Bank of America might not be the first bank you think of when planning your points-and-miles strategy. We often talk about Chase, American Express, Capital One, and Citi, but Bank of America has several rewards cards worth understanding. Depending on the card, you can earn cash back or points to help cover travel expenses.

Your banking relationship can also affect how much you earn. And with transfers to Atmos™ Rewards planned for 2027, that’s another reason to pay attention to these cards.

Bank of America’s Main Rewards Cards

For this post, we’re focusing on Bank of America’s own rewards cards. We’ll cover its co-branded airline cards, which earn rewards directly with airline loyalty programs, in a separate post. These cards are generally best for applicants with excellent or good credit.

Welcome offers on these cards change from time to time, so check the current terms before you apply. Over the long run, though, the best fit is the card whose everyday rewards and benefits match how you spend.

Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

We’d give this card a specific job rather than using it for everything. I’d set mine to online shopping. Between school supplies and birthday gifts, that category adds up fast! Just watch that shared limit. If you spend $2,000 on groceries and at wholesale clubs in a quarter, you have only $500 left for your selected category before you hit the cap.

Bank of America^® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card: Keeping Things Simple

Without a relationship bonus, we’d compare it with other flat-rate cash back cards before applying. Simplicity is great, but you still want a competitive return on the spending you’re already doing.

Bank of America^® Travel Rewards credit card

Eligible travel and dining statement credits are worth 1 cent per point, so 25,000 points can cover $250 in qualifying purchases. You can redeem against eligible purchases from the previous 12 months, starting at 2,500 points. Cash redemptions provide less value, so choose your redemption carefully.

This approach can appeal to someone who wants to book travel without searching for award availability. You pay for an eligible expense and then redeem points to help cover it. This is the easy-peasy kind of reward many of our readers love.

Bank of America^® Premium Rewards® credit card

Points are worth 1 cent each, including for cash back. That provides more redemption flexibility than the Travel Rewards credit card. We’d still compare the annual fee with the benefits you’ll actually use. The airline incidental credit has qualifying purchase rules, so don’t count it as a general $100 airfare discount. Personally, I’d choose this card over the ones above.

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite credit card

It also offers up to four complimentary Priority Pass™ Select memberships and a 20% reduction in points required for eligible airfare redemptions through BofA Travel or the concierge. For example, airfare that would otherwise require 50,000 points would require 40,000 points with that benefit.

Before adding another premium card, we’d check for overlapping benefits. I already have plenty of cards that offer Global Entry/TSA PreCheck® and lounge access, so those perks don’t add much for me. The other benefits are useful and can bring the effective annual fee closer to the Premium Rewards® credit card. By our estimate: $550 annual fee − $300 airline incidental credit − $150 lifestyle credit = $100, if you fully use both credits. I’d pick this card if I knew I’d use that 20% points reduction.

BofA Rewards: Your Banking Relationship Matters

These bonuses increase the rewards earned. In our own example, a 50% bonus turns a standard 1.5% cash back rate into 2.25%. At that tier, the Customized Cash Rewards credit card’s standard 3% choice-category rate becomes 4.5%, subject to the quarterly limit.

That can be valuable if you already have qualifying accounts. But we’d consider account fees, investment options, and interest rates before moving money solely to earn a larger credit card bonus.

Can You Transfer Bank of America Points to Airlines?

Currently, Bank of America’s rewards points don’t transfer to airline or hotel loyalty programs. However, Alaska announced plans to allow transfers from eligible Bank of America card products to Atmos Rewards in 2027.

Alaska has not announced the eligible cards, transfer ratio, or exact launch date. We shouldn’t assume that every rewards card will qualify or that points will transfer at a 1:1 ratio.  Depending on those details, transfers could make these cards more interesting. We’ll update this post once details are announced. 

Bottom Line

For a specific spending category, the Customized Cash Rewards credit card may be worth a look. For straightforward cash back, compare the Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card with other flat-rate cards. The Travel Rewards credit card lets you offset eligible travel and dining expenses without an annual fee.

The Premium Rewards® credit card and Premium Rewards® Elite credit card require a closer look at the benefits you’ll use. And if you qualify for a BofA Rewards relationship bonus, calculate your actual earning rate before deciding.

We love using points for flights and hotels, but cash back and statement credits can also cover other parts of a trip. The best Bank of America card for you earns useful rewards on your everyday spending and offers benefits that justify any annual fee. If you already have money with Bank of America, these cards can quietly pull a lot of weight in your wallet!

Editorial Note: Opinions expressed on this page are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by these entities.