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While many travel credit cards have a learning curve, the Discover it® Miles is as easy as it gets. It earns unlimited 1.5X Miles on purchases, and redeeming them is a breeze. But it doesn't have much in the way of premium perks, so frequent travelers may want more. Figure out if this is the card for you in our full Discover it® Miles review.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
Rewards Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
1.5X miles
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer N/A
Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
A straightforward, no annual fee travel rewards card built for occasional travelers. The unlimited Miles and welcome offer are standout perks.
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
||
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
|
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
75,000 bonus points Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. |
Intro: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A Regular: 21.49%-28.49% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
This credit card is a good fit for: Rewards enthusiasts who want a straightforward travel card that cuts common credit card fees.
Let's take a look at what the Discover it® Miles credit card has to offer.
The Discover it® Miles earns unlimited 1.5X Miles per $1 on purchases. You can redeem miles as cash back or apply them to travel purchases. They have a value of $0.01 per 1 mile no matter how you use them. For example, 10,000 Miles are worth $100.
For new cardholders, Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 30,000 Miles in that first year, Discover will give you another 30,000. This is one of the more valuable sign-up bonuses for consumers who put all their spending on a single credit card.
SEE MORE: Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses
Many popular travel cards charge an annual fee. The Discover it® Miles isn't one of them.
MORE TOP PICKS: Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards
This Discover travel card has a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. After the intro period, the go-to 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR will apply, and there's a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.
You can use the intro APR to pay off costly expenses over time. Or, you can transfer over credit card debt and pay it down while avoiding interest charges. Make sure to complete your balance transfers by the date specified in the terms for this card. Also, do your best to pay off your full balance during the intro period to maximize your savings.
Like most travel credit cards, the Discover it® Miles doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee. The standard foreign transaction fee amount is 3% for many credit cards, so you should always have a credit card without this fee when you're traveling internationally.
Discover makes it easy to monitor your credit score by including a free FICO® Score for every cardholder. This is accessible via Discover's app or online account management portal. Your FICO® Score is the one that most lenders use, so it's the best type of score to monitor.
The Discover it® Miles isn't without its downsides, and they're worth knowing about before you apply.
Many travel credit cards give you more options, such as transferring rewards to the card issuer's airline and hotel partners. Transferring rewards this way is often how people score high-value travel bookings.
Even though the Discover it® Miles is considered a travel card, you get the same value whether you redeem miles for travel or cash back. That makes it similar to cash back credit cards, which is important to realize. Continue browsing credit card reviews if you'd like a card with more redemption options.
Unlike other travel cards, the Discover it® Miles doesn't offer much in the way of travel perks. You won't get free checked luggage, elite status at your hotel of choice, or airport lounge access. To be fair, these normally aren't features you get from no annual fee credit cards. But if you travel often, consider whether you could be better off paying an annual fee for a card with more features.
COMPARE OPTIONS: Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
Cards from other brands, notably Visa and Mastercard, typically come with a set of travel perks and benefits like rental car insurance and coverage for lost or damaged luggage. The Discover it® Miles lacks many of these extras.
Own a business? Check out The Ascent's guide to the best business credit cards for travel.
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
The Discover it® Miles is intended for people with good to excellent credit, meaning a FICO® Score of at least 670. Your credit score isn't the only factor that matters when applying for a credit card, but it is one of the most important.
RELATED: How to Increase Your Credit Score
You want easy-to-use credit card rewards and you don't spend that much. The Discover it® Miles has a solid earning rate and an excellent welcome offer. However, if you spend more than $1,500 per month or travel several times per year, you could get greater value from travel cards with more benefits.
MORE OPTIONS: Best Credit Cards
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
The minimum starting credit limit for Discover it® Miles is $500, but it's possible to get a much larger limit depending on your creditworthiness. Many cardholders have reported credit limits of $10,000 or more.
The Discover it® Miles works with all airlines. You can use miles as statement credits to reimburse travel purchases. Miles are also redeemable for cash back.
Our Credit Cards Experts
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.