My 2026 Credit Card Strategy: Out with the Old, In with the Points!
Hey friends, what's up? Phillip here with Points With Phillip, and today I'm going to talk a little bit about my plans for 2026 and how I'm going to optimize my wallet even further. For those who don't know, I opened up a whopping 25 credit cards in 2025! While I definitely don't anticipate that much new card activity for 2026, the theme of the game is simplification and optimization.
I'll still be opening some new accounts, but a lot of what I'm doing is closing cards to make room for others, all while continuing my quest to earn more points – especially with American Express and potentially Citi, depending on how much they decide they like me!
Let's dive into what's staying, what's going, and what's on my radar for 2026.
Making Room: The Cards Getting the Chop!
First, let's talk about the cards I'm planning to close or downgrade to make way for new opportunities:
Amex Business Gold: I opened this card in February 2025 and used it to hit a great signup bonus. While it's been a solid card, offering $20 in business credits monthly and 4x points on gas and transit (I use it for my Squarespace website and emails!), the $375 annual fee is a consideration. My plan is to cancel once the annual fee posts, hoping to be retargeted for another no-lifetime-language (NLL) offer down the road, as this card often sees those.
Amex Blue Business Cash & Blue Business Plus: These two are definitely going. My Blue Business Plus has been effectively replaced by my Venture X card as my go-to catch-all for everyday spending. As for the Blue Business Cash, I'm simply not a fan of how American Express does their cashback. The main reason for closing both? American Express has a strict 5-credit-card limit, and I need to free up those slots for future Amex card opportunities.
Amex Business Platinum (my first one): I got my first Business Platinum in April 2025. While I love the benefits, the $895 annual fee is substantial. I'm looking to close this one to clear the deck for potential new signup bonuses or NLL offers in the future.
Amex Personal Platinum: This card was an upgrade from a Gold card, and while I enjoy its benefits, the $895 annual fee again makes me pause. My strategy here is to downgrade it to the Amex Green card. I'll then wait for an upgrade offer back to the Platinum – last year, I snagged an incredible 125,000-point upgrade offer, and I'm hoping to match that in the coming year!
Delta Business Gold: This card came with no annual fee for the first year, but a $150 fee is coming up. My plan here is a bit more strategic: I'm either going to close it and apply for the personal version, or, if I have an Amex credit card slot available, I'll apply for the Delta Business Platinum card outright. Then, I'll process an upgrade offer from the Delta Business Gold to the Delta Business Platinum. This way, I could potentially snag two signup bonuses – one for opening a card and one for upgrading! Having two Delta Platinum cards (business or personal) could be hugely beneficial for things like monthly Resy credits, boosting Delta status, and, most importantly, companion passes. With a new family member joining us next year, those companion passes will help our points and dollars go much further!
Exciting New Additions: What I'm Targeting for 2026!
Now for the fun part – the cards I'm actively pursuing for 2026:
Amex Business Gold (again, with a big bonus!): As mentioned, if a targeted offer for 150,000 or even 200,000 points surfaces, I'll be all over it.
Bilt 2.0 Cards: This is a big one! With Mesa unfortunately shutting down and no longer allowing points on mortgage payments, I desperately need a new way to earn rewards on this significant expense. Bilt is poised to release new cards in 2026, likely with different annual fee tiers. Given their fantastic transfer partners like American Airlines and Hyatt, I'm eager to get one and keep earning on my mortgage.
Citi Strata Elite: Citi has been stepping up its rewards game lately. The Strata Elite, with its $595 annual fee, offers interesting credits (splurge, Blacklane) and multipliers (1.5x catch-all, 6x on dining). The four American Airlines lounge passes are a huge draw for me. I'm hoping for a strong signup bonus, as I want to avoid product changing from my existing Citi Platinum Select card and missing out on that initial bonus.
Citi Double Cash: A classic for a reason, this card offers 2x on every purchase. If I'm expanding my Citi points ecosystem, this is a no-brainer. I'll be looking for a signup bonus, especially if it comes with a 0% APR offer, which is great for larger, planned purchases.
Citi American Airlines Executive Card: Known as the "AA Black Card" in some circles, this metal card offers American Airlines lounge membership. As American Airlines becomes a central part of my domestic travel strategy, having lounge access wherever they fly (and they fly to a lot of places!) is incredibly appealing. I'll be targeting a high signup bonus to make this card truly worthwhile.
Marriott Business Card (Amex): By freeing up those Amex credit card slots, I'm making room for this beauty. My ultimate goal is to wait for a 5 Free Night Award offer, hopefully in Spring 2026. These typically come with a 50,000-point cap per night, but you can top them up with your existing points to reach 65,000 per night – incredible value for some top-tier stays!
Capital One SaverX (potential): Rumors of a new Capital One SaverX card with higher multipliers and an annual fee have been circulating. While Capital One points aren't as easy to use domestically as some others, I do enjoy them. If this card appears in 2026, I'll definitely be looking to sign up or potentially product change.
Hilton Honors (no AF) -> Aspire (upgrade): This is a simple but powerful upgrade. Living in Orlando means I'm surrounded by Hilton resorts, making it incredibly easy to maximize the Aspire's resort credits. Plus, I'll gain another free night award, perfect for extending stays or a special getaway.
What's Your Strategy?
So, that's my current game plan for optimizing my credit card wallet in 2026 – closing some, upgrading others, and targeting new cards for big point gains. It's all about making sure every card in my wallet is working its hardest for me and my travel goals.
Let me know in the comments below if there's anything I'm missing, or if you have any insights or suggestions for my strategy! I can't wait to hear from you.