Bank of America credit cards: Which one is best?

<h3 class=”header-sideline”>The best Bank of America credit cards</h3>

The best Bank of America credit cards generate value while fulfilling a specific role needed in your wallet, such as balance transfers or travel perks. Finder’s experts looked at all of Bank of America’s available credit cards and compared them based on a number of factors such as reward categories, earning rates, intro APR opportunities and additional perks and features.

We ranked the top performers to give you an idea of what your best pick is for your circumstance. Our trustworthy, unbiased evaluations are solely meant to help you choose the best credit card for your financial needs.

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<h4 itemprop=”name”>Quick look at the best Bank of America credit cards</h4>
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<h3 id=”id1″>Best card for cashback rewards</h3>

<h3 id=”id2″>Best card for travel rewards</h3>

<h3 id=”id3″>Best card for airline rewards</h3>

<h3 id=”id4″>Best card for building credit</h3>

<h3 id=”id5″>Best card for small businesses</h3>

<h3 id=”id6″>Best card for students</h3><h3 id=”get” class=”header-sideline”>How to apply for a credit card with Bank of America</h3>

Easily apply for a Bank of America credit card through its website. Your application will require these steps:

<ol>
<li>Go to the Bank of America homepage.</li>
<li>At the top menu bar, select <strong>Credit cards</strong>.</li>
<li>From the drop-down menu, you can select your desired category or choose <strong>Shop all credit cards</strong> to view all available cards.</li>
<li>Review the cards to find the one you want and hit <strong>Apply now</strong>.</li>
<li>Fill out your personal information, including any card option preferences — such as if you’re performing a balance transfer — and select <strong>Save and continue</strong> to complete the application.</li>
</ol>

Or, use the Bank of America prequalification tool to see which cards you’re more likely to obtain.

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<h5>Eligibility criteria</h5>
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<li>You must be at least 18 years old — or at least 21, if a permanent resident of Puerto Rico.</li>
<li>You must have a valid Social Security number.</li>
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<h5>Required documents</h5>
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<li>Full name and contact information</li>
<li>Phone number and email address</li>
<li>Social Security number and date of birth</li>
<li>Employment status</li>
<li>Total annual income</li>
</ul>
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<h3 class=”header-sideline” id=”small”>Types of Bank of America Credit Cards</h3>
Bank of America offers a robust selection of credit cards, though it is best known for having strong rewards cards that aren’t attached to a rewards program. The <a href=”https://www.finder.com/credit-cards/compare-bank-america-credit-cards”>Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards</a> is the best example of this, as it earns solid rewards on your chosen categories.
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<h4>Compare Bank of America credit cards by card type</h4>
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<li><a href=”https://www.finder.com/credit-cards/compare-bank-america-credit-cards” title=”Bank of America balance transfer credit cards”>Balance transfer cards</a></li>
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<li><a href=”https://www.finder.com/credit-cards/compare-bank-america-credit-cards” title=”Bank of America credit cards with no foreign transaction fee”>No foreign transaction fees</a></li>
<li><a href=”https://www.finder.com/credit-cards/american-express-credit-cards” title=”Which credit card have Bank Of America travel insurance”>Credit cards with travel insurance</a></li>
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<h4>What Bank of America credit cards have no annual fee?</h4>
There are more than a dozen Bank of America credit cards with no annual fee, which is a rather substantial portion of Bank of America’s card lineup. Outside of the bank’s cobranded travel cards, only the Bank of America Premium Rewards card has an annual fee. That means you have a healthy selection of no-annual-fee cashback, travel and student cards to choose from.

<h4>Will I earn more rewards if I pay an annual fee?</h4>
Generally speaking, yes. But you’re most likely to see this difference on specific travel cards. For example, with the $95 annual fee Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card, you get to earn 1.5x points on travel and dining purchases compared to the 1.5x points you’d earn on the $0 annual fee Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card. This annual fee also lets you earn a higher signup bonus and additional travel perks, like $200 in combined travel credit and TSA PreCheck and Global Entry application fee credit.

Here’s a small breakdown of the reward and feature differences between the two cards.

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<th scope=”col”>Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card</th>
<th scope=”col”>Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card</th>
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<td><strong>Annual fee</strong></td>
<td>$0</td>
<td>$95</td>
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<td><strong>Points</strong></td>
<td>1.5x points on all purchases</td>
<td><ul class=”list-10″>
<li>2x points on travel and dining</li>
<li>

</td>
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<td><strong>Signup bonus</strong></td>
<td>25,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days</td>
<td>50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days</td>
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<td><strong>Other perks</strong></td>
<td>N/A</td>
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<li>Up to $100 annual airline incidental credit</li>
<li>

Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit</li>
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<strong>Points earned with monthly spending of $1,000 on travel and dining and $1,000 on all other purchases</strong>
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<td>36,000 points annually</td>
<td>42,000 points annually</td>
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<td><strong>Total points for the first year if you clear the signup bonus</strong></td>
<td>61,000 points (around $610 value when redeemed for travel)</td>
<td>92,000 points (around $920 value when redeemed for travel) </td>
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<h3 itemprop=”name” class=”header-sideline”>What are the standout benefits of a Bank of America credit card?</h3>
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<li><b>No annual fee cards.</b> Bank of America’s biggest claim to fame is the sheer number of strong cards they offer that possess no annual fee.</li>
<li><b>Museums on Us®.</b> Show your Bank of America credit card to get a free museum entry at eligible museums across the US on the first full weekend of every month.</li>
<li><b>Choose your accelerated rewards.</b> The Bank of America Cash Rewards Credit Card allows you to choose your highest earning categories from a preselected list. This is one of just a handful of rewards cards that let you do so.</li>
<li><b>Affinity cards.</b> Bank of America has a few cards that let you personalize your card design from a variety of designs.</li>
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<h3 id=”rewards” class=”header-sideline”>Bank of America reward programs</h3>

Depending on the card you sign up for, you might earn Bank of America points and miles on your spending. Plus, all Bank of America credit and debit cardholders get access to BankAmeriDeals offering cash back based on your spending habits in various categories.

Spirit has Free Spirit™ miles, Amtrak has Amtrak Guest Rewards® points, Norwegian Cruise Line has WorldPoints® reward points and so on.

<h4>How can I redeem points and miles?</h4>

Many brand-partnered cards earn points and miles that must be redeemed on the partner’s website. Follow the instructions provided by Bank of America when you’re ready to redeem points and miles from a brand-partnered card.

Redeem your Bank of America® Travel Rewards Program points at the Travel Center through BofA’s site.

Also, redeem Bank of America® Cash Rewards Program points toward statement credit, or deposit points into a Bank of America checking or savings account or an eligible Cash Management Account® with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management® or Merrill Edge®. Deposit or redeem these points through your account page on the Bank of America site.

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<h4>Preferred Rewards program</h4>
Enrolling in the Preferred Rewards program gives you access to bonus rewards of up to 25%. Qualifying Bank of America deposit accounts and Merrill Edge and Merrill Lynch investment accounts receive even more benefits with enrollment in the program.

Each tier of the program offers increasing rewards, with a sliding scale of Gold, Platinum and Platinum Honors, each with its own set of qualification parameters.

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<h3 class=”header-sideline”>Typical features of a Bank of America student credit card</h3>
Each of the three Bank of America student credit cards come with its own perks and features. But some of the features are shared by all three cards. This includes:
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<li><b>No annual fee.</b>
You can save money and enjoy the cards’ perks without paying an annual fee.</li>
<li><b>Build your credit.</b>
Pay off your balance before the due date and use your card responsibly to build your credit score.</li>
<li><b>FICO score access.</b>
Monitor your credit-building progress with access to your FICO score either online or through the Bank of America mobile app.</li>
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<h3 class=”header-sideline”>What are the benefits of a balance transfer with Bank of America?</h3>

Among the major providers, Bank of America is often overlooked for balance transfers. However, it offers a few advantages:

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<li><b>No annual fee for any balance transfer card.</b>
This can help you pay less for your balance transfer.</li>
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<li><b>Most balance transfer cards have rewards.</b>
Bank of America has several cards with balance transfer intro APRs, and the same rewards structure as the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards. A notable exception is the BankAmericard® Credit Card, which offers a strong intro APR but no rewards.</li>
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<li><b>No balance transfer fee offer.</b>
With the BankAmericard® Credit Card, you’ll pay $0 in balance transfer fees for the first 60 days your account is open (after that, $10 or 3% of each transaction, whichever is greater). Relatively few cards waive balance transfer fees, so give Bank of America a closer look if you want a lower-cost transfer.</li>
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<h3 id=”top” class=”header-sideline”>Full list of Bank of America credit card reviews</h3>

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<h4>Personal</h4>
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<li>Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card</li>
<li>Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards</li>

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<h4>Business</h4>
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<li>Bank of America® Platinum Plus® Mastercard® Business card</li>
<li>Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card</li>
<li>Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card</li>
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<h4>Cobranded</h4>
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<li>Royal Caribbean® Visa Signature® Credit Card</li>
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<h3 data-toc=”false” class=”header-sideline”>Bank of America credit cards alternatives</h3>

Bank of America’s strong but modest selection of credit cards can make for a great “gap-filler” card for a financial need you don’t have covered. But if you’re looking to dive into a rewards ecosystem, you can check out <a href=”https://www.finder.com/credit-cards/american-express-credit-cards”>American Express</a>, <a href=”https://www.finder.com/credit-cards/chase-credit-cards”>Chase </a>or <a href=”https://www.finder.com/credit-cards/compare-capital-one-credit-cards”>Capital One</a>.

Take a <a href=”/credit-cards” rel=”noopener noreferrer” target=”_blank” title=”Credit cards”>look at other providers</a> or <a class=”scroll” href=”#compare” title=”Best Bank of America credit cards”>compare Bank of America’s current cards</a> to get a clear picture of what’s available.

<h3 data-toc=”false” class=”header-sideline”>Frequently asked questions</h3>

<strong>How does Bank of America keep my information secure?</strong>
Bank of America employs the standard security measures used by most banks, including EMV chip technology, $0 liability guarantee and SSL security for their site.

<strong>Can I use Text Banking with my Bank of America card?</strong>
Yes. Access your checking, savings, and credit card accounts by texting 692632. Before you can use Text Banking, you’ll need to enroll through Online Banking or by phone.

<strong>What is the minimum number of points I need before redeeming Bank of America points?</strong>
You must accumulate at least 2,500 to redeem points. Check your balance under the <strong>Rewards</strong> tab through the Online Banking portal.

<strong>Can I cancel my Bank of America credit card without calling?</strong>
No. Here are all of the ways to cancel your card.

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