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TODAY'S VIDEO
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HOSTED BY: https://1airtravel.com
TODAY'S VIDEO
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HOSTED BY: https://1airtravel.com
TODAY'S VIDEO
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In early 2019, Delta CEO Ed Bastian committed to adding fast and free Wi-Fi on all its flights within a year or two.
Though the pandemic has delayed that timeline, the airline is still committed to its mission to make inflight internet access free for all.
Earlier this year, the airline broke ties with Gogo and instead partnered up with Viasat to bring the provider’s latest satellite connectivity to more than 300 domestic jets this year. Viasat’s superior satellite network should offer enough bandwidth for Bastian to deliver on his goal.
This summer, the airline began adding Viasat-connected radomes to the top of its new and retrofitted Airbus A321s, Boeing 737-900ERs and Boeing 757-200s, with plans to outfit nearly all of its domestic fleet by the end of 2022.
Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free new biweekly Aviation newsletter!
Though I’ve flown Delta a few times this summer, Tuesday marked my first experience with Delta’s new Wi-Fi solution. I was flying from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to the carrier’s Atlanta mega-hub, and I lucked out with one of the Viasat-connected Airbus A321s.
As I boarded the 191-seat jet, I immediately caught sight of a new decal just a few rows below the TPG logo that’s to the right of the exit door.
“Faster streaming awaits” it read.
Though I had originally planned to catch some sleep on the 7:20 a.m. flight, the techie inside of me couldn’t resist the opportunity to put Delta’s latest Wi-Fi solution to the test.
Once we were airborne, I immediately connected to the DeltaWifi.com network.
The first thing that impressed me was the price: all Viasat-equipped planes offer a $5 full-flight pass or a free messaging option, no matter the destination. Of course, that’s not completely free as Bastian promised, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
(The one big downside, however, is the carrier’s previous tie-up with T-Mobile that used to offer free Wi-Fi to its subscribers is officially gone.)
After quickly entering my credit card information and agreeing to the Viasat terms and conditions, I was online.
To test the connectivity, I performed four tests:
The new Wi-Fi system passed my four tests with flying colors. I nearly gasped when I saw the results of my first experiment on speedtest.com: Over 60 Mbps download was quite impressive.
Fast.com is another internet speed test service that’s routed through Netflix’s servers. I figured that there was a chance that Viasat throttled the streaming connection, and I could use Fast.com to validate my hypothesis.
Turns out, I was correct, at least based on my limited sample. Download speeds slowed down considerably to just over 2 Mbps. Not great, but still fast enough to stream.
So then I pulled up Netflix. After an initial 10-second buffer, the remainder of my show streamed perfectly, with no lag in video or audio.
And finally, I decided to test how long the connection would take to download a 100 MB test file from fastest.fish. The result? Under 30 seconds.
With speeds that fast, I was impressed. Of course, network conditions are going to change depending on how many people are connected to the service, weather and other outside factors.
But on this Tuesday morning, it was clear that Delta’s Viasat tie-up is poised to change the inflight connectivity game. While Wi-Fi isn’t yet free, the move to Viasat is clearly a step in the right direction. Plus, when the provider launches ViaSat-3, the company’s next-generation satellite network, things figure to only get better.
Before long, we might all be streaming our favorite shows and movies, while loading multiple tabs and uploading photos to social media — all from the air… for free.
Featured photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy
Given how volatile points and miles programs can be, we often advise in favor of diversifying the types of travel rewards you earn. After all, you wouldn’t want to spend years saving up rewards points only to see that dream flight or night slip out of reach when a program suddenly devalues (or eliminates) its award chart. And that’s been happening a lot these days.
However, it’s sometimes a good idea double down with a specific rewards program – especially if it’s one where the points are transferable to a number of different airlines and hotels. And it can make even more sense when one or more of the cards that earns those points is posting a particularly high welcome bonus.
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One such program is American Express Membership Rewards. Not only do these points transfer to 18 airline and three hotel loyalty partners, but they are also redeemable in any number of other ways. Plus, the cards that participate in the program are also some of the best in the rewards space.
Among them, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card are currently offering phenomenal, introductory welcome offers that might have you considering whether to apply for one, the other, or both. The Business Platinum Amex even just added some new perks with up to $1,000 in new annual statement credits to sweeten the deal.
In fact, pairing the Amex Business Platinum and Amex Gold cards might be the best Amex card duo possible, thanks to their highly complementary earning structures and benefits packages.
By carrying both and using them for different purposes, you can rake in even more points, even faster, while enjoying all the benefits the Amex Business Platinum confers and the Amex Gold’s stellar earning rates.
Here are the details on each card’s current terms and some of the reasons you might want to keep both in your wallet.
Related: The power of the Amex trifecta: Platinum, Gold and Blue Business Plus® Credit Card from American Express
This excellent small-business card is currently fielding one of its highest-ever introductory bonuses.
Earn up to 120,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. That’s 20,000 more points than the previous public offer.
Apply here for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express with up to a 120,000-point bonus.
$595 ($695 if application is received on or after 1/13/2022) (see rates and fees)
Related: Is the Amex Business Platinum worth the annual fee?
The Amex Business Platinum earns points at the following rates:
Cardmembers can count on the following statement credits, including new ones that were added as part of the card’s recent revamp.
*Enrollment required for select benefits, terms apply.
Related: Big benefits with a high price: Review of the Business Platinum Card from American Express with 125K welcome bonus
Where to even begin? Like the personal The Platinum Card® from American Express, the Amex Business Platinum comes with many value-added perks, including some new ones. Among the most significant are:
*Enrollment required for select benefits, terms apply.
Related: Guide to lounge access with the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum
Plenty of bonus categories plus some valuable statement credits make this one of the most well-rounded rewards cards available.
The current best public offer is for the American Express Gold Card is 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. However, via CardMatch, you may be able to earn up to 75,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $4,000 within the first six months (offer subject to change at any time) if you are a lucky targeted individual.
Apply here for the American Express® Gold Card with a 60,000-point welcome bonus.
$250 (see rates and fees)
This card is a spectacular all-around earner. It accrues points at the following rates:
Related: Impressive 60K welcome offer, great for foodies: American Express Gold card review
This card comes with two particularly attractive statement credits, too.
*Enrollment required for select benefits, terms apply.
All told, that’s $240 in potential value each year.
Related: 8 ways to make the most of the Amex Gold card
Like the Amex Business Platinum, this card waives foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) and provides certain travel protections like trip delay coverage and baggage insurance.
Let’s get the awkward part out of the way. Both cards charge pretty high annual fees – $695 for the Amex Business Platinum and $250 for the Amex Gold. That’s up to $945 in fees each year, which is pretty costly.
Despite that, there are numerous reasons to consider combining the Amex Business Platinum and Amex Gold cards. Here are the most important ones.
These two cards are currently fielding some of their best-ever introductory offers.
The current Amex Business Platinum welcome offer lets you earn up to 120,000 bonus points by spending $15,000 on purchases in the first three months. Get the Amex Gold and spend $4,000 in the first six months, and you nab another 60,000 bonus points.
Without even taking their bonus spending categories into account, you’d be looking at an overall points haul of at least 180,000 Amex Membership Rewards points by hitting those requirements. TPG currently values Amex points at 2 cents apiece, so that’s around $3,600 in value – though potentially much more, depending on how you redeem them.
Related: Everything you need to know about Amex Membership Rewards
Sure, that’s a lot of money to lay out, but if you’re strategic and have some work and personal expenses coming up that you can leverage to meet a new card’s minimum spending requirement, this could be an excellent one-two option.
Another reason you might want to consider applying for these two cards, in particular, is if you already have, or even if you had in the past but have subsequently closed another Amex product. For instance, if you currently carry the Amex Platinum Card or the American Express® Business Gold Card, or had it in the past and closed it, you might be ineligible to earn its welcome offer again per Amex’s application eligibility rules. If you haven’t had the Amex Gold Card or the Amex Business Platinum, though, these two cards could be some of your best bets to keep on accruing Amex points at a healthy clip.
Related: Card showdown: Amex Business Gold vs. Amex Business Platinum
Speaking of card combinations, there are many great reasons why you might want to get both a personal and business card. Doing so can help you separate your work and personal expenses. Putting higher, work-related spending on a business card can keep that activity off your personal credit report – which can, in turn, help raise your personal credit score by lowering your debt-to-credit utilization ratio.
The Amex Business Platinum’s business-related statement credits and special earning rates are two more great reasons to put your work-related spending on that card instead of a personal one. Then you can designate the Amex Gold Card for more everyday things like groceries and dining expenses.
One of the biggest selling points to getting both the Amex Business Platinum and the Amex Gold Card is how you can mix and match their bonus earning opportunities to maximize your everyday spending.
Use the Amex Gold Card to rack up 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants and groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 a year, then 1 point per dollar).
Hold the Amex Business Platinum in reserve for the up to $2 million in eligible U.S. purchases per year in those business-related categories that include things like electronics, shipping, and construction, as well as on transactions of $5,000 or more.
Related: Use these cards to maximize large purchases
To get a bit more granular, if you tend to book airline tickets directly with airlines, you can continue doing so with the Amex Gold Card since it earns 3 points per dollar whether you use it to pay through the airline or Amex Travel.
However, if you can shift more of your travel bookings to Amex Travel, you can leverage the Amex Business Platinum’s 5 points per dollar earning rate not just on airfare but also on prepaid hotels.
You can book hotels through Amex’s Hotel Collection with either card. The Amex Gold Card earns 2 points per dollar on those bookings, while the Amex Business Platinum earns 5 points per dollar. However, with the Amex Business Platinum, you also have access to even higher-end properties and more valuable perks through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts.
Related: Everything you need to know about The Hotel Collection, an under-the-radar Amex Gold perk
Amex has a Pay with Points feature, where you can redeem Membership Rewards for reservations made directly through Amex Travel. You get 1 cent per point toward flights, and less than that for other types of bookings, such as hotel stays.
However, Amex Business Platinum cardmembers receive a 35% rebate using Pay with Points in two circumstances:
This benefit is capped at 500,000 rebated points per calendar year (so you’d have to redeem around 1.43 million points to max it out). By using points from your Amex Business Platinum account and receiving that 35% rebate, you automatically up your points from 1 cent apiece to 1.54 cents – a 54% premium.
While Pay with Points isn’t for everyone, there are a few great reasons to use it. First, you get a solid value of 1 cent per point redeemed this way (or more with the Amex Business Platinum). Second, you don’t have to worry about transfer partners or times or award availability with a particular airline. Finally, when you redeem via Pay with Points, it’s basically like paying cash for your ticket, so you still earn elite miles and credit for your travel.
Related: How to decide whether to use cash or miles for airline tickets
The final reason for carrying both the Amex Business Platinum and the Amex Gold Card is to stack their various statement credits.
The Amex Gold Card provides up to $10 per month in Uber credits toward either rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S., plus a further $10 per month in dining credits as enumerated above for a potential total of $240 in statement credits each year. If you use the card to make a The Hotel Collection booking of two nights or more, you get a $100 onsite credit for qualifying activities.
Related: How to use Amex Gold’s new $10 monthly Uber credit
For its part, the Amex Business Platinum comes with a plethora of statement credits now, including some ongoing ones and recently added ones as well. Among those to look out for are up to $400 per year in statement credits toward Dell purchases — which was recently doubled from just $200 — up to $360 per year with Indeed, up to $150 per year with Adobe and up to $120 toward wireless phone bills. For business travelers, the card also comes with up to $200 in annual airline incidental fee credits, up to $179 annually for a Clear membership, and up to $100 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck periodically.
Maximize all these statement credits from both cards in the first year, and you’re looking at $1,849 in potential value. What’s more, none of these statement credits overlap from card to card, so you don’t sacrifice anything by carrying them both.
While the Amex Gold Card is short on other perks, the Amex Business Platinum includes a lot more benefits.
Related: The different flavors of Amex Platinum – which one is right for you?
Those include advantages like access to various airport lounges – Amex Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs, and Priority Pass lounges among them – plus the ability to register for Gold elite status with both Marriott and Hilton. Cardholders also get elite status with various rental car agencies, plus the International Airline Program discounts for folks who fly premium cabins. Enrollment required for select benefits.
Related: 8 things to do when you get the American Express Business Platinum Card
Earning aside, these benefits alone can make carrying the Amex Business Platinum worth it.
It’s usually a good idea to diversify the types of travel rewards points you earn. However, given how versatile they are, it can also make sense to double down with one program or another, including Amex Membership Rewards.
The right mix of Amex cards will depend on your needs and spending habits. But the Amex Business Platinum and Amex Gold Card make a winning combination thanks to their corresponding perks portfolios and bonus spending categories. You can get both to leverage not only lucrative introductory offers but also excellent everyday points accrual rates and other benefits to enhance your travel experience.
Apply here for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express with up to a 120,000-point bonus.
Apply here for the American Express® Gold Card with a 60,000-point welcome bonus.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here.
Featured photo by The Points Guy.
Two of Amex’s top travel rewards cards, The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, provide many premium travel benefits.
From complimentary entry to Centurion Lounges and other lounges in Amex’s Global Lounge Collection to the ability to book luxury hotel stays with extra benefits through the Fine Hotels + Resorts program, the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum provide some excellent benefits that can upgrade your travel.
But today, I’ll discuss two Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum benefits that you might otherwise overlook: the ability to enroll in complimentary elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors.
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Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum cardmembers, including additional cardmembers, can enroll in complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold status. After registering for these benefits, you’ll enjoy status with Marriott and Hilton without needing to meet usual requirements such as completing a particular number of stays or earning enough elite-qualifying points each year.
Related: Platinum showdown: Amex Platinum vs. Amex Business Platinum
To enroll in either (or both) elite status levels, log in to your Amex account and visit the benefits page. Alternatively, you can also call the customer service number on the back of your card. In either case, you’ll need to provide your hotel loyalty membership number with each program to Amex. Once you request enrollment, American Express will share your enrollment information with the hotel loyalty program, which will upgrade your status to Gold.
You’ll maintain status without needing to meet otherwise-required criteria as long as you keep your Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum account open and American Express continues to offer this benefit for your card.
Related: 10 things to do when you get the Amex Platinum
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status usually requires you to stay at least 25 nights per calendar year at Marriott properties. TPG values Marriott Gold Elite status at $840, but this valuation assumes you stay enough nights each year to earn the status organically. So the value you’ll obtain from the status will differ if you stay more or less frequently.
As a Marriott Gold Elite, you’ll have access to the following benefits:
In addition to the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum, two Marriott Bonvoy cards provide automatic Gold Elite status: the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card (no longer open to new applicants).
Meanwhile, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card provide 15 elite night credits each year that can help you earn Gold Elite status. You can also earn Gold Elite status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year on the Marriott Boundless and each calendar year on the Marriott Bonvoy Business card.
Related: Is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex worth the $450 annual fee?
Hilton Honors Gold status usually requires that you stay 40 nights in a calendar year, stay 20 times in a calendar year or earn 75,000 Hilton Honors base points in a calendar year (although Hilton cut these requirements in half this year). TPG values Hilton Gold status at $1,255, but this valuation assumes you stay enough nights each year to earn the status organically.
As a Hilton Gold elite, you’ll have access to the following benefits:
In addition to the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum, you’ll also get Hilton Gold status as an automatic benefit on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card. You can also get top-tier Diamond status through the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Choosing the best Hilton credit card for you
Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status can provide some great perks. I particularly appreciate that Hilton Gold status provides breakfast or a food and beverage credit at most brands. After all, this perk can provide significant value when visiting expensive international destinations.
Luckily, the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum provide Hilton Gold and Marriott Gold Elite status as a cardmember benefit. This perk can be handy if you don’t stay frequently enough with Marriott or Hilton to earn elite status organically and don’t want to add a hotel credit card to your wallet.
However, if you want to earn a higher status with Marriott or Hilton, having Gold status as a benefit of the Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum won’t help (besides giving you Gold elite perks while you work toward earning the higher status). After all, unlike select Marriott Bonvoy cards that provide elite night credits as a cardholder perk, you won’t get Marriott Bonvoy elite night credits with the Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum.
Apply here for The Platinum Card from American Express or The Business Platinum Card from American Express
Featured photo of the Hilton Rose Hall Resort in Jamaica by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy.
Although we cover credit cards and their various benefits in depth on TPG every day, sometimes you just want a snippet of useful information that you can put into action on the fly. That’s why we recently launched our new series: Quick Points. Every week, we’ll highlight a new or easily forgotten tip that can help you travel more for less.
Often these are bits of information or advice that you can find elsewhere on the site, but that might have gotten buried amid flashier or more valuable perks. Today’s tip: A reminder that you can get both a complimentary Lyft Pink and Grubhub+ membership with your Chase Sapphire Reserve.
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Back in January 2020, Chase announced new lifestyle benefits for its Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card members.
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders, in particular, could start to earn 10 points per dollar on Lyft rides when using their card to pay through March 2022. They were also invited to activate a complimentary one-year Lyft Pink membership. Of course, shortly after this was announced in early-2020, the world got a bit “strange” and rideshare use likely wasn’t at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
For those who forgot or who simply aren’t familiar, Lyft Pink membership usually costs $19.99 per month, so this amounted to a benefit of around $240. At the launch of this partnership, Lyft Pink included benefits such as:
Given that membership was free, it was worth signing up whether you were a frequent Lyft rider or not.
Related: Everything you need to know about Lyft’s game-changing rental car service
However, Lyft Pink recently became even more valuable when Lyft partnered with Grubhub to offer Pink members complimentary Grubhub+ membership. That usually costs $9.99 per month, essentially a 50% bonus on the value of Lyft Pink membership.
Grubhub+ includes benefits such as:
Because of Grubhub’s tie-up with Seamless — if you prefer that service — you can register for Seamless+ and its similar benefits instead. Regardless of who you sign up with, you can use Grubhub+ benefits in the Seamless app and vice-versa.
To enroll in Grubhub+ via a Lyft Pink membership, make sure you have a Grubhub account and that you are enrolled in Lyft Pink. Then log into the Lyft app and tap the menu bars at the top left of the app.
You should see a button for Lyft Pink, so click that. The next screen should say, “Explore your perks,” and one of the options should be “Free Grubub+ membership.” Tap the “Link accounts to activate” text below this option.
From there, you should be sent to an activation page where you will click on the “Activate” button and then be prompted to enter your email address linked to your Grubhub account. The app should send you a verification code via email, which you will enter on the next screen. From there, just click “Get Grubhub+ for free” and “Accept,” and voila!
Related: Use these tips to maximize earnings on your next food delivery order
But wait — there’s a little bit more. If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you can also register by Dec. 31, 2021, for at least a year of complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership.
This membership normally costs $19.99 per month and includes waived delivery fees on orders of $12 or more from participating merchants. Cardholders are also eligible for up to $60 in statement credits on DoorDash orders in 2021, so don’t leave this benefit on the table.
Related: Best credit cards for food delivery
One of the best ways to maximize credit card rewards and benefits is to stack them, and this is the perfect example.
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can enroll in Lyft Pink for free for a year. Then, they can leverage Lyft’s Grubhub partnership to register for free Grubhub+ service as long as their Lyft Pink membership is active. That’s nearly $30 in value each month, and potentially much more depending on how often you use the rideshare service or order food delivery.
Got any Quick Points of your own? Email us to share your own best tips.
Featured photo by Prostock-Studio/Getty Images
If you want to fly private between California and New York nonstop, you’ll need a midsize jet or larger and at least two pilots. However, Honda Aircraft Company wants to change that.
This week at the National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Las Vegas, Honda unveiled its concept for the HondaJet 2600. Although only a prototype, Honda is touting some game-changer features. Most notably, the manufacturer says that this would be the first light jet capable of nonstop flights across the U.S. and the first transcontinental jet designed for single-pilot operation. Today, light jets can only fly three to four hours at a time and require one or two fuel stops on cross-country trips.
Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free biweekly Aviation newsletter!
The design is based on the original HondaJet and HondaJet Elite. Like the previous models, this plane would feature a unique over-the-wing engine mount configuration. This helps improve aerodynamics and allows the planes to fly faster, higher and further.
Honda expects the model 2600 to boast a high cruise speed of 450 knots, class-leading maximum operating altitude of 47,000 feet and range of 2,625 nautical miles.
Inside, there will be seating for up to 11 occupants, depending on the configuration. Honda says that the over-the-wing engine mounting configuration also allows the cabin to be quieter and more spacious than conventional light jets.
Related: The cheapest ways to get the private jet experience
Unlike many jets, the seats won’t need to be folded down to be converted into a bed. Rather, Honda designed a special mattress that will lie across two seats.
Other features of the cabin will include a full-height galley and an enclosed lavatory.
Although there are two seats up front, like the previous models, the aircraft was designed to be flown by just one pilot. This would make it the first transcontinental passenger jet designed for single-pilot operation. Honda says that this is possible due to advanced flight tech and electronics, including autothrottle and autobrake, which would reduce pilot workload.
Related: The golden age of travel isn’t over — it’s evolving
In the rear of the aircraft is a whopping 120 cubic feet of cargo space — another benefit of the over-the-wing engine configuration. It’s large enough to fit accommodate dozens of bags, as well as oversized items like skis, surfboards and bikes.
Although the 2600 model boasts many of the characteristics of a midsize jet in both performance and size, it aims to be much more efficient. Specifically, Honda expects fuel efficiency to be 20% better than light jets and 40% better than mid-size jets.
Still being in the concept stage, we don’t know yet if or when production will actually start. However, Honda Aircraft Company President and CEO Michimasa Fujino is eager about the project.
“The conditions in the business aviation industry have signaled the need for rapid cross-country travel, the ability to carry more passengers and payload, and to develop systems to cut carbon emissions,” Fujino said. “In response we developed the HondaJet 2600 Concept.”
Featured photo by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy.
The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card offers the largest sign-up bonus of any credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, often by a large margin. That makes it one of the most enticing travel credit cards on the market.
New cardholders can earn 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $15,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. That’s worth $2,000 in travel, per TPG valuations (and a lot more if you know how to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards for maximize value).
The card also offers outstanding everyday earning rates thanks to a multitude of bonus categories. Let’s look at the best times to swipe your Ink Business Preferred to save the most money and earn the most points.
New to The Points Guy? Want to learn more about credit card points and miles? Sign up for our daily newsletter.
Geared toward small businesses, here are the key benefits of the Ink Business Preferred:
You may find a few of these benefits to be worth paying the $95 annual fee each year. But let’s take a closer look at the card’s earning rates to see how you can quickly replenish your points balance on an ongoing basis after you’ve spent that impressive 100,000-point bonus.
The Ink Business Preferred can be rewarding to high-spending small business owners. Unless you own the kind of company that spends a lot on shipping and advertising on social media/search engines, however, you may find yourself better served with a personal card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, in terms of pure return rates on spending. For example, the Sapphire Preferred earns 5 points per dollar on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online groceries.
Nevertheless, there are three main types of purchases for which the Ink Business Preferred is a fantastic option.
You’ll earn 3 points per dollar when purchasing airfare (a 6% return, per TPG valuations). Considering the comprehensive travel insurance that comes with the Ink Business Preferred, there aren’t many better cards to use when reserving flights.
Aside from the strong earning rate, If your trip is delayed by 12 hours or more, or if your flight delay/cancellation results in you staying overnight, you’re eligible for up to $500 in reimbursement per ticket for reasonable expenses. That includes things like a hotel stay, meals, transportation etc.
Plus, you’ll receive baggage delay insurance, wherein Chase will reimburse you for “reasonable expenses” when your bags are delayed by more than six hours. You’ll receive a $100 allotment per day (for up to five days) for things like toiletries, clothing, chargers for your electronics, etc.
The Ink Business Preferred earns 3 points per dollar on rental cars — another effective 6% return.
Depending on the nature of your small business (or lifestyle in general), this expense probably doesn’t comprise a meaningful amount of your spending. But it’s still one of the best cards for reserving a rental car because of the primary coverage you’ll receive when reserving for business purposes. When you waive the rental agency’s in-house CDW, the Ink Business Preferred will cover you for theft and damage up to the cash value of the rental car.
The insurance offered by the rental agency can cost $15+ per day, so being covered for free is a big deal.
You’ll earn 3 points per dollar on cable and phone services, which includes your monthly phone bill. Again, this expense alone won’t earn you enough points for a luxurious vacation, but remember that you’ll also receive cellphone protection.
By paying your bill with the Ink Business Preferred, you’ll get up to $600 in coverage against damage or theft. This also applies to any eligible members on the same plan. There is a $100 deductible per claim, and you can only submit three claims per 12-month period. Still, that can be more than enough coverage to safeguard you against common mishaps.
The card earns 1 point per dollar on all expenses that don’t fall into a bonus category. That’s not very noteworthy considering there are other Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning cards that earn significantly more for those purchases.
Even the no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Unlimited earns a minimum of 1.5% (1.5 points per dollar) on purchases — a 50% increase over the Ink Business Preferred. And as long as you’ve still got the Ink Business Preferred — or the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, for that matter — you can transfer those rewards to the program’s valuable airline and hotel partners.
Other Chase cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Freedom Flex, have several bonus categories that the Ink Business Preferred doesn’t. For instance, the Chase Freedom Flex earns:
For its part, the Chase Sapphire Preferred earns:
Depending on what your major spending categories typically are, one of those might be a better choice than the Ink Business Preferred. Still the business card offers solid rates of return on a broad array of expenses — you just have to bear that $150,000 annual cap in mind.
In case you didn’t catch the disclaimer above, Chase will only cover your car rental with the Ink Business Preferred if you’re renting for business purposes. You may get away with it, but if Chase presses you about the nature of your rental, be prepared to provide proof that you were in fact on business.
The Ink Business Preferred is a fantastic card for spending on:
That’s because it earns 3 points per dollar on these purchases — and it provides some of the best credit card travel protections for these expenses.
The card’s bonus categories are very business-focused, which is understandable. But if most of your spending happens outside these categories, be sure to read our guide to the Chase Trifecta to learn how to become a serious Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning machine.
Featured photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy.
When considering your next credit card, it’s best to first look at your wallet and see if you can build a strategy around what you’ve already got. Chances are, it can be more beneficial to hone in on earning points from the same issuer rather than spreading yourself too thin across multiple programs.
There are plenty of other solid reasons why you would want to consider carrying multiple cards from the same issuer:
With that said, let’s review the credit card options with transferable points you can combine and how to strategize by carrying multiple cards in the same family.
Known as the “Amex Trifecta,” these three cards are essential for those who want to earn thousands of Membership Rewards points each year. While they’re great standalone cards, you’ll want to add these other options thanks to their complementary rewards rates:
| Card | Welcome bonus | Earning rate | Annual fee |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Plus, earn 10 points per dollar on eligible purchases on your new card at restaurants worldwide and when you shop small in the U.S. on up to $25,000 in combined purchases, during your first six months of card membership. That’s an additional 9 points on top of the 1 point you earn for these purchases. |
5x on flights purchased directly with the airline or with Amex Travel, on up to $500,000 spent per calendar year.
5x on prepaid hotels booked on Amex Travel. 1x on other eligible purchases. |
$695 (see rates & fees) |
| American Express® Gold Card | Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $5,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. | 4x on dining at restaurants.
4x on U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 spent per calendar year (then 1x). 3x on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel. 1x on other eligible purchases. |
$250 (see rates & fees) |
| The Blue Business® Plus Card from American Express | Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. | 2x on the first $50,000 per calendar year (then 1x).
1x on all other eligible purchases. |
$0 (see rates & fees) |
Amex has a once-per-lifetime rule that restricts you from earning a welcome bonus more than once per card. However, you can open all three of these cards eventually and earn each of their welcome bonuses — so long as you haven’t held the card beforehand — and continue to add to your points balance.
Added together, these three welcome bonuses are substantial, giving you at least 175,000 bonus points — worth an astounding $3,500 by TPG valuations — if you meet spend requirements. Plus, the Amex Platinum’s restaurant and Shop Small bonus in the first six months of card membership is significant — if maximized, that’s an additional 250,000 Membership Rewards points.
Each card offers excellent earning rates that can combine to offer bonus points on virtually every purchase you’ll have in life. Here’s a cheat sheet of when to use each card:
| Purchase | Card to use |
| Flights | Amex Platinum for 5x until you meet the $500,000 threshold per calendar year. From there, you can use the Amex Gold for 3x. |
| Hotels | Amex Platinum for 5x. |
| Dining at restaurants | Amex Platinum for 10x up to the $25,000 threshold during the first six months of card membership, then Amex Gold for 4x. |
| Supermarkets | Amex Gold for 4x up to the $25,000 threshold per calendar year — and at U.S. supermarkets only (then 1x). For groceries purchased abroad, Amex Blue Business Plus up to the $50,000 threshold per calendar year for 2x (then 1x). |
| All other purchases (gas, bills, etc.) | Amex Blue Business Plus for 2x up to the $50,000 threshold per calendar year (then 1x) |
Related: 5 ways you might be eligible for a business credit card without realizing it
The Chase trifecta is well-known across the points and miles community and is a powerhouse trio of cards.
All of the no-annual-fee options listed below are cash-back cards but earn rewards in the form of Ultimate Rewards points. These points are worth only 1 cent each unless you also carry an “anchor card” that can potentially raise the value of these points.
Your anchor card options are the Chase Sapphire Reserve ($550 annual fee), Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ($95 annual fee) or the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card ($95 annual fee). With the Sapphire Reserve, your Ultimate Rewards points are worth 1.5 cents each when booking travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. With the latter two, your points are worth 1.25 cents each for travel through Ultimate Rewards.
Where the real value of these Chase anchor cards comes into play is access to Chase’s 11 airline and three hotel transfer partners — and your points can be worth 2 cents each when redeemed this way, according to TPG’s valuations.
Long story short, there’s lots of flexibility with the Chase trifecta, and you can mix and match the cards you want based on your preferences. Here are all of your options:
| Card | Sign-up bonus | Earning rate | Annual fee |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Earn 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. | 10x on hotels and car rentals purchased through Ultimate Rewards portal after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
10x on Chase Dining purchases through Ultimate Rewards portal. 10x on Lyft (until March 2022). 5x on flights purchased through Ultimate Rewards portal after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. 3x on all other travel and dining purchases. 1x on all other eligible purchases. |
$550 |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | Earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. | 5x on travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards portal excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Anniversary hotel credit.
5x on Lyft (until March 2022). 3x on select streaming services and online grocery store purchases. 3x on dining. 2x on all other travel purchases. 1x on all other eligible purchases. |
$95 |
| Ink Business Preferred Credit Card | Earn 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $15,000 in the first three months of account opening. | 3x on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year from the following categories: shipping, internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases and travel (then 1x).
1x on all other eligible purchases. |
$95 |
| Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card | Earn $750 cash back (or 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. | 1.5% on all eligible purchases. | $0 |
| Ink Business Cash Credit Card | Earn $750 cash back (or 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. | 5% on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year from the following categories: office supply stores, internet, cable and phone services (then 1x).
2% on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year from the following categories: gas and restaurants (then 1x). 1% on all other eligible purchases. |
$0 |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | Earn $200 cash back (or 20,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Plus, earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year. |
5% on travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards portal.
3% on dining. 3% on drugstore purchases. 1.5% on all other eligible purchases. |
$0 |
| Chase Freedom Flex | Earn $200 cash back (or 20,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Plus, earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year. |
5% on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate.
5% on travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards portal. 3% on dining. 3% on drugstore purchases. 1% on all other eligible purchases. |
$0 |
Chase’s 5/24 rule is among the most restrictive of any issuer, and that’s because you likely won’t be eligible for anyChase card if you’ve opened five or more credit cards from any and all issuers in the past 24 months. The 5/24 rule incentivizes applicants to start within the Chase family first, and we strongly recommend building your trifecta of Chase cards — not only to supercharge your earnings — but because you may become ineligible if you open other cards first.
Finally, it’s worth noting that you can only carry one of the Sapphire cards at a time. So, if you don’t have either already, now’s the time to decide between the premium Sapphire Reserve or the wallet-friendly Sapphire Preferred.
While there are traditionally three cards in the Chase trifecta, you could theoretically open more than just three Chase cards down the road for more sign-up bonuses and access to even more bonus categories. Here are some of the ways you can mix-and-match the Chase trifecta to fit your needs:
No matter which combination you choose, be sure also to hold one flat-rate earning card (Ink Business Unlimited or Chase Freedom Unlimited) that will allow you to earn 1.5% on all non-bonus purchases.
Related: Best Chase credit cards of 2021
Capital One is newer to the transferable points game, but there’s a lot to love about the program already. The two “anchor” cards that give you access to transferable Capital One miles are the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.
From there, you can open one of Capital One’s Savor cash-back cards to take advantage of bonus categories and turn your rewards into Capital One miles.
| Card | Sign-up bonus | Earning rate | Annual fee |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | 60,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 in the first three months of account opening. | 2 miles per dollar on all purchases. | $95 |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card | 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $500 in the first three months of account opening. | 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases. | $0 |
| Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | $300 cash bonus when you spend $3,000 in the first three months of account opening. | 4% on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services.
3% at grocery stores. 1% on all other eligible purchases.
|
$95 |
| Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | $200 cash bonus when you spend $500 in the first three months of account opening. | 3% on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery stores.
1% on all other eligible purchases. |
$0 |
The information for the Capital One Savor has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Capital One restricts you to having no more than two of its personal cards open at once, so be sure to choose wisely.
Besides this two-card rule, you can only apply for a new Capital One card every six months. It’s important to be mindful of these restrictions to maximize your approval odds and think long-term on your cards strategy.
Let’s say you decide to open the Capital One Venture for its 2x earning on all purchases. While this is a great rewards rate (and is incredibly easy to remember), you may want to add the Savor to your wallet to earn an additional (above what you’d earn with the Venture) 2% on dining, entertainment, and popular streaming services and 1% on grocery stores. Since these are common purchase categories, you’ll have a powerful duo of cards that will help you accrue Capital One miles quickly.
The Capital One miles program keeps on improving, as there’s an ever-expanding portfolio of 15+ transfer partners.
Related: Tips and tricks to get maximum value from your Capital One miles
Last but not least, Citi presents some interesting options that are worthy of consideration.
Currently, only one “anchor” card is open for applications and allows you to earn fully transferable Citi ThankYou points: the Citi Premier® Card. The premium Citi Prestige® Card has been discontinued this year.
The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you’ve already got either the Premier or Prestige, you should add one of the cash-back cards in Citi’s lineup so you can maximize your earnings with more bonus categories, but still access Citi’s transfer partners:
| Card | Sign-up bonus | Earning rate | Annual fee |
| Citi Premier® Card | 80,000 Citi ThankYou points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. | 3x at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
1x on other eligible purchases. |
$95 |
| Citi® Double Cash Card | None. | 2% cash back; 1% when you buy and 1% as you pay. | $0 |
| Citi Custom Cash℠ Card | $250 cash back (or 25,000 Citi ThankYou points) after spending $750 in the first three months of account opening. | 5% on your top eligible spend category up to $500 spent each billing cycle. Categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs or live entertainment, then 1%.
1% on all other eligible purchases. |
$0 |
If you have the Citi Premier and want to apply for either the Double Cash or Custom Cash, note that you can apply for a new Citi card every eight days — and no more than two cards in a 65-day window.
The best part is these supplemental cards have no annual fee but attractive earning rates that go well with the Premier’s (already excellent) rewards rate. If you’re looking for a flat-rate, 2x earning card for non-bonus purchases, go for the Double Cash, while the Custom Cash is a great pick for a whopping 5% return on non-traditional bonus categories.
Related: Best Citi cards of 2021
When you own one card that earns transferable points — more likely than not — you can add another card from the same issuer to beef up your earnings effortlessly. It’s as easy as using a two- or three-card strategy and pooling your rewards into one account.
Official application link: Amex Platinum.
Official application link: Amex Gold.
Official application link: Amex Blue Business Plus.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Official application link: Ink Business Preferred.
Official application link: Ink Business Unlimited.
Official application link: Ink Business Cash.
Official application link: Chase Freedom Unlimited.
Official application link: Chase Freedom Flex.
Official application link: Capital One Venture.
Official application link: Capital One VentureOne.
Official application link: Capital One SavorOne.
Official application link: Citi Premier.
Official application link: Citi Double Cash.
Official application link: Citi Custom Cash.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Business Plus, click here.
Featured photo by Isabelle Raphael for The Points Guy.
