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What's the Best Rewards Credit Card for People Who Don't Travel?

6 min read

Last Updated: October 22, 2025

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

Co-branded airline or hotel credit cards may not be a good choice for people who don't travel.
A cash back rewards card lets you earn rewards on everyday purchases.
When choosing the best credit card for you, check for features like no annual fee or an introductory 0% APR offer.

If you don't travel much, you're not likely to benefit from airline or hotel travel credit cards that reward you with flights or hotel stays. Travel rewards just might not be for you, and that’s okay.

The best rewards credit card for people who don’t travel may be one that offers cash back rewards on everyday purchases like groceries, restaurant meals, and gas.

A rewards card like the Discover it^® Miles Travel Credit Card provides flexibility if you’re unsure whether you should get a travel card. You can turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants, and more.

There are lots of things to consider when choosing the best credit card rewards program for you.

Types of rewards credit cards

Cash back rewards

Cash back rewards are a great alternative to travel rewards if you don’t do much travel. Cash back cards give you rewards as a percentage of your spending.

Some cards give you a higher rewards rate in a bonus category. The Discover it^® Chrome Restaurant and Gas Card lets you earn 2% Cashback Bonus^® at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically.²

In addition to cash back, some cash back rewards cards let you redeem rewards for a gift card, charitable donation, or statement credit.

Travel rewards

A travel card usually offers miles or points in a travel loyalty program. Travel rewards tend to be most valuable for frequent travelers.

Some travel cards are more flexible, including the Discover it^® Miles travel card. And you can get bonus travel rewards with Discover Match: we’ll automatically double all the rewards you’ve earned at the end of your first year.³

Review other credit card features

Balance transfer offers

If you're carrying a balance on a high-interest credit card, you may benefit from a balance transfer offer. You may be able to get a 0% introductory APR on your balance transfer. This means you pay no interest on the balance you transferred.

You’ll need to pay the full balance of the transfer by the end of the introductory period. If you don’t, you’ll get charged interest. You’ll also accrue interest on any new purchases you make.

Did you know?

Some Discover cards offer an introductory 0% APR on both purchases and balance transfers. This lets you avoid interest as long as you don’t take a cash advance and you pay your balance in full before the intro period ends.

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You may see balance transfer offers on travel rewards credit cards, cash rewards cards, and other types of cards.

Annual fee

When you're comparing rewards cards, check whether the value of the rewards you can earn is higher than any fees you might incur. Those fees may include an annual fee, cash advance fee, or late payment fee.

Some rewards credit cards have no annual fee. If you always pay on time and don't take out cash advances, you can avoid fees that cut into the value of your rewards.

Interest rate

If you carry a balance from one month to the next, your credit card's annual percentage rate (APR) will affect the total cost of your purchases.

Some credit cards offer an introductory 0% APR on purchases for a specified term after your account opening. Be sure to check the interest rate that will take effect after the intro period ends.

Foreign transaction fee

You might think a foreign transaction fee wouldn't affect someone who does no international travel. But did you know that you can incur a foreign transaction fee without leaving home? This fee may be added to the cost of your purchases when you buy online from a merchant in another country.

Check for foreign transaction fees on any type of card you get, whether it’s a travel card or another type of rewards card.

Features you can ignore

If you don't travel, you don't need to look for a credit card that offers travel perks.

For example, if a card offers a statement credit for Global Entry and you don’t travel internationally, you probably won’t take advantage of it. Other benefits, like travel insurance or a higher rewards rate on travel purchases, aren’t likely to help you, either.

Don't rule out travel credit cards

Sometimes a travel credit card may allow you to earn cash rewards on everyday purchases. The Discover Travel Credit Card lets you earn 1.5X Miles on every purchase.¹ And 100 Miles = $1 to spend.⁴

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Can you get a rewards credit card without a great credit score?

Even if you have no credit history, or your credit score isn't the best, you may qualify for a cash back rewards card.

If you're a student and new to credit, student credit cards may be your best option for earning cash back rewards. Many of them don’t require a credit score to apply (there’s no credit score required to apply for Discover it^® Student credit cards⁵).

Even if you're not a student, you may qualify for a secured credit card with a less-than-stellar credit score. Some of these cards also offer cash rewards. A secured card requires a deposit in the amount of your credit limit. And, with the Discover it^® Secured Credit Card, you can get your deposit back after 6 consecutive on-time payments and maintaining good status on all your credit accounts.⁶

The bottom line

If you don’t travel much, you probably won’t take full advantage of a travel credit card. Travel rewards probably aren’t the best for you. But there are lots of other rewards cards that might be a better fit, and cash rewards can be valuable for everyone.

Look at different credit card rewards programs to find the right one for you. Check the rewards rate for everyday purchases and any bonus categories. Look for annual fees, foreign transaction fees, and balance transfer or introductory offers.

Ultimately, the best rewards credit cards for you are the ones that let you earn the most cash back with the least amount of fees and interest.

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Next steps

Learn about Discover It^® Miles Credit Cards

See rates, rewards and other info

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Learn about Discover's travel card