ORIGINAL RESEARCH · 2026
The Unused Benefits Index: Analyzing 3,394 Credit Card Perks
Card figures reflect the 15 issuer-verified cards in our checker as of August 2, 2026.
We count recurring issuer-published dollar credits only; lounge access, elite status, free nights, insurance, points, and miles are left unpriced because putting a dollar value on them would be a guess.
How we count a credit
We count only recurring credits that are stated in dollars and published by the issuer. We exclude percentage-back offers, such as Amex Venue Collection, because you must spend money to receive them. We also exclude anything paid per stay or per booking and anything on a multi-year cycle, such as Global Entry, because it is not annual money.
We never turn points, miles, lounge access, insurance, or other perks into a dollar figure. Every total on this site equals the sum of the line items you can see. This makes our numbers smaller than totals marketed elsewhere, and that is deliberate.
Fifteen cards, counted the same way
| Card | Annual fee | Verified recurring credits | Share of credit value that resets monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Platinum | $895 | $2,994/yr | 21.9% ($655/yr) |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $795 | $2,598/yr | 31.9% ($828/yr) |
| Amex Gold | $325 | $424/yr | 76.4% ($324/yr) |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | $95 | $220/yr | 54.5% ($120/yr) |
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred | $95 | $120/yr | 100% ($120/yr) |
| Southwest Priority | $229 | $40/yr | 0% ($0/yr) |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | $0 | $40/yr | 0% ($0/yr) |
| Bilt | $0 | $100/yr | 0% ($0/yr) |
| Chase Freedom Flex | $0 | $0/yr | — |
| Capital One Venture X | $395 | $300/yr | 0% ($0/yr) |
| Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve | $650 | $560/yr | 64.3% ($360/yr) |
| Amex Delta SkyMiles Platinum | $350 | $390/yr | 61.5% ($240/yr) |
| Chase United Explorer | $150 | $280/yr | 64.3% ($180/yr) |
| Chase United Club Infinite | $695 | $790/yr | 49.4% ($390/yr) |
| Citi AAdvantage Executive | $595 | $360/yr | 66.7% ($240/yr) |
The blank cell for Chase Freedom Flex is intentional: it has no recurring dollar credits, so there is no credit value against which to calculate a monthly share.
Every credit total is the exact sum of the visible recurring credit lines in our card checker.
The visible math
Annual fees: $895 + $795 + $325 + $95 + $95 + $229 + $0 + $0 + $0 + $395 + $650 + $350 + $150 + $695 + $595 = $5,269.
Verified recurring credits: $2,994 + $2,598 + $424 + $220 + $120 + $40 + $40 + $100 + $0 + $300 + $560 + $390 + $280 + $790 + $360 = $9,216 per year.
Use the right checker
Have one or more of these cards? Check your cards for unused credits. Looking for public programs instead? See programs worth checking in your state.
Sources
Each credit line in the Credit Card Benefits Checker links directly to the issuer’s current published card page. The nine cards with full guides are linked in the table above; those guides show the same itemized recurring credit lines.