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Finding the one: the best credit cards for dating

There you are sitting on your couch. You’re now fully dressed and after taking another sip of your drink, you decide to check out their dating app profile one more time before heading out for the evening. After swiping through their profile pictures again and confirming their hobbies and relationship goals one final time, you are now feeling more confident in your decision to take a leap of faith and meet someone new. You check your phone for the last time, take one last sip of your drink, grab your wallet and keys, and are out the door to make it on time for your date.

Fast forward, and you find that the evening has gone much better than expected. Although many hours have passed without notice, the time has come for the waiter to leave the check on your table. You reach down into your wallet to grab your credit card to pay the bill. Your date beats you to it and places their’s on the table first. After some friendly back and forth on who’s paying the bill you finally accept defeat. However, you take a look at the credit card on the table and realize you have never heard of that credit card before, in fact, you become intrigued enough to ask your date about it. Your date responds by telling you that the credit card on the table great for dining out, but five other cards also offer tremendous benefits that are really helpful, particularly when dating.

Our 6 best credit cards for dating

The 6 best credit cards for dating are the: Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi, Savor from Capital One, Citi Double Cash Card, Citi ThankYou Premier Card, American Express Platinum Card, and Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. Each of these cards provides you with perks or value that are ideally positioned for those currently looking for love or even those who have found it already.

When evaluating the best credit cards for dating you should make sure they provide you with the most return value for the activities that you can typically associate to a romantic relationship such as frequent dining, traveling, experiences, or just getting the most cash return on your spending, because let’s face it dating isn’t a cheap lifestyle. Below, we’ve put together a list of our recommendations for the 6 best credit cards for dating and explain how you can use each card while finding the right match.

#6: Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi

As we can imagine, there are desirable qualities that you may look for in a potential partner while dating, including someone who has similar career goals, interest, family orientation, etc., but let’s be honest, nothing is more desirable in a relationship than a partner having a Costco membership. Seriously, just scratch everything else out and focus on Costco, and more specifically the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi. We are joking obviously, but while this card may typically fly under the radar for credit cards in general, we’ve found that it does provide some fantastic cash back benefits to cardholders that are especially useful when dating, and the best part is you don’t have to make the purchases at Costco to be eligible for some of the big cash back savings.

In all phases of dating, you will likely be traveling by car to meet your significant other, and those gas bills can add up quickly. Whether it’s meeting at the park to workout together or checking out the latest movie release, having a credit card that maximizes cash back at gas stations should be in every dater’s arsenal. The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi gives you a whopping 4% cash back at eligible gas stations worldwide for the first $7,000 spent on fuel purchases. Also, you will receive a hefty 3% cash back on eligible restaurant and travel purchases. Dreamy. On top of this, the Costco Anywhere Visa Card has no annual fee with a paid Costco membership, which is a great plus! 

Cash back earning

4% cash back on gas

This card provides one of the highest cash back incentives on gas purchases for credit cards we have seen. This will certainly come in handy while dating if you drive your car to get around to your various dates or if your significant other lives on the other side of town. Keep in mind that this 4% cash back benefit also applies to gas purchased at Costco, so you could potentially receive even better value at the pump due to Costco’s already well known competitive fuel prices. Also, it is important to note that the 4% cash back only applies to the first $7,000 in gas spend annually.

3% cash back on restaurants and travel

Perhaps the most useful cash back category for this card is restaurants and travel, especially while dating. Dining out at restaurants and taking trips are both frequented activities in dating and relationships. Regardless of if you are on a date with someone for the first time or settling down with one person, you’re more than likely to find yourself eating out at a restaurant at least occasionally, if not more frequently. Once things start to get more serious, traveling together could be an important milestone in your dating relationship. The Costco Anywhere Visa Card will give you 3% cash back on dining and travel purchases, which allows this card to stack up nicely against other credit card competitors. The 3% cash back could amount to substantial savings over the course of a single year, and Costco does not have a cap on the amount of money you can receive.

2% cash back on Costco purchases

Maybe you get to the point of your relationship where you begin cooking for your significant other, or they even begin to stay the night. Close your eyes mom! When this starts to happen, you’ll probably notice your Costco grocery receipts are getting longer and longer now that you are buying for more than just yourself. Thus the 2% cash back on all Costco purchases that the Costco Anywhere Visa Card provides could be quite crucial. Costco already has almost everything a dater could want so getting 2% back just sweetens the deal even more. 

1% cash back on all other purchases

For any and all other purchases not covered by the three categories above, you’ll get 1% cash back on the Costco Anywhere Visa Card. This could include things like ride-share costs (for Uber or Lyft), activities and experiences you do on dates (like bowling or going to the movies), and pretty much anything else you can think of! 

Dating highlights

• 4% cash back on gas, up to $7,000 annually
• 3% cash back on dining and travel
• 2% on Costco purchases
• 1% on all other purchases
• $150 minimum spend bonus
• No annual fee

Conclusion

You may be wondering why a card that delivers superb cash back in dating categories such as gas, restaurant, and travel categories only ranks #6 on our list for best credit cards for dating. Outside of the cash back savings from those categories, this card loses it’s dating superpowers quickly and becomes mortal again, only providing 2% cash back at Costco (both in-store and online) and 1% cash back everywhere else. Lastly, you are only able to redeem your annual rewards certificate (your cash back rewards) for either cash or merchandise at Costco after the close of your February billing cycle, which for some may be limiting in terms of redemption options. 

Not yet convinced to go all in on the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi or want more information? Visit Costco’s website for more details.

#5: Savor from Capital One

We bet you haven’t heard of this card until now, and if you have there’s a chance you might have missed the hefty savings this card can provide, particularly when dining. Now hold on to your Facebook relationship status, because things are about to get crazy. One of the top things we’ve found people do while dating is eating out. A shocker we know. In fact, chances are when dating you will find yourself handing over a credit card quite a bit to waiters and waitresses while you are getting to know a significant other. And that leads us to why we chose the Savor from Capital One as our #5 pick for the top cards for dating. Because of the 3% unlimited cash back, it gives cardholders for dining and a modest 2% back on groceries.

While it doesn’t give amazing perks such as complimentary elite travel rewards status or big-time minimum spend bonuses like some of the other top cards on this list (although you can earn $150 bonus for spending $500 in the first 3 months of account opening), you’ll get 3% on all dining purchases made on the credit card and it’s uncapped. That is a hefty amount of uncapped cash back because most credit cards that offer 3% or higher will often force you to play the rotating categories game, which let’s face it, wouldn’t you rather spend your time playing the dating game? If the answer is yes, the Savor by Captial One cuts out all the gibberish and gives you a flat 3% uncapped cash back on dining and will free you to spend more time focusing on a good meal and the companion across the table.

Dating highlights

• 3% cash back for dining
• 2% cash back on groceries
• 1% on all other purchases
• $150 minimum spend bonus
• No annual fee

Conclusion

While this card won’t be inducted into our credit card Hall of Fame, we like this card because it is simple and straightforward for daters who just need a rock solid dining credit card without all the fluff and fufu. The 3% cash back will not leave you feeling disappointed and if you can hit the minimum spend bonus that can surely purchase a few meals on the house.

Not yet convinced to go all in on the Savor from Capital One or want more information? Visit Capital One’s website for more details.

#4: Citi Double Cash Back

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the financial cost of dating, it’s that you should expect the worst and add one. Whether its a weekend getaway’s rental car bill that gives you a mild heart attack or monthly utility bill increasing because showering time has now doubled, you should always be prepared to have a secret cash back weapon to thwart your rising cost. And that’s precisely why the Citi Double Cash Back card is our next pick on our 6 best credit cards for dating and ranks #4.

Benefits of the Citi Double Cash Back card

With this credit card, you’ll get unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases made on the card. So whether you find yourself eating out at the hottest new restaurant in town, or going to the movie theatre for premiere night, or heading out on a romantic weekend getaway, or buying a bouquet of roses on Valentine’s Day, you’ll get 2% back on all of this. Period. Citi breaks up the cash back into two-parts for this card. You’ll get the initial 1% cash back from merely making a purchase. Once you pay your bill, you’ll get the other 1% cash back, for a total of 2%. Even though 2% may seem pretty meager, trust us that the cash back savings can add up quickly, mainly if you use this card for all of your spendings and not just dating.

In addition to the cash back offer for this card, the Citi Double Cash Back card also gives you access to Citi Private Pass. Citi Private Pass gives you exclusive access to purchase tickets for thousands of events, including presale tickets and VIP packages to concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and more.

Dating highlights

• Uncapped 2% cash back on all purchases. Period.
• Acces to Citi Private Pass
• No annual fee

Conclusion

The Citi Double Cash Back card may not be a financial game changer in your dating life but is a fantastic way to begin chipping away at any dating related expense. As a dater, you should expect the financially unexpected, and the Citi Double Cash Back should be a stronger contender for space in your purse or wallet.

Not yet convinced to go all in on the Citi Double Cash Back or want more information? Visit Citi’s website for more details.

#3: Citi ThankYou Premier Card

Just like any third best option, it might not be what you came to see, but you know things are starting to heat up! The 6 best credit cards for dating aren’t only focused on cash back to save you money on your dating expenses, but also cards that provide rewards points for your purchases. Our next card rewards you points for purchases, instead of giving cash back, like our previous three. The Citi ThankYou Premier Card is an excellent rewards-centered credit card that provides good return value on purchases made for you and your sweetie-pie.

We’ve placed the Citi ThankYou Premier Card in the #3 spot on our list because it provides fantastic rewards points on similar dating-related activities as mentioned earlier and Citi ThankYou points have strong travel redemption value. Even though the Citi ThankYou Premier Card has a $95 annual fee, we have seen it be waived for the first 12 months. Also, we find that even with the $95 annual fee this is a small price to pay for earning all of the points it gives you on dating-related spending and the card often comes with a hefty minimum spend bonus which we have seen up to 50,000 Citi ThankYou points! 

Point earning potential

Citi’s ThankYou Premier Card is great for earning ThankYou points in four main areas: travel, gas, dining, and entertainment. All of these also coincidentally happen to be closely associated with dating. You’ll get 3x points per $1 for all purchases on gas and travel, which includes airfare, hotels, car rentals, ride-sharing (Uber and Lyft), public transportation, tolls, parking and more. That’s a ton of eligible purchases to earn three times the amount of points. And all of those can be very useful when dating as you’ll earn more points for going on trips and getting around. On top of that, you’ll earn 2x points per $1 for all purchases on dining and entertainment. This includes eating out at restaurants, bars, clubs, lounges, etc. and paying for music downloads, movie theaters, concerts and more.

Again, those are all things that are common purchases when dating, meaning you’ll earn even more just for paying for things you already pay for while on dates. Finally, you’ll get 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases. You can use your earned ThankYou points to redeem on travel like flights and hotels, merchandise from hundreds of retailers, and gift cards from your favorite stores. So not only can you earn points for paying for purchases you make and activities you do while dating, but you can also then redeem those points for travel, products and gift cards that you can use with your significant other. Sweet.

Dating highlights

• 3x points on travel
• 2x points on dining and entertainment
• 1x all other purchases

Conclusion

Although the Citi ThankYou Premier Card has excellent points earning potential for purchases, the card offers minimal perks that benefit daters, unlike the top two cards in this list. To make it to our top two rankings for the 6 best credit cards for dating, a card will need to offer more than just strong rewards points for dating-related activities, but also, provide elite perks and benefits to cardholders. The Citi ThankYou Premier Card goes a long way in providing you with the points to explore life with your honey. However, if you are looking for cards with elite perks that will take your dating-related rewards to the next level, there are two other cards worth checking out.

Not yet convinced to go all in on the Citi ThankYou Premier Card or want more information? Visit Citi’s website for more details.

#2: American Express Platinum

And then there was two. There are no witty introductions needed for this card and which is why the American Express Platinum ranks a proud #2 on our 6 best credit cards for dating. Even though this card just narrowly beat out by our top pick for the best credit card for dating, make no mistake about it, this card has terrific travel rewards and provides even better elite status perks than our pick for top card.

The only reason why this card sits at #2 slot is that it provides virtually no benefits for dining, and because most daters will most likely spend more time dining then traveling we didn’t have the heat to promote the American Express Platinum to the top slot. Also, this card has a big annual fee price tag at $550, however, keep in mind that if you hit the minimum spend bonus (we have seen around 60,000 points) this will effectively offset the annual fee. 

Point earning potential

American Express has one of the best point earning programs for travel, specifically for flights and hotels. You can earn 5x points on flight purchases (when you book directly with the airline or use American Express travel) and also on hotels that are booked through American Express travel. So if your dating life becomes a bit more serious and you start traveling with your significant other, you can also earn a hefty amount of points using your American Express Platinum card.

The reason why getting 5x points on dining and travel is so important is that American Express Rewards points are valued as some of the highest in the entire rewards industry. This means that on a per point basis, American Express rewards points go much farther in terms of redemption than some of the previous cards on the list. 

Cardholder perks

The American Express Platinum card gives cardholders perks that will truly set hearts on fire and elevate your dating experience.  

$200 airline fee credit

Cardholders also receive a $200 credit for airlines incidentals, which includes things like baggage fees and in-flight purchases. If you end up traveling on a long international flight or a short domestic flight with your significant other, this could definitely come in handy. For example, you could use this credit to indulge on drinks and food on your way to your destination or check a bag so you don’t have to deal with the hassle of lugging it around the airport.

In the screenshot above, you can see we have already used almost $100 in our credit on Delta flights! All you will need to do to take advantage of this benefit is to select a single airline carrier and the credit will be applied when you make purchases with that carrier. Keep in mind this credit will not apply to ticket purchases and also make sure to read the terms and conditions if you are unsure whether a specific purchase is included for credit.

$200 annual Uber credits

It’s nice to not have to drove yourself around on dates, especially if you plan on drinking alcohol. That’s why ride-sharing services like Uber have become so popular. One of the neat perks this card offers is $15 in Uber credits per month, with a bonus $20 in December. This amounts to $200 if you redeem the maximum amount each month. This is a great benefit and makes traveling to and from your dating adventures more convenient and less expensive.

Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold and Starwood Preferred Guest Gold

Seriously, this is an awesome benefit not to be taken for granted (or unused)! American Express Platinum also gives cardholders automatic gold status in two of the top hotel rewards programs in the world, the Hilton Honors and SPG (now merged with Marriott) programs. With status in these two rewards programs, you’ll earn points faster, get complimentary room upgrades, get late check-out and more. Having status in a hotel rewards program is usually a nice thing to have, and can make your stay with your significant other more comfortable, smooth, and just feel more elite.

If you want to know more information about these two elite hotel rewards programs see our articles on Hilton Honors and Marriott Rewards. If you don’t believe this is an awesome perk, read our articles on those programs and see how much work it takes to reach gold status in either program (hint: It can potentially take a lot of hotel night stays and money).

Merchant discounts for cardholders

Okay, this may seem like just a generic perk, but we find that these deals are pretty substantial in some cases, and there is a relatively diverse range of discounts. All you need to do is click the “Add to Card” button, and you can now take advantage of the deal! Next, that specific deal with your American Express Platinum and you’re set.

See the screenshot above, there was a deal for the Duniway Hotel, and it literally saved us $45 just for adding the deal and paying with our American Express Platinum. Please make sure to take advantage of this, and there are so many options that chances are you will find a business that you either regularly spend money with or a business that you would spend money with if there were a financial incentive.

Global Lounge Collection membership

Do you remember the scene in the movie Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts goes to the business dinner with Richard Gere, and she looks completely overwhelmed with all the silverware? Well, that is the kind of feeling you and your partner might experience walking into a Centurion Lounge for the first time. American Express’s signature lounge is part of the Global Lounge Collection. To be completely honest, getting access to the Centurion Lounge is our favorite perk of the American Express Platinum, one reason being is that you can’t directly go and purchase a full membership. The Centurion is a perk only available to American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders. So if you are looking for one of the few ways to impress someone at an airport, this perk will help you.

The Global Lounge Collection also gives you access to some of the other best airport lounges across the world. With this card, you’ll be able to get into The Centurion Lounge, The International American Express lounges, the Delta Sky Club® and Priority Pass Select lounges. And on top of this, you get to bring a guest along with you for free, meaning your significant other doesn’t have to pay to get into the lounge with you. Score!

Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credits

When you make it to the point where you’re traveling with your significant other at least a few times a year, you’ll understand how important it is to make traveling as stress-free as possible. One of the ways you can do this is by getting approved for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck. Both help you skip long lines at the airport. Typically, you have to pay a fee for each program, but Amex offers you a $100 credit to cover the application fee for either program. If we had to suggest getting one, CompareBare recommends getting Global Entry as this program automatically also gives you access to TSA PreCheck. We promise you won’t regret signing up for these programs as they make traveling at airports so smooth and quick.

Fine Hotel and Resorts perks

Once you arrive at your destination, we recommend staying at a property with The Fine Hotel and Resorts as you get some fantastic benefits with your American Express Platinum card. The properties are usually quite lovely — something that will surely impress the person you’re dating! When you use your card to pay for your stay, you’ll get access to fantastic benefits, including guaranteed late check-out, complimentary wifi, early check-in, room upgrades and a property amenity (valued at $100). In total, Amex says these benefits on average add up to $550 per year, which is a great deal of money that you could save while traveling with your significant other.

Rental car privileges

You’ll need to make sure you can get around in-style while on vacation with your significant other. To help you with this, American Express Platinum has partnered up with Avis, Hertz, and National Rental Car to provide special car rental privileges to cardholders. You can get elite status in the rewards programs and enjoy special discounted rates. 

Wifi hotspots

Amex has partnered with Boingo, which provides over 1 million internet hotspots worldwide. With this membership, you can connect up to four devices to Boingo hotspots for free, so you and your partner can stay connected while apart. 

Dating highlights

• 5x points on flights and hotels
• Elite point redemption value
• Perks, perks, perks, and perks

Conclusion

This card is hands down one of the top contenders for best credit cards for dating. No other card offers more elite perks that are more suited for someone who is in the dating relationship than American Express Platinum. With one single card, you can single-handedly achieve elite status in multiple types of travel programs and receive a huge amount of return value in terms of cash statement credits. This card is all about elevating the quality of experiences which really plays well to those in search of quality relationships. When you meet that special someone and sparks fly, make sure to have a card like the American Express Platinum that can give your relationship the little things to help keep the fire lit for years to come.

Not yet convinced to go all in on the American Express Platinum or want more information? Visit the American Express website for more details.

#1: Chase Sapphire Reserve

And then there was one. The Chase Sapphire Reserve is our top credit card pick to use when dating. We selected this card as #1 because it narrowly edges out the American Express Platinum card for two reasons. First, the point earning potential for dining gives you more than the American Express Platinum. Second, the $300 annual credit that Chase gives cardholders for ANY travel-related purchase is a great way to save on the many future trips with your partner. Even though this card has a pricey $450 annual fee, the perks, and annual statement credits more than make up the difference.

Point earning potential

Okay, you have seen many cards on this list offer dining benefits, however, no other card offers dining benefits like the Chase Sapphire Reserve. This is because Chase Ultimate Rewards points arguably have the highest cash redemption value for points. This means that your Chase Ultimate Rewards points might just be the most valuable credit card rewards program for your dating lifestyle. Cardholders have great point earning benefits for travel and dining related purchases and you can earn 3x points on dining at restaurants worldwide from fast casual to fine dining. In addition to dining, you’ll also earn 3x points on travel purchases. 

Cardholder benefits

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has some of the top benefits in the credit card industry. The card benefits that we believe are most helpful to you while dating all have to do with travel. 

Annual travel credit

One of the top perks of this card is the $300 annual travel credit. Chase will give you statement credits for up to $300 when you make travel-related purchases on your card. This includes flights, hotels, rental cars and more. So if you’re thinking about taking your significant other out for a weekend getaway, you can take advantage of this awesome perk and save some money on your trip. 

Priority Pass Select membership

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card gives complimentary Priority Pass Select lounge membership for cardholders. This is not as comprehensive as what American Express Platinum gives with the Global Lounge Collection. However, Priority Pass still has a large network of high-quality lounges. You also get to bring a +1 along with you for free into the Priority Pass lounges, which is great when you’re dating and traveling together. 

Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credits

Just like the Amex Platinum card, Chase offers Sapphire Reserve cardholders a $100 credit to cover the application fee for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Again, this will come in handy when you travel with your significant other on longer distance trips that require flying. Both of these programs reduce the amount of time you stand around in long lines. This will allow you to get in and out easily and can reduce the amount of stress and time wasted. 

The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection perks

Similarly to the hotel perks, American Express Platinum gives, Chase Sapphire Reserve gives cardholders special benefits when you stay within the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection. The network is made up of 900+ hotels, resorts, lodges and spas worldwide, which gives you a ton of options. The properties are usually 4 stars or higher, which means they are quite high quality and could impress your significant other. When you use your card to pay for your stay, you’ll get access to amazing benefits. These benefits include daily breakfast for two, complimentary wifi, room upgrades, early check-in and late check-out, and a special amenity unique to each property.

Rental car privileges

Chase Sapphire Reserve also has car rental partnerships with National, Avis, and Silvercar. Cardholders will get special car rental privileges like elite status in the rewards programs and special discounted rates. This is an awesome travel perk to have, so you and your travel partner can get from point A to B in a great quality car at a great rate.

Dating highlights

• 3x points on dining
• 3x points on flights and hotels
• Elite redemption value

Conclusion

Although the American Express Platinum may offer a wider range of perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers the most depth in terms of redemption value for activities that daters often find themselves in, such as dining and travel. Also, the $300 annual travel credit for ANY travel-related purchase is just an amazing benefit. It’s also not as restrictive as the travel credit offered by the American Express Platinum.

Not yet convinced to go all in on the Chase Sapphire Reserve or want more information? Visit Chase’s website for more details.

In summary: finding the right match and saving money while you’re dating is possible

As you can see by now, we’ve selected our 6 best credit cards for dating because of the cash back, rewards, and perks they offer on activities related to a dating lifestyle. This includes purchases on frequent dining, traveling, gas, activities and experiences, and more. Finding the right match isn’t always easy. But hopefully, now you feel more empowered to get rewarded a save money while doing so. Plus, you might just find love along the way!