I know I chose the BoA PR if I would have a sole credit card, but the US Bank AR is always in the back of my mind as well. Since I tap to pay in the majority of places I go, 3X back on mobile wallet purchases is sounding better and better to me. Plus, the $400 AF is knocked down to $75 with the credits. I'm not sure if it is permanent, but the $325 in credits is currently expanded to dining, and not just travel. I don't travel enough to make a sole travel card worth it, but knocking down the effective AF below my CSP makes this one appealing. I think if they added in another earning category besides the 3X (I probably wouldn't get much use out of the 5X in their portal), I'd probably go for it. I might have to snag a lower card to get my foot in the door while I ponder this idea.
Only one card lol? As some of the other posters have mentioned, that would be a pretty agonizing decision to have to make tbh, haha.
If I had to bite the bullet, and choose only 1? Would probably or most likely be my AOD card, since it has 2 major advantages that I like: (1) low, fixed-rate APR of 7.49% F. (2) Uncapped 3% cash rewards on all purchases. The best of both worlds, so to speak 
@BearsCubsOtters wrote:
@Aim_High wrote:Except for the hard-core collectors on My Fico who would never close a card, I imagine most of us occassionally close some cards. ... Rarely do I see someone pick only one card. If you had to do it with your current cards, which one would you pick and why?
You unintentionally kill me. You are a hardcore credit fan. The post you started about Max Rewards Preferred vs Cash + cracked me up. Just because of how...dedicated you are with your craft. Understand that I am not picking on you; I always enjoy your posts as they clearly show your interest.
Anyway, I would chose my USAA Limitless Cash Rewards Visa card. 2.5% cash back on everything; no limits, easy redemption that I control (unlike BCE/AOD which credit the statement at the end of each billing cycle with the earned rewards-thus, IMHO, get lost in new charges) and a high credit line. For overall 'bestness' and simplicity, that would be my #1.
@BearsCubsOtters, you chose wisely. 
It's hard to beat a great flat-rate card like the USAA Limitless Cashback Rewards. Thanks for your appreciation of my dedication and postings. I do have enthusiasm about credit topics so it's nice to share it with others and help the community.
@Taurus22 wrote:Lol @Aim_High ....and here we go. You know I love threads like this.
I think you already hit on the most obvious point.....clearly, someone's highest general noncategory card is always going to float to the top simply due to ease of use. In my case, AOD 3%.
As most who frequent this forum already know from my previous posts, I think I have chosen my cards pretty wisely based on my category spend each month. I am very comfortable in the 10-card range (even 12 for the right cards). These are based on my highest levels of spend, the top three being restaurants, grocery, and utilities...and maybe Amazon. Ok, four.
But this is my personal comfort level. To choose only one card would be agonizing. And honestly, I couldn't go to only one....AOD and Affinity are two cards that I consider to be Unicorns and wouldn't give them up for anything, not to mention they are also my two highest limits among my cards. (Cheers for CU's!)
My top 3 currently would be:
1) AOD 3% - would obviously app for an Alliant 2.5% or other 2% if this ever went away
2) Affinity CR - restaurant, grocery, and gas categories hit 7%, Amazon 5-10%
3) US Bank Cash+ - utilities, internet, and just flat-out great versatility with this card when needed (but for the sake of the topic, this could go away, leaving me with 2 cards)
This is the best I can do daggum it. 2 cards....take it or leave it.
From my SD, I am already converting Citi DC to Custom Cash, so that is being re-purposed. Uber is changing to the View card and will slowly die and be auto-closed in one year. And I will be closing my First Citizens starter card (oldest card) likely within the next year. (that is, after I add the 3 new cards on my target list in my siggy) So I'm making efforts to reduce my current profile and will ultimately be at 10 cards.
When they figure out how to make a 5% general noncategory.....now that's a different story.
Oh, I don't think any of us on My Fico would find going down to a single card comfortable, @Taurus22, and certainly myself included! LOL 
The exercise was extremely difficult, yes even agonizing, but I'm glad I did it since it gave me clarity about the value of each card. I learned some things along the way even though I stewed on the list for a couple of weeks before I finalized it. I'd encourage everyone to make a full list of their cards, not just pick the top contender. It's worth the effort.
I think @Anonymous and I both agreed that we'd be comfortable in the 8-12 card range but not less, so you are similar to us. My current 20 cards is much more than I've ever had and I've decided I don't really care to manage that many. Having a lot of infrequently-used cards was one reason I got away from having store cards. My goal has always been to have fewer, higher-limit and higher-rewards cards.
And great choice on the AOD FCU Visa. It was in my top two cards. It was a hard choice but it went to my number two position. Getting 3% cash-back rewards, low 7.49% APR, and no/low fees for AF/FTF/BTF/CAF is an awesome combo!
@Anonymous wrote:@Taurus22 I am getting my cards to 10 too. Last month I dropped to 13-12 and this month 12-11. And if I cant find use of my apple card, I will go to 11-10. I love the other 10 cards I have and none of them are useless. I am getting rid of all useless cards. I cant be bothered to keep an eye on a card and put a "gum" charge on it to keep it open for padding and age. My Amex BCE was useless. The conversion of my beloved clear points to pnc points made the card useless to me.
Ugh im jealous of the 2.5% limitless card. A rep offered it me when I called to apply for another card and I said another time. I didnt expect it to go away so soon or else I would have gotten.
@Anonymousand I have had the discussion about closing cards. She's more inclined to close quickly. I'm more inclined to close slowly. But we both agree that cards need to serve some purpose. That's why I've avoided doing what some of our 'card collectors' do on the forum with adding basic Visa's at mundane APRS or overlapping basic rewards cards that don't add to rewards value just for the sake of adding credit lines. I'll admit I've considered doing that with a few cards for the potential high credit limits, though.
You and I had the same experience with that USAA Limitless, Carmy. I already was a USAA member with the required checking account and direct deposit. And ... I lived in one of the limited areas where it was offered! I saw that card and thought I would add it later. Then they closed the application window. Aaarrrgghhhh!!!! Fortunately after that, AOD FCU came along with 3% and I also got Platinum Honors with Bank of America Preferred Rewards (2.625% uncapped and uncategorized) so I have two options that exceed it at this point. Back when I saw the Limitless, though, I didn't even have a 2% card yet! 
@B_Slow1 wrote:The card that I'd keep if I could only hold onto one, would be the Amex Gold card. My thinking is: The fact that I'd be paring down to one card doesn't change what my primary goal is. The goal is to optimize my return on normal spending, to travel in a way that I typically wouldn't if I had to pay out-of-pocket. In order to do that, I would favor a card that offered points rather than cash back. And while the Ink Unlimited and Ink Cash are great cards, I would still need a card like the CSP to maximize their value. The card that I'd most easily part with is the Amex Platinum. Year 1 provided a lot of value, but going forward, it will be limited, and I'm leaning toward closing it anyway after the AF hits again.
Edit: But if I could pick ANY single card, including cards I don't currently have, I'd go with the Amex BBP.
Thanks @B_Slow1 and I can understand that perspective. AMEX Gold is a solid card. On my list, I strayed away from my points cards since they are more subject to devaluation and less flexible if I don't want to use rewards for travel. Alongside the steep AFs, my AMEX Gold and even my more beloved Chase Sapphire Reserve finished out of the top two spots for those reasons. But we all have our rationale and it's good to hear different perspectives!
@Anonymous wrote:A flat rate 2 percent card. Or I'd try for the AOD 3% card
Good choice, @Anonymous.
Do you have one (or more than one) already?
Which is your favorite and why?
If you can get that AOD 3% card, I do highly recommend it!
Great all-around card!
@galahad15 wrote:Only one card lol? As some of the other posters have mentioned, that would be a pretty agonizing decision to have to make tbh, haha.
If I had to bite the bullet, and choose only 1? Would probably or most likely be my AOD card, since it has 2 major advantages that I like: (1) low, fixed-rate APR of 7.49% F. (2) Uncapped 3% cash rewards on all purchases. The best of both worlds, so to speak
Yes, agonizing @galahad15! LOL I didn't say it would be fun, but making the complete list (including all of your cards) will really make you think about each one's value and your priorities.
My AOD was my in my top two due to those reasons - high rewards with ability for backup low-apr when needed. It was almost my first choice for those reasons but it was my number two pick.
@TSlop wrote:I know I chose the BoA PR if I would have a sole credit card, but the US Bank AR is always in the back of my mind as well. Since I tap to pay in the majority of places I go, 3X back on mobile wallet purchases is sounding better and better to me. Plus, the $400 AF is knocked down to $75 with the credits. I'm not sure if it is permanent, but the $325 in credits is currently expanded to dining, and not just travel. I don't travel enough to make a sole travel card worth it, but knocking down the effective AF below my CSP makes this one appealing. I think if they added in another earning category besides the 3X (I probably wouldn't get much use out of the 5X in their portal), I'd probably go for it. I might have to snag a lower card to get my foot in the door while I ponder this idea.
I agree that US Bank Altitude Reserve would be a great pick, @TSlop ... although the idea was if you had to downsize from where you are today down to only one card instead of adding one or more to get to a one-card wallet.
I believe the 3x on mobile wallet is redeemable for 3% cash back which is a pretty good deal on a travel-oriented card. My reservations about saving a premium AF card until the last slot was that they usually only give great value for travel, but the 3x on mobile wallet with AR is an exception. And as you pointed out, the credits against the AF make the fee negligible.
Did you consider where your other cards would end up on a top-to-bottom list, such as if you had three or five slots remaining? That does make it a little easier if you're aiming for a few cards instead of just one.
@Aim_High wrote:Thanks @B_Slow1 and I can understand that perspective. AMEX Gold is a solid card. On my list, I strayed away from my points cards since they are more subject to devaluation and less flexible if I don't want to use rewards for travel. Alongside the steep AFs, my AMEX Gold and even my more beloved Chase Sapphire Reserve finished out of the top two spots for those reasons. But we all have our rationale and it's good to hear different perspectives!
I'm always in a battle with myself over whether I should be focusing more on cash back. But knowing myself, if I got cash back, I'd find a "better" use for it than travel, and I'd never go anywhere. I've only been out of the country once (Canada doesn't count), so I need to get a move on. And with points, my hope is that as long as I don't hold onto them for too long, and given that they're transferrable points, I might be able to get some solid value from them. Besides, these days even with cash, if you don't invest it in the stock market, it's losing value.
