Best Chase Cards of 2026
Ultimate Rewards and the cobrands that matter, ranked.
Chase builds the most coherent rewards ecosystem in the industry, and Ultimate Rewards points move to Hyatt, United, and Southwest at full value. The 5/24 rule is the gate: open five or more cards across all banks in 24 months and Chase will not approve you. That makes Chase cards the ones you apply for first, before anything else fills your slots.
By Alex Compton · Updated
· ratings independent of compensation| Card | Annual fee | Bonus | Headline earn rate | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Chase Sapphire Preferred | $95 | 75,000 pts (≈$1,538) | 5x Chase Travel purchases | ★ 9.0 |
| 2.Chase Sapphire Reserve | $795 | 150,000 pts (≈$3,075) | 8x Chase Travel purchases | ★ 9.2 |
| 3.Chase Freedom Unlimited | $0 | 20,000 pts (≈$200) | 5x Chase Travel purchases | ★ 8.4 |
| 4.Chase Ink Business Preferred | $95 | 90,000 pts (≈$1,845) | 3x Travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, social media ads ($150k/yr cap) | ★ 9.1 |
| 5.World of Hyatt Credit Card | $95 | 75,000 pts (≈$1,275) | 4x Hyatt purchases | ★ 8.8 |
| 6.United Explorer Card | $150 | 60,000 pts (≈$720) | 2x United purchases, dining, hotels | ★ 8.0 |
| 7.Chase Freedom Flex | $0 | 20,000 pts (≈$200) | 5x Rotating quarterly categories ($1,500 cap) | ★ 8.2 |
Best overall
5x Chase Travel purchases
3x Dining, online groceries, select streaming
2x All other travel
Why we chose it
Transferable points, strong travel protections, and a $95 fee that never needs a spreadsheet to defend. It is the card people keep for a decade. If you only take one Chase card, take this one.
Skip it if: Portal earn is 5x vs the Reserve's 8x · No lounge access
Best premium
8x Chase Travel purchases
4x Flights and hotels booked direct
3x Dining worldwide
Why we chose it
Lounge access, elevated earning, and credits that offset most of the $795 fee for a regular traveler. The protections mean a cancelled trip costs you a phone call instead of a vacation. Heavy travelers outgrow the Preferred and land here.
Skip it if: $795 annual fee demands active credit management · Coupon-book style credits take effort to maximize
Best no annual fee
5x Chase Travel purchases
3x Dining and drugstores
1.5x All other purchases
Why we chose it
At least 1.5 percent back on everything, free. Pair it with a Sapphire and the cash back converts into transferable points worth more in flight. It is the workhorse card in almost every Chase setup.
Skip it if: 3% foreign transaction fee · 1.5x base is below 2% flat-rate cards if used alone
Best for business
3x Travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, social media ads ($150k/yr cap)
1x All other purchases
Why we chose it
Three points per dollar on travel, shipping, and advertising covers where business money actually goes. The welcome bonus is consistently one of the largest Chase offers anywhere. A side business qualifies, and the points pool with your personal Ultimate Rewards.
Skip it if: $8k spend requirement · 3x caps at $150k/yr
Best hotel card
4x Hyatt purchases
2x Dining, flights booked direct, gym, transit
1x All other purchases
Why we chose it
The annual free night at a Category 1-4 hotel covers the $95 fee almost every year. Hyatt points are the most valuable hotel currency in the game, and this card keeps them flowing. Elite night credits make status reachable for normal travelers.
Skip it if: Hyatt's footprint is smaller than Marriott/Hilton · Subject to 5/24
Best airline card
2x United purchases, dining, hotels
1x All other purchases
Why we chose it
Free checked bags, two lounge passes a year, and expanded award availability you cannot see without the card. One round trip with bags pays the fee. It is the practical choice for anyone who lives in a United hub.
Skip it if: United miles are mid-tier in value · Earn rates are weak outside United spend
Best for rotating categories
5x Rotating quarterly categories ($1,500 cap)
5x Chase Travel purchases
3x Dining and drugstores
Why we chose it
Five percent back on quarterly categories with no annual fee. Activated and paired with a Sapphire, those quarters become outsized point hauls. It asks for five minutes of attention per quarter and pays you for it.
Skip it if: Must activate categories quarterly · $1,500 quarterly cap
The Bottom Line
Chase is where a points strategy starts, because 5/24 means you cannot come back for these cards later. The Sapphire Preferred and Freedom Unlimited together cover most people. Add the Ink Preferred if you have any business income at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which card on the Best Chase Cards list has no annual fee?
Chase Freedom Unlimited, Chase Freedom Flex all have a $0 annual fee.
Which card on the Best Chase Cards list has the most valuable welcome bonus?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve currently has the most valuable bonus on this list: 150,000 pts, worth roughly $3,075 by our valuations.
What is the highest-rated card on the Best Chase Cards list?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve carries our highest rating on this list at 9.2/10, with a $795 annual fee.
How we rank: picks are ordered by our independent 0-10 ratings, current bonus value at our points valuations, annual fee, and earning structure. Compensation never changes an order or a rating. Read our full rating methodology.
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