How does SwipeCaddy pick the best card at Safeway?

We rank each card by its reward rate times a conservative cash value of its points or miles — no inflated transfer valuations — and apply Safeway's card-acceptance rules, so the "best" card is one you can actually use at the register.

Does the 6% rate at Safeway have a cap?

Yes. The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express earns its 6% on up to $6,000 per year in spending, and the card carries a $95 annual fee. The American Express Gold Card's 4x has a much higher ceiling, up to $25,000 per year, but its fee is $325. Heavy grocery households should weigh the caps before the headline rate.

Is a no-annual-fee card enough for Safeway?

It can be. The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express and the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards both earn 3% at Safeway with no annual fee. Note that Blue Cash Everyday has a spending cap and a lower rate after it, while Savor lists no cap in our data, making it the simpler pick if you want to set and forget.

Best cards at Safeway

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express earns the most at Safeway right now at 6%.

Rankings use issuer rates verified as of August 16, 2026.

In store

1
#16%
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
American Express · Amex · ≈5.17% after the cap · $95/yr · up to $6,000/yr
6%
2
#25%
AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature Card
Bread Financial · Visa · No annual fee · up to $10,000/yr (combined)
5%
3
#34x
American Express Gold Card
American Express · Amex · $325/yr · up to $25,000/yr
4x
4
#43x
Aeroplan Card
Chase · Mastercard · $95/yr
3x
5
#54x
Verizon Visa Card
Synchrony · Visa · No annual fee
4x
6
#63%
AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature Card
Bread Financial · Visa · No annual fee
3%
7
#73%
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards (formerly SavorOne)
Capital One · Mastercard · No annual fee
3%
8
#83x
Huntington Voice Rewards Credit Card
Huntington · Mastercard · No annual fee · Choose this category · up to $2,000/qtr (combined)
3x
9
#93x
Navy Federal More Rewards American Express Card
Navy Federal · Amex · No annual fee
3x
10
#105x
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
Wells Fargo · Mastercard · $95/yr
5x

Online

Good to know at Safeway

Safeway takes every major card network in our data, so acceptance is not the deciding factor here; the math is. The in-store ranking is led by the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, which earns 6% on up to $6,000 per year of spending for a $95 annual fee. If you refuse to pay a fee, two no-annual-fee cards, Blue Cash Everyday and Capital One Savor Cash Rewards, still earn 3%.

Don't let the multipliers fool you. The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5x at Safeway, but at our conservative point valuations that works out to roughly 3% back, below the Aeroplan Card, whose 3x is worth closer to 3.9%. The Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card's 4x lands around 2.8%. When a card pays in points, the number printed on it matters less than what each point is actually worth.

The in-store and online rankings at Safeway are nearly identical, with one difference worth knowing: the Chase Sapphire Preferred earns its 3x on online grocery purchases only, so it appears in the online list and not the in-store one. Everything in the top six pays the same through either channel. If you order from Safeway online and already carry the Sapphire Preferred, it is a solid 3x option for $95 per year.

The math

Spend $600 a month at Safeway and Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express returns about $372 a year at our valuations — a flat 2% card returns $144.

Common questions

What is the best credit card at Safeway?: Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express earns the most at Safeway right now at 6%.
How does SwipeCaddy pick the best card at Safeway?: We rank each card by its reward rate times a conservative cash value of its points or miles — no inflated transfer valuations — and apply Safeway's card-acceptance rules, so the "best" card is one you can actually use at the register.
Does the 6% rate at Safeway have a cap?: Yes. The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express earns its 6% on up to $6,000 per year in spending, and the card carries a $95 annual fee. The American Express Gold Card's 4x has a much higher ceiling, up to $25,000 per year, but its fee is $325. Heavy grocery households should weigh the caps before the headline rate.
Is a no-annual-fee card enough for Safeway?: It can be. The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express and the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards both earn 3% at Safeway with no annual fee. Note that Blue Cash Everyday has a spending cap and a lower rate after it, while Savor lists no cap in our data, making it the simpler pick if you want to set and forget.

Rates reflect each card's best case at this merchant and can change; check the issuer's terms before applying.

In store

Online

Good to know at Safeway

The math

Common questions

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