Top 5 Credit Cards in Spring 2018 for Those With Excellent Credit

Do you have excellent credit? If so, banks are actively looking to win you as a new credit card customer by offering unprecedented deals. Although banks have been more careful about acquiring customers with questionable credit since the 2008 financial crisis, they are now fighting harder than ever to win coveted customers with great credit. If you are in the excellent credit sweet spot, they are effectively giving you money (and a lot of it!) to use their credit cards. These are the best credit cards for excellent credit that you can take advantage of today:

Best travel rewards: Discover it® Miles

Those who like earning miles, may find the Discover it® Miles card a great deal. The card gives 1.5 miles on all purchases and features a lengthy 14-month 0% intro APR on purchases along with no annual fee. The miles rewards are great for a card that is not tied to an airline, but still allows you to redeem miles for any airline ticket. Rewards do not expire and there are no caps on how many miles you can earn. What’s more, all miles earned in the first year will be matched meaning you will get your miles doubled on your first anniversary, which is effectively 3x miles per dollar! The math is simple: for example, you’ve earned 40k miles first year (equal to $400 in travel statement credit), Discover will match those miles for total of 80k miles (which is $800)! With this bonus offer and 0% intro APR on purchases, your first-year bonus miles are unlimited. But don’t forget that it’s for the first year only.

Best for hotel: Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card

If you prefer your rewards in miles and don’t like paying huge annual fees, the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card is a good fit for you. The card offers fixed miles rewards and has a rather low $95 annual fee (which is waived for the first year), and as most travel rewards cards, it has no foreign transaction fee. You will earn 2x miles per dollar on every purchase. The sign-up bonus is also offered to new cardholders – 50000 miles. You will qualify for this bonus offer once you spend $3000 on purchases within three months from account opening. The sign-up bonus is equal to $500 in travel. Whichever airline you fly or hotel you stay at, you can use these rewards to cover those expenses without blackout dates. If you are not redeeming for travel, you can redeem miles for cash or gift cards.

Best cash back rewards: Discover it® Cash Back

If you’re in the market for a great cash back rewards card that also has a 0% APR, this is a smart pick. To start, Discover will match the cash back you earn at the end of your first year as a new cardmember. So, if you earn $300 in cash back, Discover will match that $300 for a total of $600 cash back! This is a really great bonus with endless potential, but remember it’s only available the first year so make sure to take advantage of it. You can really rack up the cash back by earning up to 5% cash back in categories that rotate quarterly (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases, then 1% back, enrolment is required), and 1% back on all other purchases. From January to March 2018, the 5% categories are purchases at Gas Stations & Wholesale Clubs. The first year you have the card, Discover matches your cash back, so that 5% is effectively 10% cash back! In addition to this, not only can you transfer balances from your high-interest cards to the Discover it® Cash Back card and pay zero interest for more than a year (note that there is a 3% balance transfer fee), but you’ll get the same 14-month 0% intro APR on new card purchases. The Discover it® Cash Back card really has it all – cash back, an extra cash back bonus (2x cashback your first year), a lengthy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers AND no annual fee.

Best for restaurants: Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card

Those who dine out a lot will love the card that gives additional rewards for eating. The Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of such cards. As a cardholder, you will earn 3% cash back on dining purchases. Other purchases will earn lower rewards. Thus, groceries will earn 2% back and all other purchases will earn only 1% back. If you spend $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening, you will be able to qualify for a one-time cash bonus of $150. Apart from cash back rewards, you will be able to take advantage of a 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases. You won’t be charged interest during this zero introductory period, but do remember that your ongoing interest rate will come into effect once the 0% promo period is over.

Best card for balance transfer: Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card – 21 Month Balance Transfer Offer

Shopping for a credit card that has a long 0% interest period on balance transfers? This card can give you it. The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card – 21 Month Balance Transfer Offer features an incredibly lengthy 21-month 0%* 21 months on Balance Transfers* introductory APR on balance transfers – one of the longest intro APRs of any card we’ve ever reviewed! And there’s no annual fee. The combination makes this card perfect for anyone who is interested in transferring balances from other high-interest credit cards to this one. The only condition for balance transfers is that you should complete them in first 4 months, otherwise you won’t get that lengthy promo interest rate. Either way, this card is a smart choice.

TIP: If you’re in the market for a new credit card but don’t think your credit will qualify you for one of these cards, take a look at cards for people with less-than-perfect credit.