Bankrate staff insights
Capital One Venture X
My favorite card for redemptions is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card because I’m a sucker for a high-value Hyatt redemption. I love transferring my points to my World of Hyatt account for stellar value — such as a fall break trip to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, where my family of four stayed at a beautiful $450-a-night resort for just 15,000 points a night.
But my ride-or-die card is my Capital One Venture X. It’s the go-to I grab when my purchases won’t earn me more with another card. It’s the one that allows my children to happily indulge in complimentary gummy bears while I sip sparkling wine in an airport lounge. It’s the one that got me hooked on TSA PreCheck. It’s the one that helps me pay for random travel experiences — goat herding in Portugal, anyone? — that my other travel rewards simply can’t cover.

Brooklyn Lowery, senior editor