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Recently, someone asked me which rewards card I would keep if I could only have one. While I can’t imagine a scenario where I could only have one rewards card, I totally got where this person was coming from.
They were planning on buying a house in the near future, so they didn’t want a ton of hard inquiries on their credit. Plus, they were extremely conservative and worried about debt, they told me. Because they wanted to pursue rewards and stay in their own comfort zone, they wanted only one rewards card – the best one they could find.
But, which card would I have if I could only have one? This is a hard question for me to answer because I love so many different cards for different reasons. I love my Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard, for example, because I can use the points I earn to cover any travel expense and I earn a flat 2x points on everything I buy.
I also really love my husband’s Platinum Card from American Express because we get Centurion Lounge access and an airline travel credit.
My favorite card though is probably my Chase Sapphire Reserve. This card offers 3x points on travel and dining and 1x points on everything else. It does charge a $450 annual fee, but it offers a $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge access, and other perks.
If I had to have one card and one card only, I suppose the Chase Sapphire Reserve would be it.
Like other people though, this newbie I was advising was not huge on paying a $450 annual fee. They were conservative and worried about debt and using credit in general, so a fee that high was out of the question.
With that in mind, I suggested the next best thing – the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. This card also offers a 50,000 point welcome offer after you spend $4,000 within three months of account opening, but it only offers 2x points on travel and dining. And while it doesn’t offer airport lounge access or an annual travel credit, the annual fee is only $95 and it’s waived the first year.
The reason I love both of these Chase options is that the rewards program is so valuable and so lucrative. Not only can you transfer points 1:1 to popular loyalty programs like Marriott, Hyatt, United, Southwest, British Airways, and IHG Rewards, but you can book any travel you want through the Chase portal. Lastly, you can redeem points for cash back, gift cards, or merchandise.
The Bottom Line
We all have our favorite and go-to cards we use for different reasons. The reason I love these cards so much is that you can use your points in more than one way – and because Chase has the best transfer partners in the business.
Fortunately, I am not someone who limits myself to just one card. Instead, I tend to focus some of my spending on different cards in order to maximize their benefits. To each their own, and we all have to do what’s right for us.
What rewards card would you have if you could only have one? Why?
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Delta® Reserve for Business
- Annual Fee: $450 fee
- Foreign Fees: No
- Card Type: Travel
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- Earn 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after you spend $3,000 in purchases with your new Card in the first 3 months.†
- Earn 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 15,000 bonus miles after you reach $30,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in the calendar year.
- Earn 2 Miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
- Settle into your seat sooner with Priority Boarding and enjoy 20% savings on eligible in-flight purchases in the form of a statement credit.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you spend overseas.‡
- Complimentary Delta Sky Club® Access.‡
- Terms and limitations apply
- See Rates & Fees
Delta® Reserve for Business
- Annual Fee: $450 fee
- Foreign Fees: No
- Card Type: Travel
| FTG Review | Reward Breakdown | Points Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
Breakdown
Earn (pt.)
Spend
3 months
0
$3,000
Per dollar on eligible purchases with Delta Purchases
2.00
$1
All Purchases
1.00
$1
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Already have this card? Maximize your rewards.
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