The very idea of being able to build a dream wallet of credit cards almost feels too good to be true. The truth is, there are so many great options that it’s hard to choose just a few, and it’s almost too easy to fall into a trap where you suddenly have 10 cards.
This is exactly why this Redditor posted a question in r/CreditCards to try and get to the bottom of what people would really want to carry with them at all times. The caveat is that they are only allowing no more than seven cards, which really limits what you can do.
The Limitations and Requirements
While the overall question of trying to create the perfect wallet of credit cards is already tough enough, the Redditor did have some stipulations. First, they want us to imagine we are individuals making between $120,000 and $150,000. They also want people to include a hotel brand of their choice, as well as an airline card option. Lastly, they want to choose cards that can earn as many points as possible in categories such as food and grocery, gas, utilities, etc.
Citi Strata Premier
At the top of many lists is the Citi Strata Premier, an elite travel credit card for those who love to travel. The best part is that it only has a $95 annual fee, but earns you 3x points on all air travel, hotel, restaurant, and supermarket purchases, along with 3x points on gas and EV charging stations. You also get a $100 hotel benefit annually, as well as points that can transfer to JetBlue and Choice Hotels, or use your points when shopping at Amazon.
Fidelity Unlimited Cash
My personal favorite and the card I would recommend first, the Fidelity 2% cash back card, is great for when you want to buy something that other cards don’t have a dedicated category for. Earning unlimited 2% cash back rewards on every purchase, you also have no foreign transaction fees and Fidelity’s award-winning customer service backing you up in case of any dispute.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
Checking off the hotel category, the card I would recommend next is the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card from Chase, which is great for infrequent hotel stays. You can earn 3X points for every $1 spent on the first $6,000 you spend at gas stations, grocery stores, and dining, then it converts to 2X points. You also get one free night’s stay every account anniversary, automatic Silver Elite status, and you can earn another elite night for every $5,000 you spend in a calendar year.
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey
I’m going to cheat a little and, instead of picking one card from one airline, I’m picking the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey. Right out of the envelope, you earn 5X points on hotels, 4X with airlines, and 3X on restaurants and travel, plus you get worldwide travel accident protection, lost baggage reimbursement, and trip cancellation and interruption protection. There are just a lot of great things here that do more than any one individual airline card can offer.
Blue Cash Preferred Card
Backed by the American Express name, I’ve been trying to get my wife to agree to apply for the American Express Blue Cash Preferred card for a while. I love the 6% cash back on groceries up to $6,000 per year in spending, as well as 6% cash back on all streaming subscriptions, of which we have a lot. Add to this 3% cash back on gas, and you can quickly see how the cash-back rewards add up.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Something of a catch-all travel card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the most popular cards you can choose right now. You come away with 75,000 bonus points, all while earning 5X points through Chase Travel and 3X on dining, a $50 hotel credit every year, and 3X points on all takeout, dining out, grocery shopping, and select streaming services.
Amazon Prime Visa
I’m betting that people earning up to $150,000 are doing plenty of online shopping, especially at Amazon. For this reason, I encourage people to take advantage of a card that earns 5% cash back on every Amazon.com and Whole Foods purchase. Add a 10% bonus on rotating products and categories regularly, as well as 2% on gas and restaurants, and the Prime Visa is a well-rounded choice that most people too easily ignore.
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