Best Bank of America credit cards

Best Bank of America credit cards

Bank of America’s cards fall into several categories that meet specific needs. Here’s what we like and what to watch out for when it comes to our top picks.

Best card for cashback rewards

Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card

Finder Rating: 4.6 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (720-850) Read review

720
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to 3%
Cash back

$200
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

Everyday rewards are a staple of the Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card. Its $0 annual fee makes it easy to get the most out of your rewards card. Earn 3% cash back on purchases in a chosen category and 2% at US grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter, reverting to 1 after. All other purchases earn you a consistent 1 cash back.

• Signup bonus. Make at least $1,000 in purchases within 90 days of opening your account to earn a $200 bonus cash reward.
• No annual fee. Get cash back without the weight of making up for an annual fee.
• Intro APR. Enjoy a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 statement closing dates. The APR reverts to a standard 13.99% to 23.99% variable after the promotional period is up.

• Foreign transaction fees. Avoid using the card abroad or online with foreign merchants or you'll pay a 3% fee of the amount.
• Balance transfer limitations. Transfer your balance within the first 60 days when you open your account or you won't get the 0% intro APR period on balance transfers.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 15 statement closing dates (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 15 statement closing dates (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)
Welcome offer	$200 after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days
Rewards	3% cash back on a chosen category and 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 each quarter combined, then 1% after that and on everything else

Best card for travel rewards

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Finder Rating: 3.2 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (670-850) Read review

670
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

1.5x
Points

25,000
Points welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

A simple points structure, no annual fee, an intro APR offer and a hefty signup bonus make the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card our top pick for travel rewards. You'll get 1.5 points for each dollar spent and an additional 1.5 points — a total of 3 points — on noninsurance purchases made through the Bank of America Travel Center.
You can also earn 25,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days your account is open. That shakes out to a $200 statement credit toward travel purchases. To top it off, there's no limit to how many points you can earn.

• Intro APR period on purchases. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 statement closing dates your account is open. A variable 14.99% to 22.99% APR applies after the intro period expires.
• Signup bonus. Get 25,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days your account is open. Paired with the intro APR, this is quite the deal.
• 0% foreign transaction fee. Use the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card abroad without paying additional fees on your purchases.

• No intro APR period on balance transfers. You won't be able to save money on interest if you make a balance transfer with this card.
• Penalty APR. If you miss a payment, Bank of America may impose a penalty APR of up to 29.99% variable.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 12 statement closing dates (then 14.99% to 22.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR	14.99% to 22.99% variable
Welcome offer	25,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days
Rewards	1.5x points on all purchases

Best card for airline rewards

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card

Credit recommended (670-850) Read review

670
Min. credit score

$75
Annual fee

Up to 3x
Miles

40,000
Miles welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

Alaska Airlines wins out with annual companion fares that start at $121, not to mention 40,000 bonus miles, free bag checks for you and up to six others, unlimited miles and no foreign transaction fees. You'll earn 3x miles on purchases with Alaska Airlines and Virgin America and 1x miles on all other purchases.

• Bonus miles. Earn 40,000 bonus miles when you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 90 days your account is open.
• Companion fare bonus. If you're shooting for bonus miles, you might land a special version of Alaska's Famous Companion Fare. Spend $2,000 on purchases within the first 90 days your account is open to earn a code that allows you to buy a second ticket on your round-trip itinerary for just the cost of taxes and fees.
• Multiple redemption options. Redeem your miles for more than just Alaska Airlines and Virgin America tickets. Use them toward airfare purchases with Air France, American Airlines, KLM, Korean Air, Qantas and Japan Airlines.

• Annual fee. The card comes with a $75 annual fee.
• No intro APR period. You don't get a 0% intro APR period on balance transfers and purchases.

Annual Fee	$75
Purchase APR	15.99% to 23.99% variable
Balance transfer APR	15.99% to 23.99% variable
Welcome offer	40,000 miles and companion pass after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days
Rewards	3x miles on Alaska Airlines purchases and 1x miles on all other purchases

Best card for building credit

BankAmericard® Secured Credit Card

Finder Rating: 4.2 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (300-669) Read review

300
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

n/a
Rewards

n/a
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The BankAmericard® Secured Credit Card offers a starting point for those looking to build or rebuild their credit. You put down a minimum deposit of at least $300, with the possibility of seeing that deposit returned after 12 months of responsible spending. It's a basic card that offers little in the way of additional features, extending a variable APR of 22.99% on purchases.

However, be sure to pay bills on time to avoid late payment fees of up to $40.

• A return of your deposit. The bank reviews BankAmericard® Secured Credit Card accounts periodically, and you might qualify for a deposit return if your overall credit history improves to BofA's satisfaction.
• Grace period. Pay off your balance before it's due each month to avoid paying interest. Generally your due date is at least 25 days after the close of your billing cycle.
• Opportunity to upgrade. You just might graduate to an unsecured card after a periodic review by Bank of America.

• No rewards program. You won't earn any rewards on your purchases.
• No intro APR period. You won't have any grace period to not pay interest on purchases.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	22.99% variable
Balance transfer APR	22.99% variable
Welcome offer	N/A
Rewards	N/A

Best card for small businesses

Bank of America® Platinum Plus® Mastercard® Business card

Finder Rating: 3 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (740-850) Read review

740
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

n/a
Rewards

$300
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

Low intro and standard APRs, a $0 annual fee and a signup bonus that's easy to attain make the Bank of America® Platinum Plus® Mastercard® Business card a well-balanced card for small businesses. While you won't get cashback rewards, its 10.24% to 21.24% variable APR makes for potential savings when it comes to interest charges.

• Signup bonus. Spend at least $3,000 on purchases within 90 days of opening your account to get a $300 statement credit.
• Low intro APR. Enjoy a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 7 billing cycles after opening your account. After the promo expires, you'll pay a 10.24% to 21.24% variable APR.
• No cost for additional cards. Adding employee cards to your account costs nothing more.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 7 billing cycles (then 10.24% to 21.24% variable)
Balance transfer APR	10.24% to 21.24% variable
Welcome offer	$300 after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days
Rewards	N/A

Compare Bank of America credit cards

Use our table below to sort some BofA cards by name, intro APR, annual fee or minimum credit score. Check the Compare box under up to four cards you’re interested in. Then click the Compare button to see a side-by-side comparison of fees, requirements and features. To learn more about a specific card, click View details to read our review. If you’re looking for information on Bank of America business cards, you’ll want to jump over to our full guide.

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Name	Product	Filter values	Rewards	Purchase APR	Annual fee
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card			2x points on travel and dining and 1.5x points on all other purchases	15.99% to 22.99% variable	$95	View details	Earn 2x points on travel and dining and 1.5x points on all other purchases.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card			1.5x points on all purchases	0% intro for the first 12 statement closing dates (then 14.99% to 22.99% variable)	$0	View details	Earn 25,000 online bonus points after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days from account opening.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card			3% cash back on a chosen category and 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 each quarter combined, then 1% after that and on everything else	0% intro for the first 15 statement closing dates (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)	$0	View details	Earn $200 after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days form account opening.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
BankAmericard® Secured Credit Card			N/A	22.99% variable	$0	View details	Helps establish, strengthen and even rebuild your credit.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
U.S. Pride® BankAmericard Cash Rewards™ Visa® Card			3% cash back on a chosen category and 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 combined quarterly, then 1% after that and on everything else	0% intro for the first 15 statement closing dates (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)	See terms	View details	Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after making at least $500 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
CardMatch™ from creditcards.com			See terms	See issuer's website	See terms	See offer View details	Use the CardMatch tool to find cards you're likely to qualify for with your credit score, without a hard pull on your credit.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How to apply for a credit card with Bank of America

You can easily apply for a Bank of America credit card through their website. To apply, you can do the following:

1. Go to the Bank of America homepage.
2. At the top menu bar, click on Credit cards.
3. From the drop-down menu, you can select your desired category or click on Shop all credit cards to view all available cards.
4. Review the cards to find the one you want and click Apply now.
5. Fill out your personal information, including any card option preferences such as if you’re performing a balance transfer, and click Save and continue to complete the application.

You can also use the Bank of America prequalification tool to see which cards you’re more likely to obtain.

Types of Bank of America Credit Cards

Bank of America offers a robust selection of credit cards, including several solid credit-building options for students. Here’s a breakdown of the card categories available:

Cash back

Travel

Low interest

Credit building

Typical card benefits and features of a Bank of America credit card?

Bank of America offers a suite of no-annual-fee credit cards. You’ll also find brand-partnered, no-frills, cashback and travel, student and small business credit cards. Depending on your financial needs, you may find one with extra savings perks — like a Bank of America card with an intro APR period or a $200 signup bonus.

Several cards also come with additional features like:

• Online shopping security. Use ShopSafe® when shopping online to generate a temporary credit card number that links to your actual account. You don’t have to register for the service: Just sign in to your online banking account and choose Use ShopSafe.
• Protection against fraud. Stay safe with Bank of America’s $0 Liability Guarantee, which covers fraudulent charges made to your account. Claims may be subject to dollar limits.
• Overdraft protection. Link an eligible Bank of America checking account to your credit card to prevent declined purchases and overdrafts. Fees may apply.
• Updated FICO® Score access. Every month that your account is open and in good standing, you’ll get a free look at your up-to-date credit score.
• Museums on Us®. Show your Bank of America credit card to get free museum entry at eligible museums across the US on the first full weekend of every month.

Bank of America reward programs

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.

How can I redeem points and miles?

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.

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

You can 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®. You can redeem or deposit these points through your account page on the Bank of America site.

Full list of Bank of America credit cards

Bottom line

Bank of America offers a moderate selection of basic, rewards, travel, student and secured credit cards. But it also partners with a long list of brands to provide rewards programs and bonuses that may suit your spending.

Take a look at other providers or compare Bank of America’s current cards to get a good idea of what’s available.

Frequently asked questions

• When will I receive my credit card?

  After approval, you can expect your credit card by mail within 10 business days.

• When does interest begin to accumulate?

  If your card doesn’t come with a grace period, any balance that remains on your account after the payment due date will begin accruing interest. Balance transfers accrue interest immediately after the transfer is complete, even if your balance is paid in full by the payment due date.

• What is a cash credit line?

  A portion of your available credit line is available for cash advances. Your cash credit line is tapped for returned payments, transaction fees, cash equivalents, overdraft protection cash advances, same-day online cash advances, ATM cash advances and over-the-counter cash advances.

• How do I request a credit line increase?

  Log in to your BofA Online Banking portal. You can start your request for a credit line increase under the Information & Services tab.

• Can I use Text Banking with my card?

  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.

• What is the minimum number of points I need before redeeming?

  You must accumulate at least 2,500 to redeem points. Check your balance under the Rewards tab through the Online Banking portal.

• How can I get a copy of my credit card statement?

  Log in to the Online Banking portal, click the Accounts tab and then click Statements & Documents.

• Can I cancel my Bank of America credit card without calling?

  No. Here are all of the ways to cancel your card.