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Brian's Top Picks
Chase Sapphire Preferred® card
Amplify Point Value
Having this card in your lineup unlocks two key benefits:
1) Transferring points to travel partners,
2) An extra 25% in value on travel portal redemptions
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The ability to move points from your other Chase cards to this one, then redeem them for outsized value, makes the CSP a must-have.
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REwards Rate
5x on travel booked through the Chase travel portal
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3x on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
2x on travel purchases outside of the portal
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1x on all other purchases
American express®
gold Card
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Point-Earning Powerhouse
Few cards can compete with the point-earning ability of this one. Food is one of every household's largest expenses, and you get large multipliers on these categories
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Pair this with usually huge sign up bonuses and you can bank serious points.
REwards Rate
4x at restaurants and grocery stores​
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3x on flights
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1x on all other purchases
Chase
Freedom Flexâ„
Strategic Earner
Most people are first pulled into the Chase ecosystem by this card, and for good reason. The potential for 5x points is nothing to sneeze at.
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The categories change quarterly, allowing for massive earning potential
rewards rate
5% cash back in quarterly rotating categories​
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5% cash back on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards ®
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3% cash back on dining + drugstore
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1% cash back on all other purchases
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 bonus points
intro offer
$95
Annual fee
intro offer
60,000 bonus points
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first 6 months of card membership
Annual fee
$250
intro offer
$200
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $500 within the first 3 months from account opening
$0
Annual fee
Highlights
More great offers
capital one venture x Rewards Credit Card
Top Travel Card for simplicity
Premium travel card in a rewards ecosystem designed around simplicity.
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Anyone interested in dipping a toe in the "travel hacking" hobby, but intimidated by the complexity of 'trifectas,' 'quadfectas,' and juggling multiple issuers should give this card a serious look.
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Paired with the Savor One card, this card rivals any other premium travel card on the market.
intro offer
75,000 miles
Annual fee
$395
REwards Rate
10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel​
2 Miles per dollar on every other purchase
more details
citi custom cash Card
Starter Card for Cash Back
For some people cash truly is king, and with this card offering 5% cash back on your top spending category up to $500 per month, it is hard to argue with.
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If you are just getting started with credit cards, this is a great cash back alternative to the Chase Freedom cards.
intro offer
$200
Annual fee
$0
REwards Rate
5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle​
1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases
more details
Bilt Mastercard®
Not Just For Renters
When this card came on the market it was instantly THE must-have card for anybody that pays rent.
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However, the benefits of this card do not end there. Their 'rent day' promotions offer some of the best point-earning opportunities in the entire industry.
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Since this card's release, they have gradually built up an impressive stable of travel partners you can transfer your points out to.
intro offer
N/A
Annual fee
$0
REwards Rate
3X Points on dining
2X Points on travel
1X Points on rent paymentS
more details
The Platinum Card® from american express
King of
Travel Benefits
Truly the card by which all other travel cards are judged, it sets the standard by offering value far beyond its hefty annual fee.
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The list of benefits and credits this card brings is long, but if they line up with your lifestyle and you are a frequent traveler, it is a no-brainer.
intro offer
80,000 Membership Rewards Points
Annual fee
$695
REwards Rate
5X points on flights
5X points on hotels booked on amextravel.com
1X points on all other purchases
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more details
Chase ink Business Unlimited® Card
Big Bonus for Small Business
When people realize that yes, in fact, they ARE eligible for small business credit cards, this is often the first card they aspire to pick up.
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In the U.S., pretty much any non-W-2 income may qualify you as a small business. This includes selling old furniture through FB marketplace, flipping sneakers on eBay, or signing up to deliver for Uber Eats.
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This card is basically the business version of the Freedom Unlimited card but comes with an eye-popping bonus all for no annual fee.
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intro offer
$750
Annual fee
$0
REwards Rate
1.5% unlimited cash back on every purchase made for your business
more details
chase ink Business Cash® Card
Underrated Powerhouse
Small business owners that get this card may initially be drawn to the $0 annual fee and sign up bonus, but then later realize just how much of an earner it can be.
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Don't sleep on the office supply (which can include online shopping through the major official supply stores), internet/cable, and phone service categories!
intro offer
$750
Annual fee
$0
REwards Rate
5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent on select business purchases each year
2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent on gas and restaurants each year
1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases
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more details
Chase Ink Business Preferred® Card
Ecom Earner
As the name implies, this card has many parallel benefits to the Sapphire Preferred card, which puts it in the category of a travel card. But that's not all!
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It's the 3x multiplier here on shipping and online advertising that makes this card a dream earner for anyone in the e-commerce business.
intro offer
100,000 Ultimate Rewards® points
Annual fee
$95
REwards Rate
3x points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable, phone services, and social media/search engine advertising each year
1x points on all other purchases, with no limit
more details
EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE