Travel Rewards Newcomers Should Choose Transferable Points Over Airline or Hotel Cards, The Points Guy Says

Beginners to travel rewards cards should avoid cards tied to a single airline or hotel chain and instead choose cards with transferable points for greater booking flexibility, said Brian Kelly, founder of The Points Guy, in a MarketWatch interview published September 30, 2026. "It is not a good strategy in 2026 to love one airline and put all your spend on one airline and go all in, because it would be like investing for retirement in just Apple stock," Kelly said. Kelly advised evaluating three factors: the net annual fee after subtracting benefits you would use anyway, purchase and fraud protections, and whether the issuer allows downgrading to a lower-fee card to preserve credit history. He also recommended checking for retention bonuses or fee waivers before canceling. The Bilt Palladium ($495 annual fee) and Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95 annual fee) are among options for consumers comparing premium travel cards.