Best Credit Cards with Annual Fees
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Many debt-conscious consumers are right to be wary of credit cards with annual fees, but some cards more than make up for their annual cost with a variety of card features such as airport lounge access, bonus miles, hotel credit, and even discounts to the membership at popular streaming services.
If you’re willing (and financially solvent enough) to pay an annual fee, there are a lot of different options you can consider when it comes to reaping the benefits of some seriously super-charged credit cards. While annual fee credit cards aren’t going to fit everyone’s lifestyle, for cardholders who see value in specific travel perks and bonus categories, there’s a lot to gain from opening a card with an annual fee.
From robust cash-back programs to other exciting perks and rewards, the following cards can improve your personal finances — if you can take advantage of everything they offer. Keep reading for a rundown on seven of the best credit cards with annual fees.
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Overview of the best credit cards with annual fees
Credit Card | Best for |
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Families in search of major perks |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Travelers who value high reward rates |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Luxury perks for frequent travelers |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Travelers hungry for a big sign-up bonus |
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card | Frequent Marriott travelers |
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card | Travelers interested in high earning rates |
The Platinum Card® from American Express | Premium travelers who can stomach a high annual fee |
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Best credit cards with annual fees
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Card Name
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
APR
19.24% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Good, Excellent
Annual Fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Special Offer
Earn a $250 statement credit
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Rewards Rate
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations. 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
Why We Like It
- Buy Now, Pay Later options.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Card Name
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
APR
19.99% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$95
Special Offer
Limited-time offer: For a limited time, earn 75,000 Miles
Special Offer Terms
once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
Rewards Rate
2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Terms
Why We Like It
- 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, which is equivalent to $750 in travel
- You can earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase
- $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges
- 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Card Name
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
APR
22.49%-29.49%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent
Annual Fee
$550
Special Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Rewards Rate
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus points offer.
- Annual travel credit on your account anniversary.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
- Access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide.
- Up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Card Name
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
APR
21.49%-28.49%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$95
Special Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Rewards Rate
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus points offered.
- High points for travel and dining purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards® and points on all purchases.
- Complimentary one-year access to DashPass.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Card Name
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
APR
20.24% - 27.24%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$95
Special Offer
Limited Time Offer! Earn 100,000 Bonus Points
Special Offer Terms
after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card!
Rewards Rate
Earn up to 17X total points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® and 2X points on all other purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Earn 3 Free Night Awards bonus as well as one Free Night Award every year after the account anniversary.
- Automatic Silver Elite Status.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Card Name
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
APR
21.24% - 29.24%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$95
Special Offer
Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points
Special Offer Terms
after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
Rewards Rate
10x on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
Terms
Why We Like It
- Annual Hotel Savings benefit.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn.
- No foreign transaction fees.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Card Name
The Platinum Card® from American Express
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$695
Special Offer
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Rewards Rate
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Why We Like It
- Generous introductory bonus points.
- Advanced points on travel purchases.
- Up to $189 back per calendar year on CLEAR®.
Best credit cards with annual fees summary
Credit Card | Annual Fee | APR | Recommended Credit Score |
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. | 19.24% - 29.99% | 690+ |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | $95 | 19.99% - 29.99% | 690+ |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® | $550 | 22.49%-29.49% | 720+ |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | $95 | 21.49%-28.49% | 690+ |
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card | $95 | 20.24% - 27.24% | 690+ |
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card | $95 | 21.24% - 29.24% | 690+ |
The Platinum Card® from American Express | $695 | See Pay Over Time APR | 690+ |
Use AmONE to Get a Personal Loan
- If you're tight on cash right now, you may want to consider getting a personal loan. A personal loan is a loan that you can use for just about any purpose like: paying off other debt, renovating your home, or family needs like a wedding or adoption.
- With personal loan interest rates rising, now could be a great time to find a personal loan. Through our partner AmONE, you could get matched to a lender who could offer as much as a $50k loan with rates as low as 5.99% APR.
- Approval and loan terms vary based on applicant qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify for the full amount or lowest available rates. It takes minutes to see your results. And don't worry- filling out the form won't hurt your credit score and is free, so why not give it a try?
FAQs
Are these annual fees worth it?
Whether or not these annual fees are worth it is in the eye of the beholder (or, in this case, the cardholder). Most of these cards offer perks and credits that help defer or completely mitigate the cost of the annual fee.
What sort of credit history is required for these cards?
All the cards in this list require at least good credit with a score of 690 or higher. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card requires an excellent credit score of 720 or higher.
Do these cards offer balance transfers?
While these travel cards are generally used for purchases, they all offer balance transfers. Make sure to look into what balance transfer fees are associated with each card.
Why should (or shouldn’t) you use
The pros and cons of credit cards have long been debated, with some people falling in each camp. Some people swear against them, especially if they’ve struggled to reign in their spending habits or are paying down debt. Others view them as something to be used responsibly to gain incidental bonuses through things like cash back and travel rewards.
It goes without saying that if you’re going to open a credit card with an annual fee, you need to know that you’ll be able to use it responsibly and that you’ll be able to use it enough to make the fee worth it. By reviewing the perks and credits offered with each card, you should be able to decide whether or not it’s wise to use or not any of these credit cards. After all, certain perks like rental car insurance or other warranties are the perks you can get with a credit card with no fee, too.
The bottom line
When you’re perusing credit card offers, you might be tempted to ignore those with annual fees, but in doing so, you may inadvertently be missing out on the right card for you. This is especially true since many cards on this list boast a welcome offer for a $0 fee for the first year of card usage. While this bonus offer doesn’t necessarily last forever, it can allow you to get more from your rewards credit card without worrying about an upfront cost when you open the card.
Ultimately, choosing the right credit card for your lifestyle is a matter of personal finances and personal preference. However, as the cards on this list show, it’s not wise to write off a specific card just because of its annual fee. Especially if you’re a frequent traveler, having access to a higher tier of rewards or bonuses can maximize your travel benefits and cash back. Keep an open mind as you evaluate your options, and you’re sure to make the right decision when picking the ideal credit card with an annual fee.
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Writer
Brent Ervin-Eickhoff is a Chicago-based writer, stage director, and filmmaker with a background in digital marketing and content creation. In addition to Joy Wallet, Brent has written for Complex, Volkswagen, HowlRound, Picture this Post, and Third Coast Review, among others. He currently serves as the Associate Director of Marketing for Content Creation at Court Theatre at the University of Chicago. Brent graduated from Ball State University with Academic Honors in Writing.
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