If you earn travel loyalty points using credit cards, knowing which card to use for each purchase is essential to maximize your rewards. But keeping up with the right card for every expense and tracking changing bonus categories can be a lot of work. If you’re like me and prefer having a reasoning behind every purchase, you’ll likely need 3-4 cards on hand. However, if you’re someone like my wife Sharon, who prefers to use one card for most of her purchases, you’ll need a card that’s versatile enough for various expenses. Comparing the cards in my wallet to those in Sharon’s provides a glimpse into two strategies for earning points and miles.
Joe’s Wallet – A Card For Every Spending Category
Currently, I carry three main cards. This year, I’m focused on meeting spending requirements to earn bonuses, so I’ve streamlined my purchases to a handful of cards, making it easier to hit my goals without worrying about every small purchase.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
This is my primary card right now as I work toward meeting the $10,000 spending requirement for a $200 Delta flight credit. It earns 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide (although I don’t use it for those expenses frequently).
American Express Gold Card
I use this card for supermarket and restaurant spending, earning 4X Membership Rewards points. Although I mentioned focusing on the Delta Gold Card for spending requirements, I don’t need to move all my purchases to that card to hit my goals.
Bilt Mastercard
This card is my fallback for small purchases. I use it for Rent Day to earn double points and make sure I complete five transactions per month to earn rewards. It’s perfect for minor expenses like buying a soda or paying for parking, helping me hit the transaction goal without much effort.
Wild Card Space
This is where I keep a card I’m using for a specific spending requirement, whether it’s for a new card or a limited-time offer on a card I already have. Currently, this space is held by my Discover card, which offers an extra 4% on up to $1000 in purchases. This makes it a 5% back card until I reach the limit.
Sharon’s Wallet – Simplified Points Earning
When we first started this blog, we joked in our bio that we were a husband who was into miles and points and his wife who didn’t really care. That’s changed a bit. (Note from Sharon: not much! I still really don’t give a crap, LOL!) Sharon still doesn’t want to fuss with which credit card to use for each purchase. If I put a card in the front of her wallet, she’ll use it – and that’s about the extent of her interest in the matter.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card.
For the past two years, this has been Sharon’s go-to card. Using it for all her purchases, we easily earned a free night after spending $15,000. It also offers bonus points in several categories:
- 12 points per $1 at participating Hilton hotels or resorts
- 6 points per $1 on U.S. restaurants, gas stations, and supermarkets
- 4 points per $1 on U.S. online purchases
- 3 points per $1 on all other purchases
Capital One Venture X
I keep this card as a backup for Sharon, just in case she travels somewhere that doesn’t accept American Express. It earns 2X points on all purchases, which is the baseline you should aim for with any card.
Final Thoughts
The cards I’ve shared work for us, but they may not be the best for everyone. For example, if you shop at big-box stores like Target, Walmart, or discount clubs like Costco, you won’t earn bonus points at supermarkets. In that case, a card like the Venture X, which earns 2X points on all purchases, might be a better fit.
Also, it’s important to note that many of these bonus categories apply only to U.S. purchases. So, if you frequently shop internationally, you may not be able to take advantage of those bonuses abroad.
If you spend time outside the U.S., use a card with no foreign transaction fees. This will save you from extra charges when making purchases overseas.
Everyone’s situation is different, so make sure you choose the card strategy that works best for you. What cards do you carry in your wallet, and how do you decide which ones to use? Let me know in the comments or share your thoughts!
Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary, or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.
Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.
Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!
This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
