We had no CCs for a long time while we rebuilt our credit and get out of debt. our first CC back is an Amex blue cash, we have teens in sports and the grocery and gas rewards were best for us plus my credit was just rebuilding. We've been in a good spot and I pay it off every month, but still have to use our debit at places that don’t take Amex and since we have had money stolen before we hate using it and move money from checking into savings as bills are paid and stuff.
Anyway, I would like 1 more credit card that is not AMEX, since not everyone (Costco etc) takes AMEX. I would love to do Chase, but I don’t think I can do chase as I had a “write off” with them a couple years ago from an old credit card where I paid an agreed amount for them to wipe it clean. what other credit cards would be good? we are starting to travel more but are pretty loyal to Marriott and American Airlines, though that could change down the line.
Just trying to figure out the best non-Amex card for points and rewards and maybe some bonus when signing up and probably not chase as they would probably decline me. regardless of my financial position being different now.
Next best non-Amex card to pair with Amex blue cash
byu/Live_Annual_5129 inCreditCards
Posted by Live_Annual_5129
4 Comments
Definitely the Wells Fargo Autograph. The categories between the BCE and Autograph are really complimentary lol, Autograph does 3% dining, travel, transit, gas, EV charging, streaming, and phone plans while BCE covers groceries and online retail. Only overlapping category is gas which the Autograph handles better (uncapped, applies worldwide instead of just U.S. gas stations, no foreign transaction fees, and is a Visa so it handles Costco gas).
From there you add a 2% catch-all, either the Wells Fargo Active Cash or AmEx Blue Business Cash depending on your loyalties
Since you sound especially interested in points/miles, I would suggest looking into the capital one venture rewards, great sign up bonus right now and 2x on all purchases. However they are moving over to the discover network, but there’s a decent chance you would receive a mastercard for it YMMV.
If just looking for a solid visa the wells fargo active cash for 2% everything or autograph for no ftf and good 3% categories could be good as a next card.
Ultimately keep working on that credit and try to land a citi setup for american airlines transfers, or if you want to keep things simple, just a citi strata premier by itself. One of their AAdvantage cards would do the trick as well. These are all mastercard as well btw
American Airlines would be a great value for you if you used it once a year and everyone was checking a bag! I have a hard time using a specific airline myself. But, I’m pretty sure the Visa version isn’t as great so you’d need to look into that.
Depending on how much you travel, I’m meh on hotel cards..
I would look at the Venture from Cap1 – gets you 2x everywhere, great travel insurance, a nice sign-on bonus.. and sets you up for future growth in their ecosystem via grabbing the Savor and increasing those miles.
If you can get approved, I’d go with the Venture X right away.. $300 credit, 10k miles, nice sign-up.. I use the $300 credit towards a “date” weekend with the wife.. keep it close enough to home to make a night or 2 worth it with a spa.. and get away from the kids for a bit
If you have accounts with fidelity then they are a 2% cash back on everything card, zero annual fee