I Have 25 Credit Cards. Here’s Why That Actually Works

… and the 1 I’d recommend to you

My name is Summer, and I currently have 25 open credit cards … and I’m neither (too) foolish nor in debt. If, out of morbid curiosity, you want to know what all 25 are, I’ll list them at the end.

I have no credit card debt, an 820-ish credit score and — believe it or not — I come out way ahead, despite some hefty annual fees, by earning hundreds of thousands of points and getting thousands of dollars in value from perks.

If you grew up thinking credit cards are bad — and this all sounds a little unhinged — I get it.

It took years to convince my own parents that this was the way to opening up the world and traveling more for less. And, to be clear, I don’t think anyone needs anywhere close to 25 cards.

But I do think most people are leaving a lot of value on the table if they don’t have at least one credit card.

So here’s why I have them, and what I’d recommend if you want to start with one.

Conrad Bora Bora Nui. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY

Big welcome bonuses (aka the initial reason I opened many of these)

Let’s start with what may (or may not be) obvious: A big reason I opened many of these cards was the welcome bonuses.

We’re not talking about a $200 statement credit or 20% off at the register. We’re talking 100,000 to 200,000 points — often worth $1,000 to $3,000 in travel per card.

That’s a plane ticket. Sometimes a whole trip.

So the first (and sometimes best) reason to get a rewards card is simple: when the bonus alone gets you meaningfully closer to a trip you actually want to take.

Elite status jump starts

I am, admittedly, an elite status junkie.

Earning Hyatt Globalist status (hello, suite upgrades and fluffy pancakes at breakfast) or United Airlines Premier Platinum status (extra legroom and occasional upgrades), for example, makes my travel noticeably better.

Park Hyatt New York. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY

But here’s a secret: I don’t earn all of that status the hard way.

Many of my credit cards:

• Give me a head start toward status

• Offer award nights or credits toward status based on spending

• Or just hand me the status outright

Which means I get many of the perks of the “road warrior life” without actually being on the road 75-100 nights a year.

Paying fewer miles for the exact same flight

Here’s a not-so-fun fact: Not everyone pays the same number of miles for the same flight.

Some airlines now charge people without their respective credit cards more miles than cardholders.

For example, I checked a Houston-to-Orlando summertime flight on United Airlines:

• 22,000 miles for a non-cardholder

• 13,500 miles for me

Same seat. Same plane. Different pricing. (Here’s a whole study we did on this if you want more data points.)

Is it fair? Not necessarily. Is that how the game works now? Very much yes.

Having the right card lets you stack the deck a bit more in your favor.

Airport lounges (aka the ‘better chair’ debate)

We’ve already established that I “pay hundreds in annual fees to sit in a better chair in the airport.”

But that’s not really the full story of what’s happening.

Amex Sidecar Lounge. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY

What that lounge access (courtesy of my credit cards) actually looks like is:

• Momofuku pork buns in Las Vegas

• A truly memorable chicken parm slider served within eight minutes of ordering

• An entire wine-and-cheese experience

• … or just a quiet place to regroup that isn’t Gate 32

Capital One Lounge. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY

It’s not always about luxury for luxury’s sake. Sometimes, it’s about making the worst part of travel a little more tolerable (and not spending $30 on a mediocre sandwich and drink in the terminal). Occasionally, it makes being at the airport downright enjoyable.

Access to credits and perks

Want to avoid checked bag fees? Want rewards each year to use for “free” hotel stays? Want credits to try great restaurants or get the newest Lululemon gear with no out-of-pocket cost each quarter?

A lot of my cards come with built-in value that ranges from $10 a month to several hundred dollars a year.

The catch? These credits only work if you actually use them.

Which is why I always tell people: Start small, with just one or two cards to learn the system. And don’t let credits go to waste.

If you are only going to have 1 rewards card …

The best card to have depends entirely on your goals and spending or travel patterns.

If you want:

• Access to the most lounges, I recommend choosing between these two

• To get free checked bags on United and pay a bit less for United award flights, I’d recommend the United℠ Explorer Card

• Travel perks and to earn points on your rent or mortgage (yes, really), I’d recommend the Bilt Palladium Card (see rates and fees)

But if what you want is a low-annual-fee card that gets you started in the right direction toward earning valuable rewards, then after 15 years of experience doing this, I’d probably recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

It comes with a $95 annual fee, offers bonus points on travel and dining spending, and earns flexible points that you can transfer to partners such as United, Hyatt, British Airways, Southwest Airlines and many more.

It also has some solid built-in travel protections in case your bags get lost or weather grounds your flight – as long as you use the card for your flight purchases.

As of this writing, the bonus (see reason No. 1 to get a rewards card) is solid at 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Last year, the bonus spiked all the way to 100,000 points, which was fantastic.

We don’t know if that will happen again, but you can opt in here if you want us to let you know if the bonus does increase this year.

The point of all this

So yes, I have 25 credit cards.

I don’t regret them. If I did, I’d cancel them, which I sometimes do.

But the point isn’t to collect cards like Pokemon traders.

It’s about getting and using them intentionally. Turn the spending you’re already doing every single day into better trips, better experiences and, occasionally, a much better (included) airport meal than you were expecting.

That journey to the other side of the world, if that’s where you want to be, starts with having one good card.

If you stuck around to the end, here’s the full list of what is currently in my wallet (and sock drawer, and safe, and … you get the point):

My workhorses

• Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

• American Express® Gold Card

• Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

• Bilt Palladium Card

My hotel status helpers and award night providers

• World of Hyatt Credit Card

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

• Marriott Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

The airline lineup

• United Club℠ Card

• United℠ Business Card

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

• Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card

• Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Mastercard®

• Avianca Lifemiles American Express® Card

The small-business cards

• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

• American Express® Business Gold Card

The “I’ve had these forever and they still make sense” cards

• Chase Freedom Flex®

• Amex EveryDay® Credit Card

• Citi Strata Premier® Card

• Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card

The one I use for lounges more than purchases

• American Express Platinum Card®

The “plz don’t judge me” retail cards that give me discounts and perks

• Pottery Barn Credit Card

• Nordstrom Visa® Credit Card