32 Credit Cards in My Wallet 2023 | Current Credit Cards

As of June 2023 my wife and I have over 32 open credit and charge cards. Because I was active duty military for 12 years, only the business credit cards have annual fees charged on them. We get over $12,000 a year of fees waived.

Some of the benefits we receive by having so many cards open are: airport lounge access to American Express Centurion Lounge and Priority Pass, $2,350 of airline fee credit annually, $1,420 Uber credit annually, $600 travel credits, top hotel elite status, top rental car status, free travel insurance, and $800 of free Saks Fifth Avenue purchases annually.

When I was active duty, my wife and I were both listed in the Military Lending Act database, and so were eligible for MLA benefits, which include annual fee waivers on American Express, Chase, Citi, and US Bank cards.

Since 2015 we have opened over 46 cards. My credit score is currently 811-820 according to Credit Karma and Credit Sesame.

There's a common misconception that opening that many credit cards will damage your credit. It doesn't.

If anything, it might improve your credit score because of the way credit scores are calculated. I recommend both sites to check your credit score for free.

The most popular cards for military credit card holders on my site since 2018 are:

1. The Platinum Card^® from American Express
2. American Express^® Gold Card
3. Chase Sapphire Reserve^® Card
4. Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card
5. Citi^® Premier^® Card

You can compare the:

• Amex Platinum vs the Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Amex Gold vs Amex Platinum
• Chase Sapphire Reserve vs the Chase Sapphire Preferred

I recorded episode 8 of the Military Money Manual Podcast where Jamie (podcast co-host and fellow active duty Air Force pilot) and I talked about what cards we have in our wallets. You can listen below:

Physically Managing Lots of Credit Cards

I keep my cards in a leather credit card binder I purchased on Amazon for less than $15. It keeps the cards I don't use daily organized.

For daily use, I have a Travelambo Front Pocket Minimalist Leather Slim Wallet RFID Blocking Medium Size. About 3 years ago I purchased the 5 top rated wallets on Amazon.

I returned the other 4 and kept the Travelambo. This is the best wallet for credit cards I have found after trying all the others.

Credit Cards I Carry Daily

Right now, I'm carrying my veterans ID, driver's license, some cash, a list of goals I want to accomplish, and some small photos. The credit cards I carry daily are:

• American Express Gold Card, 4x points on restaurants and US supermarkets, Amex Gold Card Review (terms apply)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve, 3x points on travel and dining, Chase Sapphire Reserve review
• Chase Freedom Unlimited, 1.5x points on everything, best cash back cards for military
• USAA ATM Debit card – my USAA review

What I Look for in a New Credit Card

The 3 primary things I care about when evaluating a new credit card are:

1. The welcome bonus, like the massive points you can earn on the Amex Platinum
2. The ongoing benefits of holding the card, like travel credits or free hotel nights
3. The categories I can earn extra points in, like restaurants and groceries with the Amex Gold or travel and dining with Chase Sapphire Reserve

I update a list of the best credit card welcome bonuses each month. I also have an exact recommended order military servicemembers and spouses should open up cards to maximize their points earnings in my best credit cards for active duty military guide.

I have earned millions of points and miles just from welcome bonuses. I redeemed those points and miles for tens of thousands of free hotel and resort stays and airline tickets. Learn how to maximize your military credit cards benefits in my free course, the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course. Over 11,000 graduates have given the course a 5 star review since 2019.

I'll explain exactly how to get your fees waived, which card to get first, and how to maximize your points.

I have also received thousands of dollars in cash back welcome bonuses.

The ongoing benefits of a hotel card, for instance, can be higher automatic elite status and an annual free night. For instance the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card gives you automatic Diamond status. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card gives you automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Status.

The 32 Credit Cards I Have Right Now

Other than my Capital One business card, I do not pay any annual fees on these cards thanks to the Chase Military Lending Act and Amex Military Lending Act military fee waiver programs.

This saves my wife and me over $12,000 per year. I can walk you through how to save your first $695 annual fee in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course. The course is 100% free for you.

American Express Cards

All American Express personal cards are no annual fee for military servicemembers and their dependents. Amex does this to comply with the Military Lending Act (MLA) and Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).

• The Platinum Card® from American Express x8 (Amex Platinum military review) – I have upgraded several Green and Gold cards to this card so now I get $1600 of Uber credit annually, $1600 of airline fee credits, $1600 of annual hotel credit, $2000 of annual entertainment credits and $800 of Saks Fifth Avenue credit (enrollment required). 5x points on flights booked directly with the airline or amextravel.com and travel insurance makes this my card of choice for airline purchases. (terms apply)
• American Express® Gold Card (Amex Gold card review) – a daily driver for me with 4x Amex Membership Reward points on US supermarkets and restaurants. (terms apply)
• American Express Green Card (Amex Green card review) – good welcome bonus (terms apply)
• Platinum Card for Charles Schwab from American Express – cash out Amex Membership Rewards points for 1.25 cents each (terms apply)
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card x3 (Amex Hilton Aspire review) – 2 for me and 1 for my wife. You can upgrade the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card to another Hilton Honors Aspire card. (terms apply)
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card (Amex Bonvoy Brilliant review) x2 – I upgraded an Amex SPG Luxury (no longer available) to my second Bonvoy Brilliant. Annual free night worth up to 85,000 Bonvoy points on each card. Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees. (terms apply)
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Amex Delta Reserve review) – annual companion pass lets you fly up to Delta One in the lower 48 states and you only pay for 1/2 tickets. If you have a Hawaii or Alaska address, you can use the companion pass for a flight back to the mainland. (terms apply)
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Amex Business Platinum review) – great way to earn Amex Membership Reward points. Amex Business cards do not waive annual fee for military with any cards opened after January 2020. (terms apply)
• American Express® Business Gold Card – Amex business cards can be a great way to earn extra Amex MR points (terms apply)

American Express^® Gold Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• Earn 60,000 Membership Reward^® Points after spending $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new card in the first 6 months of Card Membership
• Earn 4x points at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the US
• Earn 4x points on US supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1x points) – includes OCONUS Commissaries
• Earn 3x points on flights booked directly with the airline or on amextravel.com
• No foreign transaction fees – great for the 4x on restaurants when travelling for fun, OCONUS TDY, or PCS!
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Amex Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 annually.
• $120 per year Dining Credit: Earn up to $10 per month in statement credits when you use your Amex Gold at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Choose between the Gold or Rose Gold version when you apply.
• Read my full review of the Amex Gold card for military, terms apply
• $250 Annual Fee* See more details about American Express protections for you and your spouse 

Chase Cards

Chase waives all annual fees for military servicemembers and dependents on their personal credit cards (not business cards) as long as you are on active duty after 20 Sep 2017 and open the card after that date.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve (Chase Sapphire Reserve review) – lower sign up bonus than the Chase Sapphire Preferred (compare the Reserve vs Preferred) but the $300 annual travel credit, 3x points on dining and travel, and global Visa acceptance makes this a must have card for every military servicemember. Compare the CSR vs the AMEX Platinum to see which is the best military credit card.
• Chase Ink Business Unlimited (Chase Ink Business Unlimited review) – the Chase Ink business cards are an excellent way to earn valuable Chase Ultimate Reward points and do not count against your 5/24 Chase card limit. You do NOT need an LLC to open business credit cards.
• Chase Ink Business Cash (Chase Ink Business Cash review) – Business credit cards frequently come with the best welcome bonuses. You can compare the Chase Ink Business Preferred vs Chase Ink Business Cash
• Chase IHG Rewards Club Premier (Chase IHG review) – annual free night with this card makes it worth keeping even if you had to pay the annual fee…but you don't!
• Chase World of Hyatt (Chase Hyatt card review) – Hyatt offers beautiful hotels and resorts around the world. While not as big as Hilton or Marriott, it is growing rapidly. The Hyatt card offers an annual free night and complimentary elite status. Should be part of every military servicemember's hotel credit card collection: Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG.
• Chase Freedom Flex℠ Credit Card x3 (cash back credit cards for military) – 5% cash back on rotating categories like Netflix, gas, Costco, and groceries. My first credit card after graduating college means I'll keep this one for a long time. I have multiples of this card because of downgrading other cards. Compare the Chase Freedom Flex vs Chase Freedom Unlimited.
• Chase Freedom Unlimited^® Credit Card (best cash back cards for military) – 1.5% cash back on all purchases. A great fall back card if what your buying doesn't fall into a bonus category for another card.

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards^®
• 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal
• 3x points on dining (includes takeout, delivery, and dine-in)
• 2x points on all other travel purchases
• Points can also be redeemed with “Pay Yourself Back” for 1.25 cents each on eligible purchases in select, rotating categories
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards(R). For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• No foreign transaction fees, great for overseas OCONUS assignments, TDY, and PCS
• Primary rental car insurance coverage & trip cancellation/interruption insurance
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Upgrade to a Chase Sapphire Reserve after 1 year (compare Reserve vs Preferred)
• $95 annual fee waived for military and spouses with Chase Military Lending Act
• Member FDIC

Citi Cards

My Citi^® Premier^® Card is annual fee waived thanks to MLA. Citi Prestige is also MLA fee waived.

Citi Premier^® Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou(R) Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
• 60,000 points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards at thankyou.com
• Earn 3 points per $1 spent at at restaurants and supermarkets
• Earn 3 points per $1 spent on Gas Stations, Air Travel, and Hotels
• 1 point per $1 on everything else
• Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
• No foreign transaction fees
• $95 annual fee waived for military with Citi military policy

Citi^® AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^®
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage^® bonus miles after making $7,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening
• Admirals Club^® membership for you and access for up to two guests or immediate family members traveling with you
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
• Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage^® mile earned from purchases
• First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 8 companions traveling with you on the same reservation

Capital One®

I have 2 Capital One cards: Capital One Venture X Rewards Card and the Capital One® Spark® Business Cash card.

The Capital One Spark Business Cash card was offering an insane 200,000 point welcome bonus when you spend $50,000. (Note: offer is no longer available.)

I was able to hit the welcome bonus on this card and earn $3,000 cash back. That was a nice check to receive!

Capital One Venture X Rewards Card
Learn how to apply at our partner's secure site

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
• $300 annual travel credit for hotels, airfare, rental cars, and other travel booked through Capital One Travel portal
• 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary (at least $100 of travel)
• 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and our Partner Lounge Network
• Receive up to a $100 credit for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
• Up to 4 free authorized users (with Capital One Lounge access)
• $395 annual fee, terms apply
• No foreign transaction fees, good for OCONUS military families or TDY servicemembers
• Elevate your stay at luxury hotels and resorts from the Premier Collection with a $100 experience credit, daily breakfast for 2 and complimentary WiFi on every booking, plus other premium benefits like room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout when available
• Read the full Capital One Venture X Rewards card review
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Card – learn how to apply

Welcome Bonuses on my Credit Cards

With these cards and the ones I've closed, I received the following cumulative welcome bonuses:

• 575,000 Hilton Honors points
• 480,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 420,000 Amex Membership Rewards
• 310,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
• 250,000 American Airlines miles
• 100,000 IHG Points
• 60,000 Citi Thank You Points
• 75,000 Delta Skymiles
• 50,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles
• 50,000 Hyatt Points
• $3,700 cash back

I also receive the following recurring benefits annually:

• $1,420 Uber or Uber Eats credit ($100 per month, $220 in December)
• $2,350 annual airline fee credit
• $750 credit at Hilton hotels and resorts
• $600 travel credit
• Domestic first class companion pass on Delta

I also max out my “refer a friend” for cards every year, which results in the additional points with no spending:

• 550,000 AMEX Membership Rewards (can cash out at 1.25 cents per point = $6875 minimum per year)
• 240,000 Hilton Honors points
• 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points
• 55,000 Delta Skymiles

I pay $0 in annual fees thanks to the Chase Military Lending Act and Amex MLA policy The Spark Cash card is a $95 annual fee not waived for military, but I will probably close the account before the annual fee posts.

The Next Credit Card to Open

I keep this page updated with the best credit card welcome bonuses available to military servicemembers. I also have my recommended order to open credit cards for military servicemembers and their spouses.

Personally, I have maxed out my Chase 5/24 and Amex 5 credit card limit (not charge cards like the Platinum). My wife still has a lot of Amex cards she is eligible for so she will probably open more of those this year.

Impact on Credit Score

Opening up this many credit cards has not impacted my credit score.

Here are my March 2020 Credit Karma credit scores:

And here are my June 2023 CreditKarma scores:

Over the years my score has fluctuated a bit but never dipped below 760 for very long and is usually over 800.

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