Card Families
Open cards in the right order
Sequencing matters more than the cards. These 6 families maximize total welcome bonuses while respecting issuer rules (5/24, 48-month rule, once-per-lifetime).
Chase Ink Business — the 5/24 cheat code
4 cards × 100K Ultimate Rewards each. Business cards don't add to your 5/24 count — open them while keeping personal slots free.
Total welcome value
~$5,500
Cumulative annual fee
$290 ($95 + $195)
Spacing
90 days between Chase applications. Spread across 12 months for safest approval.…
Application sequence
Chase
Ink Cash$0
No annual fee — lowest risk first card to test Chase business approval. 5% on office supplies + internet/cable/phone.
Chase
Ink Unlimited$0
Also no fee. 1.5× everywhere — pair with Cash for any spend that isn't in a bonus category. Two welcome bonuses, zero AF.
Chase
Ink Preferred$95/yr
Now you have history with Chase Business + UR balances earned. 100K signup unlocks the Hyatt transfer game.
Rules you must follow
- •Subject to Chase 5/24 (you must be UNDER 5/24 to be approved).
- •You can't hold welcome bonus on the same Ink card within 24 months.
- •Any side-hustle income qualifies (rideshare, eBay, freelance, content). Use SSN + business name.
Best for
Side-hustlers, freelancers, small business owners. The highest-ROI sequence in US points.
Spacing
90 days between Chase applications. Spread across 12 months for safest approval.
Bilt — the rent-points trinity
The only US cards that earn points on rent. Start free, upgrade only when your rent justifies it.
Total welcome value
N/A (no signup bonus)
Cumulative annual fee
$590 if you get all three
Spacing
Wait 6+ months between Mastercard → Obsidian upgrade. Palladium is by invitation…
Application sequence
Rules you must follow
- •Bilt cards count toward Chase 5/24. Each open card uses one slot.
- •You must use the card 5+ times per statement period to earn rent points.
Best for
Renters paying $1,500+/month. The only path to Hyatt 1:1 without an annual fee.
Spacing
Wait 6+ months between Mastercard → Obsidian upgrade. Palladium is by invitation only.
Chase Sapphire — start small, upgrade later
You can't hold both Sapphire Preferred and Reserve simultaneously. The 48-month rule blocks getting the welcome bonus on either if you held the other recently. Strategy: Preferred → keep for 12 months → downgrade or product-change.
Total welcome value
~$3,000 (if Reserve at year 2)
Cumulative annual fee
$95 → $795 (if Reserve)
Spacing
Keep Preferred at least 12 months before product-changing or closing — Chase cla…
Application sequence
Chase
Sapphire Preferred$95/yr
Lowest-risk entry to Chase UR ecosystem. $95 fee, 75K bonus, all the same transfer partners as Reserve.
Chase
Freedom Unlimited$0
Pair with Preferred to earn 1.5× everywhere. No fee, points flow into your transferable UR balance.
Rules you must follow
- •Cannot hold Preferred AND Reserve simultaneously.
- •48-month rule: can't get welcome bonus on a Sapphire if you held one in the past 48 months.
- •Subject to Chase 5/24.
Best for
First-time travel rewards user, immigrants building credit, anyone with <12 months of US history.
Spacing
Keep Preferred at least 12 months before product-changing or closing — Chase claws back the bonus otherwise.
Amex Hilton — the lifetime bonus stack
Each Hilton card has a once-per-lifetime welcome bonus. Open them in order, hit each bonus, end up with 400K+ Hilton points.
Total welcome value
~$1,800 (Hilton points × 0.4¢/pt)
Cumulative annual fee
$700 (Surpass + Aspire)
Spacing
Wait 90 days between Amex applications. Spread across 9-12 months for safest app…
Application sequence
Amex
Hilton Honors$0
No fee entry. Easiest Hilton approval, gets you started with Silver status.
Amex
Hilton Surpass$150/yr
$150 fee, Gold status, 130K+ welcome. Worth it if you do 4+ Hilton stays/year.
Rules you must follow
- •Once-per-lifetime bonus per card — never re-applies even after closing.
- •Amex pop-up: if you get "you are not eligible for the welcome offer", abandon the application.
Best for
Hilton loyalists, beach/resort travelers, anyone who values automatic Diamond status.
Spacing
Wait 90 days between Amex applications. Spread across 9-12 months for safest approval.
Southwest Companion Pass — the holy grail
Earn 135K Rapid Rewards in a calendar year → you get free flights for ONE designated companion on every Southwest flight for the rest of the year + the next full year. Effectively 2-for-1 flights for ~18 months.
Total welcome value
~$1,400 in flights (135K Rapid Rewards) + Companion Pass for ~18 months
Cumulative annual fee
$198 ($99 × 2)
Spacing
Both cards must hit their welcome bonus in the SAME calendar year. Open Jan, hit…
Application sequence
Rules you must follow
- •Subject to Chase 5/24 — both cards count.
- •Companion Pass earned mid-year is valid for rest of THAT year + full next year. So qualifying early (Q1) maximizes its 18-month window.
Best for
Couples or parent-child duos who fly Southwest 4+ times a year. Effectively halves your flight budget.
Spacing
Both cards must hit their welcome bonus in the SAME calendar year. Open Jan, hit min-spend by Mar/Apr, qualify by mid-year.
Marriott Bonvoy — the free-night trifecta
Multiple Marriott cards each grant an anniversary free-night certificate. Stack 3 cards = 3 free nights/year + 50+ elite nights.
Total welcome value
~$1,500 in free nights + 45+ elite nights/yr
Cumulative annual fee
$345 (Boundless + Bountiful)
Spacing
90 days between Chase applications. Holding Bold doesn't block Boundless (differ…
Application sequence
Chase
Bonvoy Bold$0
Free, no annual fee. Low-risk first card to test approval. Silver status + 15 elite-qualifying nights.
Chase
Bonvoy Boundless$95/yr
$95 fee. Free night Cat 35K each year (Hyatt Regency-tier hotels) + 15 elite-qualifying nights. Pays for itself in one stay.
Rules you must follow
- •Subject to Chase 5/24.
- •Marriott's "one cobrand at a time" rule: you cannot apply for Bonvoy cobrand if you opened ANY Bonvoy cobrand in last 24 months (other than chase-managed transitions).
Best for
Travelers who hit 3+ Marriott stays/yr. The 3-card stack effectively gives you Platinum status.
Spacing
90 days between Chase applications. Holding Bold doesn't block Boundless (different products).
Next step
Before you sequence — check approval odds
Card families assume you'll get approved at each step. Run the Approval Predictor to map your real path.