Best Bank of America Credit Cards of September 2024 - NerdWallet (2024)

BEST BANK OF AMERICA® CREDIT CARDS

Before applying, verify details on the issuer's website:

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Our pick for: Bonus category cash back

The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card gives you a little more control over your credit card rewards by letting you choose which category earns the highest cash-back rate, from a list that includes gas stations, restaurants, travel, home improvement and more. You also get bonus rewards at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, plus a great new-cardholder bonus offer. Read our review.

Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card

Our pick for: Simple cash back

The Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card is one of many 1.5% flat-rate cash-back cards on the market. It comes with a decent sign-up bonus, a generous intro APR period, and the potential to supercharge your earnings through the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program. Read our review.

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Our pick for: Simple travel rewards

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card

Our pick for: Premium travel rewards

BankAmericard® credit card

Our pick for: 0% APR and balance transfers

The BankAmericard® credit card isn't flashy, nor does it aim to be. You get one of the better introductory APR periods available, providing plenty of time to whittle down debt or finance a large purchase. And that's about it. Read our review.

Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card for Students

Our pick for: College students

Simplicity is a good thing in a credit card designed for people just learning the ropes. The Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card for Students earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no categories or spending limits to track. It comes with a good bonus offer and intro APR period, and has an annual fee of $0. Read our review.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

Our pick for: Small business cash back

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card gives entrepreneurs a little control over their credit card rewards by letting them choose which category earns the highest cash-back rate. Options include gas (EV charging stations qualify as well), office supplies, travel, computer services and more. There are also bonus rewards on dining and no annual fee. Learn more and apply.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card

Our pick for: Small business travel rewards

The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card pays solid rewards on every purchase and gives you wide flexibility in redeeming your points for any travel purchase, without the restrictions of branded airline and hotel cards. Learn more and apply.

OTHER CARDS ISSUED BY BANK OF AMERICA®

TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS

STUDENT CREDIT CARDS

SECURED CREDIT CARDS

PARTNER BRANDED CREDIT CARDS

BUSINESS CREDIT CARDS

• • •

OTHER RESOURCES

What credit score do you need to get a Bank of America® credit card?

Standard credit cards from Bank of America® generally require good to excellent credit, often defined as a credit score of 690 or above. But credit scores are just one factor considered in credit card applications; others may include your income, credit utilization, other debts, the available credit you already have, and major recurring expenses such as your rent or mortgage.

For applicants who are building or rebuilding credit, Bank of America® offers a number of secured credit cards, which are easier to qualify for but require a cash security deposit. After establishing a history of on-time payments, secured cardholders may get their deposit back and upgrade to an unsecured version.

What are the benefits of Bank of America® credit cards?

Bank of America® credit cards come with a range of benefits, including fraud protection, purchase protection, and extended warranty benefits. All cardholders have free monthly access to their FICO credit score through TransUnion. Cash back rewards and travel points are easy to redeem, and many of the cards include attractive 0% introductory APR offers.

When using credit cards that earn travel points, such as the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card and the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card, cardholders enjoy additional travel-specific benefits like trip delay and cancellation insurance, coverage for delayed baggage, rental car coverage and a pay-per-use roadside dispatch program.

All Bank of America credit cardholders have access to the bank’s unique Museums on Us program, which offers monthly free admission to certain museums in cities across the country.

What are the interest rates on Bank of America® credit cards?

Interest rates on Bank of America® credit cards vary widely. Many cards advertise a range of rates; the exact rate that will apply to your account depends on the card and your credit history. In general with credit cards, the better your credit, the more likely you'll qualify for a rate at the lower end of a range.

Several Bank of America® credit cards offer generous 0% introductory APR periods for new cardholders, which allow you to finance a big purchase or transfer and pay down debt without interest. Those include:

What credit limit can I get with a Bank of America® credit card?

Like most credit card issuers, Bank of America® doesn’t make any promises about credit limits prior to application. That’s because the credit limit you get depends on your credit scores, income, assets, existing debt and other factors.

Status in the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program may also affect an applicant’s available credit limit, as this program requires maintaining a significant minimum balance in Bank of America® accounts (including Merrill-branded investment accounts).

For applicants with bad credit or a limited credit history, Bank of America® secured credit cards require a security deposit of at least $200. The amount you deposit will usually determine your initial credit limit. Deposit $300, get a $300 limit; deposit $750, get a $750 limit; and so on.

Do Bank of America® credit cards have good rewards?

For most cardholders, rewards rates on Bank of America® credit cards are in line with industry standards. Those who qualify for the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program, by having $20,000 or more in associated deposit and investment accounts, earn the most value.

Bank of America® travel rewards points can’t be transferred to airline and hotel partners. So while they're easy to redeem within the Bank of America® system, they're less flexible — and therefore may not be as valuable, point-for-point — as rewards from issuers that offer such transfers.

What is the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program?

The Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program offers bonus credit card rewards to cardholders who bank and invest significantly with Bank of America® or its investment subsidiary, Merrill.

To qualify for Bank of America Preferred Rewards®, you’ll need a Bank of America®‎ personal checking account, plus $20,000 or more in qualifying Bank of America® accounts, including eligible Merrill investment accounts. The rewards bonus depends on your Bank of America Preferred Rewards® tier, which is determined by your combined balance.

Here’s how those rewards tiers break down:

Here's how the bonuses work. Say you have the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card, which offers cash back rewards of 1%, 2% and 3%, depending on the category:

How do I redeem my Bank of America® credit card rewards?

The simplest way to redeem your Bank of America® credit card rewards is through the bank’s online portal or in the Bank of America® mobile app. You can also redeem rewards over the phone by calling customer service at 800-434-8313.

Cash back cardholders with a minimum of $25 earned can redeem those rewards as a statement credit, through direct deposit to a Bank of America® account (including Merrill-branded investments accounts), or by check.

Unlike some credit card issuers, Bank of America® doesn't allow you to transfer travel points to airline or hotel partners. Instead, travel points are redeemed by statement credit at a value of 1 cent per point, and can be applied to any travel related purchases made within the past 12 months.

Can you combine points on Bank of America® credit cards?

You can consolidate points on Bank of America® credit cards that earn travel points, but you can’t mix rewards between points and cash back cards.

For example, if you have points earned on the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card and the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card, those points can be combined or applied as a statement credit on either card. However, travel points from the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card can’t be consolidated with cash rewards earned through, say, the Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card.

• • •

NerdWallet's Jaime Hanson contributed to this article.