Whether or not you are new to the world of factors and miles or simply in search of the most effective methods to degree up your present card portfolio, a strategic bank card pairing is among the best methods to maximise your incomes potential.
You have possible heard of the preferred card groupings — the Chase Trifecta and the Amex Trifecta — however these are removed from the one methods to mix bank cards.
Let’s focus on how completely different bank cards work collectively to spice up your spending and incomes energy and go over among the greatest bank card combos.
Associated: The very best enterprise and private bank card combos
What makes the most effective bank card mixture?
A number of components could make a superb card mixture, however most easily, a superb pair is one during which each playing cards earn the identical rewards however have completely different bonus classes. This manner, you can maximize your earnings throughout a wider vary of purchases than you’d with only one card.
Every card mixture beneath is a superb instance of maximizing your earnings with two complementary playing cards.
Associated: 7 of the most effective playing cards to pair with the Amex Gold
The Platinum Card from American Specific and the American Specific Gold Card
The Platinum Card® from American Specific is nice for vacationers because it earns 5 Membership Rewards factors per greenback spent on flights booked straight with an airline or by means of Amex Journey (on as much as $500,000 every calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback spent thereafter) and comes with intensive airport lounge entry, plus a slew of priceless assertion credit. Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply.
The American Specific® Gold Card is a foodie’s dream card. It earns 4 Membership Rewards factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide (as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback spent thereafter) and U.S. supermarkets (as much as $25,000 in purchases every year, then 1 level per greenback spent thereafter).
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It additionally comes with assertion credit every calendar 12 months for eating and takeout purchases. Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply.
Why they’re an awesome mixture: These playing cards work nice collectively since you’ll earn extra on flights with the Amex Platinum than you’d with the Amex Gold alone (5 factors per greenback spent somewhat than 3) and extra at eating places and U.S. supermarkets with the Gold than you’d with the Platinum alone (4 factors per greenback spent somewhat than 1; spending caps apply).
Moreover, the playing cards’ advantages and assertion credit hardly overlap, which means you may get great worth from having each playing cards. You may then switch your Membership Rewards factors to any of Amex’s 21 resort and airline companions.
TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt loves this card pairing because it permits him to reap the benefits of beneficiant lounge entry advantages and excessive earnings on flights mixed with bonus earnings on his worldwide eating and U.S. grocery store purchases. He will get much more worth from his rewards with Amex’s frequent switch bonuses.
The annual charge for the Amex Platinum is $695 (see charges and costs), whereas the annual charge for the Amex Gold is $325 (see charges and costs).
To be taught extra, take a look at our full critiques of the Amex Platinum and the Amex Gold.
Apply right here: The Platinum Card from American Specific
Apply right here: American Specific Gold Card
Chase Sapphire Most popular and Chase Freedom Limitless
The Chase Freedom Limitless® is a superb on a regular basis card. It has no annual charge and earns 3% money again per greenback spent on eating (together with eligible supply and takeout) and drugstore purchases and 1.5% again per greenback spent on all different purchases.
Why they’re an awesome mixture: Each playing cards let you earn a formidable return on eating purchases, however you may earn double in your non-Chase Journey℠ journey spending with the Sapphire Most popular versus the Freedom Limitless. The place the Freedom Limitless actually shines is in its nonbonus spending.
By itself, the Freedom Limitless earns cash-back rewards. Nevertheless, for those who even have the Sapphire Most popular, you may mix your rewards from the 2 playing cards and switch them to any of Chase’s 14 journey companions for optimum worth.
To be taught extra, take a look at our full critiques of the Chase Sapphire Most popular and the Chase Freedom Limitless.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most popular Card
Apply right here: Chase Freedom Limitless
Citi Strata Premier Card and Citi Rewards+ Card
The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see charges and costs) is a superb all-around journey rewards card with broad bonus classes. New cardholders can earn 75,000 factors after spending $4,000 on purchases inside the first three months of account opening.
It earns 10 factors per greenback spent on inns, automotive leases and sights booked on CitiTravel.com, 3 factors per greenback spent on different resort purchases, 3 factors per greenback on flight, restaurant, grocery store, gasoline station and electrical car charging station purchases and 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases.
The Citi Rewards+® Card (see charges and costs) usually earns at a decrease charge than the Citi Strata Premier: 5 ThankYou factors per greenback on inns and automotive leases booked by means of CitiTravel.com (by means of Dec. 31), 2 factors per greenback spent at supermarkets and gasoline stations on the primary $6,000 per 12 months (then 1 level per greenback spent thereafter) and 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases.
Nevertheless, purchases on this card mechanically spherical as much as the closest 10, so a $1 buy will earn you 10 factors — greater than you’d earn with the Strata Premier — making this an awesome card for small purchases that may rack up ThankYou rewards.
Why they’re an awesome mixture: The Citi Strata Premier earns bonus factors in a formidable variety of classes, however the rounding nature of the Rewards+ makes it a greater choice for small purchases that do not fall below any of the Strata Premier’s bonus classes.
Plus, the Rewards+ has restricted redemption choices by itself, however holding the Strata Premier means that you can switch the factors you earn to any of Citi’s switch companions, rising their redemption worth.
To be taught extra, take a look at our full critiques of the Citi Rewards+ and Citi Strata Premier Card.
Apply right here: Citi Strata Premier Card
Apply right here: Citi Rewards+ Card
Ink Enterprise Most popular and Chase Sapphire Reserve
Cardholders can even earn 5 factors per greenback spent on Lyft purchases by means of March 2025 and 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the premium sibling of the Chase Sapphire Most popular. With it, you may get Precedence Move lounge entry and a $300 journey credit score every year.
It earns 3 factors per greenback spent on all journey purchases made outdoors of Chase Journey (after the annual $300 journey credit score is acquired) and eating purchases (together with takeout and eligible supply), in addition to 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases.
Why they’re an awesome mixture: In case you have lots of enterprise bills, pairing a enterprise card with a private card can work in your favor. With this mixture, use your Ink Enterprise Most popular for the primary $150,000 in enterprise purchases every year and your Sapphire Reserve for journey and eating purchases to maximise your 3 factors per greenback incomes alternatives throughout the board.
To be taught extra, take a look at our full critiques of the Ink Enterprise Most popular and the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Apply right here: Ink Enterprise Most popular Credit score Card
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Capital One Savor Money Rewards Credit score Card and Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
The Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card has a $95 annual charge. It earns 5 miles per greenback spent on inns, trip leases, and rental vehicles and a pair of miles per greenback spent on all different purchases, making it a superb card for spending that does not fall in different playing cards’ bonus classes.
Why they’re an awesome mixture: Use your Savor for purchases within the 3% cash-back bonus classes and your Enterprise Rewards for all different purchases to earn 2 miles per greenback on them. With this duo, you may convert your Savor rewards to Capital One miles and switch them to any of Capital One’s 15-plus resort and airline companions.
To be taught extra, take a look at our full critiques of the Capital One Savor and Capital One Enterprise Rewards.
Be taught extra: Capital One Savor Money Rewards
Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise Rewards
Different methods to pair playing cards
Add a cobranded card for one in all your card’s journey companions
If you have already got a card that earns transferable rewards, pairing a card that earns rewards for one in all its journey companions is a superb choice.
As an example, I earn Chase Final Rewards factors with my Chase Sapphire Most popular Card, so I made a decision to get the World of Hyatt Credit score Card to have Hyatt-specific advantages like elite standing and a free night time every year, in addition to the power to maximise my incomes with each playing cards’ bonus classes.
Associated: Greatest resort cobranded playing cards
Diversify your rewards
Whereas most combos focus on incomes comparable rewards, it is also a good suggestion to earn various kinds of rewards. You would, for instance, pair the Amex Gold with the Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card.
On this situation, you’d need to use your Amex Gold to earn bonus factors on flights, eating at eating places and on U.S. grocery store purchases (as much as $50,000 per calendar 12 months for eating places worldwide and as much as $25,000 per calendar 12 months for U.S. supermarkets, then 1 level per greenback spent thereafter) and your Enterprise X on your different purchases to earn 2 miles per greenback spent.
With this selection, you may reap the benefits of each American Specific and Capital One’s switch companions, supplying you with much more flexibility in your reward redemptions.
Associated: Information to transferring factors and miles to airways and inns
No annual charge
If you wish to earn transferable rewards with out paying an annual charge, pair the Capital One Savor and the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card.
The VentureOne earns 1.25 miles per greenback spent on all purchases and means that you can flip your Savor rewards into transferable Capital One miles.
Associated: Cashing in Capital One miles? The way to get the utmost worth when redeeming miles
Maximize bonus classes
In the event you’re OK with incomes various kinds of rewards and need to ensure you’re maximizing all of your purchases, you may arrange your card portfolio with playing cards that earn bonus factors within the classes you spend probably the most in.
For instance, you would possibly go for the Chase Sapphire Reserve to earn 3 factors per greenback spent in your journey purchases made outdoors of Chase Journey and eating purchases (bonus factors for journey spending outdoors of Chase Journey are acquired after the $300 annual journey credit score); the Citi Strata Premier Card to earn 3 factors per greenback spent in your gasoline station and grocery store purchases; and the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card to earn 2 miles per greenback spent on all different purchases.
This mix would imply you are getting a 3.7% to six.15% return on all of your spending, in accordance with TPG’s January 2025 valuations.
Associated: The very best rewards bank cards for every bonus class
Arrange your perfect construction
After all, completely different card combos work nicely for various targets. Figuring out your bank card targets will enable you to resolve which qualities to deal with whenever you select your subsequent card.
As an example, if you wish to reduce your annual charges whereas incomes journey rewards, your greatest card pairs might differ from these listed above.
TPG senior factors and miles author Katie Genter pairs her Ink Enterprise Most popular Credit score Card together with her Chase Freedom Limitless, because it permits her to maximise her Chase Final Rewards factors whereas solely paying one $95 annual charge.
Associated: The whole lot it’s essential to about Chase’s 5/24 rule
Backside line
Many nice bank cards are even higher when mixed with a complementary card. Earlier than deciding what your subsequent bank card shall be, stock what you have already got in your pockets. Then, think about your spending habits and reward targets that can assist you decide which card will add probably the most worth to your present portfolio.
As soon as you’ve got acquired a plan in place, you may be nicely in your solution to incomes rewards and different perks you may redeem for journey and extra.
Associated: Have one of many standard bank cards? Listed below are the others you must get to spice up your factors
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Gold, click on right here.
