Whether or not you are new to the world of factors and miles or simply on the lookout for the perfect methods to degree up your present card portfolio, a strategic bank card pairing is without doubt one of the best methods to maximise your incomes potential.

You have seemingly heard of the most well-liked card groupings — the Chase Trifecta and the Amex Trifecta — however these are removed from the one methods to mix bank cards.

This information will stroll you thru a number of methods totally different bank cards work collectively to spice up your spending and incomes energy, along with a few of our favourite card pairings right here at TPG.

Amex Platinum: The Amex Platinum is nice for vacationers because it earns 5 Membership Rewards factors per greenback spent on flights booked straight with the airline or by means of Amex Journey (on as much as $500,000 every calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback) and comes with in depth airport lounge entry, plus a slew of helpful assertion credit. Enrollment required for choose advantages.

Amex Gold: The Amex Gold is a foodie’s dream card, incomes 4 Membership Rewards factors per greenback spent at eating places and U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 in purchases annually, then 1 level per greenback). It additionally comes with as much as $240 in assertion credit annually that you need to use for eating and takeout purchases. Enrollment required for choose advantages.

Why they’re an excellent pair: These playing cards work nice collectively since you’ll earn extra on flights with the Platinum than you’d with the Gold alone (5 factors per greenback reasonably than 3) and extra at eating places and U.S. supermarkets with the Gold than you’d with the Platinum alone (4 factors per greenback reasonably than 1). Moreover, the playing cards’ advantages and assertion credit hardly overlap, that means you will get super worth from holding each playing cards. You’ll be able to then switch your Membership Rewards factors to any of Amex’s 21 lodge and airline companions.

TPG senior bank cards editor Matt Moffitt loves this card pairing because it permits him to make the most of beneficiant lounge entry advantages and excessive earnings on flights mixed with bonus earnings on his worldwide eating and U.S. grocery store purchases. He will get much more worth from his rewards with Amex’s frequent switch bonuses.

Every day Publication

Reward your inbox with the TPG Every day publication

Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s specialists

For extra particulars, take a look at our full opinions of the Amex Platinum and the Amex Gold.

Apply right here: The Platinum Card® from American Specific and American Specific® Gold Card

Chase Sapphire Most popular: The Chase Sapphire Most popular is certainly one of our favourite journey rewards playing cards, incomes 3 Final Rewards factors per greenback spent on eating, choose streaming and on-line grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Goal and wholesale golf equipment), 2 factors per greenback spent on all journey purchases and 1 level per greenback spent on all the things else. Moreover, it comes with some helpful journey protections — all for a low $95 annual price.

Chase Freedom Limitless: The Freedom Limitless is a good on a regular basis card. It has no annual price and earns 3 factors per greenback spent on eating and drugstore purchases and 1.5 factors per greenback spent on all different purchases.

Why they’re an excellent pair: Each playing cards can help you earn a formidable 3 factors per greenback spent on eating purchases, however you will earn 25% extra in your journey spending with the Sapphire Most popular than with the Freedom Limitless. For all different purchases, you will earn 50% extra factors with the Freedom Limitless than with the Sapphire Most popular.

By itself, the Freedom Limitless earns cash-back rewards. Nevertheless, in case you additionally maintain the Sapphire Most popular, you’ll be able to mix your factors from the 2 playing cards and switch them to any of Chase’s 14 journey companions for optimum worth.

For extra particulars, take a look at our full opinions of the Chase Sapphire Most popular and the Chase Freedom Limitless.

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most popular Card and Chase Freedom Limitless

Citi Premier: The Citi Premier® Card (see charges and costs) is a good all-around journey rewards card with broad bonus classes. It earns 3 factors per greenback spent on lodge, flight, restaurant, grocery store and gasoline station purchases, in addition to 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases.

Citi Rewards+: The Citi Rewards+® Card (see charges and costs) usually earns at a decrease charge than the Citi Premier: 2 factors per greenback spent at supermarkets and gasoline stations for the primary $6,000 per yr, then 1 level per greenback and 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases. Nevertheless, purchases on this card mechanically spherical as much as the closest 10, so a $1 buy will earn you 10 factors — greater than you’d earn with the Premier — making this an excellent card for small purchases that may rack up ThankYou rewards.

Why they’re an excellent pair: The Citi Premier earns bonus factors in a formidable variety of classes, however the rounding nature of the Rewards+ makes it a greater possibility for small purchases that do not fall below any of the Premier’s bonus classes. Plus, by itself, the Rewards+ has restricted redemption choices, however holding the Premier lets you switch the factors you earn to any of Citi’s 18 lodge and airline companions, growing their redemption worth.

For extra particulars, take a look at our full opinions of the Citi Premier and the Citi Rewards+.

Apply right here: Citi Premier® Card and Citi Rewards+® Card

Ink Enterprise Most popular: The Ink Enterprise Most popular is certainly one of our favourite enterprise playing cards, incomes 3 factors per greenback spent on the primary $150,000 in mixed spending on delivery, web, cable, journey, telephone providers, promoting with social media websites and search engine purchases. It earns 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: The Chase Sapphire Reserve is the extra premium sibling of the Chase Sapphire Most popular Card. It earns 3 factors per greenback spent on all journey and eating purchases, in addition to 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases. With it, you will additionally get Precedence Cross lounge entry and a $300 journey credit score annually.

Why they’re an excellent pair: When you’ve got loads of enterprise bills, pairing a enterprise card with a private card can work in your favor. With this mixture, use your Ink Enterprise Most popular for enterprise purchases and your Sapphire Reserve for journey and eating purchases to maximise your 3 factors per greenback incomes alternatives throughout the board.

For extra particulars, take a look at our full opinions of the Ink Enterprise Most popular and the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Apply right here: Ink Enterprise Most popular Credit score Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve

Capital One SavorOne: The Capital One SavorOne has no annual price (see charges and costs) and is a good possibility for on a regular basis spending classes, incomes 3% money again on eating, leisure, grocery shops (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Goal®) and well-liked streaming providers and 1% on all different purchases.

Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card: The Capital One Enterprise Rewards has a $95 annual price (see charges and costs) and earns 2 miles per greenback on all purchases, making it card for spending that does not fall in different playing cards’ bonus classes. TPG values Capital One miles at 1.85 cents every, that means you will get a 3.7% return on these purchases.

Why they’re an excellent pair: Use your SavorOne for purchases within the 3% bonus classes and your Enterprise Rewards for all different purchases to earn 2 miles per greenback on them. With this duo, you’ll be able to convert your SavorOne rewards to Capital One miles and switch them to any of Capital One’s 15-plus lodge and airline companions.

It is very important word that Capital One restricts you the one having two private playing cards at a time.

For extra particulars, take a look at our full opinions of the SavorOne and Enterprise Rewards.

Apply right here: Capital One SavorOne Money Rewards and Capital One Enterprise Rewards

If you have already got a card that earns transferable rewards, pairing a card that earns rewards for certainly one of its journey companions is a good possibility.

As an example, I earn Chase Final Rewards factors with my Chase Sapphire Most popular Card, so I made a decision to get the World of Hyatt Credit score Card to have Hyatt-specific advantages like elite standing and a free night time annually, in addition to the power to maximise my incomes with each playing cards’ bonus classes.

Diversify your rewards

Whereas most pairings focus on incomes comparable rewards, it is also a good suggestion to earn several types of rewards. You would, for instance, pair the American Specific Gold Card with the Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card.

On this state of affairs, you’d wish to use your Amex Gold to earn bonus factors on flights, at eating places and U.S. grocery store purchases and your Enterprise X on your different purchases to earn 2 miles per greenback. With this feature, you’ll be able to make the most of each American Specific and Capital One switch companions, supplying you with much more flexibility in your reward redemptions.

No annual price

If you wish to earn transferable rewards with out paying an annual price, pair the Capital One SavorOne (see charges and costs) and the Capital One VentureOne Rewards bank card (see charges and costs). The VentureOne earns 1.25 miles per greenback on all purchases and lets you flip your SavorOne rewards into transferable Capital One miles.

Maximize bonus classes

When you’re OK with incomes several types of rewards and wish to be sure you’re maximizing all of your purchases, you’ll be able to arrange your card portfolio with playing cards that earn bonus factors within the classes you spend probably the most in.

For instance, you would possibly go for the Chase Sapphire Reserve to earn 3 factors per greenback in your journey and eating purchases; the Citi Premier Card to earn 3 factors per greenback in your gasoline station and grocery store purchases; and the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card to earn 2 miles per greenback spent on all different purchases.

This mix would imply you are getting a 3.7% to six.15% return on all of your spending, in response to TPG’s valuations.

Arrange your preferrred construction

In fact, totally different card pairings work nicely for various targets. Figuring out your bank card targets will enable you resolve which qualities to deal with once you select your subsequent card.

As an example, if you wish to decrease your annual charges whereas incomes journey rewards, your greatest card pairs could differ from these listed above. For that reason, TPG senior factors and miles author Katie Genter pairs her Ink Enterprise Most popular Credit score Card along with her Chase Freedom Limitless, because it permits her to maximise her Chase Final Rewards factors whereas solely paying one $95 annual price.