Best Credit Cards For Emergencies In May 2024

Emergencies can be expensive. But the Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a high credit limit that should cover your needs, assuming you’re approved.

Rewards: Earn 5 points per dollar on flights and 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals when purchasing travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3 points per dollar on other travel and dining and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Annual fee: $550

Other benefits and drawbacks: Yes, there’s a high credit line, but there’s also a high annual fee of $550. In the first year, you may not worry about that since there’s a generous welcome bonus. Keep in mind that this card may require excellent credit for approval, so it won’t be a fit for everyone.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ comes with an intro APR offer and a welcome bonus, both of which might help you out with unexpected expenses. Plus, it’s a solid rewards card with no annual fee so you can hang onto it for the long haul.

Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on dining and drugstores and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Annual fee: $0

Other benefits and drawbacks: The introductory APR is valid on both purchases and balance transfers, making this helpful whether you anticipate future charges or already have some that you need to consolidate. Plus, if another emergency pops up after the introductory period is over, you can still make a budget to pay costs over time using My Chase Plan.

The Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®* provides access to a temporary card number upon approval you can add to Walmart Pay immediately. That makes it a good option if you need to make urgent purchases at Walmart stores or on Walmart.com.

Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on purchases made at Walmart.com and the Walmart app, including grocery pickup and delivery, 2% cash back on restaurants and travel, and at Walmart Stores, Walmart & Murphy USA fuel stations and 1% back everywhere else.

Welcome offer: Earn 5% cash back on purchases made in Walmart stores for the first 12 months of account opening when using the Capital One Walmart Rewards card with Walmart Pay.

Annual fee: $0

Other benefits and drawbacks: Make sure you understand the reward terms: After the first year, the highest earning rates are only for purchases on Walmart.com and not in-store (unless you shopped online and chose pickup or delivery). There’s also no introductory APR offer, so interest will start accruing immediately if you don’t pay your bill in full.

Students can apply for the Discover it® Student Cash Back with no credit score necessary, making it an option if you need access to a credit line for the first time.

Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and more, up to the quarterly maximum once activated. Plus, automatically earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn Unlimited Cashback Match™ - Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There's no minimum spending or maximum rewards.

Annual fee: $0

Other benefits and drawbacks: For a student card, there are top-tier rewards on rotating categories, though you’ll need to pay attention to earning caps. There’s also an introductory 0% APR offer, but only for a short time: 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 18.24% - 27.24% applies.

The flat 2% earnings on the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card make this a sensible choice for anyone with expenses that don’t fall into common bonus categories.

Rewards: Earn 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.

Annual fee: $0

Other benefits and drawbacks: The card comes with solid earnings, no annual fee, a welcome bonus and even an introductory APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR applies. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a fee of up to 5%, with a minimum of $5 applies. When you’re ready to redeem rewards, you can apply them right to your card to pay down your emergency expenses or, if you have a Wells Fargo banking account, you can redeem rewards as cash from an ATM.

If you need to travel for an emergency, the American Express® Green Card* might be the card for you. It offers instant access to a virtual card number to book last-minute travel online right after approval, plus strong earnings on your travel expenses.

Rewards: Earn 3 points per dollar on travel and transit including flights, hotels, taxis, rideshare services, trains, parking and more, 3 points per dollar on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.

Welcome offer: Earn 40,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months.

Annual fee: $150

Other benefits and drawbacks: The Amex Green card also includes several forms of trip protection, including trip delay and baggage insurance. You can also use the Global Assist Hotline to coordinate medical, legal or other help away from home. Purchases earn Membership Rewards®, which can be transferred to partner airlines and hotels for travel redemptions that may be useful in the future.

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (terms apply, see rates & fees) is another credit card that makes sense for emergencies. If approved, Amex will grant you an instant card number you can use right away for online purchases or mobile payments.

Rewards: Earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and online retail purchases in the U.S. (on up to $6,000 in each category per year in purchases, then 1%), and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits or at Amazon.com checkout.

Welcome offer: Earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 6 months.

Annual fee: $0

Other benefits and drawbacks: You can check if you’re pre-qualified for this card before applying on the American Express website. If approved, the card includes both a welcome bonus and introductory APR offer for maximum value. Additionally, the rewards structure offers elevated earnings on common everyday expenses like groceries, gas and online shopping.

If your credit’s not perfect, consider the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card (rates & fees). It offers solid cash-back rewards plus tools intended to help you get back on track and set yourself up for success before you hit another emergency.

Rewards: Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).

Welcome offer: This card does not offer a welcome bonus.

Annual fee: $39

Other benefits and drawbacks: This card might not seem as appealing as the others on the list, since it has a higher interest rate and a modest annual fee. However, if you don’t have excellent credit, this is a good way to earn cash-back on every purchase. There’s also no foreign transaction fee.