Unlock Hidden Perks: The Credit Cards That Turn Your Entertainment Expenses Into a Goldmine You Didn’t Know Existed
Ever find yourself scratching your head, wondering why your entertainment expenses—those concert tickets, binge-worthy streaming subscriptions, and spontaneous night out—rarely earn you any bonus credit card rewards? You’re not alone. Entertainment tends to gobble up a hefty chunk of many budgets, yet oddly, the credit card world seems reluctant to reward it properly. The likely culprit? It’s a slippery category, stretching from live shows to digital streams and everything in between, making it tricky for issuers to nail down bonus incentives. But don’t toss your wallet just yet! If you’re on the hunt to squeeze every bit of value from your entertainment spending, I’ve got a lineup of cards tailored to that very purpose. Whether you’re a music maniac or a movie buff, these picks might just change the way you pay for fun. LEARN MORE
Entertainment spending usually makes up a large portion of a person’s budget. Despite this being a historically common spending category, few cards explicitly offer bonus rewards for entertainment spending.
This is probably due to the category’s ambiguity — after all, entertainment can encompass concerts, streaming subscriptions and beyond. If you’re currently looking to maximize this ambiguous category, consider one of the following cards.
The best credit cards to maximize your entertainment spending
| Card | Welcome bonus | Entertainment rewards rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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What is Capital One Entertainment?
Capital One Entertainment is Capital One’s ticketing platform, offering access to music, sports and dining events.
The Capital One cards mentioned in this guide offer valuable earnings rates on ticket purchases through Capital One Entertainment. If you’re looking to maximize entertainment earnings, utilize one of these cards.
Capital One Venture X
Annual fee: $395.
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This offer is worth $1,388 based on TPG’s August 2025 valuations.
Earning rates:
- 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal
- 5 miles per dollar spent on purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform
- 5 miles per dollar spent on flights and vacation rentals booked through the Capital One travel portal
- 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
How entertainment is defined: With this card, entertainment purchases are simply defined as purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform.
Why we like it: The Venture X offers premium perks like lounge access, and annual $300 travel credit, anniversary bonus miles and travel protections. The points earned on this card can be transferred to Capital One’s 15-plus transfer partners. The card practically pays for itself year after year.
Check out our full Venture X card review for more details.
Learn more: Capital One Venture X
Related: Who should (and shouldn’t) get the Capital One Venture X card?
Capital One Venture X Business
Annual fee: $395.
Welcome offer: Earn 150,000 bonus miles after spending $30,000 in the first three months from account opening. This offer is worth $2,778 based on TPG’s August 2025 valuations.
Earnings rate:
- 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal
- 5 miles per dollar spent on purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform
- 5 miles per dollar spent on flights and vacation rentals booked through the Capital One travel portal
- 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
How entertainment is defined: With this card, entertainment purchases are simply defined as purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform.
Why we like it: Like its personal counterpart the Venture X, the Venture X Business shares many of the same perks. For small-business owners who spend a lot on live entertainment, this could be a solid option.
Check out the Venture X Business card review for more details.
Learn more: Capital One Venture X Business
Related: Is the Venture X Business worth the $395 annual fee?
Capital One Venture Rewards
Annual fee: $95.
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. This offer is worth $1,388 based on TPG’s August 2025 valuations.
Earnings rate:
- 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, rental cars and vacation rentals booked through the Capital One Travel portal
- 5 miles per dollar spent on purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform
- 2 miles per dollar spent on everything else
How entertainment is defined: With this card, entertainment purchases are simply defined as purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform.
Why we like it: The Venture Rewards has a modest annual fee, and you’ll earn at least 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase. This makes it a great option for not only your entertainment spending but also all your daily purchases.
Check out the Venture Rewards card review for more details.
Learn more: Capital One Venture Rewards
Related: Is the Capital One Venture Rewards card worth it?
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee in the first year; $95 thereafter.
Welcome offer: Earn 50,000 miles after spending $4,500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. This offer is worth $925 based on TPG’s August 2025 valuations.
Earning rates:
- 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, rental cars and vacation rentals booked through the Capital One Travel portal
- 5 miles per dollar spent on purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform
- 2 miles per dollar spent on everything else
How entertainment is defined: With this card, entertainment purchases are simply defined as purchases made through the Capital One Entertainment platform.
Why we like it: Business owners who prefer simplicity will like the Spark Miles, which earns at least 2 miles per dollar spent. This makes it a great card for everyday purchases and your entertainment spending.
Check out the Spark Miles for Business card review for more details.
Learn more: Spark Miles for Business
Related: Capital One Spark Cash Plus vs. Spark Miles for Business: Which is better for your business?
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards
Annual fee: $0.
Welcome offer: 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.
Earning rates:
- 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- 3% on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®),
- 1% on all other purchases.
How entertainment is defined: Capital One defines entertainment the same across Savor cards, meaning you’ll get bonus rewards on tickets to movie theaters, plays, concerts, sporting events, tourist attractions, theme parks, aquariums, zoos, dance clubs, bowling alleys, pool halls, record stores and video rental locations.
Why we like it: With the Capital One Savor, anyone spending a significant portion of their budget on dining and entertainment will get great value from that card. If you book your entertainment purchases through Capital One’s portal, you’ll get one of the highest returns on the market. Plus, if you pair this card with a Venture card, you’ve got yourself a nice card duo.
Check out the Capital One Savor card review for more details.
Learn more: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards
Related: Why the Capital One Venture X and the Savor Cash make a dynamic duo
Citi Custom Cash
Annual fee: $0.
Welcome offer: Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.
Earning rates:
- 5% cash back each billing cycle on the first $500 of purchases in your top spending category from the following list: Drugstores, fitness clubs, gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores, live entertainment, restaurants, select transit, select travel and select streaming
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
How entertainment is defined: Citi defines live entertainment as “ticket purchases for live entertainment, including: concerts, live sporting events, live theatrical productions, amusement parks, and orchestras. Excludes: charitable organizations that provide live entertainment (benefits), sporting camps, sports complexes where you participate in the sport, public and private golf courses, country clubs (including membership fees), bowling alleys, movie theaters, tourist attractions, museums and art galleries.”
Why we like it: For no annual fee, you’ll earn 5% cash back on the first $500 spent on live entertainment each billing cycle. Plus, the card automatically selects your 5% bonus category if your spending habits change.
Check out the Citi Custom Cash review for more details.
Citi Strata Card
Annual fee: $0.
Welcome offer: Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months. This offer is worth $570 based on TPG’s August 2025 valuations.
Earning rates:
- 5 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through the Citi travel portal
- 3 points per dollar spent at supermarkets and on select transit, EV charging and gas purchases
- 3 points per dollar spent on an eligible self-select category (these include: fitness Clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic Stores, barber shops and hair salons and pet supply stores) (which you can change each quarter)
- 2 points per dollar spent at restaurants
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Why we like it: This card offers an interesting proposition because it has no annual fee and no spending cap on how much you can earn in the self-select category each quarter. Plus, there are multiple bonus-earning categories. The only downside is that the points earned can’t be transferred to all of Citi’s transfer partners.
Check out the Citi Strata card review for more details.
Apply here: Citi Strata Card
Related: When (and why) you should downgrade from the Citi Strata Premier to the Citi Strata Card
U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card
Annual fee: $0.
Welcome bonus: Earn a $200 rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
Welcome bonus: Earn a $200 rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
Rewards:
- Earn 5% cash back by selecting from two of 12 merchant categories each quarter on your first $2,000 combined purchases
- 2% on one everyday category, like gas stations and EV charging, grocery stores or restaurants
- 1% everywhere else.
How entertainment is defined: U.S. Bank offers two entertainment-related categories that earn 5% cash back: movie theaters and TV, internet and streaming services. This includes popular services such as Netflix, Hulu and Max. You can opt for both entertainment categories every quarter to maximize cash back.
Why we like it: This card offers compelling cash back earning rates for a card without an annual fee. Additionally, it’s nice you can select two 5% back categories if you don’t spend $2,000 annually on entertainment. Just don’t forget, you have to opt in each quarter and select your preferred bonus categories to earn the higher rewards rates.
Check out the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature card review for more details.
Consider a flat-rate card
Another option for entertainment spending is a fixed-rate card. There are plenty on the market, ranging from cards that earn cash back and travel rewards to those catering to small-business owners.
Business travelers can try out the Capital One Spark Miles for Business, earning 2 miles per dollar spent across every purchase with a $95 annual fee, (dropped in the first cardholder year).
Or if cash back is more your style, a card like the Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees) or Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) is also a viable option.
The Citi Double Cash earns 2% on every purchase (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay your bill), while the Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 1.5% back on all nonbonus categories. Both are no-annual-fee cards, and you can pair them with others within their issuer lineups to maximize your redemption options and value.
Consider cards with statement credits
Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) and the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see rates and fees) offer statement credits you can use on live entertainment that could make adding one of these to cards to wallet worthwhile.
The Sapphire Reserve offers an annual up to $300 StubHub/Viagogo credit (up to $150 biannually) through Dec. 31, 2027. The Citi Strata Elite offers an annual $200 Splurge credit, which can be used at five merchants, including Live Nation (a ticket booking platform).
Related: Citi Strata Elite review
Don’t forget about exclusive access perks
Maximizing credit cards involves more than just rewards (though earning rewards is largely part of that equation).
Some top travel cards offer exclusive perks for entertainment events. Some issuers hold invite-only events that grant you access to purchase hard-to-get tickets with a specific premium credit card. In those cases, it may make sense to use a card that doesn’t necessarily earn rewards on entertainment purchases. It all depends on what you find more valuable in each situation.
Related: Cards that offer VIP event access
Bottom line
Whether you are a roller coaster aficionado, stand-up comedy fan or something in between, it’s good to have a card that helps you earn additional rewards on those purchases and provides opportunities for enhanced experiences.
Just remember that some purchases may not code within the entertainment category, depending on how and where you make your purchase. If you aren’t sure how your purchase will code, use a solid flat-rate card to ensure you’ll earn good rewards on your purchase.
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