Yahoo Finance 12 Credit Cards That Every 30-Something Should Consider
Your 30s are an exciting time. You're getting settled in your career, you may own a home and you may be married with a family or heading down that path.
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You've outgrown a lot of the things you did in your 20s, like sharing that tiny apartment with three roommates and the late-night bar crawls. But what about your credit cards?
Due to things like the annual percentage rate, rewards and other perks, the best credit card for you in your 30s may not be the one you got as a college freshman.
PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature Card
Sign-up bonus: 15,000 bonus points when you spend $1,500 in the first 3 months
Intro APR: 0% balance transfers for 12 months, after that a non-variable APR of 17.99%, 3% fee applies to each transaction
APR:
Rewards: Points are earned for all purchases made with the card. The amount redeemable depends on the type of purchase.
Annual fee: $0
Other perks: No foreign transaction fees, easily add your card to your digital wallet, member discounts
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Why 30-Somethings Should Consider This Card
This card offers cash back on everything you buy. If you have a balance on a higher-interest card, you can transfer it to this one and take a year to pay it off with no interest. There's no annual fee, so your rewards won't get eaten up by that cost.
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Card
Sign-up bonus: None
Intro APR: 0% for 15 months
APR: APR on purchases and balance transfers
Rewards: 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum, 1% on everything else
Annual fee:
Other perks: Discover matches all the cash back you earn in your first year, free monitoring of your Social Security number
Why 30-Somethings Should Consider This Card
Discover offers 5% cash back on rotating categories of purchases that change each quarter, making it worth it to opt-in, even for busy 30-somethings. The company also matches all the cash back you earn in your first year. No interest for over a year plus no annual fee makes this a good choice for everyday use.
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
Sign-up bonus: Bonus miles earned after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
Intro APR: None
APR: APR
Rewards: 2 miles per dollar spent on American Airlines purchases, gas stations and restaurants
Annual fee: $99, waived for the first 12 months
Other perks: $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 in your first year and renew your card, free first checked bag, preferred boarding and 25% off in-flight food and beverages on American Airlines flights, one loyalty point per mile earned
Why 30-Somethings Should Consider This Card
This is a good travel card for 30-somethings who fly for business. The annual fee and interest rate are steep, but if you fly on American Airlines frequently, you may still come out ahead.
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Welcome offer bonus: $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in the first six months, $0 fee on buy now, pay later plans created within the first 12 months
Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening
APR: APR
Rewards: 6% cash back on up to $6,000 in U.S. supermarket purchases each year (then 1%), 6% on select streaming services, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and transit, 1% cash back on everything else -- cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit
Annual fee:
Other perks: Purchase protection, return protection, membership access to American Express Experiences, car rental loss and damage insurance
Why 30-Somethings Should Consider This Card
For 30-somethings looking for a credit card to use for everyday purchases, this is one to look at. The 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets is a big perk, as is the 0% interest rate for the first year. These could offset the annual fee, which is not insignificant, especially for a non-travel card.
Chase Freedom Flex
Sign-up bonus: $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months
Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers. After the intro period, a variable APR of 19.99%-28.74%.
Rewards: 5% cash back on up to $1,500 on combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate, 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back on drugstores and dining, including takeout and delivery, and 1% on all other purchases
Annual fee: $0
Other perks: Complimentary 3 months of DashPass, DoorDash's membership, earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025, complimentary 3 months of Instacart+ membership
Why 30-Somethings Should Consider This Card
For busy 30-somethings, this card offers bonus cash back and high cash-back rewards for travel. It also has one of the longest intro APR periods at 15 months. That said, you'll want to avoid this card if you think you'll carry a balance after the first 15 months since the interest rate is pretty steep.
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Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards
Sign-up bonus: $200 cash rewards bonus after you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days
Intro APR: 0% on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for the first 18 billing cycles
APR:
Rewards: 3% cash back in one chosen category and 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs on up to $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter, then unlimited 1% thereafter; 1% on all other purchases
Annual fee:
Other perks: Preferred Rewards -- based on your combined account balances at Bank of America and Merrill -- can boost your rewards by 25% to 75%.
Why 30-Somethings Should Consider This Card
This is a good card for 30-somethings who have a balance on a higher-interest card and are getting serious about getting out of debt. You have 1 1/2 years to pay off that balance with no interest. Even after that, the interest rate is pretty good if you have great credit. And if you do have a late payment every so often, you won't get hit with a late fee unless it's more than once a year, and your rate won't go up.
Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Card
Sign-up bonus: None
Intro APR: 0.99% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on balances transferred within 60 days
APR: APR
Rewards: None
Annual fee: $0
Other perks: No balance transfer or cash advance fees
Why 30-Somethings Should Consider This Card
This is a no-frills card with the best interest rate of any card on this list. If you have higher-interest cards, transfer their balances here and pay no interest for the first year. If getting out of debt is a goal for you in your 30s, this is the card for you. Note that you or someone in your family must be active or retired military in order to join Navy Federal Credit Union and qualify for this card.
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TD First Class Visa Signature Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: 25,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 in first six billing cycles
Intro APR: 0% on balance transfers for 12 billing cycles
APR: 17.99% variable APR
Rewards: 3 miles per dollar on travel and dining, 1 mile per dollar on everything else
Annual fee: $89 after the first year
Other perks: Redeem miles for cash, travel, entertainment and more
Why 30-Somethings Should Consider This Card
This is a good card for 30-something travelers who don't have an airline preference. You get three times the miles on every dollar you spend on travel and dining, but you don't have to fly a particular carrier or stay in a certain hotel. The interest rate is reasonable, and the annual fee is waived for the first year. Some travel cards only let you redeem your miles for more travel, but with this one, you can also redeem them for cash.
Capital One Savor Rewards Card
Sign-up bonus: $300 cash bonus once you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months
Intro APR: None
APR: 20.74% - 28.74% variable APR
Rewards: 4% cash back on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, 3% at grocery stores, 1% on everything else
Annual fee: $95
Other perks: No foreign transaction fees, access to Premium Experiences, Capital One Shopping automatic coupons
Why 30-Somethings Should Consider This Card
Your 30s can be a time when you spend a lot on entertainment and dining out. You are established in your career, and you may not have children, so going to concerts and sporting events and going out to eat may be your preferred pastimes. If this sounds like you, take a look at the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards card, which gives you 4% cash back on dining and entertainment. It does have an annual fee, though, so make sure you're earning enough cash back to offset that.
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Chase United Explorer MileagePlus Card
Sign-up bonus: 60,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 in the first three months
Intro APR: None
APR: 21.49%-28.49% variable APR
Rewards: 2 miles per dollar on United purchases, hotels and dining, including eligible delivery services; 1 mile per dollar on everything else
Annual fee: $95 after the first year
Other perks: Free first checked bag for you and a companion on United flights, $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck once every four years
Why 30-Somethings Should Consider This Card
For 30-somethings who like to fly the friendly skies, the Chase United Explorer MileagePlus card is worth a look. Perks for frequent travelers include a $100 statement credit every four years to reimburse you for the cost of Global Entry or TSA Precheck, which helps you get through airport security faster -- a big plus if you fly often.
Discover it® Secured
Sign-up bonus: None
Intro APR: None
APR:
Rewards: 2% cash back on up to $1,000 in purchases at gas stations and restaurants each quarter, 1% cash back on everything else
Annual fee: $0
Other perks: Discover matches all the cash back you earn in the first year
Why 30-Somethings Should Consider This Card
If you are in your 30s and you still have no credit, or you have bad credit, now is the time to get a handle on that. The Discover it Secured card can help you build or repair your credit. It's a secured card, so you have to send a security deposit equal to your credit line. But after eight months of good credit habits (including other accounts you have), they may refund some of your deposit. And the whole thing is refundable if you close the account.
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Sun Country Airlines Visa Signature Card
Sign-up bonus: 25,000 points when you spend $1,500 in the first three billing cycles
Intro APR: None
APR: 19.74% to 27.74% variable APR
Rewards: 3 points per dollar on Sun Country purchases, 2 points per dollar on gas and groceries, 1 point per dollar on everything else
Annual fee: $69, and you must be a Sun Country Rewards member to apply
Other perks: 10,000 anniversary bonus points when you spend $10,000 per year, one free premium drink per flight, 50% off seat selection and first bag fees for you and companions, priority boarding, no foreign transaction fees
Why 30-Somethings Should Consider This Card
If you're a frequent flier on Sun Country Airlines, consider this card. For a travel card, the annual fee is reasonable. You get special treatment on flights like a free drink and reduced add-on costs for you and your traveling companions.
Picking the Right Credit Card
A lot changes in your 30s. If you want one of the changes to be having better control of your money, choosing the right credit card is a good place to start. If you've outgrown the credit card you used in your 20s, maybe it's time to consider one of these cards that offers travel rewards, cash back and low APRs.
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Ashleigh Ray and Daria Uhlig contributed to the reporting for this article.
All information about American Express card offers have been collected independently by GOBankingRates and have not been reviewed or approved by American Express. These offers are not available through GOBankingRates.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 12 Credit Cards That Every 30-Something Should Consider
