My New 2026 Credit Card Strategy (& 2025 Recap)

[00:02] end, in this video, I want to go over my new 2026 credit card strategy. And I'm I'm going to be approaching credit cards and points this upcoming year is going I was doing this past year. So today, I want to talk about the five parts that

[00:16] card strategy, including new ways of earning and redeeming points, some cards next, and even which credit cards I currently have that I could see myself cancelling. But I do have a few thoughts on cancelling cards in my own personal

[00:29] So, as always, let's go ahead and jump right into things. But in order to set the stage for what's happening in 2026, I do have to do a quick recap of how my 2025 credit card strategy went. And the first major theme from that strategy was

[00:42] to apply for a lot less credit cards than usual. Now, the main reason for originally planned to start the initial process of searching to buy a house towards the end of 2025. So, in order to prep our credit to look as good as

[00:56] have any new credit card accounts appearing on our reports for roughly the last 6 months of 2025. That would put us in a good spot to purchase and then move into a place hopefully by early 2026 in that original plan. However, an

[01:09] unexpected opportunity for new construction presented itself to us that timeline for buying a home by almost an entire year. And so, in February of this past year, we signed a contract for that new home, which we moved into just a few

[01:22] of maybe opening up a few cards in the first half of 2025 like we were planning applications for the second half of the year, we pretty much just paused opening new credit cards entirely for 2025 because we didn't want to risk messing

[01:36] Now once we eventually closed and moved into our new home, we had a bunch of that. So I did end up getting approved for a limited time offer of 100,000 points on the new City Strata Elite card because there's a 6k minimum spend

[01:50] than that, we didn't open up any new cards in 2025. Now, throughout this past year, another part of our 2025 strategy was to really focus on optimizing what way, we can earn the most points possible from our top spending

[02:04] we were not going to be getting many new signup bonuses for new cards. So, for at only using the best cards we have for different expenses. So, we earned 1x until we stopped renting at the end of September. We earned 4x points on all

[02:19] our grocery and dining spend with the MX Gold. And we earned 5x points on gas by using my City Custom Cash only at gas stations to lock that in as our top points for a few flights with my MX Platinum. We got 3x points in all

[02:32] Sapphire Reserve until that feature was retired on the CSR back in October. And then for our catch all card, we used either my wife Jackie's Capital 1 else, or we used my Chase Freedom Unlimited to earn 1.5x Chase points on

[02:46] everything else. Now, after those things, another part of my 2025 strategy credit card on a lot of my business spend and even some of my estimated tax more tier qualifying nights from that spend to hopefully renew my Hiatt

[03:00] Hyatt business card, I'm able to get five tier qualifying nights for every calendar year. So between different expenses and tax payments with that benefit on top of some actual high stays this past year, I was able to get pretty

[03:15] close to Globalist because currently I'm sitting at 59 out of 60 nights required certain things like estimated taxes can come with a credit card processing fee of 2 to 3% that I have to pay as well. But I do get one high point per dollar

[03:28] those points at 2 cents each for effectively at least 2% back in value. So, the cost of using this card to help me get closer to globalist isn't as high as it seems. Now, before we get into my 2026 credit card strategy, the last part

[03:41] of my 2025 plan was just to continue traveling as much as my wife and I can So, here's a few of the places we went to and how we leveraged our credit card points to save tens of thousands of dollars on that travel. First, we flew

[03:53] in February to catch a direct flight from there down to Cape Town, South we got a great deal on this flight because for two seats, we only had to transfer 94,000 Capital 1 miles in total thanks to a 30% transfer bonus that was

[04:08] going on a while back. We did have to pay around $572 for taxes and fees on those seats as well. But the cash price would have otherwise been $6,680. So that means we got around $6.5 per point, which is just amazing value for

[04:21] new places, knowing that we got a good deal like that is one of the best feelings, and it really just enhances our overall travel experience. So, that of my favorite brands, Away, who was nice enough to sponsor this video

[04:33] because Away's really helped us upgrade the way we travel. So, Away makes my carry-on and jet black that I bring with me on all my trips. And I wanted to talk the travel I did recently because they're currently having their biggest

[04:46] season where you can shop their savings and take advantage of some great deals. carry-on suitcase is because it lets me maximize every single inch of packing space inside it with Away's signature patented interior compression system.

[05:00] compression pad and a bunch of interior pockets for storing other items that I traveling. And this carry-on feels great when I'm rolling it through the airport with its super smooth 360° wheels. I also feel really good about using

[05:13] luggage from away because every one of their suitcases goes through a rigorous tests include checking things like how those smooth wheels are working, how the the zippers move, which is important for me because I've had issues with suitcase

[05:27] zippers are something I never want to even think about because I just want my supposed to. And Away's suitcases are going to easily check both those boxes. large toiletry bag and jet black that I have right here. And this was honestly

[05:42] suitcase because all the pockets were designed in such a smart way for packing comb, and all that other stuff as well. So yeah, with all the deals they're perfect gift to give someone else or even just to buy yourself during the

[05:56] and check out the link that I'll have down below in the description or you can on the screen right now to shop Away's biggest sales of the year to find the Away for sponsoring this video. All right, now back to the travel that we

[06:10] card points. So then in March, we went to a wedding in Texas in the Fort Worth our points to save a ton of money on both the flights and the hotel. So, for example, on one of our flights between Philly and Dallas, we were able to fly

[06:24] that quick 3-hour flight in economy for only 15,000 points in total for two people, plus around 45 bucks in taxes and point transfer fees. And the cash price would have otherwise been $544. So, that was a redemption of around 3.3

[06:37] transferring points from AMX to Hawaiian and then to Alaska before that method even though that method is closed off now, using Hawaiian and Alaska's new Atmos rewards program is still one of the best ways to book American Airlines

[06:51] from other ways. We were also able to save a lot on our hotel accommodations the Hyatt in the Stockyards area, which would have cost a crazy $2,131 if we paid in cash. But we only had to redeem 51,000 Hyatt points that we

[07:06] transferred from Chase and Built to get a redemption value of around 4.18 cents per point. Then we went to the Grand Hyatt Bajamar in the Bahamas with some pretty cheap to book in cash when we booked it during a Black Friday sale.

[07:18] However, the food and everything else there was pretty pricey, so it was very flights by using points. Luckily, we managed to book a roundtrip American Airlines flight in economy for only 30,000 points in total for two people

[07:31] between Philly and Nassau. And the taxes and fees on that were around $36 in total, but the cash price without points would have been 1538 bucks. So once again, we got a great deal here of around4.1 cents per point using that old

[07:43] AMX to Hawaiian to Alaska transfer method again. And then finally, our favorite trip of 2025 that we used points to help fund was when we traveled start that trip, we flew from JFK to Milan, Italy on the popular fifth

[07:56] their double-decker A380 plane. We which is probably our favorite flight that we've done so far because there's just a ton of space, amazing service, and then of course an onboard bar and

[08:08] to first and business class passengers. We were fortunate to book this by Emirates decided to increase their taxes and fees by several hundred on award flights and also before decided to devalue transfers to Emirates as well.

[08:22] So, we paid 174,000 points in total for two people, which is a lot, plus around $283 in taxes and fees for a flight that otherwise would have cost $4,988, giving us around a 2.7 cent per point value that was well worth it for sort of

[08:36] of miles world. There were some other miscellaneous things that we booked year, but those were a few highlights that I wanted to mention. But now, with that 2025 recap out of the way, here's what our 2026 credit card strategy is

[08:49] change has to do with me and my wife switching from renting to now owning our going to be able to earn Built Points on our mortgage payment. So, Built's been your mortgage thing for pretty much over a year now. But according to one of the

[09:03] most recent emails they sent out to members, Built Car 2.0, which is going going to be launching on February 7th, 2026. Ahead of that launch date, Built is going to have an event sometime in early January where they are going to be

[09:16] they'll be offering. And from what we've heard, one of these cards is going to have no annual fee, one's going to have a $95 annual fee, and one's going to cost $495. Built's also going to be transitioning from Wells Fargo to a

[09:28] their new credit cards. So on February 7th, that's when this transition is says, according to their email, that in addition to points on rent, your new Built Card 2.0 will let you earn points on mortgage payments regardless of who

[09:42] as I'm making this video in December of 2025, I'm planning that I'll be able to earn points on my mortgage. Again, actually with, which is going to be an important deal that I'm glad to hear

[09:54] what's going to be the earning rate on these mortgage payments. Is it going to be one point per dollar like earning points on rent has been? And is there can earn in a calendar year? Also, do I need to have one of those premium built

[10:07] 2.0 cards with an annual fee to get the full experience? And for anyone out to have one of those annual fee built cards or can you still earn points on rent at the same rate with a $0 card? So, lots of questions that are going to

[10:19] definitely be making a full video whenever we get the details about this I do have a lot of faith in the people over at Built and I'm a big fan of what they've also been introducing a lot of new features constantly over the past

[10:32] year which has been awesome to see. Next, my 2026 credit card strategy is also going to finally involve the return of me and my wife taking advantage of a So, like I said before, we really just weren't opening up new credit cards for

[10:45] whole house buying thing. Now, when it comes to getting these bonuses, the opening up some new cards because she's got a few personal ones from Chase, have any business cards yet, which means that there's some Inc. signup bonuses

[11:00] doesn't have any MX cards, City cards, or any other hotel or airline cards completely. So, it doesn't really matter whose credit card we're putting any of the same bank accounts. So, yeah, once we map out the credit cards that she's

[11:14] after that, we'll start to look at any cards that I might want to open in the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business card because of the 200,000 point signup bonus over there. But, there is a $30,000 spending requirement. So, that

[11:28] probably only get this card to pay some taxes or other large expenses. I'm also rewards credit cards just because of how valuable Atmos points are when booking American Airlines flights through Alaska like I talked about earlier. And then

[11:41] keeping my eye out for any limited time offers that are too good to pass up. As what's in my wallet video where I just recap any new and current credit cards two-player strategy. So, if you haven't already, then make sure to go ahead and

[11:55] videos. Next, for the third thing we're focusing on with our 2026 credit card strategy, I'm going to be looking to kind of simplify my credit card setup by because I just did the math and between my wife and I, we're currently paying

[12:08] in annual fees. Now, two things about that. So, first of all, obviously, yes, like way too much money on the surface, but at the end of every year, we do like card individually and then decide if the features and benefits on each card is

[12:24] that, we're able to figure out which credit cards we just wanted to get mostly for the signup bonus, which ones are going to be keeper cards that bring us value year after year, and which ones should be cancelled or downgraded based

[12:36] on the options we have available to us. And so, for 2026, here's the cards we're getting rid of. First, the $99 City Advantage business card is just going to much value there for me. And I really just got this card for a signup bonus a

[12:48] few years ago. And then the $95 Chase Inc. Business Preferred was another credit card where I got a great bonus of 100,000 points, but I don't really need and downgrade it to a no annual fee in cash or Inc. Unlimited. I'm also going

[13:01] because I mainly got it for another big welcome offer back in 2024. And I just credits this past year. And this card also got updated with more credits and an $895 annual fee. So, I am going to miss the 35% points rebate feature here,

[13:16] but it's just not that worth it for me. And then finally, after having the $595 City Strata Elite for about a month now, I also see myself downgrading this card Premiere instead. So, I'll probably downgrade the Strata Elite to another

[13:30] City Custom Cash card, but I'll keep you guys updated on this as the year goes on because I might also just eat the annual cost and keep the Strat Elite. That's situation where I talk about these premium credit cards for a living. And

[13:42] so even if a popular expensive card like the Strat Elite or even the personal MX to keep anymore, I might still end up keeping it because it's almost like a to screen record how certain features and benefits work for my own firsthand

[13:57] use my own judgment here on those decisions for what credit cards are keep them just for the channel. So yes, I am going to be cleaning up the annual fees just a little bit here and getting rid of some cards. But I do feel like

[14:10] my situation is not going to be the same as yours. And I definitely do not think you need to have as many active premium cards as I do. Going along with that, credit cards in 2026 that I might not otherwise personally open just for the

[14:24] credit cards here on the channel. So, if you guys have any recommendations for about, then make sure to go ahead and comment them down below. All right. Next, for item number four on my 2026 credit card strategy, I'm going to

[14:36] hybrid credit card setup. So, basically, to earn points and miles for travel, I'm also now open to working cash back into this is something that I was sort of setting myself up for by finally picking

[14:50] little over a year ago, which is a card that Jackie has as well. And then we're Visa card at some point later on in 2026. The main thing that these two cards have in common is that they both earn up to an amazing 5% cash back with

[15:04] the Discover it earning 5% in rotating categories that change every 3 months and then the Prime Visa mainly earning 5% back on spending at amazon.com which is where we buy a ton of stuff nowadays. To me, 5% earning cards can really be

[15:16] worth it in the right situation because let's say that we can normally only earn 2x points or 2x miles back on Amazon for example. So, I like to value my points what I know I'm able to get pretty easily when redeeming for normal travel.

[15:29] So, getting 2x back on Amazon at a value of 2 cents per point is equal to 4% back in value. That means that 5% cash back on the Prime Visa is going to beat what would be earning on our Amazon spend otherwise. And so, these 5% cash back

[15:42] the standard for what you should be aiming for in a cashback or hybrid be another example here that I just talked about in a recent video. So, this is a no annual fee debit card that I just opened up myself that gets 5% back

[15:56] on one category of your choosing each month for things like apparel, fuel, and public transit. Right now, we're still going to be focusing very heavily on the travel side of the credit card game for the next few years, but as life

[16:08] a family and stuff like that in the future, I could see cashback becoming until that time, I am still going to be very much on team travel when it comes to our 2026 credit card strategy. So, the next piece of that strategy is going

[16:22] points and miles to help save money on maybe like three to four trips over the next year. I definitely try to be very strategic about how we use our points that we can stretch out the value of those rewards on several trips each

[16:35] year. So, in 2026, we're going to be heading back to Hawaii early in the year 30 years old. And around March, we're going to be doing a trip to Dublin and Italy in late spring. We also want to do

[16:48] somewhere else new in Europe in the fall. But so far, we have some good deals booked with points of miles to help us save a lot of money on all this credit card points do lose their purchasing power over time the longer

[17:00] devaluations for hotel and airline programs. So, we very much try to earn really get too stressed about waiting for the absolute perfect redemption or as we can with our travel dates and then we try to let award availability

[17:15] or from on those trips. And then we just maybe take some positioning flights if needed or we add an additional night in a new city if we have to. Our mindset travel is very much that we're always going to be flexible and trying to

[17:28] save money. That way we're able to continue earning more than we're budget so that we can keep saving money and then investing as much as we Travel is one of the few things that Jackie and I do both value spending

[17:41] money on because we're not really into much material things other than watches sometimes that I do enjoy and you guys comment on sometimes and also maybe like bought. So anyway, we're really looking forward to what 2026 is going to bring

[17:54] strategy kind of helps you guys out in planning your own strategy as well. Now, credit cards you should get next, then make sure you're not just looking at ahead and check out this recent video over here on the screen next that I made

[18:08] anyone uses that I think are all super underrated and worth having in your for watching and I'll see you in the next one.