Best Credit Cards to Travel as a Consultant (updated for 2019)

Hey everyone, I just started my first job as an associate consultant and I 'm hearing about all the opportunities to amass travel/hotel points if you're smart and sign up for the right rewards programs/credit cards. Everyone around my office has different opinions, and a lot of info on this topic within WSO is too old to be relevant anymore -- SO: does anyone out there have suggestions for the best offers as of August 2019?

 
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Assuming your firm lets you use a personal credit card, books travel through AMEX, and you get staffed on a travel case, here's my recommendation:

1) Chase Sapphire Reserve - Use this for everything not listed below. Especially dining and ubers, because you'll get 3x points that turn into 4.5x when you redeem for travel.

2) AMEX Platinum - Use this for flights. If your company uses AMEX travel, you'll get 5x points.

3) Marriott Bonvoy Boundless - Use this for hotels, and only stay at Marriott for 6x points.

4) A no-fee credit care like Citi double cash or something like that. Use this for all PERSONAL expenses which will make it significantly easier to do expenses.

Also, I would highly recommend setting up a separate checking account that's only linked to cards 1-3 so you can keep business and personal separated. Set up your expense reimbursement to go to this account, keep a ~5K buffer for the lag between the time you pay for stuff and the time you get reimbursed, and you should be golden.

 

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