By Ben Luthi4 Types of Cards Everyone Should Have in Their Wallet
By Ben Luthi
The average U.S. consumer holds 3.8 credit cards, according to Experian data, and it's easy to see why: Credit cards can provide a number of perks when used responsibly. But there are many different types of cards to consider. While some people may be focused on building credit or saving money on interest, you may be looking to maximize your rewards and benefits.
As you shop around for the right card for you, here are four types of credit cards that should be on your radar.
No Annual Fee Cards
There are many different credit cards that don't carry an annual fee, and you should probably be carrying at least one of them. The great benefit to these cards is you can hold on to them for years without worrying about getting enough value to make up for a yearly charge.
A credit card that has no annual fee can be key to building and maintaining a good credit history: The length of your credit history, including the age of your oldest account, is one of the five factors that help determine your FICO® ScoreΘ. In addition, keeping an annual fee card will give you more available credit, which can also help credit scores if you manage the card wisely and keep balances low.
Within the category of cards with no annual fee, you can choose a card based on your preferences. Maybe you choose a card that offers cash back, points or miles, or you opt for one with a low introductory or ongoing APR. Whatever you decide, the idea is to get a good card you can hold on to for the long haul.
Hotel or Airline Card
If you're a travel buff, getting a co-branded credit card with your favorite airline or hotel brand can go a long way. You'll earn points or miles with every purchase, which can help pay for a weekend getaway trip or long-awaited family vacation. These cards don't always offer the best rewards rates, but they typically come with big sign-up bonus offers and valuable perks—and, your points and miles typically will not expire as long as you hold the card.
For example, a lot of airline cards offer free checked baggage and priority boarding, as well as statement credits for in-flight purchases and airport lounge access. Hotel cards usually come with complimentary elite status and a free night's stay every year.
Even if you travel just a couple of times per year, travel credit cards including airline and hotel cards can often return as much or more value than they cost in the form of an annual fee.
Best travel cards of 2026
Compare cards from our partners that earn valuable points or miles and unlock travel perks on flights and hotel stays.
Offers from our partners
Citi Double Cash® Card
Intro APR:0% for 18 months on Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:17.49% - 27.49% (Variable)
Rewards:2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0
Discover it® Chrome
Intro bonus:INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards.
Intro APR:0% intro APR for 6 Months on Purchases and 0% intro APR for 18 Months on Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR
Rewards:1% - 2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0
American Express Platinum Card®
Intro bonus:You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Ongoing APR:See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards:1x - 5x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$895
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Intro bonus:Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Intro APR:0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Ongoing APR:18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% Variable APR
Rewards:2% (Cash Rewards)
Annual Fee:$0
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
Intro APR:0% for 15 months on Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Rewards:2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
Citi Strata Premier® Card
Intro bonus:Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 27.49% (Variable)
Rewards:1x - 10x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$95
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Ongoing APR:18.74% - 26.74% (Variable)
Rewards:1% - 5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0
American Express® Gold Card
Intro bonus:You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Ongoing APR:See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards:1x - 4x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$325
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Rewards:2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$99, waived for first 12 months
Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Rewards:1x - 6x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$350
Credit One Bank® Wander® American Express® with Dining, Gas & Travel Rewards
Ongoing APR:29.74% Variable
Rewards:1% - 10% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$95
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Intro bonus:Earn 70,000 Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/15/2026.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:3x - 7x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Intro bonus:Earn 200,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 5/13/2026.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:2x - 6x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$650
Discover it® Miles
Intro bonus:UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match. You could turn 35,000 Miles into 70,000 Miles.
Intro APR:0% intro APR for 15 months on Purchases and Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR
Rewards:1.5x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Intro bonus:Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases with your new Card, and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card, both within your first 6 months. Ends 04/01/2026.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1x - 3x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$650
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Intro bonus:Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases with your new Card, and an additional 20,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card, both within your first 6 months. Ends 04/01/2026.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1x - 2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Intro bonus:Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases with your new Card, and an additional 20,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card, both within your first 6 months. Ends 04/01/2026.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1x - 3x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$350
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Intro bonus:Earn 130,000 Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/15/2026.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:3x - 12x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$150
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Intro bonus:Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1x - 2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card
Intro bonus:Earn 175,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 5/13/2026.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:2x - 6x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$250
One Key™ Card
Intro bonus:Limited Time Offer: Earn $300 in OneKeyCash™ after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. OneKeyCash is not redeemable for cash and can only be used on Expedia®, Hotels.com® and Vrbo®. To learn more, please refer to the One Key Terms and Conditions at www.expedia.com/one-key-terms.
Ongoing APR:18.49%, 23.49%, or 28.49% Variable APR
Rewards:1.5x - 3x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
One Key+™ Card
Intro bonus:Earn $350 in OneKeyCash™ after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. OneKeyCash is not redeemable for cash and can only be used on Expedia®, Hotels.com® and Vrbo®. To learn more, please refer to the One Key Terms and Conditions at www.expedia.com/one-key-terms.
Ongoing APR:18.49%, 23.49%, or 28.49% Variable APR
Rewards:2x - 3x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$99
See all our best travel credit cards for 2026.
Cash Back Card
Travel rewards can be valuable, but there may be times when you'll want to simplify the rewards you earn with a strong cash back credit card. There are several cash back credit cards that offer standout rewards rates on everyday spending categories.
You can also decide which type of cash back card is right for you: One that earns extra rewards in rotating bonus categories or simpler versions that offer flat-rate rewards on purchases. Both are solid options—the choice comes down to how much time you want to devote to tracking your spending and extra rewards-earning categories.
You also may be eligible for a sign-up bonus with a cash back card, such as a cash payout for spending a certain amount in a number of months. What's more, many cash back cards don't charge an annual fee, so you can kill two birds with one stone.
Transferable Rewards Card
If you're looking for ways to maximize your rewards, credit cards that allow you to transfer your points to other loyalty programs offer a great way to do it.
These are the cards that earn American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Venture or Spark Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Points.
All of these rewards programs provide several redemption options, but your points or miles have a set value, such as 1 cent per point. If you want to maximize the value of your points or miles, you can transfer them to a partner airline or hotel rewards program, which has a dynamic pricing structure. With the right redemption, you can get several cents per point or mile in value.
This extra value and versatility make transferable rewards cards an excellent choice, especially for travel enthusiasts.
Check Your Credit Before You Apply
Most of the best credit cards on the market require good or excellent credit, which starts at a credit score of 670, according to FICO®. Check your credit score before you apply for a card to make sure you know where you stand.
If your score doesn't measure up, take some time to improve it before you apply. Also, if you plan on getting more than one credit card, space out your applications by six months or more. Each new credit inquiry can knock a few points off your credit score, but multiple credit card applications in a short period of time can have a negative compounding effect.
Once your credit is where you want it, take time to research your options and pick the cards that best fit your spending habits, lifestyle and credit score. There's no maximum number of credit cards you can hold, so rounding out the types of cards in your wallet can help provide you more options and perks—and could even help your credit score. Experian's card comparison tool can help you sift through card offers and find out which ones you may be more likely to qualify for.
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About the author
Ben Luthi
Ben Luthi has worked in financial planning, banking and auto finance, and writes about all aspects of money. His work has appeared in Time, Success, USA Today, Credit Karma, NerdWallet, Wirecutter and more.
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