[0:01] That is my credit card binder, and after [0:03] flipping through its many, many pages [0:05] and strolling through dozens of credit [0:07] cards and all the main issuers' [0:08] websites, I gave myself a challenge. [0:11] Identify the single best travel credit [0:13] card from all the major banks, [0:15] regardless if it was a super high or a [0:17] super low annual fee, or how many points [0:20] or how many benefits total each card [0:22] had. The goal was simply to find the [0:24] single card that overall was the best, [0:26] most well-rounded, highest-value [0:28] product. And here is what I decided. [0:31] Let's begin with Chase. My number one [0:33] pick here is the Sapphire Preferred [0:35] credit card, and rightly so. It recently [0:37] got a huge overhaul to its benefits and [0:39] rewards structure. What hits you right [0:41] up front, though, is the super strong [0:43] limited-time welcome offer to earn [0:45] 100,000 bonus points after meeting the [0:48] spend requirement. That's worth an easy [0:50] $1,000 toward cash back or travel, or [0:52] even more toward travel when maximized [0:55] completely. And in light of that modest [0:57] $95 annual fee, you are well into many [1:01] times over in your first year. Plus, you [1:03] can even see if you're pre-approved for [1:04] the offer with no impact to your credit [1:06] score. If you want a closer look at [1:08] about all the changes that occurred on [1:09] the Sapphire Preferred, watch the other [1:11] video that I did on that for a deeper [1:13] dive going over Chase's press release. [1:15] But for the purpose of this video, to [1:17] mention a few things that I really like [1:18] about it and what makes it so strong as [1:20] my number one pick is the revamped [1:22] rewards structure. It was already good, [1:25] now just even better with the addition [1:27] of two more categories, namely triple [1:29] points on gas and EV charging, and [1:32] triple on vacation homes at top brands [1:35] like Airbnb, Vrbo, and a few others. All [1:37] the other legacy multipliers still [1:39] remain intact. And helping you earn back [1:41] the cost of the annual fee is now a $100 [1:45] hotel credit that you can use every [1:46] single card anniversary. Coupling that [1:49] with over 200 bucks of additional value, [1:51] and you have a very strong proposition [1:53] here. The additional partner benefits [1:54] include DashPass from DoorDash. That is [1:57] the membership itself being credited to [1:59] you, plus some additional credits and [2:01] some additional multipliers. That is [2:03] five points per dollar with Lyft and [2:04] Peloton through September and December, [2:07] respectively. You can also transfer your [2:09] Chase points out to other airline and [2:11] hotel programs for additional [2:12] flexibility in building your [2:13] itineraries, all while getting some very [2:15] strong travel and purchase coverages [2:17] here. Moreover, the card now features a [2:20] $120 credit to be used toward Global [2:23] Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS, and a [2:26] complimentary Apple TV subscription for [2:28] a full year when you activate by [2:30] December 31st, 2026. I should also add [2:33] that this card has no foreign [2:34] transaction fees, which, being a Visa [2:37] credit card, pairs very nicely for great [2:39] acceptance globally and avoiding that [2:42] roughly 3% fee on your charges outside [2:44] of the US. Adding up all these benefits, [2:47] plus the reward multipliers at a low [2:49] annual fee, and you've got one very [2:50] strong card earning my number one pick. [2:53] Up next, we have American Express. [2:55] They're running a variable offer here, [2:58] up to 100,000 points after meeting the [3:00] spend requirements. So, you have to go [3:02] through the application process to see [3:03] what your offer is, and they'll let you [3:05] know before you go all the way through [3:07] and before any hard hit to your uh [3:09] score, too, which is great. It's kind of [3:11] like another pre-approval type of [3:12] experience. The annual fee is a lot [3:14] higher than the Sapphire Preferred, [3:15] though, at 325 bucks per year, but they [3:18] do add more benefits to help you make [3:20] sense of that. And the first part of [3:22] this is a strong reward structure. Four [3:24] points per dollar at restaurants [3:26] worldwide on up to a 50K cap, four [3:28] points per dollar on groceries at US [3:30] supermarkets subject to a 25K cap, a [3:33] newer five point per dollar category on [3:36] prepaid hotels through the Amex travel [3:38] portal, then triple on flights through [3:41] the portal, the app, or directly with [3:43] the airlines themselves, and double on [3:45] prepaid car rentals, plus cruises, also [3:48] through Amex. Beyond these categories, [3:50] it's one point per dollar for your other [3:52] purchases. I like seeing when cards [3:53] debut reward structures that are useful [3:56] at home and while you travel. So, that [3:58] way while you're not traveling, you can [3:59] still earn great points for your future [4:02] trips at home. Hence, dining at [4:04] restaurants around you and on your [4:05] grocery bill. Now, helping you earn back [4:07] that cost of the annual fee that you [4:09] paid up front is a 120 dining credit. [4:12] That's up to 10 bucks a month in [4:14] statement credits for the partners [4:16] listed there on the screen. You'll also [4:17] be given up to $120 in Uber cash per [4:20] year in $10 per month increments, a $100 [4:24] Resy credit. That's $50 twice per year [4:27] for Resy restaurants, and an $84 Duncan [4:30] credit. That's $7 per month. Yes, it's a [4:32] lot of small things here and there [4:34] throughout the course of a 12-month [4:35] period, but hey, Amex's goal is to have [4:38] you use the card on a regular basis, not [4:40] cash out on everything in 1 month and [4:42] then never use it again. They've also [4:43] earned a Hertz five-star status, giving [4:46] you things like complimentary upgrades, [4:47] skipping the counter, and more elite [4:49] benefits. And the hotel collection is [4:51] nice, giving you some additional [4:52] benefits at upscale properties when you [4:54] book through that special portal. The [4:56] card also gives you some travel [4:57] protections, and at the bottom you also [4:59] see no foreign transaction fees, which [5:01] is always nice. Plus, purchase [5:03] protection and extended warranty on the [5:06] retail side. On to my third top pick [5:08] here with Capital One. Drum roll, [5:10] please. My choice this time around is [5:14] the Venture X, which probably is not too [5:16] big of a surprise because despite some [5:18] small devaluations that we've seen [5:20] consistently over time since it [5:22] originally launched, it is still the [5:24] most affordable value-packed premium [5:27] travel card that you can get. You can [5:29] get off to a great start with 75,000 [5:31] miles as a bonus after meeting the spend [5:33] requirement. That's kind of been the [5:35] default for a while now. It could go [5:37] higher during promo times. Every year [5:39] that you keep the card and pay your [5:40] annual fee, it gives you a bonus 10,000 [5:43] miles, kind of like a built-in retention [5:45] offer. A $300 annual travel credit that [5:48] you can use to help offset your fee each [5:50] year and that's valid through the [5:51] Capital One travel portal. And once [5:54] every four to five years or so, when you [5:56] renew in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, [5:58] it will reimburse you up to 120 bucks [6:01] for that application fee, too. In fact, [6:03] just that $300 credit plus the 10K mile [6:06] bonus together is about a $400 value and [6:10] that fully wipes out the $395 annual [6:13] fee. Pretty sweet how you can cover that [6:15] with just using two benefits and nothing [6:17] else. You can also earn Capital One [6:19] miles very quickly long-term in a very [6:21] simple way. 10 miles per dollar on [6:23] hotels and rental cars booked through [6:26] Capital One, five miles per dollar on [6:28] flights and vacation rentals booked [6:30] through Capital One, and then for all of [6:32] your other regular purchases, you're [6:34] getting a base rate of two miles per [6:36] dollar, making this not just a great [6:39] travel card, but also a great catch-all [6:41] card, too, regardless of the categories [6:43] in which you're spending. The card will [6:45] also provide you access to a growing [6:47] network of Capital One lounges plus [6:49] Priority Pass lounges. There are also a [6:51] couple of hotel portals, namely the [6:54] Premier Collection and the Lifestyle [6:55] Collection, both giving you kind of VIP [6:58] elite light benefits when you book the [7:00] properties that are within these [7:02] portfolios. That could be things like an [7:04] additional credit to use for food and [7:06] beverage, for instance, early check-in, [7:08] late checkout, maybe room upgrades, and [7:09] the like. The top-tier elite status with [7:12] Hertz, their President's Circle, is also [7:14] available with this card at no [7:16] additional charge when you simply enroll [7:18] and activate this benefit. And there's [7:19] also auto rental collision coverage, [7:21] too, which is primary, by the way, not [7:24] something you see all the time. And [7:26] while not fully unique to just this [7:28] card, at least it does give you access [7:30] to the Capital One travel portal, which [7:32] itself has some really class-leading [7:35] benefits. One of which is to book [7:37] confidently with free price drop [7:39] protection. Then, if you find a better [7:41] price, they'll match it. You can also [7:43] add an option to cancel your flight up [7:46] to just 3 hours before your scheduled [7:48] departure and get most of your booking [7:50] cost refunded. And even set a price [7:52] alert for them to watch your flight for [7:54] you and notify you when a price drop [7:56] occurs. Very nice consumer-friendly [7:59] features. There's also the Capital One [8:01] dining program giving you access to [8:03] special dining and culinary experiences [8:05] and the Capital One entertainment [8:07] portal, too. Again, with more exclusive [8:09] access, pre-sales tickets, and more with [8:12] another five X mile multiplier on your [8:15] purchase. And like any good travel card, [8:18] yes, this one also has no foreign [8:20] transaction fees. Another kind of unique [8:22] feature that's not too widespread across [8:24] the industry is cell phone protection, [8:26] which is great. And on the miles [8:27] redemption side, there are also a bunch [8:30] of transfer partners, too, like we've [8:32] seen with Chase and Amex previously. [8:34] Again, the crossover is not perfect [8:36] here. They have some of their own unique [8:38] partners, but there's a nice list to [8:40] choose from. After seeing so many of the [8:42] top-tier premium cards between five and [8:44] $900 a year for their fees now, seeing [8:47] $395, at least until they raise it, is [8:50] still super refreshing while it lasts. [8:52] Now, as you look to build out your own [8:54] travel card setup, you're inevitably [8:55] going to run into a classic problem. [8:57] Managing different cards from different [8:59] banks and incorporating them all into [9:01] your broader financial picture. That's [9:03] where today's sponsor, Monarch, can make [9:05] a big difference. Monarch is a personal [9:07] finance platform that takes all your [9:09] major credit cards, bank accounts, and [9:11] brokerages and puts them all into one [9:13] place. What that means for you is [9:15] getting complete clarity into your [9:17] spending and saving habits every month, [9:19] tracking your financial goals over time, [9:21] and a lot more. Something I really [9:23] appreciate is how it removes my [9:25] financial stress and replaces it with [9:27] visuals and breakdowns that help me make [9:29] sense of my money. One of my biggest use [9:31] cases is a monthly net worth check-in. [9:33] Monarch adds up the current value of all [9:35] your assets, subtracts any liabilities, [9:38] and gives you a clear picture of your [9:40] net worth in that moment in time. If I [9:42] see myself headed in a positive [9:43] direction, then I can feel good about my [9:45] plan. If not, I can see where I can [9:48] improve. And another great feature that [9:49] helps me do exactly that is the built-in [9:52] budgeting tool. After telling Monarch [9:54] how much I want to spend, it then shows [9:56] me if I'm over or under budget by [9:58] pulling in all my financial figures [10:00] daily. It's kind of like having a super [10:02] wallet. And if you have a big goal that [10:04] you want to work toward, I recommend the [10:06] built-in goals feature. It empowers you [10:08] to build up an emergency fund, buy a [10:10] car, pay down debt, or whatever you [10:12] like. So, if you want a simple way to [10:14] feel more confident about your finances, [10:17] try Monarch today. You can get a free [10:19] trial and 50% off your first year by [10:22] using my link on the screen or by [10:24] signing up with the code Reese50. Now, [10:26] let's get back to the best credit cards [10:28] from the major banks. Now, let's take a [10:29] look to see what City has to offer. At [10:32] least for now, the choice here was very [10:33] obvious to me. The City Strata Premier [10:36] card. Now, there are some rumors that [10:38] City may be changing this card somewhat [10:40] in the near future, but nothing's been [10:42] solidified yet. So, as the card stands [10:44] right now in Q2 of 2026, this one is [10:48] actually pretty darn phenomenal. The [10:50] standard offer that we've seen for a [10:51] while now of 60,000 points is still [10:54] quite strong, and you can get that after [10:55] meeting the spend requirement. That's an [10:57] easy $600 travel value right there, or [11:00] maybe more with transfer partners if you [11:01] can do that. But, the annual fee at 95 [11:04] bucks, like that Sapphire Preferred, is [11:06] on the low side here, allowing you to [11:08] have a lot of profit from your rewards [11:10] and that bonus. Again, I love seeing [11:12] cards that give you a huge step forward [11:14] in your first year. And this card's [11:16] reward structure really sets it apart [11:18] here because it covers so much on the [11:20] road and at home. At the very top high [11:22] end here, you get 10 points per dollar [11:24] on hotels, car rentals, and attractions [11:28] when you book them through [11:28] citytravel.com. Talk about earning [11:31] points very quickly. Then below that we [11:33] have a three-point per dollar category [11:36] that covers a whole bunch, air travel [11:39] and other hotel purchases, restaurants, [11:42] supermarkets, gas and EV charging [11:45] stations, and then one point per dollar [11:47] on your other purchases. It amazes me [11:49] how many travel cards do not include a [11:51] gas category on them. I get it, kind of, [11:54] but when you think about a road trip, to [11:56] me that's just another form of travel. [11:58] And even if you classify it as transit [12:00] or commuting, that's still a cousin of [12:02] travel anyway. That $95 annual fee that [12:05] we just talked about is really easy to [12:06] recoup as well because it has a $100 [12:09] annual hotel benefit with a couple [12:11] restrictions that are not super [12:13] consumer-friendly, but hey, you got a [12:15] whole year to use it. It'll give you a [12:16] hundred bucks off a single hotel stay [12:19] when that entire stay is $500 or more [12:22] before fees and taxes, and you book that [12:24] through the city travel portal. At least [12:26] they do make it highly convenient to use [12:27] though. It's automatically applied when [12:29] you check out through the booking [12:30] process. The card also gives you access [12:32] to the Reserve by City Travel, which is [12:35] their hotel collection of upscale [12:37] properties giving you VIP benefits like [12:40] complimentary breakfast for two, free [12:42] Wi-Fi, and more. You can also transfer [12:44] your points out to a bunch of other [12:45] transfer partners. Here's a screenshot [12:47] listing them right here for the hotels [12:49] and the airlines. And then lastly here [12:51] we've got travel protections too, [12:53] several which are mentioned right there [12:54] on the screen. In short, it's one of [12:56] those cards that's very simple to use. [12:58] You don't have to track a million [12:59] different benefits. You don't have to [13:01] enroll in certain reward categories that [13:03] change over time. It just covers a lot [13:05] in a very straightforward manner without [13:07] charging you a crazy annual fee. Let's [13:09] move on now to Bank of America. Out of [13:12] all their cards, I chose their Premium [13:14] Rewards credit card. To get you started, [13:16] it's offering 60,000 bonus points after [13:19] meeting the spend requirement. That's a [13:20] solid $600 of value toward travel right [13:23] there, and up to $200 in travel [13:26] statement credits. That's broken down [13:28] into two separate parts. One is up to [13:30] 100 bucks in airline incidental [13:32] statement credits for airline bag fees, [13:34] in-flight services, and more. And also [13:37] up to another 100 bucks for TSA PreCheck [13:40] or Global Entry. Since you renew those [13:42] trusted traveler programs only once [13:44] every four to five years, we can't count [13:46] them annually to cover your annual fee. [13:48] But fortunately, the first part of up to [13:50] 100 bucks in airline incidental credits, [13:53] that one does cover the fee, which is [13:54] only $95 a year. Meaning nothing to cut [13:57] into the rewards that you earn on top of [13:59] that. Which I've got to say is not a [14:01] very compelling reward structure. But [14:03] hey, it's still the best that Bank of [14:04] America offers with a little caveat that [14:07] can supercharge these that you'll see in [14:09] just a moment. The base earning rates [14:10] are just double points on travel [14:12] purchases, double points on dining [14:15] purchases, and then the true base on all [14:18] of your other purchases will be 1.5 [14:20] points per dollar. What can help you [14:22] though is their Bank of America Rewards [14:24] program, which is separate from their [14:26] credit card. This is a standalone [14:28] program where if you have a certain [14:29] amount of deposits or assets with Bank [14:32] of America, they give you additional [14:34] perks with credit cards and more, too. [14:37] Just on the credit front though, based [14:38] on the requirements that you're able to [14:40] qualify for, you could have your [14:42] standard two points per dollar get a [14:44] 10%, 25%, 50%, or 75% boost. Meaning you [14:49] could have this card giving you 3.5 [14:52] points per dollar on travel and dining, [14:54] and two .6 two points per dollar on all [14:56] of your other purchases. The qualifying [14:59] criteria do get pretty high though. To [15:01] start here, feel free to pause this if [15:03] you want to look it over in more detail, [15:05] but the standard rate is, you know, no [15:07] minimum balance required. Then it does [15:09] get to the preferred plus at $30,000 of [15:12] total assets, preferred honors at [15:14] $100,000, and premier at $1 million. [15:18] That's the relationship banking model at [15:20] full display for you all. The more you [15:22] do with a certain bank with multiple [15:23] accounts, the more they tend to reward [15:25] you. And Bank of America is known to do [15:27] that. The card will also give you some [15:29] automotive protections here like with [15:31] roadside dispatch and also the Visa [15:33] Signature Luxury Hotel Collection, [15:35] another one of those portals giving you [15:36] some VIP perks when you book through it. [15:39] And we can't forget the Visa concierge [15:41] service, too, if you ever want help with [15:42] travel planning, restaurant [15:43] recommendations, or other event [15:45] reservations. Our next bank here doesn't [15:47] have very many travel focused cards [15:49] anymore, but the one that they do have [15:51] listed is actually quite compelling [15:53] after it's refreshed not too long ago. [15:55] The bank I'm referring to here is US [15:57] Bank and the card, their Altitude [15:59] Connect Visa Signature. The welcome [16:01] offer, as you'll see, is pretty low, [16:03] 20,000 bonus points, but the spend [16:06] requirement's also pretty low, too, [16:08] $1,000 in your first 90 days, but you [16:11] also can't expect too high of a bonus on [16:13] this card because there's no annual fee, [16:15] either. But, it gives you some pretty [16:16] strong rewards, five points per dollar [16:19] on prepaid hotel tells and car rentals [16:21] through the US Bank Travel Center, four [16:23] points per dollar on other travel, as [16:26] well as on gas stations and EV charging [16:28] stations on your first $1,000 each [16:30] quarter of the year, double points on [16:32] dining, streaming services, and grocery [16:35] stores, then one X on your other [16:37] eligible purchases. It also includes a [16:40] little bit of a surprise here, too. [16:42] Check this out, premium travel benefits. [16:44] Enjoy airport lounge access and TSA [16:47] precheck, plus have peace of mind with [16:50] travel protections. It's spanning on [16:51] those travel benefits a little bit [16:53] further here, the lounge access gives [16:55] you Priority Pass Select, specifically [16:57] four free visits to those lounges every [16:59] year. That could be all for you or you [17:02] and a combination of guests. The TSA [17:04] precheck and Global Entry credit is up [17:06] to $100 to help you cover the cost of [17:08] those programs. There's also Smart Delay [17:10] airport lounge access where when you [17:12] register your flight online, it'll give [17:14] you access to a day pass if your flight [17:17] is delayed. Furthermore, with their Bilt [17:19] Sky program here, they give you access [17:21] to global mobile data. That is a [17:23] complimentary 5 GB 15-day global mobile [17:27] data plan, and that's available through [17:29] November 30th, 2026. Beyond that, there [17:32] are also some coverages here like trip [17:34] cancellation and interruption insurance, [17:36] trip delay reimbursement, zero fraud [17:38] liability, and more. And believe it or [17:40] not, there are even some entertainment [17:41] benefits, too, like premier golf rewards [17:44] with Troon, So Far Sounds access for [17:47] exclusive tickets to discover new music [17:49] with pre-sales, Hollywood Studios [17:51] Hollywood offers, and Universal Orlando [17:54] Resort offers, too. And like every good [17:56] travel credit card, no foreign [17:58] transaction fees. While there may not [18:00] have been anything that totally wowed [18:02] you, when you actually step back and [18:03] think about all the stuff that we [18:05] covered for that US Bank card, and you [18:07] put a $0 annual fee price tag on it, [18:11] that's where it truly does surprise. [18:13] We've got one more issue or two go. And [18:15] they've got a card product that I've [18:16] liked for a number of years. The bank is [18:19] Wells Fargo, and my number one pick from [18:21] their lineup of cards is their Autograph [18:24] card. The welcome offer here is again on [18:26] the low side, but it's another one of [18:27] those $0 annual fee cards. So, decent [18:30] value, but nothing crazy. 20,000 points [18:33] after spending 1K in 3 months. That's a [18:36] solid 200 bucks with no fee reducing [18:38] that. And it's got a lot of amazing [18:41] reward categories. Take a look at all [18:43] these 3x multipliers. Triple on [18:46] restaurants, triple on travel, triple on [18:49] gas and transit, that category we don't [18:52] see often enough on a travel card, [18:54] triple on popular streaming services, [18:56] triple on phone plans, and then one [18:59] point per dollar on your other [19:00] purchases. If only it had grocery [19:02] stores, too. But hey, it's got a lot of [19:04] other good stuff, too. In fact, it's one [19:06] of the very few $0 annual fee cards that [19:09] actually gives you access to transfer [19:11] partners. Now, this program is very new [19:13] to Wells Fargo, so it's not super robust [19:15] or, you know, they're not dozens of [19:17] partnerships here, but it is a lot more [19:19] than just nothing at all. In fact, it's [19:21] actually been growing over the past [19:23] number of months with now 11 different [19:25] transfer partners. And hopefully they [19:27] keep investing into this program to [19:29] bring more partnerships on board as time [19:31] goes on. The card also gives you cell [19:33] phone protection as one of their [19:34] coverages, auto rental collision damage [19:36] waiver, and roadside dispatch. It's also [19:39] one of those cards giving you no foreign [19:41] transaction fees, too. Plus, Visa [19:43] concierge services and that Visa [19:45] Signature Luxury Hotel Portal, as well, [19:47] giving you some of those premium perks [19:49] at select properties when you use that [19:51] portal. And topping it all off here, a [19:53] kind of niche but pretty cool benefit, [19:55] too. It's called Autograph Card [19:57] Exclusives, which is a program that [19:59] gives you access to tickets for big-name [20:01] artists in smaller, more intimate [20:03] venues. So, how did I do? Do you agree [20:05] with my picks for the number one spots [20:07] for all these travel cards across all [20:09] these banks? Or do you have other [20:11] contenders that would be a better fit? [20:12] Let me know down below in those [20:14] comments. And with all that said, if you [20:16] want to get some additional value coming [20:17] your way, I've got some great links down [20:19] below, one of which is just some of the [20:21] best high-yield savings accounts out [20:23] there to where you're earning way more [20:25] interest than what the main banks [20:27] actually offer you. In fact, all the [20:29] options you see there should give you [20:30] better interest rates than you see with [20:32] Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Chase, and [20:34] all the others. There's also another [20:36] link down there to Rakuten to reward you [20:38] even more when you do online shopping, [20:40] whether it's cash back or flipping your [20:42] settings over to Amex Membership Rewards [20:44] points, you can get those for travel, [20:46] too. Then, if you want me to keep you up [20:48] to date about great credit card offers [20:49] as they become available and before they [20:51] expire, I've got some free credit card [20:53] offer alerts that you can sign up for. [20:55] And of course, a phenomenal way to [20:57] manage your broader world of finances [20:59] with budgeting, tracking your progress [21:01] towards certain goals, and planning for [21:03] the future with Monarch. Thank you all [21:04] for joining me in today's video, and I [21:06] look forward to seeing you in the next.