Choose credit cards by how you use them

— -- Americans have a complicated relationship with credit cards. Most of us won't leave home without them. But ask the average consumer how she feels about credit card companies, and you're likely to hear the kinds of words you can't say on prime-time TV without getting into trouble with the Federal Communications Commission.

A recent survey by J.D. Power and Associates found that credit cards have the lowest customer satisfaction level of all financial services. On a 1,000-point scale, card companies received an average satisfaction rating of 658.

Credit card issuers lagged behind mortgage servicers (798), online brokerage firms (773) and retail banks (763) on the satisfaction scale.

Those results will come as no surprise to anyone who's ever been smacked with an unexpected late fee or interest-rate hike.

Still, choosing the card that best suits your borrowing habits can improve your credit card experience, says Jeff Taylor, senior director of banking practice for J.D. Power.

The J.D. Power study divides credit card users into two categories:

•Transactors. These are people who usually pay off their balance each month. These folks tend to be more satisfied with their credit cards than are card holders who carry a balance.

Because transactors don't have to worry about interest rates, they tend to look for cards that provide the best rewards, Taylor says. That makes sense: If you don't pay interest on your credit card, any rewards you receive are gravy.

But some rewards are more satisfying than others. Airline miles are still the most common credit card award, with about 40% of card holders receiving this incentive, the survey found. Still, customers who received cash-back awards, which are available to 22% of card holders, expressed higher levels of overall satisfaction, the survey found. Those who received hotel rewards points — available to only 9% of card holders — also expressed higher satisfaction. That may reflect difficulties consumers have faced in trying to use their airline miles, Taylor says.