Capybara
Editor
How I value points vs cashback
The beauty of cashback is that it's pure, cold hard cash—no games, no fluff. However, points can have their upsides but I like to keep it balanced and not overindex on either currency.
Capybara is deeply antiquated with credit cards, but favors a combined points & cashback strategy that helps him maximize his day to day spend. Given he lives in New York, he is quite flexible, since there are so many different airlines to choose from between JFK, LGA, and EWR.
Capybara's favorite cards are:
- Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards: Given Capybara has Platinum Honors status with BofA, he gets an extra 75% bonus on his cashback earned. So, effectively, he gets 2.625% on all his spend (note: he hasn't cleared the Robinhood Gold card waitlist yet, sadly)
- American Express Platinum Card: Since Capybara is so flexible, he enjoys taking advantage of the various lounge benefits that the Platinum has. He can access Centurion lounges at JFK or LGA (and eventually EWR) and Delta SkyClubs (when flying Delta). Plus, he gets 5x points on his flight purchases. Just gotta be mindful of the $895 annual fee...
He used to like the American Express Gold Card, but it became a huge hassle that just wasn't worth the mental upkeep. He's since kept his wallet a bit slimmer, using a combination of cards that help cover a bunch of categorical bases.
Articles by Capybara
What is the new $250 Chase Sapphire Reserve® hotel credit?
With the new year comes a variety of credit resets, removals, and additions. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® introduced a new, special $250 credit just for 2026 that is likely to be extraordinarily useful for many travelers—and there's significant stacking op...
Should I book flights with cash or points?
When it comes to planning my travel adventures, I always make sure to reference multiple price points for the flights and accommodation that I need. Before I knew about the world of credit cards and points, I always thought about costs in terms of cash. I ...