Best Credit Cards of 2018 | NerdWallet |

The biggest complaint about airline miles is they’re impossible to use because there’s never any award space. Well, that’s never a problem with the Rapid Rewards points you can earn with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card. Southwest uses a revenue-based redemption system in which the number of points needed to redeem for an airline ticket is tied to the cost of the airfare. So you’ll never get outsized value for your points, but you’ll also never be unable to find award space (unless the flight itself is entirely sold out).

With this card, you’ll earn 2 points per dollar spent at Southwest and 1 point per dollar on everything else. Unfortunately, this card does charge a 3% foreign transaction fee, so you won’t want to use it on overseas trips. You’ll also get 3,000 bonus points after your cardmember anniversary each year, and with only a $69 annual fee, the cost of keeping the card long-term is at the low end of the scale for airline co-branded cards.

Best Credit Cards: Offers for February 2018

Best for: Airline Miles and a Large Bonus
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Best for: Balance Transfers
• BankAmeritrade Credit Card

Best for: 5% Bonus Categories and First Year Cashback Match
• Discover it® - Cashback Match

Best Balance Transfer Credit Card Offers

Best for: Low Balance Transfer Fees
• BankAmericard® Credit Card

Best for: Long Intro Balance Transfer APR period
• Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer

Best for: Balance Transfers and Cash Back
• Discover it® - 18 Month Balance Transfer Offer

Best for: $0 Intro Balance Transfer Fee
• Chase Slate

Best Cash Back Credit Card Offers

Best for: Sign-up Bonus
• Discover it® - Cashback Match

Best for: Pairing with Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Reserve℠
• Chase Freedom Unlimited

Best for: Flat Rate Cash Back and Spotify Credit
• Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card

Best for: Flat Rate Cash Back
• Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer

Best for: Cash Back on Everyday Spend
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Best Travel No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards

Best for: Airline Miles and a Large Bonus
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Best for: Easy Flat Rate Travel Rewards
• Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card

Best for: No Annual Fee Rewards
• Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card

Best for: Premium Travel Rewards with High Annual Fee
• Chase Sapphire Reserve

Best Rewards Credit Card Offers

Best for: High Dining and Travel Rewards
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Best for: 5% Bonus Categories
• Chase Freedom

Best for: Easy Flat Rate Travel Rewards
• Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card

Best for: Cash Back Bonus Match
• Discover it® - Cashback Match

Best for: Gas and Grocery Rewards
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Best Low Interest Credit Card Offers

Best for: Low Fee Balance Transfer
• BankAmericard® Credit Card

Best for: Balance Transfers and Cash Back
• Discover it® - 18 Month Balance Transfer Offer

Best for: Cash Bonus and Intro APR
• Chase Freedom

Best Small Business Credit Card Offers

Best for: 0% APR Period
• Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card

Best for: Sign-up Bonus
• Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card

Best for: Flat Rate Cash Rewards
• Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business

Best for Average & Fair Credit

Best for: $0 Intro Balance Transfer Fee
• Chase Slate

Best for: Cash Back
• Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card

Best for: Path to Higher Credit Line
• Capital One® Platinum Credit Card

Best for: 0% APR on Purchases
• ABOC Platinum Rewards Card

Best Credit Cards for Building & Rebuilding Credit

Best for: Path to Higher Credit Line
• Capital One® Platinum Credit Card

Best for: Rewards and Upgrading
• Discover it® Secured Card - No Annual Fee

Best for: Low Deposit
• Capital One® Secured Mastercard

Best College Student Credit Card Offers

Best for: Credit Newbies
• Discover it® for Students

Best for: Socializers
• Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card for College Students

Best for: Responsible Students
• Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One