Credit Cards for Excellent Credit

The highest end card is The Platinum Card® from American Express because it has a wide array of high-end benefits, including airport lounge access and yearly credits of up to $200 for airline fees, up to $200 for Uber, and up to $100 for Saks Fifth Avenue. American Express Platinum card also has a high-end annual fee, at $550. And it’s only available to people with good credit – the highest credit score tier.

6 Highest End Credit Cards Right Now

• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® 
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card 
• UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card  
• U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card 
• Centurion® Card from American Express 

To be clear, the best high end credit cards aren't necessarily the most exclusive credit cards. Being hard to get does not automatically make a card one of the highest end options. But a stellar credit profile still is required to be in the running for the highest end credit cards. 

The difference is that qualified applicants who get approved for one of the highest end credit cards will find themselves with credit limits, benefits, and rewards that are far superior to what's available from a regular, everyday credit card. In other words, the highest end credit cards are at the intersection of the best credit card offers on the market and the most prestigious options.

The best credit cards for a 720 credit score include Capital One Venture, which offers an initial bonus of up to 60,000 miles, and Citi Double Cash, which gives a combined 2% cash back on all purchases. Another top card is the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa. It offers at least 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

A credit score of 720 falls within the “Good” range, which is from around 700 to 749 on the 0 to 850 credit scale. Consumers in this category generally have a credit history of more than three years, more than $5,000 in available credit and no late payments in the past 12 months.

Also among the best credit cards for a 720 credit score is the Blue Cash EveryDay card from American Express. It gives you an introductory APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases. The Discover It Cash Back card earns 5% on purchases on different categories each quarter and matches all cash back earned at the end of the first year.

With a 720 credit score and a steady income, you should have little trouble securing a credit card with a low interest rate, a high credit limit and good rewards.

Here are the best credit cards for a 720 credit score:

• Best for travel rewards: Capital One Venture. 60,000 miles when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months, worth $600 toward travel. Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all purchases. $95 annual fee.
• Best for cash bonus: Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa. Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Up to $600 in cell phone protection with a $25 deductible. Introductory APRs of 0% for 15 months on purchases and 0% for 15 months on qualifying balance transfers on transfers. 14.49% to 24.99% Variable APR after. 3% intro for 120 days, then 5% transfer fee. $0 annual fee.
• Best for 0% APR: Blue Cash EveryDay Card from American Express. $200 statement credit when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months. Earn 3% cash back at supermarkets (first $6,000 spent yearly), 2% at gas stations, and 1% on all other purchases. Intro APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases. 13.99% to 23.99% (V) APR after. $0 annual fee.
• Best for low APR: Discover it Cash Back. Earn 5% on purchases (up to $1,500) in categories such as restaurants, gas stations and Amazon.com that rotate each quarter. Receive matching cash back at the end of the first year. Intro APR of 0% for 14 months on purchases and 0% for 14 months for balance transfers. 11.99% to 22.99% Variable APR after. 3% transfer fee. $0 annual fee.

A 720 credit score will put you in the running for some of the best credit cards on the market, provided you meet the card’s minimum income requirements. The very best cards, however, require excellent credit. That’s a credit score of 750 or better. To move up to that next level, maintain a history of timely payments and try reducing the amount of credit you use to less than 30%. The lower the ratio, the bigger the jump in your credit score. Also, avoid closing any credit cards or applying for new credit in a short period of time.

You might assume that the best credit cards are the cheapest. But with rewards in particular, it’s often a case of getting what you pay for. Issuers can only give away so much free stuff, after all. So those that offer truly generous rewards may use annual fees to offset some of the cost. But such offers can still end up saving you more money than the no-fee alternatives, assuming you pick the right one and use it strategically.

This is one reason comparing rewards credit cards can be so confusing. It’s also why crunching the numbers to see how much net rewards value each card will provide based on your own spending habits is so important.

With that being said, things are a bit different if you don’t plan to pay your bill in full every month or make purchases on a regular basis. You don’t want to pay a fee to finance a big-ticket purchase or transfer a balance, as doing so would be like paying interest in advance. And most 0% credit cards for people with excellent credit don’t charge annual fees in recognition of the fact that prospective customers want to minimize costs. Similarly, you’ll want to choose from one of the many no-annual-fee credit cards for excellent credit if you plan to use your card sparingly because you might not earn enough rewards to break even.

It usually takes a few years to truly establish excellent credit. But it’s possible to get there much quicker, even in a matter of months, if only temporarily. The exact timeframe depends on your starting point and how responsibly you manage your finances. For example, someone with no prior credit history who gets a credit card and makes on-time payments every month will reach excellent credit much faster than someone with severely damaged credit who regularly pays late.

It’s also worth noting that having an excellent credit score isn’t always enough to get an excellent-credit credit card. Your income and debt obligations play a big role, too. For one thing, you have to demonstrate the ability to make payments on a card with a fairly high spending limit.

You can see where your credit stands at the moment, get personalized advice for how to improve it as quickly as possible, and track your progress from day to day by signing up for a free WalletHub account. You can also learn more about credit improvement and how long it typically takes from this WalletHub guide.

I definitely agree that cards requiring "excellent" credit most always have the best perks, as there is less liability involved. As someone who had credit problems in the past, I do not recall any of the "so-so' cards having lucrative rewards programs (in fact, most offered no points and involved paying high annual maintenance fees). After re-building my credit and responding to an offer for the Chase Sapphire card in the mail, I gained approval and access to some of the best benefits on the market! I now use my card for nearly all purchases and pay it off in full each billing cycle.

More than one-third (38%) of U.S. adults have excellent credit, according to WalletHub data. And another 17% are in shouting distance, with good credit. If you don’t know which group you’re in, you can check your latest credit score for free on WalletHub.

Doing so will make it easier to gauge your odds of approval for an excellent-credit credit card. Just remember that you credit score isn’t the only factor that an issuer will take into account. Your income and existing debt obligations also contribute to your overall creditworthiness, for example.

The best business credit card for balance transfers is the U.S. Bank Business Platinum card, because it has a balance transfer APR of 0% for 15 billing cycles* and a $0* annual fee. But there is a 3% (min $5) balance transfer fee.

There aren’t many business credit card balance transfer offers with 0% interest rates to choose from. But you could also use a personal credit card for a business balance transfer. Just make sure to only put business expenses on the card, or else your bookkeeping will get tricky.

The best personal card for this purpose is the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card because it offers an introductory APR of 0% for 20 months on balance transfers, with a 3% (min $5) balance transfer fee and a $0 annual fee.

Best Business Credit Cards for Balance Transfers

• U.S. Bank Business Platinum
• U.S. Bank Business Cash Rewards World Elite™ Mastercard®
• PNC Visa® Business Credit Card
• Edward Jones Business Credit Card
• Wells Fargo Platinum card
• Zions Bank AmaZing Rewards® Business Credit Card

A business credit card balance transfer allows you to move business debt from one loan or credit card to another credit card. Good balance transfer cards offer an introductory interest rate lower than the regular APR, sometimes as low as 0%. You’ll pay interest at the regular APR on any balance remaining after an introductory APR expires. Keep in mind that in most cases, you’ll be charged a 3%-5% transfer fee on each balance transferred. There are cards that do not charge a transfer fee, but they tend not to offer an introductory balance transfer APR.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® credit score requirement is 750+. Chase says this card is for people with excellent credit, the highest tier in the credit score range. And while excellent credit is generally thought to start at 720,  we really recommend a credit score of 750+ to maximize your chances of approval. With a lower score, the risk of rejection will be higher if Chase finds any negatives on your credit report or income-wise.

You can check your latest credit score for free on WalletHub to gauge your odds. Just bear in mind that you’ll need more than a high credit score to get approved for Chase Sapphire Reserve. Let’s take a look at some of the other essential requirements.

Here are Chase Sapphire Reserve’s credit score & other approval requirements:

• 750+ credit score. You might find yourself getting approved with a lower score or denied with a higher one. But a credit score of 750 or higher definitely helps to maximize your chances.
• Eligibility. You must be over 18 years old with a U.S. mailing address and a Social Security number.
• Income. You don’t absolutely need a job, but you must have some kind of income and/or assets  to prove to Chase that you have the means to pay for the charges you make.
• As little debt as possible. Chase will weigh your income against your debts to determine how much you can afford to borrow.
• No bankruptcy. You probably won’t be in this situation if you have an excellent credit score. But you won’t get approved while in active bankruptcy and will have a tough time as long as any record of bankruptcy is on your credit report.

So as you can see, a lot more than just your score goes into approval. But having an excellent credit score is still a very important requrement. If you’re not sure where you stand right now, you can check your latest credit score for free on WalletHub, the only site with free daily updates to your scores and reports. And if you find out that your credit isn't quite up to par, working to improve it can drastically increase your approval chances. For advice on what to do, check out your custom credit analysis.

The best high-limit credit card for excellent credit is the Chase Sapphire Reserve card because new cardholders start with a credit limit of $10,000 or more. The stronger your credit profile is, the more likely you are to get a credit limit higher than $10,000. Sapphire Reserve also has a bonus of 50,000 points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. But it charges an annual fee of $550 too.

If you’re looking for a cheaper high limit credit card for your excellent credit score, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a $5,000 minimum credit limit, great rewards, and a $95 annual fee that’s waived for the first year.

Reports from cardholders suggest that Sapphire Preferred and Reserve occasionally offer credit limits as high as $75,000 - $100,000 and up. Such claims are anecdotal, though, so you can’t count on a limit that high. That’s one reason why you shouldn’t apply for cards just for the highest possible credit limits. Instead, assess all of a card’s features and any fees it may charge to find the right fit.

The best credit card with a $20,000 limit is the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, which has a $10,000 minimum credit limit. If Chase thinks you can handle twice that much spending power, you could be approved for $20k. There are several other good candidates, too.

You could get approved for a credit card with a $20,000 limit if you have excellent credit, a lot of income, and very little debt. But there are no credit cards with $20,000 limits guaranteed as a minimum.

Here are the best credit cards with $20,000 limit potential:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: $10,000 minimum limit. 50,000 points bonus when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months. 3 points per $1 on travel and dining and 1 on everything else. Points worth 50% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. $300 annual travel credit. $550 annual fee. Requires excellent credit.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: $5,000 minimum limit. 60,000 points bonus when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months. 2 points per $1 on travel and dining and 1 on everything else. Points worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. $95 annual fee. Requires good credit.
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: $5,000 minimum limit. 60,000 miles when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. 2 miles per $1 on all purchases. $95 annual fee. Requires good credit.
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: $5,000 minimum limit. 100,000 points bonus when you spend $15,000 in the first 3 months. 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent annually on travel and select business categories. 1 per $1 on all other purchases. $95 annual fee. Requires good credit.

If you’re not able to get a credit card with a $20,000 limit right away, you can always call your issuer to request a credit limit increase after 6 months. And you can always get more total credit by applying for another credit card, though you should probably wait a year in between.