Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
Cash back cards ranked by effective return rate on travel purchases.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
Ranked by earn rate and redemption value, statement credits minus annual fees (weighted against a typical $30,000/year in total card spend), shopping portal bonuses when we recognize the merchant, matched benefits and promotional earn boosts. The ¢ per dollar column is the reward rate at Rotating Quarterly, after spend caps. Order can differ from that column because ranking adds the adjustments above.
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Side-by-side view of the ranked picks.
| Card | Rotating Quarterly Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discover it Cash BackDiscover | 5% cash back | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | discover |
| Chase Freedom FlexChase | 5% cash back | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
| Discover it Student Cash BackDiscover | 5% cash back | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | discover |
| Discover it® Secured Credit CardDiscover | 5% cash back | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | discover |
Want to customize by spend amount, programs, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →| Wells Fargo Active Cash CardWells Fargo | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| SoFi Credit CardSofi | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature CardUsbank | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| TD Double Up Credit CardTd Bank | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| Citi Double Cash CardCiti | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Fidelity Rewards Visa Signature CardElan Financial | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
