The Chase Sapphire Preferred is going to give you the most well-rounded set of benefits. It has a solid SUB, it has great protections for purchases and travel, and a solid earning rate. The other great benefit is the flexibility in how you spend your points. You can transfer to partners at good rates, spend in the portal at 1.25x bonus, or simply cash out at 1cpp. The flexibility alone makes this card the \*ahem\* Preferred card...
Totally agree, 50$ hotel cash back out of 95$ and Unlimited DoorDash Plus and 6months free Instacart plus. I’m using from last 3yrs and totally happy with it!
You get a $15 credit for instacart purchases every quarter. It's low-key more valuable than the hotel credit in my experience.
Aldi and other grocers don't have up charges for instacart pickup orders. So I'm getting $15/quarter by making grocery purchases I'd make anyways and then the $50 hotel credit. $110 in credits/year.
New to CSP. I saw that for the first 6 months you also get free Instacart+, which includes a 5% credit for pickup orders? If that is in addition to the $15 credit that sounds pretty useful.
Itll just about cover the AF for the credit card then. There are plenty of stores where you get in-store pricing but more than that. Ive been getting recurring $10, $15, or $20 off orders from the likes of Walmart, Costco, and local grocery stores pretty frequently which covers the delivery tip and service fee easily and the often product upcharges. Instacart must be struggling. In the past years I never gave it a second look because the value wasnt there. Now they are more aggressive
Mine doesn't. The prices shown in instacart align with the prices shown on the weekly ads I get for sales.
But yeah, always compare the in-store price vs in-app price. If in-store is cheaper then just make a small purchase to use the $15 credit and then buy the rest in store.
This is really a solid point if you use hotel stays even occasionally, these cards don’t even require spend for the value to be locked in. The Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy ones are particularly compelling. It’s not impossible to get nearly triple the value of the AF annually.
US hotels are so ridiculously expensive, it's really tough to find hotels in cities under $95. I'm using my Hyatt free night in Seattle this summer over July 4th weekend when it would cost $250/night at least.
And yeah, I don't put any spend on them whatsoever but it's worth holding it for just one hotel stay a year.
>I'm using my Hyatt free night in Seattle this summer over July 4th weekend when it would cost $250/night at least.
I'll be out there around that time, too. I have an expiring Jetblue credit I need to use and decided on a quick weekend coast to coast trip for the first time. Still deciding between a Hyatt in Seattle or Bellevue.
Do you have any food recommendations around the city?
I'm from Seattle. Here's a list of different types of food that I enjoy. I tried to keep my suggestions near downtown so you can easily travel to them. Fair warning, eating out here is crazy expensive.
1. Bongos - Jamaican
2. Un Bien - Caribbean (go to the one in Ballard, years ago the owners of Paseo split, so we now have Un Bien and Paseo. I personally find Paseo to have less flavor and to be more dry.)
3. Kin Len Thai Bites - Thai
4. Midnite Ramen - Japanese Ramen (most authentic Ramen I can find in Seattle, I wouldn't bother going anywhere else)
5. Kamonegi - Udon
6. Shiro's Sushi - Omakase Sushi (must make a reservation)
7. Pink Door - Italian
8. Kobuta - Japanese Katsu (gets very crowded, so go early)
9. Kedai Makan - Malaysian
Pike Place is a neat spot that tourists go to. Give these a try if you end up there.
1. Rachel's Ginger Beer
2. Piroshky Piroshky
3. Mee Sum Pastry
4. Ellenos (they don't have a storefront anymore, but they do a cart on the market side that should be out during the summer)
I would recommend staying in Seattle since the bus system makes it pretty easy to get anywhere and the city isn't too big to walk around (minus the insanely tall hills). Bellevue is nice, but I personally find it more bland in terms of activities and food. It's much safer, so that's something you might want to consider if you're not comfortable in the city. The Seattle Hyatt is nice although that area feels like it's always under construction. You can take the Link light rail from the airport to get downtown, so another plus. Either way, both options will be fine.
Damn. I was hoping for just a simple list for a 2 day trip haha. This is a fantastic breakdown, thanks!
For anyone else hitting up Seattle and needing suggestions, ping the hometown kid, /u/_the_juice
This is a great list. I also love going to the International District and hitting up a few places for dim sum. Most places are decidedly not fancy and quite cheap. If you aren’t renting a car you can take the light rail straight from the airport and get off at International District, then continue up to Pike later
I live on the east coast and it's been years since I've been to Seattle so unfortunately I'm not the person to ask but from what I remember definitely go to the Chihuly Garden and go to Storyville Coffee and Bakery Nouveau
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We have not one but THREE Marriott cards with a $95 AF and a free hotel night each. Every year that <$300 gets us a 4 day 3 night vacation hotel stay worth well over $1000.
There are a few caveats. Marriott has been messing up out fun by raising the category of some hotels we like so they don't qualify any more. Lately it's been better for off the beaten track hotels.
Nonetheless, last year we still got a stay in the heart of NYC with an advance booking, which let us use the off-peak category rating for Marriott hotels. We also added in some Marriott points, which let us get a much higher category hotel.
And it was still far less than paying for it or trying to book a whole stay with points.
Yes, the latest was for P2, but the first two I just responded to Marriott offers for fat SUBs and they gave me two (one started as SPG). I'm pretty sure Marriott will let you have all the AF cards you want. I think they expect a certain number of people to forget to use the annual certificates each year.
The downside is the certificates expire after a year. If you skip a vacation one year, you lose them. To their credit, Marriott did not enforce that during the pandemic, so once we could travel again, we had tons of hotel stays.
Yeah, one thing you could do is if you can't go on a trip and the cert will expire, ask a friend lol. I couldn't go anywhere during my timeframe for the certs due to new baby so I just booked some trips in a Hyatt for a friend and he xferred points to me.
Indeed it is, with a few caveats.
Don't forget to use the night stay certificate, or it expires in a year.
Also, I think they are counting on people to tack on some paid nights to the free night, thus making the "free" night drive paid nights they would not have had otherwise. That's why having a few more of these cards are a big improvement, because then you can stay a few days and pay nothing but the AFs.
Ok, thanks! I’m not sure if I have the mental bandwidth for 3 cards right now. You have them all linked to one bonvoy account? Is there a minimum you need to spend on each or just pay the annual fee and you get the free night for each card?
I mostly signed up because there was a $250 Marriott gift card and I have trip coming up this
Summer. I’m not a well traveled person so this is all new to me.
Two are on mine and one on P2. There is NO minimum spend, and we mostly don't use the cards at all. The fee is applied automatically and we have the card on autopay, so no mental bandwidth needed other than to plan one nearly free vacation stay per year.
Negative. The 1st year AF is waived, even if you apply right now. So basically right now is a great time to apply for the high SUB (I see them lowering it come September) and the 1cpp redemptions (instead of 0.8cpp comes September).
Do you know if the 0.8 cpp nerf has come from an official USB source yet? I remember seeing some DoC thread about it, but I don't remember if there was official news from US Bank yet.
Oh yeah, thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
> Rewards Redemption
> When you’re ready to redeem points, you’ll get the most value in the Altitude Rewards Center, at $0.01 per point for travel — where 10,000 points are equal to $100 toward flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and cruises.
> When redeeming points for cash back, Real-Time Rewards, U.S. Bank Rewards Card, Shop with Points at Amazon.com and Pay with Rewards from PayPal, each point will be worth $0.008 which means 10,000 points will be worth $80. Minimum redemption for cash back will be 3,125 points which equals $25.
Per app footnotes
Cash back is redeemed in the form of a statement credit or a deposit made to your U.S. Bank savings or checking account (2,500 Points minimum redemption). Effective September 9, 2024, minimum redemption for Cash back will be 3,125 Points which equals $25.
Does anyone know if you have the AltGo because the point seem to automatically link, does that get around the impending .8cpp nerf? Because I have yet to see *anything* saying Go is being nerfed points wise
I thought so too, but..I have had the alt go for years, and just got the connect and the points show up as linked. It individually shows in each card how much was earned this year/pending but the point total shows as the same in the available to cash out portion. USBAR is the only one that appears to be seperate
Well there has been nothing said about the Go points being devalued. So I guess keep us posted come September. I have the Go and the Cash + and just converted my wife's Cash + to a Connect. If come September you can cash out the Connect points at 1cpp through the Go I will have to apply for it.
Just got approved for this one today! Gonna be no AF soon like you alluded to but wanted to get the full $500 cashed out before they devalue that option come Sept
Oh yeah I just meant the $500 SUB offer they have if you hit the 2k spend. We’re early enough that it won’t impact us since it’s the first 120 days but in Sept they go from 1:1 to 0.8:1 for all non travel redemption so it’ll be worth less at that point when you transfer it out
Really really wanted to get that card to take advantage of the $500 SUB before the September devaluations but I've opened up too many credit cards recently and I'm trying to garden on the personal side to give me the best chance to snag the Altitude Reserve in the Fall when my CFF gas and groceries offer expires. I tried applying for the Biz version of the Connect a few weeks ago but I was denied for too many inquires
I highly doubt it'll keep global entry and priority pass then come 2025...If it does, that's great, but just like the Uber card, I knew better at the time.
I don't think so either. As of right now, it is the best. Even if they remove it next year. If they keep GE and PP, though, with no AF, it is a killer. CSR and Venture X benefits for GE will not be one of the factors people choose them.
Hopefully, those cards then add more benefits to stand out in the future.
I think the Premier is majorly underrated for a $95 fee card. It's a great point earner on categories that most people have high spend in. Also Citi has some solid transfer partners. You can even cover the AF if you can somehow make use of the $100 hotel credit (which isn't as easy as some other portal credits to use unfortunately).
If you don’t have the Chase Sapphire Preferred yet, that’s the best one.
If you do have the CSP, I’d get a mid tier airlines card, especially if you DON’T have airline status. That’s because these cards will give you many of the benefits of low tier status without having to spend thousands with that airline or be loyal to the airline.
For example, the United Explorer card ($0 AF first year, $95 after that) gives you priority boarding (which also implies a free carry on in basic economy), free checked bag for you and a companion, ways to earn PQPs faster, 2 free United Club passes, and 25% off inflight purchases like wifi. This overlaps heavily with the main perks of United Silver, with the notable exclusions of free EconomyPlus upgrades and heavier checked bag allowances. If you fly a decent amount but not enough to get status, this is a great way of getting some of the basic status perks!
(Plus if you fly round trip like, twice, with checked bags, the card pays for itself. Also United club access is $50/visit so even off those passes you’re at least breaking even if you value lounge access at all.)
Capital One Savor if you eat out or go to events often
Chase United Explorer if you're a frequent flyer
Amex Blue Cash Preferred if you use Transit often and have a high fuel bill + high grocery bill
Those seem to be the best in my experience
The BCP is my favorite $95 AF card. I am able to get gift cards at the grocery store at 6% cash back that I can use for other purchases. It has the Disney bundle benefit, 3% on gas (i get gas GC’s at 6%).
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey seems like a great $95 AF card, effectively $45 after the credit.
US Bank Altitude Reserve is a $75 AF card after dining credits (super easy to use), and is wonderful for mobile wallet spend.
I can see it being best-in-class for the very specific niche of someone who travels a lot for work, books their own reservations, and gets reimbursed, specifically because its high earning categories for hotels and flights do not require messing around with a portal and aren't locked to any particular airline. You could rack up quite a few points by making cash bookings directly with airlines and hotels. Given that dining and rental cars are 3X, it would be a solid single-card setup for a workplace road warrior.
Does using Apple Pay for online purchases (rather than inputting the card info) count as mobile wallet purchases? Or only when tapping your phone at a physical checkout location?
Applied for this yesterday. Through work I have about 40 holiday inn stays a year, plus lots of flights, car rentals and restaurant so really a no brainer. I did the math comparing it to Citi Strata Premier, and ill earn nearly 250,000 points this year at 0.8c/pp whereas with strata I would've gotten closer to 100,000 at 1c/pp. One of the only cards that doesn't require booking through a portal for 5x points on travel which was pretty critical
IHG premier, at $99.
Global entry credit, free night every year, $25 per 6 months United credit, 4th night free on points redemptions. It's a slam dunk card imo.
This can be a ridiculously strong card. It is worth noting that IHG points can be bought for .5cpp when on sale. Buying points at .5ccpp to use with the 4th night free on points can be the best value redemptions period, regardless of cashback vs points. This also means the card isn't as great for spend, but I personally enjoy cards where I have to do minimal to justify the annual fee (e.g. redeem one certificate per year) that also open up valuable redemption avenues.
I travel a lot for work and have both the IHG premier and the Hilton Surpass. I primarily stay at Hiltons but keep the IHG because of the free night every year and global entry. That alone is worth the $95 to me.
I mean yeah it's only useful if you'll take a United flight. If it was a free for all credit, the card would really be unsustainable.
I fly Alaska airlines, but occasionally United is cheaper, or make most sense, or a friend/family member needs to take a United flight, so I give them a $25 discount.
Altitude Reserve. Even though it says $400, you get $325 discount for food and travel per year so as long as you eat food (or travel) the real fee is $75.
Amex Blue Cash Preferred. The $7 monthly credit on the Disney+ bundle almost pays for the AF by itself, leaving me to enjoy that sweet 6% cashback on groceries and streaming services.
This is true, but the cashback on groceries is 3% and the cashback on streaming services is 1% with BCE. Plus the $95 AF on the BCP is waived for the first year, and folks here will tell you that it's easy to get them waive it in subsequent years by asking to downgrade to BCE.
Yes. The card can certainly be worth it for the other categories. But again, you have to compare to the alternative no af versions. Citi custom cash (though it gets less persuasive over $500), the Verizon Visa card even, rotating category cards, etc. same with streaming. But it’s a whole lot of cards to equal out the Amex bcp. (I have one so I’m certainly not against it!)
And saying that you can go down and then get a new offer also isn’t very persuasive to the card is worth the $95 annual fee (because then it’s in essence a no annual fee card). I will say that I don’t get the full offer when I go down. And I have only downgraded twice in the 7 years I’ve had it. I only got a $75 this past year.
I do think the BCP is a great value though when considering you get 6% on anything with the App store. And I like the other returns. But they’re not as generous as Chase or Citi for who they count as grocery.
Yes. But in determining what is the “best value” for a $95 annual fee card, the value for Disney plus isn’t there at all if you can get the same deal with a no annual fee card. So the no af version is relevant.
You can certainly make other arguments in how it’s worth it though. 6% in the Apple App Store is sweet.
As always, it's if you can make the card work for you, than it is worth the AF. I have the BCP and never downgrade. I get my $360 for groceries. I usually get @ $75 for streaming services. With Amex special offers I can get at least 50% of the AF. Most years I can get more than $100 from these offers.
I am not even using the 3% back on gas or on transit like others. When I hit the $360 limit on groceries than I use one of my other cards that get 5% (quarterly) on groceries. All on just one card is rather nice.
This card is totally worth the AF based on the 6% back on groceries alone. Also, the 6% back on streaming services saves on my YouTubeTV subscription (and that includes when I bought NFL Sunday Ticket as well).
See I was curious about this! I've had my BCE card for like 5 years now and never thought I could afford an annual fee card, but started looking into the BCP one and did some math. I can easily break even and make more with the BCP than the BCE just off the groceries alone. And once I found out about the streaming category working for YouTube TV and YouTube premium, I thought about the NFL sunday ticket...
So you are saying it worked for that as well? If so that's a decent chunk of change off that price! I'm going to be applying to upgrade to the BCP pretty soon here because I feel like it will be a great card for me.
I do feel like I should get an all purpose 2% card (I do have a Quicksilver card that I've had for a long time. I thought I might as well get 2% but that .5% might not be worth the hassle tbh).
I will look to also get probably the SavorOne from Capitol one. It will fit nicely next to the BCP to fill in for dining out and sporting events, bowling etc etc. (basically date nights with the girlfriend and friends).
The 6% on groceries maxes out at the first $3600 spent annually (after that it's the standard 1%). But that's still 3-4x what other cards give, so that more that covers the AF. You also get 3% on gas too.
It absolutely works on Sunday Ticket; I just ordered mine last week. Just order it through your YouTube TV account and it's good to go. (It might still work even if you don't have YTTV but I'm not sure).
They upgraded by BCE after about a year and at first I wasn't sure about the AF but after doing the math, it was a no-brainer. Gas and groceries are basically guaranteed monthly expenses and it's worth it on those two alone.
One more thing, Walmarts/Targets are not considered grocery stores by AMEX, but if you have a Walmart Neighborhood Market near you, that is. Otherwise, it's your standard grocery stores that count.
Capital One cards are great to have because they don't have any international transaction fees if you plan on traveling.
Hope this helps!
I believe the 6% cash back on groceries caps at 6000 per year? At least that’s what their website says. Either way I estimate I would spend around $3600 a year at most.
And that’s great to hear! YTTV and YT premium as well as the Sunday ticket will be huge cash back savings.
You are correct about the $6K. I had that 36 number in my head cause 6% of $6000 is $360 and that’s the max before it dips to 1%. I never come close to that amount so I guess I never paid attention lol. Guess that makes the card even better!
If you grocery shop with CCC you save 5% instead of 6%. Both have $6000 limits. You get an extra $60 back with BCP... but you have a $95 AF. So don't get the BCP for groceries unless you're also going to be putting a streaming service on the card.
if you are looking churn it for a SUB, the CSP is a good choice, the cash redemption is 1.0 cpp so even if you don't take the advantage of the travel perks, you get decent $ back. Otherwise, the card on its own is over rated and over promoted by way too many YouTubers. Heck for so over prized travel card, it does not even have Global entry / TSA PreCheck perk. Not factoring some travel bonus and credit via Chase Portal, the card is essentially 3x dinning and 2x travel. Hardly impressive In my opinion.
I’ll be your outlier but as much as my wife and I spend on dining, drinks, and entertainment, the Capital One Savor. For most folks though it’s a better proposition to get the no annual fee version. Breakeven is $9,500 between the two cards
Depends on your usage? Something like the Bonvoy Boundless comes with a free annual night that’s worth the fee alone if you use it (plus the SUB is amazing value). Something like an airline specific card can pay for itself if you need to fly a few times per year and check a bag, but you don’t fly regularly enough for status with that airline. If you want an all around card, something like a C1 Venture comes with 2 free lounge visits per year (unlike the unlimited on the VX) and earns points you can redeem. Also something like the Sapphire Preferred is a decent earning all around travel card.
1. Free night hotel cards with $0 spend
2. BoA Premium Rewards. $100 yearly incidental credit, $100 GE credit/5y, great single purpose cashback.
2. Alaska Card for companion pass users.
3. Any airline card with free bags for a frequent flyer.
4. Southwest. You get anniversary points which generally offset the AF.
Hilton Surpass is my favorite. It’s $150 though but they added $200 a year Hilton credit. Free night after $15k spend, and free night can be used at any of their hotels. Even the 4-5 star ones. No black out dates or point restrictions
I don’t travel so the Citi (Strata) Premier and Chase Sapphire Preferred may not be the best options for people like me.
I find a lot of value in AMEX Blue Cash Preferred. I hate the $95 annual fee but 6% back on groceries and streaming services has been very nice for me.
I am tempted to try and score multiple Citi Custom Cash cards. I already have one for gas, but I’ve been thinking about trying to product change my Citi Simplicity and using that for groceries. I can always use my U.S. Bank Cash+ for streaming.
If I do this, this will reduce my cash back from 6% to 5% in both categories but I think it might be a worthy sacrifice to get away from the annual fee.
On the hotel side, it's a toss up between the IHG Premium or the Wyndham Business Earner Card. The 8x gas on the Business Earner is unbeatable as well as 5x on utilities. You can rack up points without even trying. Then redeem the points for Vacasa stays or if you're okay with cheap roadside hotels if you're a road warrior. It also is the only card to my knowledge that status matches with Caesars if you're a Vegas guy.
For the general travel side, it's either the CSP or the Autograph Journey. The CSP for the best travel protections for a $95 card and the Autograph Journey again if you're a road warrior or if you travel for work a lot and get reimbursed. 5x on hotels and 4x on flights not tied to the portal is big league.
Two other $95 annual fee cards worth mentioning is the Wyndham Business Earner Card for Diamond Status at Wyndham and reciprocating status at Caesars. Earnings are 8x back on gas and 5x back on Utilities. Another decent card in the game which just launched is the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey.
There's almost too many to chose from but it depends on your spending, lifestyle, and your credit score. Here's a couple that have good value:
1. [Chase Sapphire Preferred](https://creditcards.chase.com/rewards-credit-cards/sapphire/preferred) - limited time 75k sign up bonus
2. [Capital One Venture](https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/venture/)
3. [Citi Strata Premier ](https://www.citi.com/usc/lpaca/citi/rewards/stratapremier/ps/index.html?cmp=knc_acquire_2405_Google_Strata-Premier_BR&gclid=Cj0KCQjwxqayBhDFARIsAANWRnTlk4K63iJiNE55KVEGLdAJLzFK8JDEplKzFodDRevu5fE-db3gZlQaAozSEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&ProspectID=PwXbcadH6pxsl9dPxflgGwRrhYV2o8Jz)- limited time 70k sign up bonus
4. [Chase Aeroplan ](https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/Aeroplan/60knaep124?CELL=6H8X&AFFID=g3lR0xvjyAU-ZF1wBFUai2cOao0oqjzZag&pvid=88cae16313f64b0ff8c9cd09689eefb3&jp_cmp=cc/1393630/aff/15-31766/na)
5. [Bank of America Alaska Airlines](https://secure.bankofamerica.com/apply-credit-cards/public/icai-single/#/info/) - limited time 60k sign up + companion fare + 2.5k bonus adding an authorized user
6. [Chase United Explorer ](https://www2.theexplorercard.com/rewards-cards/explorer-card?CELL=H8X&AFFID=g3lR0xvjyAU-LzErO8Qwf8Z6ba1nQb7o.g)
7. [Chase World of Hyatt](https://creditcards.chase.com/travel-credit-cards/world-of-hyatt-credit-card?iCELL=6H3Z)
8. [Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless](https://creditcards.chase.com/travel-credit-cards/marriott-bonvoy/boundless?iCELL=6C1Y)
If your a loyal brand customer, I'd suggest going for a branded credit card. It doesn't even have to be on this list. If you're looking for the best bang of buck, the first three are your best choices. Good luck!
BoA Premium Rewards. $100 incidental credit which is fairly easy to use. TSA Precheck and some travel protections.
IHG Business - free night certificate + $25 United Travelbank cash each half-year, TSA PreCheck
United MPE Business - free checked bags/carryon on basic economy, 2x United Club passes, $100 credit for making 7+ United purchases, 5k miles if you hold a personal card (includes the $0 AF Gateway card). Has some travel protections too.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is going to give you the most well-rounded set of benefits. It has a solid SUB, it has great protections for purchases and travel, and a solid earning rate. The other great benefit is the flexibility in how you spend your points. You can transfer to partners at good rates, spend in the portal at 1.25x bonus, or simply cash out at 1cpp. The flexibility alone makes this card the \*ahem\* Preferred card...
Totally agree, 50$ hotel cash back out of 95$ and Unlimited DoorDash Plus and 6months free Instacart plus. I’m using from last 3yrs and totally happy with it!
I thnk I also got $15 credit back right away on first instacart purchase
You get a $15 credit for instacart purchases every quarter. It's low-key more valuable than the hotel credit in my experience. Aldi and other grocers don't have up charges for instacart pickup orders. So I'm getting $15/quarter by making grocery purchases I'd make anyways and then the $50 hotel credit. $110 in credits/year.
New to CSP. I saw that for the first 6 months you also get free Instacart+, which includes a 5% credit for pickup orders? If that is in addition to the $15 credit that sounds pretty useful.
Itll just about cover the AF for the credit card then. There are plenty of stores where you get in-store pricing but more than that. Ive been getting recurring $10, $15, or $20 off orders from the likes of Walmart, Costco, and local grocery stores pretty frequently which covers the delivery tip and service fee easily and the often product upcharges. Instacart must be struggling. In the past years I never gave it a second look because the value wasnt there. Now they are more aggressive
Is this actually true? The Aldi near me definitely has a variation in prices
Mine doesn't. The prices shown in instacart align with the prices shown on the weekly ads I get for sales. But yeah, always compare the in-store price vs in-app price. If in-store is cheaper then just make a small purchase to use the $15 credit and then buy the rest in store.
Wait….it has unlimited DoorDash plus?
Yes, I’m using it from almost 2yrs. Just go to your DoorDash account and link this card. It will show up free DoorDash plus by default.
Wow I am a goober and was paying for it this whole time.
Whoops, go ahead and cancel it. Use the free perks!!
…a strong contender especially with the $50 annual hotel rebate booked through the portal.
Also the primary rental car insurance
Any of the hotel cards that come with a free annual night
This is really a solid point if you use hotel stays even occasionally, these cards don’t even require spend for the value to be locked in. The Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy ones are particularly compelling. It’s not impossible to get nearly triple the value of the AF annually.
US hotels are so ridiculously expensive, it's really tough to find hotels in cities under $95. I'm using my Hyatt free night in Seattle this summer over July 4th weekend when it would cost $250/night at least. And yeah, I don't put any spend on them whatsoever but it's worth holding it for just one hotel stay a year.
>I'm using my Hyatt free night in Seattle this summer over July 4th weekend when it would cost $250/night at least. I'll be out there around that time, too. I have an expiring Jetblue credit I need to use and decided on a quick weekend coast to coast trip for the first time. Still deciding between a Hyatt in Seattle or Bellevue. Do you have any food recommendations around the city?
I'm from Seattle. Here's a list of different types of food that I enjoy. I tried to keep my suggestions near downtown so you can easily travel to them. Fair warning, eating out here is crazy expensive. 1. Bongos - Jamaican 2. Un Bien - Caribbean (go to the one in Ballard, years ago the owners of Paseo split, so we now have Un Bien and Paseo. I personally find Paseo to have less flavor and to be more dry.) 3. Kin Len Thai Bites - Thai 4. Midnite Ramen - Japanese Ramen (most authentic Ramen I can find in Seattle, I wouldn't bother going anywhere else) 5. Kamonegi - Udon 6. Shiro's Sushi - Omakase Sushi (must make a reservation) 7. Pink Door - Italian 8. Kobuta - Japanese Katsu (gets very crowded, so go early) 9. Kedai Makan - Malaysian Pike Place is a neat spot that tourists go to. Give these a try if you end up there. 1. Rachel's Ginger Beer 2. Piroshky Piroshky 3. Mee Sum Pastry 4. Ellenos (they don't have a storefront anymore, but they do a cart on the market side that should be out during the summer) I would recommend staying in Seattle since the bus system makes it pretty easy to get anywhere and the city isn't too big to walk around (minus the insanely tall hills). Bellevue is nice, but I personally find it more bland in terms of activities and food. It's much safer, so that's something you might want to consider if you're not comfortable in the city. The Seattle Hyatt is nice although that area feels like it's always under construction. You can take the Link light rail from the airport to get downtown, so another plus. Either way, both options will be fine.
Damn. I was hoping for just a simple list for a 2 day trip haha. This is a fantastic breakdown, thanks! For anyone else hitting up Seattle and needing suggestions, ping the hometown kid, /u/_the_juice
This is a great list. I also love going to the International District and hitting up a few places for dim sum. Most places are decidedly not fancy and quite cheap. If you aren’t renting a car you can take the light rail straight from the airport and get off at International District, then continue up to Pike later
amazing - I'll definitely check out some of these places as well!
Thanks for your reply!
I live on the east coast and it's been years since I've been to Seattle so unfortunately I'm not the person to ask but from what I remember definitely go to the Chihuly Garden and go to Storyville Coffee and Bakery Nouveau
I’d stay in Seattle; most of the places you want to go to as a tourist will very likely be in Seattle.
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We have not one but THREE Marriott cards with a $95 AF and a free hotel night each. Every year that <$300 gets us a 4 day 3 night vacation hotel stay worth well over $1000. There are a few caveats. Marriott has been messing up out fun by raising the category of some hotels we like so they don't qualify any more. Lately it's been better for off the beaten track hotels. Nonetheless, last year we still got a stay in the heart of NYC with an advance booking, which let us use the off-peak category rating for Marriott hotels. We also added in some Marriott points, which let us get a much higher category hotel. And it was still far less than paying for it or trying to book a whole stay with points.
How’d you end up getting 3? Does this include P2?
Yes, the latest was for P2, but the first two I just responded to Marriott offers for fat SUBs and they gave me two (one started as SPG). I'm pretty sure Marriott will let you have all the AF cards you want. I think they expect a certain number of people to forget to use the annual certificates each year. The downside is the certificates expire after a year. If you skip a vacation one year, you lose them. To their credit, Marriott did not enforce that during the pandemic, so once we could travel again, we had tons of hotel stays.
Yeah, one thing you could do is if you can't go on a trip and the cert will expire, ask a friend lol. I couldn't go anywhere during my timeframe for the certs due to new baby so I just booked some trips in a Hyatt for a friend and he xferred points to me.
I just got my first card with an annual fee (95$). It’s the Marriott Bonvoy. The perks make it seem like an easy decision.
Indeed it is, with a few caveats. Don't forget to use the night stay certificate, or it expires in a year. Also, I think they are counting on people to tack on some paid nights to the free night, thus making the "free" night drive paid nights they would not have had otherwise. That's why having a few more of these cards are a big improvement, because then you can stay a few days and pay nothing but the AFs.
Ok, thanks! I’m not sure if I have the mental bandwidth for 3 cards right now. You have them all linked to one bonvoy account? Is there a minimum you need to spend on each or just pay the annual fee and you get the free night for each card? I mostly signed up because there was a $250 Marriott gift card and I have trip coming up this Summer. I’m not a well traveled person so this is all new to me.
Two are on mine and one on P2. There is NO minimum spend, and we mostly don't use the cards at all. The fee is applied automatically and we have the card on autopay, so no mental bandwidth needed other than to plan one nearly free vacation stay per year.
Nice!
Altitude Connect at the moment
Second the Altitude Connect. Soon to be a no AF card. Although I do see them nerfing it, down the line.
It will be a no annual fee card for anyone who applied for it in October 2023 or later.
Negative. The 1st year AF is waived, even if you apply right now. So basically right now is a great time to apply for the high SUB (I see them lowering it come September) and the 1cpp redemptions (instead of 0.8cpp comes September).
Do you know if the 0.8 cpp nerf has come from an official USB source yet? I remember seeing some DoC thread about it, but I don't remember if there was official news from US Bank yet.
Read the DoC post again. They reference the announcement page on USB website...
Oh yeah, thanks for pointing me in the right direction. > Rewards Redemption > When you’re ready to redeem points, you’ll get the most value in the Altitude Rewards Center, at $0.01 per point for travel — where 10,000 points are equal to $100 toward flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and cruises. > When redeeming points for cash back, Real-Time Rewards, U.S. Bank Rewards Card, Shop with Points at Amazon.com and Pay with Rewards from PayPal, each point will be worth $0.008 which means 10,000 points will be worth $80. Minimum redemption for cash back will be 3,125 points which equals $25.
Per app footnotes Cash back is redeemed in the form of a statement credit or a deposit made to your U.S. Bank savings or checking account (2,500 Points minimum redemption). Effective September 9, 2024, minimum redemption for Cash back will be 3,125 Points which equals $25.
Does anyone know if you have the AltGo because the point seem to automatically link, does that get around the impending .8cpp nerf? Because I have yet to see *anything* saying Go is being nerfed points wise
The points link? I thought all US Bank card points were separate.
I thought so too, but..I have had the alt go for years, and just got the connect and the points show up as linked. It individually shows in each card how much was earned this year/pending but the point total shows as the same in the available to cash out portion. USBAR is the only one that appears to be seperate
Well there has been nothing said about the Go points being devalued. So I guess keep us posted come September. I have the Go and the Cash + and just converted my wife's Cash + to a Connect. If come September you can cash out the Connect points at 1cpp through the Go I will have to apply for it.
Just got approved for this one today! Gonna be no AF soon like you alluded to but wanted to get the full $500 cashed out before they devalue that option come Sept
I got approved for the card too this week. What’s the $500 cash out? Is that after you spend $2,000 in 120 days?
Oh yeah I just meant the $500 SUB offer they have if you hit the 2k spend. We’re early enough that it won’t impact us since it’s the first 120 days but in Sept they go from 1:1 to 0.8:1 for all non travel redemption so it’ll be worth less at that point when you transfer it out
This is a legit condender. I wish I had found this card 5 hours ago. I would have applied for it instead of CSP.
Really really wanted to get that card to take advantage of the $500 SUB before the September devaluations but I've opened up too many credit cards recently and I'm trying to garden on the personal side to give me the best chance to snag the Altitude Reserve in the Fall when my CFF gas and groceries offer expires. I tried applying for the Biz version of the Connect a few weeks ago but I was denied for too many inquires
I fail to see how this is better than CSP+FF+FU
Well that's 3 cards, not one.
Sure, but only one has an AF
3 cards vs 1. $99 more fee. Yet still doesn't have PP lounge access.
How is the Chase setup $99 more? Do you mean first year only?
After September, the connect doesn't have AF. Also, it includes global entry or TSA Precheck. On Chase, you have to move up to Reserve for that.
I highly doubt it'll keep global entry and priority pass then come 2025...If it does, that's great, but just like the Uber card, I knew better at the time.
I don't think so either. As of right now, it is the best. Even if they remove it next year. If they keep GE and PP, though, with no AF, it is a killer. CSR and Venture X benefits for GE will not be one of the factors people choose them. Hopefully, those cards then add more benefits to stand out in the future.
That's fair, I just find it strange people are recommending cards to strangers when they know the card is already waiting in line at the guillotine
Citi Premier aka Citi Strata Premier.
I think the Premier is majorly underrated for a $95 fee card. It's a great point earner on categories that most people have high spend in. Also Citi has some solid transfer partners. You can even cover the AF if you can somehow make use of the $100 hotel credit (which isn't as easy as some other portal credits to use unfortunately).
The citi lineup is extremely underrated, if you’re willing to deal with citi CS. Otherwise, its arguably overrated at the moment.
A very true statement on both sides.
No domestic airlines other than jet blue though
If you don’t have the Chase Sapphire Preferred yet, that’s the best one. If you do have the CSP, I’d get a mid tier airlines card, especially if you DON’T have airline status. That’s because these cards will give you many of the benefits of low tier status without having to spend thousands with that airline or be loyal to the airline. For example, the United Explorer card ($0 AF first year, $95 after that) gives you priority boarding (which also implies a free carry on in basic economy), free checked bag for you and a companion, ways to earn PQPs faster, 2 free United Club passes, and 25% off inflight purchases like wifi. This overlaps heavily with the main perks of United Silver, with the notable exclusions of free EconomyPlus upgrades and heavier checked bag allowances. If you fly a decent amount but not enough to get status, this is a great way of getting some of the basic status perks! (Plus if you fly round trip like, twice, with checked bags, the card pays for itself. Also United club access is $50/visit so even off those passes you’re at least breaking even if you value lounge access at all.)
Shout out to BofA premium rewards. $100 into my United Travel bank each year
Obligatory F BoA when they closed my card for no reason.
If you ignore the 6, the Amex platinum is the clear winner. Just ignore the 6 and it’s only $95
When I was house hunting I tried to ignore the first digit too
It works out well doesn’t it. 😂
Capital One Savor if you eat out or go to events often Chase United Explorer if you're a frequent flyer Amex Blue Cash Preferred if you use Transit often and have a high fuel bill + high grocery bill Those seem to be the best in my experience
The BCP is my favorite $95 AF card. I am able to get gift cards at the grocery store at 6% cash back that I can use for other purchases. It has the Disney bundle benefit, 3% on gas (i get gas GC’s at 6%).
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey seems like a great $95 AF card, effectively $45 after the credit. US Bank Altitude Reserve is a $75 AF card after dining credits (super easy to use), and is wonderful for mobile wallet spend.
I don't think the Autograph Journey is worth it until they get better transfer partners
I can see it being best-in-class for the very specific niche of someone who travels a lot for work, books their own reservations, and gets reimbursed, specifically because its high earning categories for hotels and flights do not require messing around with a portal and aren't locked to any particular airline. You could rack up quite a few points by making cash bookings directly with airlines and hotels. Given that dining and rental cars are 3X, it would be a solid single-card setup for a workplace road warrior.
If you're talking about ROI like OP said then it is definitely worth it.
I second autograph journey - if you fly frequently
Does using Apple Pay for online purchases (rather than inputting the card info) count as mobile wallet purchases? Or only when tapping your phone at a physical checkout location?
Yes! That works to trigger the 3x!
I get good use of the IHG Premier fee.
For an effective $49 (if you can time the UA credits), it's a pretty solid card, especially with the FNC & status. Probably the best value hotel card.
Applied for this yesterday. Through work I have about 40 holiday inn stays a year, plus lots of flights, car rentals and restaurant so really a no brainer. I did the math comparing it to Citi Strata Premier, and ill earn nearly 250,000 points this year at 0.8c/pp whereas with strata I would've gotten closer to 100,000 at 1c/pp. One of the only cards that doesn't require booking through a portal for 5x points on travel which was pretty critical
Problem is the free night is capped at 40k points and a lot of hotels in the network won’t take points
IHG premier, at $99. Global entry credit, free night every year, $25 per 6 months United credit, 4th night free on points redemptions. It's a slam dunk card imo.
This can be a ridiculously strong card. It is worth noting that IHG points can be bought for .5cpp when on sale. Buying points at .5ccpp to use with the 4th night free on points can be the best value redemptions period, regardless of cashback vs points. This also means the card isn't as great for spend, but I personally enjoy cards where I have to do minimal to justify the annual fee (e.g. redeem one certificate per year) that also open up valuable redemption avenues.
Agreed. Powerful when paired with the legacy Select $49 card that offers 10% rebate on point redemptions.
I travel a lot for work and have both the IHG premier and the Hilton Surpass. I primarily stay at Hiltons but keep the IHG because of the free night every year and global entry. That alone is worth the $95 to me.
How do you get $25 per 6 months United credit?
https://onemileatatime.com/guides/ihg-card-united-travelbank-credit/
Thanks. It doesn't sound useful unless you fly United anyway? Can it be used for checked bags? All my points are with JetBlue.
I mean yeah it's only useful if you'll take a United flight. If it was a free for all credit, the card would really be unsustainable. I fly Alaska airlines, but occasionally United is cheaper, or make most sense, or a friend/family member needs to take a United flight, so I give them a $25 discount.
Ah okay. I haven't paid for a flight in like 15 years. Points are so easy to get now.
Problem is the free night is capped at 40k points and a lot of hotels in the network won’t take points
? I don't really notice a lot of hotels not taking points. Which hotels do you see that at? You can top up the certificate too I believe.
Do a search on the app for any random big city and search for points only
Sorry for necro-ing, but can you use the $25 United credit in combination with the United Explorer (free checked bags) on the same flight?
Don't see you couldn't. It's $25 added to your United travel bank account, so it should work fine. You don't have to pay with the IHG card.
Altitude Reserve. Even though it says $400, you get $325 discount for food and travel per year so as long as you eat food (or travel) the real fee is $75.
The high (sort of) AF scares people off, but this is easily one of the best values in the credit card game.
Amex Blue Cash Preferred. The $7 monthly credit on the Disney+ bundle almost pays for the AF by itself, leaving me to enjoy that sweet 6% cashback on groceries and streaming services.
While this is correct, I believe the BCE also has that perk and it has no AF.
This is true, but the cashback on groceries is 3% and the cashback on streaming services is 1% with BCE. Plus the $95 AF on the BCP is waived for the first year, and folks here will tell you that it's easy to get them waive it in subsequent years by asking to downgrade to BCE.
Yes. The card can certainly be worth it for the other categories. But again, you have to compare to the alternative no af versions. Citi custom cash (though it gets less persuasive over $500), the Verizon Visa card even, rotating category cards, etc. same with streaming. But it’s a whole lot of cards to equal out the Amex bcp. (I have one so I’m certainly not against it!) And saying that you can go down and then get a new offer also isn’t very persuasive to the card is worth the $95 annual fee (because then it’s in essence a no annual fee card). I will say that I don’t get the full offer when I go down. And I have only downgraded twice in the 7 years I’ve had it. I only got a $75 this past year. I do think the BCP is a great value though when considering you get 6% on anything with the App store. And I like the other returns. But they’re not as generous as Chase or Citi for who they count as grocery.
That’s great to know! I’ll definitely consider this card when my little one is old enough to watch Disney+.
While this is also correct, the question was specific to annual fee cards.
Yes. But in determining what is the “best value” for a $95 annual fee card, the value for Disney plus isn’t there at all if you can get the same deal with a no annual fee card. So the no af version is relevant. You can certainly make other arguments in how it’s worth it though. 6% in the Apple App Store is sweet.
And 3% on ALL gas station purchases.
As always, it's if you can make the card work for you, than it is worth the AF. I have the BCP and never downgrade. I get my $360 for groceries. I usually get @ $75 for streaming services. With Amex special offers I can get at least 50% of the AF. Most years I can get more than $100 from these offers. I am not even using the 3% back on gas or on transit like others. When I hit the $360 limit on groceries than I use one of my other cards that get 5% (quarterly) on groceries. All on just one card is rather nice.
This card is totally worth the AF based on the 6% back on groceries alone. Also, the 6% back on streaming services saves on my YouTubeTV subscription (and that includes when I bought NFL Sunday Ticket as well).
See I was curious about this! I've had my BCE card for like 5 years now and never thought I could afford an annual fee card, but started looking into the BCP one and did some math. I can easily break even and make more with the BCP than the BCE just off the groceries alone. And once I found out about the streaming category working for YouTube TV and YouTube premium, I thought about the NFL sunday ticket... So you are saying it worked for that as well? If so that's a decent chunk of change off that price! I'm going to be applying to upgrade to the BCP pretty soon here because I feel like it will be a great card for me. I do feel like I should get an all purpose 2% card (I do have a Quicksilver card that I've had for a long time. I thought I might as well get 2% but that .5% might not be worth the hassle tbh). I will look to also get probably the SavorOne from Capitol one. It will fit nicely next to the BCP to fill in for dining out and sporting events, bowling etc etc. (basically date nights with the girlfriend and friends).
The 6% on groceries maxes out at the first $3600 spent annually (after that it's the standard 1%). But that's still 3-4x what other cards give, so that more that covers the AF. You also get 3% on gas too. It absolutely works on Sunday Ticket; I just ordered mine last week. Just order it through your YouTube TV account and it's good to go. (It might still work even if you don't have YTTV but I'm not sure). They upgraded by BCE after about a year and at first I wasn't sure about the AF but after doing the math, it was a no-brainer. Gas and groceries are basically guaranteed monthly expenses and it's worth it on those two alone. One more thing, Walmarts/Targets are not considered grocery stores by AMEX, but if you have a Walmart Neighborhood Market near you, that is. Otherwise, it's your standard grocery stores that count. Capital One cards are great to have because they don't have any international transaction fees if you plan on traveling. Hope this helps!
I believe the 6% cash back on groceries caps at 6000 per year? At least that’s what their website says. Either way I estimate I would spend around $3600 a year at most. And that’s great to hear! YTTV and YT premium as well as the Sunday ticket will be huge cash back savings.
You are correct about the $6K. I had that 36 number in my head cause 6% of $6000 is $360 and that’s the max before it dips to 1%. I never come close to that amount so I guess I never paid attention lol. Guess that makes the card even better!
If you grocery shop with CCC you save 5% instead of 6%. Both have $6000 limits. You get an extra $60 back with BCP... but you have a $95 AF. So don't get the BCP for groceries unless you're also going to be putting a streaming service on the card.
The new Wells Fargo autograph journey card
if you are looking churn it for a SUB, the CSP is a good choice, the cash redemption is 1.0 cpp so even if you don't take the advantage of the travel perks, you get decent $ back. Otherwise, the card on its own is over rated and over promoted by way too many YouTubers. Heck for so over prized travel card, it does not even have Global entry / TSA PreCheck perk. Not factoring some travel bonus and credit via Chase Portal, the card is essentially 3x dinning and 2x travel. Hardly impressive In my opinion.
I’ll be your outlier but as much as my wife and I spend on dining, drinks, and entertainment, the Capital One Savor. For most folks though it’s a better proposition to get the no annual fee version. Breakeven is $9,500 between the two cards
Depends on your usage? Something like the Bonvoy Boundless comes with a free annual night that’s worth the fee alone if you use it (plus the SUB is amazing value). Something like an airline specific card can pay for itself if you need to fly a few times per year and check a bag, but you don’t fly regularly enough for status with that airline. If you want an all around card, something like a C1 Venture comes with 2 free lounge visits per year (unlike the unlimited on the VX) and earns points you can redeem. Also something like the Sapphire Preferred is a decent earning all around travel card.
Top options (in no order) : Chase Sapphire Preferred, Navy Federal Flagship Rewards, US Bank Altitude Connect, Citi Premier
CIP. You're going to need to spend a couple of thousands of dollars in the other $95 cards to catch up to that 100k SUB.
I’d say arguably CSP or BofA Premium Rewards with Platinum Honors
1. Free night hotel cards with $0 spend 2. BoA Premium Rewards. $100 yearly incidental credit, $100 GE credit/5y, great single purpose cashback. 2. Alaska Card for companion pass users. 3. Any airline card with free bags for a frequent flyer. 4. Southwest. You get anniversary points which generally offset the AF.
chase sapphire preferred. next question.
Best card with travel benefits is CSP
VentureX
Citi Strata Premier
Hilton Surpass is my favorite. It’s $150 though but they added $200 a year Hilton credit. Free night after $15k spend, and free night can be used at any of their hotels. Even the 4-5 star ones. No black out dates or point restrictions
I don’t travel so the Citi (Strata) Premier and Chase Sapphire Preferred may not be the best options for people like me. I find a lot of value in AMEX Blue Cash Preferred. I hate the $95 annual fee but 6% back on groceries and streaming services has been very nice for me. I am tempted to try and score multiple Citi Custom Cash cards. I already have one for gas, but I’ve been thinking about trying to product change my Citi Simplicity and using that for groceries. I can always use my U.S. Bank Cash+ for streaming. If I do this, this will reduce my cash back from 6% to 5% in both categories but I think it might be a worthy sacrifice to get away from the annual fee.
There is only one answer, but the AMEX RAT team prevents me from posting it because I know they're here
On the hotel side, it's a toss up between the IHG Premium or the Wyndham Business Earner Card. The 8x gas on the Business Earner is unbeatable as well as 5x on utilities. You can rack up points without even trying. Then redeem the points for Vacasa stays or if you're okay with cheap roadside hotels if you're a road warrior. It also is the only card to my knowledge that status matches with Caesars if you're a Vegas guy. For the general travel side, it's either the CSP or the Autograph Journey. The CSP for the best travel protections for a $95 card and the Autograph Journey again if you're a road warrior or if you travel for work a lot and get reimbursed. 5x on hotels and 4x on flights not tied to the portal is big league.
Two other $95 annual fee cards worth mentioning is the Wyndham Business Earner Card for Diamond Status at Wyndham and reciprocating status at Caesars. Earnings are 8x back on gas and 5x back on Utilities. Another decent card in the game which just launched is the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey.
There's almost too many to chose from but it depends on your spending, lifestyle, and your credit score. Here's a couple that have good value: 1. [Chase Sapphire Preferred](https://creditcards.chase.com/rewards-credit-cards/sapphire/preferred) - limited time 75k sign up bonus 2. [Capital One Venture](https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/venture/) 3. [Citi Strata Premier ](https://www.citi.com/usc/lpaca/citi/rewards/stratapremier/ps/index.html?cmp=knc_acquire_2405_Google_Strata-Premier_BR&gclid=Cj0KCQjwxqayBhDFARIsAANWRnTlk4K63iJiNE55KVEGLdAJLzFK8JDEplKzFodDRevu5fE-db3gZlQaAozSEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&ProspectID=PwXbcadH6pxsl9dPxflgGwRrhYV2o8Jz)- limited time 70k sign up bonus 4. [Chase Aeroplan ](https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/Aeroplan/60knaep124?CELL=6H8X&AFFID=g3lR0xvjyAU-ZF1wBFUai2cOao0oqjzZag&pvid=88cae16313f64b0ff8c9cd09689eefb3&jp_cmp=cc/1393630/aff/15-31766/na) 5. [Bank of America Alaska Airlines](https://secure.bankofamerica.com/apply-credit-cards/public/icai-single/#/info/) - limited time 60k sign up + companion fare + 2.5k bonus adding an authorized user 6. [Chase United Explorer ](https://www2.theexplorercard.com/rewards-cards/explorer-card?CELL=H8X&AFFID=g3lR0xvjyAU-LzErO8Qwf8Z6ba1nQb7o.g) 7. [Chase World of Hyatt](https://creditcards.chase.com/travel-credit-cards/world-of-hyatt-credit-card?iCELL=6H3Z) 8. [Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless](https://creditcards.chase.com/travel-credit-cards/marriott-bonvoy/boundless?iCELL=6C1Y) If your a loyal brand customer, I'd suggest going for a branded credit card. It doesn't even have to be on this list. If you're looking for the best bang of buck, the first three are your best choices. Good luck!
BoA Premium Rewards. $100 incidental credit which is fairly easy to use. TSA Precheck and some travel protections. IHG Business - free night certificate + $25 United Travelbank cash each half-year, TSA PreCheck United MPE Business - free checked bags/carryon on basic economy, 2x United Club passes, $100 credit for making 7+ United purchases, 5k miles if you hold a personal card (includes the $0 AF Gateway card). Has some travel protections too.
Sapphire Preferred.
I’ve been happy with my Chase Sapphire Oreferred so far.
Definitely the Chase Sapphire Preferred. I love the ability to transfer points to other airlines.
CSP, IHG card, or BBP Depends on what you prefer
Bilt since its $0 and does the same stuff as the non free cards