Amazon because I can use the points for free books.

USAA card gives 1.5% back across the board on every purchase from the first dollar. No annual fees. No categories. It might work out to the same total amount when considering categories, limits, etc.

Should also add that Chase Freedom and Discover are good but the categories change every three months and I find that too much of a hassle to keep track of.

Also, of the three cards we use, 2 are amex. And some places won't take Amex. We usually pick grocery stores for the US Bank Cash + because that is a Visa and we run into this issue of not taking Amex at the local market mostly.

We use three cards. We pay them off in full each month, so interest is irrelevant. None carries an annual fee.

1. AmEx Blue cash card. Once you charge 7k in a new year (goes from the date you started the card), it pays 5% back on supermarkets, gas, and drug stores. We pay part of our quarterly income tax estimated payment using up most of the 7k on the first day of the new fiscal year for the card and so get these rebates all year. The rebates are smaller up to the first 7k. I am not sure these terms are still available on the blue cash card. We've had the card for years.

2. US Bank Cash + visa card -- every three months, you have to pick two new categories for the 5% rebates and one for 2%. Everything else is 1%. We used to pick fast food and restaurants for 5% and department stores for 2%, but they dropped restaurants as a category so we get 5% from department store purchases and fast food (includes places like chipotle).

3. Fidelity Amex card -- 2% on everything, gets immediately and automatically credited to your Fidelity brokerage account if you have one. Everything else gets run through this.

We largely ditched the airline cards years ago. I'd rather have cash back. I still have a United or paying for United flights and thereby getting perks like one free luggage etc., but rarely use it.

Fidelity Amex: 2% back on everything
Pen Fed. Visa: 5% back on gasoline

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Visa if you fly Southwest. You'll get a free round trip ticket in no time.

That card is garbage. 16% APR plus $99 annual fee, plus only one anniversary bonus. You only get about three run-ways from your initial bonus.

I fly out SWA a lot, so I REALLY REALLY want to like this card, but the terms are so shitty I can't justify it.

Haha, my family of 4 is on vacation in Mexico right now thanks to the SW cards.

And please explain how the card is beneficial to you? You must charge enough on a monthly basis to generate enough points to make the annual fee worth it. I don't spend enough monthly to make it worth it.

Nah, not really. It's all about the sign up bonuses (personal and biz card).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Visa if you fly Southwest. You'll get a free round trip ticket in no time.

That card is garbage. 16% APR plus $99 annual fee, plus only one anniversary bonus. You only get about three run-ways from your initial bonus.

I fly out SWA a lot, so I REALLY REALLY want to like this card, but the terms are so shitty I can't justify it.

Haha, my family of 4 is on vacation in Mexico right now thanks to the SW cards.

And please explain how the card is beneficial to you? You must charge enough on a monthly basis to generate enough points to make the annual fee worth it. I don't spend enough monthly to make it worth it.

NP. We put everything on it and pay it off every month. Last year we accumulated enough points to get a companion pass whereby my wife's tickets are free for a year- basically tickets are 2 for the price of one. Southwest is the best airline out there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Visa if you fly Southwest. You'll get a free round trip ticket in no time.

That card is garbage. 16% APR plus $99 annual fee, plus only one anniversary bonus. You only get about three run-ways from your initial bonus.

I fly out SWA a lot, so I REALLY REALLY want to like this card, but the terms are so shitty I can't justify it.

Haha, my family of 4 is on vacation in Mexico right now thanks to the SW cards.

And please explain how the card is beneficial to you? You must charge enough on a monthly basis to generate enough points to make the annual fee worth it. I don't spend enough monthly to make it worth it.