Bank of America credit cards
Preferred Rewards program that boosts card earnings for customers with BofA/Merrill assets. Issuer of the Atmos Rewards (Alaska/Hawaiian) and new Royal Caribbean cards.
About Bank of America
Bank of America is a national bank best known in cards for its Preferred Rewards program, which lets eligible members earn 25% to 75% more rewards on eligible Bank of America cards. Its lineup includes the Customized Cash Rewards, Unlimited Cash Rewards, Travel Rewards and Premium Rewards cards, plus co-brands such as the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite for Alaska and Hawaiian flyers and the Royal ONE Plus card for Royal Caribbean cruisers.
Bank of America suits you if you already bank or invest with it, since Preferred Rewards tiers depend on your combined Bank of America and Merrill balances. It also offers secured versions of its cash rewards cards for building credit. The limitation: without that relationship its rewards are ordinary, and the 2/3/4 application limits widely reported by cardholders make it hard to open several cards in a short time.
Notable Bank of America cards
- Customized Cash Rewards
- Unlimited Cash Rewards
- Travel Rewards
- Premium Rewards
- Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite
- Royal ONE Plus
Bank of America cards compared
| Card | Annual fee | Rewards | Intro APR | Foreign fee | Credit needed | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Platinum Card from American ExpressFrequent flyers who'll exhaust the lounge access and statement credits |
$895/yr | 5x flights booked with airlines or Amex Travel; 5x prepaid hotels via… | None | None | Excellent (740+) | |
American Express Gold CardBig dining and U.S. supermarket spenders who'll use the monthly credits |
$325/yr | 4x at restaurants worldwide, 4x at U.S. supermarkets (up to cap), 3x f… | None | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
American ExpressBlue Cash Preferred 3488 297728 06483 VALID THRU 06/31ALEX MORGAN Blue Cash Preferred Card from American ExpressFamilies with heavy supermarket and streaming spend |
$95/yr | 6% U.S. supermarkets (up to $6k/yr), 6% select U.S. streaming, 3% tran… | 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months | 2.7% | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
The Business Platinum Card from American ExpressFrequent-flying business owners who'll use the lounges and credits |
$895/yr | 5x on flights and prepaid hotels via Amex Travel, 1.5x on eligible pur… | None | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
Bank of AmericaCustomized Cash Rewards 4394 0204 6690 7333 VALID THRU 03/31RILEY CHEN Bank of America Customized Cash RewardsBank of America customers who'll hit Preferred Rewards tiers |
None | 3% in a chosen category, 2% groceries & wholesale clubs (up to $2,500/… | 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles | 3% | Good (690+) | |
American ExpressBlue Cash Everyday 3779 240421 03847 VALID THRU 05/29JORDAN TAYLOR Blue Cash Everyday Card from American ExpressFamilies with moderate grocery and online spend, no fee |
None | 3% at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. online retail and U.S. gas stations (eac… | 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 month… | 2.7% | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
American Express Business Gold CardBusinesses with heavy, shifting spend in two categories |
$375/yr | 4x Membership Rewards on the 2 categories where you spend the most eac… | None | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
Bank of AmericaPremium Rewards 4859 9001 7434 3319 VALID THRU 06/31ALEX MORGAN Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit CardBofA Preferred Rewards members who travel and dine out |
$95/yr | 2 points per $1 on travel and dining, 1.5 points per $1 on all other p… | None | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
Bank of AmericaTravel Rewards 4693 3966 6189 2373 VALID THRU 01/28TAYLOR REED Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit CardBofA customers who want simple, fee-free travel rewards |
None | Unlimited 1.5 points per $1 on all purchases (up to 2.6x with top Pref… | 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 billing cycles | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | |
Macy'sMacy's American Express Card 3731 848796 05042 VALID THRU 03/31RILEY CHEN Macy's American Express CardRegular Macy's shoppers who want some everyday rewards |
None | Up to 5% back in Star Money at Macy's (varies by loyalty tier), plus c… | None | None | Fair to Good (640+) | |
American Express Business Gold (2026 Refresh)Business owners waiting on the official Amex Business Gold update |
None | Expected to keep adaptive bonus categories for businesses; exact rates… | None | None | Good to Excellent (700+) | — |
Atmos Rewards Summit Visa InfiniteWest Coast and Hawaii flyers in the Atmos Rewards program |
$395/yr | 3x Alaska/Hawaiian, dining and foreign purchases; 1x other; 1 status p… | None | None | Good to Excellent (typical; no… | — |
Approval rules and tips
2/3/4 rule (2 cards per 2 months, 3 per 12 months, 4 per 24 months); 24-month bonus wait per card; stricter limit (about 3 in 12 months) on new cards for applicants without a BofA deposit account.
- Check prequalified offers on bankofamerica.com first; Bank of America says the search is not an application and will not affect your credit score.
- Widely reported 2/3/4 rule: no more than two new cards in two months, three in 12 months and four in 24 months.
- Widely reported: applicants without a Bank of America deposit account face stricter limits on new cards.
- Widely reported: welcome bonuses are usually unavailable if you opened or held the same card in the past 24 months.
How to apply for a Bank of America card
Apply at bankofamerica.com, in the Bank of America app or at a financial center. The official prequalified offers search is not an application and does not affect your credit score, and you can use it as a guest without online banking. Have your Social Security number, date of birth, address, income and housing payment ready. You can track a submitted application in the online Application Status Center.
Customer service: www.bankofamerica.com · 800-732-9194
Bank of America FAQs
What credit cards does Bank of America offer?
Bank of America's notable cards include Customized Cash Rewards, Unlimited Cash Rewards, Travel Rewards, Premium Rewards, Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite. See the cards we review below for fees, rewards and APRs.
Does Bank of America have special approval rules?
2/3/4 rule (2 cards per 2 months, 3 per 12 months, 4 per 24 months); 24-month bonus wait per card; stricter limit (about 3 in 12 months) on new cards for applicants without a BofA deposit account.
How do I apply for a Bank of America credit card?
Apply on www.bankofamerica.com. Check any pre-qualification tool first — it uses a soft inquiry that does not affect your credit score.
How do I activate a new Bank of America card?
See our step-by-step guide to activating a American Express card (US) — online, in the app or by phone.
Do I need a Bank of America account to get its credit cards?
No, you can apply without one. But the biggest perk, the Preferred Rewards bonus of 25% to 75% more rewards on eligible cards, requires qualifying balances with Bank of America or Merrill. Cardholders also widely report that approvals are harder without a deposit account, so an existing relationship helps.
Does Bank of America offer a secured card?
Yes. Bank of America offers secured versions of its cash rewards cards, including the Customized Cash Rewards Secured and Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured cards. They use a refundable deposit to set your credit limit and earn cash back while you establish, strengthen or rebuild your credit history.
Do Bank of America cards charge foreign transaction fees?
Some do. Travel-focused cards such as Travel Rewards, Premium Rewards, the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite and Royal ONE Plus have no foreign transaction fee, while Customized Cash Rewards charges 3% on purchases made abroad. Check the pricing table for any card before you use it outside the U.S.