If I Could Only Have 2 Travel Credit Cards, I’d Pick These

I’ve opened more than 40 travel rewards cards in the past several years, and although I no longer have all of them open, I do have numerous accounts. Realizing that got me thinking about what I’d do if I could only keep two of my cards. I would hate to be put in that position, but I have a clear answer for the 2 cards that make sense above the rest: the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card and the Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Here’s a look at these travel rewards cards, how they work well together, and why I would keep them if I could only keep 2 cards.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Overview

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a popular travel rewards card, and it’s easy to understand why.

BEST FIRST TRAVEL CARD

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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

Apply Now(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 Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

75,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.24% - 27.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation home rentals with top brands, and streaming services.

It offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and strong travel insurance coverage, including primary car rental insurance. If you travel a few times a year and spend on dining, the card is likely to be a good choice, but it’s hard to justify if you don’t dine out or travel often.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via Chase Travel
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation home rentals with top brands (such as Airbnb and Vrbo), and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• Subject to Chase’s 5/24 application restrictions

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Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
• Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Emergency Evacuation and Transportation and more
• Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 – a value of $156.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for 12 months when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck^® or NEXUS application.
• Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.24% - 27.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The card offers extensive benefits and an excellent rewards structure, earning 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3x points on dining, select streaming services, EV charging, gas, vacation rentals, and online groceries, 2x points on all other travel purchases, and 1x on all other purchases.

Cardholders access numerous benefits, including $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel, a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership (activate by December 31, 2027), travel insurance, and primary auto rental coverage.

Amex Platinum Card Overview

The Amex Platinum card offers premier benefits and lifestyle perks. Though the card has undergone major changes in recent years, it still ranks among the best travel rewards cards available.

BEST LOUNGE CARD

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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

Apply Now(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.

Platinum Card^® from American Express

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

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount — all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.

As High as 175,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $3,850

Annual Fee

$895

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, the Platinum Card^® from American Express is a top choice.

The card offers premium perks like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and several annual card credits. The Amex Platinum card is easily worth the annual fee for frequent travelers who use the lounges and travel credits, and hard to justify for those who won’t.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far): Get access to over 1,550 worldwide lounges, including Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5 points per $1 spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5 points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $895 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags).

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Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards^® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel^®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts^® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel^® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
• With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 Delta Sky Club visits (subject to visit limitations) when flying on an eligible Delta flight, Priority Pass™ membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. *As of 01/2026
• $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card^® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card^® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
• $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card^® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
• $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel^® using the Platinum Card^®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights™ by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card^® to pay for eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. As a Platinum Card^® Member you have special access to reservations on select nights at participating sought after Resy restaurants in select cities through Platinum Nights™ by Resy. Simply add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile to book your reservation.
• $219 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card^®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card^® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
• Start your vacation sooner and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts^® through American Express Travel^®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4pm late check-out.
• $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card^® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Get up to a $12.95* statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card^®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
• Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
• $895 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

In addition to its terrific benefits, the Amex Platinum card earns solid rewards. It earns 5x Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com — up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year (then 1x). It also earns 5x Membership Rewards points on prepaid hotel bookings made through AmexTravel.com.

The card offers the most comprehensive airport lounge access of any card, and cardholders receive elite status for hotels and rental cars (upon enrollment).

It has an $895 annual fee (rates & fees), but also comes with numerous statement credits (many require enrollment) to help offset that fee, including credits for prepaid hotels, digital entertainment, Resy, Walmart+, airline fees, Uber Cash, CLEAR+, and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, among many others.

Why These Cards Pair Well Together

Individually, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Amex Platinum card are excellent, but pairing them makes a lot of sense. They complement each other well, even though they revolve around different points ecosystems.

Though it can be hard to justify its $895 annual fee, the Amex Platinum card is valuable to me because I tend to use most perks and credits.

The Amex Platinum card offers several luxury travel perks, though its unrivaled airport lounge access may be the most important one. With it, I have access to over 1,550 lounges across 140 countries worldwide. This includes Priority Pass lounges (upon enrollment), Centurion Lounges (both in the U.S. and abroad), and 10 visits per year to a Delta Sky Club (when flying Delta same-day, you can unlock unlimited visits with spending on the card as well).

In addition to airport lounge access, the Amex Platinum card offers Gold elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors (enrollment required). I currently have higher elite status with both, but I would lose those tiers if I reduced my credit card portfolio to 2 cards. Gold elite status provides benefits with each program, which can make a significant difference in hotel stays.

The Amex Platinum card also provides solid travel protections, including trip delay insurance, baggage protection, and rental car coverage. These aren’t the flashiest benefits, but they can be important if something goes wrong during your travels.

Unfortunately, the Amex Platinum card has very few bonus categories, earning just 1x points on many everyday spending categories, including restaurants, supermarkets, and gas. But it earns 5x points on airfare up to the annual limit, which is one of my biggest spending categories.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card shines in almost every other way, with solid earning rates. It does the heavy lifting for most of my spending. I use it for many spending categories, including dining, streaming services, and most general travel expenses, including hotels, Airbnb stays, trains, parking, and rideshares.

Its best-in-class primary rental car coverage outshines the secondary rental car coverage available with the Amex Platinum card. With this benefit, I can file a claim directly with Chase without going through another insurance company first.

I Earn 2 Major Rewards Currencies

With this 2-card setup, I can earn some of the most valuable flexible points currencies: American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards. Between these 2 programs, I have access to a huge network of airline and hotel transfer partners.

Though many airline and hotel programs partner with both American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, each rewards program also has exclusive partners.

For example, American Express partners with ANA Mileage Club, Cathay Pacific, Delta SkyMiles, and Hilton Honors. Chase partners with Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, and World of Hyatt.

The diversity of transfer partners provides flexibility, which is very important for award travel, as a specific partner may offer a better booking option. The same applies to award availability, as one program may offer more award space than another.

Final Thoughts

I’ve been working to reduce my total number of cards. If I had to narrow my wallet down to just 2, they would be the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Amex Platinum card. Both of these cards have strong value for my travel and spending habits and pair well with each other.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers excellent bonus categories, transfer partners, and primary rental car insurance. The Amex Platinum card provides premium travel perks, including lounge access and numerous lifestyle and statement credits.