My Cards: The Exact Credit Cards I Use to Travel Hack
I get asked all the time: “Julie, what cards do you actually use?” This page is the answer — the real cards in my wallet and the exact system I use to earn 20+ free flights a year, stack monthly credits, and save thousands on travel.
This isn’t a “you need 12 cards to do this” situation. It’s the simple, sustainable setup that works for my family — the same approach I teach in my Beginner’s Guide to Travel Credit Cards and throughout the 14‑Day Stacking Series.
Everyone’s spending and travel goals are different, but these are the cards that have earned a permanent spot in my system — and why.
This page contains my personal referral links — I’m not a credit card affiliate. These are the real cards I use in my own system. If you choose to use my link, I may earn a small bonus at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting No Point Left Behind and the free content I share.
⭐ My Core Cards (Where Almost All My Spending Goes)
These three cards do 90%+ of the heavy lifting in my system.
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Why I love it:
Best travel protections
$300 annual travel credit
Chase Sapphire Lounge Access + Priority Pass
DoorDash monthly credits
3x dining
Makes all my Chase points more valuable
How I use it: This is my travel‑day card and my go‑to for anything that needs strong protection.
Learn more:
Full review: Chase Sapphire Reserve® Benefits Guide | How I Use It
My personal referral link: Chase Sapphire Personal Referral link
Important Note for Beginners
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is not a beginner card — and it wasn’t my first card either. If you’re new to travel rewards or you don’t travel as frequently as I do, I highly recommend starting with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® instead.
I had the Preferred for years before upgrading to the Reserve, and it’s still the card I recommend most often for beginners because it’s simpler, more affordable, and still unlocks all the valuable Chase transfer partners.
👉 Read my full Chase Sapphire Preferred® review:Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
2. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Why I love it:
3% dining
1.5% everywhere else
No annual fee
Pairs perfectly with CSR
How I use it: This is my everyday card for errands, dining, and anything that doesn’t fall into a bonus category. All points get moved into my CSR for higher value — I explain this combo in my Chase Trifecta guide
Learn more:
Full review: Chase Freedom Unlimited Review
My personal referral link: Chase Freedom Unlimited
3. Citi Strata Premier℠
Why I love it:
3x groceries
3x dining
3x gas
Transfer partners I actually use
How I use it: This is my grocery + gas card. It quietly racks up points on the categories that make up most families’ spending.
Why I Chose Citi Premier Over the Amex Gold
I used to carry the Amex Gold — and I loved the 4x on groceries and dining. But the annual fee kept creeping up, and at a certain point, the math just didn’t make sense for me anymore.
The Citi Strata Premier gives me 3x on groceries, dining, gas, and travel with a much lower upfront cost. And because American Airlines is a ThankYou Points transfer partner, I get access to the international redemptions we’ve had a lot of luck with over the years.
For my system, the Premier became the better long‑term fit — simpler, cheaper, and still incredibly powerful for the categories that matter most to families.
Learn more:
Full review: Citi Strata Premier
My personal referral link: n/a
A Quick Note About Sign‑Up Bonus Cards
I like to keep my system simple, so 90% of my spending goes on the core cards listed above.
But I also take advantage of great sign‑up bonuses when they make sense. A few times a year, I’ll open a new card for a big bonus — especially if we have a large expense coming up (college tuition is my favorite way to hit minimum spend).
Once the bonus posts, I decide whether the card earns a permanent spot in my system. Most don’t — and that’s okay. The goal is a simple, sustainable setup, not a giant stack of cards you never use.
⭐ Cards I Keep for Perks, Credits & Travel Benefits
4. American Express Platinum®
Why I keep it:
Centurion Lounge access
Fine Hotels & Resorts
Airline fee credit
Uber Cash
Lululemon credit
How I use it: This is my luxury perks card. I don’t put everyday spending on it — I keep it for lounges, FHR, and credits.
Learn more:
Full review: Amex Platinum Review
My personal referral link: Amex Platinum referral link
5. Capital One Venture®
Why I keep it:
Simple 2x everywhere
Easy redemptions
Great for my parents’ simple 3‑card system
How I use it: This is my “catch‑all” card when I want simplicity or when I’m helping my parents with their travel hacking
Learn more:
Full review: Capital One Venture Card
My personal referral link:Venture referral link
⭐ Cards I Keep for Travel Brands We Actually Use
6. World of Hyatt® Credit Card
Why I keep it:
Free night certificate
Elite night credits
Great value at Hyatt properties
How I use it: I keep this card for the annual free night — it’s worth more than the annual fee every year. I talk more about this in my Hyatt strategy guide
Learn more:
Full review: Link to Hyatt review
My personal referral link: n/a
7. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Card
Why I keep it (for now):
Free checked bags for our family
Occasional value on domestic flights
Helps when Southwest has a good fare sale
How I actually use it: I don’t go for the Companion Pass anymore — Southwest’s recent changes haven’t been my favorite, and I’m not flying them as much as I used to. At this point, I mainly keep the card for the free luggage benefit and the occasional Southwest redemption. My renewal isn’t until December, so I’m giving myself the year to decide whether it still earns a spot in my wallet.
Learn more:
Full review: coming soon
My personal referral link:Southwest Rapid Reward Credit Card
⭐ How I Decide What to Keep or Cancel Each Year
Every year when the annual fee hits, I ask:
Did this card earn its keep?
Did I use the credits?
Did it save me money or make travel easier?
Does it still fit my system?
If the answer is no, I downgrade or cancel. If the answer is yes, it stays.
Simple. Sustainable. Lazy Girl‑approved.
⭐ Want to Build Your Own System?
Start with the cards you already have. Then add 1–2 cards that fill the gaps.
If you want help choosing your first (or next) card:
👉 Beginner’s Guide to Your First Travel Card
Need Help Building Your Own Card Stack?
If you want help choosing your first (or next) card — or you just want a safe place to ask questions without feeling overwhelmed — come join my Travel Hacking Moms Group on Facebook.
It’s where I share beginner tips, stacking strategies, and real‑life examples from my own system. You’ll be in good company with thousands of women learning this right alongside you.
👉Join the Travel Hacking Moms Group
About the Author
Hey, I’m Julie! I’ve been travel hacking for years, and since 2019 I’ve paid cash for exactly one plane ticket. Everything else — flights, hotels, cruises — comes from the same simple stacking systems I teach here at No Point Left Behind.
I’m not a credit card affiliate, so any links you see are just my personal referral links to the cards I genuinely use. If you want help building your own setup, come hang out with me in my Travel Hacking Moms Group on Facebook.
⭐ Disclosure
This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to use them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting No Point Left Behind — and for letting me share the systems that genuinely make life easier.
