Just Perks, No Spending: Redditors Keep These 10 Credit Cards Open Solely for the Rewards

Your go-to credit card is the one you use for groceries, gas and everyday purchases. But the most valuable credit card in your wallet? That isn’t necessarily the one you use the most.

Some cardholders keep certain credit cards almost exclusively for the perks, including free hotel stays, airport lounge access, waived checked-bag fees or credits that help offset the annual fee.

In a recent discussion on Reddit’s r/CreditCards forum, users shared which cards they leave active for the perks, despite rarely reaching for them at checkout. Here are the benefits people say make some cards worth holding onto — and the catches to consider before paying an annual fee.

A free hotel night each year

A free hotel night every year can be one of the easier credit card perks to put a dollar value on. If you regularly stay at a particular hotel chain, a single anniversary night could be enough to recoup the cost of the annual fee — without requiring much spending on the card throughout the year.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card, for example, charges a $95 annual fee and gives cardholders a free night certificate every year after their account anniversary. The certificate is good for one night at a participating Category 1- 4 Hyatt property. Cardholders can also earn a second free night by spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year.

Other hotel chains offer similar benefits. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card has a $95 annual fee and comes with a free night certificate worth up to 35,000 points each year. The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, which charges a $150 annual fee, offers an annual free night certificate worth up to 50,000 points. Both programs also let cardholders add points to their certificates to book a more expensive property.

These perks can make a card worthwhile if you can redeem the certificate for a stay that costs more than the annual fee. But keep in mind that each has its own rules about which properties qualify, how many points the certificate covers and when it expires.

Availability can also be limited: Marriott hotels, for instance, may restrict the number of standard rooms available for certificate bookings on certain dates. And at some properties, you may still owe resort fees.

Airport lounge access

For frequent travelers, airport lounge access is another perk that might be worth paying for. Instead of buying food and drinks at the airport or waiting at a crowded gate, cardholders can use participating lounges for a quieter place to sit, grab a bite or get some work done.

The catch is that lounge access varies quite a bit depending on the credit card. Some offer unlimited visits, while others cap how often you can get in.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has a $395 annual fee and gives primary cardholders access to Capital One lounges and landings (restaurants), plus more than 1,300 participating Priority Pass lounges worldwide. Priority Pass is a membership program that connects travelers with airport lounges around the globe and cardholders must enroll to use the network.

The Venture X also comes with a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel and 10,000 bonus miles each year on the account anniversary, which can also help make up for the annual fee.

The value of lounge access depends heavily on where and how often you travel. A card may advertise access to hundreds of lounges, but that doesn’t help if the airports you frequent or at least plan to visit in the near term don’t have participating locations with your card.

You’ll also want to check the guest policy before assuming your family or travel partner can come in for free. Venture X, for example, now charges $35 per guest for Priority Pass lounge access. At Capital One lounges, guest passes cost $45 per adult and $25 for children under 18 (those under two are free), unless the cardholder has spent at least $75,000 on the card in the calendar year to qualify for complimentary guest access.

Free checked bags

Lounge access isn’t the only valuable airline-specific perk. Some credit cards waive checked-bag fees, and even a few round-trip flights could make the annual fee worthwhile — especially if you travel with family members who can also use the benefit.

The United Explorer Card has a $150 annual fee (waived the first year for eligible new cardholders) and gives the primary cardholder and one companion on the same reservation a free checked bag on United-operated flights. United says the benefit can save up to $200 per round-trip flight for two people, assuming each would otherwise pay $50 each way for a checked bag.

The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 each year after. It offers a free checked bag on Delta flights for the cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation. As of this past June, eligible Gold cardholders also get a second checked bag free on domestic Delta-operated flights. Delta says the bag benefit can save up to $90 per person round trip.

Baggage perks are most valuable if you regularly check bags and tend to fly with the airline that issues the card. And like most perks, there are certain conditions to keep in mind.

Fee waivers don’t cover oversized or overweight bags and they may not apply to so-called codeshare flights — those marketed by one airline but operated by a partner. The benefit also may not apply if you already qualify for free checked bags through your status with the airline.

A companion ticket

If you often travel with someone else, an airline credit card’s companion certificate can be one of its most valuable perks. Instead of paying full price for two tickets, you can use the certificate to book a qualifying ticket for your companion and pay only the required taxes and fees.

The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card both offer an annual companion certificate after you renew your account.

The Platinum card, which has a $350 annual fee, lets cardholders bring a companion on a qualifying round-trip Delta Main flight within the U.S., Mexico, Central America or the Caribbean. The Reserve card has a $650 annual fee and offers a similar benefit, but its certificate can also be used for qualifying Delta Comfort and First Class tickets.

Keep in mind you’ll still pay taxes and fees, which range from $22 to $250 for eligible round-trip itineraries with up to one connection each way. You’ll also need to purchase a qualifying ticket for yourself on the same flight and reservation.

Lastly, certificates can’t be used for Basic Economy fares, and because they’re limited to certain fare classes, not every flight will have eligible seats available.

Credits for purchases you already make

Some credit cards offer rewards for everything from dining and rideshares to streaming subscriptions and travel benefits like TSA PreCheck and Clear. If those categories are already part of your budget, you can get extra value from the right card without changing your spending habits.

The American Express Platinum Card has an $895 annual fee, but it comes with a long list of statement credits that can help offset the cost. These include up to $200 in annual Uber Cash, $400 in Resy credits (up to $100 per quarter at eligible restaurants), $300 in digital entertainment credits (up to $25 per month) and up to $155 toward a Walmart+ membership. You also get credits and points for eligible lululemon purchases, flights and hotel bookings made through American Express Travel.

Of course, these categories are only valuable if you actually use them. Many of the credits are divided into monthly or quarterly allowances, so you can’t necessarily save them up for a larger purchase. Some require enrollment or are limited to specific merchants and types of purchases.

But you don’t need a premium card with a hefty annual fee to get a taste of these kinds of perks. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, which has a $95 annual fee, offers a $10 monthly DoorDash credit for eligible grocery, retail and other non-restaurant orders, plus a $100 annual hotel credit for bookings through Chase Travel. Cardholders can also get a complimentary DashPass membership, which provides $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible orders.

The bottom line is that a credit of any amount won’t mean much if it pushes you to spend money you wouldn’t have spent otherwise. Focus on the benefits that fit your current spending habits and remember unused credits typically don’t roll over.