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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 one credit card TPG staffers can’t live without
Benét, known as the Aviation Queen, is a former senior editor at TPG who is best known for being an aviation journalist for 25-plus years. Her love affair with travel and aviation began at age 6, when her Air Force family moved from California to a military base outside of London. The family flew from JFK to London on a pretty new Pan Am 747. She was amazed when, in 1992, she got her first aviation journalism job.
February 2, 2022 • 12 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.
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.
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Quick summary
TPG staffers revealed which single card they would keep if forced to choose, highlighting a mix of popular and lesser-known options.
Selections were based on factors like travel protections, flexible redemption options, and valuable perks such as lounge access or elite status with hotel and car rental programs.
Some staff favored cards with strong benefits for frequent travelers, while others appreciated cards with broad bonus categories or no annual fee.
A discontinued product was also mentioned for its robust benefits, despite no longer being available to new applicants.
What to consider
Some featured products are no longer available to new applicants, and certain offers mentioned may have expired.
Eligibility, redemption flexibility, and acceptance abroad were important factors in staff choices, especially for those who travel internationally.
Perks such as statement credits, lounge access, and elite status can offset costs but may require enrollment or have usage restrictions.
What you'll miss from the article
Personal insights into why experienced travelers value specific card features and how these choices align with different travel and spending habits.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
At The Points Guy, we don’t just cover credit cards and travel. We live this stuff so we can bring you first-hand experiences. We’re always talking about the latest credit card offers, flight deals, ways to accumulate extra points and more, but we don't always get to share our personal picks for items we cover. So, I asked our staff the following question: The Credit Card Police have come to your house to confiscate all of your cards but will allow you to keep one. Which one would it be and why?
I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by some of the cards my coworkers chose. Not only will you see the usual card suspects, but you'll also notice some under-the-radar options worth a closer look.
Summer Hull, director of content
(Photo by B Calkins/Shutterstock)
My pick is the Chase Sapphire Reserve for many reasons. I love that the card lets me earn 3 points per dollar spent on travel and dining, two spending categories that many of my purchases fall within. Having the ability to transfer those points to partners like United, Hyatt and Southwest is also a highlight for me. Additionally, the easy-to-use $300 travel credit (with a generous definition of travel) helps ease the pain of the card’s $550 annual fee.
What continues to sell me on this card, though, is its built-in travel protections. Whether a kid gets sick right before a trip and we have to cancel or an airline strands us with severely delayed or canceled flights, this card has my back.
Clint enjoys his Centurion Lounge access at spots like LaGuardia Airport (LGA). (Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
If I could only have one card in my wallet, I'd choose The Platinum Card® from American Express. Despite the annoying “deal hunting” or “extreme couponing” aspect of this card, I will happily continue paying the exorbitant $695 annual fee (see rates and fees) because it gives me guaranteed Gold elite status with Marriott, Hilton and several car rental companies. I'm also a huge fan of the card's Amex Offers, which have saved me hundreds of dollars over the years, and its many annual perks, including up to $200 in annual statement credits to apply toward a stay at participating hotels, monthly statement credits for Uber rides and an annual credit to cover up to $200 in incidental charges with an airline of my choice.
I can transfer the Membership Rewards points I earn on the Amex Platinum to book a stay at the Aruba Marriott Stellaris. (Photo by Samantha Rosen/The Points Guy.) The Amex Platinum is the one card I'll never give up, even with all of its "lifestyle" changes launched in 2021. Added perks include an up to $189 Clear Plus credit to cover your annual membership, a $155 statement credit for a monthly Walmart+ membership (Subject to auto-renewal; Plus Ups are excluded), and $20 statement credits each month (up to $240 every year) for Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal.(Enrollment Required) I know the card’s hefty annual fee can be intimidating, but the statement credits plus its access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection and automatic elite status in select hotel loyalty programs more than pay for the card. Another bonus: I can transfer the points I earn to 19 airline partners, as well as three hotel partners.
As a foodie, the Amex Gold card gives Juan the maximum amount of points for dining. (Photo by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)
Without question, my go-to card is the American Express® Gold Card. I'm a foodie and spend an inordinate amount on dining out and purchasing groceries to test my chef skills at home. The 4 points I earn per dollar spent on those food categories is a strong earning rate. Plus, I rack up valuable Membership Rewards points that I can transfer to a variety of Amex travel partners and redeem for 2 cents apiece, according to TPG's valuation.
Madison may want to transfer her Chase points to book a room at the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs. (Photo courtesy of IHG)
Compared to many TPG staffers, I’m still relatively new to the credit cards game — I signed up for my very first points credit card only two years ago. I’ve added a few more to my wallet during the past couple of years (including a recent upgrade to the Chase Sapphire Reserve), but looking at my full credit card lineup, the one card I could not live without is my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. I will scream praises about this card forever. Although it’s not my most-used card these days, the earning rates, redemption options, low annual fee and travel protections make it a no-brainer to keep.
Wingtips Lounge Priority Pass at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) is a lounge Katie may enjoy. (Photo courtesy of Wingtips/Facebook)
I choose the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card as the one card that must stay in my wallet. If I was limited to one card, I'd want it to provide solid travel and shopping protections, Priority Pass lounge access and at least 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases, all of which are covered by the Capital One Venture X. Although I prefer the transfer partners of other credit card currencies, there are plenty of valuable options with Capital One's 17 airline and hotel partners. Plus, this card is affiliated with Visa, so I can more easily take advantage of its lack of foreign transactions fees while traveling abroad than I could with an Amex, which still isn't accepted by some overseas merchants.
Alejandro likes that the no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Propel comes with cellphone protection. (Photo by Pornchai Jaito / EyeEm / Getty Images)
I'm going off the beaten path with my choice: the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card (no longer open to new applications). The Propel has many of the benefits an Amex card has, such as travel accident insurance, lost baggage coverage, secondary car rental insurance in the U.S., purchase and return protection, cellphone insurance and extended warranty coverage — all for no annual fee. Plus, you'll earn 3 points per dollar spent on purchases that fall within popular categories like travel, dining, gas and streaming services. Redeem your points in the Wells Fargo Rewards portal for cash back or air travel.
The information for the Wells Fargo Propel 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.
For more details, read our full review of the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card.
Caroline Tanner, travel writer
Caroline may want to use her Chase points for a stay at the Hyatt Centric Key West. (Photo by Kyle Olsen/The Points Guy)
Like Madison, I, too, am a big fan of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. It's the first card I got when I started at TPG thanks to my coworkers' recommendations. It not only offers a low annual fee but also provides a number of redemption options, including with hotel partners like Hyatt.
Stella's Chase Sapphire Preferred card can save her when her flight is delayed or canceled. (Photo by Al Seib / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images).
Add me to the group of TPG staffers who love the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. Even though I only earn 1 point per dollar spent on non-bonus purchases, many items I'm buying fall within one of Chase's bonus categories. Not to mention, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are more valuable to me than a random airline or hotel currency. I also like that the card offers some of the most comprehensive trip and purchase protections available with a credit card.
While TPG staffers chose a variety of cards as their favorites, one stood out from the rest:
Credit card
Votes
Capital One Venture X
✔
Amex Platinum
✔✔
Amex Gold
✔
Chase Sapphire Reserve
✔
Chase Sapphire Preferred
✔✔✔
Wells Fargo Propel
✔
With its low annual fee, impressive travel protections and array of redemption options, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card remains a top pick among TPG staffers.
Despite some major changes in 2021 that came along with another increase in it's annual fee, the Amex Platinum still made the cut. One unexpected pick for me was Alejandro's choice of the Wells Fargo Propel (no longer open for applications), though its surprisingly solid list of benefits for a no-annual-fee card more than supports his selection. I'm happy to see that the new Capital One Venture X make the list, too, since it has generated some serious buzz since it launched in late 2021.
If you're considering adding a credit card to your wallet, check out these helpful TPG credit card guides:
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, please click here.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
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.
