Main Cast
Monkey Miles Main Cast Credit Cards
Zachary Abel
How it Works – Main Cast
Main Cast credit cards are the stars of your wallet. They earn flexible points or points that can be transferred into partner programs, and ultimately where you want to put all your everyday purchases.
- If you’re just beginning the process of building your wallet.
Start here. - Ideally you want to choose cards from the list below that
offer bonus points where you spend the most.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
If you’re looking to add a super premium card to your wallet without having to calculate whether you’re recouping the annual fee every year… the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card may very well be the best fit for you. 2x miles everywhere, lounge perks, and great travel partners make this a killer card
Welcome Offer
100k Capital One Miles when you spend $10k on purchases in first 6 months from account opening, equal to $1000 in travel
Annual Fee
$395
Points Earned
Transferrable Capital One Miles
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers 2x miles on every single purchase you make, a $300 annual credit when booking in Capital One Travel, 10k Miles every year you keep the card ( worth a minimum of $100 in portal ), Priority Pass, Cap1 Lounge Access + when booking via the Capital One Travel Portal you’ll earn 10x miles on hotels and car rentals + 5x miles on flights.
The travel credit and 10k anniversary bonus miles alone recoup the $395 annual fee and they have a great list of transfer partners.
It’s an absolutely killer offer from Capital One.
- Earn 100,000 bonus miles when you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening, equal to $1000 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Lounge Access
- Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Passâ„¢ lounges, after enrollment
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Cell Phone Protection
- Up to $800 per claim, $50 deductible
- $1600 max per 12 month rolling period
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
The best ever offer was 100k after $10k spend in 6 months when the card first debuted, but 75k has been the offer ever since.
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Welcome Offer
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
Transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Travelâ„
- 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 Chase Travel Hotel Credit via Chase Travelâ„
- The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
- 2x on all other travel
- 10% Anniversary Points Boost
- each account anniversary you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year
- Points are transferrable to 14 Ultimate Rewards partners
- No foreign transaction fees
- Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is my favorite
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders
- $95 Annual Fee
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is exceptional starter card and offers transferrable Ultimate Rewards, and pairs well with other Chase cards.
If you carry this card alongside Chase’s cashback cards like the Chase Freedom Flex® and Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the business versions: Ink Business Cash® , Ink Business Unlimited® you can combine the points into Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners
Annual fee is quite low at $95 a year + you get a 10% anniversary bonus on points + $50 hotel credit in Chase travel.
- Best Business Cards
Refer-a-friend Link
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
The Chase Ink Business Preferred® is one of my favorite small business credit cards that earns 3x on travel, cable, phone, and social media marketing, up to $150k yearly spend.
Add in mobile phone insurance and you’ve got a killer card that earns transferrable Ultimate Rewards for $95 a year.
Welcome Offer
90k bonus points after $8k spend in 3 months
Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
Transferrable Ultimate Rewards
- 90k point welcome bonus after $8k spend in 3 months
- 3x on first $150k of yearly spend on
- Travel
- Phone, Cable, Internet
- Social Media/Search advertising
- Shipping
- 1x on all other purchases
- No Foreign Transaction fees
- Add additional employee cards
- $95 annual fee
- Member FDIC
120k after $8k spend in 3 months is the highest we’ve ever seen
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The Chase Ink Business Preferred® can serve as the premium Chase card in your wallet that you can merge your points into to make them transferrable.
It earns 3x on travel, cable, your phone bill, and if you do an social media marketing, you’ll get 3x there as well.
It also comes with competitive mobile phone insurance. I end up paying with this card quite often when I’m traveling for hotels, airfare, etc because the travel category is quite broad compared to other cards. It also has no foreign transaction fees.
American Express® Gold Card
This is point earning powerhouse. American Express® Gold Card Earns 4x on dining worldwide ( up to $50k, then 1x ) and U.S. Supermarkets ( up to $25k, then 1x ) making it one of the best for those categories on the market.
I’ve had this card since 2018 and it gets a lot of swipes
Welcome Offer
As high as 100k points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
*Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer
Annual Fee
Points Earned
Transferrable American Express Membership Rewards
Ever since American Express revamped the Gold card in 2018 it’s been in my wallet getting a lot of swipes.
Earning 4x points on restaurants worldwide ( up to $50k, then 1x ), 4x on U.S. supermarkets ( up to $25k, then 1x ), 3x points on airfare purchased via Amex Travel and directly with airlines
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.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards(R) points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards(R) points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards(R) points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards(R) points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards(R) point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards(R) points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin’ Credit: With the $84 Dunkin’ Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you’re approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you’re approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Rates and Fees;Terms Apply
The best ever public has been 90k after $4k spend in 6 months + the $250 dining credit ( this was on Resy ); however, some people have gotten targeted 100k offers, but those are extremely rare.
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
- Best of 2024
Non-Affiliate
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
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, Hotels, Supermarkets, Dining, Gas, and EV Charging
Welcome Offer
65k after $4k spend in 3 months
Annual Fee
Points Earned
Transferrable Citi Thank You points
There isn’t another card on the market that earns 3x points on Air Travel, Hotel, Supermarkets, Dining, Gas, and EV Charging for $95 and has transferrable points. We loved it when it was called the Citi Premier®, and we still love it now.
- Earn 10x Hotel, Car Rentals and Attractions booked through Citi Travelâ„
Speaking of transfer partners, it has a great list of air and hotel partners that fills in some gaps if you already have Amex or Chase cards in your wallet.
It has access to smaller programs like EVA and Turkish which opens up great business class opportunities to Europe and Asia. It also has a 1:2 transfer ratio to Choice which is great for using points at Preferred Hotels.
The only downside to the card is it doesn’t have many US parter programs like Amex, Bilt, or Chase.
- 3x points on
- Air Travel
- Hotel
- Supermarkets
- Dining
- Gas
- EV Charging
- 10x points on
- Earn 10x Hotel, Car Rentals and Attractions booked through Citi Travelâ„
- Access to Mastercard World Elite benefits
- Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, when booked through Citi Travelâ„
- No foreign Transaction fees
- $95 annual fee
- This has a 48 months rule in effect
- Bonus ThankYou® Points are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi Premier® or Citi Strata Premier℠account in the past 48 months
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
- Best of 2025
Non- Affiliate Link
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
American Express® Green Card
The American Express® Green Card is an absolute sleeper. It earns 3x on travel, transit, restaurants worldwide, $199 Clear Plus credit, and annual fee is $150.
Annual Fee
Points Earned
Transferrable Membership Rewards
A lot of people overlook the Amex Green card as it falls in the shadow of its premium siblings the Amex Gold and Amex Platinum. But this is a bad mammajamma earning 3x on travel, transit, dining, and has a very liberal interpretation of travel compared to other Amex cards.
Travel with the Amex Green card is defined as the following:
- Flights
- Hotels
- Tours
- Vacation Rentals
- Rideshares like Uber and Lyft
- Busses
- Taxi
- Subways and Metros
- Tolls
- Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards(R) Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards(R)
- points on travel including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, and vacation rentals.
- transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways.
- eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US.
- Up to $199 CLEAR Plus Credit:
- Receive up to $199 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for your CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the American Express(R) Green Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: No matter where you’re traveling, when you use your American Express(R) Green Card there are no foreign transaction fees.
- $150 annual fee.
- *Rates and Fees; terms apply
60k Membership Rewards + 20% back on travel and transit, up to $200, after $3k spend in the the first 6 months is best ever
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
American Express Platinum Card®
American Express Platinum Card® is a heavy hitter, and not just because it’s made of metal. This is a card I carry and is jam packed with benefits including lounge access, VIP travel benefits, and a ton of statement credits.
Welcome Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Annual Fee
Points Earned
Transferrable American Express Membership Rewards
A card we have carrried and love. The American Express Platinum Card® is chock full of benefits and credits.
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 ( up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, then 1x ), access to Amex’s own Fine Hotels and Resorts program for upgrades, breakfast, and credits with a massive $600 annual hotel credit, earn $200 a year in Uber credits (enrollment required), $400 annual Resy credit (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.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points
- All flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, Including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
- Flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit:
- You can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- $300 Digital Entertainment Credit:
- Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners.
- Now includes Paramount+, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV alongside Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required
- Enrollment required.
- Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners.
- $600 Hotel Credit:
- Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®.
- *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy:
- When you use the Platinum Card® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter
- Platinum Nights by Resy,
- you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
- $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit:
- CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit:
- Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $300 lululemon Credit:
- Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit:
- Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
- $100 Saks Credit:
- Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
- Up to $200 ÅŒURA Credit: (enrollment required )
- Up to $200 back in statement credits each calendar year when Card Members use the Platinum Card to purchase an ÅŒURA Ring through OURAring.com. Enrollment required.
- Lounge Access
- Global Lounge Collection®,
- Access to Centurion Lounges,
- 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations),
- Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
- Rental Car Status (enrollment required )
- Hertz President’s Circle
- Avis Preferred Plus
- National Executive
- Hotel Status (enrollment required )
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold
- Hilton Honors Gold
- Leading Hotels of the World Sterling Status
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
150k after $6k spend in 6 months along with 15x worldwide dining ( up to $25k ) was the best we ever have seen publicly through Resy. However, the 150k referral without the dining is pretty hard to beat imo.
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the grandaddy of all Chase cards. It’s a super premium card that comes with a bevy of benefits, travel credits, increased earn rates, and points worth up to 2c in Chase Travelâ„ when using PointsBoost.
Eligibility: If you have ever gotten a Sapphire Reserve bonus or you currently hold a Sapphire product, you’re ineligible for the bonus. If you currently have a Sapphire product, you can downgrade and once that product converts, you are then eligible for this bonus.
Welcome Offer
Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$795
Points Earned
Transferrable Ultimate Rewards
Annual Fee
- Annual Fee of $795
- Authorized Users are $195
Credits
- $300 Annual Travel Credit
- Get up to $500 annual The Editâ„ credit
- Chase Travelâ„ ’scollection of over 1,100 hand-picked hotels and resorts
- Get up to $250 in statement credits from January through June, and again from July through December for a maximum of $500 annually for prepaid bookings made with The Editâ„ .
- Two-night minimum
- Purchases that qualify will not earn point
- Get up to $300 annual dining credit and primetime reservations at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive
- Tables, available for booking on OpenTable
- Split into 2 $150 credits every 6 months
- Get Up to $250 annual value through complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music
- Get up to $300 annual StubHub credit on concert and event
- Get up to $120 application fee credit every four years for
- Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck(R).
- Get up to $120 Peloton credit
- $10 monthly credit
- Get up to $120 Lyft credits
- $10 monthly credit
Earning + Benefits
- 8x points on all Chase Travelâ„ purchases
- 4x on hotels and airfare booked direct
- 3x on dining
- 1x on everywhere
- Redeem points via Chase Travelâ„ and new program Points Boost where members may get up to 2x
- IHG One Rewards Platinum Status
- Lounge
- Enjoy complimentary access to every Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with up to two guests,
- Access to 1,300+ Priority PassTM airport lounges worldwide.
- Also get access to select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés in the U.S., Canada and Europe with an eligible boarding pass
- No Fx fees
- Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Spend over $75k annually
- IHG One Rewards Diamond status
- Southwest Airlines A-List status
- $500 Southwest credits
- redeemable within Chase Travelâ„
When the Chase Sapphire Reserve® first hit the market in 2016 it had a 100k offer, but the highest in recent years has been 80k after $4k spend in 3 months.
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The new Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a bevy of benefits, travel credits, and increased earn rates. It also comes with a new $795 annual fee, a litany of credits, 4x on hotels and airfare booked direct, 3x dining, lounge access with 2 guests
If you carry this card alongside Chase’s cashback cards like the Chase Freedom Flex® and Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the business versions: Ink Business Cash , Ink Business Unlimited you can combine the points into Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners.
Personally, I think the Chase Sapphire Preferred® may offer more value for the annual fee, and if you want the super premium benefits, take a look at the Capital One Venture X to pair with it.
- Best of Main Cast
*Reader Referral
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
Chase Freedom Flex®
Chase Freedom Flex® is an all out beast of card. Hands down, it’s one of the best on the market and offers a rotating 5x category bonus that allows helps you earn a ton of points.
Make sure you pair this card with a Chase Sapphire Preferred®, Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Ink Business Preferred® for max value
Welcome Offer
$200 or 20k Ultimate Rewards after $500 spend in 3 months see card benefits for terms
Note this is a non-affiliate reader referral offer
Annual Fee
$0
Points Earned
Cash Back or non-transferrable Ultimate Rewards unless paired with a premium Chase card
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate.
- Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
- 5% cash back
- on travel purchased through Chase Travelâ„ , our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
- 3% cash back
- on drugstore purchases
- dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service,
- Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back.
- You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- No annual fee
- Member FDIC
Additionally, you’ll get World Elite Mastercard benefits, including
- Mobile Phone Insurance – Up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year on mobile phone protection
- theft and damage on users listed on the phone bill paid by the cardholder
- Lyft – $10 in credit for every five rides taken in a calendar month
- This gets applied to the next ride
- 1x per month
- ShopRunner – free membership
- 2 day shipping at over 100 stores
- Fandango – 2x VIP+ points on movie tickets bought on the Fandango app or Fandango.com
- Mobile Phone Insurance – Up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year on mobile phone protection
The best offer we’ve consistently seen is via reader referral= $200 after $500 spend in 3 months + an additional 5x category for 12 months
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
When you carry a Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the The Chase Freedom Flex® works exceptionally well in tandem.
It gives you the ability to earn 5x on rotating category bonuses each quarter which really expands your ability to earn points faster.
The base rate on the card is 1x though, so I’d recommend using this for the rotating category bonuses, but using a card that earns 1.5x or 2x for all your non-bonus spend. Like a Capital One Venture X, Venture Rewards, or Chase Freedom Unlimited
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a no annual fee card that earns an unlimited 1.5x on all purchases and is a great everyday card in the USA.
It’s a fantastic card for those who prefer cash-back, OR to pair with either the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Welcome Offer
Limited Time Offer: Earn a $300 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$0
Points Earned
Cashback/ Non-transferrable Ultimate Rewards
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more;
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service
- 1.5% on all other purchases
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
Everyone needs a credit card that earns more than 1 point per dollar. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns an unlimited 1.5x on all purchases + has bonus categories for dining, pharmacies, and travel.
Points that you earn from this card can be combined with those from a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Sapphire Reserve® for Business, or Chase Ink Business Preferred® and then transferred to partner programs. You can read more about that here.
- Earn 2x everywhere
Also…
Check Referral offers ( some getting a bonus travel credit )
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a fantastic go-to that earns 2x miles everywhere. It’s simple, straight forward, and earns great rewards.
Welcome Offer
Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
Transferrable Capital One Miles
Every wallet needs a card that you use when you can’t get a big category bonus. You know, the every day card. And that is where the The Capital One Venture Rewards credit card shines.
Earn unlimited 2x Capital One Miles on every single dollar you spend and have the ability to transfer them to 18 partners. There are some fringe benefits as well like up to $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck® credit every 4 years, travel protections, and limited lounge access.
Personally, I carry the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, but this is a great card for a lower annual fee.
- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- $95 annual fee
There have been 100k offers that require $20k spend over 12 months, but personally I think the 75k offer is more attractive and allows you to allocate that spend elsewhere.
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
The Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a no annual fee card that earns an unlimited 1.5x on every single purchase without cap.
Welcome Offer
Earn $750 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months after account opening
Annual Fee
$0
Points Earned
Cashback in the form of Ultimate Rewards
- 1.5% Cashback everywhere
- No Annual fee
- Cashback can be combined with a Premium Chase card and then transferred to partners.
90k is the best offer we’ve seen on this card with a $6k spend requirement in 3 months.
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
Earn unlimited 1.5x on purchases.
I’d highly recommend pairing this card with a Chase premium card so you can combine points and transfer them.
- Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
The Chase Ink Business Cash® has no annual fee, gives you access to some great 5x bonus categories, and has a stunning welcome offer
Welcome Offer
Earn $750 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months after account opening
Annual Fee
$0
Points Earned
Cash Back in the form of Ultimate Rewards.
- 5% Cash back at
- Office Supply stores
- Internet, Cable, and Phone Services
- capped at $25k
- 2% Cash back at
- Gas Stations
- Restaurants
- capped at $25k
- No Annual Fee
90k is the best offer we’ve seen on this card with a $6k spend requirement in 3 months
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The Chase Ink Business Cash® gives you the ability to earn 5x points on purchases at office supply stores, internet, cable, and phone services up to $25k total a year. That’s 125k points if maxed out.
I know a lot of businesses incentivize their employees with gift cards as contest prizes, when they hit sales, thresholds, sign a new lease, renew contracts, etc. Many Office Supply stores sell gift cards and this gives you the ability to earn 5x points on office supply purchases. Pretty awesome if you ask me.
Also, if you carry a I’d highly recommend pairing this card with a Chase premium card so you can combine points and transfer them.
- Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Best of Business Cashback
Non-Affiliate
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
Chase Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
If cashback is your cup of tea, you’ll earn unlimited 2% cashback and 2.5% cashback on purchases of $5k or more with the Chase Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
Note: These points are not capable of being merged with other Ultimate Rewards like some other Chase cashback cards.
Welcome Offer
$1000 after $10k spend in 3 months
Annual Fee
$195
Points Earned
Non-transferrable Ultimate Rewards
- 2% cash back on all business purchases
- 2.5% total cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more with no cap
- 5% total cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travelâ„
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance.
- Fraud Protection, Zero Liability Protection, Purchase Protection, Cell Phone Protection, and Extended Warranty Protection.
- There’s no additional cost for employee cards.
- Annual fee is $195
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
This would be a main cast card if you’re looking to earn cashback vs transferrable points.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
Who is this card right for?
- You want cashback
- You make a lot of big purchases and spend over $50k a year
Those who make a lot purchases over $5000 and appreciate cashback are the prime customer for this card.
Every single purchase earns 2% cashback which is on par with cards like the Capital One Spark Cash ( which has a $150 annual fee ), and the Amex Blue Business Plus ( no annual fee ) which caps that earning at $50k in a year.
But, the place where the Ink Business Premier separates itself is on the 2.5% back on any purchase over $5000.
If you’re making a lot of $5000+ purchases, enjoy cashback, and spend more than $50k a year. This is a big earner.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
If you’re looking for loads of benefits WHEN you travel, that comes with an extensive list of statement credits and benefits like lounge access, hotel elite status, and 35% back ( up to 1 million ) when you redeem points on your select airline this card is worth a close look.
Welcome Offer
Earn 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership
Annual Fee
Points Earned
Transferrable Membership Rewards
The annual fee on the American Business Platinum Card® is very steep so you want to make sure you take a look at the benefits/credits and confirm you’ll use them every year.
I’ve found that I earn more points from the American Express® Business Gold , but I’m able to take advantage of a lot of statement credits, lounge access, and 35% points back on your select airline travel booked via the Amex Travel Portal. The new hotel credits, Hilton credits, and incidental airline credit outweigh the fee for me, but this will be a card that I’ll have to keep an eye on since the fee is so high.
- Enhanced! Earn 2X points on purchases
- at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers,
- electronic goods retailers
- software & cloud system providers,
- shipping providers,
- eligible purchases of $5,000 or more,
- up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
- Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus
- Up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually
- UP to $600 in statement credits per calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using the Business Platinum Card®.
- The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- Hilton For Business members get up to $200 back per calendar year when you make an eligible purchase at Hilton properties across the globe.
- Benefit enrollment required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit.
- Select one qualifying airline to receive up to $200 back per year on baggage fees and other incidentals.
- Up to $209 back per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal).
- Enroll and get up to $150 in statement credits on U.S purchases directly with Dell Technologies
- Additional $1,000 statement credit after you spend $5,000 or more on that same Card per calendar year.
- Enroll and get a $250 statement credit after you spend $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly with Adobe per calendar year on the Business Platinum Card.
- Get up to $90 in statement credits quarterly for purchases with Indeed on the Business Platinum Card.
- That’s up to $360 back per year. Enrollment required.
- Get up to $10 in statement credits per month for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S. on the Business Platinum Card.
- That’s up to $120 back per year. Enrollment required.
- Get 35% points back
- after you use points for flights booked through Amex Travel with your selected qualifying airline, up to 1,000,000 points back per calendar year. Terms apply
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection®
- 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com
- 1X points on other eligible purchases
- Over 20 transfer partners: like Singapore Air, Air Canada, Air France, British Airways
- Read about our best uses of Amex Points
- Hotel Status
- Marriott Gold status (enrollment required )
- Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required )
- Leaders Club Sterling Status from The Leading Hotels of the World® ( enrollment required )
- Access to Fine Hotels and Resorts
- 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.
- Amazing benefits such as free breakfast, resort credits, room upgrades, early check in, late check out, etc
- Access to The Hotel Collection
- slightly different than Fine Hotels and Resorts, but provides great benefits, credits, and upgrades
- Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required )
- Cell Phone Insurance
- $800 per claim, 2x per 12 month period
- $50 deductible per approved claim
- $895 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
- Best of Main Cast
Non-Affiliate
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
Citi Double Cash® Card
Simply put…earn unlimited 2% cashback
Welcome Offer
$200 after $1500 spend in 3 months
Annual Fee
$0
Points Earned
Cashback Thank You points, but if held alongside Citi Premier they can be combined and transferred
You’ll earn 1% cashback when you make a purchase, and another 1% when you pay for the purchase = 2%.
There is no cap to the 2% back and it’s paid in the form of Citi Thank You points.
The strategy of holding this card is to pair it with the premium Citi Strata PremierSM card which earns transferrable Citi Thank You points.
Citi allows you to combine the cashback with the Citi Strata PremierSM points and transfer into partners. Similar to how the Chase system works.
It’s a great combo set of cards and the Double Cash has no annual fee…making it a no brainer.
This card could serve as your everyday card to use on purchases that don’t have a category bonus and earn a minimum of 2x on every purchase
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% when you pay for those purchases.
- Keep an eye on 0% interest offers as they fluctuate but can offer up to 18 months interest free.
We have seen $200 or 20k Thank You points after $1500 spend in 3 months
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
2x on every single purchase up to $50k a year, then 1x on additional purchases after that threshold is met
Welcome Offer
15k Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership
Annual Fee
Points Earned
Transferrable American Express Membership Rewards
Super straight forward business card.
2x on every single purchase up to $50k a year, then 1x on additional purchases after that threshold is met
I use this in tandem with other Amex cards that have category bonuses, and throw spend on the Blue Business Plus when I can’t earn a higher multiple
- No Annual Fee. (Rates and Fees)
- Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
- You’ve got the power to spend beyond your credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power. *The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Unlimited 2x Capital One Miles without a cap.
Welcome Offer
50k Miles after spending $4500 in 3 months
Annual Fee
$95, waived the first year
Points Earned
Capital One Miles
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 developed a very solid group of partners which have been steadily improved over time.
There are now 19 transfer partners and nearly all of them transfer 1:1.
This means, you’re earning a worry free, without limit, 2x miles on every single dollar your business spends. That’s amazing.
You’ll also get up to a $120 Global Entry/TSA Pre credit every 4 years and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won’t expire for the life of the account
- Unlimited 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that
- Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists what the highest offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
How it Works – Main Cast
Main Cast credit cards are the stars of your wallet. They earn flexible points or points that can be transferred into partner programs, and ultimately where you want to put all your everyday purchases.
- If you’re just beginning the process of building your wallet.
Start here. - Ideally you want to choose cards from the list below that
offer bonus points where you spend the most.
