The credit card landscape has seen significant changes over the past year, from updated premium benefits to expanded transfer partnerships. The In the Wallet category of the 2026 TPG Awards highlights 13 credit card and loyalty ecosystems that delivered the most real value to consumers and travelers last year.
In 2025, as lounges become more upscale, benefits become more “offer,” the timing and execution of card launches become sticking points. Against this backdrop, some familiar winners have retained their positions, while several new categories help explain where the credit card market is headed next.
Here’s a quick look at this year’s winners, followed by background on each card earning a spot.
2026 In Your Wallet Winners
New awards and market trends
Five new categories were launched this year, reflecting how much effort issuers have put into improving existing products and launching new ones.
Best New Personal Credit Card: Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card
Atmos Rewards is making serious inroads into the premium card market, clearly appealing to frequent travelers, especially those spending abroad. this summit Earn 3 points per $1 spent on foreign transactions, a unique and valuable win for air travelers and long-term travelers living outside the United States
It also offers tangible travel benefits, including a 25,000-point Global Companion Award and fast-track Atmos Rewards qualification. All in all, the value proposition makes Summit a clear winner, especially for travelers who want to maximize their credentials and earning rates when traveling abroad.
Best New Business Credit Card: Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business
Chase launched Sapphire Reserve for Business in June 2025, bringing Sapphire-style benefits and valuable redemption opportunities to premium business products. The launch marks a clear strategic shift: Chase is now targeting business owners who travel frequently, not just high-spenders seeking to earn bonuses in the leisure category.
Flexible Rewards Credit Card of the Year: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Venture Importantly, the card also offers premium-style benefits at a price point that consumers continue to prove they want. Its $395 annual fee is less than half what the Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum charge, and it’s still easy to justify year after year thanks to easy travel credits and strong daily earnings rates.
However, with the introduction of new products, the competitive landscape is changing. Birt Palladium Card (See Rates and Fees) becomes the most immediate threat to “premium value without premium pain” and a range of Bilt Cash redemption options.
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Best New Transfer Partner: Citibank Appreciation Award for American Airlines AAdvantage
The Citi Appreciation Rewards program makes American Airlines AAdvantage an ongoing transfer partner, which is significant. Citi reinstated American Airlines transfers in late July 2025, giving Thank You points holders, including those with select no-annual-fee cards, direct access to one of the nation’s top airline programs. Citi and American Airlines are also offering limited-time transfer opportunities in 2021, but this continued option has changed the card strategy of many loyal American Airlines passengers.
Best Credit Card Travel Portal: Capital One Travel
Issuers are now making a big push for portals, and Capital One Travel wins this award for two reasons: It’s easy to use, and it protects travelers. The portal offers price predictions, price matching and markdown protection for qualifying bookings – these are the features that turn the portal into the place you actually want to book your flights.
The battle between American Express, Chase and Citi has already begun, and next year should be particularly interesting as portals become a bigger battleground.
Core wallet essentials that continue to stand out
Some categories remain timeless and form the basis of most travelers’ credit card setups.
Annual Travel Rewards Credit Card: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
this Sapphire preferred Winner of the Best All-Round Travel Rewards Credit Card for a record eighth consecutive year as it remains the top midrange travel rewards credit card. It’s the best choice for many travelers who want flexible redemptions and strong protection without paying a hefty annual fee.
The category is crowded, but top picks keep winning on the basics: strong yields, competitive welcome offers, and rewards programs that are still easy to understand and get value from.
Annual Cash Back Credit Card: Citi Double Cash Card
With no annual fee and 2% cash back* on all purchases, the Citi Double Cash Card continues to set the standard for cash back cards. Pairing with an eligible Citi Strata card adds extra value, as the cash back can be converted into transferable CitiThankYou Rewards points. It’s also an award-winning product from the previous year, showing you just how difficult it is to beat a 2% fixed rate, yet easy to understand and maximize.
*Earn 1% when you purchase and an additional 1% when you pay.
No Annual Fee Credit Card of the Year: Wells Fargo Autograph Card
often overlooked sign is a no-annual-fee card with powerful bonus categories, access to Wells Fargo’s growing roster of transfer partners, redemptions as low as 1 cent per point, and helpful extras like cell phone protection. Meanwhile, last year’s winner Bilt Mastercard® (no longer available) is facing its own transformation story as its issuer relationship changes, making Autograph feel like a more stable, simpler appeal to a wider audience.
Bilt Mastercard information is collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Business cards and co-branded cards still have their place
These categories have tightened this year, with airline and hotel cards facing increasing pressure to offer tangible value.
Business Credit Card of the Year: Capital One Venture X Business
Venture X Business wins because it combines lounge access, strong profitability, and premium benefits with a $395 annual fee that still feels reasonable in today’s premium business card market. The generous welcome offer grabs attention, but the high spending requirement makes it clear this is a card designed for established businesses, not a casual side hustle.
Airline Credit Card of the Year: Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
Southwest’s program changes knock its leading card out of the running this year, opening the door for a card that leans toward what many travelers now prioritize: reliable airline lounge access. As issuer lounges become more crowded and Priority Pass access becomes more mainstream, dedicated airline lounge entrances have regained their appeal.
Citi/AAdvantage Executive won the award for its Admirals Club access, strong travel day benefits and one of the better authorized user policies in the category, ultimately proving more attractive to many American Airlines frequent flyers.
Hotel Credit Card of the Year: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
this Hilton Asbai Hotel Continue to outperform competitors in the high-end hotel card segment. Natural (almost top-tier) elite status, strong revenue levels, and a Hilton benefits package that still delivers great value have helped it stay at the top. Aspire was also a repeat winner last year, underscoring its consistent performance in the increasingly competitive hotel card market.
Lounges, lounges and more lounges
Annual Lounge Access Credit Card: American Express Platinum Card
The awards are backed by data, and the story is clear: Capital One and Chase are closing the gap year over year, but American Express still wins in access and footprint (just like it did in the previous year’s awards).
The Centurion Lounge proved to be a major advantage (especially in the US) and platinumFor many travelers, access to Delta Sky Clubs remains a key differentiator. As lounges become increasingly important in the premium travel value proposition, competition in this category will only become more intense as issuers scramble to snap up space in new airports and redeveloped airport terminals.
Premium Cards of the Year (And Why a Clean Refresh Is Important)
Premium Card of the Year: American Express Platinum Card
this platinum It took top honors this year mainly because its updates were more popular than the Sapphire Reserve’s overhaul. Timing and execution matter: Chase rolled out updated Sapphire Reserve benefits for new applicants in June 2025, but existing cardholders will have to wait four more months to get most of them. In contrast, existing cardholders will have immediate access to the Platinum Card’s September 2025 changes (which should be reasonably expected). In a premium category where reliability is now as important as benefits, American Express’s clear messaging and consistency have helped it achieve a leading position.
bottom line
The 13 winners in the 2026 “In Your Wallet” category reflect what really matters when spending and traveling: comfortable lounges, available points and valuable transfer partners. Some cards win by remaining stable while other cards add friction.
The message is clear: the value is still there, but it’s no longer simple to extract. On the plus side, issuers are more competitive than ever and the gap between the “best” and the “next best” is narrowing – which works in our favor.
Related: Midrange updates, transfer ratio depreciation and more: TPG credit card experts predict trends for 2026
Each year, the TPG Awards recognize excellence in credit cards, loyalty programs and travel. Please click here Learn more about the selection process and methodology for the 2026 TPG Awards winners.
