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Gen Z is opening up their wallets a bit more this year than last. According to a recent Northwestern Mutual study, almost half (40%) of this young cohort expect to spend more in 2025 than in 2024, well outpacing other generations.
More spending generally encourages more opportunities to earn rewards, but only if you use the right financial tools. Below, CNBC Select looks at some popular Gen Z spending categories — and the credit cards that provide the most bang for their buck in each category.
Travel spending
Other generations are cutting back on travel spending, but not Gen Z. According to Berkshire Hathaway's 2025 State of Travel Insurance Report, millennials decreased their annual travel spend from 2023 to 2024 by just over 15% while Gen Z's annual travel spend went in the opposite direction, up by about 20% to $11,209.
If travel is at the top of your bucket list for summer and beyond, using the right credit card not only provides you with extra protection but also rewards you for your spending. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) is one of the top travel cards on the market, and it comes with primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance and baggage and trip delay insurance. You'll also earn valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points with your spending, which can be redeemed in a handful of ways, from simple statement credits to taking advantage of Chase's transfer partners.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections, flexible rewards and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- Annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes at top brands, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.
- Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase TravelSM.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Emergency Evacuation and Transportation, and more.
- Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 - a value of $180.
- Complimentary DashPass membership, a $120 value for 12 months. Enjoy $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash orders, plus exclusive Chase savings on grocery, everyday essentials, and more. Activate by 12/31/29.
- Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck® or NEXUS application.
- Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Here's a hypothetical example of how you could benefit from the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Say you spend the Gen Z average of $11,200 (we rounded down) on travel using this card. Half of that travel was bought through the Chase TravelSM portal, which earns an elevated 5X points per $1, making the $5,600 spent worth 28,000 points. The other $5,600 you spent on travel outside the portal, earning you 2X per $1, or 11,000 points. This brings you to a grand total of 39,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points or almost $400 in value (at 1 cent per point). If you cash in these points through the Chase Portal or via transfer partners, you could be getting even more.
The flexible rewards you can earn via travel spending, plus the several protections the card offers, make it one of the top options for those looking to splurge on travel.
Entertainment spending
A Bank of America Institute study found that Gen Z discretionary spending in categories like entertainment and travel went up 25.5% from 2023 to 2024, and it's trending up YoY from this year to last.
If entertainment is a big spending category for you, know that certain credit cards get you access to presale and VIP tickets for concerts, sports games and exclusive events.
American Express cardholders, for example, benefit from special Amex Experiences, including theater shows and concerts, with some more exclusive events tied to higher-tier cards. The American Express Platinum Card® will get you access to Amex's Premium Events Collection™ (previously By Invitation Only®) where you'll get access to exclusive events unavailable to other cardholders; some past examples include VIP Access to the Monaco Grand Prix and advanced screenings of the award-winning show The Bear. The card also comes with several statement credits, including a $600 hotel credit* and a $200 airline fee credit (enrollment required), both of which help offset the travel costs for your next entertainment getaway.
*$300 semi-annually. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. Certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade
The American Express Platinum Card® is a premium card loaded with annual statement credits, entertainment benefits, extensive airport lounge access, elite status perks and more. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- Access to 1,550+ airport lounges, including Priority Pass™ lounges (enrollment required) and Amex Centurion lounges
- Statement credit offers worth up to twice what the annual fee costs
- Elite status perks for hotels and rental cars (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- High annual fee
- Many statement credit offers are complicated and are earned in increments or limited to specific purchases
- Not as rewarding for purchases as other lower-fee travel cards
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 Delta Sky Club visits (subject to visit limitations) when flying on an eligible Delta flight, Priority Pass™ membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. *As of 01/2026
- $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
- $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights™ by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. As a Platinum Card® Member you have special access to reservations on select nights at participating sought after Resy restaurants in select cities through Platinum Nights™ by Resy. Simply add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to book your reservation.
- $219 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4PM late check-out.
- $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Get up to a $12.95* statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
None
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No minimum deposit or balance requirement.
No limits on transactions.
24/7 customer support.
X, Y, Z.
1.00% APY as of 06/24/2024
Min balance to open = $0
While the Amex Platinum Card does come with a bit of a higher annual fee, between the access to exclusive events and sheer amount of statement credits, this card can generate over $3,500 in value for the right event-goer.
Dining spending
Gen Z is spending more at restaurants, increasing their dining out spend by 14.3% compared to last year, while the general population's spending rose by just 2.6%, according to the Bank of America Institute study.
Using a credit card that earns dining rewards can help cover the cost of future meals.
Whether dining out or ordering in, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is a good fit for no annual fee. More accessible than some premium cards, you'll earn 4X points on dining, takeout and restaurant delivery on your first $2,000 each quarter. This credit card from U.S. Bank also earns 2X points on streaming services and comes with a $15 credit for Netflix and Hulu — making ordering in just as rewarding.
- High rewards rate for dining and delivery
- Intro APR for purchases and balance transfers
- Streaming credit has complicated requirements
- Quarterly dining bonus category is capped
Everyday spending
Gen Z or not, maybe you simply want a credit card that rewards any kind of spending.
For that, a flat-rate cashback credit card is the perfect addition to your wallet.
The Citi Double Cash® Card earns you 2% cash back on all your purchases (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay your bill). The card has no annual fee and there's no cap on the amount of rewards you can earn. You can redeem your cash back via statement credit, direct deposit or through one of the other options, including at Amazon.com.
What makes the Citi Double Cash® Card special is that it sits near the top of its class in several categories. It is an excellent option if you want flat-rate rewards, a balance transfer intro-APR or no annual fee.
- Balance transfers get a long intro APR
- Generous flat-rate cash-back rewards structure
- Earns transferable rewards
- No annual fee
- It has a foreign transaction fee
- Intro APR only applies to balance transfer
- Points transfer ratios are reduced compared to premium cards
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.49% - 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Foreign transaction fee
3%
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For rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, click here.
Information about the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
