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Credit playing cards compete for the highest spot in your pockets by providing high-value bonus multipliers for purchases in varied classes, together with journey, eating and groceries.
But even should you spend the majority of your finances in these classes, you in all probability aren’t going grocery procuring or shopping for aircraft tickets each single day. Not as many playing cards step as much as the plate to supply bonus factors on the one factor lots of us must do each single day: commute to and from work or college.
If you’re trying to earn bonus factors on this typically unavoidable expense, listed below are the highest playing cards you must contemplate.
The greatest bank cards for commuting bills
*Valuations are primarily based on TPG’s newest calculations and aren’t offered by the bank card issuers.
The info for the Amex Green, U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve and Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
A more in-depth take a look at the playing cards you must use for commuting bills
American Express® Green Card
Welcome provide: Earn 40,000 factors after you spend $2,000 on purchases within the first six months from account opening.
Annual price: $150 (see charges and charges).
Why we prefer it: Like the Chase playing cards above, America Express defines “travel” fairly broadly because it applies to the Amex Green card. The card earns priceless Membership Rewards factors, which can be utilized with some nice switch companions. With this card, you’ll earn 3 factors per greenback on journey and transit. You’ll additionally earn 3 factors per greenback at eating places (together with takeout and supply) within the U.S. and 1 level per greenback on all different purchases.
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Three gadgets add important worth to the Amex Green card:
TPG values Membership Rewards factors at 2 cents apiece. Thus, the welcome provide is price $800, and the factors you earn on commuting bills symbolize a 6% return on spending.
Read our American Express® Green Card assessment for extra particulars.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
Annual price: $550.
Why we prefer it: You’re not going to seek out the phrase “commute” wherever within the tremendous print on this card, however the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s beloved 3 factors per greenback on journey purchases will lengthen to your morning commute. Chase defines journey within the broadest means doable. You’ll earn bonus Ultimate Rewards factors for all the standard issues like airfare and resorts, however you’ll additionally earn for ride-hailing providers like Uber, public transit, toll bridges and highways — and even some parking charges.
Chase additionally has a partnership with Lyft by March 2025, permitting you to earn 10 factors per greenback spent on these purchases.
This makes the Sapphire Reserve an excellent alternative on your day-to-day life and on your holidays as properly. The welcome bonus will jump-start you towards your subsequent tropical getaway. Plus, its annual price is essentially offset by a $300 annual journey credit score. This credit score is robotically utilized to any eligible purchases you make (although word you received’t earn factors for the journey this credit score reimburses). So you would possibly even end up getting reimbursed on your commute by Chase should you pay with a Sapphire Reserve.
The Sapphire Reserve additionally provides 10 factors per greenback on resort and automobile rental purchases booked by the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal and 5 factors per greenback on airline journey booked by the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal.
Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve assessment for extra particulars.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred Mastercard
Sign-up bonus: Earn 30,000 bonus factors after spending $1,000 on the cardboard throughout the first three billing cycles of account opening.
Annual price: $99.
Why we prefer it: Cardholders earn 3 factors per greenback with Amtrak (together with onboard purchases) and a pair of factors per greenback on eating, journey, transit and rideshare purchases. This covers quite a few kinds of transit, and Amtrak factors will be fairly priceless. TPG values Amtrak Guest Rewards factors at 2.5 cents every.
Additionally, cardholders obtain priceless perks at account opening and on every account anniversary, together with one-class improve awards, a round-trip companion go and lounge passes. Those advantages are on high of an ongoing 5% factors rebate when redeeming with Amtrak Guest Rewards, waived factors expiration insurance policies and a 20% rebate on onboard meals and beverage purchases. For these whose main transit methodology is by prepare, this may very well be an excellent card on your pockets.
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 rewards bonus after you apply on-line and spend $1,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first 120 days of account opening.
Annual price: $0.
Why we prefer it: The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card lets you select two classes for five% cash-back earnings and one class for two% earnings, whereas all different purchases earn 1% again. Note that your 5% incomes is capped at $2,000 in spending every quarter on mixed purchases in your two chosen classes, and “Ground Transportation” is likely one of the eligible classes. So lengthy as your spending on that class and your different chosen class doesn’t surpass $2,000 in a given quarter, you’ll earn 5% again on your entire commuting bills.
Given that there’s no annual price, you received’t obtain lots of perks on the Cash+ Visa card. However, the power to decide on your bonus classes and earn as much as $400 money again in your 5% classes every year (plus limitless earnings within the chosen 2% class and 1% on on a regular basis spending) means this may very well be a powerful earner on your day by day commute.
Read our Cash+ Visa card assessment for extra card info.
Apply right here: U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
Citi Custom Cash Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn $200 money again after spending $1,500 on purchases within the first six months from account opening.
Annual price: $0.
Why we prefer it: You’ll earn 5% again in your high spending class every billing cycle with out the necessity to decide on a class prematurely. The good factor about that is you could earn elevated money again on bills you did not foresee, on condition that it applies robotically to whichever class you spent essentially the most cash in throughout that billing cycle. Categories embrace journey and transit (separate classes).
Unfortunately, the 5% incomes fee solely applies to the primary $500 spent in that class throughout a billing cycle, then 1% money again after that. If you are spending greater than $500 per thirty days on transit and commuting, this won’t be the proper card for you. For those that spend lower than this, 5% money again with no need to decide on your class prematurely is a superb deal for a card with out an annual price.
Read our Citi Custom Cash Card assessment for extra card info.
Apply right here: Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,500 on purchases in your first 90 days from account opening.
Annual price: $199.
Why we prefer it: The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card provides 3 factors per greenback on a broad journey class that features commuting bills. You’ll earn 5 factors per greenback on pay as you go resorts and automobile leases booked instantly within the Altitude Rewards Center and three factors per greenback on all purchases made with the Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay mobile-wallet methods. Qualifying mobile-app purchases will be made in a retailer, in app or on-line. Eligible journey purchases embrace these made instantly with airways, resorts, automobile leases, taxicabs, limousines, trains and cruise traces. You’ll earn 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases.
The Altitude Reserve card additionally has $325 in journey credit every year, which can apply robotically to purchases from airways, resorts, automobile leases, taxis, limousines, trains and cruise traces. However, you should be an present U.S. Bank buyer to use for this card.
Read our Altitude Reserve assessment for extra card info.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Annual price: $95.
Why we prefer it: Like the Sapphire Reserve above, the Sapphire Preferred defines journey within the broadest of phrases and earns priceless Ultimate Rewards factors. With this card, you’ll earn 2 factors per greenback on most journey. You’ll earn 5 factors per greenback on journey bought by the Chase journey portal, 3 factors per greenback on choose streaming providers and on-line grocery purchases, 3 factors per greenback on eating and 1 level per greenback on all the pieces. Plus, by March 31, 2025, you possibly can earn 5 factors per greenback on Lyft rides.
The Sapphire Preferred has sturdy earnings on a broad vary of classes past simply commuting bills, making it an excellent on a regular basis card on your pockets. And the 60,000-point welcome bonus (earned after you spend $4,000 within the first three months of account opening) is price $1,200, in response to TPG’s valuations. Plus, the cardboard additionally has a $50 annual resort credit score, which offsets greater than half of the annual price.
Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred assessment for extra particulars.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on the cardboard throughout the first three months of account opening.
Annual price: $95.
Why we prefer it: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 2 Capital One miles per greenback on practically all the pieces. The simplicity of that’s the card’s bread and butter. You’ll additionally earn 5 miles per greenback spent on resorts and automobile leases booked by Capital One Travel and 5 miles per greenback spent on vehicles booked by Turo (by May 16, 2023).
The Venture card additionally provides a number of journey protections and perks like reimbursement on your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck utility price. The card’s costlier sibling — the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card — has extra perks and advantages, however none of these will apply to your day by day commute in a taxi or subway. And you’d nonetheless earn the identical quantity of factors in your spending, regardless of a a lot increased annual price. Thus, the Venture card is a greater match for this record.
Read our Venture card assessment for extra card info.
Apply right here: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on the cardboard throughout the first three months of account opening.
Annual price: $395.
Why we prefer it: Like the Venture card above, the Venture X card earns 2 Capital One miles per greenback on practically all the pieces. You’ll additionally earn 10 miles per greenback on resorts and rental vehicles booked by Capital One Travel and 5 miles per greenback on flights booked on this portal. Plus, you may earn 10 miles per greenback spent on vehicles booked by Turo (by May 16, 2023).
The Venture X card additionally provides a number of journey protections and perks like reimbursement on your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck utility price, as much as $300 in annual journey credit
Read our Venture X card assessment for extra card info.
Apply right here: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Alaska Airlines Visa bank card
Sign-up bonus: Earn 70,000 bonus miles plus Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and charges from $23) after spend $3,000 on purchases throughout the first 90 days from account opening.
Annual price: $95.
Why we prefer it: Recent adjustments to the Alaska Airlines Visa card noticed the addition of bonus earnings for native transit (together with ride-hailing apps), that means you possibly can earn 2 miles per greenback on this class, in addition to 2 miles per greenback on gasoline, cable and choose streaming providers. You’ll additionally earn 3 miles per greenback on Alaska Airlines purchases and 1 mile per greenback on different purchases.
Alaska Airlines miles are essentially the most priceless airline miles in our factors and miles valuations, that means you are incomes a top quality return in your commuting bills. The card additionally provides perks like precedence boarding, a free first checked bag and incomes 10% bonus miles on every buy in case you have qualifying financial institution accounts with Bank of America.
Read our Alaska Airlines Visa card assessment for extra card info.
Apply right here: Alaska Airlines Visa bank card
World of Hyatt Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn as much as 60,000 factors. Earn 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. Earn 2 factors per greenback on purchases that sometimes earn 1 level per greenback — as much as $15,000 of those purchases within the first six months from account opening for a complete of as much as 30,000 factors.
Annual price: $95.
Why we prefer it: The World of Hyatt Credit Card provides commuters 2 factors per greenback on all native transit and commuting bills, which is nice whether or not you’re heading to a trip spot or simply heading to work or college. Eligible bills embrace taxis, mass transit and ride-hailing providers.
The card’s advantages lengthen to your stays at Hyatt as properly. You obtain computerized Discoverist standing, which is sweet for vacationers who don’t frequent Hyatt. For vacationers who need to earn increased elite standing, this card can assist you with that, too. You’ll obtain 5 elite evening credit from the cardboard robotically and two extra evening credit for each $5,000 you spend on the cardboard in a calendar yr.
On your Hyatt stays, you’ll earn 4 factors per greenback whenever you swipe your card (along with the factors you earn as a World of Hyatt member). And better of all, you’ll obtain a Category 1-4 free evening every year whenever you renew the cardboard. You can earn a second free evening whenever you spend $15,000 on the cardboard in a calendar yr.
Read our World of Hyatt Card assessment for extra card info.
Apply right here: World of Hyatt Credit Card
World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening.
Annual price: $199.
Why we prefer it: The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card provides 2 factors per greenback within the enterprise classes the place you spend essentially the most every quarter. This applies to the three classes the place you spend essentially the most by the top of 2023. However, beginning in 2024, you earn 2 factors per greenback within the two classes the place you spend essentially the most every quarter. “Local transit and commuting” is likely one of the eligible classes, and there’s no restrict to the variety of factors you possibly can earn on this class.
Beyond this bonus class, cardmembers additionally earn 4 factors per greenback spent at Hyatt resorts, at collaborating Small Luxury Hotels of the World and on eligible Lindblad Expeditions. Additionally, cardmembers earn 2 factors per greenback spent on health membership and gymnasium memberships, and also you’ll additionally earn 2 factors per greenback on Find experiences (nonetheless, if you buy these at a Hyatt property, you’ll earn 4 factors per greenback spent). All different purchases earn 1 level per greenback spent.
Along with computerized Discoverist standing (the bottom tier with World of Hyatt), you may as well spend your means towards standing. You’ll earn 5 nights’ price of keep credit for every $10,000 spent on the cardboard. You can even obtain as much as $100 in credit for Hyatt spending every year and unlock a ten% factors rebate by spending $50,000 on the cardboard in a calendar yr.
Read our World of Hyatt Business Card assessment for extra card info.
Apply right here: World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
Welcome bonus: Earn $250 money again (as a press release credit score) after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
Annual price: $0 introductory annual price, then $95 (see charges and charges).
Why we prefer it: You’ll earn 3% again on transit, which incorporates taxis, ride-hailing apps, parking, tolls, trains, buses and extra. You’ll additionally earn 6% again on as much as $6,000 of purchases at U.S. supermarkets every year (then 1% again), 6% again on U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% again at U.S. gasoline stations and 1% again on different purchases.
Given that the transit class is outlined very broadly and would not have annual incomes / spending limits, this card is a superb possibility for individuals who use a number of types of transportation and do not need to pay a excessive annual price.
Read our Blue Cash Preferred Card assessment for extra card info.
Apply right here: Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® bank card
Sign-up bonus: 50,000 bonus factors after you make a minimum of $3,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
Annual price: $95.
Why we prefer it: The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® bank card earns 2 factors per greenback on journey and eating plus 1.5 factors per greenback on all the pieces else. Points are price a flat 1 cent apiece. Those numbers alone aren’t spectacular and don’t advantage a spot on our record of the most effective playing cards for commuting. The motive this card enters the record is for many who can maximize the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program. Depending in your tier in Preferred Rewards, you could possibly earn as much as 3.5 factors per greenback on journey with this card, which incorporates commuting bills.
The Premium Rewards card additionally provides an annual $100 airline incidental credit score, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck utility price reimbursement, varied journey protections and buy safety.
Read our Premium Rewards card assessment for extra card info.
Apply right here: Bank of America® Premium Rewards® bank card
What in case your commute is a drive?
Of course, the playing cards talked about above are primarily geared towards transit purchases. In smaller cities (or for these with out public transportation choices), chances are you’ll end up driving to work or college. In that case, chances are you’ll be higher off choosing a bank card that’s nice for gasoline purchases. While this received’t assist with transit purchases, it may very well be an excellent possibility for filling up your tank.
Related: 5 methods to save lots of on the pump
Bottom line
Commuting to and from work could make a protracted day even longer. While you possibly can’t reduce your commute time by carrying the proper bank cards, you will get an excellent quantity of factors or money again on transit bills. Some of the playing cards with the most effective “travel” bonus classes embrace very broad definitions that can cowl your morning commute, regardless of what number of wheels are on the automobile serving to you get there.
Additional reporting by Ethan Steinberg.
For charges and charges of the Amex Green card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Blue Cash Preferred card, click on right here.