Green Light
Proceed through a Green Light without hesitation, would get any card identified with a green light without giving it a second thought. All these are elite Credit Cards

Yellow Light
Proceed through a Yellow Light with hesitation but still run a yellow 9/10 times, would get any card identified with a yellow light but think twice or take a step back before applying

Red Light
Proceed through a Red Light with a good reason (wife’s about to give birth) would only get a card identified with a red light for a GOOD reason (going on a cruise or need to build your credit)

SAPPHIRE PREFERRED

Pros:

-Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on your card within 3 months of opening
-Can transfer points to Chase travel partners instantly
-Extra 25% in value if you redeem points in Chase’s travel portal
-No foreign transaction fees
-Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Baggage Delay Insurance, Lost Luggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Trip Delay Reimbursement, Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty Protection

Cons:

-2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining purchases
-Insurance policies are the best benefit from this card but not worth the $95 annual fee
-If you cancel the card points disappear forever!
-$95 annual fee not waived for the first year

BANK OF AMERICA PREMIUM REWARDS

Pros:

-Earn 50,000 points after spending $3,000 in purchase on the card within 90 days of opening
-Up to a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck every 4 years
-Annual $100 Airline Incidental statement credit for qualifying purchases including seat upgrades, baggage fees, in-flight services, and airline lounge fees
-No foreign transaction fees
-Trip Delay Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Baggage Delay Insurance, Lost Luggage Reimbursement, Purchase Protection, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Roadside Dispatch

Cons:

-Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases
-1.5 points per $1 spent on everything else
-$95 annual fee is not waived for the first year
-No cardmember anniversary bonus when you pay the annual fee
-If you cancel the card your travel rewards disappear

AMERICAN EXPRESS GREEN CARD

Pros:

-Earn 45,000 membership points after spending $2,000 in purchases on your card within 3 months of opening
-Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on flights, hotels, transit, taxis, ridesharing, and restaurants worldwide
-$100 in statement credits per calendar year when you pay for your CLEAR membership on your card
-$100 in statement credits per calendar year when you purchase lounge access through LoungeBuddy
-No foreign transaction fees
-Good point transfer partner options (Delta, JetBlue, Marriott, etc)
-Trip Delay Insurance, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Baggage Insurance Plan, Purchase Protection, and Extended Warranty

Cons:

-$150 annual fee not waived for the first year
-Earn 1 membership rewards point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
-Membership rewards points disappear if you close the account
-Must keep the account open for 12 months or Amex can take back your intro membership rewards points

CITIBANK PREMIER

Pros:

-Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou points when you spend $4,000 in purchases on your car within 3 months of opening
-Earn 3 points per $1 spent at gas stations, airfare, hotels, car rentals, public transportation, tolls, parking, travel agencies, cruise lines, campgrounds, taxis/limos/car services, timeshares, buses, motor home rentals, and boat rentals
-Get 25% more when you use your points on airfare at thankyou.com
-No foreign transaction fees
-Points can be used for almost anything and transferred to partner airlines

Cons:

-$95 annual fee is not waived for the first year of membership
-Earn 2 points per $1 spent at restaurants (not including bakeries caterers, or restaurants located inside other establishments) and entertainment
-Earn 1 point per $1 spent on everything else
-Citi got rid of all their travel insurance and purchase protection benefits
-If you cancel the card your ThankYou points disappear

VENTURE REWARDS

Pros:

-Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your card within 3 months of opening
-Earn 2 miles for every $1 spent on your card
-Annual fee is waived for the first year
-Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck every 4 years
-No Foreign Transaction Fees
-Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Travel Accident Insurance, Extended Warranty
-Use miles on flights, hotels, and more or transfer to 15+ different travel loyalty programs

Cons:

-$95 annual fee after the first year of card membership
-No anniversary bonus in exchange for your annual fee
-If you cancel your card you loose your unused bonus miles

US BANK ALTITUDE

Pros:

-Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,500 on your card within 90 days of opening (worth $750 in airfare, hotel, car rentals, and more travel)
-Earn 5 points for every $1 spent on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through the Altitude Rewards Center
-Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on travel purchases and purchases made with your mobile wallet
-12 complimentary Gogo inflight Wi-Fi passes per year
-4 free Priority Pass select lounge visits for you and a guest ($27 per person after that)
-Up to a $100 statement credit for your Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee
-$325 Annual Travel Credit for purchase made directly with merchants that classify themselves as travel
-Trip Delay Reimbursement, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Lost Luggage Reimbursement

Cons:

-Exclusive to existing US Bank customers
-Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on everything else
-$400 annual fee not waived for the first year (which is actually a steal cause you get $325 in travel credit right away but expensive nonetheless)
-If you cancel the card you loose your bonus points

SAPPHIRE RESERVE

Pros:

-Earn 50,000 points after spending $4,000 on your card within 3 months of opening
-$300 Annual Travel Credit for all travel purchases (flights included)
-Can transfer points to Chase travel partners instantly
-Extra 50% in value if you redeem points in Chase’s travel portal
-No foreign transaction fees
-Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck every 4 years
-Priority Pass Select membership including restaurant locations
-15% off Lyft rides, waived cancellation fees, complimentary Lyft Pink access
-$60 per year in DoorDash statement credits
-3x Points on Travel and Dining
-Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Baggage Delay Insurance, Lost Luggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Trip Delay Reimbursement, Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty Protection

Cons:

-1 point per dollar spent on everything else
-$550 Annual fee definitely not worth it if you don’t travel much and is not waived the first year
-If you cancel the card points disappear forever!
-Not a great selection of Priority Pass lounges in the U.S.

AMERICAN EXPRESS PLATINUM

Pros:

-Earn 75,000 membership rewards points after spending $5,000 in purchases on your card within 3 months of opening
-Earn 5 points for every $1 spent directly with airlines or on travel purchases booked through amextravel.com
-$200 in statement credits for one airline of your choice on incidental fees like checked bags and in-flight refreshments when you pay with your Platinum Card
-$100 in annual statement credits at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com ($50 from Jan to June and another $50 from July to Dec)
-Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck every 4 years
-Hotel Collection – book at least 2 consecutive nights at participating properties and receive a $100 hotel credit to spend on dining, spa, or other resort activities and a complimentary room upgrade when available
-$200 a year in Uber Cash (distributed out in $15 increments per month, with a bonus $20 in December)
-Global Lounge Collection (Centurion, International American Express, Delta Sky Clubs, and Priority Pass Lounges)
-No foreign transaction fees
-Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors Gold Status
-Good point transfer partner options (Delta, JetBlue, Marriott, etc)
-Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Baggage Insurance Plan, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, Trip Delay Insurance

Cons:

-$550 annual fee not waived for the first year
-Earn 1 membership rewards point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
-Membership rewards points disappear if you close the account
-Must keep the account open for 12 months or Amex can take back your intro membership rewards points
-Priority Pass membership does not include the restaurant locations like other high end cards that include the Priority Pass

CITIBANK PRESTIGE

Pros:

-Earn 50,000 bonus ThankYou points when you spend $4,000 in purchases on your car within 3 months of opening
-Earn 5 points for every $1 spent on air travel and at restaurants
-Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on hotels and cruise lines
-$250 Travel Credit each calendar year that can be used on airfare, hotels, car rentals, travel agencies, ferries, trains, taxis, cruise lines, tolls, and bus tickets
-No foreign transaction fees
-Complimentary fourth night at a hotel of your choice when booking 4 consecutive nights through ThankYou.com
-Priority Pass Select membership that includes restaurant locations
-Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck every 4 years
-Points can be used for almost anything and transferred to partner airlines
-If your a Citigold client earn a $145 statement credit towards the annual fee

Cons:

-$495 annual fee is not waived for the first year of membership
-Earn 1 point per $1 spent on everything else
-Citi got rid of all their travel insurance and purchase protection benefits
-If you cancel the card your ThankYou points disappear

US BANK FLEX GOLD CARD AMERICAN EXPRESS

Pros:

-Earn 30,000 bonus FlexPoints after spending $2,000 on purchases in your card within 4 months of opening
-Earn 5 points for every $1 spent on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through the FlexPerks Rewards Center
-Earn 3 points for every $1 spent at restaurants
-No foreign transaction fees
-Statement credit for your Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee (which ever program you apply for first)
-Complimentary Boingo Wi-Fi at over 1 million hotspots worldwide
-Redeem at least 10,000 FlexPoints for roundtrip airfare and receive $25 towards baggage fees or in-flight food and drinks

Cons:

-$85 annual fee not waived for the first year
-Earn 2 FlexPoints for every $1 spent with airlines and at gas stations
-Earn 1 FlexPoint for every $1 spent on everything else
-If you cancel the card you loose your FlexPerk points
-If FlexPoints are anything like amextravel points there’s a 20% chance you’ll get $450 of value out of 30,000

BANK OF AMERICA TRAVEL REWARDS

Pros:

-Earn 25,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases on your card within 90 days of opening, redeemable for a $250 statement credit towards a travel related purchase
-No annual fee
-No Foreign Transaction Fees
-0% intro APR on purchases made on the card for the first 12 billing cycles

Cons:

-Earn 1.5 points for every $1 spent on your card
-No travel insurance, purchase protection or any of those other great benefits
-If you cancel the card you loose your cash back

AMERICAN EXPRESS GOLD CARD

Pros:

-Earn 50,000 membership rewards points after spending $4,000 in purchases on your card within 3 months of opening
-Earn 4 points for every $1 spent at restaurants worldwide and US supermarkets
-Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or at amextravel.com
-$10 statement credit per month when you use your Gold Card at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth Chris Steakhouse, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations
-$100 in statement credits for one airline of your choice on incidental fees like checked bags and in-flight refreshments when you pay with your Gold Card
-Hotel Collection – book at least 2 consecutive nights at participating properties and receive a $100 hotel credit to spend on dining, spa, or other resort activities and a complimentary room upgrade when available
-No Foreign Transaction Fees
-Baggage Insurance Plan and Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
-Good point transfer partner options (Delta, JetBlue, Marriott, etc)

Cons:

-$250 annual fee not waived for the first year of membership
-Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
-No anniversary bonus in exchange for your annual fee
-If you cancel your card you loose your unused membership points
-Must keep the account open for 12 months or Amex can take back your intro bonus
-The Green Card has a similar sized intro bonus for less spend and lower annual fee

BANK OF AMERICA TRAVEL REWARDS FOR STUDENTS

Pros:

-Earn 25,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases on your card within 90 days of opening, redeemable for a $250 statement credit towards a travel related purchase
-No annual fee
-No Foreign Transaction Fees
-0% intro APR on purchases made on the card for the first 12 billing cycles

Cons:

-Earn 1.5 points for every $1 spent on your card
-No travel insurance, purchase protection or any of those other great benefits
-If you cancel the card you loose your cash back

VENTUREONE REWARDS

Pros:

-Earn 20,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in purchases on your card within 3 months of opening
-0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months of membership
-No annual fee
-No Foreign Transaction Fees
-Extended Warranty and Travel Accident Insurance
-Use miles on flights, hotels, and more or transfer to 15+ different travel loyalty programs

Cons:

-Earn 1.25 miles for every $1 spent on purchases
-If you cancel your card you loose your unused miles
-3% balance transfer fee

WELLS FARGO PROPEL AMERICAN EXPRESS

Pros:

-Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases on your car within 3 months of opening
-No annual fee
-No foreign transaction fees
-Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on travel, gas, dining, and eligible streaming services
-0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months
-Car rental loss and damage insurance, Roadside dispatch, Travel and emergency assistance services, lost luggage reimbursement, Cell Phone Protection, Retail Protection, and Extended Warranty

Cons:

-Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on everything else
-If you cancel your card you loose your propel points
-Cannot apply if you’ve opened a Wells Fargo credit card in the past 6 months
-May not be eligible for the intro APR or bonus rewards if you’ve opened a Wells Fargo Credit Card within the last 15 months

CITI REWARDS+

Pros:

-Earn 15,000 bonus ThankYou points after spending $1,000 in purchases on your card within 3 months of opening
-Card automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase (if you buy a $2 cup of coffee you will get 10 points instead the standard 2)
-No annual fee
-0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months

Cons:

-Balance transfers carry a 3% fee and must be made within 4 months of account opening to take advantage of the 0% APR
-Earn 2 points for every $1 spent at US grocery stores and gas stations for the first $6,000 per year, 1 point after that
-Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on everything else
-If you cancel your card your ThankYou points disappear
-3% Foreign Transaction Fee

AMERICAN EXPRESS EVERYDAY CREDIT CARD

Pros:

-Earn 10,000 membership rewards points after spending $1,000 in purchase on your card within 3 months
-0% intro APR on new purchase and balance transfers for 15 months
-$0 Balance transfer fee on transfers requested within 60 days of account opening (saves you $30 for every $1000 in balance transfers)
-If you use your card 20 times on purchases in a billing period earn 20% more points on those purchases
-No annual fee
-Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

Cons:

-Earn 2 points for every $1 spent at grocery stored up to $6,000 per year in purchases
-Earn 1 membership point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
-Better return on intro spend with the Cash Magnet and Blue Cash Back Everyday cards
-If you cancel your card you loose your unused cash back
-Must keep the account open for 12 months or Amex can take back your intro bonus
-2.7% Foreign Transaction Fee
-Can’t make balance transfers after the 60 day intro period

INK BUSINESS PREFERRED

Pros:

-Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 in purchases on the card within the first 3 months
-3 points for every $1 spent on travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone service, and digital advertising purchases up to $150,000 each year
-25% more when you redeem your points for travel
-No foreign transaction fees
-1:1 point transfer with Chase’s travel partners
-Auto Rental Collision Waiver, Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Roadside Dispatch, Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty Protection, Cell Phone Protection

Cons:

-$95 annual fee not waived for the first year
-1 point for every $1 spent on every thing else
-Points disappear if you close your account

SPARK MILES BUSINESS

Pros:

-Earn a one-time 50,000 miles bonus after spending $4,500 in purchases on your card within 3 months of opening
-Earn 5 miles for every $1 spent on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel
-Earn unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on everything else with your card
-Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck every 4 years
-Annual fee is waived for the first year
-No Foreign Transaction Fees
-Auto Rental Damage Waiver, Extended Warranty and Protection

Cons:

-$95 annual fee after the first year of card membership
-No anniversary bonus in exchange for your annual fee
-If you cancel your card you loose your unused miles

SPARK MILES SELECT

Pros:

-Earn a one-time 20,000 miles bonus when you spend $3,000 in purchases on your card within 3 months of opening
-0% intro APR on purchases made on your card for 9 months after opening
-No annual fee
-No Foreign Transaction Fees
-Auto Rental Damage Waiver
-Miles Select OVER Miles Business if you’re business is in the beginning phases and could utilize a 0% intro APR

Cons:

-Earn unlimited 1.5 miles on all purchases made with your card
-6.6% return on your spend for this intro bonus versus 11.11% on the Spark Miles
-If you cancel your card you loose your unused miles

BLUE BUSINESS PLUS CARD

Pros:

-Earn 10,000 membership rewards points after spending $3,000 in purchases on your card within 3 months of opening
-Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on everyday business purchases up to $50,000
-No annual fee
-0% intro APR on new purchase and balance transfers for 12 months
-Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
-Keep your intro bonus points if you cancel the card

Cons:

-Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on everything else
-If you cancel your card you loose your unused membership points
-Must keep the account open for 12 months or Amex can take back your intro bonus
-2.7% Foreign Transaction Fee

AMERICAN EXPRESS GOLD BUSINESS CARD

Pros:

-Earn 50,000 membership rewards points after spending $5,000 in purchases on your card within 3 months of opening
-Earn 4 points for every $1 spent to the first $150,000 on the 2 categories where your business spends each business cycle
-$100 in statement credits for one airline of your choice on incidental fees like checked bags and in-flight refreshments when you pay with your Gold Card
-Hotel Collection – book at least 2 consecutive nights at participating properties and receive a $100 hotel credit to spend on dining, spa, or other resort activities and a complimentary room upgrade when available
-No Foreign Transaction Fees
-Baggage Insurance Plan and Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
-Good point transfer partner options (Delta, JetBlue, Marriott, etc)
-Flexible solutions for managing cash flow

Cons:

-$295 annual fee not waived for the first year of membership
-Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
-No anniversary bonus in exchange for your annual fee
-If you cancel your card you loose your unused membership points
-Must keep the account open for 12 months or Amex can take back your intro bonus

AMERICAN EXPRESS PLATINUM BUSINESS

Pros:

-Earn 75,000 membership rewards points after spending $15,000 in purchases on your card within 3 months of opening
-Earn 5 points for every $1 spent directly with airlines or on travel purchases booked through amextravel.com
-Earn 1.5x points on all purchases for $5,000 or more. Up to 1 million additional points per year
-$200 in statement credits for one airline of your choice on incidental fees like checked bags and in-flight refreshments when you pay with your Platinum Card
-$200 in annual statement credits on spend with Dell ($100 from Jan to June and another $100 from July to Dec)
-Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck every 4 years
-Hotel Collection – book at least 2 consecutive nights at participating properties and receive a $100 hotel credit to spend on dining, spa, or other resort activities and a complimentary room upgrade when available
-Global Lounge Collection (Centurion, International American Express, Delta Sky Clubs, and Priority Pass Lounges)
-No foreign transaction fees
-Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors Gold Status
-Good point transfer partner options (Delta, JetBlue, Marriott, etc)
-Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Baggage Insurance Plan, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, Trip Delay Insurance

Cons:

-$595 annual fee not waived for the first year
-Earn 1 membership rewards point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
-Membership rewards points disappear if you close the account
-Must keep the account open for 12 months or Amex can take back your intro membership rewards points
-Priority Pass membership does not include the restaurant locations like other high end cards that include the Priority Pass

AMERICAN EXPRESS GREEN BUSINESS CARD

Pros:

-Earn 25,000 membership points after spending $3,000 in purchases on your card within 3 months of opening
-Annual fee is waived for the first year of membership
-Baggage Insurance Plan and Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
-Good point transfer partner options (Delta, JetBlue, Marriott, etc)

Cons:

-$95 annual fee after the first year of membership
-Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on purchases with amextravel.com
-Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
-No anniversary bonus in exchange for your annual fee
-If you cancel your card you loose your unused membership points
-Must keep the account open for 12 months or Amex can take back your intro bonus
-2.7% Foreign Transaction Fee

WELLS FARGO SIGNATURE VISA

Pros:

-Earn 5 rewards points for every $1 spent on gas, grocery, and drugstore purchases for up to $12,500 spent on your card in the first 6 months
-No annual fee
-0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
-50% more value when you redeem your points for airfare
-Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Roadside Dispatch, Travel Accident Insurance, Travel and Emergency Assistance Services, Trip Cancellation Protection and Lost Luggage Reimbursement

Cons:

-Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on everything else
-You have 5 years to use the points you earn
-Cannot apply if you’ve opened a Wells Fargo credit card in the past 6 months
-No intro bonus
-May not be eligible for the intro APR or bonus rewards if you’ve opened a Wells Fargo Credit Card within the last 15 months
-3% foreign transaction fee

WELLS FARGO REWARDS CARD

Pros:

-Earn 5 rewards points for every $1 spent on gas, grocery, and drugstore purchases for up to $12,500 spent on your card in the first 6 months
-No annual fee
-0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
-Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Roadside Dispatch, Travel Accident Insurance, Travel and Emergency Assistance Services, Cell Phone Protection

Cons:

-Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on everything else
-You have 5 years to use the points you earn
-Cannot apply if you’ve opened a Wells Fargo credit card in the past 6 months
-No intro bonus
-May not be eligible for the intro APR or bonus rewards if you’ve opened a Wells Fargo Credit Card within the last 15 months
-3% foreign transaction fee

DISCOVER IT MILES

Pros:

-No annual fee
-No foreign transaction fees
-3 miles for every $1 spent in the first year
-At the end of the first year of cardmembership Discover will give you an unlimited mile-for-mile match on all the miles you’ve earned
-Redeem miles for a statement credit on travel or get cash
-0% intro APR on purchases for 14 months

Cons:

-If you cancel the card you loose your miles
-1.5 miles for every $1 spent after the first year
-No intro bonus miles, just get your earned miles double at the end of the year

EVERYDAY PREFERRED CREDIT CARD

Pros:

-Earn 15,000 membership rewards points after spending $1,000 in purchases on your card within 3 months
-Earn 3 points for every $1 spent at grocery stores up to $6,000 per year in purchases
-Earn 2 points for every $1 spent at US gas stations
-If you use your card 30 times on purchases in a billing period earn 50% more points on those purchases
-0% intro APR on new purchase and balance transfers for 12 months
-Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance and Return Protection

Cons:

-$95 annual fee is not waived for the first year of membership
-Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
-Must keep the account open for 12 months or Amex can take back your intro bonus
-If you cancel your account membership points disappear
-2.7% Foreign Transaction Fee