Main Cast
Monkey Miles Main Cast Credit Cards
Miles
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
75k Capital One Miles after $4k in 3 months
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.
- 2x miles on every single purchase without limit
- 10x miles hotels and rentals cars in Capital One Travel Portal
- 5x miles flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- $300 Annual Credit within the Capital One Travel Portal
- 10k bonus miles after each anniversary
- Lounge access
- Capital One Lounge Access
- 1 location currently and 2 more scheduled for 2022
- 2 guests allowed and $45 for every guest after that
- Authorized Users get access as well
- Add 4 Authorized Users free of charge
- Priority Pass Select access
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Plaza Premium lounges
- Capital One Lounge Access
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Credit valid every 4 years
- Complimentary Cell Phone Insurance
- Hertz President’s Circle Status
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- No fee for up to 4 authorized users
- $395 Annual
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 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 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 Travel℠
- 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 Travel℠
- The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
- 2x on all other travel
- 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℠ and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver ( primary ), purchase protections, etc.
- Points are transferrable to 14 Ultimate Rewards partners
- Redeem in Chase Travel℠ for 1.25 cents per point
- No foreign transaction fees
- Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is my favorite
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- $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.
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
- Redeem at 1.25c for travel with Chase Travel℠
- $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.
- Best of 2024
Reader Referral Link: up to 100k after $6k spend in 6 months + 20% back on restaurants worldwide for the first 6 months, up to $100
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy
Resy Link 75k after $6k in 6 months + up to $250 dining credit
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
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
Up to 100k after $6k spend in 6 months + 20% back on restaurants worldwide for the first 6 months, up to $100
Points Earned
Transferrable American Express Membership Rewards
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 one the most compelling card in 2024 as well. Earning 4x points on restaurants worldwide ( up to $25k, 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® 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® 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® points per dollar
- Spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar
- Spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar
- Spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold:
- Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
- $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® 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® 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:
- Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. (Enrollment required.)
- The Hotel Collection
- 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.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
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
75k 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 Travel℠
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 Travel℠
- 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 Travel℠
- 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 2024
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.
- Best of 2024
Via Resy: 100k after $8k spend in 6 months + 10x Dining (up to $25k max in 6 months)
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
Reader Referral: 175k after $8k in 6 months
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express 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
Two offers listed
Annual Fee
Points Earned
Transferrable American Express Membership Rewards
A card we carry and love. The Platinum Card® from American Express is chock full of benefits
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.
- $695 annual fee *Rates and Fees; terms apply
- Up to $200 Hotel credit
- up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®.
- The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay
- $200 Uber Cash:
- Platinum Card® Members can get out and about and explore their local area with $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus $20 in December.
- That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings. Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to get started. Available to Basic Card Member only.
- Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit:
- CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
- Up to $120 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck® credit (enrollment required )
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or
- a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Up to $240 Digital Entertainment Credit (enrollment required )
- Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal.
- Up to $200 airline incidental credit (enrollment required )
- Up to $12.95 + tax / month Walmart+ membership
- Walmart+ members receive unlimited free shipping with no order minimum on items shipped by Walmart.com, free delivery from stores, as well as mobile and contactless check-out to make shopping faster.
- Centurion lounge access
- Priority Pass select membership (enrollment required )
- Rental Car Status
- Hertz President’s Circle
- Avis Preferred Plus
- National Executive
- Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts, The Hotel Collection
- 5x on airfare purchased via Amex Travel or with your selected airline
- *Rates and Fees; terms apply
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 1.5c in Chase Travel℠.
Welcome Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee
$550
Points Earned
Transferrable Ultimate Rewards
- $550 Annual Fee
- $300 Annual Travel Credit
- Each anniversary Year
- 3x on dining
- Earn rates via Chase Travel℠
- Earn 5x total points on flights
- 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠
- Bonuses starts after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
- Redeem points at 1.5c valuation in the Chase Travel℠ portal
- Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Chase Sapphire lounge access
- Priority Pass membership
- $100 application fee credit every four years for
- Global Entry,
- NEXUS,
- or TSA PreCheck(R)
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- No Fx fees
- Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
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 Chase Sapphire Reserve® has perks like a $300 annual travel credit, full Priority Pass membership with access to great lounges + restaurants 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.
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 Travel℠, 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® or Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Welcome Offer
Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year
Annual Fee
$0
Points Earned
Cashback/ Non-transferrable Ultimate Rewards
- Intro Offer:
- Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back!
- Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more;
- 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service
- 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
- After your first year or $20,000 spent,
- enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠,
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service,
- Unlimited 1.5% 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!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24%.
- 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®, Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Ink Business Preferred® and then transferred to partner programs. You can read more about that here.
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
75k Miles after $4k in 3 months
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.
- 2x miles on every purchase
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Earn 5X miles
- on hotels booked via Capital One Travel
- rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Enjoy two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or
- to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges through our Partner Lounge Network
- Transfer miles to 18+ partners
- $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
$900 (90k Ultimate Rewards) after spending $6k in 3 months
Annual Fee
$0
Points Earned
Cashback in the form of Ultimate Rewards
- 1.5x 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
Up to $750 or 75k Ultimate Rewards
- Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months
- $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening
Annual Fee
$0
Points Earned
Cash Back in the form of Ultimate Rewards.
- 5x Bonus points at
- Office Supply stores
- Internet, Cable, and Phone Services
- capped at $25k
- 2x Bonus points 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
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 Cardd
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 Travel℠
- 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.
- Best of Business
200k 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.
Up to 300k Targeted Offer
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
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 and premium air travel via Amex Travel this is worth a close look.
Welcome Offer
See Breakdown
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
Annual Fee
Points Earned
Transferrable Membership Rewards
The annual fee on the American Business Platinum Card® is quite 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 premium air travel booked via the Amex Travel Portal…effectively 1.54 cents per point.
I take advantage of this perk when it requires fewer points than transferring thus reducing the amount of points spent when booking.
Refer a Friend Offer – Up to 200k Membership Rewards®
200k Referral offer – see referral page here
- 200k points after $20k spend in 3 months
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
Some people have had success getting up to a 300k offer by clicking the sponsored link on Google ( this is very hit or miss ) – read about that here
- Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar)
- on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers,
- As well as on purchases of $5,000 or more
- Up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year.
- Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus
- Up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (enrollment required )
- subject to auto renewal
- Up to $200 annual airline incidental fee reimbursement (enrollment required )
- up to $120 Annual Wireless Credit ( enrollment required )
- Up to $10 per month wireless credit,
- Must make payments directly to any US Wireless provider
- Global Entry fee reimbursement – worth up to $100 (enrollment required )
- Every 4 years
- Priority Pass Select membership (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
- 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
- Over 20 transfer partners: like Singapore Air, Air Canada, Air France, British Airways
- Marriott Gold status (enrollment required )
- Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required )
- The Hotel selection
- 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
- Up to $400 Annual Dell credit ( enrollment required )
- This is split into 2, $200 credits, applied every 6 months: Jan to June and July to Dec
- Up to $360 Indeed credit ( enrollment required )
- get $90 per quarter, Up to $360 annual statement credit
- on all Indeed hiring and recruiting products and services
- Up to $150 Adobe credit ( enrollment required )
- : $150 annual statement credit on select purchases,
- Adobe Creative Cloud, creative apps and services, and Acrobat Pro DC with e-sign.
- Annual fee $695 *Rates and Fees; terms apply
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.
- Best Biz Cards
Amex Refer-a-friend
Information about this card has been collected independently by Monkey Miles. Card issuer is not responsible for the information or accuracy.
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
30k Membership Rewards after $6k spend in 3 months
(check to see if referrals are offering higher YMMV)
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.
- No Annual Fee
- *Rates and Fees; terms apply
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.
