Card comparisons

The deciding factor is rent. Bilt is the only major program that earns transferable points on rent with no transaction fee, and its no-fee Blue card makes that free.

These sit at different tiers. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a $95 entry to transferable Chase points.

These cards do different jobs. The Amex Gold, at $325, is built for dining and U.S. supermarket spend, where about $424 in credits offset the fee.

Both are premium travel cards, but the value math is very different. The Capital One Venture X costs $395, and a $300 travel credit plus 10,000 anniversary miles bring the real cost near zero.

For most people the Capital One Venture X wins, because it costs less than half the Reserve and its $300 travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles bring the effective cost near zero, while still giving lounge access and 2x on everything.

These two answer different questions. The Amex Gold, at $325, earns 4x on dining and U.S. groceries, and about $424 in credits cover the fee, so it wins for heavy food spenders.

For most people the Venture X wins, even at the higher fee.

These cards do different jobs. Get the Amex Gold, at $325, to earn on dining and U.S. groceries, where about $424 in credits cover the fee.

For most people the Chase Sapphire Preferred wins. Its $95 fee is covered by a $100 hotel credit, and it earns the same transferable Chase points as the Reserve.

Chase first for most people because 5/24 makes Chase cards the scarce resource; Amex first when ANA or the Membership Rewards partner list is the target.