Many credit card newbies are skeptical of anything with an annual fee. It’s a valid question to ask: Why pay money to use a card when there are so many options without annual fees?
The truth is that most rewards cards with annual fees provide far more value than they charge, assuming you use the benefits. In fact, several top travel cards can easily provide more than $1,000 in value in the first year.
Today, we’ll walk you through over a dozen cards that provide $1,000 in value (or more) in the first year.
Methodology
Before we dig into it, let’s talk about how we quantify the value a specific card has. For each of our top travel and rewards credit cards, we’re looking at:
- Welcome offer: We use TPG valuations to determine how much bonuses are worth.
- Annual statement credits: If the card offers travel credits, dining credits, resort credits or other annual statement credits, we include these in the card’s total value.
- Automatic elite status: We use the TPG valuation of how much specific elite status tiers are worth for each program.
- Quantifiable perks and benefits: Not all perks and benefits can be assigned a specific dollar amount. We include those that can be more easily quantified than others, though we do make a few assumptions in this category.
- Annual fee: We subtract the annual fee once we’ve tallied a card’s overall value. Only cards with a net value of at least $1,000 after factoring in the annual fee make this list.
We’re only including quantifiable perks in this equation. Many cards include perks that aren’t directly tied to a dollar amount — such as Centurion Lounge access, Capital One Lounge access and elite-like perks such as priority boarding. We also exclude anniversary benefits that only apply to the second year of cardmembership (and beyond).
Please note that just because a card didn’t make this list doesn’t mean it can’t provide this type of value. Cards not on this list provide value on a case-by-case basis.
Cards that provide $1,000-plus in 1st-year value
*Welcome offer value is determined using TPG valuations and is not provided by or reviewed by the issuer.
The information for the Hilton Honors Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
WYATT SMITH/THE POINTS GUY
| Welcome offer | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership |
|
$695 (see rates and fees) |
Quantifiable benefits:
- Welcome bonus ($2,400 value, according to TPG valuations)
- Up to $200 in annual airline incidental statement credits on one selected airline ($200 value)*
- Up to $400 in Dell statement credits (for U.S. purchases) — $200 semi-annually ($400 value)*
- Up to $100 for Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck application fee every four or four and a half years ($100 value)
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status ($805 value, according to TPG valuations)*
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold elite status ($1,220 value, according to TPG valuations)*
- Up to $360 in annual statement credit on all Indeed hiring and recruiting products and services to post open positions and find talent, up to $90 per quarter ($360 value)
- Up to $189 in Clear Plus statement credits toward an annual Clear membership for expedited airport security ($189 value)
- Up to $150 annual statement credit for Adobe on select purchases, including Adobe Creative Cloud and Acrobat Pro DC ($150 value)
- Up to $120 in annual statement credit for wireless telephone services, up to $10 per month ($120 value)
* Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Net first-year value: $5,249
For small-business owners, the Amex Business Platinum can yield a ton of value in the first year, thanks to the array of perks on the card. Most benefits come as statement credits, many of which specifically connect to business-related expenses. In total, the Business Platinum has over $1,400 in statement credits that you could maximize.
However, the card also includes many luxury travel benefits, like hotel status with both Marriott and Hilton. In addition, you’re also eligible for a 35% rebate for using Pay With Points on premium-class flights on any airline (or for economy tickets on your designated airline for the $200 fee credits).
Read our full review of the Amex Business Platinum for more details.
Application link: The Business Platinum Card from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express
ISABELLE RAPHAEL/THE POINTS GUY
| Welcome offer | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership |
|
$695 (see rates and fees) |
Quantifiable benefits:
* Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Net first-year value: $4,614
The Amex Platinum is one of the best travel cards available for luxury travelers because of its extensive lineup of perks — and the ones listed above are only part of the equation. You’ll also get things like rental car privileges, access to Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, travel and purchase protections, access to the Amex Platinum concierge and unmatched access to airport lounges, including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges and Delta Sky Clubs when traveling on same-day Delta flights (enrollment required).
You could even be targeted for a higher welcome offer via the CardMatch Tool (offer subject to change at any time).
Read our full review of the Amex Platinum for more details.
Application link: The Platinum Card from American Express
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
| Welcome offer | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
|
150,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months; plus, earn 50,000 points after you stay six eligible nights at Marriott hotels through Jan. 31, 2024. Offer ends August 9 |
|
$650 (see rates and fees) |
Quantifiable benefits:
- Welcome bonus ($1,680 value, according to TPG valuations)
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status ($2,495 value, according to TPG valuations)*
- Up to $25 a month in dining statement credits each calendar year ($300 value)
- Up-to-$100 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck application fee credit every four or four and a half years ($100 value)
* Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Net first-year value: $3,925
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant underwent a major refresh in September 2022, with a higher annual fee alongside enhanced perks. Beyond the above benefits, the card also comes with 25 elite night credits, Priority Pass lounge access (enrollment is required) and select travel protections. In addition, we’re not including the annual free night award (worth up to 85,000 points) in the year one value since you need to renew your card to receive it. All of these perks could potentially add even more value to the card.
Remember that our valuation for Platinum Elite status is based on the assumption that you’ll frequently stay with Marriott. The value you get from that benefit will depend on your travel habits.
Read our full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant for more details.
Application link: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
THE POINTS GUY
| Welcome offer | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| 150,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership |
|
$450 (see rates and fees) |
Quantifiable benefits:
* Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Net first-year value: $3,830
The Hilton Honors Aspire is the top-tier card in the Hilton cobranded card lineup. If you stay with Hilton regularly, you can get a ton of value out of the card’s benefits. In addition to the benefits listed, you’ll also get a free night each year (plus a second if you spend $60,000 in a calendar year) and Priority Pass lounge access (enrollment required) — neither of which are included in the tally because they aren’t easily quantifiable with a dollar value.
Keep in mind that Diamond elite status may be worth more or less than the stated value, depending on how regularly you stay at Hilton properties throughout the year.
Read our full review of the Hilton Aspire Card for more details.
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
| Welcome bonus | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Plus, earn up to $100 in statement credits on purchases at IHG properties during the first 12 months from account opening |
|
$99 |
Quantifiable benefits:
- Sign-up bonus ($800 value, according to TPG valuations)
- Complimentary IHG Platinum elite status ($1,290 value, according to TPG valuations)
- Up-to-$100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
- Up to $50 United Airlines TravelBank Cash each calendar year
Net first-year value: $2,041
The IHG Rewards Premier packs quite the punch for such a low annual fee. In addition to the above benefits, you’ll also get 20% off when buying IHG points, a 10,000-point bonus after you spend $20,000 in a year, fourth-night award perk and travel protections. In addition, like the Bonvoy Brilliant, we’re not including the anniversary reward night (worth up to 40,000 points) in this calculation since you must renew your card to earn one.
And like other hotel cards, the elite status valuation assumes you are frequently visiting IHG properties, so that perk could potentially be worth more (or less) depending on how often you take advantage of it.
Read our full review of the IHG Premier Card for more details.
Application link: IHG One Rewards Premier card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
| Welcome bonus | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months of card membership. |
|
$95 (see rates and fees) |
Quantifiable benefits:
- Welcome bonus points ($780 value, according to TPG valuations)
- Complimentary Hilton Gold elite status ($1,220 value, according to TPG valuations)
Net first-year value: $1,905
The Hilton Honors Surpass is the mid-tier card in the Hilton cobranded card lineup. If you can meet the minimum spend requirement to unlock the entire welcome offer, you can earn 130,000 points, which TPG values at $780.
Even if you’re an infrequent Hilton guest, Surpass cardholders enjoy automatic Gold status, which unlocks perks such as 80% bonus points on stays, space-available room upgrades, breakfast (or an on-property credit, depending on your destination) and a fifth-night free when you book a stay entirely with points.
In addition to the benefits listed, you’ll get a complimentary night reward each year after spending $15,000 on purchases on your card in a calendar year. Cardholders also get 10 complimentary visits to Priority Pass lounges each year (enrollment required) — though just like the premium Hilton Honors Aspire option, we didn’t include these benefits into the value, as it’s harder to quantify a dollar amount for these perks.
Read our full review of the Hilton Surpass card for more details.
Application link: Hilton Honors Surpass Amex
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
| Welcome bonus | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening |
|
$95 |
Quantifiable benefits:
Net first-year value: $1,905
In addition to the card’s fantastic sign-up bonus (now with a lower spending requirement), this card’s primary value is its earning structure, which is hard to quantify since it depends entirely on your spending habits.
The card only charges a $95 annual fee, making it easy to consider keeping in the long term. You’ll also have access to a 25% redemption bonus through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, cellphone protection and extensive travel coverage.
Read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred for more details.
Application link: Ink Business Preferred
American Express® Green Card
| Welcome bonus | Earning rate (terms apply) | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first six months of card membership, plus 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in first six months (up to $200 back in the form of a statement credit) |
|
$150 (see rates and fees) |
Quantifiable benefits:
- Welcome bonus ($1,400 value, according to TPG valuations)
- Up to $189 in Clear Plus statement credits toward an annual Clear membership for expedited airport security ($189 value)
- $100 annual LoungeBuddy credit
* Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Net first-year value: $1,539
The American Express Green Card is a compelling offering in the mid-tier travel category, with 3 points per dollar on broader travel, restaurants and transit as well as annual statement credits for Clear and LoungeBuddy.
Read our full review of the Amex Green for more details.
Application link: American Express Green Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
| Welcome offer | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening |
|
$395 |
Quantifiable benefits:
Net first-year value: $1,393
The Venture X card launched in 2021 and immediately made a splash in the realm of premium credit cards. Besides the quantifiable benefits above, you’ll also get complimentary access to the Capital One Lounge, more than 1,300 worldwide Priority Pass lounges and over 100 Plaza Premium lounges — including two guests.
In addition, Venture X cardholders can add up to four authorized users at no charge, and they also get these lounge privileges with up to two guests. Other perks include complimentary cellphone protection, access to Capital One’s new Premier Collection of luxury hotels, Hertz President’s Circle elite status*, and, as a Visa Infinite card, trip cancellation and interruption insurance.
Note that this calculation omitted the 10,000 bonus miles that you’ll receive every account anniversary since this perk doesn’t begin until you renew your card — so it’s thus (technically) a benefit in year two.
Read our full review of the Capital One Venture X for more details.
*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.
Application link: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Card
| Welcome bonus | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening |
|
$95 |
Quantifiable benefits:
- Sign-up bonus ($1,388 value, according to TPG valuations)
- Up-to-$100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit every four years ($100 value)
Net first-year value: $1,393
While the Venture Rewards card doesn’t have a long list of benefits, it’s hard to resist that 75,000-mile bonus if you can spend the $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.
The card also comes with an up-to-$100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment fee credit, and you can also transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty partners. However, be sure to compare the card to the Venture X to ensure you’d be better off with the more affordable option.
Read our full review of the Capital One Venture Card for more details.
Application link: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
| Welcome bonus | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening | $95 |
Quantifiable benefits:
Net first-year value: $1,251
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best cards for beginners — it comes with an excellent sign-up bonus and a low annual fee. Additionally, you’ll have access to a 25% redemption bonus on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
You’ll also receive a 10% points bonus on your cardmember anniversary based on the total amount you spent in the previous year. However, since the value of this perk depends on your spending activity, it’s not included in the above calculation.
Read our full review of the Sapphire Preferred for more details.
Application link: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve
| Welcome bonus | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening |
|
$550 |
Quantifiable benefits:
- Welcome bonus ($1,200 value, according to TPG valuations)
- Up to $300 travel credit each account anniversary year ($300 value)
- Up-to-$100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit every four years ($100 value)
- $5 monthly DoorDash credits and a one-year Doordash Dash Pass subscription, a $156 total value (activate by Dec. 31, 2024)
Net first-year value: $1,206
The premium Chase Sapphire Reserve makes this list thanks to the current welcome bonus of 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points plus the $300 in statement credits that’ll automatically be applied to travel purchases each account anniversary year. Note that this calculation does exclude perks like Priority Pass lounge access (including participating restaurants) and the ability to book high-end hotels with added perks through the Luxury Hotels & Resorts program, as both of these are hard to quantify.
Read our full review of the Sapphire Reserve for more details.
Application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve
American Express® Gold Card
| Welcome bonus | Earning rate (terms apply) | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first six months of card membership |
|
$250 (see rates and fees) |
Quantifiable benefits:
* Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Net first-year value: $1,190
The Amex Gold Card (also available in the popular Rose Gold version) is one of the best cards out there for foodies because of its earning structure and two food-focused perks. Keep in mind that you could potentially be targeted for an even more valuable welcome offer (up to 90,000 points) through the CardMatch Tool, although offers are subject to change at any time.
Read our full review of the Amex Gold for more details.
Application link: American Express Gold Card
Bottom line
Many popular travel credit cards can get you well over $1,000 in value in just the first year of card membership. While we’ve listed the dollar values of perks and benefits where we can, many credit card perks and benefits are more subjective.
If you have a card where you spend a lot each year within its bonus categories, you can easily get more than $1,000 in value from a card just based on spending alone. Conversely, suppose you aren’t taking full advantage of benefits offered by a card (such as lounge access, yearly statement credits or elite status perks). In that case, you could get less value from a specific card because it’s not suited to your needs.
Hopefully, this gives you a starting point to see which cards offer $1,000 or more in value in the first year to those who can use the card’s benefits.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
Additional reporting by Emily Thompson, Ryan Smith, Ryan Wilcox, Summer Hull, Ethan Steinberg and Juan Ruiz.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Surpass card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Green card, click here.
