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As a full-time digital nomad and credit cards writer, I naturally have more credit cards in my wallet than the average person. However, I don't have nearly as many as my colleagues. I know people with 20, 30, or even 40 credit cards in rotation at any given time.
Right now, I have 10 active credit cards that I utilize for nearly every purchase I make. Of my 10 cards, eight charge annual fees that add up to an amount some might find excessive — but I come out well ahead every year.
Here's how.
Page Contents
My 10 Cards that Charge $2,724 in Annual Fees
In my wallet right now are 10 credit cards with annual fees that total $2,724. Here's the breakdown of the eight that have annual fees:
- American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees): $895 annual fee
- Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (Rates & Fees): $595 annual fee
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: $395 annual fee
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card(Rates & Fees): $250 annual fee
- Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card: $249 annual fee
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Rates & Fees): $150 annual fee
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees): $95 annual fee
- Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees): $95 annual fee
That brings me to a total of $2,724 in annual fees each year. When you see it written out like that, it might look unnecessary or even irresponsible. But as you'll notice, five of these cards are general travel rewards cards that earn transferable points. The other three are co-branded cards that earn points or miles with a specific airline or hotel.
I also have the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card and the Apple Card, but neither of these has an annual fee.
You might think it's excessive to pay close to $3,000 in annual fees each year, but I get substantially more value from my cards than this.
How I Unlock Nearly $5,000 in Annual Value From Statement Credits
My list of statement credits is seemingly endless. It definitely takes work to maximize each of these credits, especially those that are earned monthly. Sometimes I forget about a credit and leave money on the table, but that's part of the reason AwardWallet's tracking tools come in so handy.
Over $3,000 in credits I find easy to use
The Platinum Card® has the most credits of any other card in my wallet. Some are more challenging to maximize, but these I find easy to redeem:
- Up to $600 Hotel Credit on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings (of two nights or more) through Amex Travel ($300 semi-annually). I frequently go on weekend trips, and can easily justify booking through a travel portal to save $300.
- Up to $200 Airline Fee Credit for incidental fees charged by a selected qualifying airline. I travel full-time with my cat, so I can use this credit for pet fees when we fly.
- Up to $300 Digital Entertainment Credit is even easier to use now that the monthly credit has increased to $25 per month as part of the Platinum Card® refresh. I use my credit for Hulu, which allows me to watch favorites like Project Runway and Broad City.
- Up to $300 Lululemon Credit ($75 per quarter) is a welcome addition to the Platinum Card®. Lululemon has some excellent, high-quality clothes. I always pick my Lululemon attire for long travel days, so I'm thrilled I can easily buy an item each quarter with little out of pocket.
- Up to $155 Walmart+ Credit is useful even if you aren't a frequent Walmart shopper. I use my credit to enroll in Peacock so I can watch Parks and Recreation on repeat while I work.
- The up to $100 Shop Saks Credit ($50 semi-annually) gets a lot of flak, but I love it for wedding presents, baby shower gifts, or Christmas presents.
- The $300 Equinox Credit now covers the full Equinox+ digital subscription. Although I haven't subscribed yet, I do plan on subscribing so I can start working out while I'm on the go. I think it will be a nice complement to Apple Fitness+, which I have through my Apple One plan.
- Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- More Value! With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
- More Value! $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners. Enrollment required.
- More Value! $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
- More Value! $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
- New! $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
- $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
The Citi Strata Elite is the newest card in my wallet, and I love the credits it offers:
- Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit of two nights or more booked through cititravel.com. Just like the credit on Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings, I can easily redeem this credit for a weekend trip with friends or family.
- Up to $200 Annual Splurge Credit℠ on a choice of up to two of the following brands: 1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy®, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation. I am choosing American Airlines as my merchant, and I think it'll be a great way to get a discount on a future flight.
- For a limited time, earn 100,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
- Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time
- Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- 12X – Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time.
- 1.5X – Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
My Capital One Venture X is my go-to credit card, thanks to its return on my day-to-day purchases and simple benefits. The $300 annual travel credit never lasts more than a few days once my card renews.
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases
The Sapphire Preferred and Citi Strata Premier both offer hotel benefits that are easy to use. The $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit is automatically applied to your account, with no minimum spending required. I like to use this for one-night stays at affordable hotels. The Citi Strata Premier requires a little more sleuthing — a $100 annual hotel benefit off a single hotel stay of $500 or more means I'll still spend a bit out of pocket.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases.
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
Finally, the Delta Gold Card gives me a $100 Delta Stays Credit, which I most recently used on a three-night booking in Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 10/29/2025.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, you can earn: 2X miles on Delta Purchases, 2X miles at restaurants, 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets, 1X miles on all other eligible purchases. Every mile you earn brings you closer to the places you want to go. Turn them into your next trip, use them for seat upgrades, and more.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights and save up to $70 per person on a round-trip Delta flight.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 2X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 2X miles per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1X miles on all other eligible purchases
As long as I max out each of these credits, I'll receive a total of $3,005 in statement credits each year. Although I find it easy, it's certainly not for everyone. I have to book six separate hotel reservations through five different travel portals each year to take full advantage of these credits. That's in addition to the non-hotel credits, which each require enrollment, merchant selection, or dedicated booking.
If you don't want to go through the trouble, this strategy might not work for you.
An additional $2,000 in credits that I find challenging to use
Although the Platinum Card® has plenty of credits I find easy to use, it has almost as many credits I find challenging to use.
- Up to $200 Uber Cash ($15 each month plus $20 in December when you add your card to your Uber account). This is only valid for rides or orders in the U.S., and since I'm rarely in the U.S., I don't get much value from this benefit. Same goes for the up to $120 in statement credits for an auto-renewing Uber One membership.
- Up to $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit. I'm not in the U.S. much, and my home airport in North Carolina doesn't have CLEAR lanes, so I haven't found this membership particularly useful. It's easy to enroll, but I probably wouldn't pay for a membership if I weren't a cardholder.
- Up to $400 Resy Credit ($100 quarterly). I have the same problem as the other credits — this is only valid for U.S. Resy restaurants. I'd love to see this expand worldwide at some point, but it doesn't benefit me much at the present moment.
- $200 Oura Ring Credit. I love my Apple Watch, so I don't feel much need to purchase an Oura Ring. I might consider using the credit to gift an Oura Ring to someone else who really wants one, but given that it costs a minimum of $349, it's still a lot out of pocket.
- Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
In addition to these, most of my other cards have credits I don't fully maximize.
For example, the Citi Strata Elite‘s $200 Annual Blacklane® Credit is simple to use, but not as valuable in my book. It's doled out in $100 semi-annual credits. I recently looked into reserving a Blacklane car for an early morning trip to London Gatwick Airport (LGW), but the ride would cost more than £250. Meanwhile, a taxi cost just £99, which would mean I'd pay substantially more, even after the statement credit, to go with Blacklane. I'll still try to use it before the end of the year, but the high prices make it challenging.
Similar to the Platinum Card® statement credits, the Sapphire Preferred I find challenging to use is the $120 DoorDash credits and DashPass membership. If you aren't in the U.S. and don't frequently order delivery, this can go to waste.
The Delta Gold Card and Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card both have credits I can earn after meeting a minimum spending requirement. But, I don't spend enough on these cards to earn these credits:
- Delta Gold Card: $200 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 in purchases.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card: Free night award after spending $15,000 in purchases.
If I were to figure out how to maximize these credits, I'd earn an additional $1,529 in annual statement credits. Plus, I'd earn a Marriott free night award worth up to 50,000 Bonvoy points. Given that AwardWallet users have recently redeemed Bonvoy points for 0.93¢ apiece, this is worth another $465, bringing the total credits to $1,994.
Maximum Earning Potential on Every Purchase
Apart from maximizing statement credits, I get a lot of value from my cards in the form of earning. At minimum, I earn 2X miles on every single purchase. To keep things simple, I'm not factoring in the points I'll earn if I book flights, hotels, car rentals, or attractions through a travel portal.
Transferable points earnings per $1 spent:
- Flights: 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) with the Platinum Card®
- Dining: 6X during Citi Nights using the Citi Strata Elite, 3X during other times using the Sapphire Preferred, Citi Strata Premier, or Citi Strata Elite
- Hotels: 3X with the Citi Strata Premier
- Groceries: 3X with the Citi Strata Premier
- Gas: 3X with the Citi Strata Premier
- Streaming: 3X with the Sapphire Preferred
- All other purchases: 2X using the Capital One Venture X
Co-branded points earnings per $1 spent:
- Hotels: 6X on Marriott purchases with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card
- Flights: 2X on purchases made directly with Delta with the Delta Gold Card, 3X on Avianca with Avianca American Express Elite Card
- Restaurants: 4X using the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card
- Supermarkets: 4X using the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card
- All other purchases: 2X using the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card
Other Cardholder Benefits Worth Noting
There are countless other benefits that don't have a specific value that I enjoy with my cards, including:
- Platinum Card®: Access to the American Express Global lounge Collection®, value with Fine Hotels + Resorts®, travel insurance, and hotel and car rental elite status.
- Citi Strata Elite: 4X American Airlines Admirals Club® Lounge Access Passes, plus added value with The Reserve by Citi Travel®.
- Capital One Venture X: 10,000 bonus anniversary miles, access to Capital One Lounges.
- Sapphire Preferred: Each account anniversary, I earn bonus points equal to 10% of my total purchases made the previous year.
- Delta Gold Card: TakeOff 15 flight discount, first checked bag free.
- Avianca American Express Elite Card: Silver elite status, LifeMiles+ membership.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card: 1,000 bonus points per stay.
Plus, I get a Global Entry application fee credit and Priority Pass Select membership from several of my cards. I also have access to Citi, American Express, Chase, and Capital One transfer partners. In other words, I have an endless list of hotels and airlines I can transfer points to for maximum value.
Potential Changes to My Credit Card Lineup
I applied for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card when there was a sky-high welcome bonus. However, now that I've earned the bonus and held the card for a year and a half, I'm considering a change. I already get Marriott Bonvoy Gold status through my Platinum Card®, so I'm not really getting any notable benefits from the card.
Unfortunately, there aren't any Bonvoy cards issued by Amex with lower annual fees. The $650 annual fee Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees) would be an excellent choice, offering Marriott Platinum Elite status and a free night award (among other benefits). I don't want to request an upgrade and forgo a welcome bonus, but I also don't want to cancel my Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card.
I'm interested in both the The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees) and the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card(Rates & Fees). The Autograph Journey earns 3X points on general travel purchases, which would be nice for Airbnb. I'd also get 5X on hotels, which would be nice if I'm not staying at a Marriott property or booking through a travel portal.
- Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points. Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent. Plus, earn 2 total Tier-Qualifying Night Credits per eligible night at any Hyatt hotel or resort completed between October 16, 2025 and January 31, 2026, for up to 15 tier-qualifying nights with this offer. Apply by November 20, 2025.
- Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
- Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
- Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
- Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
- Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays - 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
- Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- Up to 9X points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4X points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5X points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point per $1 everywhere else
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's $600 toward your next trip.
- Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases.
- $95 annual fee.
- Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card and enjoy Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Baggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
- Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
- Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- 5X points per $1 spent on hotels
- 4X points per $1 spent on airlines
- 3X points per $1 spent on other travel and restaurants
- 1X points per $1 spent on other purchases
Bottom Line
Of all the statement credits I receive, I find $3,005 worth easy to use, and $1,994 available but harder to earn or redeem. These credits alone more than justify the $2,724 I pay in annual fees each year. On top of these credits, I earn anywhere from 2X to 6X points per dollar on non-travel portal purchases, and the points I earn can be transferred to dozens of airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. This provides an even greater value from my cards, especially considering the fact that I use credit cards for every purchase I make (apart from ATM withdrawals).
Finally, I enjoy having access to a multitude of airport lounges, elite status perks with my favorite hotels and airlines, bonus points each year, and discounts on award redemptions. All in all, even though I spend a few thousand dollars in credit card annual fees each year, I think I get enough value to justify keeping each of these cards in my wallet.
If my travel habits or financial goals change, I can always downgrade a card or avoid applying for new ones. Until then, I'm happy with my lineup.
How does your card portfolio compare? Let us know in the comments below.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees), Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (Rates & Fees), Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees), Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), and The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
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