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A Perfect First Card Churn

When I got started with points and miles seven years ago, the only credit card churning restriction was regarding the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card (if I remember correctly, it was one every 18 months). No other banks had implemented rules about sign-up bonuses and claw-backs were pretty much unheard of. Nowadays, folks have to work a little harder to get points via credit card churning. The first card churn matters, especially with so many restrictions in place. Here’s my take on the perfect first card churn:

Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is a great first card to get, thanks to Chase’s 5/24 rule. The card pays out 50,000 points after $4,000 spent in 3 months. The $300 travel credit can help make the $450 more palatable, though I know folks who don’t care about that and would rather save $55 over the annual fee. My suggestion? Get the card and downgrade after the first year if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative.

Citi Premier

When the sign-up bonus is 60,000 points, the Citi Premier Card is a great choice. The fact that the annual fee is only $95 and gets you 3x on travel and gas and 2x on dining and entertainment, makes it a solid choice for long-term use. Citi has stepped up its game when it comes to transfer partners, including solid options like JetBlue and Lifemiles. Whether you’re looking for a domestic flight on a great airline or a reasonably priced Star Alliance award, Citi ThankYou points are great to have.

Capital One Venture

I’ve had a long running beef with the Capital One Venture card. I don’t like that Capital One pulls from all three credit bureaus. But that can be forgiven thanks to the 50,000 point sign-up bonus. It’s essentially a 2% cash back card with no annual fee, which is great for long-term use. If you’re simply looking for a 2% cash back card-equivalent to churn, consider the Barclay Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard instead. Or if a sign-up bonus isn’t important, pick up a Citi Double Cash Back Card.

American Express

It’s had to settle on a single American Express card. Not because there are so many great ones to pick from, but because there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. The really good cards with high sign-up bonuses (i.e. Amex Platinum) carry high annual fees. They’re also not always good beyond the sign-up bonus, except for big spenders. Back in the day, I’d recommend the SPG Card but even that has lost its luster. I’ll leave this one open for feedback from readers.

What would be your perfect first card churn, if you had to start today from scratch?

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2 Comments
M
mot29 September 30, 2018

Technically, is Cap One Venture really a no annual fee card. Maybe no first year fee, but after. Of course, Cap One has waived my annual fee every year since signup.

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bryanb September 29, 2018

What would be the best rewards strategy for a college student, with limited or no credit history, who wants to get started -- very much from scratch?