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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.
Guides
TPG reader credit card question: What are the best groups of credit cards for travel?
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
June 8, 2020 • 17 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
The article explores optimal combinations of travel-focused credit cards, comparing popular multi-card strategies for maximizing rewards and benefits.
It highlights how pairing general travel cards with airline or hotel cards can enhance value, but the best mix depends on individual travel habits and spending patterns.
Different card combinations are evaluated, including those with flexible points, premium travel perks or straightforward cash-back options.
The guide also discusses how to assess your own needs, such as preferred redemption methods, willingness to pay fees and whether to pursue elite status with airlines or hotels.
What to consider
Some offers mentioned in the article are no longer available, so current availability may differ.
The value of rewards can vary significantly based on how points are redeemed, with portal redemptions often yielding lower returns than transfers to travel partners.
Certain combinations may require carrying multiple cards and paying higher fees, so it's important to weigh benefits against costs.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of specific card pairings, including how to calculate your personal return and which combinations best fit frequent travelers or those seeking elite status.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Editor’s note: Every Monday, we answer your toughest credit card questions. If you would like to ask us a question, tweet us at @thepointsguy, message us on Facebook or email us at info@thepointsguy.com.
TPG reader Brady recently emailed us asking for a recommendation for the best combination of credit cards for travel. He said:
[pullquote source="Brady"]I could really use an article to help me choose which credit card combinations to use. Do I use the Reserve in combination with an airline or hotel card? If I have a card for all three I will accrue much fewer points on the Reserve. If I just have the Reserve, I won't gain as many airline or hotel points. But maybe that's worth it for the 1.5x redemption? I understand everyone's needs/goals are different but I'm sure there are some common groups.[/pullquote]
Frankly, this is a difficult question because the best cards for you should fit your travel goals, spending habits and lifestyle. TPG recommends a few card combinations, so let's take a look at some of the recommended combinations and then I'll dive into my recommendations for choosing a credit card portfolio that's a good fit for you.
Chase Trifecta or Chase Quartet
Earning rates
Annual fee
Sign-up bonus
Chase Sapphire Reserve
10x on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025
3x on travel and dining
1x on everything else
$550
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
5x total points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out
3x points on select streaming services
3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
2x points on all other travel
1x point on all other purchases
$95
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
3x on the first $150,000 spent each account anniversary year on travel, shipping purchases, internet services, cable services, phone services and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines
1x on everything else
$95
100,000 points after you spend $15,000 in the first three months from account opening
Chase Freedom Unlimited
1.5% cash back (1.5x) on purchases
None
Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
Chase Freedom
(No longer open to new applicants)
5% cash back (5x) on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter in rotating categories
1% cash back (1x) on everything else
None
$200 after you spend $500 in your first three months from account opening
Ink Business Cash Credit Card
5% cash back (5x) on the first $25,000 spent each account anniversary year at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services
2% cash back (2x) on the first $25,000 spent each account anniversary year at gas stations and restaurants
1% cash back (1x) on everything else
None
$750 (75,000 points) after you spend $7,500 in your first three months from account opening
The information for the Chase Freedom has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Total annual fee for Chase Trifecta/Quartet: Depends on card selection, but can range from $95 to $740
The Chase Trifecta and Chase Quartet are well-defined combinations that are anchored by one or more cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. But, let's consider the cards that comprise these two combinations so you can choose the card pairing that works best for you.
You can add another card that also earns Ultimate Rewards points if you feel the annual fee justifies the additional earning and/or benefits. But, you'll mainly boost your earnings by adding the no-annual-fee cards in the table above to your wallet. These cards normally earn cash-back rewards, but you can transfer these cash-back rewards to Ultimate Rewards points as long as you also have a card that earns Ultimate Rewards points.
5x for flights booked directly with airlines, flights booked with American Express Travel (starting Jan. 1, 2021, earn 5x points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year)
100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
American Express® Gold Card
4x at restaurants and on up to $25,000 in purchases at U.S. supermarkets per calendar year
3x on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
1x on everything else
$250 (see rates and fees)
60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
2x on the first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year
1x thereafter
None (see rates and fees)
Earn 15,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months of account opening
Total annual fee for Amex Trifecta: $800
The Amex Trifecta carries a relatively high annual fee but provides an effective 10% return on select travel expenses, an 8% return on groceries and restaurants and a 4% return on non-bonus spending based on TPG's valuations. Granted, these earning rates are somewhat restricted by caps on earning and only a subset of travel spending earning 5x. So, you may want to add (or replace a card or two with) the American Express® Green Card so that you'll earn 3x on general travel spending.
The information for the Amex Green 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.
Earn 5x points on up to $12,500 spent on gas, grocery, and drugstore purchases during the first six months
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card (no longer available for new applicants)
3x on eating out, dining in, gas stations, rideshares, transit, flights, hotels, homestays, car rentals and popular streaming services
1x on everything else
None
N/A
The information for the Wells Fargo Visa Signature and Wells Fargo Propel American Express 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.
Total annual fee for Wells Fargo Duo: None
Some TPG staffers, such as Loyalty and Engagement Editor Richard Kerr, are passionate about the no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Duo. The Wells Fargo Visa Signature Card might not seem all that useful after your first six months if you simply look at the above table, but having the duo unlocks the ability to redeem your points at 1.5 cents each (instead of the normal 1 cent each) for airfare. This means you can earn a 4.5% return on many different categories.
Although this combination doesn't provide lounge access or more than a 1.5% return on groceries and other non-bonus spending, it can be a reasonable option if you're looking for straightforward redemptions and only want to carry one card.
As I mentioned earlier in this guide, as well as in how to assess and build your credit card portfolio, the perfect card mix is different for each person. When deciding which cards to carry in your wallet, you’ll want to consider the following questions:
If you choose transferrable currencies, airline miles or hotel points, do you want to earn multiple currencies or focus on one?
How many cards do you want to carry?
Do you want some cards primarily for the benefits they offer (such as elite status or lounge access)?
Are you willing to pay annual fees if the earnings and benefits provide enough value?
What categories do you spend the most in each year?
Brady specifically wondered whether he should focus his efforts on earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points or whether he should also use hotel or airline cards. If you're mainly interested in the earning aspect when selecting cards, you should calculate your expected return on spending for common expenses such as hotels and flights.
Since Brady will likely redeem his points for 1.5 cents each, his return using the Sapphire Reserve on travel or dining purchases is 4.5%. So, when he's considering whether to use a different card for travel and dining purchases, the card should get more than a 4.5% return.
Brady told us that he travels for work domestically more than 100 nights each year. Assuming he is allowed to use his credit card when paying for work trips, but that most of his work-related expenses are travel and dining, I'd recommend the following combination:
Chase Sapphire Reserve – He already has it, and it's a great card for travel, dining, Priority Pass lounge access, travel protections and shopping protections
One or more airline cards – If their benefits will provide enough value to justify the annual fee (note, he may or may not use this card to pay for flights depending on the earning rate and travel protections)
One or more hotel cards – If their benefits and increased earnings on stays will provide enough value to justify the annual fee
As someone who travels for work 100+ nights each year, Brady is well-positioned to get top-tier status with one of the hotel chains, if he's allowed to book eligible rates and can mostly stay with one chain. Depending on his preferences, he may want to consider one or more of the following cobranded hotel cards to provide elevated earnings and benefits while he's earning status:
15 Elite Qualifying Night credits each calendar year
Enrollment required for select benefits.
World of Hyatt Credit Card
4x (6.8%)
$95
30,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
Plus, up to 30,000 more Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spend on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 in the first six months of account opening.
The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex 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.
And, he may also want to consider whether to chase airline status or remain a free agent. If he goes the free-agent route, some cobranded airline cards might prove useful for priority boarding, checked baggage allowance and even lounge access.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass, please click here For rates and fees of The Platinum Card from Amex, please click here For rates and fees of the American Express Gold Card, please click here For rates and fees of the Blue Business Plus from Amex, please click here For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, please 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.
