Millennials have a distinct spending taste. They like to eat out with friends, travel regularly, love to online shop, and prefer to spend money on experiences rather than things itself. With this in mind, it makes sense for millennials to get credit cards that match their lifestyle.
Check out our list of the best credit card bonuses here.
In this guide, there are 8 rewards cards that fit with a millennial and their spending habits.
Why Millennials Should Use Credit Cards
There are some millennials that don’t want to open a credit card since they are worried about building up debt. However, you can avoid this by using them appropriately like so: establishing or rebuilding credit, earning points, miles, or cash back. Furthermore, it wouldn’t hurt to have an enhanced fraud protection in place as well.
- Established/rebuilding credit. Credit cards don’t have the best reputation. However, if you use them right, they are great for financial planning and money management like funding large transactions in an emergency.
- Earning points, miles, or cash back. There are several credit cards that will reward you for spending. For some, this is one of the best reasons to get a credit card. Keep in mind, you should not overspend to earn the rewards, it’s not worth it in the end.
- Having enhanced fraud protection. Credit cards have a much better fraud protection service in place compared to debit cards. If someone steals your debit card, they have access to everything in your checking account until you and your bank can sort things out.
Best Types of Credit Cards for Millennials
There isn’t a specific type of card that is suitable for all millennials. It all comes down to your financial situation in the end. For example, if you want to rebuild your credit, go for a secured credit card. These types of cards don’t come with any bells or whistles. However, when you use a secured card, responsibility can help you earn good credit and open doors to better cards out there.
Additionally, if you have good credit, but don’t want to dive too deep into points and miles, a regular cashback card with no annual fee is the best fit. You’ll be able to earn rewards without the hassle a points/miles card would come with.
For large transactions, opening a credit card can help you budget for them without making a huge dent in your savings account. Search for a card with a 0% introductory APR, this will give you time to pay off that purchase without paying interest. However, be sure to pay your balance in full every month.
If you have good credit and want the most for your moneys worth, check out a card that comes with spending bonuses on specific categories. Typically, these usually come with extra perks and higher annual fees.
Best Credit Cards for Millennials
Now, you know why you should use a credit card and what types of credit cards to consider. Here’s a list of cards that we think is very suitable for millennials listed below:
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Best premium travel card |
| American Express Gold Card | Best for dining & travel purchases |
| Citi Premier Card | Best mid-tier travel card |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card | Best low-cost travel card |
| Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | Best for dining and entertainment purchases |
| Discover It Cash Back Credit Card | Best cashback card |
| American Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card | Best for Amazon purchases |
| Discover It Secured Card | Best for building or rebuilding credit |
Here’s each card in more detail below:
 The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers 60,000 bonus points 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 TravelSM. You'll 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. • 3x points on other travel and dining • 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel. This card does carry a $550 annual fee and there are no foreign transaction fees. However, you're able to earn a $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year & up to $120 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®. Member FDIC |
 The American Express® Gold Card offers 75,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. You'll earn: • 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. • 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. • 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. • 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. • 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. Other benefits: • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That's up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply. • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required. • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required. • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property. This card has an annual fee of $325 with no foreign transaction fees (See Rates & Fees). Terms Apply. |
 The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card offers 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel. Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.24% - 29.24% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies You'll earn: • 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. • 5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. This card comes with no annual fees and no foreign transaction fees which is a great choice as your go-to travel card! |
 The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies You'll earn: • 3% Cash Back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services. • 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). • 8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. • 1% Cash Back on all other purchases. This card comes with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. |
This card is very straightforward and is one of the highest-yielding cashback cards out there. The rewards earned with this card doesn’t expire and isn’t capped at all. However, you will have to put up with the bonus categories that rotate quarterly.
We recommend Discover It Cash Back for millennials that want to earn rewards for their daily purchases.
Typically, this card doesn’t come with a welcome bonus, but a high 5% cash back rate in rotating categories on up to $1,500 in purchases. Examples of recent categories are: grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, and online shopping.
At the moment, Discover offers a lucrative welcome bonus for new cardholders. They will match all of the cash back you’ve earned at the end of the first year. The high cash back rate and doubling of your cash back in the first year make the card one of the best for cash rewards.
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card comes with no welcome bonus and no annual fee. If you love shopping on Amazon Prime membership, this card will earn you 5% cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market. However, if you’re not a Prime member, you’ll still receive 3% on purchases at Amazon.com and Whole Foods.
Furthermore, this card earns 2% on restaurant, gas, grocery, and drugstore transactions. For everything else, you get 1% cash back. This card also offers:
- Travel protections
- Purchase protections
- Visa Signature benefits
- No foreign transaction fees
Like other secured cards, the Discover it Secured Card needs a security deposit that determines your credit limit. However, not like other cards, this one rewards you for your spending and comes with a welcome bonus as well. With 8 months of timely payments, you might be able to qualify for an upgrade to an unsecured credit card. This is great for millennials that are looking to build or rebuild credit.
Additional Guides
Here are some extra guides to help you find the best credit card suited for your needs.
- Best Airline Credit Cards for Travel Benefits and Rewards.
- Hotel Credit Cards for Travel Benefits + Rewards.
- Travel Credit Cards: Rewards and Benefits.
- Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards for Family Vacations.
- Credit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Best Rewards Credit Cards: Cash, Points, Miles, & Benefits
- Cash Back Credit Cards: Welcome Bonuses, Rewards
- Best Dining Credit Cards: Restaurant Points, Rewards & Cash Back
- Grocery Credit Cards: Co-Branded, Cashback & Rewards
- Best Small Business Credit Cards: Points, Miles & Rewards
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Conclusion
Overall, there are many different types of credit cards to choose from. Picking the right one to suit your needs is the best way for you to maximize a credit card. If you’re a millennial looking to open a credit card, these are some of the best options to consider!
