If you’ve ever tuned into an episode of Stack Your Points, you’ve heard Lani and me say “pick your partners” so often it should be legally classified as a verbal tic. We’ve leaned into it hard, but there’s a method to the madness. It’s the only way to prevent my least favorite psychological condition: swipe paralysis.
We’ve all been there.
You’re at the register, the total pops up, and the person behind you is breathing down your neck with the intensity of a marathon runner at mile 24. Suddenly you’re staring into your wallet like Indiana Jones looking at the Ark of the Covenant, terrified that picking the wrong card will melt your face off (or worse, earn you only 1x back).Nobody should be burning precious brain cells trying to optimize a $14 cheeseburger.
So I did the homework. I audited my life, my loyalties, and tmy cards, and I built a pre-approved hierarchy. Now when it’s time to pay, my brain can stay focused on the important stuff, like whether I actually needed the extra bacon on that burger. (Spoiler: I did.)
If you need a recap on the roster, check out my “What’s in My Wallet” post here. But before we get to the “who-swipes-where,” we have to talk about the partners. Without them, your card strategy isn’t a strategy; it’s just chaos with a spreadsheet taped to it.
Delta. I fly Delta exclusively. I’m a regional airport traveler, and when you combine that reality with their soft product and rewards structure, they’ve got me. Switching airlines at this point would be more paperwork than a home closing. It would take a “the airline no longer physically exists” level of catastrophe to pry me loose.
Hotels. IHG is my baseline; Hilton is my backup dancer. Beyond that, I use the Delta portal for those sweet MQDs, or Amex FHR/THC when I’m feeling fancy. I’ve got nothing against Marriott or Hyatt, I’m just rarely booking them directly.
Once the partners are set, the logic becomes a religion with four commandments:
- Membership Rewards win on default.
- Cash back overrides MR only when the gap is embarrassing. 6% beats 2x every day of the week.
- IHG beats Hilton in the 3x vs. 5x showdown.
- If I can earn more than 1x on Delta, Delta jumps to the front of the line.
For the obvious stuff, I’m not going to bore you. Delta for Delta, Amtrak for Amtrak, hotel cards for their hotel. Those cards basically jump out of the wallet themselves. For everything else, here’s the flowchart I’ve burned into my retinas:
| Category | Primary | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Catch-all | Amex BBP (2x) | Delta Reserve, if I want the 10:1 MQD boost |
| Dining / Groceries | Amex Gold (4x) | IHG Premier (5x at groceries) |
| General Travel / Transit | Amex Green (3x) | FNBO Amtrak Preferred (2x) |
| Gas Stations | Amex BBP (2x) | IHG Premier (5x) |
| EV Charging | Amex BBP (2x) | Hilton Honors Biz (5x) |
| Entertainment | Amex BBP (2x) | TD Cash (3%) |
| Walmart / Amazon | USB Shopper Cash (6%) | Amex BBP (2x) |
Is it a little unhinged to have a mental algorithm for a tank of gas? Maybe.
But here’s the superpower of this system: if I’m tired, or the line is long, and I just double-tap Apple Pay and let the BBP handle it at 2x, it’s fine. The world keeps spinning. Unless I need specific purchase protections (where the Platinum or Delta Reserve step in), 2x Amex is a very cozy floor to land on.
I have a plan, and even when I fail, the system wins. That’s worth at least 1.5x on its own.
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