Amy's Picks

These are the cards I actually use or have used. Not a ranked list from the internet, just what works for our family and why I'd recommend each one.

cards I use all the time

My everyday cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Chase · $95/year

start here

If I could only tell you one card to open, it's this one. The welcome bonus is big, the fee is low, and the points transfer to real airlines and hotels. Chase has the 5/24 rule so you want to open their cards before you open anything else. This is where you start.

Welcome offer: 75,000 points Annual fee: $95 Transfers to: Hyatt, United, Southwest, and more Counts toward 5/24: Yes — open this first

Apply with Amy's link →

Chase Ink Business Preferred

Chase · $95/year

business card

This one is for business spending and the welcome bonus is usually huge. The points go to the exact same Chase pool as the Sapphire so they all stack together. If you have any self-employment income at all, even a side hustle, you can apply for this. And business cards don't count toward 5/24, which means you can open it without burning a slot.

Welcome offer: 90,000 points typically Annual fee: $95 Counts toward 5/24: No — doesn't use a slot Points pool: Same Chase Ultimate Rewards as Sapphire

Good to know You don't need a formal business. Freelance, reselling, side jobs all count. Apply with your SSN if you don't have an EIN. Chase will ask about revenue — just be honest about what you make.

Apply with Amy's link →

Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex

American Express · $150/year

for Delta flyers

This is the card I just opened for our Europe trip. If you fly Delta at all it makes sense — you earn miles on every purchase and get a free checked bag every time you fly Delta, which pays for the fee pretty fast if your family checks bags. Miles go straight into your SkyMiles account and don’t expire.

Welcome offer: Check current offer with my link Annual fee: $150 Free checked bag: Yes, on Delta flights for you and up to 8 companions Counts toward 5/24: No

Why I opened it We have a big Delta miles balance already and Chris has never had a Delta card, which made him a strong referral target. If you’re building Delta miles for a specific trip, this is the one to open.

Apply with Amy’s link →

Capital One Venture

Capital One · $95/year

flexible miles

Simple and solid. 2x on everything, no category juggling. Capital One miles transfer to Air Canada Aeroplan, Turkish Airlines, and others. The Venture X is the upgraded version with a higher fee that basically pays for itself if you use the travel credit — worth looking at when your bonus comes around.

Welcome offer: 75,000 miles typically Annual fee: $95 Earn rate: 2x on everything Counts toward 5/24: No

Apply with Amy's link →

when the timing is right

Cards worth opening for the right bonus

These are cards I like but would only open when they're running a strong welcome offer. Timing matters here.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold or Boundless

Chase · $0–$95/year

wait for a big bonus

Marriott is our go-to hotel for road trips. They're everywhere, the points are easy to earn, and free nights go a long way when you're stopping every couple hundred miles across the country. I wouldn't open this card for a small bonus, but when they run 100,000+ points I jump on it. That's real money in hotel nights for our family.

When to open: 75,000+ point offers (100k+ is exceptional) Annual fee: $0 (Bold) or $95 (Boundless) Free night cert: Boundless gives one free night annually Best value: Road trips across the US, Marriott is everywhere

The honest catch Marriott points are worth less per point than Chase or Amex. That's okay. You're earning them fast and using them for road trip hotels, not international business class. That math still works out well.

Apply with Amy's link →

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus

Chase · $69/year

Companion Pass play

Southwest has something called the Companion Pass and it's one of the best deals in points travel. Earn 135,000 Southwest points in a calendar year and your designated companion flies free with you for the rest of that year and all of the next. Opening two Southwest cards in January and meeting both bonuses can get you there in one shot. Once you have it, your family travel gets dramatically cheaper.

Annual fee: $69 Why open it: Companion Pass strategy Best paired with: Southwest Performance Business card Counts toward 5/24: Yes (personal) / No (business)

Timing note Open Southwest cards in January if you're going for the Companion Pass. Points earned count toward the calendar year threshold, so you want as much runway as possible to use it.

Apply with Amy's link →

Card details and welcome offers change constantly. Always confirm the current offer on the issuer's site before you apply. These are my honest opinions based on what's worked for our family — not financial advice, just what I'd say if you asked me over delicious hot cocoa.

xo, Amy