My 3 Most-Used Credit Cards of 2026
- Points By J
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 3
I hesitate to share my most-used credit cards because what's best for me isn't necessarily what's best for you! We all have different points goals, spending habits, and preferences that should guide our card decisions.
But, I get this question a lot! So, with that disclaimer shared... here are my top most-used credit cards of 2026 so far. Please keep in mind that when I'm working on a new card's sign-up bonus minimum spend, I put all of my spending on that card! These are the cards I come back to when I'm not working on a new bonus. If you do apply for a credit card, I appreciate if you apply through one of these links. It costs you nothing extra, but supports my ability to continue making free content.
#1 Most Used Personal Credit Card?
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Learn more here
Spending categories: Gas, Dining & Travel
Sign-up bonus: Earn 75k bonus points after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months of opening the account
This is my top most-recommended travel card for a reason. It has all the essentials: reasonable annual fee, strong points earning potential, and awesome travel insurance. In fact, it was my first travel credit card in my early twenties, and it continues to be my most-used travel card now because of the best-in-class travel insurance it offers. Plus, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are incredibly valuable.
I'd recommend this card to anyone who wants a card that offers:
Generous restaurant and travel points multipliers: 3x points on every $1 spent on dining, gas/EV charging, vacation home rentals, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x points on every $1 spent on travel
Best-in-class travel insurance
No foreign transaction fees
#2 Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card - Learn more here
Spending categories: Miscellaneous spending (e.g., shopping) that's not a bonus point earning category on other cards
Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earning 2 miles for every $1 I spend has been such a valuable resource this year because I've had a lot of non-bonus category personal spending that would earn just 1 mile per dollar on other cards. Plus, the airport lounge access for me as the primary cardholder has been fantastic.
I'd recommend this card to anyone who wants a card that offers:
Airport lounge access for the primary cardholder (note, guest access requires a fee, so if you often travel with others consider a different lounge access card)
Great bonus point multiplier (2x) without having to keep track of spending categories
Guaranteed way to offset the annual fee every single year (annual $300 travel credit and 10k bonus miles every anniversary year)
No foreign transaction fees
Most-used business credit card:
#3 Chase Ink Business Unlimited - Learn more here
This is my "go-to" card for business expenses that don't fit into a particular bonus category (which, for me, is most of my expenses!) Earning 1.5 points per $1 spent on my business accelerates my ability to travel more for free. This card has $0 annual fee!
Special elevated sign-up bonus alert 🚨: Earn $750 $1,000 when you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first four months after account opening
What makes this offer extra exciting? The bonus is awarded in the form of Ultimate Rewards points (so, 100,000 points). If you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, then every Ultimate Reward point you earn (across any Chase card!) can be combined into that account. Why does that matter? Those are the Chase cards that allow you to transfer Ultimate Rewards points to their travel transfer partners, including:
Airlines: Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, British Airways, Emirates, Iberia, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic
Hotels: Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, IHG Rewards Club
I hope this inspires you to refine your credit card strategy, and pick cards that support your goals!
