Do you have excellent credit and want to take advantage of the benefits that come with being smart financially? Having an excellent credit score isn’t just great for securing the best loans and rates. If you want to take advantage of being responsible and building an excellent credit score, you can earn rewards through credit cards. With an excellent credit score, you have access to the very best credit cards in the market.
Credit cards reward customers in two main ways, with travel rewards or cash back rewards. There are a number of credit cards that are aimed at people with excellent credit scores and have amazing benefits and rewards. Many of them even come with introductory offers that are valued at more than $1000!
How My Excellent Credit has Earned Me Free Travel
In 2012, I decided to start using my own excellent credit to my advantage. I started strategically opening credit cards to earn millions of travel rewards in total. I had never traveled much because it was just too darned expensive! Or, I thought it was anyway… Come to find out, because I had excellent credit I could get approved for travel credit cards that would allow me to travel for free or very close to it.
Ever since then, I’ve been traveling as much as I want, and essentially wherever I want. I’ve been to Hawaii every single year. I traveled back and forth across the country when my now wife and I lived long-distance. I’ve visited friends who live in other parts of the country. And, I’ve also traveled outside the country on vacations abroad! As of late, my wife and I (who is a teacher) enjoy taking what we call “weekend-cations” when she has a long weekend from school.
Won’t that Hurt My Credit Score? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
What most people are afraid of when it comes to credit cards is the myth that having them will hurt your credit score. It’s absolutely false IF you are responsible with your credit cards. Earning points for travel or cash back is worthless if you’re paying more interest to the bank than the points are worth. For this reason, it ONLY makes sense to open credit cards if you pay them off in full, every single month. This way you will never inquire interest or unwanted fees of any sort. It’s rule number one when it comes to travel credit cards.
I’ve found that each time I apply for a credit card my credit score will drop 4-5 points, but then will rise even more than that in the following year that I have the credit card open. As an example, I’ve opened 27 new credit cards since 2012 and my credit score has only improved. It is currently sitting at 812, which is high enough to always get loans I may need, the best interest rates for those loans, and of course the best credit cards.
What is Considered an Excellent Credit Score?
An excellent credit score is one that falls between 750-850. A perfect credit score is 850. Even though 850 is the pinnacle score, it’s not very important what the number is after you’ve reached 800. Anyone with a credit score over 800 will have an optimal chance of being approved for any and all credit cards. With an excellent credit score, you’ll also be given the best interest rates for both credit cards and loans.
Having an excellent credit score of at least 750 puts you in an exclusive club of only about 20% of all credit scores in the United States. Having an excellent credit score is only possible if you’ve been responsibly using credit cards and loans for multiple years. With a score of 750-799 you should qualify for all credit cards and loans, but may not always get the best terms. Having an excellent credit score of over 800 will ensure you get the best cards and the best terms.
By having an excellent credit score, you’ll be able to get approved for basically any credit cards you want. The great news about being able to choose from any credit card is that some cards have excellent benefits. Credit cards that you can be approved for with excellent credit will often give you rewards and benefits that are worth well over $1000 in value. Because we have excellent credit ourselves, we’re very familiar with the credit card offers. Now that you’ve got it, we’ll show you which are the best credit cards for excellent credit.
Rewards & Benefits of the Best Credit Cards for Excellent Credit
Now that you understand that you can benefit from having an excellent credit score by earning virtually unlimited credit card rewards, let’s find out more about the rewards. The back story is that banks want you as a customer so bad that they’re willing to offer up to thousands of dollars in rewards to get you as one. Banks make money from interest and fees. The more people who have credit cards and are using them, the more money they will make. This is why they’ll give you a ton of value when you get a new credit card.
Many credit cards offer introductory offers that earn travel rewards that can be worth thousands of dollars. The best credit card offers are only available to those with excellent credit, so you’re in luck. As well as earning rewards, many of these cards also offer excellent benefits such as airport lounge access, expedited airport security lines, upgraded hotel rooms, travel statement credits, cell phone protection, and elite status with both airlines and hotels.
Most cards also offer reward earning bonuses for certain spending categories such as gas, groceries, dining, travel, and even on cable and cell phone bills. These earning bonuses can allow you to earn a far larger amount of points on your spending than the typical 1 point per dollar.
How We Travel Luxuriously Now
When my wife and I travel, we zip through security at the airport with our TSA PreCheck, head to the closest airport lounge where we receive free food and drinks (using our Priority Pass), and even sometimes get upgraded seats on the plane and hotel rooms at our destination due to the elite status we have. All of these luxurious benefits have been gained through travel credit cards. They may sound like things you thought were only available to the wealthy, but in reality, they’re available to anyone with excellent credit.
Enough with the back story of excellent credit and how it can get you free travel. Let’s talk about credit cards, already. We’ll lay out the best credit cards for excellent credit and explain why they’re the best.
Best Travel Credit Cards for Excellent Credit
Chase Sapphire Preferred: *BEST FIRST TRAVEL CREDIT CARD
Chase Sapphire Preferred [earnist_link ref="chase-sapphire-preferred-card" id="6313"] |
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| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You'll earn 60,000 points after spending $4000 in the first 3 months. |
| REWARDS You'll earn 2X points on travel and 3X on dining. |
| BENEFITS Points are worth 25% more when used in the Chase travel portal. No foreign transaction fees. 1:1 point transfer partner hotels and airlines. |
| FEES $95 No foreign transaction fees. |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS This is the best first travel credit card to get. It has a valuable signup bonus with easy to redeem points. You also get a boost to your points value in the Chase travel portal. |
| [earnist_link ref="chase-sapphire-preferred-card" id="6313"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: *BEST LUXURY TRAVEL CARD
Chase Sapphire Reserve [earnist_link ref="chase-sapphire-reserve-card" id="6311"] |
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| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You'll earn 60,000 points after spending $4000 in the first 3 months. |
| REWARDS You'll earn 3X points on travel and dining. Also Earn a total of 10X points on Lyft rides. |
| BENEFITS $300 annual travel credit. Priority Pass Select airport lounge access. TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. Points are worth 50% more when used in the Chase travel portal. No foreign transaction fees. 1:1 point transfers to partner hotels and airlines. 1 year of Lyft Pink. |
| FEES $550 No foreign transaction fees. |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS This is one of the best premium travel credit cards if you want some luxury. It has a valuable signup bonus with easy to redeem points. You also get a boost to your points value in the Chase travel portal. The biggest key to this card is the airport lounge access. If you travel a lot, it's extremely valuable. |
| [earnist_link ref="chase-sapphire-reserve-card" id="6311"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Capital One Venture Rewards: *BEST SIMPLE REWARDS EARNING FOR TRAVEL
Capital One Venture  |
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| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You’ll earn 50,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. |
| REWARDS You’ll earn 2X points on every purchase. |
| BENEFITS Statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Transfer points to airline and hotel travel partners. |
| FEES $95 annual fee. (waived year 1) No foreign transaction fees. |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS This is a great travel credit card. It offers a large introductory offer, free TSA PreCheck for 5 years, plus the annual fee is waived the first year. |
| [earnist_link ref="capital-one-venture-rewards-card" id="10881"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
Read our full review of the Capital One Venture.
Amex Gold Card: GREAT FOR FOOD & TRAVEL
Amex Gold Card  |
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| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You’ll earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 in the first 6 months. |
| REWARDS You’ll earn 4X points at restaurants globally, and US supermarkets. (up to $25k in purchases per year) You'll also earn 3X on AmexTravel.com |
| BENEFITS Get $10 in statement credits per month for purchases at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Shake Shack, and Ruth's Chris Steak House. $100 airline fee credit on selected airline. No foreign transaction fees. |
| FEES $250 annual fee. Terms Apply |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS If you spend a lot of money on food and travel, this card will be worth the annual fee. If not, it probably isn't worth paying $250 per year. |
| [earnist_link ref="american-express-gold-card" id="9203"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
Read our full review of the Amex Gold Card.
PS: There’s also an Amex Business Gold Card
The Platinum Card from American Express: GREAT FOR LUXURY TRAVELERS
Amex Platinum Card  |
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| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You’ll earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 in the first 6 months. |
| REWARDS You’ll earn 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel. You’ll earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com. |
| BENEFITS Enjoy Uber VIP status and free rides in the U.S. up to $15 each month (bonus $20 in December). Enjoy access to the exclusive Global Airport Lounge Collection. $200 Airline Fee Credit, up to $200 every calendar year with one qualifying airline. Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your card. Enrollment required. Fine Hotels & Resorts Access. Hilton & Marriott Gold Status. Discounts on First/Business/Premium Economy tickets. |
| FEES $550 annual fee. No foreign transaction fees. Terms Apply |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS With a large introductory offer, statement credits, and airport lounge access, this is an excellent premium travel credit card. |
| [earnist_link ref="the-platinum-card-from-american-express" id="6500"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
Read our full review of the Amex Platinum Card.
PS: There’s also an Amex Business Platinum Card
The Best Cashback Credit Cards for Excellent Credit
Chase Freedom: *BEST CARD FOR SPENDING CATEGORIES
Chase Freedom [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom" id="6315"] |
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| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You'll earn $200 (in the form of 20,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after spending $500 in the first 3 months. |
| REWARDS You'll earn 5% on rotating quarterly categories. (up to $1500 in purchases per quarter) |
| BENEFITS Points can be transferred to primary Chase cards for better redemptions. Free credit score. |
| ANNUAL FEE No annual fee |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS This is one of the best "cash back" cards for earning rewards. You can earn up to 5X per dollar and those points can be transferred to a primary Chase card for better redemptions. It's a perfect card to pair with either of the Sapphire cards or the Ink Business Preferred. |
| [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom" id="6315"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
Read our full review of the Chase Freedom.
Chase Freedom Unlimited: *BEST CARD FOR SIMPLE SPENDING REWARDS
Chase Freedom Unlimited [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom-unlimited-card" id="6346"] |
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| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You'll earn an additional 1.5% rewards on all purchases in the first year. (up to $20k purchases) |
| REWARDS You'll earn 1.5% back on all purchases. (after year 1) No limit. |
| BENEFITS Points can be transferred to primary Chase cards for better redemptions. Free credit score. |
| ANNUAL FEE No annual fee |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS This is one of the best "cash back" cards for earning rewards. You earn 1.5% per dollar (3% year 1) and those points can be transferred to a primary Chase card for better redemptions. It's a perfect card to pair with either of the Sapphire cards or the Ink Business Preferred. |
| [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom-unlimited-card" id="6346"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
Read our full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
We also have a comparison of the two Chase Freedom cards.
The Best Business Credit Cards for Excellent Credit
Chase Ink Business Preferred: *BEST INTRODUCTORY OFFER AVAILABLE
Ink Business Preferred [earnist_link ref="ink-business-preferred-credit-card" id="6240"] |
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| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You'll earn 100,000 points after spending $15000 in the first 3 months. |
| REWARDS You'll earn 3X points on travel and select business expenses (including online social media ads). *Limited to first $150k per year. |
| BENEFITS Points are worth 25% more when used in the Chase travel portal. No foreign transaction fees. Employee cards at no additional cost. |
| FEES $95 No foreign transaction fees. |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS The signup bonus alone for this card is amazing. Pair that with some great rewards earning for your business and this card is great. If you have a business, we find the Ink Preferred to be the best offer available. |
| [earnist_link ref="ink-business-preferred-credit-card" id="6240"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
Read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred.
Chase Ink Business Cash: *BEST INTRO OFFER FOR NO FEE CARD (tied)
Ink Business Cash [earnist_link ref="ink-business-cash-credit-card" id="6242"] |
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| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You'll earn $750 (in the form of 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after spending $6000 in the first 3 months. |
| REWARDS You'll earn 5X points on internet, cable, phone, and office supply stores. *Limited to first $25k per year. Earn 2X at gas stations and restaurants. *Limited to first $25k per year. |
| BENEFITS Points can be transferred to primary Chase card accounts for better redemption. Employee cards at no additional cost. |
| ANNUAL FEE No annual fee |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS The signup bonus on this no-fee card is amazing. Pair that with some great 5X reward categories for your business and this card is great. This card pairs well with the Chase Sapphire cards and the Ink Preferred. |
| [earnist_link ref="ink-business-cash-credit-card" id="6242"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
Read our full review of the Ink Business Cash.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited: *BEST INTRO OFFER FOR NO FEE CARD (tied)
Ink Business Unlimited [earnist_link ref="ink-business-unlimited-credit-card" id="6243"] |
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| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You'll earn $750 (in the form of 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after spending $6000 in the first 3 months. |
| REWARDS You'll earn 1.5X on all purchases. No limit. |
| BENEFITS Points can be transferred to primary Chase card accounts for better redemption. Employee cards at no additional cost. |
| ANNUAL FEE No annual fee |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS The signup bonus on this no-fee card is amazing. Pair that with 1.5X rewards on every purchase for your business and this card is great. This card pairs well with the Chase Sapphire cards and the Ink Preferred. |
| [earnist_link ref="ink-business-unlimited-credit-card" id="6243"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
Read our full review of the Ink Business Unlimited.
We also have a comparison of all the Chase Ink cards.
Decision Time: Which is the Best Credit Card for You & Your Excellent Credit?
So, which credit card(s) will you get with your excellent credit score? As you can see there are a lot of cards that offer great bonuses and benefits for travel or for cash back. It really depends on your preferences, as to which card is best for you.
As a first travel credit card, the [earnist_link ref=”chase-sapphire-preferred-card” id=”6313″]Chase Sapphire Preferred[/earnist_link] or [earnist_link ref=”capital-one-venture-rewards-card” id=”10881″]Capital One Venture[/earnist_link] are often recommended. For luxury travel benefits, the [earnist_link ref=”chase-sapphire-reserve-card” id=”6311″]Chase Sapphire Reserve[/earnist_link] or [earnist_link ref=”the-platinum-card-from-american-express” id=”6500″]Amex Platinum[/earnist_link] are great choices. If you have a business (even a sole proprietorship), the [earnist_link ref=”ink-business-preferred-credit-card” id=”6240″]Ink Business Preferred[/earnist_link] has the most valuable introductory offer of all cards. And, if you’re just looking for a cash back card, the Freedom cards are great choices as well.
My first travel credit card was the Chase Sapphire Preferred. I used the introductory offer to book two round trip flights to Hawaii and I’ve never looked back since. My two current favorite cards are the Ink Business Preferred because of its huge intro offer, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve because it offers the best travel benefits. While these are my favorites, you may prefer one or two of the others. There are enough travel points to be had for a lifetime of travel. You might as well start benefiting from your excellent credit score by earning thousands of dollars of rewards through credit cards.
