The Best Credit Cards Under $100 For 2022

by Daniel | Last Updated Feb 7th, 2022

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Do you like the idea of having a credit card that cost less than $100 a year but offers a ton of great benefits and user perks that are actually useful?

In this article, I’m going to review and compare 6 of the best credit cards that cost less than $100.
Basically, I’ll go over what they cost on an annual basis and what you can expect to receive each year in terms of benefits and user perks.

https://youtu.be/rJFYKwppzbs

1. Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card

Read my full review of the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card here.

So the first card on this list is the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card, and this sub $100 credit card comes with a few nice perks when traveling with Delta that can help to cover the cost of the annual fee.
Also, the fact that it is free for the first year makes it even better value.

Sign-up Bonus

Now the sign-up bonus that comes with this card is currently 40,000 bonus miles after you make $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of opening the account.  And along with this, there is also the option of earning a $50 statement credit that can be used at restaurants within the US as long as it is within the first 3 months.
Now Delta Skymiles are worth approximately 1.1 cents per mile, so the 40,000 miles are worth $440, and with the $50 credit, this brings the total value of the sign-up to around $490

So it’s a decent amount of value for not a lot of money, and easily covers the cost of the annual fee.

Earning Miles

Now when it comes to earning miles with the Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex, there are a few different options.
First of all, with any flights that are booked directly with Delta, you will receive 2x miles.
Along with this, you will also review 2x miles at US grocery stores and at restaurants, which includes takeout and delivery services. 
And then all other purchases that are made on the card will receive 1 mile per dollar spent.
So given the fact that miles can be earned from everyday categories such as 2x miles at grocery stores, you should be able to earn a fair amount of bonus miles.

Benefits and Perks

Now there are also some nice perks that come with this card.
The first is your first checked bag free on all Delta flights, and this alone can save up to $30 per one-way trip. 

Along with this, there is also a 20% saving on inflight purchases that are made on Delta flights and this covers alcoholic beverages, food, and audio headsets.

There is priority boarding for you and up to 8 people that are traveling with you to the Main Cabin 1 on Delta flights, and this allows you to get on the plane sooner and find available space in the overhead bins for your luggage before everybody else boards the plane.

You can also earn a $100 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 or more on the card within a calendar year.

Insurance Coverage

And along with these perks, there are quite a few insurance-related benefits.
The first is Car rental loss and damage insurance that covers up to a maximum of $50,000 in the event of damage or theft of a rental vehicle.

And this coverage lasts for a maximum of 30 consecutive days per rental agreement.
And for the coverage to be in effect, you must pay for the entire rental with the card and then decline the collision damage waiver that is offered by the rental agency.

Next up, there is purchase protection that provides you with 90 days’ coverage on new purchases that are accidentally damaged or stolen.
And coverage ranges from $1,000 per occurrence, up to a total of $50,000 per calendar year.

You will also receive an extended warranty of one extra year on any original manufactures warranties that are 5 years or less and from within the United States.

And finally, there is a baggage insurance plan that covers you, your partner, and any dependents under the age of 23 for up to $500 for checked-in baggage and  $1,250 for carry-on luggage.

And this covers loss or damage of your luggage whilst in direct transit.

2. Chase Sapphire Preferred

Read my full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred here.

The next card on this list is the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, and this is one of the more popular travel reward cards that has some great benefits and user perks.
It also has a decent earning rate of 1.25 cents per point, which can really help to boost the value of the card.

Sign-up Bonus

Now the sign-up bonus that comes with this card is pretty decent, currently, it is offering 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of card ownership.
And as Sapphire Preferred points are worth 1.25 cents per point, this sign-up bonus is worth $750.

Earning Points

Next up, earning points with the Sapphire Preferred card is pretty good, and there are quite a lot of options.
The highest points earning potential with this card is 5x points for any travel purchases that are made through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Along with this you can also receive 5x points for Lyft rides through March 2022, and 5x points on any Peloton Bike and treadmill purchases that is over $1,400 up to a maximum of 25,00 total points until March 31st, 2022.

Then from here, you can earn 3x points at restaurants, which includes take-out and delivery services.
You will also receive 3x points on select streaming services and for online grocery purchases (but just note that this does not include Target, Walmart, or any wholesale clubs.

Travel purchases that are not made through Chase Ultimate Rewards can receive 2x points.
And then all other purchases will receive 1 point per dollar spent.
So there is more variety to earn points from this card than with the Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex, and its sign-up bonus is worth $260 more.

Benefits and Perks

Next up, let’s go over all of the benefits that come with this card.

First of all, on the account anniversary of this card, you will receive a bonus of 10% of the total purchases that you have made throughout the year.
So if you spend $15,000, you will receive 1,500 bonus points. 

You will also receive a $50 statement credit each year that can be used on hotel stays that are booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
There is a 12-month DashPass membership that gives you a $0 delivery fee on orders that are more than $12, and this offer must be activated by March 31st, 2022 to receive it.

It is also possible to transfer Chase Ultimate Reward points at a ratio of 1:1 with 11 different airlines and 3 different hotel partners. 

Insurance Coverage

Now the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card also offers some really good insurance-related coverage.

The first is trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and this covers you in the event your trip is canceled or cut short for a covered reason, which can include severe weather or sickness.
With a maximum of $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip.

There is also trip delay reimbursement that can provide you with up to $500 per ticket if your travel is delayed for more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay.

You will also get baggage delay insurance of up to $100 per day for up to 5 days if your trip is delayed by a common carrier for more than 6 hours. 

There is an auto rental collision damage waiver that covers most rental cars against theft and collision damage.

Similar to the Delta SkyMiles Gold card you will get purchases protection that covers new purchases against damage or theft for up to $500 per claim and a total of $50,000 per account, but with the Chase card you get an extra 30 days of coverage, so instead of 90 days with the Delta card, you get 120 days.

And then finally you will receive extended warranty protection of one extra year on US manufacturer’s warranties that are 3 years or less.

3. Capital One Venture Rewards Card

Read my comparison review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Card here.

Now the third card on this list is the Capital One Venture Rewards Card, and this is a simple travel rewards card that offers some great value. 

Sign-up Bonus

So the sign-up bonus with this card is currently 60,000 miles after you spend $3,000 within the first 3 months of opening the account.
And as Capital One Venture miles are worth 1 cent per mile, this bonus is worth $600.

So it’s not quite as valuable as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, but it’s still worth more than the Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex.

Earning Miles

And earning miles with the Venture Rewards card is very straightforward.

Basically, you will earn unlimited 2x miles per dollar spent on all purchases that are made on the card.
And for any hotel or rental car bookings that are made through Capital One Travel, you will receive 5 miles per dollar spent.

So if you travel a fair amount and are careful with how you use the card, you can actually earn quite a lot of extra miles. 

Benefits and Perks

Next up, the Capital One Venture Rewards card comes with some pretty good travel-related rewards.

The first one is a $100 credit that can be used for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.

You will also receive 2 free visits to the Capital One Lounge, and whilst this is a nice option to have, currently, there is only one lounge that is open which is located at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
But they do expect to open 2 more lounges this year, one at Denver International Airport and another at Dulles International Airport. 

And then finally you will receive Hertz Five Star status, and this gives you the ability to get car upgrades at certain locations and expedited vehicle pickup.

Insurance Coverage

And then from here, you will also receive some useful insurance-related coverage.

The first is the auto rental collision damage waiver that covers you in the event of theft or collision damage of a rental vehicle. 

You will get extended warranty protection on eligible items that are purchased with the card and travel accident insurance.
And finally, there is $0 Fraud Liability which protects you against unauthorized charges that are made to your card.   

So overall, a pretty decent credit card with a great sign-up bonus and the ability to earn quite a lot of bonus miles when using the card for purchases. 

4. Chase Aeroplan Card

Read my full review of the Chase Aeroplan Card here.

The 4th card on this list is the Chase Aeroplan Card, and this card comes with a generous sign-up bonus, elite status with Aeroplan, and some pretty nice benefits and user perks.

Sign-up Bonus

Now the sign-up bonus that is offered with the Aeroplan card is one of the most valuable on this list of credit cards.

Basically, you will earn two welcome flight rewards that are each worth up to 50,000 points each, which is 100,000 points in total value.
And to receive the bonus you will need to spend $4,000 in the first 3 months of card ownership.
And with the value of Aeroplan points being worth approximately 1.5 cents per point, this sign-up bonus is worth up to $1,500.

So a very valuable sign-up bonus if used correctly, and if you would like to learn more about the Aeroplan card you can check out my review here.

Earning Points

Next up, this card has a few ways that you can earn points.
First of all, it offers 3x points for purchases made at grocery stores, at restaurants which include takeout and delivery services, and for bookings made directly with Air Canada.

Then all other purchases will receive 1 point per dollar spent. 
And for every $2,000 that you spend within a calendar month you will receive an additional 500 bonus points, and this is capped at a maximum of 1,500 points per month.

Benefits and Perks

Now the Chase Aeroplan card has some pretty good perks.

The first one is complimentary Aeroplan 25k Status, and this comes with benefits that include complimentary baggage allowance on flights that are operated by AirCanada and priority boarding.

There is also a $100 credit that can be used for either Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS.
You and up to 8 travel companions will receive your first checked bag free (up to 50lbs) when traveling on Air Canada.

Insurance Coverage

Now along with these perks, you will get the following insurance coverage.

Trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket for you and your family in the event that travel is delayed for more than 12 hours or you require an overnight stay.
There is trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance that covers up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip if your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather, or any other covered situations. 

You will also get baggage delay insurance of up to $100 for 3 days if your luggage is delayed by the carrier for more than 6 hours.

There is purchases protection that covers new purchases for up to 120 days against theft or damage, and this covers up to $500 per claim and a total of $50,000 per account.

And then finally there is an auto rental collision damage waiver that covers you in the event of theft or collision damage of a rental car. 

5. The Citi Premier Card

Read my comparison review of the Citi Premier Card here.

The next card on this list is the Citi premier card, and this is a well-priced travel reward credit card that has the ability to transfer points to a variety of different frequent flier programs.

Sign-up Bonus

So currently the sign-up bonus with this card is 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of opening the account.
And these points are worth up to $600, which easily covers the cost of the annual fee.

Earning Points

Now when it comes to earning miles with the Citi Premier card you will have a few options.

Basically, you will earn 3x points at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas stations, and then on both hotel bookings and Air travel.
Then all other purchases will receive 1 point per dollar spent.
So there is a pretty broad range of choices for earning the maximum of 3x points with this card, which is good, as it will really help you to get more value from this card. 

Benefits and Perks

Next up, let’s go over the benefits that come with this card, and it’s worth noting that this card also receives World Elite Mastercard benefits.
First of all, you will receive is a $100 hotel savings benefits each year after you spend $500 or more on a single hotel stay through the website thankyou.com.

And as I mentioned before, you also have the ability to transfer your reward points to 16 different airline partners at a rate of 1:1.

You will receive a free 3-month DashPass membership that gives you discounted delivery fees on orders that are over $12, and each month you will receive $5 off the first two orders you make until September 30th.

If you ride with Lyft 3 times per month you will receive a $5 credit.

You will receive 5% back on all HelloFresh orders, and if you are a new customer to HelloFresh you will also receive 14 free meals worth a minimum of $90.

For every $20 you spend at Fandango or on their at-home streaming service you will receive a $5 reward for use with Fandango.

And then finally you will have access to Citi Entertainment which gives cardholders special access to different events that include concerts, sporting events, and dining experiences.  

Insurance Coverage

Now this card doesn’t offer as much insurance as the previous cards on this list.

Basically, you will get Mastercard zero liability protection which covers you in the event that there are any unauthorized charges that are made to the card.

6. IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card

Read my full review of the IHG Rewards Club Premier Card here.

Now the last card on this list is the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card, and this is a great hotel reward credit card that provides access to more than 6,000 hotels and resorts worldwide where you can make use of any points that you earn with this card.

Sign-up Bonus

So now let’s take a look at what the sign-up bonus is with this card.
Basically, you will earn 125,000 bonus points and a free night after you spend $3,000 within the first 3 months of opening the account.
And if you manage to spend $20,000 on the card and then make one more purchase directly afterward you will receive an additional 10,000 bonus points.

So that’s up to 135,000 points that are worth approximately $675, and then the free night at a hotel that is worth about $200.
So all up, that’s a value of $875, which is really good for a credit card that costs less than $100 a year, and it just happens to be the second most valuable sign-up bonus on this list. 

Earning Points

Now there are three options when it comes to earning points with this card.

Initially, you will earn up to 25x points for purchases that are made at IHG hotels and resorts.
You will then receive 2x points per dollar spent at gas stations, grocery stress and restaurants.
And then all other purchases will receive 1 point per dollar spent.

Benefits and Perks

Now seeing that this is the cheapest card on this list for its annual fee, it actually offers a lot of great benefits. 
The first benefit is a free hotel night for each account anniversary at an IHG hotel worldwide.
You will receive your 4th night free when you use your points for a hotel stay that is 4 nights or longer. 

There is a $100 credit that can be used for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. 
You will receive a free 12-month DashPass that offers reduced service fees on orders that are over $12.

As an IHG rewards club member, you will be automatically upgraded to Platinum Elite status which comes with a few nice benefits that include a saving of 20% when you purchase rewards points with the card.

Insurance Coverage

And finally, there are a few different insurance-related benefits that include:
Baggage delay insurance of up to $100 for 3 days if your luggage is delayed for more than 6 hours by a passenger carrier.

Lost luggage reimbursement that covers you the cardholder and any immediate family member’s luggage for up to $3,000 in the event that your luggage is damaged or lost by the carrier.

Trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance of up to $5,000 per passenger and $10,000 per trip if your travel booking is canceled or cut short for a cover reason.

And then finally there is purchases protection that covers any new purchases for up to 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and a total of $50,000 per account.

Anyway, that pretty much wraps it up.
But I’d love to know what do you think of these cards?
Also is there one card that you prefer more than all the others? or would you recommend a totally different credit card?