Now that I’m no longer a novice in travel hacking, I plan out my travels then find cards that help me offset the cost. So these are the travel hacking credit cards currently in my wallet and why.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

• 100,000 point sign-up bonus (now only 50,000)
• $300 travel credit each year
• 3x points on anything travel related
• Reimbursement for Global Entry, TSA pre-check
• No foreign transaction fees
• Travel insurance coverage included
• Free access to airport lounges (which means free food and drinks)

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is my everyday use card. I put all of my transactions on it, except when I’m meeting the sign up bonus of another card. Chase points are the most flexible points to spend, which means I don’t have to be concerned about how to maximize them. I just use this card for my regular spending, and I book travel as it suits me.

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve, I don’t have to pay for Global Entry. Having Global Entry means I don’t have to take off my shoes, coat, belt at airport security, and I don’t have to take my laptop out of my backpack. It also lets me bypass long security lines during customs after international flights. Access to airport lounges means free quality food and drinks (including alcoholic drinks) at no cost. For a frequent traveler, these are big perks.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant

• 100,000 point sign-up bonus (now 75,000)
• Free night award up to 50,000 points
• No foreign transaction fees
• 3x points on anything travel related
• 2x points on everything else

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless

• 100,000 point sign-up bonus
• Free night award up to 35,000 points
• No foreign transaction fees
• 2x points on anything travel related

Yes, I have 2 Marriott rewards cards. I have each of these to earn the sign-up bonuses and ultimately travel at Marriott hotels. The sign up bonuses total 200,000 Marriott points plus 2 free award nights. I was able to stretch these into 13 nights of hotel stays in Portugal, Paris, and London saving over $2500! I didn’t incur any fees, just redeemed all of these nights through points.

If you decide to sign up for either of these cards, consider using my referral links. By using the referral links, I’ll receive 15,000 points for the Brilliant card and 20,000 points for the Boundless card.

IHG Premier

• 125,000 point sign-up bonus (now 140,000!)
• Free night award up to 40,000 points
• 2x points on gas, grocery stores, restaurants
• Fourth night free

I recently opened the IHG Premier card because I’m planning a trip to Southeast Asia and want to offset the cost of accommodations. Holiday Inn is part of IHG (International Hotel Group), and there are ample Holiday Inns in SE Asia. With the sign-up bonus I’m anticipating I’ll redeem about 8 free nights with IHG points. Coupled with my Chase points, I am looking at spending roughly 3 weeks in SE Asia at no cost.

There you have it. These are the travel hacking credit cards in my wallet and why. Whether you decide to open one of these cards or another travel rewards card, I hope the transparency helps you decide what’s best for you. Happy travels!

Need a more introductory understanding of travel rewards credit cards? Check out Travel Hacking 101: How to be Frugal without Sacrificing Travel