Picking the best credit playing cards on your pockets might be difficult. Each gives completely different perks, and that is very true for premium playing cards.
These days, issuers maintain upping the ante by refreshing well-liked playing cards, including advantages and rising the playing cards’ annual charges, so there’s extra competitors on this area than ever.
Here, we’ll evaluate the advantages and worth propositions of a number of the best premium credit playing cards accessible for brand spanking new candidates. We’ll concentrate on eight premium rewards playing cards:
The data for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Methodology for evaluating the best premium credit playing cards
For this comparison, we are going to evaluate these playing cards throughout seven classes:
- Annual charge
- Current welcome supply
- Point-earning potential
- Redemption choices
- Statement credit and notable perks
- Lounge entry
- Travel and buy protections
This evaluation is predicated on a generic traveler making an attempt to resolve which one in every of these playing cards is true for them. When selecting which one is the best, premium credit playing cards have various perks and advantages, so the one which’s proper on your pockets will rely in your particular needs and desires.
Comparison of the best premium playing cards
| Card | Annual charge | Additional cardholder charge | Welcome supply | Welcome supply worth* | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Platinum | $695 (see charges and costs) | $195 for every further cardmember (see charges and costs) | Find out your supply and see if you’re eligible to earn as excessive as 175,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome gives differ and also you will not be eligible for a suggestion. | Up to $3,500 |
|
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | $395 | $0 for as much as 4 approved customers | Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. | $1,388 |
|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve** | $795 | $195 for every further cardholder | Earn 100,000 bonus factors and a $500 Chase Travel℠ credit after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Note the promotional credit is legitimate for a one-time use solely, If you apply the promotional credit to a transaction lower than $500, you’ll forfeit the remaining steadiness. |
Up to $2,550, together with the Chase Travel credit |
Purchases that qualify for the $300 annual journey credit won’t earn factors. |
| Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard | $595 (see charges and costs) | $175 annual charge for the primary three approved customers, $175 for every approved person after that | Earn 100,000 miles after spending $10,000 on purchases inside the first three months of account opening. | $1,500 |
|
| Delta Reserve | $650 (see charges and costs) | $175 per further cardmember (see charges and costs) | Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. | $1,250 |
|
| Hilton Honors Aspire Card |
$550 | $0 for every further cardmember | Earn 175,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. | $875 |
|
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant | $650 (see Rates & Fees) | $0 (see Rates & Fees) | Earn 100,000 bonus factors after making $6,000 in purchases inside the first six months of card membership and an additional 50,000 bonus factors after making an extra $2,000 in purchases inside the first six months. | Up to $1,050 |
|
| United Club Card | $695 | $0 for every further cardholder | Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | $1,215 |
|
*Welcome supply worth is an estimated worth based mostly on TPG’s June 2025 valuations and isn’t supplied by the issuer.
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**It’s essential to notice that for present Sapphire Reserve cardholders or for individuals who utilized earlier than June 23, 2025, new advantages and incomes charges take impact October 26.
Annual charge
It could be best to choose the playing cards with the bottom annual charges, however that does not inform the complete story. You ought to take a look at the annual charge, the advantages and assertion credit supplied by the playing cards and see whether or not the worth supplied justifies the annual charge. Some playing cards with excessive annual charges can give you a lot worth that you could be even web cash and are available out forward.
Whether or not a card expenses for added cardholders additionally makes a distinction. Half of the playing cards on our checklist do not cost a charge for added cardholders (although some restrict what number of complimentary customers you’ll be able to add).
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card permits approved customers to take pleasure in an up-to-$100 property credit for eligible two-night stays at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties. Meanwhile, approved customers on the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard obtain Admirals Club entry for themselves and their rapid relations or as much as two touring companions.
Ultimately, nonetheless, the Venture X is the winner of this class. First and foremost, its $395 annual charge is far decrease than the remainder of the group.
Plus, you’ll be able to add as much as 4 approved customers for no further cost.
Related: Quick Points: Have good credit? Share it with a certified person
Welcome supply
All the premium playing cards listed above include profitable welcome gives that may assist get you nearer to your subsequent large journey.
Cards that earn transferable rewards and welcome gives are value greater than their cobranded counterparts. With the Amex Platinum, discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible to earn as excessive as 175,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome gives differ and also you will not be eligible for a suggestion. The Amex Platinum welcome supply is value as much as $3,500 based mostly on TPG’s June 2025 valuations.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is available in second place with its 100,000 bonus miles and $500 Chase Travel credit welcome supply value as much as $2,550 based mostly on TPG’s June 2025 valuations. The Venture X finishes third with its welcome supply of 75,000 bonus miles value $1,388 based mostly on TPG’s June 2025 valuations
The Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard takes the cake with probably the most beneficial welcome supply for a cobranded card, with its supply value $1,500.
Related: The best welcome gives of the month
Points-earning potential
Another essential facet when evaluating premium credit playing cards is the points-earning potential and the rewards you’ll be able to earn.
The Sapphire Reserve comes out on prime right here. It earns probably the most beneficial foreign money, on all kinds of purchases. Ultimate Rewards are value 2.05 cents apiece, in line with TPG’s June 2025 valuations.
Like the Venture X, the Sapphire Reserve racks up extra bonus factors on journey booked by way of the issuer’s journey portal. However, the cardboard pulls forward of Venture X by incomes extra factors on eating and flights and inns booked instantly, plus bonus earnings with a number of companions.
That stated, the Venture X earns a strong 2 miles per greenback on on a regular basis spending, which is fairly simple to maximise while not having to trace spending classes.
The Hilton Honors Aspire card takes the third spot, due to an unimaginable 14 factors per greenback at Hilton properties and seven factors per greenback on airfare, automobile leases and U.S. eating places. Based on TPG’s June 2025 valuations, these bonuses characterize 7% and three.5% returns on spending, respectively.
Related: Maximizing credit playing cards to develop into points-rich with out spending a ton
Redemption choices
Another essential facet when evaluating premium playing cards is the redemption choices, and the one that gives most worth is using switch companions.
| Card | Redemption/switch choices |
|---|---|
| Amex Platinum | You can redeem factors for an announcement credit (at 0.6 cents per level), journey or switch them to one in every of 18 airways and three lodge companions. |
| Capital One Venture X | You can redeem miles for money again (at 0.5 cents per mile), journey purchases in your assertion (at 1 cent per mile), present playing cards, PayPal, Amazon, tickets by way of Capital One Entertainment or switch them to one in every of 15-plus airline and lodge companions. |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | You can redeem factors to ebook journey instantly by way of Chase Travel, and with the brand new Points Boost redemption acceleration, your factors might be value as much as 2 cents apiece, relying on the particular redemption (see your rewards program settlement for full particulars).
You may offset some purchases by way of Chase’s Pay Yourself Back or switch them to one in every of 11 airways and three lodge companions. |
| Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard | You can redeem miles for flights on American Airlines and its numerous Oneworld alliance companions and nonalliance companions like Etihad Airways, upgrades, inns, rental automobiles, experiences and Admirals Club passes. |
| Delta Reserve | You can redeem miles for flights on Delta and its numerous SkyGroup or nonalliance companions like WestJet, seat upgrades, Delta Vacations, Delta Stays, automobile leases, SkyMiles experiences and magazines. |
| Hilton Honors Aspire | You can redeem factors for stays at inns within the Hilton Honors portfolio of manufacturers or switch to one in every of 26 airline companions. |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant | You can redeem factors for lodge stays within the Marriott Bonvoy program or switch them to one in every of 39 airline companions. |
| United Club Card | You can redeem miles for flights on United and its numerous Star Alliance companions. |
Analysis
The best premium credit playing cards on this checklist are the Sapphire Reserve, the Amex Platinum and the Venture X, and so they’ve earned their spots due to the flexibleness of transferable factors or miles that will not lock you into a selected set of airways or inns.
Even although the Chase Sapphire Reserve has fewer switch companions than the Amex Platinum, Sapphire Reserve cardholders can redeem factors for journey instantly by way of Chase Travel at a worth of as much as 2 cents per level, relying on the particular redemption (see your rewards program settlement for full particulars). Meanwhile, Amex Platinum has 21 airline and lodge switch companions in whole and different redemption choices.
The Venture X takes third place by providing 15-plus airline and lodge switch companions. While you’ll be able to switch to most applications at a 1:1 ratio, there are some exceptions: Accor Live Limitless (2:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (5:3) and EVA Air Infinity MileageLands (2:1.5).
The cobranded premium airline playing cards typically supply extra redemption choices, however they do not have switch companions, and the miles can solely be used to ebook flights on their accomplice airways (each alliance and nonalliance).
Which of those three is best for you? That will rely in your most well-liked switch companions and their alignment together with your journey targets.
Related: How to switch credit card rewards to accomplice applications
Statement credit and notable perks
All these premium card choices have many assertion credit and perks meant to offer worth to cardholders. In some instances, in case you make the most of the complete worth of the credit and perks, you’ll be able to recuperate your annual charge and even obtain constructive worth.
| Card | Statement credit and advantages |
|---|---|
| Amex Platinum |
Enrollment is required for choose advantages. |
| Capital One Venture X |
|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve |
|
| Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard |
|
| Delta Reserve |
Enrollment is required for choose advantages. |
| Hilton Honors Aspire |
Enrollment is required for choose advantages. |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant |
Enrollment is required for choose advantages. |
| United Club Card |
|
**Upon enrollment, accessible by way of the Capital One web site or cellular app, eligible cardholders will stay at that standing degree by way of the length of the supply. Please notice, enrolling by way of the traditional Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment course of (e.g. at Hertz.com) won’t mechanically detect a cardholder as being eligible for this system and cardholders won’t be mechanically upgraded to the relevant standing tier. Additional phrases apply
Analysis
After its refesh, the Chase Sapphire Reserve gives probably the most worth to be discovered with the credit. For starters, the $300 journey credit is larger than most rivals and applies to any journey buy (versus simply charges or airfare, like a few of its competitors).
You’ll additionally obtain an as much as $500 annual lodge credit by way of The Edit, an as much as $300 annual StubHub and Viagogo credit for reserving tickets and stay leisure and complimentary subscriptions to Apple Music and Apple TV+ (one-time activation required). In addition, the credit posts in a short time, whereas different playing cards require you to attend a whole assertion interval and even pressure you to name and have customer support manually subject you a credit.
Amex has a plethora of way of life and travel-focused credit to the Platinum, making it a detailed second. The whole worth of those credit is over $1,600. If you will get all or many of the advantages, you’ll greater than offset the cardboard’s annual charge. However, the worth they will present in your scenario can differ.
The Venture X additionally has a $300 credit, although it is extra restricted: It solely applies to bookings made by way of the Capital One Travel portal. Plus, with the anniversary 10,000 bonus miles, and in case you make the most of the complete worth of the journey credit, you’ll web constructive worth yearly.
The cobranded lodge playing cards supply substantial worth when staying at Hilton or Marriott properties and supply helpful hotel-related assertion credit and advantages like elite standing and free evening awards.
The cobranded airline playing cards present modest assertion credit, however the inflight reductions and free checked luggage might be very helpful in case you steadily fly on a kind of airways.
Related: The best credit playing cards to succeed in elite standing
Lounge entry
| Card | Lounge entry |
|---|---|
| Amex Platinum |
Enrollment is required for choose advantages. |
| Capital One Venture X |
|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | |
| Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard |
|
| Delta Reserve |
|
| Hilton Honors Aspire | None |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant |
|
| United Club Card |
Analysis
This class is far harder to rank, provided that the worth of lounge entry is predicated on many components — out of your typical departure airport(s) and your most well-liked airline(s) to how steadily you journey with company.
The Amex Platinum offers entry to probably the most lounges for the first account holder; in case you journey with others, the worth modifications. You could have to pay so as to add approved customers in case you aren’t spending sufficient in your card to earn visitor privileges.
The Venture X has Priority Pass and Capital One Lounge entry. The issuer debuted its first lounge at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in 2021 and has grown to have six places (one in every of which is branded as a Landing).
The Chase Sapphire Reserve additionally comes with Priority Pass membership and offers entry to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club, which has eight places. Additionally, in case you’re flying on a Star Alliance airline, you’ll be able to entry choose Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges.
The three airline playing cards would be the handiest for folk who fly one service recurrently and might make the most of its lounges.
Related: Best credit playing cards for airport lounge entry
Travel and buy protections
All of those playing cards additionally present numerous coverages and protections whenever you’re touring or making purchases, which might make your life simple if issues go awry. They all have some mixture of the next protections and insurance coverage:
Analysis
The Sapphire Reserve takes the cake right here because the best premium credit card with its slew of protections like major automobile rental insurance coverage, emergency evacuation insurance coverage and journey accident insurance coverage.
The Venture X is available in second, due to pretty complete protections that embrace cellphone protection.
The Amex Platinum gives vital journey insurance coverage protection*, however notice that the rental automobile profit offers secondary protection**, and there’s no baggage delay protection.
If you are a United flyer, the United Club additionally gives a strong slate of protections chances are you’ll wish to think about.
*Terms, circumstances and limitations apply for journey insurances and protections. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars.
**Eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Not all car varieties or leases are lined, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, circumstances and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is obtainable by way of American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
While many of those advantages look related total, your best wager is to look at the variations and gaps after which decide how probably these are to have an effect on your journeys. All of those playing cards supply numerous protections and insurances, so analyze what’s best on your wants.
Related: Your full information to journey protections on American Express playing cards
Bottom line
You might imagine paying $395 or extra for a card’s annual charge is prohibitive. As you’ll be able to see, nonetheless, the best premium credit playing cards carry quite a few advantages that may simply cowl that annual charge after which some.
As at all times, tailor your alternative based mostly on what’s most essential to you. This information ought to present a framework for deciding which premium credit playing cards are good suits on your pockets.
Apply right here: Amex Platinum
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Apply right here: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Apply right here: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
Apply right here: United Club Card
Learn extra: Capital One Venture X
Learn extra: Hilton Honors Aspire
For Capital One merchandise listed on this web page, a number of the advantages could also be supplied by Visa® or Mastercard® and will differ by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for particulars, as phrases and exclusions apply.
For charges and costs of The Platinum Card from American Express, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card, click on right here.
