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No doubt about it, this has been a very good year for credit cards. Sure, interest rates are still a little high, but in the past few months, banks have loosened the purse strings a little. This led to some really exceptional credit card offers during the past year. In fact, the sign-up bonuses got better and better as the year progressed.

So here's my last shout-out to the best cards of 2011:

Best Airline Miles Credit Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

This card was the winner of the Best Airline Miles Credit Card in America last month. It has a generous rewards program plus an extraordinary sign-up bonus. If you spend $3,000 in the first three months, you'll earn 50,000 bonus points, which is worth $625 toward airfare or hotel expenses.

You also get two points per $1 spent on travel and dining. If you book your travel through Chase's Ultimate Rewards online booking tool, you'll get an additional point, which gives you three points per eligible $1 spent.
APR: 15.24 percent (V); Annual fee: $95, waived for the first year.

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Best Airline-Branded Card

United Mileage Plus Explorer

Runner-up: Continental Airlines OnePass Plus Card

These cards are so similar, it's hard to choose. If you fly either United or Continental frequently, there's a lot to like. But the United card is a Visa Signature card, which comes with extra benefits, so it gets the nod just ahead of the Continental card.

All you have to do is buy a cup of coffee to get 25,000 bonus miles. You can earn up to 40,000 bonus miles within the first year. Both you and your companion get one free checked bag. You also get priority boarding privileges and two free passes to the United Club each year. Rewards include 2 miles for every $1 spent on tickets purchased from United or Continental.

APR: 14.24 percent (V); Annual fee: $95, waived for first year.

Best Travel Rewards Credit Card

PenFed Premium Travel Rewards American Express Card

This card was the winner of the Best Travel Rewards Credit Card in America this past spring. If you spend $650 within the first three months, you get 20,000 bonus points. You earn 5 points for every $1 spent on airfare and one point for every $1 spent on everything else. You get to enjoy a concierge service along with outstanding travel benefits and discounts.

If you don't have a family member in the military, you can join the Pentagon Federal Credit Union by contributing $20 to the National Military Family Association.

APR: 13.99 percent (V); Annual Fee: None.

Best Low-Interest Credit Card

Simmons First Visa Platinum

This card was the winner of the Best Low Interest Credit Card in America last month. This is the perfect card to have in your pocket for an emergency. Or if you're currently having cash flow issues and you need to revolve a balance, this credit card gives you a low-cost way to survive until you can make ends meet again. You also get travel insurance coverage up to $1,000,000, which is very generous.

APR: 7.25 percent (V); Annual fee: None.

Best Cash Back Credit Card

Chase Freedom Visa - As Low As 9.99% APR

This card was the winner of the Best Cash Back Credit Card in America this past spring. You get a $50 cash back bonus after your first purchase. You earn 5 percent cash back when you use your card for purchases in rotating categories and 1 percent on other purchases.

But the crowned jewel of this card is the 9.99 percent APR. I rarely see a rewards credit card with such a low starting APR. Now, you have to have excellent credit to qualify for that, so it won't be offered to everyone who applies. But if you have an exemplary credit history and tend to revolve a balance from time to time, this is a great choice.

APR: 9.99 percent - 22.99 percent (V); Annual Fee: None.

The Best Credit Cards of 2011 (cont.) »

At publishing time, Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card, United Mileage Plus Explorer, Continental Airlines OnePass Plus Card, Simmons First Visa Platinum and Chase Freedom Visa - As Low As 9.99% APR are offered on Credit.com product pages and Credit.com is compensated if our users apply for and ultimately sign up for any of these cards. However, this relationship does not result in any preferential editorial treatment.

Best Cash Back Card for Non-Revolvers

Chase Freedom Visa - $200 Bonus Cash Back

I wrote a blog in October and called this card the Best Cash Back Card Right Now. This card gives you $200 cash back if you spend $500 within the first three months of opening your account. If you don't revolve a balance, this is a terrific offer. The purchase APR for this card starts at 15.99 percent (V). But if you do think you might occasionally carry a balance, then stick with the Chase Freedom Visa - As Low As 9.99 percent APR card. Even if you get the 15.99 percent APR, paying interest expense will wipe out your rewards. So make an honest assessment of your buying behavior before reaching for the $200.

APR: 15.99 percent - 22.99 percent (V); Annual Fee: None.

Best Gas Rebate Credit Card

PenFed Visa Platinum Cashback Rewards Card

You get five percent cash back from gas purchases paid at the pump. On all other purchases, you get one percent cash back. There is a $50,000 limit, but that's a really high cap. As I mentioned earlier, you can join the Pentagon Federal Credit Union by contributing $20 to the National Military Family Association.

APR: 13.99 percent (V); Annual Fee: None.

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Best Grocery Rebate Credit Card

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

You get a $200 statement credit after you spend $1,000 within the first three months of opening your account. You get unlimited cash back on the following: 6 percent at supermarkets (Up to $6,000 per year in purchases), 3 percent at gas stations and department stores, and 1 percent on other purchases. The interest rate is a little high so this card isn't for revolvers.

APR: Variable 14.99%-25.99%; Annual Fee: $95.

Best Credit Card for Rebuilding Credit

Orchard Bank Visa Cards

This card (along with the Orchard Bank Classic MasterCards) was the winner of the Best Secured Credit Card in America this past summer. But Orchard Bank also has an unsecured version and it's one of the easier credit cards to get if you have bad credit. These cards are designed to help you bounce back from a low credit score.

The approval process is a little different. You get pre-qualified for either an unsecured or a secured card. But even if you only qualify for a secured card, this issuer reports to all three major credit bureaus. So if you use your card responsibly, you have a chance to improve your credit history.

APR: 7.99 percent (V) for the secured card and 14.99 - 19.99 percent (V) APR for the unsecured card; Annual Fee: $0 - $59.

Best Student Card

Discover Student Card with $25 Cash Back Bonus

A version of this card was the winner of the Best Student Credit Card in America this past summer. I used Discover's CardBuilder Tool to create a card with a 12-month zero percent introductory APR. This version offers a six-month zero percent introductory APR, which is still pretty good considering the regular variable APR starts at 13.99 percent. You get cash back on everyday purchases as well as up to 5 percent on rotating categories.

Last month, Discover stopped charging foreign transaction fees on all of its card. So this is now a great card to have if you plan to study abroad.

APR: 13.99 - 20.99 percent (V); Annual Fee: None.

At publishing time, Chase Freedom Visa - $200 Bonus Cash Back, Orchard Bank Visa Cards and Discover Student Card with $25 Cash Back Bonus are offered on Credit.com product pages and Credit.com is compensated if our users apply for and ultimately sign up for any of these cards. However, this relationship does not result in any preferential editorial treatment.