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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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The 5 credit cards I had in my wallet after graduating college
Stella is a full-time writer with expertise in credit cards, points and miles, and all things travel. She is a journalism graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and previously worked as a copywriter at JetBlue Airways and as a credit cards writer at LendingTree.
Olivia Mittak is a credit cards editor at TPG. She specializes in maximizing earn for points and miles, finding the best welcome bonuses and choosing the right credit cards for your wallet.
also contributed to this story
June 24, 2024 • 9 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
A recent graduate shares their journey building a credit card portfolio to maximize travel opportunities and rewards.
Early mistakes, such as incurring foreign transaction fees, highlighted the importance of understanding card terms and benefits.
The author gradually diversified their cards to include options with no foreign transaction fees, broader acceptance abroad and enhanced travel perks.
Strategic card choices enabled the author to fund trips using points and miles accumulated during and after college.
What to consider
Some offers and card features mentioned may no longer be available, as noted in the article.
Foreign transaction fees can add significant costs when spending abroad; selecting cards that waive these fees is crucial for international travelers.
Acceptance of certain cards may be limited outside the US, so carrying a widely accepted option is recommended.
What you'll miss from the article
Personal insights on selecting and sequencing cards for travel, plus lessons learned from real-world mistakes and successes.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
A question I was often asked as a recent college grad was why I had multiple credit cards. The answer was that I had stumbled across the world of points and miles and discovered The Points Guy in my efforts to learn more about travel credit cards during college. I was amazed by all the opportunities for (almost) free travel I could unlock just by owning the right cards.
Between classes, work and other commitments, I struggled to find the time (and money) to travel as a college student. However, after studying abroad in Paris, I wanted to continue traveling without breaking the bank — which led me to build my credit card portfolio at a young age.
If you’ve just recently graduated, this is the perfect time to get your bearings with credit cards and personal finance. There’s a learning curve for everyone, so I’ll take you through my journey of the first five credit cards I opened. With several years of experience now, I’ve been able to take some awesome trips that I completely paid for with points and miles.
In 2016, I entered my first year in college. I opened my first credit card, the Wells Fargo Cash Back College℠ Card (no longer open to new applicants), which featured a $0 annual fee and 1% back on all my purchases.
This was the easiest card for me to open, as I had no credit history and had already been banking with Wells Fargo for years. I used my first credit card sparingly, only putting my phone bill, gas and other school-related expenses on it.
Then, during the summer of 2017, I studied abroad in Paris. This was the first time I had flown internationally by myself and also my first time in Europe. In those glorious six weeks, I learned that a 50-cent baguette with lots of butter makes for a delicious lunch (while keeping my taste buds and my wallet happy) and that comté cheese is the best cheese in the world.
The information for the Wells Fargo Cash Back College card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
STELLA SHON/THE POINTS GUY
While eating to my heart’s content, I also made one of the biggest mistakes I could ever make. I didn’t know what foreign transaction fees were, so I paid a hefty amount using a debit card and my Wells Fargo credit card. The fees ranged from 1-3% on every purchase I made, so I wasted quite a lot of money that summer.
As a credit card newbie, this was quite the rookie mistake. But all things considered, no study abroad experience is complete without a couple of mishaps along the way.
The information for the Wells Fargo Cash Back College card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Getting started with my first airline rewards card
Fueled by my desire to keep traveling and to find a card with no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees), I applied for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card in 2018. Currently, the Delta Gold Amex has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 each year after (see rates and fees), but when I first applied the card had a $0 introductory annual fee, then $99 a year — and offered great perks: I was drawn to the introductory offer, which at the time was 60,000 miles.
However, I had to consider paying an annual fee for the first time. I justified paying a $99 annual fee (at the time) since I saved more than $300 on checked baggage fees alone in the first year of account opening. In college, I used my SkyMiles for a fall break trip to Seattle, a winter break trip to South Korea and a spring break trip to Puerto Rico.
THE POINTS GUY
With the Delta Gold Amex, you can currently find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 80,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer. This offer is worth up to $960, according to TPG's April 2026 valuations. Other benefits, such as the ability to check a bag for free and access priority boarding on Delta flights, were enticing, too.
While the Delta Gold card served me well, I ran into a couple of frustrations using American Express while traveling internationally. While in Amsterdam, my Amex was denied at many restaurants and bars, so I knew I needed a more universally accepted credit card.
In June 2019, I applied for my third credit card, the JetBlue Plus Card, when I interned at JetBlue Airways. The $99 annual fee was waived for life for employees, even for those of us working at the airline short term. With an introductory bonus of 30,000 TrueBlue points for employees at the time, adding this card to my portfolio was a no-brainer. With this card, I could take advantage of free checked bags, 50% off inflight food and cocktails and more.
THE POINTS GUY
While interning for JetBlue, I had full access to standby travel. I took a trip every weekend that summer — I was jet-setting to Los Angeles, St. Martin, Cancun, Albuquerque, New Mexico and so many other amazing destinations. While I didn’t rack up points on these standby trips, I used my new JetBlue Plus Card on all other living and travel expenses to lock in the bonus points.
Post-internship, I was able to redeem those TrueBlue points for trips to Boston, New York and Miami throughout my senior year of college.
The information for the JetBlue Plus Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
In college, I decided to join the Amazon Prime Student program. Over the years, I ordered everything from textbooks to dorm essentials. So, in late 2019, I added another card to my wallet: Chase's Prime Visa.
THE POINTS GUY
Because I frequently ordered from Amazon and shopped at Whole Foods, I figured I should somehow maximize these purchases. After graduating, I used Amazon and this card frequently enough to justify keeping it for the long term. This card offers 5% cash back on Amazon.com and Whole Foods, 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and local transit and 1% on all other purchases. Additionally, it offers 10% or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com.
Finally, you’ll receive decent traveler benefits, such as no foreign transaction fees, travel and emergency assistance, lost luggage reimbursement and more. While I rarely used this card for purposes other than Amazon and Whole Foods, I didn’t see the harm in keeping it beyond college since it carries no annual fee.
The information for the Prime Visa has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
In my senior year of college, I graduated to my first travel card that wasn’t tied to an airline: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. While the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and the Capital One Venture Rewards are often compared, I applied for the Capital One Venture Rewards because of its simple earning structure.
Both have annual fees of $95, but back when I applied, the Capital One annual fee was waived for the first year. While this is no longer the case, I’ve found tons of value in the card that has helped me justify paying the annual fee since then.
One of the major perks that stood out to me was up to $120 credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment fee. This has helped me expedite airport security when flying and bypass long lines when returning from international trips.
I also love that it’s easy to rack up miles, as you get 2 miles per dollar on every purchase. The ability to transfer my miles to 15-plus transfer partners makes it a valuable traveler’s card.
If you’ve just graduated, I highly encourage you to get a headstart on your first credit card. If you’re looking to travel for (almost) free, it’s worth opening a beginner’s card to rack up great rewards. While I’ve made some mistakes along the way, it’s crucial to know the fundamental principles of credit card usage and not spend more than what you can pay back in full each month.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold card, click here.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
