Leisure spending often makes up a big portion of an individual’s price range. Regardless of this being a traditionally frequent spending class, few playing cards explicitly provide bonus rewards for leisure spending.
That is in all probability as a result of class’s ambiguity — in spite of everything, leisure can embody concert events, streaming subscriptions and past. For those who’re presently trying to maximize this ambiguous class, think about one of many following playing cards.
The most effective bank cards to maximise your leisure spending
| Card | Welcome bonus | Leisure rewards fee | Annual charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. | 5 miles per dollar spent on purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform (a 9.25% return, per TPG’s August 2025 valuations) | $395 |
| Capital One Venture X Business | Earn 150,000 bonus miles after spending $30,000 in the first three months from account opening.
| 5 miles per dollar spent on purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform (a 9.25% return) | $395 |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | 5 miles per dollar spent on purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform (a 9.25% return) | $95 |
| Capital One Spark Miles for Business | Earn 50,000 miles after spending $4,500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. | 5 miles per dollar spent on purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform (a 9.25% return) | $0 first year, then $95 |
| Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after spending $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. Plus, enjoy a $100 Capital One Travel credit to use in the first cardholder year. | 3% cash back (or 8% if purchased through Capital One Entertainment) | $0 |
| Citi Custom Cash® Card* | Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening | 5% cash back each billing cycle on the first $500 of purchases in the category of your choosing, including live entertainment | $0 |
| Citi Strata℠ Card (see rates and fees) | Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months. | 3 points per dollar spent in a self-select category, which includes live entertainment | $0 |
| U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card*
| Earn a $200 rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days. | 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose | $0 |
*The information for the Citi Custom Cash and the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Note that Capital One only allows you to carry two personal Capital One branded cards at a time and tends to restrict you to one new card every six months, including both business and personal cards.
If you’re interested in a Capital One card for your entertainment purchases, keep Capital One’s restrictions in mind as you plan an application strategy.
Which purchases code as entertainment?
Entertainment spending can theoretically encompass a lot of different things. And many things you’d assume would fall under that umbrella end up coding differently on a credit card statement.
Related: How to use the Amex Platinum entertainment credit
Amusement parks, ski passes and dinner shows are all expenses that could easily be coded as travel or dining depending on the card, the specific merchant and where you make the purchase.
You can get more niche within the entertainment category, specifying which cards may be best for things like streaming services, Amazon purchases, music festivals and sporting events.
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
What is Capital One Entertainment?
Capital One Entertainment is Capital One’s ticketing platform, providing entry to music, sports activities and eating occasions.
The Capital One playing cards talked about on this information provide invaluable earnings charges on ticket purchases by way of Capital One Leisure. For those who’re trying to maximize leisure earnings, make the most of considered one of these playing cards.
Capital One Enterprise X
Annual charge: $395.
Welcome provide: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. This provide is value $1,388 based mostly on TPG’s August 2025 valuations.
Incomes charges:
- 10 miles per greenback spent on accommodations and rental automobiles booked by way of the Capital One Journey portal
- 5 miles per greenback spent on purchases made by way of the Capital One Leisure platform
- 5 miles per greenback spent on flights and trip leases booked by way of the Capital One journey portal
- 2 miles per greenback spent on all different purchases
How leisure is outlined: With this card, leisure purchases are merely outlined as purchases made by way of the Capital One Leisure platform.
Why we prefer it: The Enterprise X presents premium perks like lounge entry, and annual $300 journey credit score, anniversary bonus miles and journey protections. The factors earned on this card might be transferred to Capital One’s 15-plus switch companions. The cardboard virtually pays for itself yr after yr.
Take a look at our full Enterprise X card assessment for extra particulars.
Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise X
Associated: Who ought to (and should not) get the Capital One Enterprise X card?
Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise
Annual charge: $395.
Welcome provide: Earn 150,000 bonus miles after spending $30,000 within the first three months from account opening. This provide is value $2,778 based mostly on TPG’s August 2025 valuations.
Earnings fee:
- 10 miles per greenback spent on accommodations and rental automobiles booked by way of the Capital One Journey portal
- 5 miles per greenback spent on purchases made by way of the Capital One Leisure platform
- 5 miles per greenback spent on flights and trip leases booked by way of the Capital One journey portal
- 2 miles per greenback spent on all different purchases
How leisure is outlined: With this card, leisure purchases are merely outlined as purchases made by way of the Capital One Leisure platform.
Why we prefer it: Like its private counterpart the Enterprise X, the Enterprise X Enterprise shares lots of the identical perks. For small-business house owners who spend quite a bit on stay leisure, this might be a strong choice.
Take a look at the Enterprise X Enterprise card assessment for extra particulars.
Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise
Associated: Is the Enterprise X Enterprise well worth the $395 annual charge?
Capital One Enterprise Rewards
Annual charge: $95.
Welcome provide: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. This provide is value $1,388 based mostly on TPG’s August 2025 valuations.
Earnings fee:
- 5 miles per greenback spent on accommodations, rental automobiles and trip leases booked by way of the Capital One Journey portal
- 5 miles per greenback spent on purchases made by way of the Capital One Leisure platform
- 2 miles per greenback spent on every part else
How leisure is outlined: With this card, leisure purchases are merely outlined as purchases made by way of the Capital One Leisure platform.
Why we prefer it: The Enterprise Rewards has a modest annual charge, and you will earn a minimum of 2 miles per greenback spent on each buy. This makes it an ideal choice for not solely your leisure spending but additionally all of your every day purchases.
Take a look at the Enterprise Rewards card assessment for extra particulars.
Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise Rewards
Associated: Is the Capital One Enterprise Rewards card value it?
Capital One Spark Miles for Enterprise
Annual charge: $0 introductory annual charge within the first yr; $95 thereafter.
Welcome provide: Earn 50,000 miles after spending $4,500 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening. This provide is value $925 based mostly on TPG’s August 2025 valuations.
Incomes charges:
- 5 miles per greenback spent on accommodations, rental automobiles and trip leases booked by way of the Capital One Journey portal
- 5 miles per greenback spent on purchases made by way of the Capital One Leisure platform
- 2 miles per greenback spent on every part else
How leisure is outlined: With this card, leisure purchases are merely outlined as purchases made by way of the Capital One Leisure platform.
Why we prefer it: Enterprise house owners preferring simplicity will just like the Spark Miles, which earns a minimum of 2 miles per greenback spent. This makes it an ideal card for on a regular basis purchases and your leisure spending.
Take a look at the Spark Miles for Enterprise card assessment for extra particulars.
Be taught extra: Spark Miles for Enterprise
Associated: Capital One Spark Money Plus vs. Spark Miles for Enterprise: Which is best for your small business?
Capital One Savor Money Rewards
Annual charge: $0.
Welcome provide: Earn a one-time $200 money bonus after spending $500 in purchases throughout the first three months of account opening. Plus, get pleasure from a $100 Capital One Journey credit score to make use of within the first cardholder yr.
Incomes charges:
- 8% money again on Capital One Leisure purchases
- 3% on eating, leisure, fashionable streaming providers and at grocery shops (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Goal®),
- 1% on all different purchases.
How leisure is outlined: Capital One defines leisure the identical throughout Savor playing cards, that means you will get bonus rewards on tickets to film theaters, performs, concert events, sporting occasions, vacationer points of interest, theme parks, aquariums, zoos, dance golf equipment, bowling alleys, pool halls, document shops and video rental places.
Why we prefer it: With the Capital One Savor, anybody spending a good portion of their price range on eating and leisure will get nice worth from that card. For those who e book your leisure purchases by way of Capital One’s portal, you will get one of many highest returns in the marketplace. Plus, in case you pair this card with a Enterprise card, you have received your self a pleasant card duo.
Take a look at the Capital One Savor card assessment for extra particulars.
Be taught extra: Capital One Savor Money Rewards
Associated: Why the Capital One Enterprise X and the Savor Money make a dynamic duo
Citi Customized Money
Annual charge: $0.
Welcome provide: Earn $200 money again after spending $1,500 on purchases within the first six months of account opening.
Incomes charges:
- 5% money again every billing cycle on the primary $500 of purchases in your prime spending class from the next record: Drugstores, health golf equipment, fuel stations, grocery shops, residence enchancment shops, stay leisure, eating places, choose transit, choose journey and choose streaming
- 1% money again on all different purchases
How leisure is outlined: Citi defines stay leisure as “ticket purchases for stay leisure, together with: concert events, stay sporting occasions, stay theatrical productions, amusement parks, and orchestras. Excludes: charitable organizations that present stay leisure (advantages), sporting camps, sports activities complexes the place you take part within the sport, private and non-private golf programs, nation golf equipment (together with membership charges), bowling alleys, film theaters, vacationer points of interest, museums and artwork galleries.”
Why we prefer it: For no annual charge, you will earn 5% money again on the primary $500 spent on stay leisure every billing cycle. Plus, the cardboard robotically selects your 5% bonus class in case your spending habits change.
Take a look at the Citi Customized Money assessment for extra particulars.
Citi Strata Card
Annual charge: $0.
Welcome provide: Earn 30,000 bonus factors after spending $1,000 within the first three months. This provide is value $570 based mostly on TPG’s August 2025 valuations.
Incomes charges:
- 5 factors per greenback spent on accommodations, automobile leases and points of interest booked by way of the Citi journey portal
- 3 factors per greenback spent at supermarkets and on choose transit, EV charging and fuel purchases
- 3 factors per greenback spent on an eligible self-select class (these embody: health Golf equipment, choose streaming providers, stay leisure, beauty Shops, barber retailers and hair salons and pet provide shops) (which you’ll be able to change every quarter)
- 2 factors per greenback spent at eating places
- 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
Why we prefer it: This card presents an attention-grabbing proposition as a result of it has no annual charge and no spending cap on how a lot you possibly can earn within the self-select class every quarter. Plus, there are a number of bonus-earning classes. The one draw back is that the factors earned cannot be transferred to all of Citi’s switch companions.
Take a look at the Citi Strata card assessment for extra particulars.
Apply right here: Citi Strata Card
Associated: When (and why) you need to downgrade from the Citi Strata Premier to the Citi Strata Card
U.S. Financial institution Money+™ Visa Signature® Card
Annual charge: $0.
Welcome bonus: Earn a $200 rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases throughout the first 90 days of account opening.
Welcome bonus: Earn a $200 rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases throughout the first 90 days of account opening.
Rewards:
- Earn 5% money again by choosing from two of 12 service provider classes every quarter in your first $2,000 mixed purchases
- 2% on one on a regular basis class, like fuel stations and EV charging, grocery shops or eating places
- 1% in all places else.
How leisure is outlined: U.S. Financial institution presents two entertainment-related classes that earn 5% money again: film theaters and TV, web and streaming providers. This contains fashionable providers resembling Netflix, Hulu and Max. You’ll be able to go for each leisure classes each quarter to maximise money again.
Why we prefer it: This card presents compelling money again incomes charges for a card with out an annual charge. Moreover, it is good you possibly can choose two 5% again classes in case you do not spend $2,000 yearly on leisure. Simply remember, it’s a must to choose in every quarter and choose your most well-liked bonus classes to earn the upper rewards charges.
Take a look at the U.S. Financial institution Money+ Visa Signature card assessment for extra particulars.
Think about a flat-rate card
Another choice for leisure spending is a fixed-rate card. There are lots in the marketplace, starting from playing cards that earn money again and journey rewards to these catering to small-business house owners.
Enterprise vacationers can check out the Capital One Spark Miles for Enterprise, incomes 2 miles per greenback spent throughout each buy with a $95 annual charge, (dropped within the first cardholder yr).
Or if money again is extra your type, a card just like the Citi Double Money® Card (see charges and costs) or Chase Freedom Limitless® (see charges and costs) can also be a viable choice.
The Citi Double Money earns 2% on each buy (1% while you purchase and 1% while you pay your invoice), whereas the Chase Freedom Limitless earns 1.5% again on all nonbonus classes. Each are no-annual-fee playing cards, and you may pair them with others inside their issuer lineups to maximise your redemption choices and worth.
Think about playing cards with assertion credit
Playing cards just like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) and the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see charges and costs) provide assertion credit you should utilize on stay leisure that might make including considered one of these to playing cards to pockets worthwhile.
The Sapphire Reserve presents an annual as much as $300 StubHub/Viagogo credit score (as much as $150 biannually) by way of Dec. 31, 2027. The Citi Strata Elite presents an annual $200 Splurge credit score, which can be utilized at 5 retailers, together with Dwell Nation (a ticket reserving platform).
Associated: Citi Strata Elite assessment
Do not forget about unique entry perks
Maximizing bank cards entails extra than simply rewards (although incomes rewards is basically a part of that equation).
Associated: Playing cards that supply VIP occasion entry
Backside line
Whether or not you’re a curler coaster aficionado, stand-up comedy fan or one thing in between, it is good to have a card that helps you earn further rewards on these purchases and supplies alternatives for enhanced experiences.
Simply keep in mind that some purchases might not code throughout the leisure class, relying on how and the place you make your buy. For those who aren’t positive how your buy will code, use a strong flat-rate card to make sure you’ll earn good rewards in your buy.
Associated: The most effective bank cards for every bonus class
