What Underrated Credit Cards Can Offer Great Perks in 2025

Photo of David Beren
By David Beren Published

Key Points

  • While there are plenty of big names in the credit card space, there are a surprising number of underrated options.

  • Although going with an option from Expedia or AAA might not sound right, they are fantastic choices.

  • If you want the best customer service, going with a Fidelity credit card is the way to go.

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What Underrated Credit Cards Can Offer Great Perks in 2025

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For most people, picking a credit card can be a huge decision, as there are almost too many options available today. Between Capital One, Chase, American Express, Discover, and a dozen other names, there is a smorgasbord of options that can help you buy just about anything. 

In many ways, most people, like those who post in r/CreditCards on Reddit, are looking for the best option they can find right now. Of course, this reality is leading to at least one Redditor posting asking what the most underrated cards are in 2025, and it’s a good question. 

The Redditor’s Question

As noted above, the Redditor’s post also highlights that there is always a lot of conversation around Chase, Amex, and Citi cards that are on the “top” of most lists. However, they are looking for diamond-in-the-rough, underrated cards that offer something like substantial cash back amounts, travel perks, or big sign-up bonuses that often go unnoticed. 

Understandably, this might mean looking outside of the “big box” names like Chase or Citi and more at local or regional banks or retailers that could offer some great perks. The same goes for store credit cards, which, despite their own set of risks and lower credit limits, could also be a good consideration for underrated options. 

The biggest thing is to make sure you’re reading all of the fine print, especially around the bonus offers. All of this said, if I had to make some recommendations to a friend, here are some of the cards I would tell them to look at first. 

Some Great Underrated Options

Fidelity Visa

As a Fidelity Visa user, I can confidently say this card is incredible, and the customer service team backing this card is second-to-none. Not only do you get 2% cash back on every single purchase you make, but you also get no foreign transaction fees and an Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver up to $75,000 at no cost to the user. Lastly, you get a $100 credit toward either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck benefits. 

One Key+

A surprisingly underrated credit card that doesn’t get enough attention is the One Key+ card from Expedia and MasterCard. This is a very strong travel card that offers a $400 OneKey cash bonus after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. 

Beyond this, you get 3% in cash on Expedia with every trip you book, plus 3% in OneKey cash at gas stations, grocery stores, and dining. However, the best perk is that it also offers 1.5% in OneKey cash on all other purchases, which is the best tiered category card option, as it only offers 1% on remaining purchase amounts. 

PayPal Cashback

Given how available PayPal is for online shopping, earning 3% when you use the PayPal Cashback Mastercard is likely to add up real fast. The same goes for achieving 1.5% everywhere else Mastercard is accepted, and the earnings are unlimited. 

Amazon Prime Card

As a user of this card myself, I can wholeheartedly recommend this to both Amazon Prime and Whole Foods lovers. Not only do you earn 5% cash back at Amazon, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods, but Amazon also offers bigger bonuses around its Prime Day sales, sometimes up to 10% in cash back rewards for all of your purchases. 

Add to this 2% cash back at both restaurants and gas stations as well as 1% cash back on every other purchase, and it’s hard to argue the merits of this card for Amazon fans. Oh, but wait, there’s more, as you also get 2% back on local transit and community services like buses, taxis, trains, and rideshare services. 

AAA Cashback Visa Signature

A number of Redditors commented about the AAA Cashback Visa Signature card as a hidden gem, so it’s worth checking out. Right away, the 4% cash back bonus on every purchase up to $6,000 in the first six months is hard to ignore. 

The same goes for 3% cash back after the bonus period ends on all grocery store, gas station, and dining purchases. Adding to the benefits is 2% cash back on all AAA membership, travel, and insurance purchases, alongside 1% on just about everything else. If you’re already a AAA member, it’s well worth considering this underrated option as a new addition to your wallet. 

 

Photo of David Beren
About the Author David Beren →

David Beren has been a Flywheel Publishing contributor since 2022. Writing for 24/7 Wall St. since 2023, David loves to write about topics of all shapes and sizes. As a technology expert, David focuses heavily on consumer electronics brands, automobiles, and general technology. He has previously written for LifeWire, formerly About.com. As a part-time freelance writer, David’s “day job” has been working on and leading social media for multiple Fortune 100 brands. David loves the flexibility of this field and its ability to reach customers exactly where they like to spend their time. Additionally, David previously published his own blog, TmoNews.com, which reached 3 million readers in its first year. In addition to freelance and social media work, David loves to spend time with his family and children and relive the glory days of video game consoles by playing any retro game console he can get his hands on.

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