What's the best Credit Card payback card vs benefits available ?

[Tank]

Looking for a new credit card that can give the most bang for my buck

Could be travel benefits, hotel stays, miles

Why do you like your card, and what advantage perk do you get?

I use the IHG Chase card now earning points for hotel stays.
Like everything else they are making cuts costing lots of points for me and it's time to look for another card

Dave

 

[presley]

If you travel a couple times every year, the Chase that costs $450./year is likely your best bet. You get a $300. travel credit each year. There's lots of other stuff, but I don't use that card, so you'll want to look it up. They have a lower cost card for $95./year which is good if you are scared of the $450/ one, but if you travel a lot and/or fly at least once per year, the more expensive card is probably better.

I use the $450./year Hilton American express. It gives one free weekend hotel night per year, a $200. resort credit each year and when you charge $60K in a calendar year, you get an extra free weekend night. If you charge that much, you are also earning hotel points, so you come out with a lot more than just the 2 free weekend nights each year.

I also like my double cash back Citibank MC. I get 2% cash back on everything that I charge to the card. It adds up pretty quickly and I just take the cash back as a payment credit on the card and that covers stuff like a plane ticket or a chunk of a cruise, or Disneyland annual passes. I like the freedom of cash back because I just want to do what I want to do and not choose between offerings put up by a credit card.

 

[Rolltydr]

I love my citi cashback card. I deposit the cashback monthly into a holiday club account and we use that money to pay for a December trip every year.


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[CO skier]

I use the IHG Chase card now earning points for hotel stays.
Like everything else they are making cuts costing lots of points for me and it's time to look for another card

I have the IHG Mastercard. $49 annual fee with automatic Platinum status. A free night is awarded annually, and I spend these on nights that would otherwise cost $250-300, usually in Moab, Springdale, UT, or the Desert Resort in Las Vegas. I charge my hotel stays to the IHG card to earn 5X bonus points.

I charge most everything else, including daily expenses, to my Discover Card. I have used this card for 35 years, because I have never found a better deal than the 2% cash back, plus the 5% cash back specials that change from time to time.

I never carry a credit card balance, so that is why this system works for me. For someone who does carry a balance, finding the absolute lowest interest rate card would be the best deal.

eta: I just looked at my Discover Card statements. It looks like the 2% cash back has changed to 1% somewhere in the last 35 years. I think I might be in the market for a new, better deal.

 

[VacationForever]

Our current favorite is Chase Sapphire Reserve and the built-in travel insurance and primary collision coverage for rental car are more than enough to cover the $150 balance of the $450 fee in which $300 of that is refunded for travel charges. 3 points per $1 spent and it is worth 1.5 cents per point when used to purchase travel through their portal.

We may kill this card down the line as we do less international travel and focus on timeshare travel only.

 

[Kozman]

Sam's club Mastercard. 5% back on all gas stations, 3% on travel, 1% other charges.

 

[Tank]

Thanks for the replies.

Thru the HIVC timeshare system they partnered with the IHG in 2009 when they became HICV and went to the point system. When we make reservations , or pretty much all transactions even MF payment to HICV we would earn the
5 to 1 points to IHG if we used our card since 2009 this has happened.
May of 2019 this ended. Chase or IHG says nothing changed. The Chase description has not changed on the statement.

The IHG card is needed with our system to transfer points when needed at a 4 to 5 ratio. I can't get rid of it.
It was an important perk with our system

By the way they push the new card , it has a higher Annual fee $99 but instead of the 5to1 ratio it gives you a 10 to 1 on IHG stays.
Yes I was paid the 10 to 1 on all timeshare transactions / reservations

 

[WinniWoman]

Not for travel but I like American Express Blue. 6% on groceries; 3% on gas and 1% everything else. Each year I cash in as a credit on my card.