A big year for new plastic—and real changes to your points math
Two things can be true at once: the best travel cards stayed familiar, and 2026 quietly rewrote how you’ll earn—and use—rewards. Chase beefed up Sapphire Preferred without raising its $95 fee, American Express gave Gold a 60th‑anniversary upgrade, and Samsung entered the U.S. market with a co‑brand that ties straight into its devices.
What changed—and why it matters now
Chase’s mid‑June refresh pushed Sapphire Preferred closer to a one‑card travel engine: 3x on gas and EV charging, 3x on vacation homes like Airbnb and Vrbo, a doubled $100 Chase Travel Hotel Credit, and a TSA PreCheck/Global Entry/NEXUS credit up to $120 every four years. Chase also added emergency evacuation coverage up to $100,000 and, for a limited time, a 100,000‑point welcome offer after $5,000 in three months. The catch: Ultimate Rewards now transfer to World of Hyatt at 4:3 rather than 1:1 on a stated timeline, so Hyatt loyalists will need to run the numbers before moving points. ([media.chase.com](https://media.chase.com/news/Meet-the-New-Chase-Sapphire-Preferred))
Amex Gold’s spring upgrade kept the $325 annual fee steady but made travel‑centric tweaks: 5x Membership Rewards on prepaid hotels booked via AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App, complimentary Hertz Five Star status, and an updated $120 Dining Credit with refreshed partners. Depending on your offer, publicly reported welcome bonuses have ranged up to six figures this year. ([nerdwallet.com](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/news/american-express-gold-card-unveils-new-and-updated-benefits?utm_source=openai))
And then there’s the newcomer: Samsung Galaxy Card, issued by Barclays on Visa. It leans into the Samsung ecosystem with 5% cash rewards on purchases made directly with Samsung, 3% on purchases made with Samsung Wallet, 2% on streaming, and 1% everywhere else—plus a $200 bonus after $2,000 in 90 days for early applicants around launch. If you live in Galaxy land, that 5% on devices and accessories can be compelling. ([samsungmobilepress.com](https://samsungmobilepress.com/articles/introducing-samsung-galaxy-card))
The quick calculus: which card wins where
- Road warriors and Airbnb regulars: Sapphire Preferred’s new 3x on gas/EV and 3x on vacation homes is real money. Spend $3,000 annually at the pump and $2,000 on Airbnb? That’s 15,000 Ultimate Rewards before any portal or transfer plays. Layer in the $100 Chase Travel Hotel Credit and the four‑year security‑program credit and you’ve offset the $95 fee with routine travel behavior—not hoop‑jumping. Just remember Hyatt transfers are now 4:3 for new applicants (and later this year for existing ones). If Hyatt redemptions are your core strategy, weigh redemptions through Chase Travel or shift some hotel stays to airline partners and cash‑like uses. ([media.chase.com](https://media.chase.com/news/Meet-the-New-Chase-Sapphire-Preferred))
- City diners and long‑weekend bookers: Amex Gold’s 5x on prepaid hotels via Amex Travel can out‑earn Sapphire in narrow, prepay‑friendly cases. Book a $1,200 prepaid city break through Amex Travel and you’re at 6,000 MR points versus 2x–5x depending on how you’d otherwise book. Add the $120 Dining Credit and complimentary Hertz Five Star, and Gold becomes a strong “earn‑on‑everyday, splurge‑on‑weekends” card. Welcome offers have recently varied widely (with outlets reporting targeted 60k–100k+ MR), so it’s worth checking what you personally see when you apply. ([nerdwallet.com](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/news/american-express-gold-card-unveils-new-and-updated-benefits?utm_source=openai))
- Samsung loyalists and gadget upgraders: If you regularly buy phones, wearables, or appliances direct from Samsung, 5% back with the Galaxy Card is straightforward value—and the 3% via Samsung Wallet broadens the everyday play. Pair a $1,500 device upgrade with accessories and Care+ and you’re looking at $75 back from the 5% rate before the launch bonus. Outside the Samsung and Wallet lanes, earning slips to 1%, so it’s best as a category specialist alongside a broader travel card. ([samsungmobilepress.com](https://samsungmobilepress.com/articles/introducing-samsung-galaxy-card))
What to apply for—and why now
- Chase Sapphire Preferred: The limited‑time 100,000‑point offer after $5,000 in three months is the headline. If you’ve been eyeing a flexible points hub, this is the window. The new earn on gas/EV and vacation homes starts paying immediately, and the protections/credits make the $95 fee easier to justify. If Hyatt is central to your plan, understand the 4:3 transfer shift—it’s live for new applicants now and set for October 1, 2026, for legacy cardholders. That makes applying now attractive for the bigger bonus, but transfers will be on the new math if you’re a new cardholder. ([media.chase.com](https://media.chase.com/news/Meet-the-New-Chase-Sapphire-Preferred))
- Amex Gold: If you book prepaid hotels at least a few times a year, 5x MR can rack up quickly. Add the refreshed $120 Dining Credit and Hertz Five Star status and it’s a strong everyday earner that travels well. Reported welcome offers have peaked as high as 100k this year via targeted/public channels—check what you’re targeted for before you pull the trigger. ([nerdwallet.com](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/news/american-express-gold-card-unveils-new-and-updated-benefits?utm_source=openai))
- Samsung Galaxy Card (Barclays): Consider it if you’re already deep in the Samsung ecosystem or plan a device purchase this fall. The $200 bonus after $2,000 in 90 days is modest but accessible, and 5% back on direct‑from‑Samsung can beat juggling portals and promo codes. Treat it as a complement to a primary travel card. ([samsungmobilepress.com](https://samsungmobilepress.com/articles/introducing-samsung-galaxy-card))
Make the strategy effortless with SuperPay
New earn rates and rotating promos are only valuable if you actually route spend to the right card. SuperPay’s Smart Card Picker tells you the exact card to use at every store—so when you walk into a gas station, you’ll get a nudge to use Sapphire Preferred for 3x, and when you’re prepaying a weekend hotel, you’ll see if Amex Gold’s 5x via Amex Travel is the top move.
If you’re testing Samsung’s card for device buys but still want strong daily rewards, SuperPay’s Spending reports show exactly how much each card earned last month—including how much more you would have earned by shifting a category. Snap a receipt with Receipt Scanner after a hotel or electronics purchase and see, line by line, what posted—and what you could have earned with a different card.
Your next move
Try PRO+ free for 7 days and unlock your personalized Rewards Roadmap. We’ll map the fastest route to more points with the cards you already have—and the ones worth applying for next.