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Best Chase credit cards for December 2024
Chase isn’t only one of the largest banks in the U.S. today; by purchase volume, it’s also the biggest credit card issuer for American consumers.
With such a massive footprint, it’s no wonder that Chase also has some of the most competitive cards across multiple categories. Whether you’re looking for travel rewards, cash-back rewards, an intro 0% APR, or an amazing sign-up bonus — one of these top Chase credit cards may fit the bill.
Best Chase credit cards for December 2024
- Annual fee$95
- Welcome offerEarn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months — that's worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
- Ongoing Purchases APR20.74% - 27.74% Variable
- Rewards rate
- 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
- 2x points on all other travel purchases
- 1x points on all other purchases
Why we like it: We like the Chase Sapphire Preferred as a travel card that can help you make the most of your spending today toward future trips with flexible ways to earn and redeem rewards. At $95, it’s not the most expensive travel credit card — and you may even earn back that fee with benefits alone, between the $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit and 10% points boost.
What really makes the Chase Sapphire Preferred valuable is the 25% boost for redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel. When you choose a Chase Travel redemption, each point is worth up to 1.25 cents each.
Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
- Annual fee$0
- Welcome offerEarn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back
- Introductory Purchases APR0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months
- Ongoing Purchases APR19.74% - 28.49% Variable
- Introductory Balance Transfer APR0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months
- Ongoing Balance Transfer APR19.74% - 28.49% Variable
- Rewards rate
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (includes takeout and eligible delivery service)
- 1.5% on all other purchases
Why we like it: With the Chase Freedom Unlimited, you can maximize bonus categories while earning a competitive flat cash-back rate. The bonus rewards categories include both travel (through Chase Travel) and everyday spending on dining and drugstores. But you’re also guaranteed at least 1.5% on every non-category purchase — putting this card in competition with other cash-back cards that earn only those flat cash-back rewards.
There’s even more to like for the first year, though. With the Freedom Unlimited welcome bonus, all the rewards you earn (up to the first $20,000 you spend in the first year) will get another 1.5% boost. That means Chase Travel spending is worth 6.5% for the first year, dining and drugstore purchases earn 4.5%, and non-category spending is worth 3% minimum instead of 1.5%. If you’re able to max out the welcome bonus with $20,000 spent over your first year, you can get an added $300 cash back on top of what you earn with regular spending in each category.
Read more: Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Sapphire Preferred
- Annual fee$95
- Welcome offerEarn 90,000 points after spending $8,000 in first 3 months (that's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠)
- Ongoing Purchases APR20.49% - 26.49% Variable
- Rewards rate
- 3x on the first $150,000 spent each account anniversary year in the following categories: shipping purchases; advertising purchases via social media sites and search engines; internet, cable, and phone services; and travel
- 1x on all other purchases with no earning cap
Why we like it: The Chase Ink Business Preferred is a popular card for small business owners because it earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points, which are flexible and maintain a strong redemption value in most categories. If your business frequently spends in the card's 3x categories, you could quickly rack up rewards — especially if you're able to max out the $150,000 spending cap.
The card's large welcome bonus can also be quite lucrative. And since points are worth 25% when you redeem them through Chase Travel, you'll get the most value if you use your rewards to book a business trip.
Read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred Card.
- Annual fee$550
- Welcome offerEarn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
- Ongoing Purchases APR21.74% - 28.74% Variable
- Rewards rate
- 10x points on hotels and rental cars purchased through Chase Travel℠*
- 5x points on flights purchased through Chase Travel*
- 3x points on dining and other travel purchases
- 1x points on all other purchases
- *After the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
Why we like it: The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a lot of value for frequent travelers and has one of the highest welcome bonuses available today. Like Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can boost your redemption value with the Sapphire Reserve when you use points to book through Chase Travel. You’ll get a 50% boost with this card — so each point is worth up to 1.5 cents.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has plenty of benefits to help lower its high annual fee cost. You’ll get the first $300 you spend on travel each year back in statement credits, which can bring your effective fee cost down to $250. Other ongoing benefits can also help frequent travelers get plenty of value for future trips: complimentary membership and credits from partners like DoorDash, Lyft, Instacart, and Peloton; travel perks and protections; bonus rewards up to 10x in some categories; and more.
Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
- Annual fee$0
- Welcome offerEarn a $150 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months
- Purchase APR19.74% - 28.49% variable
- Introductory APR0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.74% - 28.49%
- Rewards rate
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 on combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3% on dining, including takeout and drug stores
- 1% on all other purchases
Why we like it: If you value flexibility, the Chase Freedom Flex is a great way to maximize your everyday spending with rotating 5% bonus categories that cover a wide range of purchases.
Some past examples of these categories include gym memberships, Amazon.com purchases, gas stations, wholesale clubs, PayPal, and more. As long as you activate before the deadline, you’ll earn the full 5% on your first $1,500 in combined eligible purchases each quarter. If you max out your 5% spending each quarter, you could earn a total $300 in 5% categories throughout the year.
Read more: 2024 Chase Freedom bonus categories
All information about Chase Freedom Flex has been collected independently by Yahoo Finance. Chase Freedom Flex is no longer available through Yahoo Finance.
- Annual fee$0
- Welcome offerGet an automatic review for a higher credit limit when you pay on time and spend $500 in your first six months
- Purchase APR19.74%–28.49% variable
- Introductory APR0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 18 months, after which the standard APR applies
- Rewards rateNone
Why we like it: Whether you’re looking for an introductory 0% APR to help finance a new purchase or you have existing debt to pay off, the Chase Slate Edge is a solid option. You’ll get a full 18 months before your regular Chase credit card interest rate kicks in, which is among the longest offers available today.
Unlike some other top 0% APR cards, Chase Slate Edge also has long-term benefits that last even after the intro period. The most unique one is the ability to lower your ongoing interest rate each year when you spend $1,000 and pay your card on time. There is a cutoff (prime rate + 9.74%) that you’ll eventually meet, but this can help lower your card’s APR by a large margin. Like other credit cards, Chase credit card rates tend to be very high, so this benefit could help you save if you need to carry any balance at your ongoing APR in the future.
Just remember, you won’t pay any interest on your balances if you pay your bills in full each month. Scoring the lowest possible APR may help safeguard you from some high interest charges, but you’ll always save more by not taking on any interest at all.
All information about Chase Slate Edge has been collected independently by Yahoo Finance. Chase Slate Edge is no longer available through Yahoo Finance.
- Annual fee$99
- Welcome offerEarn a $400 statement credit and 40,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 4 months
- Purchase APR20.74% - 27.74% variable
- Rewards rate
- 3x points on Southwest purchases
- 2x points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners 2x points local transit and commuting, including rideshare 2x points on internet, cable, and phone services, plus select streaming 1x points on all other purchases
Why we like it: The Rapid Rewards Premier Card is one of three co-branded credit cards from Southwest and Chase. With this card, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to both earn points within the Rapid Rewards program and get extra benefits when flying. This card is ideal for travelers who prefer flying Southwest, but don’t necessarily travel all the time. You can still get a great points value if you only fly a few times per year thanks to this card’s everyday rewards categories, which include transit and commuting purchases; your internet, cable, and phone bills; select streaming services; and more.
Annual Early Bird check-ins, in-flight discounts, and bonus anniversary points also help increase the Rapid Rewards Premier’s annual value. Frequent Southwest fliers can reach loyalty A-list status faster with qualifying points for every $5,000 you spend. But if Companion Pass is the Southwest perk you’re vying for, not only will you get 10,000 qualifying points toward Companion Pass each year (of the required 135,000 points), but all the points you earn with your card purchases qualify too.
Read our full review of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card.
- Annual fee$95
- Welcome offerEarn 125,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months — our best points offer!
- Purchase APR20.74% - 27.74% variable
- Rewards rate
- Up to 17x points at Marriott: 6x points at participating Marriott Bonvoy® properties, 10x points for being a Marriott Bonvoy® member, plus 1x points for members with Silver Elite Status
- 3x points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
- 2x points on all other purchases
Why we like it: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless can help travelers who like Marriott properties get maximum total points on spending toward future stays and even reach elite status with the hotel faster. If you use this card when you pay for hotels with Marriott, you can also quickly rack up future free nights with a whopping 17x on Marriott spending.
We also like this co-branded hotel credit card for fans of the Marriott Bonvoy program who want to work toward status. Not only are you automatically given complimentary Silver Elite status, but other status perks can make it easier to move up each year. That includes your annual 15 Elite Night Credits, one Elite Night Credit toward status for every $5,000 you spend, and the ability to earn Gold Elite status with your card spending when you reach $35,000 in a calendar year.
Read more: Best hotel credit cards
- Annual fee$0
- Welcome offerNone
- Purchase APR26.24% variable
- Rewards rate1.5% cash back on all purchases
Why we like it: The Chase Freedom Rise is our pick for the best Chase credit card for new credit users. Not only does it offer rewards — which you don’t always find among credit-building card options — but you can use it to increase your credit score and then upgrade to another credit card with Chase.
To start, you may be able to qualify for the Freedom Rise more easily than some other Chase credit cards, since it’s designed for beginners and students. You can even increase your chances if you’re already a Chase banking customer by having a total available balance of at least $250 in your Chase checking or savings account. And while there’s no traditional Chase credit card offer when you sign up, you can get a $25 statement credit boost after approval when you enroll in automatic payments.
Over time, you can build your credit with the Freedom Rise card as Chase reports your positive payment history to the credit bureaus. You’ll also have the chance to upgrade to the Chase Freedom Unlimited each year, starting after your first year of owning the card. Chase will automatically review your account each year, and you may be eligible for an upgrade if you’ve made a purchase on your Freedom Rise and made on-time payments to all of your financial lenders within the past 12 months.
Read more: Best student credit cards
All information about Chase Freedom Rise℠ has been collected independently by Yahoo Finance. Chase Freedom Rise℠ is no longer available through Yahoo Finance.
How to choose a Chase credit card
To choose a new card from any credit card company — including Chase — look for the options that best fit your financial goals and credit needs.
Start with the type of card, for instance. If you’re looking to pay down existing debt, you’ll probably want to prioritize a card with a 0% intro APR for balance transfers over a premium Chase travel card with a high annual fee. Or, if you don’t travel much but you still want to earn rewards, you might look for a great cash-back card over one that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
Think about your budget, too. A card with plenty of perks and a very high annual fee may not be worth it if you won’t get enough value back to justify the cost. On the other hand, if you’re a frequent traveler and want help saving money and time when you travel, those perks could be well worth the fee.
You can also look back at your past purchases to find where you spend the most. Review your credit card statements or banking statements from the past several months. Then, you can nail down exactly where your money goes each month to make sure you get a card with rewards categories that give you the biggest return.
And as a new cardholder, you can also benefit from great Chase credit card bonuses. These welcome bonus offers can offer hundreds — if not thousands — of dollars in Chase rewards value that you can put toward a future trip, your statement balance, and more. You must meet a spending threshold within a certain timeframe to score the welcome offer deal. But with some planning, you can budget your upcoming spending so you both score your Chase credit card bonus and avoid carrying a balance.
Finally, don’t forget to look for the smaller Chase credit card perks and protections you may get. If you order food and groceries often, for example, look for the Chase cards that offer DoorDash and Instacart benefits, including complimentary membership and discounts. For frequent travelers, no foreign transaction fees could be an important feature. Many Chase credit cards also include a range of travel and purchase protections; it’s worth reading exactly what coverage plans your potential new card has in case you need to use them in the future.
What credit score do you need for a Chase credit card?
In many cases, you’ll need at least a good credit score and up to an excellent credit score to get approved for a Chase card. That generally includes credit scores from 670 to the max 850.
Read more: How to check your credit score
Chase does have one card designed for new cardholders: the Chase Freedom Rise℠. It’s a no-annual-fee cash-back card with some added benefits to help you build and maintain good credit.
Otherwise, many of Chase’s credit cards are rewards credit cards or travel credit cards with stricter requirements for approval. If you’re not sure you’ll get approved, see if you have any preapproval options. While Chase doesn’t currently offer preapproval online, you may be targeted for offers in the mail or online, especially if you already have another account with Chase.
What is the Chase Ultimate Rewards program?
Chase rewards credit cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. If you’re thinking about applying for a Chase credit card, it’s important to understand this flexible rewards program and how you can maximize the points you earn. In general, Chase credit card points are worth 1 cent each, though some cards may offer higher value for certain redemptions, and transfer values can vary.
Here’s a look at the Chase rewards credit cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points:
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Chase Freedom Rise℠
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Chase Ink Business cards
Read our full card reviews of the Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card, Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card and Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card.
Chase’s co-branded cards with airlines, hotels, and retailers do not earn Chase Ultimate Rewards. You’ll need to review the specific loyalty program — such as Southwest Rapid Rewards or World of Hyatt — for your redemption options with those cards.
If you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you can get a boosted redemption value when you use your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book travel through Chase Travel. Both the Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred get a 25% boost, or redemption value of 1.25 cents per point. Chase Sapphire Reserve points get a 50% boost, making them worth up to 1.5 cents each.
Using points to book airfare, hotels, rental cars, and more through Chase Travel is one of the best ways to get maximum value for your Chase points no matter which card you choose. But you’ll also have the option to redeem points for cash back, gift cards, toward select eligible purchases, and more.
Chase transfer partners
Not every Chase rewards credit card has the option to transfer points to airline and hotel partner programs. Just like with the boosted Chase Travel redemptions, only the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Ink Business Preferred cards offer partner transfers.
Points typically transfer at a 1:1 ratio, but the exact value can vary depending on the travel partner program’s redemption value. Here are Chase’s current airline and hotel transfer partners:
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Aer Lingus AerClub
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Air Canada Aeroplan
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British Airways Executive Club
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Emirates Skywards
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Flying Blue Air France KLM
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Iberia Plus
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JetBlue TrueBlue
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Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
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Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
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United Airlines MileagePlus
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Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
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IHG One Rewards
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Marriott Bonvoy
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World of Hyatt
About Chase Bank
While credit cards from Chase can offer major savings and benefits for your spending, they’re not the only type of account you can open with the bank.
Chase is the largest commercial bank in the U.S. according to Federal Reserve data, with more than $3.5 trillion in assets. In addition to Chase credit cards, you can open various bank accounts (checking, savings, CDs), take on a mortgage loan or auto loan, and even invest through J.P. Morgan.
Use Chase’s online locator tool to find information about the more than 4,700 branch locations and 15,000 ATMs — including Chase Bank opening hours, how to schedule a meeting with a representative, and where to find Chase-compatible ATMs abroad.
Chase credit card frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Use these frequently asked questions about Chase credit cards to help choose the right one for you:
What’s the best Chase credit card?
There’s no universal best credit card from Chase that works for every type of cardholder. Some Chase credit cards may better suit your wallet than others.
If you have existing debt that you want to pay down over an introductory 0% APR period, for example, you might go with the Chase Slate Edge Card. If you’re more focused on maximizing travel spending, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card could be a better option. Or maybe you don’t travel much and instead want to make the most of your daily purchases; a Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex, then, may be your top pick.
Are Chase credit cards good?
Chase credit cards are consistently among our lists of best credit cards. Whether you’re looking for cash-back rewards, travel benefits, a 0% APR, small business savings, or some other credit card offering — there’s likely a Chase card for you.
While Chase credit cards are good for many cardholders, you should still make sure you compare credit cards from different card issuers to find the one that works best for your financial goals and budget.
Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth it?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the most premium rewards credit cards you can get from Chase. It has solid rewards on travel, annual credits, benefits for frequent travelers, and more.
But the Sapphire Reserve also has a steep $550 annual fee. If you don’t travel often enough to use its many credits and perks, that fee may not be worth it. Make sure to review all you’ll get from the card — rewards, travel credits, partner benefits, airport lounge access, and more — and compare it with your own spending and travel preferences before you apply.
What are the best Chase limited-time credit card offers?
If you’re in the market for a new credit card, it could be worth waiting for a limited-time Chase credit card welcome offer. With some of the best Chase credit card offers we’ve seen in the past, you could earn upwards of $1,000 in value from a new cardmember bonus.
However, these offers change regularly and can expire in a relatively short time period. For the most up-to-date information, check out our list of the best limited-time offers available now.
Which Chase card is the hardest to get?
Unless you want to open a Chase card designed to help you build credit (like the Chase Freedom Rise), you’re generally going to need good-to-excellent credit to qualify for top Chase credit cards. That’s typically within a 670-850 FICO Score range.
Though your new card approval depends on several factors and details in your application, you may find the Chase Sapphire Reserve is among the hardest to qualify for. It generally requires an excellent credit score (FICO scores range from “very good” at 740-799 and “exceptional” at 800 or above) for the best chances of approval.
And don’t forget — because it’s one of Chase’s most premium travel credit card options, it’s best suited for frequent travelers who spend enough annually to outweigh the card’s annual fee.
Which Chase credit card offers the best cash-back rewards?
There are a few cards with great cash-back rewards from Chase, but the two Chase Freedom cards are among our top picks: the Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Freedom Flex.
Both have no annual fee, share several benefits, and offer a few of the same rewards categories. But they differ in important ways, too. Chase Freedom Unlimited offers a flat 1.5% cash back on all non-category spending, while Chase Freedom Flex has rotating quarterly 5% bonus categories.
Read more about how these two Chase cash-back cards compare head-to-head: Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Chase Freedom Flex
Our methodology
We compiled our list of the best Chase credit cards using the top-rated Chase cards that we’ve already rated and included among our top picks for their respective primary card categories — including travel, rewards, cash back, and more.
The list began with the superlatives we wanted to highlight among Chase cards. Thanks to Chase’s large roster of rewards cards, many of these center on types of rewards. While there are many solid business credit cards from Chase, this list is made up of only Chase’s personal credit card options. The superlatives we chose are designed to give a full view of the range of cards Chase has to offer and what we believe cardholders are seeking when considering a Chase card.
Then, we turned to our existing log of card ratings across categories. We looked for Chase cards that rank highest within our existing rubrics. These rubrics are unique to each category but also cover general card features such as APR, annual fee, customer service, security, and more. We also reviewed our existing lists of top cards to compare ratings against the cards that ultimately made the published articles.
Our final list is made up of the Chase cards that rate highly in their categories and are representative of their given superlatives. With this overall mix of objective rankings and expert judgment, we believe there’s a card on our list for nearly any cardholder who seeks out Chase as an issuer.
This article was edited by Rebecca McCracken
Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
