Current Recommended Cards, October 2024
Check out the best options at this moment in time here. Full disclosure, I do have referral links to some of these cards, but I fully want you to get the best offer regardless of referrals, so will be listing any cards without referrals that I think are worthwhile as well. If you do use a referral though, would love for you to shoot me an email so I can track it on my end.
IF YOU HAVE BIG DINNERS/WEDDINGS/EVENTS SKIP AHEAD TO THE AMEX RESY PLAT
See the list of what I consider the best cards right now. Full disclosure, I do have referral links to some of these cards, but I fully want you to get the best offer regardless of referrals, so will be listing any cards without referrals that I think are worthwhile, as well. If you do use a referral though, would love for you to shoot me an email so I can track it on my end.
Also - feel free to give me a shout if you have any questions! I want you to get the right card for you, and get you started on your points journey.
1. Chase Sapphire Preferred
Spend $4k in 3 months to get the sign on bonus of 60,000 Chase UR points+$300 travel credit
$95 annual fee
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the BEST introduction to the world of points and thus is a great first step on your road to free travel. Combined with a standout offer (it’s been as high as 80k-100k, but has never had the $300 travel credit.
It is very straightforward to get your points, does not have a large annual fee, and is very easy to redeem points as well.
PROS:
60,000 Chase points after $4k spend - worth $750 at a minimum through the Chase travel portal, but potentially worth much more when transferred to partners
$300 travel credit through Chase Travel (never offered this before)
Very flexible points - Chase points, aside from straight travel redemptions, can be transferred to Hyatt, Marriott, United, and more. Of these, Hyatt is without a doubt the best transfer partner, and your 64k points get you 7-8 free nights at the Hyatt Cottonwood in SLC for skiing or snowboarding, for example, or almost 2 nights at the Park Hyatt Kyoto, where cash rates can be between $2k-$4k PER night. Insane value.
Minimal annual fee, and super easy to use points
Can combine your points from this card with the Ink card (see below). You can really supersize your point earning with one of each, and there are opportunities for even more.
CONS:
There has been an 80,000 point offer in the past, but without the $300 travel credit. For those who want to transfer the points, that could be worth more, but for most people, this offer will beat that one.
2.Chase Ink Unlimited (Business card)
Spend $6k in 3 months to get 90k Chase UR points
Even though this is a business card, it’s one of the absolute best options out there right now.
Chase points are very valuable and this is an all time high bonus for the card, making it THE best option at the moment, if you are open to a business card (anyone can apply). If you apply, make sure you choose the Ink Unlimited and NOT the Ink Preferred or Ink Cash.
PROS:
99k points after minimum spend (90k bonus plus 6k spend)
$95 annual fee
Chase points, are flexible and useful, and amazing for Hyatt in particular.
CONS:
It is a business card, which some people are hesitant to apply for.
If you have any questions about any of these cards, hit me up! I'm happy to guide you through.
3. Amex Personal Platinum 100k + 15x on dining
Spend $8k in 6 months to get the sign on bonus of 100,000 Amex MR +15x on dining
$695 annual fee
IMPORTANT: This offer is a bit hard to find; you can try offhand, or you can try incognito and with VPN. Sometimes, you may not pull the offer. If not - don’t despair! You can still get 10x on dining, or hold out and chill for now, or get something else.
IF you are able to pull the offer, this is one of the best offers in recent history for the Amex Personal Platinum, and this Amex is one of the cards I think everyone should have, at least once, if not hold for a while. I similarly encourage you NOT to get discouraged with the hefty $695 annual fee - as the points, as well as the various airline/Uber/digital entertainment/Saks credits and the travel and shopping protections and benefits make it well worth having an Amex Platinum in your wallet.
For instance - the Amex Platinum offers return protection, so if you try to return something in the first 90 days and the merchant doesn’t take it back, you are covered up to $300 per purchase and $1,000 per year. It also offers purchase protection, which even covers lost items in the first 90 days. Extended warranty adds an extra year to your warranties - useful for me when our Peloton broke after one year. Amex covered the cost, no problem. Even if you don’t use these protections (of which there are more), it’s really great for peace of mind, especially for larger purchases.
Points-wise, 100k (plus ideally $5-10k in restaurant spending - pay for those group dinners!) is enough to go roundtrip to Japan in business class via ANA (+$500 in fees), one way business class to or from Australia to the US, and many other potential uses as well - Amex points transfer well to all kinds of partners, with arguably better options than Capital One (including Qantas, Avianca, and Air France), as well as an ability to book travel 1:1, though you’ll generally get better value out of transfers.
IMPORTANTLY - if you try this link in incognito and it does NOT pull up 150k+$200 for you, feel free to look around on the internet for one that does - don’t sign up with my link if it doesn’t have it. Here is a link from a friend that pulls it up, as well, if you’d like.
PROS:
100k Amex MR after $8k in 6 months spend - the spend is a lot, but spread out over 6 months
15x on dining for 6 months - $5k is an extra 75k Amex points right there.
Very flexible points - most useful for business/first class airfare, but also can transfer to Marriott and others to top off a hotel stay, or for cheap economy flights, and can also use to purchase travel directly with amextravel.com
The shopping and travel protections are top notch - the best in the business, and Amex makes them super easy to use if you need to.
CONS:
$695 annual fee is a big hurdle for people, though more than offset by all the above
4. Capital One Venture X
Spend $4k in 3 months to get the sign on bonus of 75,000 Capital One miles + $300 annual travel credit.
$395 annual fee.
Don’t get daunted by the annual fee!!!
While large, it is mostly offset by the travel credit, which you can utilize on the Capital One travel portal. You can use the miles on the travel portal (effectively $1,000 combined with the travel credit), but you can get outsize value by transferring them to partners such as Singapore Airlines, Aeroplan, and Wyndham, among others. Furthermore, for those who own cars already, the Venture X provides primary rental car insurance, so in case of accidents/claims, you don’t have to take any hits to your personal insurance. Not even Amex provides this free (you have to pay extra per rental). Aside from the sign up bonus, that's one of the biggest benefits of this card, though it also provides great trip protection benefits and access to (admittedly limited, for now) Capital One lounges.
In addition, there have been increasing number of events that have Capital One ticket presales, so this is a nice way to access those presales.
PROS:
Easy to use miles
Primary rental car insurance
Visa - accepted more places than Amex
CONS:
Not as many transfer partners as Amex and Chase, though there is some overlap
Capital One can be weird with approvals - they have their own unique system
If you have any questions about any of these cards, hit me up! I'm happy to guide you through.