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5 of the Best Credit Cards for Seniors

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Choosing the best credit card for seniors is a little bit like choosing a favorite coat. The right fit will be different for everyone, and the style may change from season to season. Just like your outerwear, your credit card needs to make sense for you and your current lifestyle. But in a world of never-ending options, how do you go about finding your perfect match? Good question. 

We’ve broken down some of the best credit cards out there for seniors today that were practically designed to help older customers get the most bang for their buck. Whether you’re unhappy with your current card and want to switch or want to add one of these picks to your credit card stable, you can rest assured that you’ll be in good hands with these five stellar picks. 

What is the best credit card for seniors? 

For those celebrating their golden years, the best credit cards might be ones with big signup bonuses that will help you earn passive income without even trying. Alternately, you might be more interested in a card that’s incredibly easy to use for travel, so you can enjoy your retirement to its fullest extent.

And of course, it goes without saying that everyone, regardless of age, should be able to rest easy knowing that their credit card is equipped with the best possible fraud monitoring at their fingertips, as well as a customer service team that they can trust. 

The Best Credit Cards for Seniors 

Ready to upgrade your financial game? From a credit card that will earn you a whopping 60,000 points right out of the gate to one that’s getting rave customer reviews in the customer service department, we’ve done our homework to bring you five credit cards that make the most sense for those in the 65 and up set (or close to it). Keep scrolling for FIRST for Women’s picks for the best credit card for seniors! 

This story originally appeared on our sister site, Woman’s World.

Chase

Best Credit Card Signup Bonus

60,000 points for signup with $4,000 spend in three months; 2x points on travel and dining

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Essentially, a “signup bonus” equates to free credit card points that you can earn simply by becoming a credit card customer and meeting a minimum spending requirement. One of our favorite cards for signup bonuses is the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. When you spend $4,000 within the first three months of opening this little beauty, you’ll get a whopping 60,000 credit card points. For those doing the math, that’s equivalent to $750 in travel, meaning you’ll finally be able to treat yourself to that bucket list trip you’ve been dreaming about forever.

And, when you’re ready to cash those points in to wander the globe, your Chase Sapphire Preferred card will make things practically seamless, since nearly all aspects of your trip will be protected with features such as primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and baggage delay insurance.

As if that wasn’t incentive enough, you’ll earn double points on travel and dining and 1x on everything else. This card has a $95 annual fee, which is not waived in the first year, but the signup bonus more than makes up for the cost.

*Sign-Up Bonus: 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 in 3 months
*Points: 2x points on travel and dining; 1x points on everything else
*Features: Rental car, trip delay, trip cancellation, and baggage delay insurance
*Annual fee: $95

Capital One
Capital One

Best Credit Card for Earning Points

50,000 miles for signup with $3,000 spend in three months; 2x points on all purchases

Capital One® Venture® Rewards

When you earn a signup bonus, you’re given a large one-time influx of points. But what about after that? Capital One’s Venture’s Rewards card is our top pick for racking up a slew of points throughout the lifetime of your card. While you’ll certainly get a nice head-start at signup, with 50,000 points (that’s $500 in travel expenses) up for grabs when you spend $3,000 in the first three months, you can keep earning with 2x miles on every single purchase thereafter, every single day.

*Sign-up Bonus: 50,000 miles when you spend $3,000 in three months.
*Points: 2x on all purchases
*Features: Purchase eraser feature to pay for travel, no blackout dates, no foreign transaction fees
*Up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA pre-check
*Annual fee: $0 first year, then $95

American Express
American Express

$250 statement credit with $1,000 spend in three months; 6% cash back at US supermarkets up to $6,000 per year

American Express Blue Cash Preferred

Fraud protection is important for everyone, but never more so than when you’ve hung up your work boots and are ready to bask in your retirement. American Express offers super and easy fraud monitoring systems, sending unusual activity alerts to your phone or email and periodically updating you on your FICO score.

The Amex Blue Cash Preferred card is a particularly good choice for seniors because of its cash back bonuses. You’ll earn 6 percent cash back for purchases made at US supermarkets up to $6,000 per year (then 1 percent cash back), plus 3 percent cash back for US gas and US transit costs. There is a $95 annual fee, but you’ll earn a $250 statement credit when you spend $1,000 in the first three months.

*Welcome offer: $250 statement credit with $1,000 spend in three months
*Points: 6% cash back at US supermarkets up to $6,000 per year
*Points: 3% cash back for US gas and US transit
*Features: 0% APR for 12 months
*Annual fee: $95

American Express
American Express

Best Credit Card for Customer Service

$150 statement credit with $1,000 spend in three months; 3% back at US supermarkets up to $6,000 per year

American Express Blue Cash Everyday

Let’s be honest: There’s nothing that can make us lose faith in a company faster than wasting time talking to a bad customer service representative. American Express is widely-known as one of the top credit card companies for quick problem resolution, with emphasis on the quick. When you sign up for a card like the American Express Blue Cash Everyday card, card members can reach a customer service representative at any time of day via live chat, phone or email through their online account.

We don’t know about you, but we feel a LOT better making credit card purchases with customer service at our beck and call.

*Welcome offer: $150 statement credit with $1,000 spend in three months
*Cash back: 3% cash back at US supermarkets up to $6,000 per year
*Cash back: 2% cash back for US gas and US transit
*Features: 0% APR for 15 months
*Annual fee: No annual fee

Capital One
Capital One

Best Credit Card for Flights

50,000 miles for signup with $3,000 spend in three months; 2x points on all purchases

Capital One Venture Rewards

The Capital One Venture Rewards card also earns our nod for the best credit card for flights, since it makes redeeming points for travel as simple as possible.

To use them, you can simply open up the company’s “purchase eraser” feature in your Capital One account or on your smartphone app, which will allow you to use points to cover any travel purchase, including flights, train rides, cab fare, and more, at one cent per mile.

Better yet, you’ll never have to worry about blackout dates or award levels of being locked into a single airline or hotel chain. Going overseas? You’re in luck. This card has no foreign transaction fees, and you’ll have easy access to travel accident insurance, 24-hour customer service, and an auto rental collision damage waiver. Basically, wherever and however you choose to travel? You’ll be covered.

*Sign-up Bonus: 50,000 miles when you spend $4,000 in three months.
*Points: 2x on all purchases
*Features: Purchase eraser feature to pay for travel, no blackout dates, no foreign transaction fees
*Up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA pre-check
*Annual fee: $0 first year, then $95

FIRST for Women has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. FIRST for Women and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

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