Personal and small business cards issued by U.S. Bank are currently not available on CNBC Select and links have been redirected to our credit card marketplace where you can review offers from other issuers like American Express or Chase. You can also check out our list of best credit cards for alternative options.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
If you need fast access to a new credit card to finance an emergency expense or other large purchase, you can’t wait 10 business days for it to arrive in the mail. Thankfully, some cards give you instant access, which allows you to complete purchases immediately after approval.
Below, CNBC Select lists credit cards that offer instant access or the option to pay with the card before you receive the physical card in the mail, including some alternative options to consider if your credit score needs work.
Credit cards you can use instantly after approval
American Express instant access cards
Nearly all American Express cards offer the ability to receive an instant card number once your identity is validated. If you’re approved for a card and are eligible for instant access, you’ll receive your card number, temporary four-digit card identification number and expiration date that allows you to use the card anywhere American Express is accepted.
American Express® Gold Card
The American Express Gold Card is great for earning valuable Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets.
- You can earn $400+ in dining and rideshare credits every year (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- Exceptionally rewarding for eligible restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Larger annual fee
- Credits are more complicated, you earn them monthly or semi-annually
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin’ Credit: With the $84 Dunkin’ Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you’re approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you’re approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Foreign transaction fee
The American Express® Gold Card is an excellent option for earning travel rewards on dining and grocery expenses. It also has several useful benefits that largely offset its annual fee (see rates and fees). You’ll receive up to $120 in Uber Cash every year ($10 per month), which can be used for Uber rides and Uber Eats orders. You must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States. An Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
You can also earn over $200 in food credits every year. You’ll get up to $120 in dining credit each year (up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with your card) at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys (enrollment required). In addition, you’ll receive up to $84 in Dunkin’ credit annually (up to $7 in monthly credits; enrollment required), and up to $100 in Resy statement credits every calendar year (up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually; enrollment required).
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a low-fee card with generous cash-back rewards and useful ongoing benefits, such as a monthly Disney Bundle credit. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- High cash-back earnings for U.S. supermarkets and streaming services
- Intro-APR offer for purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee for the first year
- It’s less rewarding after the first year because of the annual fee
- Bonus rewards for U.S. supermarkets are capped
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 18.24% – 29.24%.
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations.
- 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- $84 Disney Bundle Credit: With your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred Card, spend $9.99 or more each month on an auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription, to receive a monthly statement credit of $7. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you’re approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you’re approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
Anyone who wants to earn cash back, and lots of it, will love the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. It earns bonus cash back on a range of categories covering popular expenses, including U.S. streaming subscriptions, transit, U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. You’re also able to earn up to $84 in Disney Bundle credit every year ($7 per month after making qualifying purchases of at least $9.99). Enrollment required.
Here are a few other Amex cards that offer the option for an instant card number:
Pro tip: You can pair this card with an Amex bank account
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
3.70% APY as of 2/21/2025
Chase instant access cards
You can use certain Chase credit cards before you receive the physical card by linking it to a mobile wallet. As long as the vendor accepts mobile wallet payments from services such as Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay, you should be able to use your Chase card immediately after approval. The option to immediately link your card to a digital wallet isn’t available for Mastercards, business credit cards or Amazon cards (though these cards can be used instantly for Amazon purchases).
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase’s travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a no-annual-fee card that earns generous cash-back on everyday purchases and a lucrative welcome bonus.
- Valuable welcome bonus and high rewards rates
- Long intro APR for purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee
- Has a foreign transaction fee
- Few rewarding ongoing benefits
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Limited Time Intro Offer: Earn a $250 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% – 28.49%.
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, in the first 60 days. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
Anyone interested in earning cash-back rewards and not paying an annual fee will appreciate the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees). It earns a minimum of 1.5% cash back on all purchases, plus bonus cash back at drug stores, restaurants and on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM. With a new Freedom Unlimited account, you can also take advantage of an introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers.
Here are a few other Chase cards that offer the ability to spend with a digital wallet before you receive your physical card:
Pro tip: You can pair this card with a Chase bank account
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.

With over 4,700 branches, Chase has the largest branch network in the U.S. plus access to more than 15,000 ATMs.
Capital One instant access cards
Capital One may offer you instant access upon approval. You may need to log in to your Capital One account to access your card number, so you’ll need an existing Capital One account to instantly access your new card.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a reasonable annual fee and earns flexible travel rewards, which makes it a great travel card for beginners or heavy travelers.
- Valuable welcome offer worth at least $750 in travel
- You can transfer miles to over 15 Capital One partners, including Emirates Skywards, Choice Privileges and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- No foreign transaction fees
- Lacks ongoing travel benefits such as statement credits or lounge access
- Limited bonus spending category that only applies to certain Capital One Travel bookings
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
- Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fee
With the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, you’ll earn at least 2X miles on every purchase. This is a great reward rate, especially considering how useful Capital One miles are. You can use these miles to erase travel purchases at a rate of one cent per mile. You can also transfer the miles you earn with your Capital One Venture card to airline and hotel loyalty programs such as Avianca LifeMiles, Wyndham Rewards and Air Canada Aeroplan. The card also has a range of other perks such as Hertz Five Star status (enrollment required), an up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit every 4 years and no foreign transaction fees.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the most rewarding options for earning cash back in categories such as entertainment and dining without paying an annual fee.
- One of the most rewarding cash-back cards for entertainment and streaming services
- No annual fee
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
- High APR
- Requires a good to excellent credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.24% – 29.24% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- No foreign transaction fee
- No annual fee
Balance transfer fee
3% for the first 15 months; 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time
Wells Fargo instant access cards
There are many reports of users accessing Wells Fargo credit cards instantly through digital wallets. Although there are mixed reports on whether you need a preexisting Wells Fargo account to receive instant access. One exception to this uncertainty is the Bilt Mastercard® which is available for instant use through the Bilt Rewards app.
Bilt Mastercard®
Bilt Mastercard®
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Rewards
Earn 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year, 3x points on dining, 2x points on travel, and 1x points on other purchases. Use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points.
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Welcome bonus
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
-
Regular APR
-
Balance transfer fee
Up to 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5.
-
Foreign transaction fee
-
Credit needed
Pros
- No annual fee
- Solid rewards on broad spending categories
- Ability to pay your rent with no transaction fees
- Transfer points to leading frequent traveler programs at a 1:1 rate, including United and World of Hyatt®
The Bilt Mastercard® is an excellent no-annual-fee travel credit card that earns especially valuable flexible rewards. What makes it stand out is, it provides the ability to pay rent without additional transaction fees.
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
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Rewards
Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans. Plus earn 1X points on other purchases
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Welcome bonus
Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s a $200 cash redemption value.
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Annual fee
-
Intro APR
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases
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Regular APR
19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR
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Balance transfer fee
Intro balance transfer fee of 3% for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
-
Foreign transaction fee
-
Credit needed
Pros
- Access to all of the Wells Fargo transfer partners including Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) and Virgin Red
- No annual fee
- Excellent bonus spending categories
- Intro-APR for purchases
Cons
- No travel credits or other valuable travel perks
- Lacks key travel protections such as trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation/interruption coverage
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card is a rare no-annual-fee credit card that earns transferrable travel rewards. It’s also one of the most rewarding options for common purchases, such as travel, groceries, gas (including EV charging), phone plans and popular streaming services.
Here are a few other Wells Fargo cards that may offer instant access:
Citi instant access cards
If your Citi card application is instantly approved, you may have immediate access to your card information. However, reports suggest that instant access isn’t available on all Citi credit cards. It’s also likely that you won’t have access to your full credit line instantly.
Citi Custom Cash® Card
The Citi Custom Cash® Card is an especially simple and rewarding cash-back card because you’ll automatically earn bonus rewards where you spend the most.
- Intro APR applies to purchases and balance transfers
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus; No annual fee
- Bonus cash-back categories are capped
- Has a foreign transaction fee
Rewards
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter.
- Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026.
Balance transfer fee
5% of each balance transfer ($5 minimum)
Foreign transaction fee
The Citi Custom Cash Card is a cash-back card with powerful bonus categories that adjust to your spending patterns. You’ll get 5% cash back on the eligible category where you spend the most each month (up to $500 per billing cycle). The Citi Custom Cash Card has no annual fee and with a new account, you get an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers.
Citi Strata PremierSM Card
The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card has competitive rewards rates and unlocks access to all of the Citi ThankYou® transfer partners, which boosts the value of your points.
- Unlocks point transfers to all of the Citi ThankYou® partners, including Emirates Skywards, Choice Privileges, Flying Blue and more
- Generous bonus spending categories include dining, supermarkets, hotels and flights
- Valuable welcome bonus
- Has an annual fee
- Car rental coverage is secondary, not primary
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Balance transfer fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
The Citi Strata PremierSM Card is the best Citi travel credit card because it unlocks access to all of Citi’s travel partners (see rates and fees). It’s also an excellent option for earning rewards on travel, groceries, dining and gas purchases.
Here are a few other Citi cards that offer instant access:
U.S. Bank instant access cards
U.S. Bank offers instant access to its credit cards. However, reports suggest that it may not be available to all applicants. You’ll need to be instantly approved and have your identity verified to qualify to instantly access your new U.S. Bank credit card.
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card
- High rewards rate for dining and delivery
- Intro APR for purchases and balance transfers
- Streaming credit has complicated requirements
- Quarterly dining bonus category is capped
Information about personal and small business credit cards issued by U.S. Bank has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication.
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit
- Up to $325 in travel and dining credits per year
- Great return on mobile wallet purchases
- High annual fee
- Airport lounge access isn’t unlimited
Information about personal and small business credit cards issued by U.S. Bank has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card is a premium credit card with easy-to-use perks that help justify its annual fee. Every year, you’ll get up to $325 in credit for travel and dining purchases, and you’ll earn this credit automatically every time you make an eligible purchase. You can also enroll for a Priority Pass airport lounge membership that grants you eight free visits per year. Every four years, you can get up to $100 in application fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. It also has no foreign transaction fees and protections such as lost luggage reimbursement, travel accident protection and roadside dispatch.
Here are a few other U.S. Bank cards that may offer instant access:
Instant access co-branded or store cards
If you open a co-branded credit card or store credit card at checkout (online or in-store) you can usually begin using your card right away. You’ll typically receive a temporary card number or barcode on your receipt that allows you to use the card at the retailer.
Store cards can only be used at the retailer, but co-branded cards generally can be used anywhere the card is accepted. However, a temporary co-branded store card might only be accepted at that store, which is what reports suggest with the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi and Prime Visa (see rates and fees). If you applied in-store, you may have to wait to use the card elsewhere until it arrives in the mail.
Prime Visa
The Prime Visa is only available to Amazon Prime members ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership) but is very rewarding for Amazon purchases.
- High rate of return at Amazon and Whole Foods
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
- Requires an Amazon Prime membership
- If you choose the promo APR you won’t earn rewards on those purchases
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Prime Card Bonus: Earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
- Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
- No annual credit card fee
- No more waiting. Redeem daily rewards at Amazon.com as soon as the next day
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
The Prime Visa is available to Amazon Prime members and offers 5% cash back at Amazon, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods. These high cash-back rates make it a top card for Amazon spending and are in addition to bonus cash back at gas stations, restaurants and local transit. It also provides a variety of built-in protections, including purchase protection, extended warranty protection, travel accident insurance and rental car collision coverage. You can access your Prime Visa through your Amazon account and use it for Amazon purchases instantly but you’ll need to receive the card to use it at other retailers.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is a valuable card to pair with a Costco membership, but the rewards program is more restrictive than what you get with a typical cash-back card.
- High rewards rates for gas/EV charging and travel
- No foreign transaction fees
- Restrictive rewards that you can only cash out once per year
- Requires a paid Costco membership
- No welcome bonus
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Discover one of Citi’s best cash back rewards cards designed exclusively for Costco members
- Earn 5% cash back rewards on gas at Costco and earn 4% cash back on other eligible gas and electric vehicle (EV) charging purchases for the first $7,000 combined spend per year, and then 1% thereafter.
- 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases and eligible travel, including Costco Travel.
- 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- No annual fee with your paid Costco membership and enjoy no foreign transaction fees on purchases
- Receive an annual credit card reward certificate, which is redeemable for cash or merchandise at U.S. Costco warehouses, including Puerto Rico
Balance transfer fee
5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum
Foreign transaction fee
Alternative instant access cards if you don’t have great credit
If you’re working to rebuild your credit or don’t have any credit history, you may need to open a credit card that’s easier to get. These cards usually offer fewer rewards but can help you build credit if you consistently pay your bill on time and in full.
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card
The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card is a secured credit card, which means you’ll need to make an upfront refundable deposit ($300 minimum) that your credit limit is based on. However, because you’re making a deposit, it’s easier to get approved for. This card also earns cash-back rewards, which is less common for this type of credit card. Once approved, you may be able to use your card before it arrives. However, some reports online suggest that you may have to wait a few days before being able to access your card.
- Incredibly high rewards rates for a credit card
- Quarterly bonus spending categories are capped
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card doesn’t offer rewards or a welcome bonus. However, it is an unsecured credit card, which means there is no upfront deposit required and it’s available if you have fair or higher. This makes it a strong credit card for building credit. It also has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee. Capital One sometimes offers instant access to your card number through the app, but not always.
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is a credit-builder card that offers a path to upgrading to a more rewarding credit card in as little as six months.
- No annual fee
- No security deposit required
- No rewards on purchases
- No welcome offer
- High APR
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- No annual or hidden fees. See if you’re approved in seconds
- Building your credit? Using the Capital One Platinum Secured card responsibly could help
- Put down a refundable security deposit starting at $49 to get a $200 initial credit line
- You could earn back your security deposit as a statement credit when you use your card responsibly, like making payments on time
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It’s free for everyone
- Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking to access your account from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One’s mobile app
Balance transfer fee
- 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
What to do if your credit card doesn’t offer instant access
As you’ll notice from the cards mentioned above, instant card numbers primarily come from issuers such as Capital One, American Express and co-branded or store cards. That leaves out many major card issuers, such as Discover, so you’ll have to wait roughly 10 business days to receive those cards in the mail before being able to use them.
However, you may be able to get your new card sooner if you’re approved for a premium card. Many issuers provide expedited shipping for high-end cards or upon request for any card.
Keep in mind, if you request faster shipment, you may have to pay a fee. Before submitting your request, consider whether you really need the card ASAP and whether the fee is worthwhile. If not, you can simply wait for it to arrive in the mail.
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For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, click here.
Information about the Capital One Spark Cash Plus, Apple Card, Bloomingdale’s Credit Card, Target Cricle™ Card, Amazon Visa, Amazon Prime Store Card and Amazon Store Card, U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card, U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card, U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication. If you purchase something through the Amazon credit card links, we may earn a commission.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.