Rewards Cardholders, Maximizing Value

“Amex Blue cash everyday or Bank of America custom cash rewards if online and Chase Freedom Flex has drugstore as a 3% category that for me works when I pick up at my local hospital pharmacy [re: Online Mail Order Pharmacies: Which Credit Cards offer Category Cashback Rewards for Which Pharmacies?]”

“I have two Golds because of Amex's upgrade and retention offers, one used to be a Green. Gold math makes sense to me, simply because it's easy for me to use all the credits and make money off the cards. [re: 22 Year Old Miles & Points Power User Seeking Recommendations for 11th credit card!]”

“What do you want the SUB points to do for you? Think more about that versus card portfolio [re: 22 Year Old Miles & Points Power User Seeking Recommendations for 11th credit card!]”

“With that dining spend the bilt card would print points on rent day [re: Credit Card Recommendations]”

“With only 5 cards it shouldn’t be too difficult to memorize your multipliers. And 3 of your cards just earn a flat rate so there isn’t much to track. But ultimately the rewards difference for your coffee purchase is negligible. Pick your default backup card and just use that if you’re unsure. [re: How do you guys know which card to use at the right moment?]”

“I think OP wants the bonus not points [re: Best Ways to Manufacture $6K in Spending by December?]”

“Its a great card for the FNC, but it still isn't a card to put spend on At exactly $15k of spend, assuming a 20k Cat4 redemption it comes out to a 2.33x card. Even with the nerf, Bilt is a 2.5x card for Hyatt. Tax payments on Hyatt is still great up to $15k, since you can't do it on Bilt and CFU is garbage tier earn rate. [re: Unique situation - have I outgrown CC points (FT world traveler)?]”

“It’s not hard. Read on your card’s multipliers and memorize them. [re: How do you guys know which card to use at the right moment?]”

“At the moment, I have around $5.7k in upcoming spend, and I’d rather put it toward a sign-up bonus -> Hilton Aspire Originally, my plan was to put it all on my Bilt Palladium to earn points. I have a trip planned for August, with stays at a Conrad and a Waldorf Astoria in Shanghai (although I was originally planning to book those through FHR). I’m curious to hear from people who have Hilton credit cards and what their experiences have been with the Hilton ecosystem. For context, my only hotel”

“I would look into the other Atmos-earning cards imo, and for the Summit SUB to go back up. Perhaps wait for the biz refresh as well. You missed an 85k bonus on the biz. [re: Is atmos summit worth if only paying property tax?]”

“BofA PRE might be a good option for you considering the amount of travel, especially if you have $100k in Merrill (more if you had $1M). With $100k you’ll get 3% dining and travel and a 2.25% catch-all with no FTF. Then you have the 20% redemption bonus for booking flights through BofA portal (which people do say is normal pricing). You get the $750 SUB. Since you travel a lot you will easily use the $300 airline incidental credit to bring your $550 AF down to $250. (We won’t count the additiona”

“Ya, that’s true, but the problem is the $2500/quarter. Our family spend on dining is $5k-6k per quarter, so the Langley $2k spend per month lets us combine to a single card for all dining. (And lets me move 2 CCRs to online category, which is much more needed) [re: In the "$200 SUB for $500–$3k spend" tier, is there any reason to stack BofA Affinity Customized Cash Rewards cards (without Platinum Honors) before exhausting 5% w/ $200 bonus cards?]”

“With a big unused AA balance and relatively cheap economy flights, you don't have to force your Chase points into airfare. For hotel-heavy spending, compare the refundable cash rate you would actually pay with the Hyatt or IHG points required. FWIW before deciding a points redemption is worthwhile, look up Arbitrica alongside Booking.com for the same hotel. Rates and inventory vary across country markets, and that check is aimed at finding the lowest price in the world. If the cash rate wins”

“Assuming that someone already has a few cards, I've kind of concluded that the langely card 5% right now (until it gets nerfed someday) is probably the best 200 bonus credit card to get for alot of people And is the first priority after exhausting the few 250 bonus cards But things could change And I guess that one could argue for the SDFCU 2% 200 bonus VISA credit card is better if someone is an international traveler / just wants an all in one solution [re: In the "$200 SUB for $500–$3k sp”

“currently exploring a "bilt for AI spend": a card that earns rewards on your AI token bills that you can redeem on sandbox, infra, compute, etc. if you spend heavily on tokens, would this make you switch cards? submitted by /u/Small_Luck8177 [link] [comments]”

“Hello, I travel for work and have about ~ 2-3 give or take in Marriot hotels at big conferences. These are usually booked through the conference portals but paid direct at the hotel upon arrival. Would it make sense to get one of the Marriot branded cards? If so which one? Ive used points accumulated for personal trips later Current travel cards, not including cash back cards listed below. I’ve been doing some heavy churning.. - sapphire reserve (got for sub will likely cancel in May) - C1VX - s”

“it’s personal. but i have same issue with biz cards at amex [re: Best Card - if money is no object, anywhere]”

“Delta really lines up with the AMEX eco system better. Two thoughts... you dont travel that much, but its nothing either. I wouldnt over-invest. I would consider AMEX Gold -if- you're spending habits remotely line up with the various dining and uber credits to mostly offset the AF. It has points that transfer to skypesos and it gets good earnings on flights, dining, and grocery shopping. A nice thing about the flights point earn is you can book directly with the airline. You dont need to use”

“Wells Fargo transfers to choice hotels and Wyndham at 1:2, there should be some respectable cheapskate value there. I'd recommend the autograph, the autograph premier, and the signify business card for optimal signup bonuses, unless you do Costco, in which case you might want an active cash (I wouldn't bother, 5% with the PayPal debit is just better.) Another one you would look into is the fairwinds fcu visa signature, which earns amazingly on a bunch of categories, but can be redeemed f”

“Dang, you coulda got 2-3x in points on that 10k spend had you opened up cards instead and used the spend to hit the SUB. [re: $2,100+ in Amex Platinum Credits Used in 2026]”

“Aven 6% gas card, $10k spend per year, no AF, no FTF. U of I CCU Rewards, 5% gas and travel, $15k spend per year, no AF, no FTF. AAA Travel Advantage, 5% gas (except wholesale gas), $7k spend per year, no AF, no FTF. Langley Credit Union Rewards Visa, 5% gas, $2k spend per month, no AF, no FTF. [re: What’s The Current Best Gas Cards Right Now]”

“In your personal experience, how did it play out? I requested and received a limit increase on my amex 2% business credit card to around 20k And then I wondered about the above submitted by /u/Latter-Ad-7705 [link] [comments]”

“I use the Robinhood gold card as my primary for the 3% cashback on everything. 60 a year, but since I have my financial safety cushion in RH uninvested cash at 3.6% it more than pay for itself. I also have the Amazon 5% card back for Amazon Shopping, since I get a lot of stuff on there. If I’m not mistaken, Walmart has a similar 5% on anything purchase card for Walmart+ members. If most of your shopping is at Walmart, that would probably be a solid choice. [re: Need some help deciding on my next”

“You should also count the dining & breakfast attached on the hotel credit [re: $2,100+ in Amex Platinum Credits Used in 2026]”

“I recently switched from the OG Freedom card to the Freedom Flex and I am so glad I did. The 7% dining return is fantastic for this quarter. Coupled with the 5% grocery category return, this card is my number one for now. I just noticed a 10% offer on Cracker Barrel as well. 17% total back? Wow! [re: Chase Freedom Flex 5% cash back on Dining query.]”

“Yes, though I mostly only use it for gas and Walmart and as a backup when traveling, since I have other cards to cover the travel, dining(which I forgot to mention is also 3%,) and catch-all categories. Having the 2% catch-all built into the card is nice, though, for when the other categories don't code as expected. [re: No Hotel/Airline Loyalty for travel]”

“Outside of churning, I think it is difficult to have enough spend for three or more ecosystems unless 1) someone has very high spend or 2) one of those ecosystems is cash back. I do Bilt, Chase, and cash back. They work very synergistically for my ~$100k/year spending. I mostly use Bilt Obsidian for groceries, mortgage, and non-category; Chase Sapphire Preferred/Reserve or Citi Custom Cash for dining; Chase Sapphire Preferred or FNBO Ducks Unlimited for gas; Chase Freedom Flex/OG Freedom for rot”

“Seems you're missing the fact that there's a $300/yr travel credit, which applies to all travel like hotel flights parking rideshare trains etc [re: Sapphire Reserve: Am I Getting Value?]”

“I did read about that but are the gift cards returns worth it? If you know [re: Is the penfed platinum card worth it?]”

“Flat cash back is based on your preference. 3% is either Robin Hood and Aven. But historically 3% cards get nerfed. Other than that I prefer no FTF and Credit limit growth. NavyFed is my fav. But there are ALOT of choices for 2% If your online shopping includes hotel and airlines. If you travel often then lookup hotel/airline/travel option. [re: Need some help deciding on my next card. Most spending @ Costco, Sam’s, Walmart, Online]”

“Hello everyone, I have been recently watching videos about redeeming points for travel. But I have wondered, I am not loyal to any hotel or airline. I mostly do roadtrip around 3-4 times a year and always stay in the cheapest hotels because I like to discover the places I go to. Most of the hotels I book are through Expedia because they have good offers. If I’m not loyal to any brand, what would be the best credit cards for me? Or just continue what I have been doing. My first card was the Freed”

“Hi everyone! I recently got married and am in the process of consolidating finances with my wife, including a joint credit card. For context, I have a personal Venture X. I’m considering referring her for the Venture X to get the SUB, using the referral bonus to pay off my balance, and closing my card but wanted to ask the community for their thoughts. We travel a few times a year, and expect one of those trips to be international. CREDIT PROFILE * Current credit cards you are the primary accoun”

“Hey all- I recently checked if I was pre-approved for the Venture X card and I was approved. I did not accept the offer yet. My current credit card situation is as follows: Golden 1 Cash Rewards: -4% cash back at gas -3% cash back at dining, grocery, food delivery -1% unlimited Discover it: -5% cash back at rotating categories quarterly Wells Fargo Active Cash: 2% unlimited anywhere Capital One Savor: -3% cash back dining, grocery, entertainment -1% elsewhere The reason for wanting the Venture X”

“So I’ve had an Amex Gold for more than 10 years and really don’t use it for the benefits. The points system also stinks, you don’t get many points unless you’re maxing out on travel. We usually use my boyfriend’s card for travel. Anywho, I pay $250 per year and decided to downgrade to the Cobalt. Comes out to about $190 per year which I’m fine with as the points system works out better as I pay more for groceries and Uber. I called Amex today and they said I’d have to put on a new application fo”

“Clear is definitely nice. I definitely wouldn’t pay full price for it, but I’ll miss it when I downgrade my Platinum. [re: $2,100+ in Amex Platinum Credits Used in 2026]”

“The Amex Platinum has an $895 annual fee, but I’ve already used $2,100.46 in credits and benefits this year on one card. Here’s my breakdown: Hotel credit: $600 Airline fee credit: $200 Resy: $300 Lululemon: $225 Digital entertainment: $225 Uber Cash: $135 Walmart+: $116.55 Uber One: $89.91 CLEAR: $209 Total credits and benefits used: $2,100.46 Annual fee: $895 Value of credits used above annual fee: $1,205.46 I still have a few credits left to use before the end of the year. Edit: Forgot to inc”

“Remember you also get 5% when you book a hotel through Chase Travel with Prime card. No upcharges too, unlike Renowned Hotels portal. [re: How come no one raves about the Amazon 5% card?]”

“that 10k roof spend is perfect for a sign up bonus, you could knock out the CSP requirement in one swipe if you're set on hyatt the sapphire preferred makes more sense, amex points don't transfer to hyatt directly and the chase portal is decent enough the gold is nice for groceries but you're not gonna use those points on hyatt without jumping through some hoops [re: Traveling in December - Expenses in 2 weeks - What Card should I get?]”

“yep, you can hold both. the upgrade option is just amex being pushy cause they'd rather convert you than issue a new account apply for the BCP separately like you would any other card, no need to touch your BCE at all. you'll have two distinct accounts in the app once it's done [re: Can I apply for the Amex BCP if already have the BCE?]”

“I recommend this card to everyone I know who uses Amazon a lot. It's also an underrated travel card with the no foreign transaction fees [re: How come no one raves about the Amazon 5% card?]”

“If you value AA points, Strata Premier is effectively a 4.5% card for gas, groceries, and restaurants. [re: What’s The Current Best Gas Cards Right Now]”

“well ultimately I would get both, because even if I get the IHG card I do plan to get another customized cash too, but I guess what I'm really trying to decide if I should get the IHG first (or at all). [re: IHG premier or BoA Customized Cash - what should I choose?]”

“Robinhood would love for you to switch. Platinum has a high fee, no SUB, and poor overall value. If you want to drop hundreds of dollars on a credit card, consider Amex Gold/Platinum, Venture X, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Strata Elite, BofA Premium Rewards Elite, or Bilt Palladium instead. [re: Switch to RobinHood Platinum given my stack?]”

“Just got the offer today to switch from RobinHood Gold to their Platinum card. Me: Early career professional in SF. I don't spend a ton, but most of my spend is on food (DoorDash, Uber Eats, coffee shops, and some restaurants), Ubers/Waymos, and Amazon. I fly maybe twice a year to Canada or other US locations. Currently I have: Prime Visa: 5% back on Amazon X Card (debit, technically): 3% back on "everything" (except some excluded categories?) RobinHood Gold: 3% back on everything”

“I use it as my primary card. 3% is too good to pass up for me. Plus, I was already using Robinhood gold anyway to hold my financial safety cushion in, since it gets around 3.5%.. And again, I’m not super savvy about credit cards like some of the people here. [re: How do you like your Robinhood Credit Card?]”

“Same here - my gold card is paid off each month and I got the offer today when signing into the app. I don't really ever come close to the 20k limit, so a 40k platinum limit is of dubious value. The perks seem good since I travel a lot, but not good enough to justify ~$700 a year. [re: Robinhood Revamps $695 Platinum Card After Customers Take Issue With Perks]”

“As long as you have prime, the Amazon visa is amazing. I wait and buy things on sales and also always do no rush shipping, which earns 6-8% back. [re: 5% amazon credit cards-- think they are just not good deals for low/medium spenders who have bofa's 3% online card already? Am I overlooking anything?]”

“https://imgur.com/a/wbQLsJf Limited to first 10,000 new cardholders. You can earn 4% cashback on top of the standard cashback when shopping through Rakuten. If Amex account is linked, you can earn MR points in lieu of cashback. $100 signup bonus for spending $1000. No FTF. submitted by /u/OkPractice8 [link] [comments]”

“If you have the VX, you can choose to go through either it or the Savor for the cashback/points. If you choose VX, it'll say in the terms: We'll attempt to issue the payout as reward to your Venture X account ending in XXXX. Also, with the "click through portal" links(one where you have to use a link, instead of usinh the assigned card,) once activated you can generally pay with any card(even non-C1 cards.) The rewards still go back to the VX. [re: Capital One Offers Question]”

“Current cards: - Discover it: $4,200, Sep 2020 - Amex Delta SkyMiles Blue: $8,000, Jul 2022 (downgraded from Delta Gold) - Wells Fargo Autograph: $6,500, Feb 2025 (converted from Bilt Mastercard) - Amex Gold: charge card (no preset limit), Aug 2025 - Robinhood Gold Card: $11,000, Oct 2025 - Amex Platinum: charge card (no preset limit), Feb 2026 - Bilt Blue: $15,000, Feb 2026 - Amex Blue Business Plus: $10,000, Apr 2026 (business) FICO Score: 760 Oldest account age: 6 years 1 month Chase 5/24 sta”

“I like frequenting places like Tous Les Jours and would like to know if anyone has any datapoints for what’s the best credit card to use here. I have used the CSP and have had it code as bakery not dining so only 1x. Anyone know for sure if any other cards such as PayPal Debit that will work? submitted by /u/TomorrowParking1 [link] [comments]”

“Hi All, I’m a beginner in credit card points but have done some research. I’m looking for the best card strategy to book Emirates business class for my first experience! I have about 15k points with Chase Freedom Unlimited, and my monthly expenses are under $2k since I’m prioritizing student loan repayment. I’m on track to be debt-free by October 2027! My goal is two one-way Emirates business-class seats from EWR to ATH in fall of 2028. Based on Emirates’ website, award tickets seem to run aroun”

“Are there any business/personal credit cards with no annual fee that reimburse $120 Global Entry fee? So far I have discovered only one card - Arvest Cobalt ℠ Visa Signature ® Credit Card but it is not offered in Texas. Fidelity Rewards Visa Signature and U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature cover up to $100. This seem like alternative if there isn't one that reimburse $120. submitted by /u/Lost-Tale8242 [link] [comments]”

“Not really a credit but the Alaska companion fare is the only thing where I get a huge amount of excess value compared to the AF and the "credit". [re: Is there any annual fee card credit you'd actually take over the cash?]”

“I feel I made a full circle. About 20 years ago, started with BofA 1-2-3 card, and then Preferred Rewards, only to switch to US BAR several years ago, then jumped on Smartly, and then back with BofA Preferred Rewards, which is getting nerfed - fun ride. Two days ago I got off the Robin Hood waitlist and I am rethinking my CC strategy now. These days, I feel I value simplicity over maximizing cash back, so I wonder how many felt the same way and ended up simplifying their card portfolio after rec”

“Remember that personal subs don’t block business subs for Amex. So you can get personal gold/plat before BBP and still get the BBP sub. I’m also not aware of a BCP -> Gold Business conversion, as Amex generally keeps conversions to cards with the same reward system. If you’re valuing points, just do BBP. It’s the only non-annual fee way of keeping MR points and keeping them transferable. The bank account lets you keep MR points but they aren’t transferable to partner programs. If you don’t va”

“The BCP doesnt make sense if you want points. Just go with the BPP [re: AmEx BCP vs BBP to Maximize SUBs on Path to Schwab Plat?]”

“On my hunt for a 2% card I’m heavily considering the BBP. I want an entry point with AmEx to eventually get the Schwab Plat when the elevated SUB is back, and this is the no-brainer choice to get the effective 2.2% for a long term combo. Currently getting a BBP offer for 50K MR for $5k spend in 3 months. Or BCP $0 AF / $250 Cashback for $3k spend in 6 months. The BCP doesn’t really interest me to hold long term because it’s only statement credits or rewards points. I’d basically be using it to b”

“It might not be the easiest to use the credits this year. Will I lose the offer if I wait that long? submitted by /u/Scared_Dig_7673 [link] [comments]”