Wells Fargo Autograph

The Autograph earns 3 points per dollar across six categories, dining, travel, gas, transit, streaming and phone plans, and charges no annual fee, which is a wide bonus footprint for a free card and why we tag it the best no-fee pick on our Best Travel list at #6. The 20,000-point bonus after just $1,000 of spend in three months is one of the easier thresholds around, and there are no foreign transaction fees, so it travels without a penalty. A 12-month 0% intro APR on purchases gives it a secondary use if you have something large to finance. The limits are real, though: everything outside those six categories earns 1 point per dollar, and the only ongoing protection is up to $600 of cell phone coverage when you pay the bill with the card. Think of it as a strong everyday companion rather than the only card you carry.