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Monkey Miles Favorite Credit Cards: October 2021

Happy October! I recently got back from an incredible trip to the Maldives ( on points of course! ) What started out as a simple roundtrip on Qatar Airways ( booked with 150k Amex points a piece ) turned into a whirlwind trip home. My wife was offered a job in Germany that required us routing via Frankfurt on the way home, and me traveling back from Germany on my own. It was a great opportunity for her, and I was able to swing Emirates First Class for our ride to Germany, and Lufthansa First Class for my hop back to the States. All in all…it was an insane way to travel back home.

Jump to Our Favorite Personal Cards

Jump to Our Favorite Business Cards

We stayed at the Six Senses Maldives ( read our review here ) which I booked with IHG points utilizing the 4th award night free perk of the IHG Rewards Premier credit card. We also had the immense pleasure of staying at the St Regis Maldives. Both were mindblowing experiences, but full disclosure, even with using points to offset the villas, it’s very expensive for food and activities.

Two cards I’d look at first: October 2021

I think both of these cards fit the wallet of newbies and point savvy pros alike. Before you get any other cards, I would take the time to seriously consider these two:

1. Currently, Chase Sapphire Preferred is offering a 60k points after $4k spend in 3 months They also added new 3x and 5x category bonuses, 10% anniversary point bonus, $50 hotel credit – I would add it to your wallet ASAP
   • 60k points after $4k spend in 3 months
     • Worth $1250 in Chase Travel and way more if you maximize transfer partners
   • 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards – Chase Travel Portal
   • 3x on dining, including eligible delivery services for takeout & dining out
   • 3x on select streaming services
   • 3x on online grocery purchases
     • (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
   • $50 Annual Credit on hotel stays purchased via Ultimate Rewards/Chase Travel
     • The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
   • 10% Anniversary Bonus
     • Every year you keep the card, your total spend will yield a 10% points bonus. If you spend $10k in a year, you’ll get 1k bonus points
   • Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to redeem at 1.25c in the Chase Travel Portal and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including primary rental car insurance, purchase protections, etc.
   • Points are transferrable to 13 Ultimate Rewards partners
   • Redeem in the Chase Travel center for 1.25 cents per point
   • $60 Peloton credit through 2021 – see details below
   • Complimentary DashPass with Door Dash for 12 month – see details below
   • No foreign transaction fees
   • Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
     • Primary rental car coverage is my favorite
2. Citi Thank You Premier is offering 80k Thank You points after $4k spend in 3 months
   • You also earn 3x on
     • Air Travel
     • Hotel
     • Supermarkets
     • Dining
     • and Gas
   • Quite possibly the most underrated card in the market – I added this card to my wallet in July 2021.

These are the other offers I’m also very excited about

• American Express Platinum just added a ton of new perks + 100k welcome offer
  • $200 Hotel credit
    • You must pre-book via Amex FHR or The Hotel Collection via Amex Travel
  • $300 Equinox credit (enrollment required )
    • $25 per month when you pay your dues with an Amex Platinum
  • $240 Digital Entertainment Credit (enrollment required )
    • Get up to $20 per month at Peacock, The New York Times, Audible, or Sirius XM
  • $179 Clear credit (enrollment required )
  • $200 airline incidental credit (enrollment required )
  • $200 Uber Cash credit (enrollment required )
  • $100 global entry or $85 TSA Pre credit (enrollment required )
  • Annual fee is now $695 (Rates and Fees)
• Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Freedom Flex have brought back grocery store bonuses
  • Starting July 1st, you can earn up to 5% back, or 5x points, up to $12k in the first year at grocery stores
  • This is in addition to the 5x at Chase Travel and 3x on dining and pharmacies
  • Chase Freedom Flex continues to get 5x rotating category bonuses
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited continues to get 1.5x on all purchases
• The IHG Rewards Premier has upped their welcome offer to 150k after $3k spend in 3 months and waived the first year annual fee. This is tremendous!
  • I pulled the trigger on this card as well and signed up at the end of July.
• Amex Gold is still rocking 60k or more offers (Rates and fees) and it probably gets more swipes/taps/inserts than any other card In our wallets.
  • it earns 4x on dining and 4X on US Supermarkets up to $25k a year
  • Aside from hitting a minimum spend, this card gets more swipes than any card in my wallet

A Quick Thank You!

However you’ve found us, we are very grateful for your readership and support!  I’m clearly obsessed with points and miles and leverage my 800+ credit score to earn as many as possible. I want to stress this point though – carrying debt to earn points is a terrible idea and we always recommend paying all of your off bills in full and on time.

If you’re just getting started with points and miles I’d highly strongly recommend reading the section “Brief Intro” – this will give you a quick intro as well where I’d recommend you start your journey.

We make money when you use our links, and greatly appreciate you using them, but make sure you’re getting the best deal out there. You could be targeted for a higher offer and we want you to get the most bang for your buck. With that said – we are a small business and rely on your support to keep going so every click helps and we thank you again for using our links.

I recently published an in-depth article on how I’m looking to re-shift my wallet in 2021. I keep 15-25 cards concurrently and this article gives further insight into how I will tailor it this year.

Additional October updates:

American Express

There hasn’t been any massive updates to the Amex program for October, but the following offers continue to be worth your consideration.

1. July was a big month for Amex since they gave their Amex Platinum new benefits and a higher annual fee of $695  (Rates and Fees)
   • Some people are even populating 125 to 150k offers so make sure you get the best offer!
   • These offers continue to populate into October
2. In February we saw that Amex Gold added a $120 annual Uber Cash benefit (enrollment required) – this was in addition to the $120 dining credit (enrollment required) that already existed ( that’s a total of $240/year in credits ).
   • Still one of my most used cards

Let’s look at these new Amex Platinum details

• 100k Membership Rewards after $6k spend in 6 months + 10x on restaurants worldwide and “shop small” in the US.
• $695 annual fee (Rates and Fees)
• $200 Hotel credit
  • You must pre-book via Amex FHR or The Hotel Collection via Amex Travel
• $300 Equinox credit (enrollment required )
  • $25 per month when you pay your dues with an Amex Platinum
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit (enrollment required )
  • Get up to $20 per month at Peacock, The New York Times, Audible, or Sirius XM
• $179 Clear credit (enrollment required )

Amex Gold is still stellar

• Amex Gold now offers a $120 Uber Cash credit (enrollment required) in addition to a 60k welcome offer after $4k spend in 6 months (Rates and fees) and 4x on both dining and us supermarkets – one of my favorite cards. Don’t forget to check to see if you qualify for a higher targeted offer of 75k or via referrals ( would be in your Amex prequals )

Capital One

Capital One absolutely slapped the credit card marketplace when they added 4 new transfer partners, 19 total, and improved 9 of their partners to 1:1. There are rumors circulating that we may see a premium card introduced, and many of their cashback cards are showing the possibility to convert cashback into valuable Cap1 miles. I haven’t confirmed this, but it’s a good sign for the future and Frequent Miler puts out really reliable information. This is a technique I use all the time with Chase and their ecosystem…it seems Cap1 is tailoring their program in a similar fashion.

In the first two months of 2021 I haven’t really mentioned Capital One very much because their offers haven’t been that attractive to me. This just changed. There is a 60k welcome offer on the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offer and it’s definitely worth considering – it’s one of the few cards that has a sub $100 annual fee that offers a Global Entry/TSA Pre credit.

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card 60k offer 

Chase:

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred is offering 60k after $4k spend in 3 months. This is BY FAR the best offer we have ever seen on the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
• Chase Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited still have great deals and make great additions to your wallet with no annual fee
  • As I mentioned up above, they now include grocery store bonuses
• Chase IHG Rewards Premier is offering 150k points after $3k spend in 3 months + waived first year annual fee

Citi

The Citi Thank You Premier and Citi Double Cash are some of the most underrate cards on the market – you can read more about them here

If you’ve found us via TikTok… I gotchu BAYBAY 🙂 Please enjoy this intro video and sizzle that shows what is truly possible with points!

A brief intro to the banks we use most

If you’re just starting then I would highly recommend beginning with Chase cards since they not only have an incredible transferrable point currency, Ultimate Rewards, they use something called the 5/24 rule to limit approvals. 5/24 represents a policy that Chase has against approving you if you’d had 5 new accounts opened on your personal report in the last 24 months. If you’re thinking of bulking up your wallet with some great point earning cards, you want to make sure you give yourself the best shot with Chase, and a low 5/24 number helps. You can read more about that here, but it’s why I recommend beginning with Chase cards. The goal would be to build a Chase Trifecta or Quadfecta of cards that maximize your ability to earn points on every dollar you spend on them. I won’t get into detail on that, but here’s a link that explains more.

One thing to remember. If you carry a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Chase Ink Business Preferred you can transfer points to Chase’s amazing partner list. If you carry a cash back card alongside those premium cards, you can merge your points together. Read about that here, but it’s why I stress carrying at least two to increase your earn rate.

The Chase Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited are tremendous cards with no annual fee and I would pay close attention to those.  Over on the business front, the no annual fee Chase Ink Business Cash and Unlimited have new and fantastic offers.

• Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited have amazing offers currently running and I would highly recommend both cards
  • They were improved in September of 2020 and at least one should be in your wallet
• Chase Sapphire Preferred  is a great starter premium card and one that I actually carry
  • I think this is a great card to view as your Chase cornerstone
• Chase Sapphire Reserve has an offer of 50k Ultimate Rewards after $4k spend in 3 months. It’s also well worth your interest and includes many additional perks, but has a much higher annual fee of $550
• Chase Ink Business Preferred is one of the best business cards you can carry and I actually have two of them in my wallet ( different businesses )
  • 3x on a litany of categories and earns transferrable points
• Chase Ink Business Cash
  • rotating quartely 5x categories make this a great card to keep in your wallet to maximize spend
• Chase Ink Business Unlimited
  • earn 1.5x on every dollar your business spends

American Express

American has some of the best cards on the market and an incredible Membership Rewards program with over 20 transfer partners. I carry 7 American Express cards and couldn’t recommend them more, and the biggest thing to keep in mind is their welcome offers are once in a lifetime. Make sure you get the highest offer you can find! With that said…Amex has some amazing offers currently running. The two I would pay most attention to are Amex Platinum, and one of my favorite cards of all time the Amex Gold.

• American Express Gold 
  • Best public offer I’ve seen at 60k after $4k spend in 6 months (Rates and fees)

Amex dropped a brand new offer on the Platinum cards as well, including some new benefits. In total…we’re looking at this:

American Express Platinum Card

• 100k Membership Rewards after $6k spend in 6 months + 10x on restaurants worldwide and “shop small” in the US.
  • 10x capped at $25k in combined purchases
• $695 annual fee (Rates and Fees)
• $200 Hotel credit
  • You must pre-book via Amex FHR or The Hotel Collection via Amex Travel
• $300 Equinox credit (enrollment required )
  • $25 per month when you pay your dues with an Amex Platinum
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit (enrollment required )
  • Get up to $20 per month at Peacock, The New York Times, Audible, or Sirius XM
• $179 Clear credit (enrollment required )
• $200 airline incidental credit (enrollment required )
• $200 Uber Cash credit (enrollment required )
• $100 global entry or $85 TSA Pre credit (enrollment required )

Citi

Citi has a great program that offers transferrable points called Thank You points, and several different restrictions regarding approval – namely, 1 application every 8 days and 2 in 65 days.  With over a dozen transfer partners it is a great complement to the programs above. Personally, I carry a Citi Prestige and a Citi Double Cash. Much like the Chase programs that allow the merging of points earned as cashback, Citi allows you to merge Citi Double Cash points with those earned on the Citi Prestige and Citi Premier. The Prestige makes sense for me, but I would typically recommend a combo of Citi Premier and Citi Double Cash.

I would go as far as to say that the combo listed below is one of the most underrated on the market.

• Citi Thank You Premier – 80k after $4k spend in 3 months
  • 3x points on Air Travel, Hotels, Gas, Supermarkets, and Dining
• Citi Double Cash
  • 2% back everywhere without a limit

You can see how that combo could be great to have and the annual fee on the Citi Premier is just $95.

You can read more about Citi Cards on our partner’s site CardRatings and their list of Best Cards of 2021

Capital One

Capital One really changed their status in the points world when they announced at the end of 2018 that they created a transferrable points program. It has some great partners, and personally I would focus on two cards.

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
  • 60k Offer after $3k spend in 3 months
    • Earn 2x points on all purchases
    • The big thing to note here is that MOST Capital One points transfer at a 2:1.5 ratio, meaning for most partners, you’re earning 1.5x points per dollar spent after you transfer to them. The exceptions are Singapore, Accor, and Emirates.
  • You get a Global Entry fee credit which completely wipes out the annual fee – pretty awesome
• Capital One Spark Miles for Business 
  • This is a great card that earns 2 points on every dollar you spend
• Capital One Spark Cash for Business
  • If you’re just looking for straight up cash…this card earns you unlimited 2% back on every purchase. That is a cashback rate you should at least consider; however, the cashback earned on this cannot be combined with the cards above like I have mentioned with Chase and Citi.

If you want to travel like me, you need some fire power, and that means turning your wallet into an armory.

We try and earn the most points on each and every dollar we spend. That’s how we’ve traveled over 500k miles, circled the globe multiple times, redeemed millions of points, and enjoyed over $250k worth of travel in the past 5 years. I’ve done safaris, seen wonders of the world, and I even took my mom and dad on a surprise, 24 day, around the world trip that would have cost $125k had we paid retail ( our cost was just $5k ).  I’m always re-evaluating the credit card marketplace, looking for ways to tweak my current arsenal of point earning powerhouses to see if I can’t do a bit better. Every point counts, right? Each month, we’ll put together a list of cards we think are great at helping readers ( and us ) get closer to our travel goals.

You need a great base of credit cards that are your “Go-Tos,” the ones you constantly pull out for expenses. They offer a great bang for your buck on most of your purchases. But your arsenal…well, those are cards you keep for specific purposes, perks, and benefits that amplify your travel from the sidelines.

Building the right base, and an accompanying arsenal of the great credit cards means you’ll be traveling better and more often. Here’s a look at my current armory 🙂

What’s in my Base?

My base consists of the cards I use on a monthly basis for regular purchases. Currently it consists of this:

• Chase:
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred
  • Chase Freedom
  • Chase Ink Business Preferred
  • Chase Ink Business Cash
  • Chase Ink Business Unlimited
• Citi
  • Citi Double Cash
  • Citi Thank You Premier
•  Amex
  • American Express Platinum
  • American Express Gold
  • American Express Blue Business Plus
  • American Express Green

What’s in my Arsenal?

My Arsenal consists of cards that I use occasionally ( like hotel stays, free baggage, etc ) or ones whose intrinsic benefits outweigh the cost of the card

• Citi
  • Citi Thank You Prestige
  • Citi Double Cash
  • Citi Thank You Premier
• Chase
  • IHG Rewards Select
  • Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card
  • Chase IHG Rewards Premier
• Amex
  • I have 3  American Express Business Platinum
  • I have 3 American Express Business Gold
  • American Express Blue for Business

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Our Favorite Personal Credit Cards

	Credit Card	Why Monkey Miles thinks you should consider it
	Chase Sapphire Preferred Card	For the traveler looking to earn bonus points with dining and travel and great rental car protection, Read More *Highly Recommend*	Learn More
	Chase Sapphire Reserve	For the Traveler looking for lounge access and triple points on dining and travel worldwide + a $300 annual travel credit, and great rental car protection Read More	Learn More
	Chase Freedom Flex	For the traveler who prefers cash back. With opportunities to earn up to 5% cashback on rotating categories each quarter., Read More	Learn More
	Chase Freedom Unlimited	For the traveler looking for no annual fee and worry free unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, Read More	Learn More
	Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority	For the traveler who values Southwest perks and benefits and the Companion Pass Read More	Learn More
	American Express Platinum	For the Traveler looking for Centurion lounge access, 5x points on airlines, uber VIP status and credits , Read More *Highly Recommend*	Learn More
	American Express Gold	For the traveler who's looking for big dining and us supermarket bonuses. 4x on both! , Read More *Highly Recommend*	Learn More
	American Express Green	For the traveler who's looking to earn 3x on travel and dining + great credits. We highly recommend for beginners! Read More	Learn More here
	Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card	For the traveler who wants double points on every purchase and great transfer partners Read More	Learn More
	Chase IHG Premier	For the traveler who wants IHG status and benefits, an annual free night, and 4th night free when booking with points Read More	Learn More
	Chase World of Hyatt	For the traveler who stays at Hyatt and wants status and a free night every year Read More	Learn More
	Chase British Airways Credit Card	For the traveler looking to fly on One World airlines, enjoys British Airways, and values a companion pass. Read More	Learn More
	American Express Hilton Aspire	For the traveler looking for top tier status, resorts credits, and more with Hilton, Read More	Learn More

Chase Sapphire Preferred

(Learn More )

Current Offer:

Earn 6

 

0k points after $4k spend in 3 months. Annual fee is $95

Why we love it:

In our opinion, this is the one of the best cards you can keep in your wallet. It’s perfect for both newbies and longterm point pros alike AND they just added an absolute deluge of new bonus categories and benefits. You can read the full article here, but it’s a no brainer IMO.

Chase and their Ultimate Rewards program feature an incredible list of transfer partners like Hyatt, British Airways, United, Singapore Airlines, Aeroplan, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, IHG, and Marriott.

For a relatively low annual fee of $95 you can bonus points on a slew of categories, and if you carry this card you can merge the points you earn from Chase’s cashback cards like the Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited. If you have a business, you can merge points from those cards as well. I use the Chase Sapphire Preferred as a cornerstone in my Chase portfolio.

Benefit Overview

• 100k points after $4k spend in 3 months
  • Worth $1250 in Chase Travel and way more if you maximize transfer partners
• 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards – Chase Travel Portal
• 3x on dining, including eligible delivery services for takeout & dining out
• 3x on select streaming services
• 3x on online grocery purchases
  • (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
• $50 Annual Credit on hotel stays purchased via Ultimate Rewards/Chase Travel
  • The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
• 10% Anniversary Bonus
  • Every year you keep the card, your total spend will yield a 10% points bonus. If you spend $10k in a year, you’ll get 1k bonus points
• Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to redeem at 1.25c in the Chase Travel Portal and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including primary rental car insurance, purchase protections, etc.
• Points are transferrable to 13 Ultimate Rewards partners
• Redeem in the Chase Travel center fo
• r 1.25 cents per point
• $60 Peloton credit through 2021
• Complimentary DashPass with Door Dash for 12 month
• No foreign transaction fees
• Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
  • Primary rental car coverage is my favorite

Citi Thank You Premier Card

Learn More 

Current Offer:

Earn 80k Citi Thank You points after $4k spend in 3 months

Why we love it:

This may be the most underrated credit card in the market. If you’re looking for a card that will earn bonus points across many of the categories you spend the most money on…this may be it. You’ll earn 3x points on Air Travel, Hotel, Supermarkets, Dining, and Gas. The Citi Thank You Premier also give Mastercard World Elite benefits which can include free mobile phone insurance, DoorDash and Lyft benefits, and Shoprunner. You get all of this for a $95 annual fee. Citi also has some really great transfer partners; however, they are a bit more nuanced than you’ll find with Chase or Amex. Read our full review here, but this is a great offer

Benefit Overview

• 80k bonus Thank You points after spending $4k in the first 3 months
• 3x points on
  • Air Travel
  • Hotel
  • Supermarkets
  • Dining
  • Gas
• Access to Mastercard World Elite benefits
• No foreign Transaction fees
• $95 annual fee

Chase Sapphire Reserve

( Learn More )

Current Offer:

Earn 50k points after $4k spend in 3 months. Annual fee is $550

Why we love it

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is the granddaddy of all Chase cards. It’s the card that lit the media on fire when it hit the market just a few years ago with perks like a $300 annual travel credit, full Priority Pass membership with access to great lounges all around the world for you and 2 guests, 3x points on dining and travel worldwide, and points that are worth 1.5c in the Chase Travel Center. And of course, the Chase Sapphire Reserve earns Ultimate Rewards that can be transferred to partners like Hyatt, British Airways, United, Singapore Airlines, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, IHG, and Marriott. When you factor in the $300 travel credit, you’re paying an extra $255 more than the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Benefit Overview

• $0 Foreign Transaction Fees
• Priority Pass membership
• Fully transferrable 1:1 to all of Chase’s Ultimate Reward Partners
• 3x on dining and travel
• 50k points are worth $750 in Chase Travel Center
• Get Primary Auto Collision Coverage
• Trip Cancellation and interruption insurance
• 24/7 Customer Service

 

Chase Freedom Flex 

(Learn More)

Current Offer:

Earn $200 welcome bonus after spending $500 in 3 months + 5x/5% back at grocery stores ( not including Target or Walmart) for the first 12 months, up to $12k total spend. No annual fee.

Why we love it:

This is a card we have carried for several years now when it was a Chase Freedom. Primarily we carried it because of 5x rotating category bonuses. Added benefits now include 5x on travel booked in Chase Travel, 3x on dining and pharmacies, and 1x everywhere else.

Every quarter, Chase selects categories like grocery stores, drug stores, gas, department stores, etc for you to earn 5x points, on up to $1500, on purchases. Now, this is technically a cash-back card, but when paired with a premium Ultimate Rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can transfer that cash-back into you Ultimate Rewards account. This is what I do every year, and if you max out those $1500 quarterly bonuses, you end up making 5x points on $6k of spend. Or 30k points, each and every year.

Benefit Overview

• No Annual Fee
• 5x on Travel booked through Chase Travel
• 3x at Dining and Pharmacies
• 5x rotating quarterly category bonuses
• Combine your cash-back with your premium Ultimate Rewards

Chase Freedom Unlimited

(Learn More )

Current Offer:

Earn $200 bonus after $500 spend in 3 months + 5x/5% back at grocery stores (not including Target or Walmart) for the first 12 months, up to $12k total spend. No Annual Fee. $200 = equivalent of 20k Ultimate Rewards

Why we love it:

The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a fantastic card for those who prefer cash-back, OR ( and this is our fave ) to pair with either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve. Why? When you team the Chase Freedom Unlimited with a premium Ultimate Rewards card you can take your cash-back earned and transfer it into your Ultimate Rewards account. Why is that a good thing? Because then you can access of all those transfer partners to unlock incredible travel redemptions.

Benefit Overview

• No Annual Fee
• 5x on Travel booked through Chase Travel
• 3x at Dining and Pharmacies
• $200 bonus after $500 spend in 3 months
• 1.5% or 1.5x points on every purchase

American Express Platinum Card

 ( Learn More )

Current Offer:

Earn 100k points after spending $6k in 6 months + 10x on worldwide restaurants and US Shop Small – up to $25k In combined purchases and $695 annual fee  (Rates and Fees)

Why we love it

A card we carry and love. The American Express Platinum Card is a heavy hitter, and not just because it’s made of metal. This new welcome offer is stunning because you can earn 100k welcome offer after $6k spend in 6 months + a whopping 10x points on restaurants worldwide and Shop Small in the US for 6 months, up to $25k in combined purchases.

That is a potential 150k Amex points. You’ll also have access to Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Amex’s own uber lux Centurion Clubs, earn 5x points on airfare purchased directly with the airlines or Amex Travel, access to Amex’s own Fine Hotels and Resorts program for upgrades, breakfast, and credits, earn $15 a month in Uber credits (enrollment required), and their Membership Rewards are some of the best points you can possibly earn.

I love using their points to transfer to programs like Aeroplan, Singapore Airlines, Air France, Emirates, Avianca, Qantas, and many, many more.

Benefit Overview

• 100k Membership Rewards after $6k spend in 6 months + 10x on restaurants worldwide and “shop small” in the US.
  • 10x capped at $25k in combined purchases
• $695 annual fee (Rates and Fees)
• $200 Hotel credit
  • You must pre-book via Amex FHR or The Hotel Collection via Amex Travel
• $300 Equinox credit (enrollment required )
  • $25 per month when you pay your dues with an Amex Platinum
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit (enrollment required )
  • Get up to $20 per month at Peacock, The New York Times, Audible, or Sirius XM
• $179 Clear credit (enrollment required )
• $200 airline incidental credit (enrollment required )
• $100 global entry or $85 TSA Pre credit (enrollment required )
  

American Express Gold Card

( Learn More )

Current Offer: 

Earn 60k bonus points after spending $4k in 3 months. Annual Fee is $250 (Rates and fees)

Why we love it:

American Express revamped their Gold card in 2018 and we named it THE MOST compelling card of the year. I’d argue it’s still the most compelling card in 2021 as well. Earning 4x points on dining, 4x on US supermarkets ( up to $25k ), 3x points on airfare purchased via Amex Travel and directly with airlines, $10 monthly dining credit at select restaurants (enrollment required), $10 monthly credit on Uber/Uber Eats (enrollment required), let’s just say my Amex Gold card gets a ton of swipes every month. The Amex Gold card also earns Membership Rewards and I love using their points to transfer to programs like Aeroplan, Singapore Airlines, Air France, Emirates, Avianca, Qantas, and many, many more to access those super fancy cabins everyone loves. This is one of the absolute workhorses of my wallet.

Benefit Overview

• 4x points at US Supermarkets ( up to $25k per year )
• 4x points on dining, plus qualifying takeout, delivery, and Uber Eats
• 3x points on Airfare purchased directly with airlines and via Amex Travel
• $10 monthly dining credit at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Shake Shack, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House(enrollment required)
• $120 Uber Cash Credit – $10 a month to be used on Uber or Uber Eats (enrollment required)
• No foreign transaction fees
• Annual Fee of $250 Rates and fees)

American Express Green Card

( Learn More )

 

Current Offer: 

Earn 30k Membership Rewards after spending $2k in 3 months

Why we love it:

The Amex Green Card earns 3x on travel categories, including flights, hotels, tolls, metro, rideshare, and busses. This increased earn structure paired with statement credits of $100 on Clear and Loungebuddy make this a valuable card to keep in our wallet. Plus, it’s another great way to earn referral bonuses!

Benefit overview:

• 30k Membership Rewards Welcome Offer after $2k Spend
• 3x on Travel, transit, and dining
• $100 annualClear credit (enrollment required)
• $100 Loungebuddy credit (enrollment required)
• $150 annual fee

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

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Current Offer:

Earn 60k bonus miles you spend $3k on purchases in the first 3 months

Why we love it:

Capital One changed the game in 2018 when they opened up their program to transfer partners ( most partners transfer at 2:1.5).  The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers 2x miles on everyday purchases, and you’ll also receive a  $100 Global Entry fee credit/TSA Pre✔®

Benefit Overview

• 19 transfer partners ( 9 at 1:1, some at 2 to 1:5, and a few at 2:1)
• Earn 2 miles on every dollar you spend
• Get a $100 Global Entry fee credit/TSA Pre✔®

Chase IHG Rewards Club Premier

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Current Offer:

• Earn 150k IHG points after spending $3k in 3 months
• $0 annual fee first year, then $89 annual fee.
• Earn 25x points at IHG

Why we love it.

The IHG Rewards Club Premier not only gives you Platinum status in IHG for as long as you have the card, it also gives you a free night every single year after your anniversary ( up to 40k points ). Those two reasons alone are reason enough to acquire and keep the card long term, but here’s an incredible perk for point redemptions: you get a 4th night free when using points for your entire hotel stay. That is incredible. You’ll also get $100 Global Entry fee credit/TSA Pre✔® every 4 years. If you’re an IHG fan…this is a fantastic card for you.

Benefit Overview

• IHG Platinum status as long as you keep the card
• 4th night free when using points to book your entire stay
• Annual free night certificate on hotels valued at 40k and under
• $100 Global Entry fee credit/TSA Pre✔®

Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card

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Current Offer:

Earn 30,000 World of Hyatt points after you spend $3k on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, Earn 2x on what would normally give you 1x up to $15,000 in the 6 months after account opening. This means you’d get 60k bonus points after $15k spend in 6 months. Don’t forget you get a free category 1-4 certificate when you spend $15k in a year.

*Double elites through 12/31/21 nights if you apply by 9/30/21 and are approved

Why we love it

Every year you hold onto this card you will keep Discoverist status within Hyatt, but the big benefit is the annual night certificate at category 4 hotels and below. There are really amazing cat 4 and below hotels around the world, and I’ve stayed at many of them ( Park Hyatt Siem Reap, Saigon, Taipei). Tack on earning 4x points on every dollar you spend at Hyatt properties and the World of Hyatt credit card is a great card to keep in your wallet. You also have the opportunity to earn status nights ( 2 Elite qualifying nights for every $5k you spend ), and if you spend over $15k in a year, you’ll earn another category 1-4 free night certificate. I’ve also been able to save a ton of points through promos directed at World of Hyatt cardholders. The most recent being 25% off stays when using points. These tend to happen at least once per year, but varies. If you like Hyatt hotels, which I love, this is great card to keep in your wallet.

Why this offer could be advantageous to you….the ability to earn the 30 nights required for Top Tier Globalist status in just 15 nights. Great opportunity.

Benefit Overview

• Annual category 1-4 free night certificate
• Double elites through 12/31/21 nights if you apply by 9/30/21 and are approved
• 4x points at all Hyatt hotels ( this totals 9x points on every dollar spent when you factor in the 5x base points )
• 2x points at fitness clubs
• 2x points on dining
• Earn 2 Elite qualifying nights for every $5k you spend on the card
• Earn a bonus category 1-4 free night certificate when you spend $15k+ on the card.

Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority?

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Current Offer:

Earn 40k points after $1k spend in 3 months.

Why it’s just ok:

Chase had been offering a companion pass alongside a larger sign up – that was an incredible offer; however, it required $5k in minimum spend vs the $1k on this offer. Personally, I preferred the older offer, but many still value a lower minimum spend alongside the perks of the card. You’ll get a 7500 point bonus after your card anniversary, $75 Southwest Travel credit, and 4 upgraded boardings per year when available. The card carries a $149 annual fee which is worth considering, but it comes packing some heavy punches.

Benefit Overview

• Receive 40k SouthWest points after $1k spend in 3 months
• 7,500-point anniversary bonus:
• $75 annual Southwest travel credit:
• Four upgraded boardings per year ( when available ):
  • Want to get in that sweet A1-A15 spot? You can use these at the ticket counter or gate to jump to the front.
• 20% off inflight purchases like Wifi, inflight drinks
• Annual Fee $149

Chase British Airways Credit Card

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Current Offer:

Earn 100k Avios after $5k min spend in the first 3 months from account opening. Note a companion certificate is credited after spending $30k in a cardmember year. Depending on the cabin of service, you are eligible to get some taxes and fees credited back if you are a cardholder

Why it’s just ok

British Airways Avios are great to use on their partners for short flights because you can avoid heavy taxes and fees, but still extract a ton of value. I use these points quite often domestically in the states on American Airlines, as well as in Asia on Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines. There are some great sweet spot redemptions, and this card earns points fast with a 4x offer.

On top of the rapid earn, you also get a free companion certificate when you spend over $30k in a year on the card. My family made use of this perk back in 2015 when we took a safari to South Africa and my parents flew roundtrip in British Airways First Class with a Chase BA companion certificate. Taxes and fees add up quickly, and Chase has taken steps to help offset those if you’re a cardholder with $100 off Econ or Premium Econ bookings and $200 back on Business/First one credit per reservation, up to 3 times per year. You do need to use your Chase BA card to pay for the fees.

Benefit Overview

• 100k Avios after $3k in 3 months after account opening
• 3x Avios on all BA purchases
• Spend $30k in a cardmember year and get a companion certificate good for 2 years on BA ( these are good on both points and cash bookings )
• No foreign transaction fees
• Get Taxes and Fees reduced with credits
  • $100 for an economy or premium economy booking
  • $200 for a business or first class booking.
  • You can receive one statement credit per reservation, up to 3x per calendar year.
  • You have to pay the award taxes and fees with the Chase British Airways Visa to get the credit.

Citi Thank You Prestige

Current Offer: 

Earn 50k points after $4k in 3 months of card membership. Annual fee is $495

Why we love it

The Citi Thank You Prestige gives you a 4th night free when you book via their portal or concierge. That’s incredible value. This benefit changes to just 2x per year in September, but even still…it’s staying in my wallet. It also gives a Priority Pass membership, access to Citi’s transferrable points program Thank You which has numerous transfer partners like Etihad, Virgin Atlantic, Qantas, and Singapore Airlines. You’ll also enjoy 5x on dining, 5x on airfare purchased directly with the airline, and great travel interruption protection.

Benefit Overview

• 5x points on dining worldwide
• 5x points on airfare purchased direction with the airline
• 4th night free benefit ( 2x per year starting sept 2019 )
• Priority Pass Membership
• One of the best travel protection coverage plans
• Access to World Elite Mastercard benefits

Barclay Aadvantage Aviator Red

Current Offer:

Earn 50k points after a single purchase. Annual fee of $99

Why we love it:

You’ll get cool features like a first checked bag free and preferred boarding plus a companion certificate, but what I really enjoy about having the card is access to AA’s reduced mileage awards. This program reduces flights between select cities by 7500 miles when you have a qualifying card, which the Barclay Aviator Red is…that’s an amazing savings on tickets. You also have access to World Elite Mastercard benefits as well.

Other Benefits:

• First checked bag free
• Preferred Boarding
• $99 Companion certificate after you make your first purchase and pay the annual fee
• $25 statement credit on AA in flight Wifi
• 25% off in flight snacks on AA

American Express Hilton AspireLearn More

Current Offer:

Earn 150k points after spending $4k in 3 months. Annual fee of $450

Why we love it

This card is an absolute beast giving members top tier Diamond Status, a free weekend night good at most any Hilton in the world, $250 resort credit ( not good on pre-paid rates ), $250 Airline incidental credit, earn 14x points on Hilton purchases, Priority Pass Select, and shoprunner. I don’t have this card yet, but it’s on my list to get. I absolutely love it, and the Hilton perks are incredible.

Benefit Overview

• Free Annual weekend night on your account anniversary
• Diamond status, top tier, as long as you maintain the card
• $250 resort credit ( not good on prepaid rates)
• $250 annual airline incidental credit
• 14x points at Hilton Hotels
• 7x points US restaurants, airfare booked directly with the airline/Amex travel, select car rental agencies.

Miles’ Top Business Credit Card Picks

	Credit Card	Why Monkey Miles likes this card
	Chase Ink Business Preferred	For the small business looking for free cell phone protection, and big bonuses on travel, shipping, and select internet advertising Read More	Learn More
	Chase Ink Business Unlimited	For the small business looking for a no annual fee card that earns 1.5% cash back on every single purchase regardless of category, Read More	Learn More
	Chase Ink Business Cash	For the small business that spends a lot on office supplies, cable, and internet, and no annual fee, Read More	Learn More
	American Express Blue Business Plus	For the small business looking to avoid an annual fee but still earn double points on every purchase, up to $50k, Read More	Learn More
	Capital One Spark Miles for Business	For the small business looking to earn double points without cap and uses Global Entry/TSA , Read More	Learn More
	Capital One Spark Cash for Business	For the small business that wants to earn 2% cash back on every purchase without limit, Read More	Learn More
	American Express Business Platinum	For the small business that spends a lot on airfare with the airline, enjoys Centurion access, and higher Amex Travel redemption rates, Read More	Learn More
	American Express Business Gold	For the small business that wants 4x on two categories ( like US gas, US restaurants, US Select Media advertising) up to $150k a year. Truly a fantastic way to earn a boatload of points Read More	Learn More

If you’re a small business owner like me, you should be earning points on each and every dollar your business spends. We’ve compiled a list of credit cards, many we have, some we want, but all of them bring a definitive value proposition to the table. Personally, I want as much diversification as possible. The more points I have and the different types of points I accumulate mean I have more options to redeem when I’m ready to plan that dream trip. When you’re earning points in a variety of programs, it increases the odds that you’ll be able to redeem when the time comes. After all, luck is the intersection of opportunity and preparation.

Many of you reading this may not have businesses that possess an EIN, or an Employer Identification Number, and that’s perfectly ok. Small business credit cards may be a perfect fit for you.

• Gig economy workers: Uber and Lyft drivers, DoorDash/Postmates, etc all receive income via 1099s as independent contractors
• Tutors, consultants, etc
• Ebay, Facebook, and Amazon resalers
• Bloggers, influencers, etc

If you fall into any of those categories above, or something similar and earn 1099 income, you may qualify for a small business credit card.  You’re in the position to take advantage of keeping your expenses associated with being an independent contractor separate so your tax professional can properly deduct applicable expenses from your taxes. Further more, many businesses start as side hustles and hobbies and run as Sole Proprietorships before ultimately becoming S-Corps, LLCs, etc. Small business credit cards are great ways to earn a lot of points for your business spend, keep those expenses separate, and keep your personal credit utilization rates low. Let me explain

Small Business credit card spend doesn’t show up on your personal credit report, and thus, the money that is put on them doesn’t run up your credit utilization number. Remember, your credit utilization is the the amount of credit you use divided by the amount of credit available to you. The majority of my big purchases are business related, and by putting those purchases on my business credit cards instead of my personal cards I am able to more easily keep my credit utilization number in the single digits.

One thing to remember is that your personal credit report and gross income are used to secure your small business credit card so you are personally liable for the money you spend on it, but your business doesn’t have to make a ton of money. For instance, if you’re a lawyer in NYC making $180k/year, but you also have a legal blog that makes some money off Google Ads, you qualify for a small business credit card. Even if you only make a couple grand a year, your personal income may secure you a card with a sizeable credit line.

In the situation I mentioned above,  here is how you would approach the application. The blog would be the business name, you’ll choose Sole Proprietor as your business type, where it asks for Employer Identification Number you’d use your social security number, and your business income would be $2k. It’s run out of your home so it would be your home address. You’ll also fill out information regarding your personal information including other income where you’d fill in the $180k/year.

Chase Ink Business Preferred

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Current Offer:

Earn 100k Chase Ultimate Rewards after spending $15k in 3 months. Annual fee is $95

Why we love it:

This is a powerhouse business card and one we put many of our expense on. It earns 3x points, up to $150k a year, on travel, shipping, Internet, cable, phone, and advertising with specific social media sites. In addition to those great earning opportunities you receive free mobile phone insurance with a low deductible simply by paying your cell phone bill with the card. This card also earns Premium Ultimate Rewards, which means you can transfer points into partners like Hyatt, British Airways, United, Marriott, Iberia, Singapore Airlines, Air France, etc

Benefit Overview

• $95 annual fee
• 3x Points, up to $150k, on
  • Travel
  • Shipping
  • Internet, Cable,Phone
  • Advertising on certain social media sites
• Free cell phone insurance for you and your employees ( who are on your phone bill )

Chase Ink Business Unlimited

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Current Offer:

Earn $750 cash-back ( 75k Ultimate Rewards ) after spending $7500 in 3 months. No annual fee

Why we love it

Earn 1.5x on every single dollar that you spend, but here’s the biggest reason we love it. If you carry a card like Chase Sapphire Preferred/Reserve or Ink Business Preferred, you can combine your cashback with those Ultimate Rewards and transfer them into the fantastic Ultimate Reward partners. The Chase Ink Business Unlimited is an incredible way to assure that your business is earning, at a minimum, 1.5x on every single dollar it spends. That’s pretty fantastic.

Benefit Overview

• Earn 1.5x on every dollar you spend
• No Annual Fee

Chase Ink Business Cash

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Current Offer:

Earn $750 cash back ( 75k Ultimate Rewards ) after spending $7500k in 3 months. No Annual Fee

Why we love it:

You can earn 5x points on every single dollar ( up to $25k ) at office supply stores, cell phone bills, landline, internet, and cable tv services each account year. That is incredible and we make great use of it every year.

Benefit Overview

• 5x, up to $25k at:
  • Office Supply Stores, Cell phone, Landline, internet, cable, and tv services
• 2x on dining and gas

 

American Express Business Platinum

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Current Offer: 120k Membership Rewards

Earn 120k Membership Rewards after spending $15k with the first 3 months of card membership. Annual fee is $595. (Rates and fees)

Why we love it:

This all metal beast is a powerhouse card that will give you access to Amex’s own Centurion Club Lounge, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required) , $200 incidental airline credit (enrollment required), $179 Clear Credit (enrollment required), 50% bonus on purchases over $5k,  $120 wireless credit, cell phone insurance, 35% back on points redeemed on your airline of choice/premium cabin tickets (enrollment required), 5x points on flights purchased in Amex Travel, and $400 annual Dell statement credit (enrollment required ).

Benefit Overview

• 120,000 welcome offer after $15k spend in 3 months –
• Annual fee $595 (Rates and fees)
  • Annual fee goes to $695 (Rates and fees) on 1/22/22
• $179 Clear credit (enrollment required )
• $200 annual airline incidental fee reimbursement (enrollment required )
• $120 Wireless Credit ( enrollment required )
  • $10 per month wireless credit,
  • Must make payments directly to any US Wireless provider
• 1.5x points on qualifying purchases over $5000
• 1.5x on up to $2 Million at select categories
  • Electronics goods, retailers, software, and cloud service providers
  • Construction materials and hardware supplies
  • Shipping providers
• Global Entry fee reimbursement – worth $100 (enrollment required )
• Priority Pass Select membership – worth ~ $400 (enrollment required )
• Cell Phone Insurance
  • $800 per claim, 2x per 12 month period
  • $50 deductible per approved claim
• Delta Sky Club lounge access – when flying on Delta
• Centurion Lounge access – network expanding and very worthwhile
  • I do love these clubs! Check out SFO, MIAMI
• Access to Fine Hotels and Resorts
  1. Amazing benefits such as free breakfast, resort credits, room upgrades, early check in, late check out, etc
     • Using Amex FHR has earned me $100s per stay each time I use it.
• Over 20 transfer partners: like Singapore Air, Air Canada, Air France, British Airways
  • Read about our best uses of Amex Points
• Marriott Gold status (enrollment required )
• Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required )
• The Hotel selection
  1. slightly different than Fine Hotels and Resorts, but provides great benefits, credits, and upgrades
• 5x points on flights booked through Amex Travel
• Access to International Airlines Program rates for select premium cabin flights originating in the USA
• $400 Annual Dell credit ( enrollment required )
  • This is split into 2, $200 credits, applied every 6 months: Jan to June and July to Dec
• $360 Indeed credit ( enrollment required )
  •  get $90 per quarter, Up to $360 annual statement credit
  • on all Indeed hiring and recruiting products and services
• $150 Adobe credit ( enrollment required )
  • : $150 annual statement credit on select purchases,

American Express Business Gold

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Current Offer: 70k Membership Rewards

Earn 70k Membership Rewards after spending $10k with the first 3 months of card membership. Annual Fee of $295 (Rates and Fees)

Why we love it:

You’ll get 4x points on 2 of the categories listed below where you spend most in a billing cycle, up to $150k total per year. You’ll also enjoy 25% points refunded back into your account if you use them to purchase airfare through Amex Travel (any class on your selected airline, or biz/first on any airline – (enrollment required)). The biggest reason to get this card is to earn a ton of points via category bonuses. If you spend a lot on any of the ones listed below, you’ll earn your annual fee back in the form of bonus points many times over.

Benefit Overview

• • 70k Membership Rewards after $10k spend in 3 months
  • 4x on 2 of the following categories where you spend most per billing cycle(capped at $150k)
    • Airfare purchased directly from airlines
    • U.S. purchases for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
    • U.S. purchases made directly from select technology providers of computer hardware, software, and cloud solutions
    • U.S. purchases at gas stations
    • U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
    • U.S. purchases for shipping
  • 25% points refunded back when you buy a flight on Amex Travel (enrollment required)
    • your airline of choice in any cabin
    • biz/first on any airline
    • capped at 250k refunded points per year.
  • $295 annual fee (Rates and Fees)

 American Express Blue Business Plus

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Current Offer: Earn 15k Membership Rewards after $3k spend in 3 months

2x purchases on the first $50k of all purchases throughout the year. FYI Referrals vary between 10k and 20k on welcome offers, but varies throughout the year. No Annual Fee. (Rates and Fees)

Why we love it.

Plain and simple, you’re getting double points, up to $50k, on everything you spend.

Benefit Overview

• 2x points on all purchases
• No Annual Fee

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

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Current Offer:

50k Miles after spending $4500 in 3 months plus earn 2x miles on every dollar purchase. $95 annual fee, waived first year.

Why we love it

Capital One changed their entire strategy at the end of 2018 when they introduced transfer partners. In fact, up until that point, I hadn’t really seriously considered picking up a Cap1 card because I extract the most value from by transferring into partners. Cap1 has a very solid group of partners which were recently improved. There are now 19 transfer partners, 9 of which transfer 1:1 and most others transfer 2:1.5. This means, you’re earning a worry free, without limit, 1.5 miles ( post transfer ) on every single dollar your business spends, and in some cases 2 points for every dollar. That’s amazing. You’ll also get a $100 Global Entry/TSA Pre credit and no foreign transaction fees

Benefit Overview

• 2x miles on every dollar your business spends, without limit ( mostly equates to 1.5 miles post transfer to partners. 9 at 1:1 )
• Low annual fee
• Access partners like EVA, Aeroplan, and Singapore Airlines
• $100 Global Entry/TSA Pre credit

Barclay Aviator Red Business

Current Offer:

Receive 50k AA miles after spending $1k in 90 days. Another 30k AA miles after spending $6k ( total ) in 12 month. Annual fee of $95

Why we love it:

You’ll not only earn a great welcome bonus, but you’ll also get a free checked bag. You can earn 3k EQM when your business spends $25k a year + a $99 companion certificate when you spend $30k. Other benefits include preferred boarding and a 25% discount on in flight purchases.

Benefit Overview

• 80k welcome bonus
  • 50k after $1k spend in 90 days
  • 30k after $6k spend ( total ) in 12 months
• Annual fee of $95
• Free checked bag
• 3k EQM bonus after spending $25k/year

To see the rates and fees for the American Express cards featured, please visit the following links: American Express Platinum Card: See Rates and Fees; American Express Business Platinum: See Rates and Fees; American Express Gold Card: See Rates and Fees; American Express Business Gold: See Rates and Fees; American Express Blue Business Plus: See Rates and Fees