CNBC's best credit cards of 2022

With hundreds of credit cards on the market, it can be hard to choose the best one. There's no "one size fits all" credit card, but instead options for different types of people — whether you're a foodie, road warrior, traveler, student or someone looking to build credit. A little research can help you find a card that's specifically designed for your lifestyle.

To help you out, each month, CNBC Select publishes a list of the top credit cards available. It can change from month to month, depending on limited-time sign-up bonuses, benefits and more.

However, there are some cards that stand out from the rest and have earned a near-permanent spot on our list of best credit cards. These are cards that regularly offer generous rewards and perks and have earned a reputation for being less susceptible to devaluations.

When determining which cards are the best of the best and offer consumers the most value in 2022, CNBC Select used a sample budget based on spending data available from the location intelligence firm Esri to break down how much money each card could net you over the course of five years. We then factored in the numerous additional benefits offered, such as annual statement credits, discounts at select retailers, insurance and more that make using a credit card truly worthwhile. (See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best cards.)

So without further ado, here are CNBC Select's picks of the best credit cards of 2022.

• Best cash-back credit card: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Best rewards card: American Express® Gold Card
• Best travel card: American Express® Gold Card
• Best credit card welcome bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Best no annual fee credit card: Citi Double Cash® Card
• Best no annual fee travel credit card: Discover it® Miles
• Best balance transfer credit card: Citi Simplicity® Card
• Best low interest credit card: Titanium Rewards Visa® Signature Card from Andrews Federal Credit Union
• Best secured credit card: Discover it® Secured Credit Card
• Best for building credit: Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card
• Best for college students: Discover it® Student Cash Back
• Best dining rewards credit card: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Best gas rewards credit card: PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card
• Best grocery rewards card: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• Best entertainment rewards credit card: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Best for average credit: Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card
• Best credit card for Global Entry and/or TSA PreCheck® credit: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Who's this for? Consumers who want a robust rewards card with no annual fee should consider the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. If you're looking to maximize your rewards, there's also a generous welcome bonus: earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back! Cardholders earn 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service), and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

This card has no annual fee, and you can benefit from a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on new purchases and balance transfers (after, 20.49% - 29.24% variable APR). There's an intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that it's either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

This card also offers 5% cash back on Lyft purchases through March 2025 and complimentary three months of DashPass with 50% off for the next nine months. Simply activate by December 2024.

Who's this for? If you love food and travel, the American Express® Gold Card could be the ideal rewards card for you. Whether you dine out or cook at home, this card earns a competitive 4X points per dollar spent at restaurants and 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X). Plus, travelers can benefit from the 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.

The value of Membership Rewards® points varies depending on how cardholders redeem them. You can use them in a variety of ways, from paying with points at checkout at sites like Amazon to redeeming for gift cards or a statement credit to booking travel. See more on how points are calculated.

Cardholders also receive an annual dining credit of up to $120 ($10 in statement credits a month) at participating partners, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Terms apply. Enrollment required. There are also *no foreign transaction fees. Terms apply.

This card does have a *$250 annual fee, but it can be reduced to effectively $130 if you take advantage of the $120 dining credit each year. Then, the rewards you earn help further "pay" for the card.

Gold Card members can also participate in Amex Offers, where you can earn statement credits or bonus Membership Rewards® points at select retailers. These limited-time offers are location-based and additional terms apply.

*See rates and fees.

Who's this for? If you want to get a lot of value right out of the gate, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred. The card is currently offering new cardholders the chance to earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. Those points are worth $750 toward travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® Travel portal. You can even potentially get more value if you transfer Chase points to Chase's travel partners, like Hyatt hotels and United Airlines, and book business-class flights and luxury hotels.

The Sapphire Preferred is also a great travel credit card and has strong earning categories for those who spend on travel and dining. It earns 5X points on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards^® (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit), 3X points on dining (including takeout and delivery), 3X points on select streaming services, 3X points on online grocery purchases (excludes Target®, Walmart® and wholesale clubs), and 2x points on all other travel.

The card also recently added a $50 annual credit that can goes towards booking a hotel in the Chase Travel Portal — this can help offset the already modest $95 annual fee.

Who's this for? The Citi Double Cash® Card is a straightforward rewards card that continues to offer one of the best flat-rate cash-back programs since it launched in 2014. Cardholders earn 2% cash back on all purchases — 1% when you make a purchase and an additional 1% when you pay your credit card bill.

There is no limit to the amount of cash back you can earn and you don't have to worry about activating bonus categories. Cash back can be redeemed for a statement credit or direct deposit.

This card is also a good choice for debt consolidation. There's a 0% intro APR for the first 18 months on balance transfers (then 19.24% - 29.24% variable APR). There's 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). (See more on how to make the most of a balance transfer.)

Who's this for? The Discover it® Miles card comes with a generous rewards program — all for zero annual fee — that makes it a standout among travel cards.

The Discover it Miles card offers users unlimited 1.5X miles for every dollar spent on all purchases. But for higher spenders, Discover offers a welcome bonus that's hard to beat: It will do a mile-for-mile match of all miles earned the first year (for new card members in their first year only). If you rack up 35,000 miles within the first 12 months, Discover will match you with 35,000 miles. That's a total of 70,000 miles or $700 toward travel. (Based on our calculations, the average card user will earn around 32,777 miles in the first year.)

With this card, there are no blackout dates when you pay for travel purchases using your card. And, you can easily redeem miles as a statement credit for travel, restaurant or gas station purchases, as well as a deposit to your bank account. The best part is, miles earned never expire even if your account is closed.

Who's this for? The Citi Simplicity® Card offers one of the longest balance transfer intro periods at 0% for the 21 months from the date of first transfer (after, 19.24% - 29.99% variable APR). Balance transfers must be completed within four months of account opening. This is nearly two years to pay off debt, which can be helpful if you have a large balance or if your cash flow doesn't allow you to pay off debt within the 6-, 12- or 15-month time periods of other balance transfer cards.

This card has no annual fee and come with 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). This can be worthwhile if you're paying high interest charges.

New cardholders have four months to complete their balance transfer (longer than the typical 60 to 90 days). While you have more time to complete a transfer, the intro APR period starts at account opening — so try to make the transfer as soon as possible to get the most benefit of the interest-free period.

This card also never charges late fees (though we always recommend you pay your balance on time and in full). There isn't a welcome bonus or a rewards program.

Who's this for? The Titanium Rewards Visa® Signature Card from Andrews Federal Credit Union tops our list thanks to the low interest rates, strong rewards program and no foreign transaction fees — all at no annual fee.

This card offers a variable APR of 11.74% to 17.99%, on balance transfers from account opening. If you carry a balance, you can benefit from low interest charges compared to other cards that have high interest rates. Balance transfers do incur a fee of $10.00 or 2.00% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.

Beyond interest rates, the Visa® Titanium Signature Rewards Card offers a generous rewards program: Earn 3X points on gas and grocery purchases and 1.5X points on all other purchases. Plus, there's a welcome bonus of 10,000 points after you spend $1,500 within the first 90 days.

In order to open this card, you need to join Andrews Federal Credit Union, but anyone can join. If you don't meet the qualification requirements, you can opt to join the American Consumer Council (ACC) for free with the promo code "Andrews."

Who's this for? The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is a well-rounded secured card that offers many benefits that are typically found with unsecured cards. Cardholders can earn cash back, receive a generous welcome bonus, use the card overseas without incurring added fees and more — all for no annual fee.

Cardholders earn a competitive 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1%. Plus, you can earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases automatically. The welcome bonus is also unique: For new card members in the first year only, Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. So, if you earn $50 cash back at the end of the first year, Discover will give you an additional $50.

This card requires a minimum $200 security deposit, which is fairly standard for secured credit cards. It stands out from the crowd because it gives users a clear path to upgrading to an unsecured card (and getting their deposit back). Starting at seven months from account opening, Discover will automatically review your credit card account to see if they can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit. This takes the guesswork out of wondering when you'll qualify for an unsecured credit card.

Who's this for? The Petal 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa Credit Card, issued by WebBank, is a unique card that takes a different approach to the credit card application process. Instead of judging your creditworthiness solely based on credit history, Petal may ask you to link bank accounts during the application process. Then, WebBank analyzes your bank statements and other data, such as bill payments and earnings, to determine your eligibility.

This is especially beneficial for applicants who may not have any credit history. However, if you do have a credit history, that does factor into the credit decision.

The Petal 2 Visa Credit Card is one of the few cards that charge zero fees*: no annual fee, no late payment fee and no foreign transaction fees. And it stands out for consumers trying to build credit because there's no security deposit required.

It also offers a rewards program with 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away, which can increase up to 1.5% cash back after you make 12 on-time monthly payments. This is not only a nice perk, but a great way to encourage responsible behavior. Cardholders also earn 2% to 10% cash back from select merchants.

Who's this for? The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a well-rounded card that offers college students enrolled in a two- or four-year college the chance to build credit, while earning rewards. You must be over 18 and a U.S. citizen to apply.

Upon activation, cardholders can earn 5% cash back on rotating categories up to a $1,500 maximum each quarter (then 1%). All other purchases earn unlimited 1% cash back automatically.

There is also an introductory 0% APR for six months on new purchases from the date of account opening — perfect for financing dorm room essentials or textbooks. After the intro period, there's a 18.24% - 27.24% variable APR.

Who's this for? The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is geared toward foodies and frequent travelers who are looking for luxurious perks, such as free airport lounge access and complimentary hotel room upgrades. Cardholders earn a competitive 3X points on dining and travel worldwide. Based on Select's calculations, we found the average American using this card could earn an estimated $165 per year in rewards for dining purchases alone (assuming you redeem rewards for travel viaChase Travel℠, receiving 50% more value).

The value of Chase rewards points varies depending on how you use them. If you redeem points for cash and gift cards, each point is worth $.01, which means that 100 points equals $1 in redemption value. (See more on how the value of points is calculated.)

This card has a unique benefit where all points are worth 50% more when redeemed for travel via Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 redeemed toward airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. This perk is a great way to get the most value for your rewards.

While this card has a robust rewards program, it also comes with a steep $550 annual fee. All the card's added credits and benefits provided by Chase can help offset the annual cost. The $300 annual travel credit effectively reduces the annual fee to $150. Cardholders can take advantage of a Priority Pass™ Select membership that has a value of about $429. They also get a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit of up to $100 every four years.

Who's this for? Among the cards we analyzed, the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card currently offers the highest rewards rate at gas stations with 5X points per dollar spent for gas purchases at the pump.

This card has no annual fee, so road warriors can maximize their savings. In addition to earning high rewards at gas stations, cardholders also benefit from unlimited 3X points for supermarket purchases (including most Target and Walmart locations).

PenFed is a credit union, so membership is required to open the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card. Anyone can join by completing a few extra steps: You need to apply, open a savings account with a $5 deposit and maintain a $5 account balance.

Who's this for? Frequent grocery shoppers will be happy to learn the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers the highest cash-back rate at U.S. supermarkets at 6% (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%). The average American can earn $310 in cash back each year when they do their shopping at qualifying supermarkets.

If you want to maximize cash back on groceries, this card is for you. In addition to high grocery rewards, there's an unlimited 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, unlimited 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, unlimited 3% cash back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Cardmembers can also take advantage of Amex Offers, where users earn a statement credit or additional cash back at select retailers. These limited-time offers are location-based and additional terms apply.

This card has $95 annual fee, but it can be offset by the cash back you earn and discounts you can get through the Amex Offers. (See rates and fees)

Who's this for? Sports fans, movie buffs and adventure seekers will all find a common reason to like the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: unlimited 4% cash back on entertainment purchases. Compared to other rewards cards, this is the highest unlimited rewards rate on entertainment spending, whether you're buying movie tickets, taking a family trip to the zoo or spending the evening bowling with friends.

Cardholders can also benefit from exclusive access to entertainment events, such as the iHeartRadio Music Festival and the Capital One JamFest.

Beyond entertainment perks, there's also 4% cash back on dining and popular streaming services, 3% at grocery stores and 1% on all other purchases. Plus, you can enjoy foodie-centric perks, such as exclusive access to premium reservations with OpenTable.

This card does come with a $95 annual fee, but can be offset by the cash back you earn.

Who's this for? The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers the best rewards rate on select hotel purchases: Earn 5X miles on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2X miles per dollar spent on all other spending, which is a great flat rate. While Venture does come with a $95 annual fee, that's low compared to some other rewards cards, with some annual fees up to $550.

In addition to rewards, every four years cardholders receive a credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application, up to $100. If you travel often, this is a great perk that can save you time and money.

This card has no foreign transaction fees and comes with a bunch of additional travel perks, such as 24-hour travel assistance services and an auto rental collision damage waiver.

Having a credit card is an important piece of your financial profile, but with so many options available, it can be hard to find the best one for your needs. Here are some common questions to ask yourself so you can decide what's the best credit card for you.

Do you want to earn rewards?

There are hundreds of rewards credit cards out there, where you can earn cash back, points or miles on every purchase you make.

And if you want to earn rewards, what specific categories are most important to you?

Rewards credit cards come in all shapes and sizes. If you want to maximize rewards in specific categories, check out cards offering bonus rewards on gas, groceries, restaurants, entertainment, travel and more. Or keep it simple and opt for a flat-rate cash-back card.

Are you looking to get out of debt?

If you're carrying a balance on a high interest credit card, consider transferring it to a balance transfer credit card offering no interest for up to 21 months. There are even cards with no balance transfer fees.

Do you want to build credit?

Experts agree the sooner you build credit, the better. Credit cards are a great way to do that. Check out secured cards for credit newbies or other cards for building or rebuilding credit.

Do you travel abroad?

A credit card with no foreign transaction fees is essential to save you the typical 3% fee per purchase made outside the U.S. Also, it can be a good idea to consider cards that waive Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees.

Many people have multiple credit cards, and there are benefits to this. It can help increase your credit score by giving you more available credit and therefore a better credit utilization ratio.

At its most basic, having access to more credit can help you finance more purchases if you don't have enough cash to cover everything up front.

You can also earn more rewards by optimizing which card you use for certain spending categories. For instance you may make all your dining purchases with a card that earns bonus rewards in that category, but another card that for grocery purchases, since it has its own bonus multiplier

Ultimately, it's up to you to decide how many credit cards you need. Make sure to evaluate your spending habits and research what card would be best for you.

To determine which cards offer the best value, CNBC Select analyzed hundreds of the most popular credit cards available in the U.S. We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards, welcome bonus, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fee and foreign transaction fees, as well as factors such as required credit and customer reviews when available. We also considered additional perks, the application process and how easy it is for the consumer to redeem points.

We also estimated how much the average consumer would save over the course of a year, two years and five years, assuming they would attempt to maximize their rewards potential by earning all welcome bonuses offered and using the card for all applicable purchases. All rewards total estimations are net the annual fee. Our final picks are weighted heavily toward the highest five-year returns, since it's generally wise to hold onto a credit card for years. This method also avoids giving an unfair advantage to cards with large welcome bonuses.

For balance transfer cards, we used a Bankrate calculator to tally the interest rates and fees you could incur if you transferred $6,028, the average balance Americans carry on their credit cards in 2019, according to Experian.

If the average consumer with a $6,028 balance on their credit card pays $200 each month, they will spend $1,911 in additional interest, assuming the average 17.7% APR. And it will take them 40 months — more than three years — to pay off that debt.

With four of the five cards featured on this list, if you take full advantage of the intro APR period and pay $200 per month, you'll pay less than $450 in interest and cut your repayment time in half to 20 months. That's a significant savings.

For the cards that offered a rewards program, we also estimated how much cash back you might earn over a five year period. Select teamed up with location intelligence firm Esri. The company's data development team provided the most up-to-date and comprehensive consumer spending data based on the 2019 Consumer Expenditure Surveys from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can read more about their methodology here.

Esri's data team created a sample annual budget of approximately $22,126 in retail spending. The budget includes six main categories: groceries ($5,174), gas ($2,218), dining out ($3,675), travel ($2,244), utilities ($4,862) and general purchases ($3,953). General purchases include items such as housekeeping supplies, clothing, personal care products, prescription drugs and vitamins, and other vehicle expenses.

Select used this budget to estimate how much the average consumer would save over the course of a year, two years and five years, assuming they would attempt to maximize their rewards potential by earning all welcome bonuses offered and using the card for all applicable purchases. All rewards total estimations are net the annual fee.

It's important to note the value of a point or mile varies from card to card and based on how you redeem them. When we calculated the estimated returns, we assumed that cardholders are redeeming points/miles for a typical maximum value of 1 cent per point or mile. (Extreme optimizers might be able to achieve more value.)

When choosing the best balance transfer card, we focused on the card that provides consumers with the cheapest way to pay off their debt rather than the number of rewards they could potentially earn. When you're in credit card debt, your primary focus should be repayment. Earning rewards should be seen as a bonus, and you don't want to spend beyond your means in order to earn points.

The five-year rewards total and the interest rate and fees estimates are derived from a budget similar to the average American's spending and debt. You may earn a higher or lower return depending on your spending habits.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here.

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Secured Credit Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Student Cash Back, click here.

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Miles, click here.

Petal 2 Visa Credit Card issued by WebBank