12 Best Cash Back Credit Cards of March 2022

notmyrealname23 · ‎03-21-2022

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
12 Best Cash Back Credit Cards of March 2022

'The study found that domestic travelers who spend less than $8,600 per year on travel earn more rewards with a cash-back card than a travel rewards card, especially if they hold the card a long time.

A big exception: Americans who travel overseas an average of at least once per year are often better off with a travel rewards credit card because of higher point values and no foreign transaction fees.'
The study quoted was done in 2016, and there have been a lot of changes since then! Also, it's not quite clear from the wording,
but

Domestic travelers, unless they spend more than $8,600 on travel each year for five years, would actually be better off using a cash-back credit card, assuming average spending levels on other expenses as compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

suggests that they were asking something very few people here would do, use one card for everything. Then it's not surprising: lots of non-travel spend at a lower rate than a flat cash-back, would take a lot of travel spend to overcome.

Plus 60% in the sample hadn't flown in the previous year, so not a travel heavy bunch!

Also, mixed marks for nerdwallet: Title is

12 Best Cash Back Credit Cards of March 2022

But the table is correctly headed

Best Cash Back Credit Cards From Our Partners

Yeah, I actually ran numbers using Mint budget category statistics from 2019/2020/2021 to test my assumption that "It's reasonable to hold some expensive AMEX/C1 cards versus just using a 2% cashback card".

Assumption held (and my 2% card has no international fee, so it's a little better than that baseline case). But this is not going to be true for everyone.

(You can actually play in the miles and points game by buying them straight out for cash if you want, which also presents a twist on "hey, maybe just use a great cashback card". Bottom line: optimization means time for some math.)

creditfan · ‎03-21-2022

@ChargedUp wrote:
For no AF and international travel? AODFCU Signature Visa... 3% on EVERYTHING and no FTF. Simple, tidy and no guessing at what qualifies.
Second to that I'd say the FNBO Getaway MC - 3% travel/dining/gas, no FTF.

Honorable mention: Chase Sapphire Preferred. If you're going to be renting cars, the PRIMARY rental car coverage will easily overcome the $95 AF on its own. 5X UR's on travel booked through the Chase portal, $50 annual hotel credit for hotel stays booked through the Chase portal, no FTF, 10% anniversay points boost, you're not stuck to a particular hotel chain and a hefty 60K UR SUB/$4K spend when using this link that will give more details at Chase's website. The list of other travel bennies are here ...

Otherwise, you could pick a hotel chain and look into their respective affinity credit card. The majors all seem to have a lower tier, no-AF card. If you have the option of sticking with a particular hotel group every time, it might be the way to go.

https://www.ssfcu.org/loans-and-credit/credit-cards/powertravelrewards

this one also has similar reward structure. However, it also used to has additional 10% on redeem points at the year end which is effectively 3.3% in return. I don't know if it is still the case.

OP,

Then again, you need to qualify for membership. However, qualify membership it's not that difficult if you willing to visit to one of their branch in person. Yes, I successfully joined that way (7 years ago)without meeting any qualified requirements and applied for the card on the same visit.

Anonymous · ‎03-21-2022

@creditfan wrote:

https://www.ssfcu.org/loans-and-credit/credit-cards/powertravelrewards
this one also has similar reward structure. However, it also used to has additional 10% on redeem points at the year end which is effectively 3.3% in return. I don't know if it is still the case.

Are you comparing that to the AOD? The difference is that SSFCU only gives 3% (+ redeem bonus) on certain categories (gas, travel and dining) whereas AOD is 3% on everything (along with no FTF and generally low fees and APRs). And there are cards that do better than 3.3 in those categories (maybe not one card though!)

creditfan · ‎03-21-2022

@Anonymous wrote:
@creditfan wrote:

https://www.ssfcu.org/loans-and-credit/credit-cards/powertravelrewards
this one also has similar reward structure. However, it also used to has additional 10% on redeem points at the year end which is effectively 3.3% in return. I don't know if it is still the case.

Are you comparing that to the AOD? The difference is that SSFCU only gives 3% (+ redeem bonus) on certain categories (gas, travel and dining) whereas AOD is 3% on everything (along with no FTF and generally low fees and APRs). And there are cards that do better than 3.3 in those categories (maybe not one card though!)

I compared to the one I high lighted in BLUE who mentioned FNBO Getaway MC in quoted post

Anonymous · ‎03-22-2022

@creditfan wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@creditfan wrote:

https://www.ssfcu.org/loans-and-credit/credit-cards/powertravelrewards
this one also has similar reward structure. However, it also used to has additional 10% on redeem points at the year end which is effectively 3.3% in return. I don't know if it is still the case.

Are you comparing that to the AOD? The difference is that SSFCU only gives 3% (+ redeem bonus) on certain categories (gas, travel and dining) whereas AOD is 3% on everything (along with no FTF and generally low fees and APRs). And there are cards that do better than 3.3 in those categories (maybe not one card though!)
I compared to the one I high lighted in BLUE who mentioned FNBO Getaway MC in quoted post

Sorry, missed that!

Anonymous · ‎03-22-2022

@Anonymous wrote:
@creditfan wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@creditfan wrote:

https://www.ssfcu.org/loans-and-credit/credit-cards/powertravelrewards
this one also has similar reward structure. However, it also used to has additional 10% on redeem points at the year end which is effectively 3.3% in return. I don't know if it is still the case.

Are you comparing that to the AOD? The difference is that SSFCU only gives 3% (+ redeem bonus) on certain categories (gas, travel and dining) whereas AOD is 3% on everything (along with no FTF and generally low fees and APRs). And there are cards that do better than 3.3 in those categories (maybe not one card though!)
I compared to the one I high lighted in BLUE who mentioned FNBO Getaway MC in quoted post
Sorry, missed that!

Earn Unlimited 3x points per dollar spent on travel, dining and gas2 and 1 point per dollar you spend on everything else.

SouthJamaica · ‎03-22-2022

@Roadgeek395 wrote:
@notmyrealname23 wrote:
@Roadgeek395 wrote:
I'm looking for the best no annual fee travel credit card. Getaway by FNBO has 3x points on travel. Are there any better travel cards with no AF?

Thanks!
What exactly does "better" mean in this scenario? More benefits? Bigger SUB? Highest possible cashback on travel expenses? Highest possible cashback on ALL expenses? Are you strictly looking for ability to get cash back or is having a transferable points currency that could turn into a hotel or flight redemption that would have maximum potential impact important to you? Are you looking to have "one card to rule them all" or do you not care about carrying multiple cards?

I could easily argue that a 2% on all expenses cashback card with a SUB, no international transaction fee, travel and rental car insurance beats a card that's 3% on travel, 1% on everything else for a lot of people whose expenses aren't predominantly travel...
What I meant by "better" simply means is there any other card that offers more cash back or points on travel purchases. A SUB would definitely sweetened the deal as well.
This past summer I took a new job that requires a lot of travel and I'm trying to maximize the rewards for all the hotel stays. I don't mind having multiple cards and I don't necessarily need a card with transfer partners.
I applied for the NFCU Flagship but was denied. So the two cards I'm primarily looking at now are the PenFed Pathfinder and the FNBO Getaway.
Another card I'm considering is the citi premiere card, I really don't wanna pay the AF but I think it would pair nicely with my citi double cash

I like the Premier card, but it has a couple of drawbacks for travel: it doesn't have the car rental insurance, and it's not chip & pin (which I'm told is valuable for foreign travel).

A cash back card like the PenFed Power Cash rewards might be a more useful "travel card" in some ways: it has no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, car rental insurance, and chip + pin capability. It pays 1.5% or 2% cash back, depending on whether you have a checking account and what you do with it.

I actually have and enjoy both cards, but I don't travel much, so what do I know?