Cash-Back Credit Cards That Feel High-End
Key Takeaways
For when you want fancy credit card perks without the focus on travel.
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Quick insights and key information
9 min read
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investment
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July 10, 2025
01:49 PM
NerdWallet
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Many top credit card benefits are tailored toward frequent travelers
TSA PreCheck fee reimbursements, airport lounge access, hotel room upgrades and free checked bags have become standard perks for travel cards
A growing list of cards, meanwhile, are becoming coupon books, offering massive lists of monthly statement credits for purchases with specific merchants, some of which only have locations in select major cities
If you don’t travel often and won’t make use of those complicated credits, odds are a cash-back card is more your speed
You don’t have to settle for something barebones, because there are cash-back cards with plenty to offer
Plus, when it comes to actually using the rewards you earn, you can’t get more flexible than cash. (If you do want to redeem for travel, that’s possible with some of these options. )Better yet, many of these cash-back cards come with no annual fee, or at least a waived one in the first year, which could be music to the ears of many shoppers
A NerdWallet survey, conducted online by The Harris Poll, asked Americans which credit card benefits would be most important to them if they were applying for a new credit card
Nearly 3 in 5 Americans (57%) say no annual fee, and the same portion (57%) say cash back rewards
If you fall into that camp, here are some cards that may suit you. » MORE: Cash-back cards that are great for travel, tooBlue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express NerdWallet rating NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team
The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more
Learn MoreThe Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns an unrivaled cash-back rate on groceries and is a rewarding choice for other common monthly expenses
It offers: 6% cash back at U
Super on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). 6% cash back on select U
Ing subscriptions. 3% cash back at U
Gas stations and on transit, including taxis, ridesharing services, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more. 1% cash back on all other purchases
There’s a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95
But if you spend around $31 a week on groceries, you’ll offset it. (See rates and fees. )The benefits of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express go beyond those evelryday purchases
Here’s what makes it fancier:A generous welcome offer: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months
That’s one of the largest bonuses you can find among cash-back cards
Disney Bundle credit: Get up to $84 per year in statement credits (in the form of monthly $7 credits) when you spend $9. 99 per month or more on a Disney Bundle subscription
Enrollment required; terms apply
Events with Amex: Get access to event ticket presales, and special ticket access, for events including sports, music and theater
Terms apply. » MORE: Is it worth paying an annual fee for a credit card
Chase Freedom Unlimited® NerdWallet rating NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team
The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more
Learn MoreConsidering its $0 annual fee, Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns respectable cash-back rates:3% back on dining, including takeout and eligible dery services. 3% back at drugstores. 5% back on travel booked through Chase. 5% back on everything else
Through Sept. 30, 2027, 2% back on qualifying Lyft services purchased through the Lyft app
But the card’s other offerings take it up a notch:A solid welcome offer: Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Travel tections: You may not travel often, but when you do, you might benefit from trip cancellation or interruption coverage
You can get reimbursed up to $1,500 per covered traveler, and up to $6,000 per trip, for prepaid or nonrefundable travel that goes awry due to a covered reason, such as illness or severe weather
Transfer points to Chase’s travel cards: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® actually earns cash back in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which you can redeem for a penny each
Alternately, though, you can transfer those points to a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® card
From there, you can redeem for travel through Chase or transfer the points to one of Chase’s airline or hotel partners
Full list of Chase transfer partnersAirlinesAer Lingus (1:1 ratio)
Air Canada (1:1 ratio)
Air France-KLM (1:1 ratio)
British Airways (1:1 ratio)
Singapore (1:1 ratio)
Southwest (1:1 ratio)
Virgin Atlantic (1:1 ratio)
HotelsHyatt (1:1 ratio)
InterContinental Hotels Group (1:1 ratio)
Marriott (1:1 ratio). » MORE: How to transfer Chase points between accountsCapital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card NerdWallet rating NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team
The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more
Learn MoreThe Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card s to go out, but also appreciates a night in
While other cards earn higher rewards rates, 3% back in a broad range of is impressive for a card with a $0 annual fee
Here’s what you can earn:3% cash back on dining and entertainment, which includes movie theaters, fessional sporting events, tourist attractions, aquariums, zoos, dance halls, record stores, pool halls or bowling alleys. 3% cash back on purchases at grocery stores and on ing services. 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, 5% cash back on hotel stays and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
You’ll also get:A welcome bonus: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
The ability to combine rewards: You can move your points over to one of Capital One’s travel cards, such as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
From there, you can redeem rewards for a statement credit to cover travel purchases, book travel through Capital One, or transfer them to one of Capital One’s airline or hotel partners
Full list of Capital One transfer partnersAirlinesAeromexico (1:1 ratio)
Air Canada (1:1 ratio)
Air France-KLM (1:1 ratio)
British Airways (1:1 ratio)
Cathay Pacific (1:1 ratio)
Singapore Airlines (1:1 ratio)
TAP Air Portugal (1:1 ratio)
Turkish Airlines (1:1 ratio)
Virgin Red (1:1 ratio)HotelsAccor (2:1 ratio)
Choice Privileges Hotels (1:1 ratio)
Wyndham Rewards (1:1 ratio)
NerdWallet rating NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team
The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more
Learn MoreWells Fargo Attune℠ Card Considering its $0 annual fee, the Wells Fargo Attune℠ Card earns 4% cash back on a shockingly wide variety of purchases
That lengthy list includes:Self-care
Beauty and barbershops; gym memberships and fitness studios; health and beauty spas; and massage parlors
EV stations; public transportation; and secondhand and vintage stores
Sports, recreation and entertainment
Gardening and floral stores; campgrounds; sports supplies; movie theaters; shows and sporting events; amusement parks; tourist attractions; pet supplies, boarding and grooming; and ing
List of Wells Fargo Attune that earn 4% backAs of this writing, the ing merchants will qualify as "self-care, planet-friendly, and recreation, sports and entertainment" purchases:Self-care:Beauty shops and barbershops
Gym memberships and fitness studios
Health and beauty spas
Planet-friendly:Antique shops
Used merchandise and secondhand stores
Electric vehicle charging stations
Local and suburban commuter passenger transportation, including ferries
Other transportation services
Sports, recreation and entertainment:Artist supply and craft shops
Camera and photographic supply stores
Hobby, toy, and game shops
Photofinishing laboratories and photo
Sewing, needlework, fabric and piece goods stores
Florists supplies nursery stock and flowers
Nurseries and lawn and garden supply stores
Aquariums, seaquariums, dolphinariums, and zoos
Billiard and pool establishments
Circuses, carnivals and fortune tellers
Dance halls, studios and schools
Recreation services not elsewhere classified
Sporting and recreational camps
Tourist attractions and exhibits
Trailer parks and campgrounds
Pet shops, pet foods, supplies stores and miscellaneous pet services
Bicycle shops – sales and service
Boat rentals and leasing
Marinas, marine service and supplies
Motor and recreational vehicle rentals
Sports and riding apparel stores
Sporting goods stores
Bands, orchestras and miscellaneous entertainers
Commercial sports, fessional sports s, athletic fields and sports moters
Ticket agencies and theatrical ducers
Cable and other pay television
Digital goods media – books, movies, digital artwork/images, music
DVD/tape rental stores
Large digital goods merchant
Motion picture theaters
Music stores – musical instruments, pianos and sheet music
The card also offers: A sign-up bonus: It’s not as robust an offer as you’ll find with the other cards listed here, but here it is: Earn a $100 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Rewards you can transfer: You earn points in the form of Wells Fargo Rewards, giving you flexibility in how you use them
For example, you can combine points with one of Wells Fargo’s travel cards, the Wells Fargo Autograph® Card, and then transfer them to one of the issuer’s travel partners
Full list of Wells Fargo transfer partnersAirlinesAir France-KLM (1:1 ratio)
British Airways (1:1 ratio)
Aer Lingus (1:1 ratio)
Virgin Atlantic (1:1 ratio)
Virgin Red (1:1 ratio)
HotelsChoice Privileges Hotels (1:2 ratio)
To view rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, see this page
Information related to the Wells Fargo Attune℠ Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or vided by the issuer of this duct
The ara RathnerSara is a NerdWallet travel and credit cards expert
She has appeared on the “Today” show, Nasdaq and CNBC’s “Nightly Report. ” See full bio.
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