00:00:00:02 - 00:00:06:16
Chris
We talk a lot about premium travel cards with high annual fees, but are there any good options at lower price points?
00:00:06:18 - 00:00:17:14
Katie
Today we're taking a closer look at our favorite cards with annual fees that are just under $100 to show you there is a ton of value even in these more affordable options.
00:00:17:16 - 00:00:23:14
Chris
Yeah, these are cards that quietly earn points, unlock perks, and actually make sense for real life travel.
00:00:23:16 - 00:00:34:12
Katie
If you want to travel better without another big annual fee. This episode is for you.
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Chris
Hey, I'm Chris. Welcome to the Upgraded Points podcast.
00:00:38:03 - 00:00:58:20
Katie
And I'm Katie and today we are talking all about cards under $100. You know, we've done episodes on no annual fee cards, and we've done a lot on cards with wildly high annual fees. So we thought it would be a good opportunity to look at some of the more moderately priced cards, because there is still a ton of value in these.
00:00:58:22 - 00:01:08:19
Katie
So today we are highlighting some of the best cards with annual fees just under $100 to help you round out your wallet without spending a lot.
00:01:08:21 - 00:01:14:14
Chris
Yeah, that's right, you do not need a credit card with an $800 annual fee to travel better.
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Katie
Not at all, not at all. You know, some of our cards have low annual fees, and they're smart and strategic. Options for improving your travel experience. These are not just starter cards. This is not something you start with and never look at again. These are cards that we have in our wallet and that stay in our wallet because they offer a lot of value.
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Katie
So let's get it started. Chris, what is our first card? Under $100.
00:01:39:07 - 00:01:59:17
Chris
All right. Let's go with one of the most popular cards that everyone talks about. This is the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. And this card has a $95 annual fee. And it is packed with benefits, especially at that price point. Some of the main bullet points we're going to cover, it gets five points on travel purchased through Chase travel.
00:01:59:18 - 00:02:19:17
Chris
It gets three points on dining, which is huge, two points on all other travel purchases. So just on dining and travel, you're already earning two and three times your points, which is awesome. If you want to redeem those points through the Travel portal travel portal, you can redeem them for, 1.7 $0.05 per point, which is a pretty good deal.
00:02:19:19 - 00:02:39:12
Chris
And you get a $50 in statement credits for each, account anniversary year. So you can use at a at a hotel booked through Chase travel. Plus you get access to all of Chase's travel partners, which we covered on a previous episode. And you get primary car rental insurance, which is a really big perk, especially for a card at this price.
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Katie
Yeah. That one. That one's a special card. It has so much at that price point. And I think for a lot of us, it was probably the first card that we started with. I know it was my first card, and it tends to be a first card because it's it's an easy entry into the game with tons of benefits.
00:02:56:14 - 00:03:14:11
Katie
It's just it's an all around really great option. Yeah. For those who are interested in city points, we have the City Strata Premier at $95. This one earns Chris showing off his old design. Citi Strata Premier. Let's get the updated one here. Yeah.
00:03:14:13 - 00:03:17:16
Chris
Side by side so we can people can see what it used to look like.
00:03:17:16 - 00:03:27:09
Katie
Yes. They're the same card though. And if you have that old one I they're not going to send you a new one till your renewal date because I still have the old one to this one's my husband's actually.
00:03:27:11 - 00:03:28:13
Chris
Two years left.
00:03:28:15 - 00:03:55:17
Katie
Yeah. But this one earned a whopping ten points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through City travel.com, which is just incredible at a card that's under $100. And then this one I think is is kind of a quiet hero because it earns three points per dollar on air travel, hotels, dining, supermarkets, gas stations and EV charging.
00:03:55:19 - 00:04:19:00
Katie
Like that's amazing. And I know for me, and I'm sure for a lot of people, supermarkets are one of my biggest daily or, you know, weekly travel or, expenses. Not travel expenses, just my everyday expenses. I spend a lot at the grocery stores, as I'm sure most families do. So earning three points per dollar on that spend for under $100.
00:04:19:01 - 00:04:29:18
Chris
Like that's just one thing to note about those supermarkets. It's not just us supermarkets, not just us dining, which some programs limit you to this. It works abroad too. So.
00:04:29:18 - 00:04:32:12
Katie
Oh, this one does. Okay. So do you use this one a lot then?
00:04:32:12 - 00:04:35:15
Chris
Chris this is my go to card for supermarkets and gas abroad. Yep.
00:04:35:17 - 00:05:00:15
Katie
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. It also has $100 discount every year when you book a hotel stay that cost $500 or more through, thank you.com. So through cities travel portal. So if you're a person who's going to book a hotel through a travel portal, like you get a discount, that's more than the annual fee of this card.
00:05:00:17 - 00:05:24:01
Katie
And then you also get access to all of city's transfer partners. And that list has gotten a lot better in the last, especially the last year with the addition of American Airlines. Like this is a program that's kind of important now. Whereas maybe two years ago, it kind of was like, city is fine. So this card, I think is one that probably doesn't get talked about enough.
00:05:24:01 - 00:05:26:06
Katie
And I think it's a really solid option.
00:05:26:08 - 00:05:50:21
Chris
Yeah, that's a great one. Those are great too, to start. A third one, which not necessarily necessarily because it's third place, but we're just going in our water right here is the Capital and Venture Rewards credit card, also $95. This comes with the five miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital and travel, and then two ex per dollar on all other purchases.
00:05:51:00 - 00:06:24:08
Chris
No caps, no limits. This is a great card that you can just spend and don't have to think about. Categories, just easy to x miles everywhere. This one also comes with $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee, which is fees for the annual fee. Right? Yeah, easily. And then as well, access to Capital One's lifestyle collection, which comes with a $50 experience credit room upgrade and late checkout, one available for every hotel and vacation rental, plus access to all Capital One's transfer partners.
00:06:24:08 - 00:06:28:10
Chris
So again, packed with benefits for 95 bucks.
00:06:28:12 - 00:06:49:14
Katie
Yeah, and that's actually a really good option if you have a player two who has little patience for carrying a lot of credit cards and dealing with different categories, if you can give them this card, you're they're earning two points per dollar on all their purchases. And that's a really solid option for players who I it's one I have the venture X, which also earns, two points per dollar.
00:06:49:15 - 00:07:11:05
Katie
Same same thing. But that's one I often give my husband just because he doesn't want to handle, you know, what card do I make sense? Yeah. Yeah. So that's a great option. One we really love for cash back is the Blue Cash Preferred from American Express. This one actually has a $0 annual fee the first year, and then it's 95 every year after that.
00:07:11:07 - 00:07:40:03
Katie
This earns a whopping 6% cash back at U.S supermarkets on up to 6000 and spend every calendar year 6% back on U.S streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back on transit, which includes taxes, ridesharing, parking, tolls, busses and then 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations. Also, you have access to Amex offers, which can be a huge, huge saver.
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Katie
There's some really nice Amex offers floating around. And I did the math on this. And because I wanted to know, you know, this is a cashback card, these points are unfortunately not ones that you can, transferred to Amex Transfer Partners. This is a strictly cash back card, but in a lot of instances, it makes sense to have a cash back card in your arsenal.
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Katie
If you spend more than $1,583 on supermarkets and streaming combined per year, this card will make sense. Like if you spend that, you're going to earn enough back to pay for this card. And I guarantee you probably 95% of us can easily spend.
00:08:19:05 - 00:08:21:02
Chris
That as a per month. I'm sorry.
00:08:21:05 - 00:08:36:07
Katie
Yeah. I mean, you know, so this one, I think especially in that grocery store category, get it max it out, have a little extra cash in your pocket and then use that for for travel. So that's a really, really fun option for cash back.
00:08:36:09 - 00:08:50:14
Chris
Awesome. Those are some great cards. Let's take a break. And when we come back, we're going to look at some hotel and airline cards that we love that are also under $100.
00:08:50:16 - 00:09:10:10
Katie
Yeah. Okay. Welcome back. Let's continue our conversation about these cards that are just under $100 that offer a really affordable way to get some amazing benefits, and we want to talk about some hotel and airline specific cards now. So, Chris, why don't you kick us off?
00:09:10:12 - 00:09:30:02
Chris
Okay. So the first one we're going to talk about is the IHG One Rewards Premier credit card. This is issued by Chase and it has a $99 annual fee. So if you have, some icees coming up in your travels, this is a great card to have in your wallet. It gets ten x points at IHG properties, which is huge.
00:09:30:04 - 00:09:47:23
Chris
It also will get you five x IHG points on all your travel, gas and restaurant purchases. So really help you build up that balance quickly. And then three points on all other purchases. So just keep in mind it's not three x chase points, it's going to be three IHG points. So make sure you know how to use those points before you.
00:09:48:05 - 00:10:08:16
Chris
You know going open this card just because you saw it earns these bonuses. But it also comes with some great perks including Platinum Elite status with IHG. So this card is pretty much a no brainer for anyone that stays at IHG properties. It gets you a free nice certificate on every cardmember anniversary, and that is good for 40,000 points per year.
00:10:08:16 - 00:10:31:02
Chris
And you can, supplement those as well so you can add some points to book even nicer hotels. This also when you have this card, it will allow you to unlock the fourth night free on award stays. So if you're staying you know. Yeah, you have 50,000. I find a hotel for 50,000 points a night. You'll end up spending 150,000 points for four nights.
00:10:31:04 - 00:10:52:23
Chris
So that's a great deal. Here's another perk that I have this card. I've never been able to use this, this fifth, you know, $50 in United Airlines Travel Bank each year, it gets automatically added to your account, and then it expires on I clean another one, it comes in another one. So if you're using your United Travel Bank a lot and this can be really useful.
00:10:52:23 - 00:11:03:15
Chris
But for me personally I haven't been able to do that. And then you get a $100 statement credit and 10,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 per year on the card.
00:11:03:17 - 00:11:05:07
Katie
And I probably wouldn't recommend that.
00:11:05:07 - 00:11:16:01
Chris
But yeah, it does if you're spending that 20,000 at IHG. Oh yeah. For example, maybe it would make sense. But yeah, this is not a card that you would be putting everyday spend spend on.
00:11:16:03 - 00:11:37:19
Katie
Yeah. But I mean not really that, that free night certificate and that fourth night free just there alone. You have one decent IHG stay every year and that one can make sense to keep in your wallet. So the next one we're gonna talk about is the world of Hyatt card. It is $95 a year. This card earns four points per dollar at Hyatt Properties, and then also two points per dollar at restaurants on airline tickets purchased directly.
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Katie
Local transit, including Rideshares. I think it includes parking as well, but I would double check on that. And then fitness clubs and gym memberships. It comes with a category one through four free night certificate every year after your cardmember anniversary. And like that alone right there, I think makes this card worth it because you can easily get two, three, $400 in value from one of those free night certificates.
00:12:05:06 - 00:12:32:17
Katie
Also, if you are after Hyatt Elite status, this is a great one to have because it comes with five Elite Night credits automatically every single year, and then two additional Elite Night credits for every $5,000 you spend, and that $5,000 that is not limited by the calendar year. So if you happen to spend 2501 year and 2500 the next year, after you spend that second 2500, you'll get those two elite night credits.
00:12:32:19 - 00:12:52:03
Katie
The five elite night credits that you get is per year, and then those extra two are just sort of through the life of the card. Every 5000 you spend, you get to Elite Nine credits and then it does come with, discover status automatically. That is the low level Hyatt status. It's not wildly exciting. But I don't think that's the reason you get this card.
00:12:52:03 - 00:13:07:00
Katie
You get this card for the elite night credits and for that free night certificate. And I think this one, I've had this in my wallet for years, and I don't anticipate ever getting rid of it because it just makes sense. I can always find a way to use that free night certificate.
00:13:07:01 - 00:13:20:05
Chris
Yeah, I've never had any issues using that that one through for a category certificate. One thing I would like to see, maybe in the future if there's not a wish list episode, but if we could stack add points to those certificates. Kind of like you do with the IHG. Wouldn't that.
00:13:20:05 - 00:13:20:21
Katie
Be amazing?
00:13:21:01 - 00:13:31:14
Chris
Yeah, that would be amazing. Whatever. They're worth 15 to 20,000 points and add another 10 or 15 and you can book something even nicer. But you'll save that for that wish list for another episode.
00:13:31:16 - 00:13:49:18
Katie
Oh, you know, I did. I just realized I forgot it also comes with if you put 15,000 to spend on that card in a calendar year, you get another free night certificate. So while we don't always talk about, you know, a lot of times it's not a great idea to put a ton of spend on these very specific cards.
00:13:50:00 - 00:14:09:19
Katie
This is one where I've done this many years in the past. If you spend up to 15,000 on this card and then put it away for the year, you will get, the free night certificate from the 15,000 spend. And along the way you'll earn six additional late night credits. So if you are after any type of Hyatt status, that is kind of a sweet spot for that card.
00:14:10:00 - 00:14:17:21
Katie
I probably wouldn't go higher than that unless you're just spending at Hyatt Properties, but the 15,000 mark on that card is a good one.
00:14:17:23 - 00:14:38:22
Chris
Good point there. Yeah, that's a good one. One more hotel card we're going to mention is the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card. This one comes in at $95 per year, and it earns, six points at Marriott. Three x on the first 6000 in spend at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants. And then two X on all other purchases.
00:14:39:00 - 00:14:57:16
Chris
This card will give you automatic Marriott Silver Elite status, 15 elite night credits per year, and then you can earn an additional one Elite night for every 5000 you spend. This also comes with a free night certificate that is worth up to 35,000 points. And you'll get that after your cardmember anniversary.
00:14:57:18 - 00:15:17:15
Katie
I actually just got this card recently because it had, a big bonus. So yeah. And, and I think that the, the spending towards the elite night credits is pretty unique. I don't think off the top of my head. The other Marriott cards have that ability, so this, could be a good one for a reasonable price.
00:15:17:15 - 00:15:30:00
Katie
If you're after some Marriott side, it's if you're a few nights short or something. This this could be a good one to keep in your wallet. So what's our final verdict? Chris? These these cards have low annual fees. Are they are they worth it?
00:15:30:02 - 00:15:55:04
Chris
I think yeah, absolutely. I think it should definitely be part of your travel strategy. Whether you want to earn in, you know, special categories, you want to get that free night every year. And it's easy to justify a lot of these cards. Plus these are ways to get these transfer feeder, transfer partner feeders. Right. So you can get into the city, into the Chase, transfer partners without getting a big annual fee card just for 100 bucks.
00:15:55:08 - 00:16:03:10
Chris
Now all of a sudden, you can earn points that transfer right to American Airlines or right to Hyatt. So there's some really, really good options there.
00:16:03:12 - 00:16:26:05
Katie
Yeah, yeah. And definitely here. Cheap does not mean limited. These cards really do I think pack a punch higher than their their annual fee. And I think they're definitely worth it to keep some of these in your wallet. Okay. We have one reader question we want to go over this week. And I will ask this one for, to you, Chris.
00:16:26:07 - 00:16:33:11
Katie
This person asks, there is a lot of talk about Amex offers to any other bank programs offer something similar.
00:16:33:12 - 00:17:00:10
Chris
Yes. I think all of them now have some version of this. Amex offers have been around for the longest, and generally they are the the best and most lucrative. But Chase chase offers a lot of them lately have been cash back. Nothing really too exciting. City merchant offers kind of the same thing and then Capital One offers, which have been extremely all over the place, extremely targeted.
00:17:00:10 - 00:17:25:17
Chris
But then also some really good offers, like I think last month we saw something, it was 50 or if you have 50,000 or or 500 cash back after spending a thousand on theme park ticket, just seems like really big numbers. So if you have one of these cards, go and check your account. They're all targeted. But yeah, there's definitely some, some offers you can take advantage of even if you don't have Amex offers.
00:17:25:19 - 00:17:46:13
Katie
Yeah. And I've seen Capital One offers also go up after I make a purchase at a store. So if it's something where, you know, a store that you make a lot of purchases that put some of that on your Capital One card, and maybe you'll see those, those offers increase and I've seen some really, really good ones up in that like double you know, ten points type type situation.
00:17:46:13 - 00:17:48:07
Katie
So definitely keep an eye on those.
00:17:48:09 - 00:17:48:21
Chris
Good call.
00:17:49:03 - 00:18:07:11
Katie
Yeah okay. Well I think that's going to do it for us this week. If you're enjoying the show we would love it if you liked and subscribed on YouTube, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts and share this show with a travel loving friend, it will help everyone, find the show and we would really appreciate that. And I think that's going to do it for us this week.
00:18:07:11 - 00:18:09:02
Katie
So we will see you next week.