Best credit card after Chase Sapphire? What's the next best?

[HankWilliams]

Hi all,
I've had my Chase Sapphire card since 2018. I think Im ready for my next credit card.

Any recommendations? I like travel rewards but I'm open to whatever's best. Thanks!

[EliteZags]

Citi Custom Cash is a pretty no brainer add to roster
 5% back on top spend (up to $500) category each billing cycle

since I already have a 6% grocery(covers gas/Amazon with gift cards), 5% bills/utilities, 5% entertainment cards, most months I'll default the Citi for restaurants (including fast food and bars)

when I need to buy a flight I'll use the Citi for it and nothing else that month

same if I ever have a medium-large purchase in any of the other categories, just dedicate it that month no need to make/change any selections:

Restaurants
Grocery Stores
Select Travel
Home Improvement Stores
Gas Stations
Live Entertainment
Select Transit
Drugstores
Fitness Clubs
Select Streaming Services

[Psychstache]

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/best-current-credit-card-sign-bonuses/

[GodlessCommie]

Alliant Credit Union. 2.5% flat, no need to juggle multiple cards (or use the AmEx for 5% on groceries if you feel so).

[sonofsven]

It depends on what your goals are with the card. Do you want sign up bonuses, cash back on high spend, travel rewards?
I chase bonuses so to me there is no "best" card.

[roomtempmayo]

Alliant Credit Union. 2.5% flat, no need to juggle multiple cards (or use the AmEx for 5% on groceries if you feel so).

Is this 2.5% cash back on everything?

I've been using the Citi Double Cash with 2% back on everything for a couple years, and I thought that was about the best out there.

[314159]

It depends on what your goals are with the card. Do you want sign up bonuses, cash back on high spend, travel rewards?
I chase bonuses so to me there is no "best" card.

This. There are many cards with sign up bonuses worth $500 or more, which you earn after spending, say $3k or $5k, in 3 months. That works out to at least 10% cash back in the worst case. So if you want to do the work of churning through those cards, you can, and all that matters is the sign-up bonus, since the regular spending categories have much smaller in comparison, and you're only spending a few thousand dollars on each card.

[EliteZags]

Alliant Credit Union. 2.5% flat, no need to juggle multiple cards (or use the AmEx for 5% on groceries if you feel so).

Is this 2.5% cash back on everything?

I've been using the Citi Double Cash with 2% back on everything for a couple years, and I thought that was about the best out there.

apparently you have to open an Alliant checking account with a monthly deposit and maintain over $1K balance. Might be worth the effort if your spend pushes the 2.5% rate cap of 10K per month, I have an arsenal of cards selectively directed to get 5% back on prob 70% of my spending, so this would only net me a few extra bucks a month over Citi Double Cash that I use for anything that doesn't qualify for a 5% card.

[Catbert]

I'm not sure which Sapphire card you have and whether you want a card that complements it (i.e., earns the same kind of points).  If you do, consider Freedom Flex (quarterly rotating 5% categories) or Freedom Unlimited which gets 1.5 %/points on everything.  Points from the two Freedom cards can be transferred to your Sapphire card which can be helpful for travel.

Simple cash back card I'll second (third?) Citi Double Cash which will get you an uncomplicated 2%.  Or Fidelity which gets you 2% if you deposit in your Fidelity account.

[Scandium]

Which sapphire? I churn cards with chase, but actually kept my Sapphire Reserve card.
https://creditcards.chase.com/rewards-credit-cards/sapphire/reserve
It's pretty steep at over $500 fee per year (minus $300 travel credit) give bonus on a bunch of categories, including travel and dining, free TSA precheck, and importantly 1.5x value for chase points towards travel! So when I get other chase cards signup bonus the reserve card make those 50% more valuable.

[GodlessCommie]

Is this 2.5% cash back on everything?

I've been using the Citi Double Cash with 2% back on everything for a couple years, and I thought that was about the best out there.

apparently you have to open an Alliant checking account with a monthly deposit and maintain over $1K balance. Might be worth the effort if your spend pushes the 2.5% rate cap of 10K per month, I have an arsenal of cards selectively directed to get 5% back on prob 70% of my spending, so this would only net me a few extra bucks a month over Citi Double Cash that I use for anything that doesn't qualify for a 5% card.

Correct, and my bad for not mentioning it. If you like to maintain several cards for different purposes, or constantly churn cards - that of course is hard to beat. I just got tired of that game, so it hits a sweet spot for me. Plus, I like Alliant in general - its checking is very competitive, and savings usually has one of the best rates (although not at this moment). So meeting conditions comes easy.

[RedmondStash]

I like the Fidelity 2% cash back card. But I don't want to spend time churning and tracking; I just want simplicity.

This site has always been useful for me; I think MMM talked about it in a post:

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/

[redcedar]

Why not chase sapphire again?

I believe but please verify sapphire reward bonus cannot be earned but every 48+ months. Sounds like you are close. You could “downgrade” the current card to freedom plus or similar to keep sapphire pints with a no annual fee card then open a sapphire preferred (verify this) or sapphire reserve, based on best bonus at the time. You can then transfer your sapphire points from the freedom flex to your “new” sapphire card to retain the better points redemption options.

[Catbert]

Why not chase sapphire again?

I believe but please verify sapphire reward bonus cannot be earned but every 48+ months. Sounds like you are close. You could “downgrade” the current card to freedom plus or similar to keep sapphire pints with a no annual fee card then open a sapphire preferred (verify this) or sapphire reserve, based on best bonus at the time. You can then transfer your sapphire points from the freedom flex to your “new” sapphire card to retain the better points redemption options.

I think you have a winner!  Yes, it's 48 months from receiving the bonus (not getting the card).  Currently has an 80K bonus for I think 4K spend in 3 months.  Bonus is rumored to be dropping on Dec 1.

[chemistk]

I think the AmEx Blue Cash Preferred is a no brainer. 6% back at grocery stores (capped at $6k and then the bonus drops to 1%), 3% back at gas stations, and some other sometimes interesting categories. Annual fee of $95 (waived the first year), and $250 statement credit on the first $3k, although that's been higher in the past.

So if you spend at least the $6k at grocery and $1500 on gas, that's ~$650 the first year.

I keep it around because the grocery bonus alone covers the annual fee for this and two other cards.

[Scandium]

Why not chase sapphire again?

I believe but please verify sapphire reward bonus cannot be earned but every 48+ months. Sounds like you are close. You could “downgrade” the current card to freedom plus or similar to keep sapphire pints with a no annual fee card then open a sapphire preferred (verify this) or sapphire reserve, based on best bonus at the time. You can then transfer your sapphire points from the freedom flex to your “new” sapphire card to retain the better points redemption options.

It's 48 months per card. So for example I've done sapphire preferred for me, then my wife, then Reserve for me, then my wife, then Ink business for me, my wife (you don't need a business). At that point you might be 2 years out so start over again.

Pretty easy to do. Over the last few years (before covid..) we flew 4 people to europe "for free" multiple times on chase points.

[Catbert]

Why not chase sapphire again?

I believe but please verify sapphire reward bonus cannot be earned but every 48+ months. Sounds like you are close. You could “downgrade” the current card to freedom plus or similar to keep sapphire pints with a no annual fee card then open a sapphire preferred (verify this) or sapphire reserve, based on best bonus at the time. You can then transfer your sapphire points from the freedom flex to your “new” sapphire card to retain the better points redemption options.

It's 48 months per card. So for example I've done sapphire preferred for me, then my wife, then Reserve for me, then my wife, then Ink business for me, my wife (you don't need a business). At that point you might be 2 years out so start over again.

Pretty easy to do. Over the last few years (before covid..) we flew 4 people to europe "for free" multiple times on chase points.

If you're saying what I think you're saying, you're wrong.  It's 48 months for any Sapphire card (Preferred or Reserve).  It used to be 24 months.but it changed about... 48 months ago.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/why-did-chase-introduce-the-48-month-rule-on-the-chase-sapphire-reserve-preferred-csr-came-out-24-months-ago/

[Scandium]

Why not chase sapphire again?

I believe but please verify sapphire reward bonus cannot be earned but every 48+ months. Sounds like you are close. You could “downgrade” the current card to freedom plus or similar to keep sapphire pints with a no annual fee card then open a sapphire preferred (verify this) or sapphire reserve, based on best bonus at the time. You can then transfer your sapphire points from the freedom flex to your “new” sapphire card to retain the better points redemption options.

It's 48 months per card. So for example I've done sapphire preferred for me, then my wife, then Reserve for me, then my wife, then Ink business for me, my wife (you don't need a business). At that point you might be 2 years out so start over again.

Pretty easy to do. Over the last few years (before covid..) we flew 4 people to europe "for free" multiple times on chase points.

If you're saying what I think you're saying, you're wrong.  It's 48 months for any Sapphire card (Preferred or Reserve).  It used to be 24 months.but it changed about... 48 months ago.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/why-did-chase-introduce-the-48-month-rule-on-the-chase-sapphire-reserve-preferred-csr-came-out-24-months-ago/

ok, then sorry, I didn't know if the rule change. Yes I did this mostly before the 2018 change. And you're right, I was using 2 years in my calcs. So that applies to either/both sapphire cards? But you might be able to still do the Ink business cards in between.

[Catbert]

Scandium - Ink Business is an option as you said.  Or just keep the card for two years and then have P2 get it.

[Zamboni]

It really depends upon where you live. Since Southwest has a lot of flights out of my closest airport, and since they fly to places we like to go, that one makes a lot of sense to us. My partner and I alternate getting the companion pass every other year by getting two of those at  If we were closer to a United hub, then we'd get that card instead.

I'll second the Amex Blue Cash card for everyday purchases.

[HankWilliams]

Thanks so much!!! Thinking travel points might be what I'm interested in most bc I visit my elderly folks so often.

Just now working on this again. =)