Best credit card to use at Carvana.
Carvana is an online-only used-car retailer known for its glass-block car vending machine towers and same-week home delivery model. Customers shop, finance, and buy entirely through carvana.com or the Carvana app. Credit cards are accepted only for down payments, typically capped around $2,000 to $5,000, and the charge codes as a vehicle dealer rather than online shopping.
Picks without a tag earn at Carvana both in-store and online. Watch for theOnline onlytag — those bonuses only apply on carvana.com.
- #1Blue Cash EverydayOnline onlyAmerican Express3% on online shopping (up to $6,000/year, then 1%)U.S. online retail purchases3%
- #2Hilton Honors American Express SurpassOnline onlyAmerican Express4x points on online shoppingU.S. online retail purchases2.0%4x points
- #33%
- #42%
- #52%
- #6First Electronic Bank2% flat-rate cashbackUp to 4% with higher crypto balances on Coinbase; requires Coinbase One membership2%
- #7Elan Financial Services2% flat-rate cashbackWhen deposited into an eligible Fidelity account2%
- #8American Express2% flat-rate cashbackUnlimited 2% cash back on eligible purchases2%
- #92%
- #102%
- #112%
Carvana down payments work well for clearing signup bonus minimums on cards like the Capital One Venture X or the Citi Strata Premier. Cards with selectable online shopping categories generally do not capture Carvana transactions because of the vehicle dealer MCC, so flat-rate earners like the Citi Double Cash often produce the most predictable rewards.
Last updated May 17, 2026