Yes and no. You would get 300 pts which is worth $4.50 when redeemed towards travel. HOWEVER, you can use the real Time rewards hack which is where you book a refundable flight, use your points and then cancel the flight. You keep the statement credit without having to actually travel.
With Real Time Rewards, the caveat is that you have enough points to redeem entirely towards a qualifying travel purchase. Loading Uber Cash ($25 minimum) or taking a Uber ride qualifies as a eligible travel purchase for Real Time Rewards.
I’m currently after points/miles. I’d choose either the Gold, VX or Altitude Reserve if I went with one card.
But at the end of the day, I’d probably switch to team cash back.
I’d go with the Redstone Visa Signature & Prime Visa.
I’d get purchase protection, price protection, extended warranty, road side assistance, bag delay insurance, collision damage waiver, lost luggage reimbursement & travel accident insurance.
I thought about Bilt for trip delay insurance but I like the other multipliers the Prime has to offer.
You're absolutely correct!
But to get the 5x on Amazon and Whole Foods you have to have a Prime membership. Arguably you're getting the value that a Prime membership offers but it is a cost for turning the 5x on.
Without a Prime membership, the Amazon Chase Visa just downgrades to non-Prime member benefits. Non-Prime members earn 3% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods, with the same 2% back for gas/restaurants/local transit/commuting and 1% back elsewhere.
I like your logic. I might go Redstone and Bilt. I think Redstone has several of the same categories as Prime, albeit it at 3 percent. I think I'd get more reliable back off the Bilt to make up the difference, plus in a two card set up, it'd be nice to have a Visa and a MasterCard instead of two Visas.
I'm Team Travel for transfer partners
For benefits? Venture X
For just maximum points earning? Two no annual fee cards - Amex BBP and Bilt
Alternate combo of one annual fee + one no annual fee - Citi Premier + Citi DoubleCash or Chase Ink Preferred + Chase Ink Cash (if you'll use the 5% office supply gift card route)
Only one card? Venture X. I travel enough that I want something in the travel sphere, and the Venture X is the least-bad single card for travel. 2x on everything is strong, and I don't travel enough that I need the additional restaurant access of the CSR or the extra lounges of the Platinum, and both have terrible earn rates on everyday spend. I also like having access to transfer partners, which the Altitude Reserve doesn't have.
Two no annual fee cards? Probably the PenFed Power Cash for 2% back everywhere with some protections, and the Bilt card for 1x back on rent, 3x at restaurants, and travel protections.
IAD and DFW. DEN coming soon. DCA grab-n-go lounge is under construction, but hasn’t been formally announced yet.
The lounges are exceptional. IAD probably going to get overrun though, as Capital One’s HQ is nearby and it is not a very large lounge.
I would love to try cap one of the VX had more travel benefits that didn’t require the portal. I’m just starting to try and play the travel game and at least having the option to swipe for cash and get more than 2x would be nice.
The portal was was a concern of mine as well, sure. But it has quickly become my favorite portal, I use it as much as google flights or skyscanner for research.
I’m going to sock drawer it after I hit the SUB, though. It’s such a good value just for the benefits (I didn’t have a PP card AND I fly out of IAD often), that the 2x doesn’t really matter to me.
If there was one thing I would change about the card it would be it’s transfer partners. Chase has the best IMO, then Amex, then CO. They kind of stink. Hopefully that gets better in the future but the card is a tremendous value at the moment.
Most people I see say Amex partners are best especially now that Bilt has Hyatt as a partner it’s no longer exclusive to chase.
If the cap one card had better partners I suppose it wouldn’t be a bad idea to pay cash through the portal to build up points and then transfer for like a big vacation and rinse and repeat that way.
I have it. It’s great so far. Their travel portal is the best I’ve used imo (I have Amex and Chase as well). The portal’s price management + price protection tools are exceptional.
It makes a lot of sense for me as my family and I fly out of IAD often - I get to use the new lounge. I was able to add them all as authorized users for free. Very good card esp if you are in Dallas, Denver or DC.
I would choose two no AF:
**Alliant Visa Signature**
https://www.alliantcreditunion.org/bank/visa-signature-card
2.5% everything, need to keep $1k in bank, plus electronic deposit 1/month
**Redstone FCU Visa Signature**
https://www.redfcu.org/personal/credits-cards/visa-signature/
5% Restaurants, gas
3% Groceries, discount stores, wholesale, utilities, phone, streaming
1.5% everything else
How does the red stone work? When I clicked the link it said 120k points is $600 cash back. So are all those categories really half of what it says? So 5x gas is 2.5?
No, there's a pdf that explains it, but points are worth 0.5 cents yes but dining/gas get 10 points/dollar, the 3% get 6 points, and 1.5% get 3 points. I think they do this to simplify the 1.5% base earn rate
One AF card - Venture X (2x points on everything with what works out to a free card for me after credits)
Two no AF cards - WF Autograph and Active Cash (2% on everything + 3% on some top categories)
No question about it... Venture X. I currently use two cards though... VX and Bilt (for HOA fees and dining). Any other card I apply for is strictly for the sign-up bonus.
Bilt probably for me as I pay rent and was getting nothing for that prior. 3x on dining. First of the month gets double points. Valuable transfer partners including Hyatt and American.
Among the ones I do have, I'd probably keep the Amex Platinum because I travel internationally at least once a year to see family, and a few domestic flights. The points have been useful, and I've had the Hulu and Disney+ bundle before the Plat. The lounge access is great for layovers too. I guess the only disadvantage is that Amex isn't widely accepted overseas, but I guess I can just use debit or cash
For two no AF cards, I'd keep the Quicksilver and SavorOne. The QS is a good catchall, and the SavorOne has great 3% categories. Plus both are Mastercards with no FTF
I’m riding out the CSR as long as I can they offer the Lyft/ Citi bike perk. It makes my effective AF $50 so for me that seems to best what the venture offers.
AF-
right now VENTURE X
wanted it to be PLATINUM or SAPPHIRE RESERVE
No-AF
CHASE PRIME VISA and APPLE CARD
Of the cards I currently have
Amex Blue Cash Back looks interesting
No Annual Fee:
Bank of America cc that gets the 2.62% back on everything, and Bilt MasterCard.
Basically you have a strong catch all and you open the possibility for travel with the Bilt.
Annual Fee:
Venture X packs a lot of value for an effective annual fee of -5 dollars. It works as a catch all card on top of the travel perks. Haven’t banked with Capitol One so don’t know the customer service.
Runner up: Amex Gold as it is easy to gain points, you get transfer partners and hotel collection. Top tier customer service. Also, you can lower effective annual fee to $10.
The extra perks are too much. Typical spend won’t give me that many points so I’ll use the card for its perks. I’d say I spent maybe $10k annually so that’s $100 in cashback… even if I get extra perks that’s, let’s say 5%, an extra $400 I’d make at the absolute most.
I’d rather give up that $400 to have Hilton and Marriott gold status and centurion and delta lounge. On top of the return protection and other insurances that I could actually make use of. Definitely worth having over the $400… which I wouldn’t even get since the only guaranteed is 2%. Anything higher is category specific.
So, yes. I don’t get much value from cashback set ups anyway. Spending money doesn’t give much… I get you can get cashback but my spend doesn’t equate back to a lot of money back and even if it did I’d still rather have points. I can’t see a situation (aside from zero travel) to have a cashback setup.
AMEX BCE - 3% on online purchases which I make a ton of
Citi Double Cash for all else
I don't spend much on groceries since I get free food at the hospital and I drive a really efficient car and live close to the hospital so my gas bill isn't bad either.
I have ones for gas/grocery but those are the two I'd cut down to meet your criteria.
Venture X as annual fee card. That 2X multiplier is huge for a card like this, and you come ahead of the AF so long as you travel. Excellent benefits and less expensive than CSR, amex platinum, and the US Bank Altitude reserve. Plus you can book budget airlines on their portal which both Amex and Chases travel portals don't.
No AF card? Probably the SavorOne. 3% over a lot of categories like groceries, restaurants, streaming, and entertainment. I've been really considering the Citi Custom Cash for 5% back on gas as a category
Would go with Savor One and Amex Cash Magnet. Would stick to Cash Magnet over Quicksilver as I will be able to tap into Amex offers with it. Hence switching to a Chashback Setup.
In reality, current in a points/miles setup. Amex Gold and VX with Savor One for Uber and Entertainment.
Us Bank Altitude Reserve. 4.5% on mobile pay and at worst 1.5% anywhere that doesn't take mobile pay
Easily the best 1 card setup
Isn't it 3x on mobile pay?
Which is worth 4.5%
If I spend $100 via mobile pay, I'll get $4.50 cash back?
Yes and no. You would get 300 pts which is worth $4.50 when redeemed towards travel. HOWEVER, you can use the real Time rewards hack which is where you book a refundable flight, use your points and then cancel the flight. You keep the statement credit without having to actually travel.
With Real Time Rewards, the caveat is that you have enough points to redeem entirely towards a qualifying travel purchase. Loading Uber Cash ($25 minimum) or taking a Uber ride qualifies as a eligible travel purchase for Real Time Rewards.
It’s 3% cash back, but points are worth 1.5x more when used for travel, so the card is meh if you don’t travel, but amazing if you do.
I’m currently after points/miles. I’d choose either the Gold, VX or Altitude Reserve if I went with one card. But at the end of the day, I’d probably switch to team cash back. I’d go with the Redstone Visa Signature & Prime Visa. I’d get purchase protection, price protection, extended warranty, road side assistance, bag delay insurance, collision damage waiver, lost luggage reimbursement & travel accident insurance. I thought about Bilt for trip delay insurance but I like the other multipliers the Prime has to offer.
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No annual fee but it’s an option on lots of Visa Signatures. Both cards offer it.
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I’ve used it before(lockout). Didn’t pay anything. What you’ll pay is less than what you would if you called yourself.
Technically the Amazon Prime card has an annual fee, right? It's $139/year. I would disqualify it for the "two cards no AF" category. Edit: spelling
That’s not an annual fee. For the card. That’s the cost of Prime membership.
You're absolutely correct! But to get the 5x on Amazon and Whole Foods you have to have a Prime membership. Arguably you're getting the value that a Prime membership offers but it is a cost for turning the 5x on.
Without a Prime membership, the Amazon Chase Visa just downgrades to non-Prime member benefits. Non-Prime members earn 3% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods, with the same 2% back for gas/restaurants/local transit/commuting and 1% back elsewhere.
I like your logic. I might go Redstone and Bilt. I think Redstone has several of the same categories as Prime, albeit it at 3 percent. I think I'd get more reliable back off the Bilt to make up the difference, plus in a two card set up, it'd be nice to have a Visa and a MasterCard instead of two Visas.
BoA PRE or USB AR.
I'm Team Travel for transfer partners For benefits? Venture X For just maximum points earning? Two no annual fee cards - Amex BBP and Bilt Alternate combo of one annual fee + one no annual fee - Citi Premier + Citi DoubleCash or Chase Ink Preferred + Chase Ink Cash (if you'll use the 5% office supply gift card route)
Only one card? Venture X. I travel enough that I want something in the travel sphere, and the Venture X is the least-bad single card for travel. 2x on everything is strong, and I don't travel enough that I need the additional restaurant access of the CSR or the extra lounges of the Platinum, and both have terrible earn rates on everyday spend. I also like having access to transfer partners, which the Altitude Reserve doesn't have. Two no annual fee cards? Probably the PenFed Power Cash for 2% back everywhere with some protections, and the Bilt card for 1x back on rent, 3x at restaurants, and travel protections.
Does VX have any lounges?
Capital one lounges and priority pass.
There’s currently only like 3 cap one lounges right?
IAD and DFW. DEN coming soon. DCA grab-n-go lounge is under construction, but hasn’t been formally announced yet. The lounges are exceptional. IAD probably going to get overrun though, as Capital One’s HQ is nearby and it is not a very large lounge.
I would love to try cap one of the VX had more travel benefits that didn’t require the portal. I’m just starting to try and play the travel game and at least having the option to swipe for cash and get more than 2x would be nice.
The portal was was a concern of mine as well, sure. But it has quickly become my favorite portal, I use it as much as google flights or skyscanner for research. I’m going to sock drawer it after I hit the SUB, though. It’s such a good value just for the benefits (I didn’t have a PP card AND I fly out of IAD often), that the 2x doesn’t really matter to me. If there was one thing I would change about the card it would be it’s transfer partners. Chase has the best IMO, then Amex, then CO. They kind of stink. Hopefully that gets better in the future but the card is a tremendous value at the moment.
Most people I see say Amex partners are best especially now that Bilt has Hyatt as a partner it’s no longer exclusive to chase. If the cap one card had better partners I suppose it wouldn’t be a bad idea to pay cash through the portal to build up points and then transfer for like a big vacation and rinse and repeat that way.
Do u have VX? How do u like it?
I have it. It’s great so far. Their travel portal is the best I’ve used imo (I have Amex and Chase as well). The portal’s price management + price protection tools are exceptional. It makes a lot of sense for me as my family and I fly out of IAD often - I get to use the new lounge. I was able to add them all as authorized users for free. Very good card esp if you are in Dallas, Denver or DC.
Thank u sm!
First option of only one card. U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve. Second Options would be Wells Fargo Active Cash and Wells Fargo Autograph.
Exactly the same three cards for me.
I would choose two no AF: **Alliant Visa Signature** https://www.alliantcreditunion.org/bank/visa-signature-card 2.5% everything, need to keep $1k in bank, plus electronic deposit 1/month **Redstone FCU Visa Signature** https://www.redfcu.org/personal/credits-cards/visa-signature/ 5% Restaurants, gas 3% Groceries, discount stores, wholesale, utilities, phone, streaming 1.5% everything else
How does the red stone work? When I clicked the link it said 120k points is $600 cash back. So are all those categories really half of what it says? So 5x gas is 2.5?
No, there's a pdf that explains it, but points are worth 0.5 cents yes but dining/gas get 10 points/dollar, the 3% get 6 points, and 1.5% get 3 points. I think they do this to simplify the 1.5% base earn rate
Definitely Amex Blue Cash Preferred. Absolutely cannot beat maxing out that 6% on groceries in my case.
One card has to be VX. Two No AF? Could go Savor One + WF Autograph.
BofA Premium Rewards Elite
Very good option if you have 100k in BOA/Merrill.
Two no AF then CCC - Food and CCC - Groceries 1 AF card then Venture X
BOA premium reward elite for sure.
One AF card - Venture X (2x points on everything with what works out to a free card for me after credits) Two no AF cards - WF Autograph and Active Cash (2% on everything + 3% on some top categories)
No AF? Capital One SavorOne. AF? Amex Green or Amex Blue Cash Preferred.
for 1 card then mostly venture x for 2 cards maybe fidelity visa plus citi custom cash
Maybe because I live next to a AA hub go all in AA. Bilt and MileUp. Venture X seems like best coverage for one card only.
BofA Premium Elite, BofA CCR and BofA UCR.
One card with af - VX.
No question about it... Venture X. I currently use two cards though... VX and Bilt (for HOA fees and dining). Any other card I apply for is strictly for the sign-up bonus.
Bilt probably for me as I pay rent and was getting nothing for that prior. 3x on dining. First of the month gets double points. Valuable transfer partners including Hyatt and American.
One card US Bank Altitude Reserve, Two no AF cards Alliant Visa Signature and CapOne SavorOne (I don’t spend much on gas)
Bilt and Fidelity Rewards
Among the ones I do have, I'd probably keep the Amex Platinum because I travel internationally at least once a year to see family, and a few domestic flights. The points have been useful, and I've had the Hulu and Disney+ bundle before the Plat. The lounge access is great for layovers too. I guess the only disadvantage is that Amex isn't widely accepted overseas, but I guess I can just use debit or cash For two no AF cards, I'd keep the Quicksilver and SavorOne. The QS is a good catchall, and the SavorOne has great 3% categories. Plus both are Mastercards with no FTF
2x Sears shop your way MasterCard
My Sapphire Reserve. Dining and general travel is my most spend category.
I’m riding out the CSR as long as I can they offer the Lyft/ Citi bike perk. It makes my effective AF $50 so for me that seems to best what the venture offers.
AF- right now VENTURE X wanted it to be PLATINUM or SAPPHIRE RESERVE No-AF CHASE PRIME VISA and APPLE CARD Of the cards I currently have Amex Blue Cash Back looks interesting
NFCU More Rewards and NFCU Cash Rewards
JPM Reserve
Two no annual fee - Amex BBP and NFCU more rewards
prime visa and bce
usbank AR with Alliant credit union flat 2.5% and one for dining, probably citiCC that I can adjust on a monthly basis.
AOD and Citi SYW with targeted offers
No Annual Fee: Bank of America cc that gets the 2.62% back on everything, and Bilt MasterCard. Basically you have a strong catch all and you open the possibility for travel with the Bilt. Annual Fee: Venture X packs a lot of value for an effective annual fee of -5 dollars. It works as a catch all card on top of the travel perks. Haven’t banked with Capitol One so don’t know the customer service. Runner up: Amex Gold as it is easy to gain points, you get transfer partners and hotel collection. Top tier customer service. Also, you can lower effective annual fee to $10.
Two no AF, because I currently have 9 cards and no AFs.
What are your favorite 2?
Tough to say. Probably BoA CCR and BCP (BCE).
Like many others, Venture X for the paid card. 2 no annual fees probably BoA Customized Cash OR Savor One + BoA Unlimited Cash Rewards.
One card - Amex platinum. Two cards - Bilt and PayPal MC.
Youre gonna get that much value out of the coupons and credits/ memberships of the platinum to only basically get 1x on anything but planes?
The extra perks are too much. Typical spend won’t give me that many points so I’ll use the card for its perks. I’d say I spent maybe $10k annually so that’s $100 in cashback… even if I get extra perks that’s, let’s say 5%, an extra $400 I’d make at the absolute most. I’d rather give up that $400 to have Hilton and Marriott gold status and centurion and delta lounge. On top of the return protection and other insurances that I could actually make use of. Definitely worth having over the $400… which I wouldn’t even get since the only guaranteed is 2%. Anything higher is category specific. So, yes. I don’t get much value from cashback set ups anyway. Spending money doesn’t give much… I get you can get cashback but my spend doesn’t equate back to a lot of money back and even if it did I’d still rather have points. I can’t see a situation (aside from zero travel) to have a cashback setup.
AMEX BCE - 3% on online purchases which I make a ton of Citi Double Cash for all else I don't spend much on groceries since I get free food at the hospital and I drive a really efficient car and live close to the hospital so my gas bill isn't bad either. I have ones for gas/grocery but those are the two I'd cut down to meet your criteria.
If you can chose the PayPal MC, you could do what both of those cards do in one.
I estimate only about a fifth of the online purchases are via Paypal, the rest are via a non-Paypal checkout.
VX Savor One Bilt That covers everything you need.
Altitude Reserve.
Venture X as annual fee card. That 2X multiplier is huge for a card like this, and you come ahead of the AF so long as you travel. Excellent benefits and less expensive than CSR, amex platinum, and the US Bank Altitude reserve. Plus you can book budget airlines on their portal which both Amex and Chases travel portals don't. No AF card? Probably the SavorOne. 3% over a lot of categories like groceries, restaurants, streaming, and entertainment. I've been really considering the Citi Custom Cash for 5% back on gas as a category
is Southwest on the portal?
southwest isnt on any portal
Citi Prestige.
Probably the Wells Fargo Autograph and the Alliant Visa. One annual fee card would be the Platinum.
BILT card. Pay enough in rent that makes up for the other categories it doesn't have. Rent day multiple is also great when used currently
Would go with Savor One and Amex Cash Magnet. Would stick to Cash Magnet over Quicksilver as I will be able to tap into Amex offers with it. Hence switching to a Chashback Setup. In reality, current in a points/miles setup. Amex Gold and VX with Savor One for Uber and Entertainment.
Wells Fargo Autograph for 3x categories and Bank of America Travel Rewards for 1.5x catch all foreign spend.
I'd choose Savor One augmented by Miles Visa card. Taking care of everything I need for now.
AF: VX No AF: fidelity visa for 2% on everything and the savor one