I've recently written about the things you need to consider when looking for a credit card to apply for. Probably would have made more sense to tell you first what I have and why I chose this combination, so here you go!
| AAdvantage Platinum | ||||
Annual Fee | $99 | $395 | $95 | $95 | $99 |
all other purchases | 1x | 2x | 1x | 1x | 1x |
airline purchases* | 2x | NA | NA | 2x | 2x |
dining | 2x | NA | 3x | 2x | 2x |
hotel (when purchased on local hotel website) | NA | NA | 2x | 2x | NA |
gas stations | 2x | NA | NA | NA | 2x |
local transit | NA | NA | NA | NA | 2x |
office supply stores | NA | NA | NA | NA | 2x |
online groceries | NA | NA | 3x | NA | NA |
select streaming services | NA | NA | 3x | NA | NA |
other travel | NA | NA | 2x | NA | NA |
bank rewards portal** | NA | 10x/5x | 5x | NA | NA |
*By airline purchases, it means using that card to make purchases with that airline, ie. using the American Airlines to purchase flights on American, not on another airline **Chase, Capital One & other banks have their own rewards portal where you can book travel & other experiences, if you book through those portals, you will get extra points/miles. Often, if they offer a travel credit with that card, you need to book through their portal to use it.
NA - if it is not an applicable category, that category just falls in the 'all other purchases' category
A benefit they all share is $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit. This can only be used once every 4 years, which is fine since you don't need it more often than that anyways. Getting Global Entry is a no-brainer, it makes your life so much easier at the airport. It includes TSA PreCheck & smooth entry into USA from abroad. I haven't waited in a line since I got it about 5 years ago. All of them have no foreign transaction fees. Most USA credit cards have this as a benefit.
I'm gonna highlight the benefits I really use out of each card that is not a part of earning points. Click each dropdown to find the info on each card.
American Airlines (AAdvantage Platinum)
This one I actually do not use a whole lot anymore. I used to fly almost primarily American as a kid (this was just my family's preference). This will get me 1 free check-in luggage on American flights. I won't close it because it's my longest credit line (thanks to my parents), so it wouldn't be smart for my credit score to do so. If I only fly once per year on American, I think I still get enough value out of it.
Capital One Venture X
Chase Sapphire Preferred
United Explorer
United Business
This is not financial advice. Signing up for a credit card is an important financial decision and you should do so carefully with your own research and/or help from a financial professional. This is not an advertisement. Some of the links are referral links and will give me extra airline miles or travel points if you use them to sign up. Thank you!
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