Understanding Confusing Credit Card Names

Many travel rewards cards feature extravagant names with terms like Plus, Preferred, Premier, and Reserve, making it difficult to tell them apart. Additionally, issuers often keep the names similar within the same family, complicating the identification of which card has no annual fee versus which one is a premium option.

This guide will highlight frequently confusing cards and explain how to tell them apart.

What’s in a Name?

For cards like the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, consumers can generally assume that the Platinum version is pricier and offers more benefits than the Gold version, since platinum typically holds more value than gold in reality.

A clear distinction can be found between the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express and the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express. The term 'preferred' implies a more exclusive option.

Information regarding the Amex EveryDay and Amex EveryDay Preferred cards has been gathered independently by Dinogo. The details presented on this page have not been reviewed or supplied by the card issuer.

How can the average traveler distinguish between the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card? Which one is considered more premium — something that 'surpasses' or something that is 'aspirational'?

Information regarding the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been independently gathered by Dinogo. The details on this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

These are merely a few instances, but they are far from exhaustive. Here are some of the most perplexing naming conventions among major travel rewards credit cards and the distinctions you should be aware of.

Marriott Bonvoy credit cards

The Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program stands out because it partners with two issuers, Chase and American Express, both of which provide three different Bonvoy cards. This can create confusion when selecting a card, especially since all of Marriott's cobranded card names begin with the letter B.

Below is a current list of all Marriott Bonvoy credit cards arranged from the least to the most premium option:

• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

A simple way to identify the cards by issuer is that the Bonvoy cards from American Express will include the term American Express in their full title. Additionally, you can distinguish the cards based on their names: lower-tier Bonvoy cards have shorter names (like Bold & Bevy), while the higher-tier options feature longer names (such as Boundless, Bountiful, & Brilliant).

For dedicated Marriott fans, it's possible to carry multiple Bonvoy credit cards in your wallet. This allows you to enjoy elite night credits, statement credits, and various other benefits distributed among the Bonvoy card family.

Check out our comparison between the Boundless and Brilliant to understand how they measure up against each other.

Details regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Credit Card have been independently gathered by Dinogo. The information on this page has not been verified or supplied by the card issuer.

Hilton Honors Surpass to Aspire

Which sounds more appealing: to Surpass or to Aspire? American Express offers a range of Hilton credit cards, with four options available. Among these, two are quite distinct: the Hilton Honors American Express Card and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card. The former features a straightforward name, suggesting it is a lower-tier option, while the latter includes 'business' for clear differentiation.

The Aspire card is pricier and offers more benefits compared to the Surpass, meaning you'd need to move up from Surpass to Aspire.

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card comes with a $550 annual fee (refer to rates and fees), earns up to 14 points for every dollar spent, and provides perks like Hilton Honors Diamond status, a complimentary night reward at nearly any Hilton property worldwide, up to $400 in Hilton Resort statement credits each year, up to $200 in annual airline credits, and up to $100 in Hilton on-property credits. Enrollment required for select benefits.

As the younger sibling, the Hilton Amex Surpass features a reasonable $150 annual fee (see rates and fees), allows you to earn up to 12 points per dollar, and provides benefits such as Hilton Honors Gold Status, up to $200 in Hilton credits, a pathway to Diamond Status, and the chance to earn a free night reward based on your yearly spending.

For a detailed comparison of how each Hilton card measures up, check out our Surpass and Aspire showdown guide.

Capital One and Venture

The reasoning behind Capital One naming a card the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is perplexing. It’s a convoluted name that reveals little about the card's features or earning potential.

The primary differences between this card and the similarly titled Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card are that the Venture card earns 2 miles per dollar on all purchases and carries a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees), along with benefits like Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursement. In contrast, the VentureOne earns 1.25 miles per dollar, has no annual fee (see rates and fees), and does not offer statement credits.

Capital One tends to be inconsistent with its card naming conventions. For instance, when considering the Venture cards, one might expect that any Capital One card featuring 'One' in its name would represent the lower-tier version compared to its non-One counterpart. This holds true for the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, which has a $95 annual fee, in contrast to the no-annual-fee Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees).

However, this rule doesn’t apply to the Quicksilver cards. Both the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card offer a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

The Quicksilver card comes with a sign-up bonus of $200 cash after spending $500 within the first three months, with no annual fee (see rates and fees). In contrast, the QuicksilverOne lacks a sign-up bonus and charges a $39 annual fee (see rates and fees). Additionally, the Quicksilver requires better credit, aligning somewhat with the Card versus CardOne concept, yet it remains puzzling.

For more details, check out our comparison of the Capital One Savor and Quicksilver cards.

The information regarding the Capital One Savor card has been gathered independently by Dinogo. The details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Is Plus or Premier the Priority with Southwest?

Plus and Premier are among the most frequently used terms for credit cards, and Southwest is particularly notable for this, featuring two of its personal cobranded options: the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card.

Identifying the highest-tier card is simpler, as it is named the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card.

Rather than delving into intricate specifics here, you can refer to this post for a direct comparison of all three personal Southwest cards. One key takeaway is that the Priority card offers more benefits than its counterparts, including a higher anniversary bonus of 7,500 Rapid Rewards points, a $75 annual travel credit with Southwest, four upgraded boardings per year, and 25% back on inflight beverages and Wi-Fi. It also carries the highest annual fee at $149.

The details for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier credit card have been gathered independently by Dinogo. This information has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Is your Business card Preferred or Premier according to Chase?

Chase has added a new layer of confusion to its business card lineup with options like the Ink Business Premier® Credit Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.

The Ink Business Preferred carries a $95 annual fee, allowing cardholders to earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent annually on travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising through social media and search engines.

The Ink Business Premier, on the other hand, has a $195 annual fee and offers 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more.

Interestingly, despite its high annual fee, the Ink Business Premier only allows rewards to be redeemed for cash back or travel via the Chase portal. Unlike other Chase cards, it cannot transfer points to airline or hotel partners, nor can points be moved to other Chase cards. In contrast, the Preferred card comes with a lower fee and enables cardholders to transfer points to Chase's extensive list of hotel and airline partners.

In this situation, being a Preferred business cardholder is more advantageous than being a Premier holder. While there are other notable differences, you can find more information in our comprehensive review of the Chase Ink Business Preferred.

For additional information on all the Ink Business cards, check out our complete guide to the Ink cards.

Unlimited Freedom Overlaps

Although the Chase Freedom card (now closed to new applicants) has been a staple for many years, Chase recently introduced two new versions: the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Freedom Flex®. The three cards share several similarities beyond just their names.

All three cards come with no annual fee. They earn cash-back Ultimate Rewards points, which can be combined with transferable Ultimate Rewards points if you also have a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

However, the Unlimited version provides 1.5% cash back on all purchases, while the Freedom Flex earns one point per dollar on most transactions, plus 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent quarterly on rotating merchant categories. Your choice of card should align with your spending habits.

Bottom line

Credit cards can be quite perplexing, especially when issuers and rewards programs launch numerous similar options with flashy names, like Bonvoy Brilliant.

That's why it's essential to stay informed about loyalty programs. Each update or overhaul often introduces new and enhanced — or at least varied — cards for you to consider. Knowing your available options within your chosen loyalty programs ensures you select the best card or cards for your specific needs.