Credit Cards: What's in My Wallet for 2026
All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life
Intro
Chris Hutchins introduces the episode goals: reviewing his 2026 credit card lineup and optimization approach.
#267: Chris reviews his credit card lineup for 2026, sharing which cards he's keeping and canceling and why. He also covers how to evaluate annual fees, the best cards across major spending categories, and the apps he uses to stay on top of it all.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/whats-in-my-wallet-2026/
Link to Cards Mentioned: https://chrishutchins.com/blog/whats-in-my-wallet-for-2026/
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Resources Mentioned
CardTool App (Free access here)
Blog Posts
- Premium Card Worksheet
- How to maximize your Hilton cards
- 6 reasons to avoid booking through an online travel agency
- Existing Bank of America relationship customers to keep status longer
Credit Card Trackers
- CardPointers Pro (30% off here and 50% off here)
- CardRight
- Travel Freely
ATH Podcast
- Best Cards Page
- CardTool App
- Membership
- Chris’s Card Optimization Spreadsheet
- AMA: Submit A Question
- Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
- Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@chrishutchins.com
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(02:42) 3 Key Reasons to Get A Credit Card
(05:23) Chris' Credit Card Goals for 2026
(08:31) Evaluating The Net Annual Fee of A Card
(12:56) The Amex Card Stack
(23:19) Co-Branded Marriott Cards
(25:32) Co-Branded Hilton Cards
(27:00) Co-Branded Delta Cards
(28:12) The Amex Blue Card
(30:34) A Popular Bank's Cards
(33:10) World of Hyatt Business Card
(33:30) Co-Branded Southwest & United Cards
(40:41) More Cards From The Popular Bank
(42:11) Capital One Venture Cards
(45:17) Bank of America Card Stack
(51:09) Alaska Atmos Cards
(53:24) US Bank Cards
(55:22) Citi Bank Cards
(56:56) Wells Fargo Autograph Card
(57:43) The Bilt Palladium Card
(59:25) Assessing The Major Spending Categories
(01:06:32) Cards for Amazon & Costco
(01:07:13) The Best "Everything Else" Card
(01:08:47) Chris's Takeaway on Credit Card Spending Categories
(01:09:26) The Best Card Combos
(01:13:00) Credit Card Trackers
Connect with Chris
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Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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