Best Chase Credit Card Combination Review: 3 Best Cards To Maximize Your Earnings

With tons of exceptionally rewarding cards out there, it should be fair to say that a good majority of them lie within Chase’s card portfolio. Like how wine pairs so exceptionally with Wisconsin cheese or an ace paired with a king in blackjack, there’s cards that abide by the same principle.

Cards that are rewarding but needed the extra edge, whether it be travel and non-travel, getting the most optimal points per spending can be maned with 3 of the best Chase cards suitable for such a principle, otherwise known as the “Chase Card Trifecta.” A good sum of you are already familiar with Ultimate Rewards points and the 1 Cent Per Point value you get (without redeeming for travel).

First stop on our list, I can assure you that the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a staple card in this “trifecta,” with 2x the UR points on all travel and dining purchases, points valued at 1.25 Cents Per Point via UR Travel and a variety of travel partners (1:1 transfer ratio). In addition to that, sign up bonus standardizes at 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points with $4,000 minimum spend within the first 3 months of account opening.

Editor’s Note: If you can do proper adjustments for the $450 annual fee from the Chase Sapphire Reserve and maximize the $300 annual travel credit, free airport lounge access, and 3x Ultimate Reward on every travel and dining purchase; then the Sapphire Reserve could prove to be a more viable option than the Sapphire Preferred. Note that the Reserve comes with a standard 50,000 Ultimate Rewards Points sign-up bonus as well.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Summary:

• Learn More
• Maximum Bonus: 50,000 bonus points + Additional 5,000 points
• Spending Requirement: You must spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, and add an authorized user (no annual fee) within the first 3 months and they make a purchase.
• Annual Fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)
• Bonus Worth: The 50K points alone is worth $625 towards airfare/hotel.

For your Travel and Business related purchases, the Ink Preferred Business Credit Card can prove to be a viable credit card suitable for the trifecta. This is because of the 3x points per dollar for the first $150,000 spent towards travel, telecommunications, shipping and advertising on social-media and search engines, 1.25 Cent Per Piece redemption towards UR Travel, transfer abilities rated 1:1 towards Chase’s travel partners, and the famously efficient Cell phone insurance coverage, all for a $95 annual fee.

Ink Preferred Business Credit Card Summary:

• Apply Now
• Maximum Bonus: 80,000 bonus points
• Spending Requirement: You must spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Annual Fee: $95
• Bonus Worth: When you redeem the 80K bonus points through Chase Ultimate Rewards, this bonus ends up being worth $1200 toward travel. But if you redeem the 80K bonus points for gift cards or statement credit, the bonus points are worth approximately $800.

The Chase Freedom® Card is a rotating category cash-back credit card that earns  5% cash back for different categories every quarter, capped at $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. What makes this card especially more powerful if you have a  Ink Preferred Business or Sapphire Preferred® is that you’ll then be able to redeem at a 1.25 Cent Per Point for Chase Award Travel via the Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal and have the ability to transfer points at a 1:1 ratio. You can check out this quarters categories here.

Editor’s Note: If you don’t feel like dealing with cash-back categories, you can always get a flat 1.5x the points with a Freedom Unlimited. Sign-up bonus standardizes at $150 for a $500 in spending, much like the Freedom Card.

Chase Freedom Card Summary:

• Apply Now
• Maximum Bonus: $150 Cash + additional $25 authorized user bonus
• Spending Requirement: You must spend $500 within 3 months of account opening to get the $150 bonus. You must add an authorized user and make a purchase to earn the additional $25 bonus.
• Annual Fee: $0
• Bonus Worth: That’s $175 in cash back total!
• Expiration Date: No expiration
• Additional Advice: This card is great for people looking to build credit. Having personally used this card myself, I highly recommend it. The bonus is easy to earn and you never have to worry about an annual fee.

Alternative Ultimate Rewards Pair: Chase Sapphire Reserve + Chase Freedom Unlimited

Pair a Chase Sapphire Reserve with a Freedom Unlimited and you should expect 2.25 cent in travel per dollar spent with your Freedom Unlimited and 4.5 cents in travel per dollar spent on travel and dining with your Sapphire Reserve. Note that the Freedom Unlimited does charge foreign fees, so it’s best to use your Sapphire Reserve abroad. Also, Sapphire Reserve’s lounge access benefit is limited to Priority Pass lounges only, which could limit your lounging options quite a bit.

Chase Sapphire Reserve/Elite Card Key Features: 

• Sign up bonus of 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points with $4,000 minimum spend within the first 3 months of account opening
• 3x points on travel & dining purchases
• 1x points on all other purchases
• 50% bonus when redeeming points through Chase Ultimate Rewards for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises
• $300 annual travel credit for travel purchases charged to the card
• Complimentary lounge access at over 900+ lounges (Priority Pass Select membership)
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit of up to $100
• Authorized user fee of $75
• No foreign transaction fees
• Points will be transferable to Chase travel partners 1:1 (this information is based on the premise that the Chase Sapphire Preferred has this perk)
• Visa Infinite
  • Exclusive events and experiences
• Annual fee of $450
• Credit Line expected to be $15,000+

Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ Features:

• Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase — it’s automatic
• Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 15.49-24.24%. Balance transfer fee is 5% of the amount transferred, $5 minimum
• Redeem for cash — any amount, anytime
• Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open
• No annual fee

Conclusion:

There was a certain criteria that made such listed cards a viable asset towards the “trifecta.” If you haven’t caught the flow of this article, the criteria reigned with regards to not only the rewards, but the point value, transfer ratio, and any other perks that stood out. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Ink Preferred Business, and Chase Freedom® Card would be a suitable combination for you to maximize and earn up to 5x the points on any purchase. Now, I want you all to take into consideration the sign-up bonuses you get, the annual fees, and most importantly, the 5/24 Rule. Find out which card is right for you by checking out our complete list of Credit Card Promotions today!