Hello hello, we previously talked about how we used credit card points to save money on flights and hotels (you can find it here), so we would like to introduce you guys to our current credit card rotation.
We believe these are beginner-friendly and a great way to earn points and cash backs. Depending on what you’re looking for from your credit cards, we hope this post will provide some insight 🙂
There are 2 main types of credit cards: the ones that are free to sign up and the ones that charge an annual fee. In this post, I would like to discuss the use of both cards simultaneously to maximize your points earning capability and values.
Chase
Freedom Flex ($0) x Sapphire Preferred ($99)
Freedom Flex was the first credit card I opened after getting my first adult job 🙂 It has no annual fee, and you can earn points to use on travel! Albeit each point is only worth 1 cent when you redeem it for travel 🙁 However, they do have quarterly bonus categories, where you can earn 5% cash back with specific vendors such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, or general categories like all gas stations!
Sapphire Preferred has an annual fee of $99, but you have more benefits such as $50 annual hotel credit and travel insurance/protection. Your chase point will also be worth 25% more when you redeem for travel; 1 point is worth 1.25 cents.
By having both cards, I can use the Freedom Flex to earn an extra 5% on everyday category mentioned above, and then transfer my points over to Sapphire Preferred to redeem them at a higher rate.
For example, if I have earned 50,000 points under Freedom Flex, it will only be worth $500 if I use it on travel under Freedom Flex; however, when I transfer those 50,000 points over to Sapphire Preferred, it is now worth $625!
Capital One
SavorOne ($0) x Venture X ($395)
SavorOne was the BF first ever credit card that he opened during his college days! It was a great credit card for a college student because you can earn 3% cash back on dining and groceries. You can use the cash back as statement credit or for travel!
The Venture X is currently the most popular travel credit card on the market, comparable to the lucrative American Express Platinum (Annual fee: $695). The Venture X currently has an annual fee of $395, and some of its perks include airport lounges, $300 annual travel credit, and $100 credit for TSA Precheck/Global Entry. Capital One points are not as valuable when you redeem for travel compared to Chase (ex: each point is worth 1 cent when booking travel through the Capital One Travel Portal), but you can transfer their points over to a partnered airline/hotel. The average point value is 1.8 cent per point (depending on the partner)!
Similar to Chase, we use the lower end card for daily usage, but then transfer the cash back/points to Venture X for a higher value!
Final Thoughts
If you are a beginner looking for an easy travel credit card to use, I highly recommend the Freedom Flex as you can accrue cash back on everyday purchases. When you are comfortable with paying for an annual fee, then the Sapphire Preferred is a good step up with its reasonable annual cost and decent perks.
If you are a frequent traveler and familiar with the credit card point system, then the Capital One duo is a great system to earn points and redeem them for your hotels and flights.
The BF and I are currently using both sets of cards as of 2022/2023. I have the Chase Freedom Flex and Sapphire Preferred, which are good for booking individual small flights and one-time hotels. The BF has the Capital One SavorOne and Venture X, which are good for big-ticketed flights such as our flights to Japan/Vietnam.