The Best Rewards Credit Cards for You

Whether you crave cash back on everyday spending, or miles or points to put toward your next vacation, one of these cards will fit your needs.

- LISA GERSTNER

If you've had the same rewards credit card in your wallet for a while, it's time to see whether you could get a better payback on your spending by switching to a new card. According to a survey from Bankrate .com, 43% of credit card holders have either never switched their primary card or haven't swapped out their card in more than a decade.

Credit card issuers regularly update their card offerings and rewards programs. "Many changes over the last few years have brought more value to regular, everyday spending," says Cyndie Martini, CEO and founder of card-processing platform Member Access Processing. And cards often hand over an extra heap of cash back, points or miles to new cardmembers who make a certain amount of purchases in the first few months or meet other requirements. Depending on your spending patterns, you could rack up hundreds of dollars per year in rewards.

Rewards cards aren't for everyone, especially as interest rates rise. You won't be able to maximize rewards if you incur interest charges because you don't pay off your balance each month. "If you have credit card debt, it doesn't make sense to pay 20% in interest which is roughly the national average to get 1%, 2% or even 5% in cash back or airline miles," says Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate.com.