Competition intensifies as a new credit card leader arises in the escalating rivalry between American Express and Chase
Top Credit Cards of 2025: American Express Platinum Leads the Pack
In the latest J.D. Power's U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study, American Express has once again dominated the rankings, with their Platinum Card topping the Rewards Annual Fee category. The study, which assesses satisfaction by seven factors including account management, benefits, customer service, and rewards, saw American Express maintain the top spot for the sixth consecutive year.
The American Express Platinum Card, known for its lavish perks, excels in customer service, rewards earning, terms, and benefits. Other strong performers in the study include co-branded cards with travel and store loyalty benefits, such as the Hilton Honors American Express and Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi.
Hilton Honors American Express scored 641 in the best co-branded credit cards category, ranking above Apple Card. Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi scored 629 in the same category, also outranking Apple Card. Interestingly, Apple Card, which previously led since 2020, fell to third place in 2025 with a satisfaction score of 624.
Capital One's Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, among cards noted for high satisfaction scores and J.D. Power rank well above average, held on to the top spot for the second year in a row in rewards credit cards with no annual fee. Meanwhile, Chase's Freedom Flex fell from second to fifth in rewards credit cards with no annual fee.
The value of credit card reward points has been gradually falling due to inflation. A point, which was previously worth around one cent, has lost around 20 percent of its purchasing power since 2018. This means that if you built up 50,000 points with a major credit card issuer in 2020 and still have not spent them, they are now worth about 41,300.
Inflation also starts to bite into the value of points if users redeem them directly through a bank's portal or online app. However, American Express has introduced measures to tackle this issue, such as digital waitlists at its lounges to tackle long lines.
In other news, American Airlines' AAdvantage Executive World Elite card issued with Citi soared to first place, while the Southwest's Rapid Rewards Premier Card, in partnership with Chase, tumbled to ninth. Venture X cardholders will soon lose the ability to extend Capital One airport lounge access for guests and additional cardholders.
Despite these changes, the overall picture remains the same: the top cards by customer satisfaction are led by American Express Platinum, followed by Hilton Honors AmEx, Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi, Apple Card, and Capital One Savor Cash Rewards—reflecting strong rewards and benefits leaning toward travel-focused cards and large issuers with robust customer service.
As always, it's important to consider your spending habits and lifestyle when choosing a credit card. With a wide range of options available, there's a card out there for everyone.
