I have a new job where I need to drive a lot, book hotels, and sometimes fly with my own credit card. I get to expense all of it, so i would like to get the best return of points to Book more flights for free or less.
I use the chase freedom unlimited for everyday. Doesn’t seem like CSP is a good option because it doesn’t cover much besides adding transfer portal.
If I have to fly, I don’t have a preferred airline, but I would fly out of CMH airport in Columbus, OH.
What is the best one credit card for this scenario and why? I know it will be better if I add more than one, but I need one for now.
Credit card for booking more flights
byu/FreedomLopsided7303 inCreditCards
Posted by FreedomLopsided7303
5 Comments
For pure flights, AmEx Platinum at 5x would likely be the play. However since it sounds like hotels are your main organic spend, I recommend one of two options:
1. Citi Strata Premier if you are willing to use a portal. 10x on portal hotel bookings will be a point earning monster for you. 3x on flights will also be fine, plus you’ll get 3x on gas, restaurants, and groceries.
2. Wells Fargo Autograph Journey if you want to book direct instead of via portal. 5x on hotels and 4x on flights. Transfer partners are somewhat worse than Citi (especially if you fly American), but there’s plenty of options especially if your dates for personal travel have some flexibility. I’ve gotten some great redemptions even domestically, for example on Delta via Virgin points transfer.
Check out the Wells Fargo Autograph or Costco Visa is you want better rewards just for booking flights, hotels and buying gas on your own credit card.
Most flights out of Columbus [are on Southwest Airlines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Glenn_Columbus_International_Airport#Airline_market_share), so trying to fly another airline might require connecting in another city. Connecting may add 5-6hrs to your trip each way.
Amex Platinum earns 5x on flights and 5x on hotels booked direct.
Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 4x on flights and hotels booked direct, but 8x in their portal if you’re willing to use it.
Citi Strata Elite earns 6x on flights and 12x on flights in their portal. Very strong, but you have to use cititravel. 1.5x if booking direct.
Capital One Venture X earns 5x on flights an 10x on hotels in their portal, but they do price match. 2x if booking direct.
A bit past your question, but down the line you could also consider sticking with one hotel chain, as hotel cards often have crazy multipliers when you book direct. For example the World of Hyatt card earns 9x at Hyatts and the Hilton Aspire earns 14x at Hiltons.
Since you already have a CFU, I’d recommend the CSR, especially if you’d originally use the credits. Or if you want to go all in with Hilton I bet Amex Plat + Hilton Aspire could do well for you, if you can stomach the AFs. Amex also transfers to Hilton 1:2 so you could potentially earn *a lot* of Hilton points if thats the route you want to go. Since you only want one card, maybe it’s Amex plat now, and then other cards later on.
Capital one venture x is. 10x and 5x on those categories
Step 1: decide how you want to redeem your earnings
Step 2: find a card that gives you a way to make the redemption you want