The honest case for "no AF only"
You don't need a $325 Amex Gold to earn on family spend. The no-annual-fee tier of credit cards has gotten meaningfully better over the past five years — flat-rate 2% cards and 3–5% category cards now cover a household's everyday spend at near-AF-card earning levels, minus the AF.
What you give up by going all-no-AF:
- Transferable points. Most no-AF cards earn cash back, not transferable miles. You can't redeem cash back for the 2–3× value that Hyatt or Avianca transfers give you on award flights.
- Travel protections. No primary rental car insurance, no trip delay, no lost luggage coverage. (You usually have these on your homeowner's or renter's policy anyway.)
- Welcome bonus size. No-AF cards typically offer $200 welcome bonuses; AF cards offer $700–$1,000+ in points. Big upfront delta in year one.
For a household that wants to earn meaningfully on spend but doesn't want to think about annual fees, lounges, or transfer partners — this list is your starting point. You can graduate to AF cards later when the math gets compelling.