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- Pairing credit cards strategically is a great way to supercharge your rewards.
- Combining cards from the same program, like Chase Ultimate Rewards®, can boost your earnings.
- The key is to pick cards in the same family with different perks and bonus earning categories.
- Read Insider's guide to the best rewards credit cards.
One of the best ways to ensure you have an effective points strategy in place is to diversify the types of rewards you earn. You should try to rack up airline miles, hotel points, cash back, and transferable points if possible so that you can use your rewards in a variety of ways when the time comes.
On the other hand, it can pay to concentrate your loyalty with a few key programs to ensure that you accumulate enough points for meaningful rewards. For that reason, it might make sense to carry two or more of the best credit cards that are co-branded with a particular airline, hotel, or credit card issuer rewards program. Doing so can boost your bonus earning opportunities and confer other valuable perks like statement credits and elite status.
Here are some of the reasons you might want to double up on rewards credit cards from the same loyalty program — and a few examples where this makes sense.
We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Why Get Multiple Credit Cards From the Same Rewards Program?
You might think to yourself, "Why get two cards with the same rewards program when I could play the field?"
That certainly makes sense for a lot of folks who only have one or two rewards credit cards. But if you're a frequent traveler, or simply someone who puts a lot of (responsible) spending on your credit cards, you can begin reaping a lot more points and lucrative benefits from certain credit card pairings.
One major caveat: Credit card companies have rules that can be strict and confusing about who is eligible for which cards, how many cards a person can apply for or have open, and other hoops to jump through. Before you start applying for cards, read the fine print and make sure you won't be precluded from any particular offers you're interested in.
These are three big factors to consider if you're looking to open multiple credit cards in the same program.
1. Having more credit cards opens up your options
While you might think of each credit card offered by an issuer as an individual product, the truth is, these cards are often part of more complex ecosystems.
For instance, with the
The
- 5% back on Chase travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
- 3% back on drugstore purchases and at restaurants
- 1.5% back on everything else
However, if you also have an annual fee-incurring Chase Ultimate Rewards card, such as the
A similar scenario also plays out with some of the best Citi credit cards that earn ThankYou Rewards points, such as combining the
2. You can earn bonus rewards in more categories
Each individual product has its own specific earning rates, benefits, and drawbacks. Even cards from the same issuer and within the same loyalty program can vary significantly enough from one another to make carrying more than one of them worthwhile. One of the areas where this is especially true is bonus earning categories.
For example,
- 5 points per dollar for flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year)
- 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
That's why you might also want to carry the
By holding both, you could earn 5 points per dollar on flights and hotels and 4 points per dollar on groceries and dining. That's a pretty lucrative equation.
3. Carrying more cards means leveraging more benefits
By carrying both a better-earning basic card and a more benefits-rich premium credit card, you can expect a better yield of both points and perks.
For example, the
- 2 miles per dollar spent on United purchases, at gas stations, and on local transit and commuting
- 1 mile per dollar on everything else.
Cardholders also get 25% back on United inflight purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi — but not much else by way of day-of travel perks.
For more perks, you might also want to consider the
- 4 miles per dollar on United purchases
- 2 miles per dollar for all other travel, as well as on dining (including delivery services)
- 1 mile per dollar for everything else
That's already a good earning combination.
The
So you can keep the
Perfect potential credit card pairings
With the main ideas of boosting your earning and enhancing your perks without taking on too many credit cards or annual fees, here are some examples of great card combinations with several major rewards programs that you might want to consider.
Credit card rewards
Let's start with the rewards offered directly by credit card issuers like Amex and Chase, which run the gamut from cash back to transferable points.
American Express Membership Rewards:
American Express is unique in the sheer number of cards it fields that participate in its proprietary Amex Membership Rewards program. More options mean more ways to rack up points, though, and more nuances to master so you get the perfect set of cards for the perks you prefer. We won't get exhaustive — instead, consider this powerful pairing.
- 5 points per dollar for flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year)
- 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
But where this card truly excels is in its value-added benefits, including up to $200 in annual airline incidental fee credits**, up to $200 in annual Uber credits**, up to $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue credits** each year, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursements, automatic Hilton and Marriott Gold elite status**, and access to Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges**, and Delta Sky Clubs, among others. The card's annual fee is
Those bonuses and benefits are reason enough to apply for the Amex Platinum, but consider combining it with a lower-cost option like
Chase Ultimate Rewards:
Chase Ultimate Rewards are some of the most useful loyalty points out there thanks to the fact that you can redeem them for travel, cash back, gift cards, and more. The reason it pays to hold a couple of cards with Chase is that when you hold at least one Ultimate Rewards travel card, you'll unlock more redemption options like transferring points to Chase's airline and hotel partners.
If you just have the
By pairing the
The
If you prefer a card that doesn't cost as much, the same principle applies to the
By having both cards, you can rake in rewards on tons of purchases and enjoy a plethora of travel benefits to boot.
Citi ThankYou Rewards:
This is a terrific high-low combo, as you can carry a no-fee credit card for everyday expenses, then multiply its usefulness thanks to the benefits of its more expensive sibling.
The
The card effectively accrues 2x points per dollar on all purchases: You'll earn 1% back when you make a purchase and another 1% back when you pay off that purchase. The Citi ThankYou points you earn with this card are worth 1 cent apiece toward cash back, gift cards, travel through Citi, and more. You can also convert your rewards to JetBlue TrueBlue points at a 5:4 ratio (1,000 Citi points become 800 JetBlue points), or to points with hotel partners Wyndham (5:4 ratio) and Choice Privileges (2:3 ratio).
Meanwhile, the
- 3 points per dollar at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and for air travel and hotel stays
- 1 point per dollar on everything else
Once per calendar year, cardholders also get $100 off a hotel stay of $500 or more (before taxes and fees) when they book through the Citi ThankYou travel portal.
When you have both cards, you can combine the points you earn with the
Airline frequent flyer programs
While it's probably a good idea to diversify your mileage earnings across several airlines so that you can take advantage of their various route networks and partners, doubling down with individual programs also has its upsides.
Namely, to carry one card that earns bonus miles on a lot of different categories but still charges a low or no annual fee, and to get a higher-end counterpart that confers benefits like lounge access, priority treatment at the airport, and even a better shot at elite status and upgrades.
American Airlines AAdvantage:
This one-two punch opens up excellent earning opportunities as well as Admirals Club membership for frequent flyers. The
For an American Airlines credit card with no annual fee, it's a strong earner:
- 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases and at grocery stores
- 1 mile per dollar on everything else
One downside: Its sole day-of-travel perk is 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases on American Airlines flights.
That's why you might also want to open the
The card isn't great for regular spending. Its only bonus category is 2 miles per dollar for American Airlines purchases. Everything else earns an unremarkable 1 mile per dollar. This is why you might want the
In addition to earning redeemable miles, both of these cards earn 1 Loyalty Point per dollar spent. Earning Loyalty Points is the method for reaching elite status with American Airlines, and there's an extra perk for
Delta SkyMiles:
If you're a SkyMiles member, you might consider a Delta credit card combination that includes a strong earner with one that offers excellent day-of-travel benefits.
The
- 2 miles per dollar on dining and at restaurants worldwide
- 2 miles per dollar for takeout and delivery within the U.S.
- 2 miles per dollar on groceries at U.S. supermarkets
- 2 miles per dollar for Delta purchases made directly with Delta
- 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases
That makes it a good one to carry if you want to stash some SkyMiles for your next trip. On top of that, you enjoy travel benefits like a first checked bag free for the cardholder and up to eight companions as well as priority boarding, 15% off Delta award flights with the TakeOff 15 benefit, plus 20% back on inflight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets.
When you spend $10,000 on the card in a calendar year, you receive a $100 Delta flight credit, too. The card is offering a welcome bonus of
Pair that with the premium
- 3 miles per dollar on Delta purchases made directly with Delta
- 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases
In short, you should use it for Delta purchases and the
Big-spending
Southwest Rapid Rewards:
Carrying both a business and personal airline credit card can be a winning combination, as is the case with the Chase Southwest credit cards.
Each charges a sizeable annual fee —
All three Southwest personal credit cards, including the
The
- 4 points per dollar on Southwest purchases
- 3 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners
- 2 points per dollar on rideshare purchases and on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services
- 1 point per dollar on everything else
Cardholders also receive 9,000 bonus points after renewing each year, four upgraded boardings per year, up to 365 inflight Wi-Fi credits per year, and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit once every four years.
For its part, the
United MileagePlus:
As an alternative to the pairing of the
You get access to United Club airport lounges and flight benefits like priority boarding and free checked bags with the
And with the
- 2 miles per dollar on United purchases
- 2 miles per dollar on dining (including eligible delivery services), at gas stations, office supply stores, and local transit and commuting
- 1 mile per dollar on everything else
Hotel loyalty programs
Like airlines, hotel chains have multiplied the number of credit cards they offer exponentially in recent years. While price point (i.e. annual fee) is probably the deciding factor for most folks, look beyond the dollar signs to the value of each card's welcome bonus offer and travel benefits as you determine whether it's worth opening an additional account.
Hilton Honors: The
Carrying these two Hilton credit cards will cost you, but it could still well be worth it.
The
This card earns:
- 14 points per dollar at Hilton hotels
- 7 points per dollar on select travel, including flights booked directly with airlines or via Amex Travel and rental cars booked directly
- 7 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 3 points per dollar for all other eligible purchases
Cardholders also get a free reward night each year plus up to $250 in annual statement credits at Hilton Resorts. That's in addition to up to $250 per year in airline incidental fee credits**, up to $100 in on-property credits during eligible stays of two nights or more at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties, plus a Priority Pass Select membership. The annual fee is
Meanwhile, the
- 12 points per dollar at Hilton hotels
- 6 points per dollar for groceries at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations
- 6 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, and for takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 3 points per dollar for all other eligible purchases
It's not automatic on renewal, but if you spend $15,000 or more on the card in a calendar year, you can earn a free reward night – which makes this a notable compliment to the
Marriott Bonvoy: The
Though Chase also offers Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, you might be better off sticking with the Amex entrants. This particular pairing is quite powerful.
The
This card earns:
- 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar for Marriott purchases
- 3 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines
- 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
The card also comes with up to $300 in dining statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, an annual free night award worth up to 85,000 points, and 25 elite night credits per calendar year. There's also Priority Pass Select lounge access** and statement credits toward either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® to look forward to.
For its part, the
This card earns:
- 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar for Marriott purchases
- 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. providers, and on U.S. purchases for shipping
- 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Cardholders also get a free night award worth up to 35,000 points each year, and 15 elite night credits.
Why might you want both of these cards? Well, first for the bonus points and the diversity of earning categories. Secondly, for the free-night awards — one worth 85,000 points and the other worth 35,000 points. Finally, you'll be guaranteed complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum elite status with both of these cards — and you'll need just 35 nights to reach Titanium.
What to know about credit card combinations
While there's a lot to be said for diversifying your points portfolio and spreading your loyalty across a few programs, it can also make sense to focus your strategy on one or two types of rewards in the short term to rack up points, miles, and perks even faster. This is an even better strategy if you are truly loyal to one particular airline or hotel and can leverage its co-branded cards' benefits to your advantage.
As with any rewards credit card, just make sure that if you do open multiple ones with a particular program you get enough value from each to justify meeting any minimum spending requirements or paying its annual fee. If that's not an issue, though, you can reap double the rewards by doubling down on a single program.