The Top 25 Credit Cards

(If you see any errors or missing cards, please let me know. I try to keep a full list, but it’s a lot of information and I do make mistakes).

Time for the monthly edition of my Top 25 Credit Cards. Again, if you’re a newbie, make sure you read The Newbie Guide. Many of your questions will be answered there. Basic things like not applying for 3 Chase cards at the same time should be known before you continue. For people running out of cards, remember there’s often a Business card option. I listed a few here but not many, so it might be worth exploring more Business cards. Also, “churning” might be an option. The dates here were a guideline but things always tend to vary individually.

Miles and points aren’t an equal currency. 50,000 Delta Skymiles are worth less to me than 50,000 miles from American Airlines. 25,000 Hyatt points are worth a ton more than 25,000 Hilton points. And so on. These links work right now (May 11th at midnight). If you read this later, many of the offers will have changed. Things move fast in this game so read the offer details before applying. Here we go! My Top 25 current credit cards in order are…
  • Various American Express Cards (Amex)
    • Business Platinum
      • Spend $5,000 in 3 months. Get 75,000 points.
      • Sign in to see offer.
      • Possible 150,000 points here.
      • Also a 100,000-point possibility.
    • Business Gold Rewards
      • Spend $5,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 points.
      • This offer comes and goes all the time. Back for now.
      • Possibly 75,000 points?
      • Another 75,000-point method here?
    • Premier Rewards Gold
      • Spend $1,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 points.
      • If you see a lesser offer, try in an Incognito browser.
      • Some people are seeing 100,000 points.
  • Ink Plus (Chase)
    • Spend $5,000 in 3 months. Get 60,000 points for now.
    • The points transfer to United, Southwest, British, Hyatt, etc.
    • 5 times the points on purchases at office stores.
    • Ink Cash at the same link is also 5X at office stores. 30,000 points for now.
    • Worth seeing if you can still get a 70,000-point offer in your local branch.
  • Sapphire (Chase)
    • Spend $4,000 in 3 months. Get 40,000 points.
    • Still very valuable points. See Ink cards above.
    • One of my favorite cards to use when I don’t have spends to meet.
  • Starwood Preferred Guest aka SPG (American Express)
    • Spend $5,000 in 6 months. Get 25,000 points.
    • Incredible card. I really, really love cash + points for hotel stays.
    • I’m also a big fan of some of their 3,000-point properties.
    • Possible 30,000 points. Also here.
    • The Business version of the card is here.
  • Barclay Arrival (Barclays)
    • Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 40,000 miles.
    • One of the best cards for actual spending, as discussed here.
  • American Airlines cards (Citibank)
    • Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 miles.
    • Many offers there. I’ve had so many of these cards.
  • United Airlines (Chase)
    • Log in and see if you are targeted for the 50,000-mile offer.
    • This offer is also being pushed heavily in airports.
    • No luck? You can also try this link.
    • If still not working, try this method.
    • Here’s a 50,000-mile Business link.
  • Southwest (Chase)
    • Spend $2,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 points.
    • Getting late in the year if you’re shooting for a companion pass.
    • Plus version of this card is still possible too.
    • 60,000-point Business version if you call 1-888-883-2721.
    • Personal with $100 credit is here.
  • Ritz Carlton (Chase)
    • Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 2 free nights.
    • Big $395 annual fee. But a travel credit of $300 makes that much better.
  • Mercedes Benz Platinum (American Express)
    • Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 Amex Membership Rewards points.
    • Big $475 fee but benefits like global entry credit and $200 credit.
    • A no-fee for the first year Platinum card is here.
    • Look for MUCH better targeted Amex offers in your mailbox or here.
  • Hilton Honors Reserve (Citibank)
    • Spend $2,500 in 4 months. Get 2 weekend nights. Best Hilton card.
    • Gold status while you have the card. Upgrades, breakfast, internet, etc.
    • Temporary offer with $100 credit here.
  • British Airways (Chase)
    • Spend $2,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 points.
    • If I were guessing, I’d say the 100,000-point offer will be back.
  • Club Carlson Premier (US Bank)
    • Spend $2,500 in 90 days. Get 85,000 points.
    • Great hotel card and not from the usual issuers.
  • InterContinental Hotel aka IHG aka Priority Club (Chase)
    • Spend $1,000. Get 80,000 points.
    • Another method to get that bonus is here.
    • One of the most underrated hotel cards out there.
    • If/when this goes away, there’s a 70,000-point offer too.
  • Hyatt (Chase)
    • Spend $1,000 in 3 months. Get 2 nights at any Hyatt.
    • Even more valuable after the point devaluation.
    • Offer with $50 statement credit may be available.
  • Marriott (Chase)
    • Spend $2,000 in 3 months. Get 70,000 points.
    • Business card links are here.
    • Another offer here for 40,000 points and $100.
    • Targeted 80,000-point offers around if you want to call/message Chase.
  • Fairmont Hotel (Chase)
    • Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 2 nights and breakfast at any Fairmont.
    • Again, many of these hotels are very expensive.
  • Delta (Amex)
  • Alaska Airlines (Bank of America)
    • Spend $1. Get 25,000 miles.
    • Offer with $100 credit here.
    • Bank of America cards can be MUCH more “churnable” than most.
    • Here’s a great trick to get the most out of this.
  • Prestige (Citibank)
    • Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 points.
    • Nice benefits including $200 credit, but huge $450 annual fee.
    • There is also a 60,000-point offer possible if you go into your local branch. That would put this much higher on the list.
    • A tool on Citibank’s site shows what cards you are prequalified for. You can also get a 50,000-point offer there.
    • See if you’re targeted for a 100,000-point offer.
  • Propel (Wells Fargo)
    • Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 40,000 points.
    • It’s always good to see cards from different banks.
    • A note on this one from reader Adam.
    • Here’s a decent Business card from Wells Fargo.
  • Wyndham (Barclays)
    • Spend $1,000 in 90 days. Get 45,000 points.
    • Offer has fluctuated between 30,000 and 45,000 for a LONG time.
    • Booking any hotel for 15,000 a night moves it up the list.
  • Hawaiian Airlines (Barclays)
    • Spend $1,000 in 3 months. Get 35,000 miles.
    • Business version is here.
  • FlexPerks (US Bank)
    • Spend $3,500. Get 20,000 points.
    • Many different card options for FlexPerks.
  • Venture (Capital One)
    • Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 40,000 miles.
    • Up from 20,000 miles.
  • Thank You (Citibank)
    • Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 points.
    • Bonuses on this card go up/down often.
    • Another version is here.
  • Lufthansa (Barclays)
    • Spend $5,000 in 90 days. Get 50,000 miles.
    • This offer comes and goes often.
    • Make sure you have a use for these miles…no extending expiration with Lufthansa.
  • JetBlue (American Express)
    • Spend $1,000 in 3 months. Get 20,000 points.
    • Get the points before it switches to Barclays. Then get them again.
    • Thanks to reader Adam.
  • Korean (US Bank)
    • Spend $2,000 in 90 days. Get 30,000 miles.
    • Back up from 15,000.
  • Hilton Honors (American Express)
    • Spend $750 in 3 months. Get 40,000 points (60,000 temporarily).
    • Go to Hilton.com, begin making a reservation, and you can also see a 50,000-point offer on the payment page.
    • Hilton points are definitely not what they used to be.
  • Hilton Honors Surpass (American Express)
    • Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 60,000 points (80,000 temporarily).
    • Get the previous card, and you’ll get tons of offers to upgrade to this one.
    • Back up to 80,000 points for now.
  • Hilton Honors (Citibank)
    • Spend $1,000 in 4 months. Get 40,000 points.
    • 60,000 points right now.
  • Diners Club Elite (BMO Harris Bank)
    • 3x points at gas station, grocery stores, and pharmacies.
    • Killer way to pick up Starwood points.
    • Big annual fee.
  • Aeroplan (TD Bank)
    • Spend $1,000 in 3 billing statements. Get 25,000 miles.
    • Not spectacular, but low spend and not the usual issuer.
  • Virgin America (Comenity)
    • 2 different card offers I discussed here.
    • Issued by Comenity Bank, which is the best thing about these cards.
    • Oh, and flights to Hawaii now!
  • Freedom (Chase)
    • Worth having in your collection for the 5% quarterly bonuses.
    • No reason to close this one.
    • Another semi-decent quarterly bonus cards is Discover It.
    • Here’s the old Amazon link for the Discover.
  • Navy Federal (Military Only)
    • Spend $3,000 in 90 days. Get 30,000 points.
    • Offer fluctuates and is available only with armed services affiliation.
  • LAN (US Bank)
    • 20,000 miles after first use. Was 25,000 before March 1.
    • 30,000 temporarily here.
    • Down from a 40,000-mile offer.
  • Frontier Airlines (Barclays)
    • Spend $500 in 3 months. Get 40,000 miles.
    • Moved way down. These miles suck. Expire after 6 months of no activity.
    • Interesting use for the miles here.
  • Expedia (Citibank)
    • Spend $2,000 in 3 months. Get 25,000 points.
    • Also a 15,000-point version with no annual fee.
  • Virgin Atlantic (Bank of America)
    • Skip this 25,000-mile offer and wait for 50,000 to return.
    • Again, Bank of America is more churnable than most.
    • Global Entry credit might still be working if you’re looking to save the TSA PreCheck fee.
    • Big 90,000 miles available here but a huge amount of spending needed.
  • Everyday (Amex)
    • Spend $1,000 in 3 months. Get 10,000 Membership Rewards points.
    • No annual fee. Preferred has a 15,000-point bonus with a $95 fee.
    • Free Amazon Prime for a year.
  • Sun Country (First National Bank of Omaha)
    • Spend $500 in 3 billing cycles. Get 40,000 points.
    • Not the most popular airline in the world.
  • Best Western (First Bank of Omaha)
    • 4 different card options. Up to 70,000 points one one.
    • Better than the old Barclays Best Western card.
  • NFL (Barclays)
    • Spend $500 in 90 days. Get $100 credit.
    • Offer has been higher in the past.
  • Choice Hotel (Barclays)
    • Get the card and stay a night. Earn 4 free stays.
    • I keep this as the last card mostly out of tradition.

Recently Dropped:

  • Amtrak (Chase) – Great flexible currency. Card should be back soon.
  • Asiana (B of A) – Down from 25,000.
  • LifeMiles (US Bank) – Dropped from 40,000 to 20,000 miles.
  • AirTran (Chase) – This one is gone for good.

Beyond this mile/point list, the following are some great cashback cards:

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Southwest Card Targeted Offers

Thanks to reader Jill for the email. She had me to check and see what my targeted Southwest bonus is.  My offer (4 points per dollar spent at Southwest) didn’t do much for me, but you could see something better in your account. If you have a Southwest credit card, click the link and see what you get. Have a great weekend, nerds!

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Don’t Forget Cash + Points

I don’t think a week ever goes without an email asking (basically) the same thing…

“Yo MileNerd, I’ve saved up airline miles but what about hotels???”

What about them?

There are TONS of opportunities. First, look at all the cards that earn you hotel points or free nights. Some examples are:

  • Starwood (one of my favorite overall credit cards)
  • Ritz Carlton
  • Marriott
  • Hilton
  • Hyatt
  • InterContinental (IHG)
  • Fairmont
  • Wyndham
  • Choice

Then, you have all the flexible currencies you can use for hotel stays. Cards include:

  • Barclay Arrival
  • Citi ThankYou
  • Citi Prestige
  • Chase Sapphire
  • Amex Gold, Platinum, etc.

Then you have the king…Chase Ink has absolutely been the best “hotel card” for many of you. With 5x points at office stores, a ton of you max out the 250,000 “office points” each year. And one of the very best uses of Ultimate Rewards points (depending on hotel choice) is transfers to Hyatt.

Add Priceline bidding, websites like Rocketmiles, and all the promos to take advantage of…man, there are so many options for hotel deals. But the main point of this post was to remind you about cash + points…

With Starwood, there are still some INCREDIBLE choices available. You can really stretch those Starwood points out like crazy this way. Hyatt is probably a little less valuable in the cash + points world, but again, there are very strong deals out there. If you’ve never booked a cash + points stay, take a look at the charts for Starwood and Hyatt.

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Miles For Mom

Sending flowers to mom this weekend? Why not get a few miles out of it? 3 great options are…

  • 35 Delta SkyMiles per dollar spent + 500 miles per order.
  • 30 American Airlines miles/dollar from 1-800-Flowers.
  • 30 American miles/dollar from FTD, plus 200 miles if you have a Citibank card.

And with that business taken care of, here are the 3 greatest Yo Mama jokes ever told…

3. Yo Mama so fat, I took a picture of her last Christmas and it’s still printing.
2. Yo Mama so dumb when you were driving to Disneyland, she saw a sign that said “Disneyland Left.” So she went home.
1. Yo Mama so heavy that when she sat on her iPod, she invented the iPad.

(MileNerd takes a bow)

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Credit Card Churning 201

Reader Steven wrote me this email yesterday:

“I’m at the point where I’ve almost made it through your entire best cards list…I’m quickly reaching the point where I’m cancelling them in chunks and running out of new cards…Should I just keep plowing through the list or did you reach a point where you were running out of apps?”

I’ve gotten many messages like that over the last few years. I’ve answered similar questions many times before, but I think it would be good to have this post to reference. Assuming you feel comfortable with the basics of credit cards, it’s time for…

(Drumroll please)

Credit Card Churning 201

Ok, you’ve been applying for credit cards, doing pretty well, and earning a bunch of miles and points. That’s great! But are you staying financially responsible – Not carrying a balance? Not missing payments? Not spending extra money just because you have credit?

If you’ve gotten in trouble, this game probably isn’t for you right now. Period. Stop reading. Miles and points aren’t worth making a mess of your finances.

But if you feel like you’re just getting started…if you’re handling things well and want to do more…that means you have a different situation on your hands. I guess you could call it an opportunity.

For me personally, as I’ve gotten deeper into this game, I’ve started to get comfortable with some unusual things. The amount of credit I have…the number of cards I apply for…the crazy amount of time I spend on my fake spending. If you would have told me any of this 10 years ago, it would have seemed scary. And possibly like a huge waste of time. But the rewards have been great. So hitting things hard has become second nature for me. Here are the main ways I’ve stepped it up with credit cards…

  • Like many of you, I’m not locked into the 91-day application cycle anymore. For a long time, I applied for 1 card from each issuer every 91 days. That is no longer the case for me. I don’t follow as strict a schedule.
  • I’ve churned identical credit cards (many times).
  • I don’t take no for an answer as easily.

You just can’t get too far (over a long period of time) in the credit card game without churning a card. So, what exactly is churning?

Churning (verb) – Earning the signup bonus of a specific credit card multiple times.

Translation: Getting the same card (and bonus) more than once.

As always, read the small print. But here’s some  general information when you want to churn a card:

  • American Express – Except when the terms on a specific offer say otherwise, Amex has put us on lockdown recently. It sucks. The bonus on many of their cards is once per lifetime now. Targeted offers can be an exception.
  • Bank of America – Churn city. People have been getting Alaska and Virgin credit cards over and over every few months. I’ve had many of each. Some people have even gotten more than one by applying at the same time on the same day.
  • Barclays – Doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason with these guys. Their cards are highly churnable for some people and hard to get for others.
  • Chase – If you wait 24 months after getting the bonus on a card, you can get it again. Chase is still our friend.
  • Citibank – For a bunch of their cards, you need to have it closed for 24 months to get the bonus again. Not terrible, but it used to be much better. People did VERY well churning Citibank cards for a long time.

As far as “not taking no for an answer” as easily, I’m referring to reconsideration calls. The longer you do this…and the more cards you apply for…sometimes you’re going to get denied. I’ve lost track of how many times making a phone call has turned that decision around. Whether moving a credit line around, closing a card to open another, or just asking nicely…these phone calls often do the trick. Here’s a reference guide to some reconsideration phone numbers:

  • American Express – 877.399.3083
  • Bank of America – 888-593-6092,  866-865-7839, 866-865-7843 (Spanish line that usually works best, believe it or not), 800-481-8277 (Business cards)
  • Barclays – 866-408-4064
  • Chase – 888-245-0625 (Personal), 800-453-9719 (Business)
  • Citibank – 800-695-5171, 800-763-9795

I know this is nothing new for many of you. But for some newbies looking to step things up, hopefully it helps.

(Later updates were posted here and then here)

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