The credit cards TPG staffers are applying for now

There are a lot of credit cards you could apply for. A lot. Sifting through the myriad credit cards available on the market to figure out which credit card you should apply for next can be daunting.

We receive a constant stream of questions about what credit cards people should apply for next. And while we can’t provide personalized strategies for everyone, it’s worth highlighting our own approaches in case this helps you decide what card or cards you should apply for at this moment.

Related: The best increased card offers to sign up for this month

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AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®

Andrew Kunesh, points and miles senior editor

I applied for the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Business card earlier this month. The increased bonus offer was tempting as I’m currently running low on American Airlines miles, and the $95 statement credit to offset the annual fee sealed the deal. The offer is for 80,000 American Airlines miles plus a $95 statement credit after spending $2,000 on the card in the first 90 days.

Some great AAdvantage program sweet spots include first class to Japan on Japan Airlines for 80,000 miles one-way or to Europe in business class with American Airlines for 57,500 miles one-way. Plus, this card won’t count against my 5/24 status as it’s a business card, and it will be my last card of the year as I wait to go under 5/24 in early 2023.

The information for the Aviator Business card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Aeroplan® Credit Card

Ehsan Haque, points and miles reporter

I applied for this card for several reasons. First, I prefer the points bonus available now to the previous bonus that had multiple tiers and higher spending requirements. Now, cardholders can earn 70,000 bonus points simply after spending $3,000 on purchases within three months of account opening.

Since I have family in Canada, I fly on Air Canada pretty often. Thus, Aeroplan points help me a lot, but so will the other benefits the card has. Cardholders get Aeroplan 25K status for the rest of the year in which they open the card plus the entire following year. And you can keep that status by spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year. Additionally, cardholders receive 20 eUpgrade credits to upgrade from economy to premium cabins on Air Canada-operated flights.

Official application link: Aeroplan Credit Card

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Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card

Ryan Smith, credit cards writer

I applied for this card — along with other TPG employees — because of the best-ever public welcome offer for 70,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within 90 days from account opening.

Alaska Airlines miles are extremely valuable. For example, this bonus provides enough miles for a one-way business-class flight from the continental U.S. to Australia on Cathay Pacific or to the South Pacific with Fiji Airways; these are also enough miles for a round-trip economy flight from the continental U.S. to Europe with most of Alaska’s airline partners.

On top of this, the companion fare from $121 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $22) included in the offer is extremely valuable to me. My wife and I have already booked round-trip flights to Fairbanks, Alaska in March 2023 to see the northern lights. Using this companion fare, we saved over $400 on our round-trip economy flights.

Official application link: Alaska Airlines Visa Business Card

American Express® Gold Card

Christina Ly, SEO content writer

I got into the American Express Membership Rewards ecosystem earlier this year with The Platinum Card® from American Express since I had a lot of trips and flights lined up. After a busy year of travel, things are settling down, and my primary expenses are changing.

I am hoping to fill in the gap with the Amex Gold to maximize my Amex points-earning game. The Amex Gold has a great bonus with an achievable spending requirement, which will make it fairly easy for me to earn. New applicants can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.

In addition, the Amex Gold Card really is one of the best cards out there if you’re a foodie: It earns 4 points per dollar at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets. Plus, the Uber Eats and Grubhub credits make the card nearly free to me, with up to $240 in credits on a card with a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees).

Official application link: American Express Gold Card

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Chase Freedom Flex

Emily Thompson, credit cards writer

I love the versatility of Chase Ultimate Rewards, which I’ve been earning with my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and my Chase Freedom Unlimited.

I went back under 5/24 in September, and when Chase announced the quarterly bonus categories for the Chase Freedom Flex would be Walmart and PayPal for October to December 2022, I knew I wanted it to be my next card. I get most of my groceries and gas from a Walmart Neighborhood Market close to my house, and I know I’ll use PayPal a lot for my holiday shopping in the next few months. For me, it was a no-brainer to take advantage of the chance to maximize my points at the places I’m already spending the most right now, earning 5 points per dollar on the first $1,500 spent in these categories during the quarter.

Official application link: Chase Freedom Flex

Citi Premier® Card

Kyle Olsen, points and miles reporter

For 2022, I’ve gone all-in on transferable points.

The current 80,000-point welcome bonus (after spending $4,000 on the card within the first three months) on the Citi Premier Card is highly appealing, as it would help me create a further diversified points and miles portfolio with ThankYou points. There are several hidden gems on Citi’s transfer partner list, including Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, which has sweet spots like from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to South Asia in business class for 52,500 miles one-way or from anywhere in the United States to Hawaii for 7,500 miles one-way in economy class on United Airlines.

Additionally, if I open the Citi Premier Card, the ThankYou points on my Citi® Double Cash Card would be combinable with the points from the Citi Premier card. Just currently holding the Double Cash Card, my transfer partner choices are limited; at present, I can’t transfer ThankYou points to Turkish Airlines. With the Citi Premier card, my ThankYou points from the Double Cash card would become significantly more valuable overnight. And with 80,000 bonus points, I’d likely open the floodgates on maximizing redemptions through Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.

Official application link: Citi Premier Card

The American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem. RYAN SMITH/THE POINTS GUY

IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

Katie Genter, senior points and miles reporter

Frequent TPG readers know I think there’s a ton of value to be found in the new IHG One Rewards program and in redeeming IHG points. Although TPG’s valuations peg the value of IHG points at just 0.5 cents each, I can usually get more than 1 cent per point in value when redeeming IHG points.

Although I already have two personal IHG cards, including the IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card, I’m still eager to apply for the IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card soon. Many of the benefits of the card overlap with those I already have with the IHG Rewards Premier Card, so I’m primarily adding the card to my wallet for its sign-up bonus of 140,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Plus, one of the card’s benefits is an anniversary night worth up to 40,000 points after each account anniversary year. I’ll surely get more value out of that than the card’s $99 annual fee, so I’ll likely keep the card for the long term once I get it.

Official application link: IHG Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

Bottom line

As you can see, TPG staffers are applying for different cards for different reasons. Consider your current situation and what can add value to your cards portfolio, especially with a big sign-up bonus.

Also, look at our list of the best credit cards for each spending category. If you aren’t earning bonus points and miles on your typical purchases, that might be an angle for your next credit card application.

For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card, click here.