8 best credit cards for excellent credit

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Having an excellent credit score — typically above 780 — means you're at the top of your game when it comes to creditworthiness.

Lenders view someone with an excellent credit score as a low-risk borrower. This makes it easier for you to access loans with favorable interest rates.

It also means you may qualify for the best credit cards on the market today. These include cards with attractive rewards, generous cash back, and elite travel perks.

If you have stellar credit and are looking for a top-tier credit card to match, here are the five best credit cards for excellent credit.

Best credit cards for excellent credit 

The typical range for excellent credit is generally 800 or above on the FICO credit scoring scale, which ranges from 300 to 850. VantageScore, the other scoring model, places anyone above 780 as having excellent credit.

The best credit cards for excellent credit all require a solid score to get approved. These cards come with attractive rewards, favorable terms, and added perks.

• Best for luxury travel perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Best for flexible travel rewards: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Best for straightforward travel rewards: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Best for no annual fee: Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
• Best for earning miles: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Best for dining and grocery rewards: American Express® Gold Card
• Best mid-tier travel card: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Best for cash back on grocery and gas: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• Best for flat-rate cash back: Citi® Double Cash Card

Best for luxury travel perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Rewards:

• 5 points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year)
• 5X points on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel
• 1X points on all other purchases

Annual fee: $695. See rates and fees 
Credit score needed: Good to Excellent (670 or higher)

The Amex Platinum is a premier travel card for those who appreciate luxury travel. This card offers exclusive access to airport lounges, helping you relax and unwind before your flight. Plus, access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program enhances your stay with exceptional amenities.

You’ll also get up to $1,000 in bonus credits and access to travel insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty coverage on eligible items.

You can redeem points for travel, merchandise, gift cards, or statement credits, giving you flexibility in how you use your rewards.

Best for flexible travel rewards: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Rewards:

• 10X points on hotel stays, car rentals, and Chase Dining purchases through Chase Travel℠, plus on Lyft purchases (through March 2025)
• 5X points on air travel through Chase Travel℠ (after earning your $300 travel credit)
• 3X points on restaurant and general travel purchases (after earning your $300 travel credit)
• 1X points on all other purchases

Annual fee: $550

Credit score needed: Excellent (740 or higher)

The Sapphire Reserve card is an ideal choice for frequent travelers and those who enjoy dining out. You can access airport lounges worldwide, making your travel experiences more comfortable. The annual credits help offset travel expenses, and the dining rewards boost your points accumulation for every meal.

With this card, you’ll also get trip cancellation insurance, primary rental car insurance, baggage delay insurance, and more.

Transfer points to travel partners, book travel directly through Chase's portal, or redeem for cash back.

Best for straightforward travel rewards: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Rewards:

10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
5x miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
2x miles on all other purchases

Annual fee: $395

Credit score needed: Excellent (740 or higher)

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a good option for frequent travelers who don’t want to shell out for a high annual fee. With its generous earning rates on travel, you can accumulate miles quickly. Plus, the annual fee is only $395, lower than other elite cards. The card's travel benefits, such as baggage insurance and travel insurance, can ensure a smooth travel experience.

You can redeem miles for travel, statement credits, gift cards, or even transfer them to select airline and hotel partners.

Keep in mind that this card earns miles, which may not be as flexible as earning points. You also won’t get bonus rewards for redeeming through Capital One Travel.

Best for no annual fee: Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Rewards: 2% cash rewards on all purchases

Annual fee: $0 

Credit score needed: Good to Excellent (670 or higher)

The Active Cash Card is a good option if you want a simple cash rewards program. You'll earn a flat 2% cash rewards on everything you buy without worrying about spending categories or rotating bonuses. The card's welcome bonus provides an added boost to your cash rewards. The introductory APR period can also be helpful if you plan to make a large purchase or transfer a balance.

You can redeem cash rewards as a statement credit, deposit them into a Wells Fargo account, or request a paper check.

Keep in mind that this card has a higher-than-average APR once the introductory period ends. Rewards are aren't ideal for frequent travelers since you can't transfer points to airline or hotel partners.

Best for earning miles: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Rewards: 

• Earn 5X miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases

Annual fee: $95

Credit score needed: Good to Excellent (670 or higher)

The Capital One Venture Rewards card is a solid rewards card with a lower annual fee than the other elite cards on this list. Because you’ll earn at least 2X miles on all your purchases, you can quickly accumulate rewards and use them to fund your trips. This card also offers travel insurance and other protections, offering peace of mind while traveling.

The other key benefit is the ability to transfer miles to many airline and hotel partners, helping you maximize your rewards.

Redeem miles for cash back, statement credits, gift cards, or travel through Capital One Travel. You can transfer miles to Capital One airline and hotel partners like Accor Live Limitless, Air France (Flying Blue), Choice Privileges, Emirates, and Wyndham Rewards.

Best for dining and grocery rewards: American Express® Gold Card

Rewards:

• 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year on U.S. supermarket purchases, then 1X)
• 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel
• 1X points on all other purchases

Annual fee: $250. See rates and fees 

Credit score needed: Good to Excellent (670 or higher)

While you won’t earn as many travel rewards as the Amex Platinum, the Amex Gold card is a good option for earning on dining and travel. It also comes with a lower annual fee of $250. See rates and fees. 

You can also access annual bonus credits worth hundreds of dollars and a robust welcome bonus. Plus, this card has travel insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty coverage on eligible items.

Redeem points for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, and travel through AmexTravel.com. You can also transfer points to a range of Amex airline and hotel partners, including Air France (Flying Blue), Delta SkyMiles, Hilton Honors, and Marriott Bonvoy, among others.

Best mid-tier travel card: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Rewards

• 5X points on travel through Chase Travel℠
• 5X total points on Lyft rides (through March 2025) 
• 3X points on dining (including eligible delivery services), select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs)
• 2X points on other travel
• 1X points on other purchases

Annual fee: $95

Credit score needed: Good to Excellent (670 or higher)

The Sapphire Preferred card is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a versatile travel rewards card for a lower annual fee. This card's key features are its generous travel rewards earning rate and valuable transfer partners. The card's travel insurance and protections provide added security during your trips.

Cardholders can redeem points for cash back, statement credits, gift cards, and merchandise. Rewards are worth 25% more when booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards points. You can transfer points 1:1 to airline and hotel partners like British Airways, Marriott Bonvoy, Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, and World of Hyatt.

Best for earning cash back on groceries and gas: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Rewards:

• 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
• 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
• 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. See rates and fees. 

Credit score needed: Good to Excellent (670 or higher)

The Blue Cash Preferred is great for those who want to earn cash back on everyday spending. With this card, you can earn significant rewards on groceries, streaming services, and gas. Plus, the card's introductory APR period can help manage expenses or consolidate balances.

This card has an introductory annual fee of $0 in the first year and costs $95 annually afterward. See rates and fees.

You can redeem cash back as a statement credit, deposit it into your bank account, or use it for eligible purchases.

Best for flat-rate cash back: Citi® Double Cash Card

Rewards:

• 5% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked via the Citi Travel portal through Dec. 31, 2024
• Up to 2% cash back on all eligible purchases (1% when you buy, plus another 1% when you pay off purchases)

Annual fee: $0 

Credit score needed: Good to Excellent (670 or higher)

Like the Wells Fargo Active Cash, the Citi Double Cash Card also offers a straightforward cash back rewards program. You'll earn 2% cash back on everything you buy without any spending categories to track. You’ll get 1% back at the time of purchase and 1% back when you pay for those purchases.

The card's no annual fee feature makes it a cost-effective choice for maximizing your cash back earnings. Plus, the introductory APR on balance transfers can be helpful if you're looking to consolidate and pay off existing card balances.

 You can apply your cash back as a statement credit to offset your balance, receive a check, or deposit it into a linked bank account.

What is an excellent credit score? 

An excellent credit score typically falls within the range of 800 to 850 on the FICO scoring model, one of the most widely used credit scoring systems. 

To achieve and maintain an excellent credit score, you should:

• Consistently make on-time payments on all your credit accounts
• Keep your credit utilization ratio (the amount of credit you use compared to your credit limits) low, ideally under 30%
• Have a mix of different types of credit, such as credit cards, installment loans, and mortgages
• Limit new credit applications and hard inquiries on your credit report
• Maintain a long average credit history by keeping older credit accounts open

Benefits of excellent credit

Having an excellent credit score comes with plenty of advantages that can save you money and offer access to better financial opportunities. This could potentially include: 

• Lower interest rates on loans and credit cards
• Higher approval odds for credit applications
• More negotiating power with lenders. You may be able to request lower interest rates, waived fees, or better terms on your credit accounts.
• Lower insurance premiums on auto, home, and life insurance policies.
• Easier approval for rental applications
• Better employment opportunities

How we rated the best credit cards for excellent credit

To determine the best credit cards for excellent credit, we carefully evaluated a wide range of factors, including the card's sign-up bonus, rewards earning rates on purchases, added perks and benefits, annual fees, and overall value for consumers.

Our team analyzed numerous credit card offers and selected the top contenders based on these key criteria. The options on this list represent the best value, rewards, and benefits available.

Here are some of the key factors we considered:

• Rewards: Rewards are the primary reason many people use credit cards, as they allow you to earn valuable points, miles, or cash back on your everyday spending.
• Redemption flexibility: What good are rewards if they're a hassle to redeem? Flexible redemption options allow you to use your rewards in the way that best suits you, whether that's offsetting your bill with statement credits or booking a dream vacation.
• Benefits: Credit card benefits can provide significant value and make your life easier, from saving you money on checked bags to providing peace of mind with travel insurance.
• Annual fee: The annual fee is a key factor because it's a recurring cost that can eat into your rewards earnings. It's important to make sure you're getting enough value from the card to justify the fee.
• Welcome bonus: A lucrative welcome bonus can give your rewards a massive head start, especially in the first year, making it a great way to kickstart your earnings.
• Rates & other fees: High interest rates and fees can quickly negate the value of any rewards you earn, so it's important to understand these costs and how to avoid them.

The bottom line

Having good credit or excellent credit makes life easier in so many ways — especially when it comes to your finances. After all, having a solid credit score opens the door to better loans with the best rates and terms. You’ll also get access to the best credit cards with valuable rewards programs that can give you something back for each dollar you spend.

Remember that you'll have to use your card responsibly to keep your credit score in tip-top shape. This means paying your credit card bill early or on time each month and keeping your credit utilization ratio as low as possible.

[Disclaimer]: *Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.