It’s common to see posts about which credit cards are in someone’s wallet, offering a snapshot of their strategy and why they use each card. Some cards might serve niche purposes, like meeting a sign-up spending requirement, taking advantage of targeted bonuses (such as those Chase sends out quarterly), providing lounge access while traveling, or earning rewards from rotating categories like Discover or Chase Freedom Flex. Others might stick around thanks to retention offers.
While these posts are great for understanding credit card strategies, I like to take a broader view. In addition to looking at what’s in my wallet right now, I review my yearly spending to see which cards I’ve used the most. This helps me evaluate whether my spending aligns with my goals for the year (you do have goals, right?).
With that in mind, here are the cards I’ve used most in 2024, organized into three categories: Yearly Spending Thresholds, Sign-Up Bonuses, and Everything Else
Yearly Spending Thresholds
These cards are the ones I put the most spending on over the year to meet a yearly threshold.
AMEX Hilton Surpass
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card offers a nearly unrestricted free night at any Hilton property after spending $15,000 in a calendar year. While I had to scramble to use the free night this year, I still managed to get over $300 in value from it.
To maximize this benefit, I’ve given this card to my wife, Sharon, for all her purchases. Since she handles the grocery shopping, it’s a win-win: we earn 6X Hilton points and steadily work our way to the $15K threshold. This strategy worked well in 2024, and I plan to continue it in 2025.
Bilt Mastercard
The Bilt Mastercard offers Silver status to cardholders who spend $10,000 in a calendar year. I hadn’t planned on meeting this threshold, but after realizing I was 75% of the way there with only a few months left, I decided to go for it.
My main motivation for achieving Silver status was access to better Rent Day promotions. In the past, Bilt has offered tiered bonuses on point transfers to partners, making the extra spending worthwhile to potentially earn 25% or more bonus points. Silver status also comes with other perks, like earning “interest” on points held in your account and a 10% discount on Blade rides.
Sign-Up Bonuses
This was a slow year for credit card sign-ups for us.
World of Hyatt Business Card
When we signed up for the World of Hyatt Business Card, it offered a 60K bonus for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months, plus an additional 15K for spending $12,000 within the first 6 months. I decided to aim for both bonuses, which pushed this card to the top of my spending list in 2024.
However, the card doesn’t align well with our travel needs, so it’s on the chopping block when the renewal date comes around.
AMEX Bonvoy Business
It had been a while since we held the AMEX Bonvoy Business Card, so I decided to check if I was outside of the “once in a lifetime” rule—and I was approved! The sign-up bonus at the time was 3 free nights (which we used at the Moxy Times Square) after spending $6,000.
Virgin Red Mastercard
I signed up for the Virgin Red Mastercard primarily to explore what it offers. At launch, the card came with a 40,000 Virgin Points bonus for spending $3,000 in the first 90 days. I met this requirement by paying for a Virgin Voyages cruise, which also earned 3X points on the card.
Everything Else
This is the category I find most revealing. Looking at which cards I use when I’m not working toward a spending requirement helps me see which cards I truly value—and which ones might be worth letting go.
Capital One Venture X
It’s no surprise that the Venture X was my most-used card in 2024. It’s a simple and rewarding 2X points card, with points worth at least 1 cent each. However, I often find Capital One points to be more valuable when transferred to one of their many travel partners, making it a better choice than a 2% cash-back card.
I also charged our cell phone bill to this card to take advantage of the protections offered by the Venture X.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve earned a spot on the list as my go-to card for travel expenses and a backup for dining in 2024. It earns 3X points on hotels, rental cars, and airfare, paired with excellent travel protections—making it a valuable option for most wallets.
That said, it overlaps too much with other premium travel cards I own, so I’ve decided not to renew it in 2025.
Freedom Unlimited
Like the Venture X, the Freedom Unlimited is a solid flat-rate earner, offering 1.5X points on all purchases with Ultimate Rewards. Additionally, it earns 3X points at restaurants and drugstores.
This is my go-to card for non-bonus spending when I want to earn Ultimate Rewards instead of Capital One points. I value the ability to transfer these points to Hyatt, where I typically get more than 2 cents per point in value.
Looking back at my credit card usage in 2024 has been an worthwhile exercise. It’s clear which cards provided the most value, whether through meeting yearly thresholds, taking advantage of sign-up bonuses, or being my go-to for everyday spending. While some cards will remain staples in my wallet, others no longer align with my goals and will be cut in the coming year. By reviewing how I’ve used each card, I’m better equipped to refine my strategy and focus on maximizing rewards in 2025. I encourage you to do the same—take stock of your spending, set clear goals, and ensure your cards are working as hard for you as possible.
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