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All information about the Prime Visa has been collected independently by 10xTravel.

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

Grocery costs are still on the rise, and there are quite a few options to earn points at elevated rates on supermarket purchases in the third quarter of 2026. You can earn tons of rewards to make the increasingly painful cost of groceries and household necessities 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 up to $6,000 spent per year, then 1X thereafter
  • American Express® Gold Card (see rates and fees): Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (see rates & fees): 3% cash back on groceries on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets per year, then 1% thereafter.*
  • Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (see rates and fees): 6% cash back on groceries on up to $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets per year, then 1% thereafter*
  • Citi Custom Cash® Card (not available to new applicants): 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 earns bonus points on supermarkets all over the world, so consider this card when buying groceries overseas.

The Citi Custom Cash Card is no longer open for applications, but it 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.

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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:

  • American Express® Gold Card: Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
  • American Express® Green Card (see rates and fees): 3X Membership Rewards points on travel
  • Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One’s travel booking site
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Chase Freedom Flex®: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards via Chase Travel℠
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 5X Ultimate Rewards points on airfare purchased through Chase Travel℠ and 2X on all other travel purchases
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 8X Ultimate Rewards points on airfare purchased through Chase Travel℠ and 4X on flights booked directly with the carrier (after the first $300 spent on travel per year)
  • Citi Strata Elite℠ Card: 6X ThankYou Points on airfare purchased through Cititravel.com
  • Citi Strata Premier Card: 3X ThankYou Points on airline purchases
  • Citi Prestige Card (not available to new applicants): 5X ThankYou Points on airline purchases
  • The Platinum Card®  by American Express (see rates and fees): 5X Membership Rewards® points on up to $500,000 in eligible flights purchased directly with airlines or through American Express Travel® per calendar year, then 1X.
  • U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: 4X points on travel
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: 4X points on airlines

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card 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 Platinum Card® and the Citi Prestige Card earn 5X points on flights, the Platinum Card® 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.

Both of the Chase Sapphire cards, both Chase Freedom cards, the Citi Strata Elite Card as well as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card offer travelers elevated rewards on airfare booked via their respective travel portals. However, keep in mind that booking directly with an airline might save you some headache down the road.

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.

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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:

  • American Express Green Card: 3X Membership Rewards points on travel
  • Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: 10X miles on hotels booked through Capital One’s travel booking site and 5X on vacation rentals
  • Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: 5X miles on hotels and vacation rentals booked through Capital One’s travel booking site
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited®: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards on hotels booked via Chase Travel℠
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 5X Ultimate Rewards points on travel purchases made through Chase Travel℠ or 2X points on all other travel
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 8X Ultimate Rewards points on hotels booked through Chase Travel℠ or 4X points on direct hotel bookings (after the first $300 spent on travel per year)
  • Citi Strata Premier Card: 10X ThankYou Points on hotel bookings made through the CitiTravel.com and 3X ThankYou Points on other hotel purchases
  • Citi Strata Elite℠ Card: 12X ThankYou Points on hotels purchased through Cititravel.com
  • Citi Prestige Card: 10X ThankYou Points on hotel bookings made through the Citi Travel with Booking.com portal and 3X ThankYou Points on other hotel purchases
  • Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: 3X Ultimate Rewards on travel
  • American Express Platinum Card®: 5X Membership Rewards on prepaid hotels booked via American Express Travel®
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: 5X points on hotels

All information about Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by 10x Travel. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is no longer available through 10xtravel.com.

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 $100 per membership year when booking a hotel stay through the Chase Travel℠ travel portal.

The Platinum Card from American Express cardmembers receive $600 Hotel Credit, up to $300 semi-annually, for eligible prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts/The Hotel Collection bookings via Amex Travel (no enrollment required, but terms apply). A two-night minimum stay at The Hotel Collection properties is required.

Holders of the Chase Sapphire Reserve receive two semi-annual $250 credits toward prepaid bookings at The Edit hotels. A two-night minimum stay is required.

Likewise, the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card offers a $300 credit for a hotel stay of at least two nights booked with Citi Travel.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card and the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card might entice you with 8X, 10X and 12X points per dollar, respectively, spent on hotels booked through their travel portals. However, it’s worth remembering that chain hotels don’t honor elite status benefits on portal bookings, and you likely won’t earn credit for the stay, either.

The same idea applies to portal bookings made with the Freedom Unlimited, the Freedom Flex card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. You’ll earn 5X points on these hotel bookings, but your elite status won’t be recognized.

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.

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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 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
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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.

  • American Express Green Card: 3X Membership Rewards points on travel
  • Capital One Venture X Rewards Card: 10X miles on car rentals booked through Capital One’s travel booking site and on Turo
  • Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: 5X miles on car rentals booked through Capital One’s travel booking site and on Turo
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Chase Freedom Flex®: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards via Chase Travel℠
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 5X Ultimate Rewards points on travel purchases made through Chase Travel℠ or 2X points on travel
  • Citi Strata Elite℠ Card: 12X ThankYou Points on rental cars purchased through Cititravel.com
  • Citi Strata Premier Card: 10X ThankYou Points on car rentals booked through the Citi Travel portal
  • Citi Prestige Card: 10X ThankYou Points on car rentals booked through the Citi Travel portal
  • Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: 3X points on travel
  • U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: 4X points on travel
  • U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card: 10X prepaid hotels/car rentals and 5X prepaid flights in Travel Center; 3X eligible travel/mobile wallet
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: 3X points on travel
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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.

  • American Express Gold® Card: 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X
  • American Express Green Card: 3X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
  • Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: 3% cash back on dining
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited®: 3% cash back/3X Ultimate Rewards on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery and takeout services
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs).
  • Citi Custom Cash Card (not available to new applicants): 5% back on the first $500 in your top category spend each month, 1% cash back thereafter
  • Citi Strata Elite℠ Card: 6X ThankYou Points at restaurants on Fridays and Saturdays between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. (Eastern Time) and 3X ThankYou Points at restaurants any other time
  • Citi Strata Premier Card: 3X ThankYou Points at restaurants
  • Citi Prestige Card: 5X ThankYou Points at restaurants
  • Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: 3% cash back at restaurants
  • Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card: 3x points at restaurants
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card: 3X points at restaurants
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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
  • 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 monthly Uber Cash credits of up to $10. To receive this benefit you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App, and your eligible Amex card must be a method of payment on your Uber account. The Amex benefit may only be used in the 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.

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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.

  • American Express® Gold Card: 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • American Express Green Card: 3X Membership Rewards points on takeout and delivery in the U.S.
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Chase Freedom Flex®: 3% cash back/3X Ultimate Rewards points on eligible delivery services
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs).
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 3X Ultimate Rewards points on dining
  • Citi Strata Premier Card: 3X ThankYou Points on DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats
  • Citi Prestige Card: 5X ThankYou Points on DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Card: 3x points on ordering in and eating out

The Amex Gold Card offers an up to $10 monthly Grubhub credit (up to $120 per year) and a $10 monthly Uber Cash credit (up to $120 per year, 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 (up to $200 per year, 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.

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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
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 3X points at gas and EV charging stations
  • Citi Custom Cash Card (not available to new applicants): 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: 5% at Costco gas, 4% other eligible gas/EV, combined $7,000/year then 1%
  • Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card: 5% cash back at gas and EV charging stations
  • Ink Business Cash® credit card: 2% cash back/2X Ultimate Rewards on gas (on the first $25,000 per year)
  • U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: 4X gas/EV charging on first $1,000 each quarter
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Card: 3x points at gas stations and electric vehicle charging stations
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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: 3% 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 (not available to new applicants): 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 2026)

Below are two of our favorite rotating category credit cards and their Q3 2026 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 public transit, select live entertainment and United Way (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter)
  • Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card: 5% cash back at gas stations, drug stores and on transportation (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter)

Chase customers will earn 5% cash back at gas and EV charging stations this quarter—a much-needed category this summer for drivers. Those who commute using public transport, such as trains, buses, ferries, will also earn elevated cash back. Tolls, parking lots and garages are also included in this category.

Those who purchase tickets to live events, amusement parks and zoos will be rewarded with a 5% cashback bonus until the $1,500 limit is reached. BTS, Foo Fighters and Ariana Grande are all touring this summer, meaning you’ll earn a bit of rewards on your concert ticket purchases.

United Way will likely be a less popular category for most consumers, but if you feel like making a charitable donation in Q3 2026, you’ll earn 5% cash back by using your Chase Freedom or your Chase Freedom Flex card.

The Discover it Card also includes a gas and EV charging category this quarter. With fuel prices being high this summer, you might benefit from the option to maximize the bonus rate on both cards, depending on how often you fill up.

The transportation category includes airlines and local commuter transport, such as bus, rail and ferry services. It’s worth mentioning that ride-hailing services, such as Uber or Lyft, don’t qualify for the bonus earnings.

Finally, drug stores are another 5% category, so if you need to fill some prescriptions, make sure to use the Discover it Card at the register.

Don’t forget to activate elevated rewards on either card before the specified deadline.

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.

*Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout.