All information about Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by 10x Travel. Chase Freedom Flex® is no longer available through 10xtravel.com.

All information about the American Express Green Card and The Amex EveryDay® Card has been collected independently by 10xTravel. The information related to the Citi Custom Cash® Card and the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has been collected by 10xTravel and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.

There could be many reasons why you might not be working on earning a credit card welcome bonus at the moment. Maybe you’re trying to get your recently opened card count below 5/24 or you’re letting your credit report cool off a little bit before opening new lines of credit.

Whatever the reason, you still want to take advantage of travel credit card bonus categories. That’s why we’ve compiled the best bonus category options currently available in the market on a quarterly basis for cards you might have in your wallet.

While some cards have permanent bonus categories, others change every few months. We hope this guide will make choosing the best card for your everyday purchases just a little bit easier.

Groceries

All information about Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by 10x Travel. Chase Freedom Flex® is no longer available through 10xtravel.com.

For the third quarter of 2025, there are quite a few options to earn points at elevated rates on supermarket purchases. You can earn tons of rewards to make the increasingly painful cost of groceries sting less.

The following cards offer bonus points or high cashback rates on grocery purchases:

  • The Amex EveryDay® Card: 2X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on the first $6,000 spent per year, then 1X thereafter
  • American Express® Gold Card (see rates and fees): 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on the first $25,000 spent per year, then 1X thereafter
  • Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (see rates & fees): 3% cash back on groceries on the first $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets per year, then 1% thereafter. The cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout.
  • Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (see rates and fees): 6% cash back on groceries on the first $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets per year, then 1% thereafter
  • Chase Freedom (not available to new applicants) and Chase Freedom Flex®: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards points on Instacart purchases (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter)
  • Citi Custom Cash® Card: 5% cash back on the first $500 in your top category spend each month, 1% cash back thereafter
  • Citi Strata Premier℠ Card: 3X ThankYou Points at supermarkets
  • Prime Visa: 5% cash back at Whole Foods

A fan-favorite, American Express® Gold Card is still one of the best cards to earn flexible rewards on grocery purchases in the United States.

The Citi Strata℠ Premier Card (see rates and fees) earns bonus points on supermarkets all over the world, so consider this card when buying groceries overseas.

The Citi Custom Cash Card offers the opportunity to earn up to 5% cash back on your first $500 spent at grocery stores, so long as it’s your top category of the month. Given groceries are often one of the biggest line items in a family’s budget, it can be easy to maximize the grocery store category with this card every month.

flight_best bonus category

Flights

Whenever you’re not redeeming credit card rewards for airfare, make sure to earn the most points possible on any cash tickets you’re purchasing.

The best cards offering bonus points for flights purchased this quarter include:

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card is a newcomer to the world of points and miles that earns an impressive 4X points on airfare purchases and gives back a $50 annual statement credit toward purchases that are coded as airlines (with a $50 minimum purchase).

Although both the Amex Platinum and the Citi Prestige Card earn 5X points on flights, the Amex Platinum is a preferred option between the two because it provides trip delay insurance.

The Amex Gold and the Amex Green could be good choices here as well, as they both earn 3X Membership Rewards points on airfare booked directly with airlines.

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is a bit of an underdog, but it still should be on your radar. Unlike its big brother, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card, it earns 3X points on all travel regardless if it’s booked through a travel portal or not. Keep in mind, U.S. Bank doesn’t have any transfer partners, so you’ll be limited to redeeming points directly through their travel portal.

The Citi Strata Premier Card awards 3X ThankYou Points on airfare and now provides travel protections, such as trip cancellation or interruption insurance, trip delay, baggage delay, baggage loss and MasterRental coverage.

hotels_best bonus category

Hotels

Although there are exceptions, we recommend focusing on earning transferable points when booking hotels. Here are your best options with Amex, Capital One, Chase and Citi:

If you’re looking to pay cash for your hotel stay, consider using the Citi Prestige Card (not available to new applicants). You can get the fourth night free on a paid hotel stay booked through Citi Travel (up to two times per year).

The Citi Strata Premier Card holders receive a $100 annual statement credit per calendar year after booking a single stay totaling at least $500 through the Citi Travel portal. Additionally, the Citi Strata Premier and the Citi Prestige card holders earn 10X points on hotel bookings made through its new portal partnered with Booking.com.

Those who have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can save $50 per membership year when booking a hotel stay through the Chase Travel℠ travel portal.

The Platinum Card from American Express cardmembers receive a $200 hotel credit toward a property participating in the Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection booked via American Express Travel® (no enrollment required, but terms apply).

You also can earn 5X points on hotel stays with the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card. You’ll earn 5X points on hotels booked through the Altitude Reserve Center with your card, but there are no transfer partners with U.S. Bank.

cruise_best bonus category

Cruises

Setting sails? Use a card that earns bonus rewards in the travel category. Co-branded cruise cards aren’t typically the best options. Instead, use a credit card that earns a boatload of flexible points and offers trip insurance in case you miss the boat.

  • American Express Green Card: 3X Membership Rewards points on travel
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Chase Freedom Flex®: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards on purchases made in Chase Travel℠
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards on Norwegian Cruise Line purchases
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 5X Ultimate Rewards points on travel purchases made through Chase Travel℠ or 2X points on travel
  • Citi Prestige Card: 3X ThankYou Points on cruise lines
  • Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: 3X Ultimate Rewards on travel
  • U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: 4X points per dollar spent on travel
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: 3X points on travel
rental car_best bonus category

Rental Cars

When renting a car, you should consider more than just the total number of points you’d earn. Some cards offer rental car insurance when you pay with them, but they may not offer the most points.

For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® provide primary insurance coverage while many of its peers offer either secondary coverage or no coverage at all.

restaurant or dining_best bonus category

Restaurants

Dining, including delivery and takeout, is one of the most popular travel credit card bonus categories. The extra points add up quickly whether you grab a hot beverage at a neighborhood coffee shop in the morning, go out with coworkers for lunch, or wine and dine in the evening.

rideshare_best bonus category

Ride-Hailing Services

Ride-booking can be tricky. Some banks code these services as travel while others don’t. For extra rewards, look for cards that have partnerships with specific ride-hailing companies.

  • American Express Green Card: 3X Membership Rewards on travel
  • Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 3% cash back on transit
  • Chase Freedom / Chase Freedom Flex / Chase Freedom Unlimited: 2% cash back on Lyft rides
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 5X Ultimate Rewards on Lyft rides, 2X points on all other travel
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 5X Ultimate Rewards on Lyft rides, 3X points on all other travel
  • Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: 5X Ultimate Rewards points on Lyft rides, 3X on all other travel
  • Ink Business Unlimited® / Ink Business Cash® / Ink Business Premier®: 5% cash back on Lyft rides
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Card: 3x points on transit
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: 3X points on travel

Although The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card don’t earn bonus points with ride-hailing services, they offer a monthly Uber Cash credit of $15 and $10, respectively (enrollment required), so don’t forget to link these cards with your Uber account. You must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App. You must add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account, and then pay with any AMEX card. The Amex benefit may only be used in United States.

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders receive a $10 Lyft credit every month (through September 2027) to use toward a ride. To receive the monthly credits, make sure your Sapphire Reserve is the default payment method in the Lyft app.

food delivery_best bonus category

Food Delivery

For food delivery, some cards offer unique credits in addition to bonus points. Balancing your earnings and credits to offset the costs is the best way to save and earn.

The Amex Gold Card offers a $10 monthly Grubhub credit and a $10 monthly Uber Cash credit (enrollment required), which can be used toward Uber Eats orders as well.

The Amex Platinum Card members receive a $15 monthly Uber Cash credit and $35 in December (enrollment required). The credits with either card don’t roll over to the next month, so be sure to place an order before they expire.

gas stations_best bonus category

Gas Stations

Gas stations are a big category for those who commute to work or prefer road trips to air travel. Use the cards below to get as many points or as much cash back as possible when filling up the tank to offset the high cost of fuel. Those buying snacks for the road, such as meat jerky and granola bars, will thank us later as well.

  • Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 3% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations
  • Chase Freedom (not available to new applicants) and Chase Freedom Flex: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards points at gas and EV charging stations (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter)
  • Citi Custom Cash Card: 5% back on the first $500 in your top category spend each month, 1% cash back thereafter
  • Citi Strata Premier Card: 3X ThankYou Points at gas stations and EV charging stations
  • Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi: 4% cash back on gas, including at Costco (on up to the first $7,000 per year, then 1%)
  • Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card: 5% cash back at gas and EV charging stations (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter)
  • Ink Business Cash® credit card: 2% cash back/2X Ultimate Rewards at gas stations (on the first $25,000 per year)
  • U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: 4X points at gas stations
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Card: 3x points at gas stations and electric vehicle charging stations
mobile pay_bes bonus category

Mobile Pay

Mobile pay is becoming increasingly common, allowing you to complete a transaction in seconds using just your phone. As the acceptance of mobile pay services increases, so does its popularity as a bonus category.

  • Apple Card: 3% on Apple Pay transactions at Apple, Ace Hardware, Duane Reade, Exxon and Mobil gas stations, Nike, Panera Bread, T-Mobile, Uber, Uber Eats and Walgreens, and 2% back on all other Apple Pay transactions
  • U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card: 3X points on Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, LG Pay

Although the Apple Card is technically one of the best options for mobile pay, we don’t generally recommend it. Many cards earn bonus points in their respective categories even if you pay with mobile pay. So if you’re dining out, look to use one of the best restaurant cards instead of the Apple Card.

Entertainment

Entertainment can be a broad category, but there are several cards available this quarter that list entertainment as a bonus category.

  • Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card: 4% cash back on entertainment
  • Chase Freedom (not available to new applicants) and Chase Freedom Flex: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards points on select live entertainment (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter)
  • Citi Custom Cash Card: 5% back on the first $500 in your top category spend each month, 1% cash back thereafter
streaming services_best bonus category

Streaming Services

For many people, streaming services have replaced traditional cable and satellite TV. Although it may be a hassle to change all your billing information, using one of the following cards will get you the most rewards on streaming services this quarter.

Quarterly Bonus Categories (July through September 2025)

Some of our favorite rewards cards include bonus categories that change every quarter. Below are two of our favorite rotating category credit cards and their Q3 2025 bonus categories.

  • Chase Freedom (not available to new applicants) and Chase Freedom Flex: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards points at gas and EV charging stations, on select live entertainment and Instacart purchases (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter)
  • Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card: 5% cash back at gas and EV charging stations, on public transit and utilities (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter)

Gas stations have been a staple category for Q3 on the Chase Freedom and the Chase Freedom Flex cards, and they’re making yet another comeback this quarter. With the popularity of electric vehicles, EV charging has made its way on the list as well.

The live entertainment category includes “major sporting events, zoos and aquariums, concerts, theatrical productions, museums, tourist attractions and exhibits, amusement parks, circuses, carnivals, bands and entertainers.” Music concerts and amusement parks have become quite expensive lately, meaning you can get a 5% discount in the form of cash back by paying for Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” tour tickets with your Freedom Flex card.

The Discover it card also features gas stations and EV charging on its lineup for Q3, so there’s a bit of overlap. If you’re a road tripper who can’t live without their jerky fix, you can earn some serious cash back at gas stations across the U.S.

Public transit spending likely won’t yield too many rewards, but if your gas or electric company accepts credit cards without fees, you can score some cash back that way.

Offer activation is required for both Chase and Discover cards, so don’t forget to click the magic “Activate” button to get the bonus rewards.

Chase Freedom Flex Surprise Birthday Category

2025 is the year the Freedom card turns 15 years old, and Chase is celebrating the card’s birthday by adding a surprise bonus category to the OG Freedom and the Freedom Flex cards in the final month of each quarter.

Surprise categories qualify for the bonus earnings automatically, as long as you’ve activated the bonus earnings for that quarter.

We don’t know the surprise category for September yet, so stay tuned and come back to this page in a couple of months to find out what it is.

Chase My Bonus on Co-Branded Cards

If you happen to hold any co-branded cards issued by Chase, such as Aeroplan, Amazon, Avios, IHG, Hyatt, Marriott, Southwest Airlines or United Airlines credit cards, you might be eligible for bonus earnings.

To check whether you’re eligible for extra rewards, go to Chase’s My Bonus page and enter your information. If your card is eligible, make sure to activate the offer and use said card in the listed spending categories, which can include grocery stores, gas and dining.

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of great cards for every bonus category this quarter to help you maximize rewards on your everyday expenses. Banking double or triple points per dollar means you’ll get to your next vacation much faster. And if you’re having a hard time tracking it all, we recommend referring to this article before making a purchase.