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The busiest shopping season is just around the corner, and now is the time to prep for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Whether you’re bracing the early-morning crowds at the mall, or bargain-hunting online, there will be plenty of saving opportunities to earn the most rewards for your holiday spending.
Often, the choice that makes the most sense for you will depend on the type of rewards you like to earn, card-linked discounts you’re eligible for, and even benefits like extended warranty and purchase protection.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Compare the best cards for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2022
Best credit cards for Black Friday and Cyber Monday reviews
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature
If you’re an Amazon Prime member and plan to spend a lot at Amazon, Whole Foods, or both, the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card is worth considering. Along with a welcome bonus offer of a Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card , Amazon Prime members earn 5% back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases (with a Prime Membership and your card is loaded to your eligible Amazon account; otherwise earn 3% back on these purchases), 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores, and 1% back on all other purchases.
There’s no annual fee for Amazon Prime members, and because it’s a Visa Signature card, it offers solid benefits including extended warranty, purchase protection, and rental car insurance.
Review: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa review
Chase Freedom Flex
The no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex℠ is an excellent pick if you want to earn bonus cash back (in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points) in a wide variety of categories. Cardholders can earn 5% cash back (5x Ultimate Rewards points) on up to $1,500 spent in combined purchases (then 1%) in certain bonus categories each quarter of the year after activation.
From October 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022, the bonus categories are PayPal and Walmart (including Walmart.com). Both of these categories are excellent for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, especially since many popular online retailers accept PayPal.
Plus, the card earns 5% back on travel booked through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstores, and 1% back on all other purchases.
New cardholders also get a Chase Freedom Flex℠, followed by a Chase Freedom Flex℠ APR. So if you need time to pay off your holiday purchases, this card can save you on interest.
If you also have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you can transfer points to one of these accounts from the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and access more valuable redemption options, including points transfers to Chase’s airline and hotel partners.
Review: Chase Freedom Flex card review
Discover it Cash Back
The no-annual-fee Discover it® Cash Back is a terrific choice if you want to earn a high rate of cash back on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It offers a generous 5% cash back in popular rotating quarterly bonus categories when you activate, on up to $1,500 in combined spending (then 1%). You’ll also earn 1% back everywhere else Discover It Cashback rotation.
Amazon and digital wallets are particularly handy for holiday shopping, since you can purchase just about anything between these two categories.
New cardholders also receive a Discover it® Cash Back, followed by a Discover it® Cash Back APR, which is great for saving money on interest if you need to carry a balance.
Review: Discover it Cash Back card review
Ink Business Cash
Small-business owners often wait for Black Friday and Cyber Monday to purchase equipment and electronics — and if you can find a deal at office supply stores like Staples, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card can get you an even better deal.
You’ll earn 5% cash back at office supply stores (and on internet, cable, and phone services) on up to $25,000 in combined spending per year (then 1%). Your rewards could be worth even more if you also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, because when you have one of these cards, you can unlock more redemption options.
Review: Chase Ink Business Cash review
US Bank Cash+ Visa Signature
The U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card is unique in that you can pick two categories each quarter to earn 5% back on up to $2,000 in combined spending (then 1%). Department stores are one of the choices, so if you have this card and plan to shop at retailers like Macy’s or JC Penney, it’s a solid choice.
Other 5% category options include select clothing stores, fast food, cell phone providers, home utilities, electronics stores, sporting goods stores, movie theaters, gyms/fitness centers, furniture stores, and ground transportation. You’ll do even better if your holiday shopping overlaps any of these categories.
Cardholders also have the opportunity to choose one 2% cash-back category from grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants, with no spending cap.
Review: US Bank Cash+ Visa Signature review
Amex Blue Cash Preferred
Whether you’re stocking up on holiday groceries or picking up gifts for your foodie friends at U.S. supermarkets, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a solid choice if you prefer cash back. You’ll earn 6% back on up to $6,000 at U.S. supermarkets each year (then 1%).
Cardholders also earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services, 3% back on U.S. gas stations and transit, and 1% back on all other eligible purchases (cash back is earned in the form of Rewards Dollars).
Review: Amex Blue Cash Preferred review
Amex Blue Cash Everyday
The no-annual-fee Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is an especially handy card for folks worried they won’t be able to pay off all their holiday purchases in one go, as it offers a Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (then a Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express APR).
The card was recently refreshed with improved bonus spending categories and new Home Chef and Disney Bundle subscription statement credits. The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express also just updated its welcome bonus offer; new cardholders can earn a Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express.
As well as being a great card for US online retail purchases (3% cash back), the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is also a strong card for everyday spending categories. Cardholders earn 3% back on US supermarket and US gas station purchases (1% back on all other purchases).
Keep in mind that the 3% earning categories are capped on up to the first $6,000 spent per year (then 1%).
Review: Amex Blue Cash Everyday review
Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns 5% cash back on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back at drugstores (and restaurants), and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases, with no spending cap.
Like the Chase Freedom Flex℠, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers the opportunity to get more from your rewards when you pair it with a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® also offers a Chase Freedom Unlimited® (then a Chase Freedom Unlimited® APR).
From November 1 to November 30, 2022, Chase Freedom cardholders can participate in the Month of More promotion to earn bonus cash back on select brands like Nike, Ulta Beauty, and Lululemon. Plus, Chase Freedom credit cards get an extra 10% value when redeeming points for Apple purchases and for select gift cards through Chase.
Review: Chase Freedom Unlimited review
Citi Double Cash Card
If you prefer an all-purpose, flat-rate cash-back card without having to track different categories, the Citi® Double Cash Card is an easy win. You’ll effectively earn 2 points per dollar (2% cash back) — 1 point per dollar when you buy, and 1 point per dollar when you pay — on all purchases, making the card ideal for spending that doesn’t fall into typical bonus categories as well.
It usually doesn’t offer a welcome bonus, but it’s currently offering Citi® Double Cash Card for a limited time.
Review: Citi Double Cash Card review
Wells Fargo Active Cash
The no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is similar to the Citi® Double Cash Card as it also earns unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases. New cardholders can earn Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.
The card also offers Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (then a Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card APR).
Some perks you’ll get with this card are cell phone protection, roadside dispatch, travel and emergency assistance services, and Visa Signature benefits.
Review: Wells Fargo Active Cash review
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
For even more flexibility, the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card lets you pick a 3% cash-back category from their list, which includes online shopping, drug stores, home improvement and furnishings, dining, travel, and gas.
You’ll earn 3% cash back on up to $2,000 in combined spending with the card’s 2% cash-back categories (wholesale clubs and grocery stores) each quarter, then 1% back.
Review: Customized Cash Rewards review
Amex Gold Card
American Express cards are known for their solid purchase protections and extended warranty, and the American Express® Gold Card offers some of the best benefits. Before you make any expensive purchases, it’s best to weigh the earning rate against the protections the card provides.
The American Express® Gold Card doesn’t earn bonus points in most popular holiday shopping categories, although it does earn 4x points at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each year, then 1 point per dollar), 3x points on flights booked with the airline or Amex Travel, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
However, getting peace of mind from the extra protection you’ll get can offset the additional rewards you might earn with a different card. The American Express® Gold Card offers purchase protection in the event of damage, loss, or theft of a new eligible item for up to 90 days from the purchase date, up to $10,000 per covered purchase (up to $500 for natural disasters) and up to $50,000 per eligible card.
The American Express® Gold Card also adds up to one additional year to eligible US manufacturers’ warranties of five years or less.
Review: Amex Gold Card review
US Bank Shopper Cash Rewards
US Bank launched the brand-new U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card, which is offering a U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card. There’s an annual fee of U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card.
The card earns 6% cash back on two eligible retail brands of your choosing (such as Walmart, Target, and Amazon) on up to $1,500 per quarter (then 1.5%), and 5.5% back on hotel and car bookings through the US Bank Rewards Center. You’ll also earn 3% cash back in one everyday category of your choosing (gas and UV charging purchases, bills and utilities, or wholesale clubs), but it’s also capped at the first $1,500 per quarter (1.5% then after).
Review: US Bank Shopper Cash Rewards review
Tips to boost your Black Friday and Cyber Monday rewards
Use a shopping portal
Deciding on the best rewards credit card can seem daunting, with many cards offering extra rewards in the same bonus categories. You’ll find that a lot of the cards for Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday shopping also appear on our list of the best cards for online shopping, for example.
If you’re shopping from home, be sure to check online shopping portals before making a purchase to see if there are opportunities for bonus rewards. These will stack on top of the earnings from your rewards credit card.
For example, if you have a Chase Ultimate Rewards credit card, check the Chase portal to earn extra points per dollar at popular retailers like Macys.com, Walmart.com, and BestBuy.com.
Most major US airlines have their own online shopping portal, so if you prefer earning airline miles it’s worth checking your favorite, such as:
American Airlines AAdvantage eShoppingDelta SkyMiles ShoppingJetBlue TrueBlue ShoppingSouthwest Rapid Rewards ShoppingUnited MileagePlus Shopping
Check for limited-time offers
Some issuers offer limited-time bonus spending categories, and it’s also worth checking your Amex and Chase accounts to see if you can activate any Chase Offers or Amex Offers** that apply to your purchase.
For example, some Amex cardholders recently got an offer to earn bonus points at Amazon. These offers are targeted, so there’s no guarantee you’ll get a particular offer, and you do have to enroll your card to receive any bonuses you qualify for.
Don’t forget to activate promotions and bonuses
Some cards require activation or enrollment before you can earn extra rewards in certain categories. Be sure to activate bonuses on cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Discover it® Cash Back to ensure you’re earning the most rewards.
If you use cash-back apps like Ibotta or Fetch Rewards, it’s also worth checking to see if any of your purchases line up with current offers.