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Parenting is one of the most rewarding yet interesting journeys you will experience in life. New parents and expecting parents may not know what to expect from their new lifestyle. While life changes when you have a child in tow, you have another person to make memories with.
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Best Credit Cards for New Parents
These credit cards can help you maximize those purchases you (perhaps) never thought about even a few months ago. You may need to re-think your daily routine and the way you travel. Yet earning cash or travel rewards can be easier than you imagine.
Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express earns:
- 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- Plus, 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 1% cash back on general purchases
Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for statement credits.
This is one of the best credit cards for groceries and fueling your car.
The Blue Cash Everyday doesn’t have an annual fee but has a foreign transaction fee (See Rates & Fees).
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express welcome bonus is the ability to earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the best travel credit cards for new parents. You earn 2 Venture miles for every $1 you spend. You can redeem your Capital One miles for travel statement credits, booking upcoming travel, or to transfer to airline and hotel partners. The travel statement credits let you redeem your miles for most travel purchases. This can include Airbnb stays, rental cars, airline tickets, etc.
One additional benefit is a fee credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck for the primary cardmember. The annual fee is $95.
However, if you are wanting to earn a few more miles on travel, good news—earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel, with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
You might think that award travel is off the table as a new parent. In reality, your travel miles can be worth more now as you have another travel companion. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has some of the most valuable travel rewards points. Its $95 annual fee is also reasonable for families who take several mini-trips or one grand vacation each year.
Also, enjoy Chase Sapphire benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x points on dining, and 2x points on all other travel purchases, plus more.
Your points are worth 1.25 cents each when booking award travel on the Chase travel portal.
You might get more value by transferring your points at a 1:1 ratio to airline and hotel partners including United, Southwest, British Airways, World of Hyatt, and Marriott. Cash rewards and gift cards are other redemption options.
New Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Member FDIC
Related: Best Chase Credit Cards
Prime Visa
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card boosts our Prime member benefits.
Prime members get 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership. Gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare) get 2% back. Everything else earns 1% back.
Get a $100 (or more) Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval with the Prime Visa exclusively for Prime members.
Citi Double Cash Card
The information for the Citi® Double Cash Card has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Citi® Double Cash Card earns unlimited 2% back on all purchases. Cardholders earn 1% cash back when they buy plus 1% cash back once they pay for the purchase. To keep the account in good standing, simply pay the minimum balance each month. Plus, there is no annual fee to worry about.
While flat-rate cash rewards are arguably the least exciting credit card type, they can have amazing purchasing power. Plus, receiving cash back as a statement credit or bank deposit is an easy and flexible redemption option.
Your common new parent purchases may not fit nicely in a tiered rewards bonus category like dining or travel. The Citi Double Cash is a flat-rewards credit card that lets you earn bonus points on all local and online purchases.
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, one of the best Delta credit cards, can make it easier to fly with small children for these reasons.
You get priority boarding on Delta flights plus Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold Credit Card earns 2x Miles on Delta purchases at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets (1x Mile for everything else that is eligible). It also has 20% savings in the form of a statement credit after you use your Card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets.
Additionally, you can Pay with Miles: take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
Plus, Gold card members will receive a $100 Delta Flight Credit after spending $10,000 in purchases on their card in a calendar year. Cardholders can use the Credit for future travel.
Cardholders can also get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
Welcome Bonus
New Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card cardholders can earn 40,000 bonus miles after they spend $2,000 in purchases on their new Card in their first 6 months.
The introductory annual fee of $0 for the first year, then $99 (See Rates & Fees).
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is one of the best hotel credit cards for new parents. These card benefits make hotel travel easier with a small family. This reward night is valid for a standard room at many IHG properties including Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, and even extended-stay brands like Staybridge Suites.
For frequent IHG travelers, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is a nice option. Cardholders can earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when they stay at an IHG hotel. Also, earn 5x points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3x points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
As an IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card cardholder, you’ll also get to enjoy a Reward Night after each account anniversary year at eligible IHG hotels worldwide. Additionally, you can enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for any stay of 3 or more nights.
As long as you remain a Premier card member, you can enjoy Platinum Elite status. Platinum Elite Status allows for room upgrades (when available), late check-out, welcome amenities at check-in, and more. Additionally, enjoy a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card.
New cardholders can earn IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card earns 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Member FDIC
The annual fee is $99. This fee can easily be offset by the reward anniversary night after the first year.
Related: Best Hotel Credit Cards
Capital One Walmart Rewards Card
The information for the Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ Card has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Many new parents buy their essentials at a store like Walmart so you only need to get baby out of the car seat once. After all, you can buy your groceries, baby items, clothing, and electronics in one place. Most stores also have an on-site gas station with competitive prices. Plus, you can get 2-day shipping on online Walmart purchases. Because there are a variety of options, the Capital One Walmart credit cards might be helpful.
The Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ Card offers these cash rewards:
- 5% back on Walmart.com purchases
- 2% back on in-store Walmart and Murphy USA gas purchases
- 2% back on restaurant and travel purchases
- 1% back on all remaining purchases
Getting 2% back on restaurant and travel purchases can be more convenient than earning travel rewards on your larger, periodic purchases.
Target RedCard
The information for the Target RedCard has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If Target is your go-to store, the Target RedCard™ is worth considering.
You can get 5% back on these purchases:
- In-store Target purchases
- Target.com purchases
- In-Target Starbucks locations
- Specialty gift cards
Your Target.com purchases qualify for free 2-day shipping and you get an extra 30 days for returns and exchanges. This card doesn’t have an annual fee.
Summary of the Best Credit Cards for New Parents
Being a new parent is one of the most exciting times of your life. Though the way you live life changes from when you were only a couple, these credit cards help maximize your wallet. They are also some of the best credit cards for family travel.
FAQs
What is the best everyday credit card?
The best card for your daily spending depends on your purchase habits and whether you want cash or travel rewards.
A flat-rate rewards card is best if you want to earn the same amount of points on each dollar you spend. The best flat-rate cards award 2% (2 points per $1) on each purchase. Two of the best cards are:
- Citi Double Cash (cash rewards)
- Capital One Venture Rewards Card (travel rewards)
If most of the monthly budget tilts toward one expense type like groceries or gas stations, you can get a tiered rewards card instead. One example is the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express. It earns 3% back on the first $6,000 spent (then 1%) at U.S. supermarkets and 2% back at U.S. gas stations.
Can a stay-at-home mom get a credit card?
It’s possible for stay-at-home parents to qualify for a credit card. The credit card application asks for your anticipated annual income. American Express plainly instructs you to, “Include all income available to you,” for instance.
In addition to your annual household income, the issuing bank will also review your credit report and recent credit card application history. These non-income factors also affect your approval odds.
Can a baby have a credit card?
The minimum application age for a credit card is 18 years old. As a result, your children under the age of 18 cannot apply for their own credit card account. However, they might be able to be an authorized user.
The minimum age for an authorized user varies by bank. Some banks require your child to be at least 13 years old. Other banks don’t have a published minimum age. So, it’s possible for a baby to have a credit card but only as an authorized user.
Related Articles:
- Can I Pay Bills With a Credit Card?
- Best Cash Back Credit Card Offers
- Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, please click here.
