So I wanted to dig this thread back up, as I'm considering this switch again. Trying to figure out the best combo for cash-back, while keeping myself to carrying less than 5 cards.

I'm thinking the following:
Arrival
Freedom
it
US Bank Cash+

The first three are all obvious, but I think the last one will be useful based purely for it's flexibility since it will let you choose categories and you can pick something that you won't be getting from the other cards. With these cards I'll get a minimum of 2.2%, and probably average mid-3% without even breaking a sweat.

Any thoughts?

Shouldn't forget 2% Amex fidelity and of course 5% Amex BC. With the 2% Amex fidelity, I have a tough time justifying the annual fee on the Arrival.

I view the Arrival as a churn and burn card ($440 free is nice enough) -- only beats the Amex Fidelity if you're putting upward of $44500 on the card in a given year. And if you spend enough on airfare, I'd just get a Citi Prestige for 2.66%/3.2% back (the latter if you fly AA/US) - I view the $450 annual fee as being more than offset by the annual international companion ticket + the 15% off airfare (I've saved way more than $450 with the latter alone)...

Well I view the Arrival as a long term card because of 0% FTF, but I guess I could just use my PenFed card in those instances. Granted booking hotels and lodging with FTF can be brutal. I want to have at least one card I can count on for 0% FTF.

And I can pretty easily put $44.5k on a card in a given year. ;-)

I think the FIA Amex math on FTF is pretty good. You get the 2% cashback on all purchases including the foreign ones. They charge a FTF of 1% so technically, its 2% domestic and 1% int'l cash back.

Don't forget the $200/year statement credit on airline purchases and admiral club access (albeit limited)

To get value from the Arrival you have to put international hotels on the card and then redeem against it, so the absence of a FTF is key.

With the Fidelity Amex you get cash back that can be used to offset the cost of the international hotel that you paid for on a separate (3rd) card that also doesn't have a FTF. In my case the CSP (2X on travel/hotel + no FTF). So I won't earn 2% oashback on my Fidelity international expenses, but I will earn 2X UR. I realize this creates an AF with the CSP, but since I also have Freedom, Ink Classic and Chase checking account (which I bet many here do) I'm going to pay the CSP AF anyway.

I think churning the Arrival, and in the ~10-12 months that you have it open MS it heavily, is the way to go.

I think somebody mentioned it above, but I'd imagine the old Amex BC card is the best option since it's 5% on everything after you hit $6,500.

Hmmmm, if only you could PC to that. =(

No, it's 5% on everyday purchases (gas, groceries, drugstores)

1% on everything else.

I like this plan, and if PenFed would let me build up Cash Back when using their card I would no longer carry an AF card when my CSP statement hits, but having to cash in my cash back every month is a deal breaker for me. I could always just figure out that my cash back would have been and put that into a separate account, but that's too much work.

If I could redeem my PenFed rewards upon my request, and not at statement close, it would be so much easier to transition to cash back. Get FIA, and between PenFed, Freedom, and Discover I'm set.

I switched to cash back a few years ago since I have still not burned through all the DL miles I built up 6+ years ago. I got out of the AOR games during the credit crunch, but am easing my way back into shenanigans now.

I am mainly using the Blue Cash preferred - I have two of them, and kind of regret converting my old Blue Cash card now that I think about it - but the grocery category was not capped at $6K/yr when I converted either. I target Kroger to enhance my 6% grocery cash back with up to 14% more in free gas. When they run their 4X gift card promos, I stock up on Amazon, Lowes, HD, etc - stuff I would be buying anyway. It helps that I have a truck with a 32 gallon tank, so I can use my full $1 off up to 35 gallons with an extra gas can or two.

I just cleared my Discover of a 0% balance transfer, so I may look at that for the rotating categories. I've got a Chase 1% card I have been using where Amex is not taken, so I can do better there.

I'm looking at a signup bonus AOR that will require me to do a bit of MS, but don't think I want to play that game full time.

I don't want to play either of those games full time. With the exception of loading BB, which I'm doing to earn points while I can, I pretty much limit myself to MS I can do from home, and maximizing cash back/miles/points on transactions.

How about using Chase Ink as a cashback card. Redeem the UR for greenbacks. Buy store brand gift cards to get the full 5%. With a Visa GC, the effective cashback drops to 2.5% without a store promotion if you buy from Staples with the 1% Visa Savings. Use the Visa GC as a 2.5% cash rewards daily spender if you want.

Well I wasn't looking at buying VGC, just putting spend on cards that will maximize CB. I'd rather just use a 2% card for non-bonus spend, and then shift the rest between Freedom/Discover/Amex BC/etc and not have to worry about buying VGC for a measly .5%.

If the AF from the Arrival wasn't an issue, would you choose the Arrival or Fidelity? I really hate FIA, so avoiding them plus getting the extra .2-.48% cash back might be worth it. I'm posing the question to pretty much anyone. FIA is a PITA to deal with, not the Barclays is much better....