3 Credit Card Travel Fails I Should’ve Known Better Than to Make

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I’ve been doing the pre-trip wallet shuffle for years—swapping out our everyday cards for the ones that earn the best rewards, unlock travel perks, or help avoid fees. It’s usually second nature.

But on a recent hybrid trip—flying to Atlanta and then road-tripping to Tennessee—I made three mistakes that cost us points and perks. They weren’t rookie mistakes, either. I should’ve known better.

Here’s what went wrong, and how you can avoid doing the same.

What I Packed

Since this wasn’t our usual fly-stay-fly itinerary, I packed cards based on what I expected to spend:

• Amex Platinum – For Delta Sky Club access
• Citi Custom Cash – For 5X on live entertainment (Dollywood tickets, shows, etc.)
• Southwest Priority – For Upgraded Boarding credits and a targeted 5X dining offer
• Wyndham Earner Business – For 8X at gas stations during the road trip
• ATM card – No fees and ATM reimbursements

I also packed my Fast Park membership and Priority Pass card.

My wife’s wallet stayed mostly untouched. Since we’d be together, I didn’t think it was necessary to coordinate both wallets. She had:

• Hilton Surpass Amex – Supermarket Purchases and to work toward the $15K spending threshold for a free night
• Amex Platinum – For Delta Sky Club access
• Chase Sapphire Preferred – As the reliable Visa backup
• Amex Green – Which, as my wife, Sharon, will gladly tell you, never leaves her wallet

Now, let’s get into what I missed.

Fail #1: I Didn’t Pack a Catch-All Card

Our first mistake showed up pretty quickly. We ran into a couple of places that didn’t take Amex, and there were times I wasn’t with Sharon to use a Visa or Mastercard from her wallet.

What did I end up using? My Citi Custom Cash—great for 5X on live entertainment, but only 1X on everything else. I left behind better options like my Freedom Unlimited (1.5X), Venture X (2X), or Blue Business Plus Amex (2X).

Lesson learned: Always include a solid flat-rate card for non-bonused spending. You’ll inevitably need it.

Fail #2: I Forgot the Bonus Cap

I was using the Southwest Priority Card for all of our dining, expecting to earn 5X thanks to a targeted offer. Halfway through the trip, the bonus points stopped showing up.

Turns out, I had hit the $1,500 cap earlier in the month. The rest of our restaurant spending? Just 1X Southwest points. If I had realized, we could’ve switched to the Hilton Surpass (6X), Sapphire Preferred (3X), or even Sharon’s trusty Amex Green (3X). Heck, using Apple Pay with my Bilt or Citi Premier would’ve been better.

Lesson learned: Don’t just know your spending offers—track them. A quick check could’ve saved us thousands of points.

Fail #3: The “Souvenir Soda” Trap

This one comes up often in travel groups. Someone recently asked if buying snacks from carts at Disney counts as dining. The answer? Usually no.

I should’ve remembered that at Dollywood. I bought popcorn and a bottle of water from a snack stand and paid with a dining rewards card—only to find out it coded as a “souvenir” purchase. Had I gone to a quick-service restaurant instead, it would’ve earned dining points.

Lesson learned: In theme parks, use restaurants—not carts or kiosks—if you want to be sure you’re getting dining category bonuses.

Final Thought

These weren’t earth-shattering mistakes, but they added up. And they were all avoidable.

Now, when I organize our wallets, I start with a solid catch-all card, then layer in the bonus category cards. I’ll also double-check my spending caps and be more mindful of where purchases are made.

If you’re someone who likes to squeeze the most value out of every swipe, learn from my missteps—you’ll come out ahead.

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