food lovers and people with large grocery bills. If you can take advantage of the structure, it may be a strong addition to your wallet. And like the Amex Platinum, it has no foreign transaction fees, making it a useful travel card as well.

Citi Double Cash® Card: Best for earning cash-back rewards

• Why it stands out: Simple flat-rate cash back that can also be turned into travel rewards.
• Annual fee: None.
• Welcome offer: Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months.
• Who it’s for: Anyone who wants the easiest possible way to earn cash back.

The Citi Double Cash Card has long been a favorite because of how simple it is to use. It earns 2% cash back on everything you buy: 1% when you make a purchase and 1% when you pay it off. That straightforward structure has made it our benchmark card, a dependable option that does nearly everything well without extra frills.

It also includes something the other cards on this list do not: an introductory 0% APR period for balance transfers. You get 18 months without interest to pay down existing credit card debt transferred to the card, after which a variable APR of 17.49% to 27.49% applies. Keep in mind that this applies only to balance transfers, not new purchases, and that a balance transfer fee applies: 3% of each transfer, with a minimum of $5, completed within the first four months from account opening. After that, the fee rises to 5% of each transfer, with a minimum of $5.

Cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit or deposited into your bank account. But there is another layer: rewards are first earned as Citi ThankYou points. If you pair the card with a Citi travel rewards card such as the Citi Strata Premier® Card, those points can be transferred to airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 rate. Without a Citi travel card, transfers are still possible, but at a 1:0.7 rate.

It has no annual fee, but it does charge foreign transaction fees, so it is not the best choice for purchases abroad. For simple rewards on everyday spending, though, it is an excellent option.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: Best no-fee travel rewards card

• Why it stands out: Earns transferable points with no annual fee.
• Annual fee: None.
• Welcome offer: Earn 20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
• Who it’s for: Travelers who want transferable points without paying an annual fee.

The Capital One VentureOne Card is one of the rare credit cards that offers transferable rewards without charging an annual fee. It earns Capital One miles, which can be transferred to several travel programs, including Air Canada Aeroplan, Choice Privileges and others.

You can also redeem miles for travel purchases charged to the card at a rate of 1 cent per mile. That means 2,500 miles could erase a $25 Uber ride, for example. Miles can be used against a wide range of travel expenses, including tolls, parking, taxis, ride-shares and more.

The card earns 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases and 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Miles do not expire as long as the account remains open, and there is no cap on how many you can earn. New cardholders can also earn 20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in the first three months from account opening.

If you like the VentureOne but want to earn more on everyday purchases, the standard Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or the premium Capital One Venture X Rewards credit card may be worth a look. Both charge annual fees, but they offer more benefits and earn 2 miles per dollar on all purchases.

One major advantage of the VentureOne is that it has no foreign transaction fees. While its domestic rewards rate is lower than some no-fee competitors, its 1.25x earnings and no foreign fees make it a stronger choice for use outside the U.S. than cards like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Citi Double Cash.

How we evaluate credit cards

According to CNN Underscored’s credit card methodology, we review cards based on factors that matter to everyday users, not just credit card experts. The main criteria we use are:

• Earning rate versus redemption value: A strong earning rate only matters if the rewards are valuable too. We weigh both sides when judging overall value.
• Fees against benefits: We compare annual fees with the real-world value of the perks, including lounge access, statement credits and insurance protections.
• Welcome offer: A generous sign-up bonus can make a card worthwhile on its own, but only if the spending requirement is realistic.
• Ease of redemption: We look at how easily rewards can be used and whether transferable points have solid airline and hotel partners.
• Travel and purchase protections: Trip delay and interruption coverage, baggage protection and rental car insurance can add meaningful value, as can extended warranties and price protection.
• Interest rates and balance transfer offers: While avoiding interest is ideal, we also consider 0% APR offers for people who want to manage debt strategically.

FAQs

Good credit is usually defined as a FICO score between 670 and 739. Even so, a good score does not guarantee approval for a new card or loan, since lenders also look at income and credit history.

Not at all. Many strong credit cards have no annual fee. The Citi Double Cash is one of our favorites, and it offers 1% cash back when you spend and 1% when you pay your bill.

With good credit, you may be able to earn travel rewards or cash back on everyday purchases, and you may also qualify for premium travel perks or 0% promotional APR offers on new purchases and balance transfers.

You may be able to get a card even if your credit is bad or limited, but those products usually do not offer the same range of benefits as cards designed for people with good credit.

There is no single best credit card for everyone with good credit. Before applying, think about what matters most to you, whether that is cash back, travel rewards or premium travel benefits, and choose accordingly.

Yes. Using a credit card responsibly, paying on time and keeping utilization low can help you build and maintain a strong credit score.

Why trust CNN Underscored

CNN Underscored’s team of editors and contributors reviews credit cards, travel rewards and loyalty programs to help readers make informed financial decisions. Their recommendations are based on real-world value, thorough analysis, expert insight and a commitment to clarity and transparency.