Best credit card for a home renovation
Materials and contractor payments can clear even the largest bonus requirements, if the people you pay accept cards without a big fee.
On a $15,000 bill, Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® comes out ahead at about $1,295 in the first year.
Updated 2026-09-16. Personal cards only.
| # | Card | Welcome bonus | The bill earns | Annual fee | First year | Worth it until a card fee of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Citi after $15,000 in 5 months |
$1,688 | $203 | $595 | $1,295 | 8.6% |
| 2 | Capital One Venture Rewards Capital One after $4,000 in 3 months |
$975 | $390 | $95 | $1,270 | 8.5% |
| 3 | The Platinum Card from American Express American Express after $12,000 in 6 months · offer varies by person |
$1,925 | $165 | $895 | $1,195 | 8.0% |
| 4 | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card Chase after $3,000 in 3 months |
$1,050 | $210 | $95 | $1,165 | 7.8% |
| 5 | Aeroplan Card Chase after $4,000 in 3 months |
$1,013 | $203 | $95 | $1,120 | 7.5% |
| 6 | Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card Chase after $5,000 in 3 months |
$975 | $195 | $95 | $1,075 | 7.2% |
| 7 | British Airways Visa Signature Card Chase after $5,000 in 3 months |
$975 | $195 | $95 | $1,075 | 7.2% |
| 8 | Iberia Visa Signature Card Chase after $5,000 in 3 months |
$975 | $195 | $95 | $1,075 | 7.2% |
| 9 | Chase Sapphire Preferred Chase after $5,000 in 3 months |
$938 | $188 | $95 | $1,030 | 6.9% |
| 10 | Capital One Venture X Capital One after $4,000 in 3 months |
$975 | $390 | $395 | $970 | 6.5% |
Bonuses are valued with our conservative point values; "the bill earns" uses each card's base rate, since a venue or school rarely counts as a bonus category. Offers change often and some are targeted, so check the bank's page before you apply.
Before you pay
- Contractors often add a fee for cards; ask. Materials bought at a home improvement store usually carry no extra fee, and some cards pay a bonus there.
- Business cards often have the largest bonuses and requirements; if the renovation is for a rental property, those may fit better than the personal cards below.
Common questions
Which card is best for a home renovation?
On a $15,000 bill, Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® comes out ahead at about $1,295 in the first year: its welcome bonus, plus what the bill earns at its base rate, minus the annual fee. That assumes you can open it before paying and pay the balance in full.
Does a card fee change the answer?
Yes. Each row shows the fee at which that card stops being worth using. Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® stays ahead of paying another way until the fee reaches about 8.6% of the bill.
Why aren't bigger bonuses listed?
Only cards whose spend requirement a $15,000 bill clears on its own are ranked. A card with a larger bonus and a larger requirement can still be worth it if the rest of your spending makes up the difference.
Which card should this spending actually be on? The demo re-scores a year of realistic spending against every card in a wallet — free, no signup. See it on sample data →