Best Bank of America Credit Cards in 2026

• What are your spending habits?

  Consider where you spend the most money each month and see if there’s a cash back or rewards card that matches your routine spending.

  In addition, review big-ticket purchases that add up. For example, if you only travel once or twice a year, but frequently spend a lot on those trips, a general no-annual-fee travel card could be a good fit for you. On the other hand, if you travel multiple times a year, you may get more value from a premium travel or airline card that offers special perks in exchange for a high annual fee.

• Are you a student?

  Bank of America’s student cards offer unusually competitive benefits. Take advantage by seeking out a card that fits your needs and interests.

  For example, it offers multiple student credit cards that include intro APR periods, rewards, and sign-up bonuses.

• Do you want a card with an annual fee?

  Cards with annual fees require more commitment. But the investment is often worth it in exchange for high-value perks, like statement credits and more comfortable air travel. In fact, some premium cards offer benefits that are worth more than the fee, especially in the first year.

  Sign-up bonuses are also more lucrative, and ancillary benefits like credit card insurance and luxury travel perks tend to be much stronger and more diverse on annual fee cards.

• Can you get Bank of America Preferred Rewards®?

  You can if you have enough savings. As noted below, the Preferred Rewards® program requires cardholders to have tens of thousands of dollars tucked away in a Bank of America deposit or Merrill Lynch investment account.

  But for those who qualify, it can be an extra powerful tool when paired with the right card. For example, Bank of America’s flat rate rewards cards don’t usually restrict how much a cardholder can earn. So when a cardholder collects an additional 25 to 75% in rewards on top of a card’s standard rate, their rewards earnings can really add up.

Bank of America offers a rewards program for existing Bank of America and Merrill clients known as Preferred Rewards®. Once enrolled, you can get special benefits with Bank of America, depending on your qualifying balance in a Bank of America or Merrill investing account:

→ Read LendingTree’s full guide to the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® Program

Bank of America cards offer more than enough benefits to satisfy a wide variety of customers, including competitive rewards, affordable fees and below-average interest rates. However, savers with big enough investment or deposit accounts to qualify for the Preferred Rewards® program will get the most value from a Bank of America card.

Pros of Bank of America credit cards

Noteworthy rewards: Bank of America customers have plenty of cash back and travel cards to choose from, including flexible rewards cards and flat-rate credit cards.

Attention-getting intro offers: In addition to the potential to earn a generous sign-up bonus, there are also multiple Bank of America cards with an elevated rewards rate in the first year.

Lengthy 0% intro APR periods: Many of Bank of America’s no-annual-fee cards offer interest-free periods that last at least 15 to 18 months.

Preferred Rewards® program: Existing customers with sizable savings can get more bang for their buck with a Bank of America credit card

Below-average APRs: Some Bank of America cards offer below-average APRs, which means that even if you have to carry a balance after an intro period ends, it won’t be as hard on your wallet.

Cons of Bank of America credit cards

Limited travel rewards: Unlike some competitors, Bank of America doesn’t have any airline or hotel transfer partners. That’s a big con for frequent flyers and travel aficionados who like to shuffle points between rewards programs.

Stingy benefits for no-annual-fee cards: Cardholders looking for purchase protection or cell phone insurance on a no-annual-fee card won’t find it here. Bank of America’s fee-free credit cards offer relatively few benefits.

Front-heavy rewards programs: for many Bank of America cards, earnings per dollar spent drop considerably after the first year.

Penalty rates for college students: Unlike some student credit cards, Bank of America’s student cards may charge a high penalty APR to late payers.

Who should consider Bank of America cards

• Savers and investors: With the Preferred Rewards® program, Bank of America and Merrill Lynch customers with big cash reserves can get an especially large return on their spending.
• Infrequent travelers: The Bank of America^® Travel Rewards credit card pairs accessible, low-maintenance rewards with flexible redemption.
• Big spenders: Cardholders who spend heavily on credit could earn a lot with Bank of America cards that let users earn unlimited rewards, especially if they’re Preferred Rewards® members.
• Credit-savvy college students: Students who are confident in their credit management skills will appreciate the generous introductory offers that the bank’s student cards offer.

Who should look elsewhere

• Travel rewards maximizers: Cardholders who like to optimize their credit card earnings by moving rewards points from one travel loyalty program to another won’t like Bank of America’s lack of transfer partners.
• Luxury travel enthusiasts: Frequent travelers who like to luxuriate in high-end locales may prefer pricier travel rewards cards with more rarefied perks.
• Heavy food spenders: Cardholders who spend a lot on dining and groceries can find higher rewards rates on other cards.
• Credit-challenged college students: Inexperienced borrowers who are still learning to use credit may be better off with a more limited card that comes with fewer penalties.

Bank of America cards aren’t right for everyone. Credit card benefits and rewards often vary widely between issuers, as do important terms like credit card APRs and fees. So it’s worth comparing cards to find the right fit for you.

Chase credit cards

Like Bank of America, Chase credit cards offer a wide range of rewards styles, including cash back on rotating bonus categories, flat-rate rewards cards and travel rewards.

If you’re not a Preferred Rewards® member, you’ll find fairly similar rewards rates from Bank of America’s cash back cards and Chase’s cash card lineup. However, Chase Sapphire cards generally offer more overall value to travel enthusiasts. Rewards aficionados who like to swap points between various loyalty programs are especially likely to prefer the Sapphire cards over Bank of America’s premium credit cards.

But if you’re a Preferred Rewards® member, you may be able to get a better value from a Bank of America travel card than a Chase travel card.

→ See our list of best Chase credit cards

American Express cards

American Express offers a more limited range of cards. However, American Express rewards card offers tend to be on the higher end. Cardholders who don’t mind paying an annual fee can find especially good value in American Express’ card lineup. For example, the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express is one of the best grocery cards on the market, with a very high rewards rate on grocery expenditures (see rates & fees).

Additionally, American Express’s priciest credit cards, like the American Express Platinum Card^®, cater to cardholders who have a taste for traveling in luxury. If you’re looking for more upscale credit card benefits, you’ll likely find it with an American Express card.

→ See our list of best American Express credit cards

Citi credit cards

Citi is another major competitor to Bank of America. Citi also offers comparable cash back and premium credit cards, as well as significantly more generous balance transfer cards.

Citi’s cash back cards can be more generous than Bank of America’s if you don’t have the Preferred Rewards® rates. The Citi Double Cash^® Card, for example, offers a 2% cash back rate (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay your bill) that lasts well beyond the first year. Bank of America’s temporary 2% rewards on the Bank of America^® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card, by contrast, is only available for the first year you hold the card.

Where Citi credit cards really stand out, though, is in the balance transfers. For example, several of Citi’s credit cards made our list of best balance transfer credit cards, and there’s often a Citi card in the top spot.

→ See our list of the best Citi credit cards

How Bank of America compares overall

Bank of America serves a wider range of cardholders than many bank card issuers. However, the cardholders who are in the best position to benefit from a Bank of America card are well-to-do cardholders with a lot of savings that can qualify for Preferred Rewards®, big spenders who like simpler and more flexible rewards and cardholders who plan on carrying a balance in the first year.