How much do you have to spend on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card to break even?

By our valuations, you need to spend $4,157 every year on travel or dining for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card to make sense for you. Without travel or dining, you’ll need to spend $12,471 every year for it to be worth it.

How much do you need to spend to break even on the Amex Platinum card?

The Amex Platinum card’s break-even point is when you spend $1,050 or more on flights booked directly with airlines, as well as flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com every year. Alternatively, you need to spend around $5,270 per year on other purchases if you can’t earn 5x points.

How much do you need to spend to break even with the Amex Gold card?

If you can take advantage of the $10 per month dining credit and the $10 per month Uber Cash benefit, the Amex Gold card essentially pays for itself. However, if you only use the Uber Cash benefit, you need to spend $1,477 at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets every year for it to be worth it. Alternatively, you can spend $1,970 per year on flights booked directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com, as well as $5,909 on non-bonused purchases to break even with this card.

How do I break even with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card?

It’s pretty easy to break even. The $95 annual fee is somewhat offset by the $50 annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit, which means you only need to spend $750 per year on dining, online grocery purchases, or select streaming services to break even. Alternatively, you can spend $1,125 on travel purchases every year (2x points) or $450 on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025), select Peloton equipment purchases, and travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (excluding the $50 hotel credit) every year to break even on the card.

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Credit Cards

The Ultimate Guide To Break-Even Spending To Offset Credit Card Annual Fees

Updated: November 11, 2024, 5:22am CST

Edited by:

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Key Takeaways
How Much Do You Have To Spend on a Credit Card To Break Even?
Break-Even Points on the Most Popular Chase Cards
Break-Even Points on Popular Amex Cards
Break-Even Points on Other Cards by Issuer
Final Thoughts

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Key Takeaways

To break even on a credit card with an annual fee, you must calculate whether the card’s rewards, perks, and benefits outweigh the fee.
We calculate the effective annual fee by subtracting the face-value statement credits from the annual fee and figuring out the break-even spending based on points and miles valuations.
Bonus categories like travel and dining can help you accumulate points faster, making the annual fee more justifiable.

Credit cards are one of the easiest ways to get a chunk of your spending back, usually in the form of cash-back, points, or miles rewards.

But with a dizzying array of credit cards with various pros and cons, how can you know if a credit card is worth it for your needs?

Most worthwhile credit cards come with an annual fee, though that doesn’t mean that every credit card with an annual fee is worth it.

Similarly, many credit cards without an annual fee are worth spending on, while other no-annual-fee cards may not make the most of your purchases.

In this guide, we’ll help you demystify just how much you need to spend on a given credit card for it to be worth it — it’s all about break-even spending!

How Much Do You Have To Spend on a Credit Card To Break Even?

To calculate the break-even point for a credit card, we’ll look only at how much you have to spend for your rewards to offset the annual fee. This calculation excludes credit card benefits with a subjective valuation (like annual free night certificates). Calculating based on rewards spending, annual fee, and objectively-valued benefits offers an apples-to-apples comparison.

For example, a flexible $300 travel credit should be valued as such, while the value of a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership is subject to each member’s travel habits. Using a Priority Pass Select membership 20 times per year is a lot more valuable than using it once a year, for example.

Then, we will use our points and miles valuations to figure out how much you need to spend for the break-even point to be reached on a credit card.

We also won’t look at any welcome bonuses because almost all welcome bonuses make it worthwhile to hold a card for at least a year.

Break-Even Points on the Most Popular Chase Cards

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome OfferEarn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,200

Annual Fee

$550

APR

21.99% - 28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Excellent (740-850)

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
10x points on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025
10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025

Cons

$550 annual fee
Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^®
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 21.99% - 28.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with an annual fee of $550. It also has a $300 annual travel credit, which can easily be used flexibly.

So our “effective” annual fee is $250, which is $550 minus $300.

For the Chase Sapphire Reserve card to be worth it, we’ll need to accumulate at least 12,500 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which are worth $250 by our valuations.

That means in a given year, you’ll need to spend $4,167 on 3x categories like travel (excluding the $300 travel credit) and dining for it to make sense.

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome OfferEarn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 bonus points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,200

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.99% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)

Cons

$95 annual fee
No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Enjoy beneﬁts such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.99% - 27.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a mild annual fee of $95. It comes with a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit, which we consider to be worth face value.

That means the effective annual fee is $45.

With the ability to earn 3x points on online grocery purchases, dining, and select streaming services, you only need to spend $750 per year to break even on this card.

Similarly, if you earn 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025) and travel purchased through Chase (excluding the $50 hotel credit), you’ll only need to spend $450 per year to break even.

Lastly, you could spend $1,125 on other travel purchases (2x points) to break even.

Break-Even Points on Popular Amex Cards

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

BEST LOUNGE ACCESS

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome OfferEarn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,760

Annual Fee

$695

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

$695 annual fee (rates and fees)
Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card^® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
The American Express Global Lounge Collection^® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card^® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^®.
$200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card^® Members can get out and about and explore their local area with $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings. Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card^® to your Uber account to get started. Available to Basic Card Member only. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
$199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: CLEAR^® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile.
$695 annual fee.¤
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum card. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

The Amex Platinum card is one of the most exclusive cards with tons of luxury travel benefits.

Sure, it has a $695 annual fee, but it also has an incredible range of benefits that deliver lots of value (see rates & fees).

For our purposes, we’ll consider up to $200 prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, the $199 CLEAR Plus credit, and up to $200 Uber Cash benefit to be face value. Therefore, the effective annual fee is $106.

The Amex Platinum card earns 5x Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines, as well as flights and prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com. Note that there is a cap of 5x earnings on flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com to up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.

According to our valuations, you’d need to spend around $964 every year on qualifying flight and hotel bookings to offset the fee.

Alternatively, you could spend around $4,818 per year on non-bonused purchases to reach the Amex Platinum card’s break-even point.

Bottom Line: For this analysis, we excluded a lot of high-value perks and benefits of the Amex Platinum card. For most people interested in luxury travel, it makes sense to keep this card open even if you don’t make a single purchase on the card!

American Express^® Gold Card

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome OfferEarn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
60,000 points 

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

$325 annual fee (rates and fees)
No lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 90k points with the Amex Gold card. The current public offer is 60,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

The Amex Gold card is one of the best cards out there, thanks to a generous rewards structure.

The card comes with a $325 annual fee (rates & fees), though we subtracted $120 for the up to $10 monthly Uber Cash benefit that can be used on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. Enrollment required and terms apply.

We didn’t value the $10 per month dining credit at face value, since the only flexible way to use it is at Grubhub, even though it’s also valid at The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. It also comes with a Resy credit of up to $100 and a Dunkin’ credit of up to $84. Enrollment required.

So the effective annual fee is $130.

Since cardholders earn 4x points at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. (up to $50,000 in spending per calendar year, then 1x), 4x points on U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in spending per calendar year, then 1x), and up to 3x points on flights booked directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com, you’ll need to spend the following amounts every year to reach the break-even point:

$1,477 at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets OR
$1,970 on flights booked directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com OR
$5,909 on other purchases

Bottom Line: If you can use the $10 monthly dining credit and the $10 monthly Uber Cash, having the Amex Gold card open is almost a no-brainer! We didn’t factor in the $10 monthly dining credit in our analysis, but the Amex Gold card is an excellent card to have if you spend a lot on dining, supermarkets, and flights.

Break-Even Points on Other Cards by Issuer

The card products we discussed above are the most popular ones out there. But what about all of the other cards?

In this section, we’ll show you how much you have to spend on all the other major rewards cards available to break even.

Hot Tip: Different cards offer various benefits, including statement credits. And while some statement credits are more useful than others, we factored the statement credits we believe to be worth face value in calculating the break-even points of each card.

American Express

Amex Gold Upgraded Points LLC 07 Large — Image Credit: Upgraded Points

*The information regarding the American Express^® Green Card and Business Green Rewards Card from American Express has been collected independently by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Capital One

Chase

Citi

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Card Name	Annual Fee	Effective Annual Fee	Earning Rates	Break-Even Spending Required (Yearly)
American Airlines AAdvantage^® MileUp^®	$0	$0	1x-2x miles American Airlines AAdvantage^® MileUp^® Earn 2 AAdvantage^® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services Earn 2 AAdvantage^® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases Earn 1 AAdvantage^® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage^® mile earned from purchases	None
Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^®	$595	$595	1x-10x miles Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^® Earn 10x AAdvantage^® miles on eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels and on eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars Earn 4x AAdvantage^® miles spent on eligible American Airlines purchases Earn 5x AAdvantage^® miles after you spend $150,000 in purchases in a calendar year on eligible American Airlines purchases for the remainder of the year Earn 1x AAdvantage^® miles on all other purchases	$16,071 in eligible American Airlines purchases OR $32,143 in un-bonused purchases
Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Platinum Select^® World Elite Mastercard^®	$99, waived for first 12 months	$99	1x-2x miles Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Platinum Select^® World Elite Mastercard^® Earn 2x AAdvantage^® miles at restaurants Earn 2x AAdvantage^® miles gas stations Earn 2x AAdvantage^® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases Earn 1x AAdvantage^® mile on all other purchases	$3,535 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $7,071 in non-bonused purchases
CitiBusiness^® / AAdvantage^® Platinum Select^® Mastercard^®	$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99	$99	1x-2x miles CitiBusiness^® / AAdvantage^® Platinum Select^® Mastercard^® Earn 2x AAdvantage^® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, and on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and at gas stations Earn 1x AAdvantage^® miles spent on other purchases	$3,535 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $7,071 in non-bonused purchases
				None
				None
				$1,979 in combined purchases on 3x categories OR $5,938 in non-bonused purchases
(no longer open to new applicants)		$245 (from $250 travel credit)		$3,063 in combined purchases on 5x categories OR $5,104 in combined purchases on 3x categories OR $15,313 in non-bonused purchases
				None

Final Thoughts

Whew! That was intense! Making an informed decision as to whether getting a specific credit card is worthwhile can involve some tricky math, but we laid it all out for you in this guide.

We calculated the effective annual fee by subtracting all of the face-value statement credits from the annual fee.

Then, we used our points and miles valuations to calculate the break-even spending amounts by category.

As you can tell, some cards are much easier to justify, while others might not be worth it unless you can take advantage of the other subjective card benefits we didn’t account for.

We hope that you’ve found this guide useful!

Card Name	Annual Fee	Effective Annual Fee	Earning Rates	Break-Even Spending Required (Yearly)
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit CardInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	$0 (rates & fees)	$0 (rates & fees)	1.5%-5% cash-back Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cards booked through Capital One Travel Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day, and rewards don't expire for the life of the account.	None
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards CardInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	$39 (rates & fees)	$39 (rates & fees)	2x-6x points Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card Earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy^® points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy^® program. Earn 4x Marriott Bonvoy^®points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. Earn 2x Marriott Bonvoy^®points on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.	$2,600 in purchases
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit CardInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	$0 (rates & fees)	$0 (rates & fees)	1%-8% cash-back Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart^® and Target^®) Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases	None
Capital One Spark Cash Plus CardInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	$150	$150	2%-5% cash-back Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card Earn unlimited 5% cash-back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel Earn unlimited 2% cash-back on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions	$7,500 in purchases
Capital One Spark Cash SelectInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	$0	$0	1.5%-5% cash-back Capital One Spark Cash Select Earn unlimited 5% cash-back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel Earn unlimited 1.5% cash-back for your business on every purchase, everywhere – with no limits or category restrictions	None
Capital One Spark Classic for BusinessInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	$0	$0		None
Capital One Spark Miles for BusinessInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	$0 intro for the first year, $95 after that	$95	2x-5x miles Capital One Spark Miles for Business Unlimited 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won’t expire for the life of the account	$1,056 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel OR $2,639 in non-bonused purchases
Capital One Spark Miles Select for BusinessInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	$0	$0	1.5x-5x miles Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business Earn unlimited 5X miles on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 1.5X miles on every purchase for your business.	None
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit CardInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	$95 (rates & fees)	$95 (rates & fees)	2x-5x miles Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day	$1,056 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel OR $2,639 in non-bonused purchases
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	$395 (rates & fees)	$0 ($300 travel credit and 10,000 bonus miles per anniversary year)	2x-10x miles Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases	None
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.	$0 (rates & fees)	$0 (rates & fees)	1.25x-5x miles Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day.	None

Card Name	Annual Fee	Effective Annual Fee	Earning Rates	Break-Even Spending Required (Yearly)
Aer Lingus Visa Signature^® Card	$95	$95	1x-3x points Aer Lingus Visa Signature^® Card Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and LEVEL. Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel. Earn 1 Avios per $1 spent on all other purchases	$2,533 in 3x Avios purchases OR $7,600 in non-bonused purchases
Aeroplan^® Credit Card	$95	$95	1x-3x points Aeroplan^® Credit Card Earn 3X points for each dollar spent at grocery stores, on dining at restaurants, and Air Canada directly. Earn 1X point for each dollar spent on all other purchases.	$2,111 in combined purchases on 3x categories OR $6,333 in non-bonused purchases
Prime Visa card	$0	$0	1%-10% cash-back Prime Visa Card Prime Card Bonus: Earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare) Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases	None
Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card	$0	$0	1%-3% cash-back Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card 3% cash-back at Amazon, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh, and Chase Travel purchases 2% cash-back for purchases at gas stations, restaurants, and local transit and commuting 1% cash-back for all other purchases	None
British Airways Visa Signature^® Card	$95	$95	1x-3x points British Airways Visa Signature^® Card Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL. Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel. Earn 1 Avios per $1 spent on all other purchases.	$2,533 in 3x Avios purchases OR $7,600 in non-bonused purchases
Chase Freedom Flex℠	$0	$0	1%-5% cash-back Chase Freedom Flex^® 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. 3% cash back on drugstore purchases. 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases.	None
Chase Freedom Unlimited^®	$0	$0	1.5%-5% cash-back Chase Freedom Unlimited^® 5% cash-back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. 3% cash-back on drugstore purchases. 3% cash-back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services. 1.5% unlimited cash back on all other purchases.	None
Iberia Visa Signature^® Card	$95	$95	1x-3x points Iberia Visa Signature^® Card Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with Iberia, British Airways, Aer Lingus, and LEVEL. Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel. Earn 1 Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases.	$2,533 in 3x Avios purchases OR $7,600 in non-bonused purchases
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card	$99	$99	3x-26x points IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.	$762 at IHG Hotels & Resorts OR $3,960 in combined purchases at 5x categories OR $6,600 in non-bonused purchases
IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card	$99	$99	3x-26x points IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels and Resorts. Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, select advertising, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.	$762 at IHG Hotels & Resorts OR $3,960 in combined purchases at 5x categories OR $6,600 in non-bonused purchases
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card	$0	$0	2x-17x points IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card Earn up to 17 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.	None
Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card	$0	$0	1%-5% cash-back Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card Earn 5% cash-back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year Earn 2% cash-back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash-back on all other purchases	None
Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card	$95	$95	1x-3x points Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases—with no limit to the amount you can earn.	$1,583 in combined purchases on 3x categories OR $4,750 in non-bonused purchases
Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card	$195	$195	2%-2.5% cash-back Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card Earn unlimited 2.5% total cash-back on purchases of $5,000 or more Earn unlimited 2% cash-back on all other business purchases.	$3,900 on travel purchased through Chase Travel OR $7,800 on purchases of $5,000 or more OR $9,750 on other business purchases
Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card	$0	$0	1.5% cash-back Ink Business Unlimited^® Credit Card Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase	None
Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card	$0	$0	1x-14x points Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card Earn up to 14X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^® with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Card. New! Earn 2X points for every $1 spent at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services. Earn 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.	None
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card	$95	$95	2x-17x points Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Card. Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining. Earn 2X points for every $1 you spend on all other purchases.	$2,262 in Marriott Bonvoy purchases OR $6,785 in non-bonused purchases
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card	$250	$250	2x-18.5x points Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card Earn up to 18.5X total points for every $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^® Earn 4X points per $1 on the first $15,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores and dining Earn 2X points per $1 spent on other travel purchases Earn 2X points per $1 spent on all other purchases	$5,952 in Marriott Bonvoy purchases OR $8,928 in combined purchases on 4x categories OR $17,858 in non-bonused purchases
Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Performance Business Credit Card	$199	$199	1x-4x points Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Performance Business Credit Card Earn 4X pts on Southwest^® purchases. Earn 3X points on Rapid Rewards^® hotel and car rental partners. Earn 2X points on rideshare. Earn 2X points on social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable, and phone services. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.	$3,827 in Southwest purchases OR $5,103 in purchases at Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners OR $7,654 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $15,308 in non-bonused purchases
Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card	$69	$69	1x-2x points Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Plus Credit Card Earn 2X points on Southwest^® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.	$2,654 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $5,308 in non-bonused purchases
Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card	$99	$99	1x-3x points Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card Earn 3X points on Southwest Airlines^® purchases. Earn 2X points on Rapid Rewards^® hotel and car rental partners. Earn 2X points on rideshare. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.	$2,538 in Southwest purchases OR $3,808 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $7,615 in non-bonused purchases
Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier Credit Card	$99	$99	1x-3x points Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier Credit Card Earn 3X points on Southwest^® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.	$2,538 in Southwest purchases OR $3,808 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $7,615 in non-bonused purchases
Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Priority Credit Card	$149	$74 (from $75 Southwest credit)	1x-3x points Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Priority Credit Card Earn 3X points on Southwest^® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.	$1,897 in Southwest purchases OR $2,846 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $5,692 in non-bonused purchases
United℠ Business Card	$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99	$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99	1x-2x miles United℠ Business Card Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United^® purchases, dining including eligible delivery services, at gas stations, office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting. Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Plus, employee cards at no additional cost - miles earned from their purchases accrue in your account so you can earn rewards faster.	$3,808 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $7,615 in non-bonused purchases
United Club℠ Business Card	$450	$450	1.5x-2x miles United Club℠ Business Card Earn 2x miles on United purchases Earn 1.5x miles on all other purchases	$17,308 in United purchases OR $23,077 in non-bonused purchases
United Club℠ Infinite Card	$525	$525	1x-4x miles United Club℠ Infinite Card Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on United^® purchases Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel and dining Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases	$10,096 in United purchases OR $20,192 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $40,384 in non-bonused purchases
United℠ Explorer Card	$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95	$95	1x-2x miles United℠ Explorer Card Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United^® purchases 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases	$3,654 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $7,308 in non-bonused purchases
United Gateway℠ Card	$0	$0	1x-2x miles United Gateway℠ Card Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United^® purchases, at gas stations and on local transit and commuting Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United^® purchases Earn 2 miles per $1 spent at gas stations, on local transit and commuting Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases	None
United Quest℠ Card	$250	$125 (from $125 United purchase credit)	1x-3x miles United Quest℠ Card Earn 3 miles per $1 spent on United^® purchases Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel, dining and select streaming services Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases	$3,330 in United purchases OR $4,808 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $9,615 in non-bonused purchases
World of Hyatt Business Credit Card	$199	$199	1x-9x points World of Hyatt Business Credit Card Up to 9 points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4 Bonus Points per $1 on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member 2 bonus points per $1 spent in your top three spend categories each quarter. 2 bonus points per $1 spent on fitness club and gym memberships 1 bonus point per $1 spent on all other purchases.	$3,317 in purchases at Hyatt hotels OR $6,633 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $13,267 in non-bonused purchases
The World of Hyatt Credit Card	$95	$95	1x-9x points The World of Hyatt Credit Card Earn up to 9x points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member Earn 2x points per $1 at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit, rideshares, and fitness clubs/gym memberships Earn 1x point per $1 on all other purchases	$1,583 in purchases at Hyatt hotels OR $3,167 in combined purchases on 2x categories OR $6,333 in non-bonused purchases

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

How Much Do You Have To Spend on a Credit Card To Break Even?

Break-Even Points on the Most Popular Chase Cards

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Break-Even Points on Popular Amex Cards

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

American Express® Gold Card

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

Break-Even Points on Other Cards by Issuer

American Express

Capital One

Chase

Citi

Final Thoughts

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

American Express^® Gold Card