Credit Card Churning: Is It Worth Your Time? (The Math)

I used to be a hardcore churner. At my peak, I had 23 credit cards, a spreadsheet with 47 tabs, and calendar alerts for every bonus deadline, annual fee, and minimum spend requirement.

I earned nearly 2 million points in a year. I flew business class internationally. I stayed at five-star hotels for free.

Then I did the math on my time. And I stopped.

This isn’t an anti-churning article. It’s an honest analysis of whether churning is worth it for you—with real numbers.

The Churning Math

The Upside

Let’s say you successfully churn 10 cards in a year:

Card	Bonus	Point Value	Dollar Value
Chase Sapphire Preferred	60,000 UR	1.5¢	$900
Amex Platinum	150,000 MR	1.2¢	$1,800
Capital One Venture X	75,000 miles	1.0¢	$750
Citi Premier	60,000 TYP	1.3¢	$780
Amex Gold	60,000 MR	1.2¢	$720
Chase Ink Preferred	100,000 UR	1.5¢	$1,500
United Explorer	50,000 miles	1.3¢	$650
Hilton Aspire	150,000 points	0.5¢	$750
Marriott Boundless	85,000 points	0.8¢	$680
Delta Platinum	70,000 miles	1.1¢	$770

Total value: ~$9,300 in points/miles

That’s real value. $9,300 buys a lot of travel.

The Time Investment

Here’s what churning actually requires:

Task	Time per Card	10 Cards/Year
Research and compare	30 minutes	5 hours
Application process	15 minutes	2.5 hours
Minimum spend tracking	30 minutes/month × 3	15 hours
Organizing/planning spend	20 minutes/month	4 hours
Managing payments	10 minutes/card/month × 12	20 hours
Dealing with issues	30 minutes (average)	5 hours
Annual fee decisions	20 minutes	3.5 hours
Downgrade/cancellation calls	20 minutes	3 hours
Point redemption research	1 hour	10 hours
Actually booking travel	2 hours	20 hours

Total time: ~88 hours per year

That’s more than two full work weeks.

The Hidden Costs

1. Mental Overhead

Churning occupies mental space constantly:

• Remembering which card to use where
• Tracking minimum spend progress
• Worrying about missing deadlines
• Managing multiple due dates

This mental load is hard to quantify but very real.

2. Credit Score Impact

Each application is a hard inquiry. Too many can:

• Lower your score temporarily
• Cause denial for mortgages or auto loans
• Raise flags for future credit applications

If you’re planning major financing (house, car, business loan), churning can cost you.

3. Relationship Strain

Some partners and families don’t appreciate:

• Complex card management
• “Can you put that on my card and pay me back?”
• Vacation planning driven by points instead of preference
• The general obsession

4. Opportunity Cost

88 hours is a lot. You could:

• Work overtime at your job
• Build a side business
• Spend time with family
• Exercise, read, or rest

What’s your time actually worth?

When Churning Is NOT Worth It

Profile 1: The Time-Starved Professional

If you earn $150+/hour and have limited free time, 88 hours of churning is worth less than 88 hours of work—or 88 hours of rest.

Better strategy: One or two optimal cards, set and forget.

Profile 2: The Anxious Optimizer

If tracking points stresses you out, if you lie awake worrying about annual fees, if it feels like an obligation rather than a game—stop.

Mental health > points.

Profile 3: The Disorganized

Missed a minimum spend deadline? Forgot a payment? Accidentally paid an annual fee on a card you meant to close?

Churning requires systems. Without them, the mistakes eat into your returns.

Profile 4: The Major Purchase Planner

Buying a house in the next year? Getting a business loan? Car financing?

Do not churn. The credit inquiries and new accounts can cost you tens of thousands in worse interest rates.

My Recommendation

For Most People

Don’t churn aggressively. Instead:

1. Get 2-3 excellent cards strategically
2. Use them consistently
3. Earn a welcome bonus when convenient (not forced)
4. Keep indefinitely or downgrade when fees don’t make sense

This captures 70% of churning’s value with 10% of the effort.

For Enthusiasts

If you love the game and have the time, churn strategically:

• Focus on high-value bonuses only
• Create systems to reduce mental overhead
• Build in breaks to avoid burnout
• Recognize when to slow down

For Everyone

Ask yourself:

• Would I spend 88 hours doing this if there was no reward?
• Is this adding to or subtracting from my life quality?
• What else could I do with this time?

Your answer reveals whether churning is for you.

Last updated: January 2026

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