2023 Top Credit Cards for Summer Fun, Travel, and More
beach ball in a pool

Top Credit Cards for Summer Fun — Travel, Entertainment, and More

This site is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.” (Note: advertising relationships do not have any influence on editorial content. Advertising compensation allows Fioney to provide quality content for free. All editorial opinions are those of the individual author and/or Fioney.)

It’s official: summer is here! And, with it, all of the summer fun is here as well. From travel to concerts to amusement parks and beyond, there’s plenty of entertainment to be enjoyed while the weather is warm. So what if you could earn rewards while engaging in these summer pastimes? Well, thanks to some popular and lesser-known credit cards, you can!

Whether you already have your summer plans or are still shopping for options, here are a few rewards credit cards that could come in handy.

Casual and Family Travel Cards

Rather than rehash some of the luxury travel cards that are often a key focus of these round-ups, let’s look at some travel cards more suited to casual and family travelers heading on summer getaways.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Card
  • Summer fun perk: 2x points on travel purchases, 5x total points on travel purchases made via Chase Ultimate Rewards + earn 25% more when redeeming points for Chase Ultimate Rewards travel purchases
  • Annual fee: $95
  • Current intro offer: 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases during your first 3 months

Since we’re not talking luxury travel cards, we’re going to overlook the Chase Sapphire Reserve and instead highlight the Sapphire Preferred card. This option has been a low-key favorite for years, but got a boost thanks to a relatively-recent refresh. 

Currently, in addition to earning 5x total points on travel purchases made via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and 2x points on all other travel purchases (the perks that landed it on this list), it also earns 3x on dining, 3x points on online grocery purchase, 3x on select streaming service purchases, and 1x on all other purchases.

Another key benefit of the Chase Sapphire Preferred is that the points you earn are worth 25% more (for a total of 1.25¢ each) when redeemed for travel bookings via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Speaking of that portal, each anniversary year, customers now also earn up to $50 in statement credits on hotel stays purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. That new benefit can help offset the card’s $95 annual fee.

Lastly, the Chase Sapphire Preferred also has a solid welcome bonus. At this time, new cardholders can earn 60,000 points after spending on the card in their first three months. Not only is this bonus worth $600 in statement credits but could also be redeemed for up to $750 in travel via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Thus, it’s easy to see why this card could be an easy-to-use option for those travelers not quite ready to upgrade to the big annual fee cards.

Capital One Venture

Capital One Venture Card
  • Summer fun perk: 2 miles per dollar on all purchases
  • Annual fee: $95
  • Current intro offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within your first 3 months

For those who want to earn travel rewards without having to worry about bonus categories, point transfers, etc., the Capital One Venture may be a straightforward solution. With this card, you’ll earn 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases. These miles can then be redeemed for travel purchases — it’s that simple.

As far as welcome bonuses go, the Venture card’s current promotion could be quite lucrative. Now, new cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles when they spent $4,000 on purchases within their first three months. This bonus is worth $750 in travel purchases.

Meanwhile, if you want to move up or down the annual fee scale, there are a few other Venture flavors you might consider. On the low end, there’s the VentureOne, which has no annual fee but earns 1.25x miles on all purchases instead of the full-fledged Venture’s 2x.

Alternatively, the new Venture X card recently made a splash with its travel perks and benefits. That card does carry a $395 annual fee, but that cost is heavily offset by the up to $300 in travel credit cardholders can use on bookings made via Capital One Travel. Whichever Venture option you choose, hopefully it will help you and your family save money on future vacations.

American Express Green Card

American Express Green Card
  • Summer fun perk: 3x points on travel and transit purchases (and CLEAR membership)
  • Annual fee: $150
  • Current intro offer: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points when spending $3,000 on the card within your first six months. Plus, earn 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases made during your first six month, up to a total of $200 back.

There’s a lot to like about the American Express Green Card when it comes to summer travel. But, let’s start with the biggest reason why it’s on the list this year: it’s currently boasting it’s best-ever welcome bonus. 

As of this writing, new cardholders can not only earn 60,000 points after making $3,000 in purchases on the card during their first six months but will also earn 20% back on travel and transit purchases during that six months, up to a total of $200 in statement credits. Depending on how you redeem your points, this offer could be worth anywhere from $560 to $1,400 or more.

As for the card itself, while it does have a $150 annual fee, that’s offset by some key perks. For one, the card includes up to $189 in annual statement credits for CLEAR — a service that helps you get through airport security faster. And while that amount likely won’t cover your family, you can add additional members (up to 3) to your account for $70 per person per year. Elsewhere, the card also includes $100 in annual statement credits for LoungeBuddy.

The rewards structure of the Amex Green Card is also appealing to casual travelers thanks to the broad 3x on travel and transit purchases category. On top of that, cardholders also earn 3x points at restaurants. As a result, this card could be a solid hit for summer travelers — especially with the current deal.

Allegiant World Mastercard

Allegiant World Mastercard
  • Summer fun perk: 3x points on Allegiant purchases + flight benefits
  • Annual fee: $59
  • Current intro offer: 15,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in your first 90 days

With so many airline credit cards available, it may seem pretty random to highlight the Allegiant World Mastercard. However, what sets this option apart from many other airline co-branded cards is that, instead of earning miles that correspond to specific redemptions, the Allegiant World Mastercard’s Allways points are worth 1¢ each toward Allegiant flights with no minimum redemption required. Coupled with the fact that Allegiant is a budget-friendly airline and services a mix of destination cities and smaller markets, it seems like a good fit for family and leisure travelers.

Now that we’ve justified the Allegiant World Mastercard’s inclusion on this list, let’s look at the benefits. First, cardholders earn 3 points per dollar spent on Allegiant purchases as well as 2x points on qualifying dining and 1x on all other purchases. 

Plus, cardholders enjoy complimentary priority boarding and one free beverage every time they fly Allegiant. With priority boarding fetching between $4 and $12 per use and drinks ranging from $2 to $7, these benefits could add up. Finally, with a low annual fee of $59, the card is relatively affordable. 

Currently, the Allegiant World Mastercard also offers a very attainable welcome bonus. New cardholders can earn 15,000 bonus points (equal to $150 in flight credits) when they spend $1,000 on the card within their first 90 days.

Entertainment and Amusement Cards

In addition to travel perks, a number of credit cards offer rewards on entertainment and other activities. Here are a few such options:

Capital One SavorOne

Capital One SavorOne Card
  • Summer fun perk: 3% back on entertainment purchases
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Current intro offer: $200 cashback after spending $500 on purchases within your first three months

The Capital One SavorOne is a rewards card that comes up often — and for good reason. This time around, the key perk of this card is the 3% cashback it earns on entertainment purchases. Notably, this broad category includes such activities as theme parks, theatres, zoos, aquariums, bowling alleys, and more. 

Plus, the card also earns 3% back on dining, 3% back on select streaming service purchases, 2% back at grocery stores, and 1% back everywhere else. It also earns 8% back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and tickets at Vivid Seats.

Another nice thing about the SavorOne card is the strong spend-to-reward ratio of its welcome bonus. Right now, new customers can earn $200 cashback after spending just $500 on the card in their first three months.

Overall, the SavorOne is a solid all-around card that also happens to be perfect for summer fun. Meanwhile, those interested in upping their rewards can check out the regular Savor card, which earns 4% on dining and entertainment but carries a $95 annual fee.

Citi Custom Cash

Citi Custom Cash Card
  • Summer fun perk: 5% back on live entertainment — if it’s your top eligible spend category during a statement month(up to $500 in purchases per statement)
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Current intro offer: $200 cashback after spending $750 in purchases during your first three months

The Citi Custom Cash card is an interesting and adaptable option that could come in handy this summer. First, let’s look at how this card works. Basically, when your statement closes, Citi will reward you by providing you 5% cashback on purchases in your top eligible spending category that month (up to $500 in purchases). These eligible categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment. 

In other words, if you use the card strategically, you could get up to 5% back on a category you choose to target. While this may sound a bit complicated, it basically just means that you could be earning 5% back on travel or live entertainment this summer, shift to 5% on gas stations after that, or perhaps just use it as a 5% back dining card year-round — it’s really up to you. By the way, all other purchases made with the card will earn 1% cashback.

Aside from this unique structure, the Citi Custom Cash card also boasts a decent (if not slightly underwhelming) welcome bonus. Currently, cardholders can earn $200 back after making $750 in purchases during their first three months.

Chase Freedom Flex

Chase Freedom Flex Card
  • Summer fun perk:  5% back on live entertainment from July through September 2023 (up to $1,500 in combined bonus category spending for the quarter)
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Current intro offer: $200 cashback after spending $500 in purchases on the card in your first three months

The Chase Freedom Flex is what’s known as a rotating bonus category card. However, unlike the Citi Custom Cash card where the category changes depending on your spending, Chase unveils a new round of 5% bonus categories each quarter. 

As luck would have it, Q3 2023 — which runs from July 1st through September 30th — includes live entertainment. Some cited examples include sporting events, zoos/aquariums, concerts, theatrical productions, museums, tourist attractions/exhibits, amusement parks, and more. However, some non-included examples include movie theatres, bowling alleys, casinos, etc. 

Plus, in addition to live entertainment, cardholders can also earn up to 5% back on gas station and EV charging purchases during the quarter. That said, the Freedom Flex does cap the 5% bonus at a total of $1,500 in combined bonus category spending. This means that cardholders can earn up to $75 back from this particular offer. 

Meanwhile, year-round, the Freedom Flex earns 3% back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services as well as 3% back on drug store purchases. All other purchases earn 1% back,

What’s also great about the Freedom Flex is its easily-earnable welcome bonus. Currently, new cardholders can score $200 cashback after spending just $500 on the card during their first three months. For all of those reasons, the Chase Freedom Flex could be a great summer pick-up.


With summer upon us, now could be a good time to add a new rewards credit card to your wallet. Whether you want to be rewarded on your family travel or score cashback while exploring theme parks and attractions, these options might just be your perfect companion. 

Fioney has partnered with third party sites for our coverage of credit card products. Fioney.com and the third party sites may receive a commission from card issuers.” (Note: advertising relationships do not have any influence on editorial content. Advertising compensation allows Fioney.com to provide quality content for free. All editorial opinions are those of the individual author and/or Fioney staff.)

Author

Kyle Burbank

Head Writer ~ Fioney
Kyle is the head writer for Fioney. He is a personal finance nerd, constantly looking for new apps and services to test and incorporate into his own financial game plan. In addition to his role at Fioney, he's written for other publications including Born2Invest, Lifehack, and Laughing Place, as well as his own site Money@30. He also creates personal finance and travel-related videos for Fioney's YouTube channel, which has garnered more than 2 million views. Currently, Kyle resides in Springfield, Missouri with his wife of 10 years. Together, they enjoy traveling (including visiting Disney Parks around the world), dining, and playing with their dog Rigby.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank

One Key credit cards and a woman on a boat

Wells Fargo Offering Enhanced Bonuses for One Key Cards

Wells Fargo has unveiled limited-time welcome offers for both of its One Key co-branded credit cards. About the bonuses: Those who have had their eyes on One Key's rewards credit card options may want to take advantage of the increased bonuses that are available now. Currently, new One Key cardholders can earn $400 in OneKeyCash after spending $1,000 in purchases on the card within their first three months. Meanwhile, those...
American Express Member Week March 17-21

American Express Announces March Member Week Celebration

In celebration of its 175th anniversary, American Express has announced that it will be hosting Member Week next month. About Amex Members Week: Amex is bringing back Members Week for 2025 — this time launching the affair in March as opposed to the traditional fall timeframe. This latest event also marks the first time the company has celebrated it since the 2023 edition. 2025's American Express Member Week will be...
Gasbuddy+ Mastercard

GasBuddy Introduces Pay with GasBuddy+ MasterCard Debit Card

The popular app GasBuddy is rolling out a new and improved version of its gas rewards debit card. About Pay with GasBuddy+: GasBuddy has announced the launch of the Pay with GasBuddy+ card. This debit card builds upon the previous Pay with GasBuddy card with some new features. Most notably, in contrast to the original card which could only be used at gas stations, the new product allows for purchases...
The "Email" field is empty, you must enter some text to proceed.The text you entered in the "Email" field appears to be invalid, please edit it and try again
Get the Latest News Delivered to Your Inbox
Travelers with two Best Western Credit Cards

Best Western Debuts Two New Rewards Credit Cards

After pausing applications for their previous rewards card, the hotel chain Best Western has unveiled a new pair of rewards credit cards with a new issuer. About the Best Western cards: Best Western is partnering with First Bank & Trust and Mercury Financial to introduce two new co-branded credit cards. First up is the no-annual-fee Best Western Rewards Visa Signature Card. With this card, customers can 4x points on Best...
Marriott Bonvoy card and a woman on vacation

Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card Launches Travel Contest

Chase and Marriott Bonoy have unveiled a special contest while continuing to offer its best-ever welcome bonus. About the welcome bonus and Bold Chat Court Contest: Marriott Bonvoy and Chase have launched a special opportunity called the Bold Chat Court contest. As part of this contest, 10 lucky travelers will be awarded 500,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (for a total of 5 million) as well as $5,000. For this contest, the...
Bilt and All Reward logos

Bilt Adds 2 New Transfer Partners Including First 3:2 Transfer Rate

Bilt is once again expanding its travel transfer rewards program — and is even breaking the mold with one new partner. About the new additions to Bilt: This week, Bilt launched partnerships with two more travel brands: TAP Air Portugal and Accor. As a result, Bilt members will now be able to transfer their points to Miles&Go and ALL Reward, respectively. In total, Bilt now has 18 transfer partners including 13...
Fioney Top 10 Must-Read Personal Finance Articles Septemeber 2024

Top 10 Personal Finance Articles of the Month — September 2024

Welcome to Fioney's look at the top 10 personal finance articles of the month. On the first Friday of each new month, we look back at some of our favorite posts published in the weeks prior and highlight them right here. This includes a mix of sites that have become staples of our lists as well as many first-timers. To start things off this month, we'll look at some articles...

2024 SoFi Checking and Savings Review

Ever since I started taking an interest in the FinTech sector, one company whose name I’ve seen pop up over and over again is SoFi. Lately it seems as though that theme has been sent into overdrive as the company has not only become a household name thanks to its stadium naming rights deal but also because of the company’s continued product expansions. The most interesting development in my mind...