For your dining-and-travel spending, your best second card is Wells Fargo Autograph if its no-impact prequalification shows you an offer; otherwise, use Capital One Savor as the no-annual-fee fallback.
“I am an F1 international student with a Discover It card opened in 2025 (9 months old, 767 FICO score). My main expenses are dining and travel. I was considering the Capital One Savor but heard they are merging with Discover. What is the best second credit card for me to get to build credit and earn travel rewards?”
Summary
You do not need to replace your Discover card because of the merger: Capital One says the card and rewards remain and the move needs no application. Your nine-month file makes approval uncertain, but the no-impact offer checks let you avoid guessing.
Use no-score-impact offer checks to choose between a best-fit card and a fallback without guessing about approval.
Run Wells Fargo's . If Autograph appears, choose it: the official page lists unlimited 3X points on restaurants and travel, plus gas, transit, streaming services, and phone plans; 1X elsewhere; a $0 annual fee; and no . That is the closest match to your dining-and-travel spending and gives you a second issuer alongside your Capital One-owned Discover account.
If Wells Fargo does not show Autograph, use Capital One's no-impact eligibility check. Take Savor only if it appears and you value dining cash back more than broad travel points: Capital One lists 3% cash back at grocery stores and on dining and entertainment, but 1% on other purchases; it also has a $0 annual fee.
Do not submit several full applications just to test approval. A full application can cause a , while both Wells Fargo and Capital One provide eligibility checks that do not affect your score.
A prequalified offer is not final approval; accepting it may still produce a hard credit check.
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Watch out for
Next steps
These steps minimize unnecessary credit checks, satisfy the federal income rule, and put the best-fit card first.
Before any offer check
Confirm the income rule for your age
If you are under 21, apply only if your own financial information shows an independent ability to make minimum payments; 12 CFR 1026.51 also permits a qualifying age-21-or-older cosigner or joint-applicant structure, but only if the specific issuer offers it. If you are 21 or older, report only income or assets that you reasonably expect to access.
Requirements
First choice
Run Wells Fargo's prequalification
Use https://web.secure.wellsfargo.com/credit-cards/yourinfo/. Wells Fargo states that this has no impact on your credit score. Continue only if Wells Fargo actually shows an Autograph offer.
After the no-impact check
Apply for Autograph only if offered
Apply through https://creditcards.wellsfargo.com/autograph-visa-credit-card/. The current card has a $0 annual fee, no , unlimited 3X points on restaurants and travel, and 1X on other purchases. The full application is subject to credit qualification and can trigger a .
Requirements
If Autograph is not offered
Use Savor only as the fallback
Use https://www.capitalone.com/apply/credit-cards/preapprove/, which Capital One says does not harm your score. If Savor appears, compare its $0 annual fee, 3% dining, grocery, and entertainment cash back, and 1% on other purchases with your actual travel spending before accepting. If neither issuer shows an offer, submit no blind application; keep the Discover card for three more monthly statements and then repeat the no-impact checks—this wait is a conservative strategy, not an issuer rule.
Requirements
Immediately after approval
Set autopay and keep the Discover account
Set autopay for the full , keep comfortably below each limit, and continue using the existing Discover card normally. Capital One says the Discover card and rewards remain, account moves occur throughout 2026 and early 2027, and no migration application is required.
Requirements
Legal sources
This answer uses Wells Fargo and Capital One's official card pages, the Discover by Capital One migration FAQ, 12 CFR 1026.51, and CFPB guidance.
Wells Fargo Autograph Card page
Wells Fargo lists 3X earning on restaurants and travel, the two categories that drive this recommendation.
Rewards overview
Earn unlimited 3X points for many ways to keep life in motion ² Restaurants Travel Gas Transit Popular Streaming Services Phone Plans Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases ²
Wells Fargo Autograph Card page
Autograph does not charge an annual fee or a foreign transaction fee.
Fees
The Autograph Credit Card has no foreign transaction fee. The Autograph Credit Card has no annual fee.
Wells Fargo Prequalified Offers page
Wells Fargo lets you check for a prequalified credit-card offer without affecting your score.
Easily check if you are prequalified for a credit card offer from Wells Fargo with no impact to your credit score.
Wells Fargo Autograph Card page
A prequalified or advertised offer does not guarantee that Wells Fargo will approve the application.
Offer conditions
This offer is not a guarantee of credit. Credit card is subject to credit qualification.
Capital One Savor Card page
Savor is primarily a dining and entertainment cash-back card rather than a broad 3X travel card.
Rewards summary
$0 annual fee · 3% cash back at grocery stores, on dining & entertainment 1 and 1% on other purchases
Discover by Capital One Card FAQ
The Discover migration is automatic and does not require the asker to replace or reapply for the existing card.
The move to Capital One
You’ll keep your Discover credit card and rewards. The Discover brand and network are not going away. Discover card accounts will move to Capital One throughout 2026 and early 2027. We'll send you information directly when it's time to get ready to manage your account with Capital One. No application is needed.
12 CFR 1026.51(a)(1)(i)
Every issuer must consider the applicant's ability to make minimum payments using income or assets and current obligations.
(a)(1)(i)
A card issuer must not open a credit card account for a consumer under an open-end (not home-secured) consumer credit plan, or increase any credit limit applicable to such account, unless the card issuer considers the consumer's ability to make the required minimum periodic payments under the terms of the account based on the consumer's income or assets and the consumer's current obligations.
12 CFR 1026.51(b)(1)(i)
Applicants under 21 face the stricter independent-ability-to-pay rule.
(b)(1)(i)
A card issuer may not open a credit card account under an open-end (not home-secured) consumer credit plan for a consumer less than 21 years old, unless the consumer has submitted a written application and the card issuer has: (i) Financial information indicating the consumer has an independent ability to make the required minimum periodic payments on the proposed extension of credit in connection with the account; or
CFPB Ask CFPB No. 318
On-time repayment and keeping balances away from the limit are the core credit-building habits.
Most credit scores consider repayment history as the number one factor for building a strong credit score. Don't get close to your credit limit.
Capital One credit-application guide
A full card application can temporarily lower a score, while a soft-inquiry preapproval check should not.
Applying for a new credit card can cause credit scores to temporarily drop because it triggers a hard inquiry, also known as a hard credit check. If they involve a soft credit inquiry, like at Capital One, checking whether you’re pre-approved shouldn’t affect your credit scores. If you decide to accept the offer, it may involve a hard inquiry, though.
These are the official rules and issuer terms as published on the cited dates or displayed on the current pages; rules and card offers can change.
This is general information about official processes, not legal advice, and SettleKit is not a law firm.
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