Which Credit Cards should I open to maximize travel benefits?

There are a lot of ways to start booking FREE travel using credit card points. This is my recommendation based on personal experience.

BEST OVERALL CARD: Open a Chase Sapphire Preferred (CSP) and follow Steps 2 & 3 from Getting Started with Credit Card Points.

Why is this the BEST card?

1. LOW annual fee: only $95

2. Sign-Up Bonus (SUP) is 75,000 points which is worth a minimum of $750

3. Transferrable Currency

   1. Unlike a Delta Skymiles AMEX, this card allows you to utilize your points with a variety of hotels and airlines (see Transfer Partners).

   2. You can even book Delta flights three different ways: via the Chase Portal, transferring to Virgin Atlantic, and transferring to KLM/Air France.

4. Bonus Categories for earning Points

   1. Once you have met the sign up bonus (SUB), use this card to earn 3x on dining, streaming and online groceries, 2x on travel and 1x on everything else. An added bonus is there are NO foreign transaction fees (FTF).

5. Travel Insurance & Protections

   1. Use this card to book flights, hotels and car rentals and receive trip cancellation/interruption insurance, primary rental car insurance, baggage delay insurance, travel accident insurance and trip delay protection.

BEST BUSINESS CARD: If you are interested in opening business cards to maximize point earnings, sign up for the Chase Ink Credit Cards following the steps outlined HERE. Two of them have NO annual fee and the sign-up bonuses are generous.

If you don't want to delve into business cards, move down to the next best card, the Capital One Venture X.

NEXT BEST CARD: A perfect travel combination after opening the CSP (and the Chase business cards) is to open a Capital One Venture X.

Why is it a perfect combination with the CSP card?

1. Sign-Up Bonus (SUP) is 75,000 points which is worth a minimum of $750

2. Transferrable Currency

   1. Similar to the CSP, this card allows you to utilize your points with a variety of hotels and airlines (see Transfer Partners). You can also book Delta flights the same three ways as the CSP.

3. Global Lounge Access

   1. Enjoy unlimited access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide from Priority Pass, as well as complimentary access to Capital One Lounges.

4. Anniversary Bonus of 10,000 points every year on your card anniversary.

5. Annual Travel Credit of $300 through the Capital One Portal

6. Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit of $120

7. Bonus Categories for earning Points

   1. You earn 2x on everything. I use the CSP for the 3x categories and the Venture X for all other categories.

8. Cell Phone Protection

   1. Pay your cell phone bill with the Venture X and if any phone on the bill is stolen or damaged, you'll get reimbursed up to $800.

9. Travel Insurance & Protections

   1. This card also offers trip cancellation/interruption insurance, primary rental car insurance, baggage delay insurance, travel accident insurance and trip delay protection.

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