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The Rewards Mom has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. The Rewards Mom and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

The Rules Changed

I thought I had my premium card setup figured out. I had my go-tos for everyday spending, a clear favorite for lounge access, and a system for rotating through welcome offers on a regular schedule. But a recent change from one of the biggest banks in the points and miles world just shifted the landscape—and it’s made me pause and rethink what my “keeper” cards actually are.

If you’re just getting started with points, my Beginner’s Guide is a great place to start.

Here’s what changed: This bank has always had a rule where you could earn a welcome offer once every 48 months on certain cards. That rule made it easy to plan your card strategy over time—you’d open a card, and if you decided to close it or downgrade it, you still had the freedom to apply at a later time and earn a new welcome bonus.

But now? That predictable window is gone.

They’ve introduced a new “pop-up” model that checks your eligibility before you submit your application. If the system decides you’re not eligible based on your history—even if it’s been over four years—you may not get the bonus. And that changes everything.

Why This Shifts My Strategy

If you’ve been relying on that 48-month cycle to keep earning welcome offers from this bank, this change is a big deal. Without that predictability, the cards I already hold from them just became a lot more valuable. If new bonuses aren’t guaranteed, it’s a lot more important to make sure any high annual fee premium card is truly worth it for the long haul.

At the same time, other banks are offering ways to double dip—letting you earn points from shopping portals plus your regular card rewards, even if you don’t pay with one of their cards. That kind of flexibility adds up fast, especially when you’re earning points for family travel. So when a new premium card launches with the highest annual fee of them all—but no portal to double dip through—it raises the question: is it worth it? The only way to find out is to put it to the test with your actual spending.

Want to go deeper? I compare shopping portals in this post.

How I’m Ranking My Premium Cards Now

Here’s what I’m thinking going forward:

1. A premium card that earns flexible points and pairs with a shopping portal so I can double dip.
2. A card with lounge access and simple travel credits that are easy to use without jumping through hoops- effectively erasing the annual fee.
3. This bank’s premium business or personal card—valuable now, especially with the new earning boosts, but only worth keeping long term if the value outweighs the fee.

This change doesn’t mean I’m ditching anything right away—but it does mean I’m prioritizing premium cards that give me more options for earning, not fewer.

If you’re reevaluating too, this is my current list of favorite premium cards. I’ve ranked them based on how valuable they’ve been long term—especially now that I can’t count on reapplying for the same cards every 48 months. These are the cards I’m most likely to keep for the perks, lounge access, and most importantly- for their enhanced earning.

And if you’re wondering whether you can qualify for a business card, you might be surprised—this post breaks it down.

Final Thoughts

This shift may seem small, but it changes how I look at long-term earning potential. If I can’t count on getting a new welcome offer from this bank every few years, I need to be sure the cards I do hold are earning enough to justify their place in my wallet.

These cards might become the ones I’m leaning on most, but I’ll revaluate at the year mark and report back. I’m not ready to cancel anything yet—but the order of importance has shifted. Flexibility and long-term earning potential matter more than ever.

Want more help figuring out your strategy? Start with my beginners guide or browse my top premium card picks here.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

Advertiser Disclosure:The Rewards Mom has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. The Rewards Mom and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.