What's In Our Wallet?
What’s in Our Wallet: Our Favorite!
Chase Sapphire Preferred: Referral Link
Why We Love It: This card is a powerhouse for family travelers. Key features we use all the time include:
- Cool Signup Bonus: It’s generous and very useful.
- Travel Insurance: Lifesaver when unexpected illness strikes. It helped us get refunds from non-refundable bookings—like that time our Airbnb stay was fully reimbursed.
- Triple Points on Dining: All our eating out expenses go here.
- $50 Hotel Credit & 10% Annual Points Bonus: Sweetens our travel deals.
- Unique Transfer Partners: Especially Hyatt for high-value redemptions—we’ve enjoyed stunning stays in Maui and booked upcoming nights in Calgary.
- Extended Warranty Protection: Even covered our kitchen appliance just after the warranty expired!
What’s in Our Wallet: Big Boys!
Capital One Venture X: Referral Link
Why It’s a No-Brainer:
- $395 Annual Fee nets out with a $300 Travel Credit and 10k bonus points each year—essentially paying you $5 to own it.
- Lounge Access: Priority Pass and burgeoning Capital One Lounges make airport waits pleasurable.
- Strong Rental Car Perks: Complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status often beats other rental deals.
- Travel Insurance & Handy Travel Portal: They even credited us the difference when flight prices dropped.
- 2x on Everything: Perfect for daycare expenses and more.
American Express Platinum: Referral Link
For High Rollers:
- $695 Annual Fee but packed with perks:
- $200 Airline and $200 Hotel Credits, plus access to exclusive FHR/Hotel Collection benefits.
- Lounge Access Galore: Amex Centurion and Priority Pass.
- Clear Credit: Bypasses long security lines—a true time-saver.
- $200 Uber and $100 Saks Credits: Nicely offsets some everyday expenses.
- $240 Digital and Walmart Plus Subscriptions: Great for family entertainment and fast deliveries on the go.
What’s in Our Wallet: Our Go-To Hotel Credit Cards
Chase IHG Premier Credit Card: Referral Link
- Perks that Pay Off:
- Annual Fee: $99, easily offset by the free night certificate worth 40K points. We recently redeemed our certificate at the Kimpton Hotel in downtown Washington DC, where a single night would have cost us $345.
- Sign-Up Bonus: Offers vary from 140K-175K points or 4 Free 40K Nights, which is a massive value right out of the gate. We recently put 120K of our bonus points to great use for a 4-night stay at the Holiday Inn on the Big Island. The cash equivalent for this stay would have been $1600.
- Extra Benefits: $50 of United TravelBank cash each year and a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
- Sweet Stay Bonus: When booking four nights, the fourth night is free—a perk we used for a great stay on the Big Island at a Holiday Inn.
Chase Marriott Bonvoy: Referral Link
- Why It’s Worth It:
- Annual Fee: $95, which is quickly recouped with the annual free night award worth up to 35K points.
- Sign-Up Bonus: Ranges from 3-5 Free Night Awards, amassing a total of 150-250K points depending on the offer. We redeemed two free night awards at the Waikoloa Marriott Resort on Big Island, a location where the stay would have normally cost us $1200.
- Redemption Perks: Redeem points for five nights and snag the fifth night free. We used two free nights in Hawaii, unlocking about $1500 in value from just those stays.
*These cards not only reduce our travel costs but also enhance our experiences with upgrades and bonuses, making every trip a little more luxurious. Whether it’s a weekend getaway or a lengthy escape, these cards ensure we’re staying in style without breaking the bank.