The best credit card bonus offers are worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars in cash back or travel rewards.
The best credit card promotions usually come from cards with annual fees — a strong sign up bonus can go a long way toward justifying that expense.
Our personal finance experts update this guide periodically to reflect the best credit card promotions available at any given time. We evaluate dozens of credit card deals to bring you our top picks from the best credit card bonus offers available right now.
Best Credit Card Bonus Offers of 2025
| Best For | Card | Annual Fee |
| Best travel bonus | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | $95 (rates and fees) |
| Best for versatile rewards | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | $95 |
| Best for no annual fee | Chase Freedom Unlimited® | $0 (rates and fees) |
| Easy to earn bonus | AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® | $99 |
| Best for Southwest fans | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card | $69 (rates and fees) |
| Best for United fans | The New United℠ Explorer Card | $0 intro for the first year, then $150 (rates and fees) |
| Best for Marriott fans | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card | $650 (rates and fees) |
| Best for business owners | Capital One Venture X Business Card | $395 |
| Best for luxury benefits | The Platinum Card® from American Express | $695 (rates and fees) |
Best Credit Card Bonus Offer for Travel Rewards
$95
N/A
19.99% - 28.24% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- High intro bonus offer starts you off with lots of points
- Strong travel coverage
- Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit
If you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.
Chase Sapphire Preferred- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
Not only is the Chase Sapphire Preferred one of the best credit cards of all time and one of the best credit cards for travel rewards, but it also currently offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
This is a great credit card bonus offer, worth around $1,080 based on our valuations, from a popular consumer credit card with a $95 annual fee.
Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders earn 5 points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2 points on all other travel purchases, and 1 point on all other purchases. These rates make this card a keeper long after the credit card offer has been earned and redeemed.
Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred card review.
Best Credit Card Bonus Offer for Versatile Rewards
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is another top performer for travel rewards with an annual fee of $95. It's a great choice since Capital One miles are simple to redeem.
Right now, new Capital One Venture Rewards Cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
This credit card bonus offer is extremely generous since the miles are worth an estimated $1,275 by our valuations of Capital One miles at an average of 1.7 cents apiece.
Learn more in our Capital One Venture Card review.
Best Credit Card Bonus Offer with No Annual Fee
$0
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months
18.99% - 28.49% Variable
Earn a $200 bonus
Good to Excellent
- Solid flat cash-back rate
- You can combine cash-back rewards with Ultimate Rewards points if you have an eligible card
- No annual fee
- Some other cards offer a higher rate of cash back on certain types of purchases
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a great choice for credit card beginners and experts alike. With no annual fee and a high earnings rate, it's worth considering as an everyday card — and it's even better when you pair it with an annual-fee Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Chase Freedom Unlimited- Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% - 28.49%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® deserves a spot in everyone's wallet because it earns generous rewards on everyday expenses without an annual fee.
Right now, Chase is making it extra enticing to become a new cardholder by offering a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
This generous offer is noteworthy because it's so easy to earn — most people can reach the spending requirement within a month by putting groceries, utilities, and other household purchases on this card.
Cardholders earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
This earning structure makes the Chase Freedom Unlimited particularly rewarding for people who enjoy dining out or don't mind purchasing flights, hotels, and rental cars through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
Learn more in our Chase Freedom Unlimited review.
Alternative Pick: Chase Freedom Flex®
If you're willing to do a little extra legwork for additional rewards, check out the Chase Freedom Unlimited's card twin: the Chase Freedom Flex®.
Instead of earning 1.5% on all non-bonus purchases, the Chase Freedom Flex earns 5% back on rotating quarterly bonus categories up to a quarterly maximum, then 1% (enrollment required each quarter).
The card also earns rewards on travel, dining, and drugstore purchases, and you can earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Learn more in our Chase Freedom Flex credit card review, or compare these cards in our comparison guide to the Chase Freedom Flex vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited.
Easy to Earn Credit Card Bonus
$99
0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening
20.24%, 24.24% or 29.24% variable
Earn 60,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles
Good to Excellent
- You’ll earn the welcome bonus after making your first purchase and paying the annual fee
- Free checked bag and preferred boarding on American Airlines
- Inflight Wi-Fi statement credits
- To earn a companion certificate you have to spend $20,000 or more in a year
- Annual fee isn’t waived the first year
- No bonus categories outside of American Airlines purchases
With a generous, easy-to-earn welcome bonus and elite-like travel perks, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is well worth it for frequent or occasional American Airlines flyers. The annual fee of $99 is manageable, and other benefits like travel insurance and discounts can save you money.
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® offers an easy to earn welcome bonuses. And it's generous: You'll get 60,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the annual fee in full within the first 90 days.
This reward is worth around $675 in estimated travel value according to Business Insider's valuations, but can be significantly more valuable if you find the right American Airlines flash sale. For example, I once flew round-trip between Miami and Madrid for just 18,000 AA miles.
This card is worth keeping after Year 1, even with the annual fee of $99. Cardholders earn 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
New cardholders get one other major benefit: 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening, then 20.24%, 24.24% or 29.24% variable APR.
Learn more in our AAdvantage Aviator Red card review.
Best Credit Card Bonus Offer for Southwest Fans
$69
N/A
20.49% - 27.49% Variable
Earn 50,000 points
Good to Excellent
- Earns Southwest points on every purchase
- You earn points every year after your cardmember anniversary
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- Very limited benefits
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is a solid choice if you fly with Southwest and want to earn a lucrative welcome bonus for the lowest annual fee. However, if you fly Southwest often, other Southwest personal cards could be a better fit if you can make the most of the benefits.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card- Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- 3,000 anniversary points each year.
- Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases.
- Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
- Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
- 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Member FDIC
Southwest is dropping everyone's favorite perk: free checked bags. Fortunately for Southwest frequent flyers, you can still check a bag for free if you have one of the airline's many credit cards.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is the best one to apply for if you want a card solely for checked-bag benefits. It has the lowest annual fee at $69 a year, yet offers the same generous welcome bonus as its pricier siblings, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card.
New Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Cardholders can earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
This credit card bonus offer is worth an estimated $700 based on our valuations — but you can stretch it much farther if you keep an eye out for Southwest sale fares on award flights.
Learn more in our Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus credit card review.
Best Credit Card Bonus Offer for United Fans
$0 intro for the first year, then $150
N/A
20.49% - 28.99% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus miles
Good to Excellent
- Annual fee is waived the first year
- Earns bonus miles on several purchase categories, including dining
- Includes an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Gets you a free checked bag on United when you pay with the card
- Not the most rewarding card for most non-United travel purchases
The United Explorer card is the best all-around credit card for United flyers, offering a generous range of benefits for a modest annual fee. Cardholders receive a free checked bag, priority boarding, and inflight discounts on United flights, plus two one-time United Club airport lounge passes each year for your anniversary.
United Explorer Card- Limited-Time Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus miles
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
- 2x miles on United® purchases, dining, and hotel stays when booked with the hotel
- Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club℠ with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary
- Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip. Terms Apply.
- Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit
- Earn a $100 United travel credit after spending $10,000 on purchases with your United℠ Explorer Card within a calendar year
- Over $400 in partner credits each year
- Member FDIC
The New United℠ Explorer Card is more valuable than ever after a recent makeover, offering new cardholders a generous bonus of 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.
United MileagePlus miles are worth an average of 1.3 cents apiece based on our valuations, so this credit card bonus offer can be worth around $780 toward United flights. You can also use United miles to book flights on Star Alliance partner airlines such as Air Canada, ANA, and Singapore Airlines for even better value.
Cardholders earn 2 miles per dollar on United® purchases, dining, and hotel stays when booked with the hotel and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
This earning rate may seem low for United travel purchases, but you'll get up to an additional 5 miles per dollar on United flights as a United MileagePlus loyalty program member when you pay with this credit card. So when you pay with this card as a United MileagePlus member, you'll actually walk away with 7 total miles per dollar spent on United flights, and 5 total miles per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked through United Hotels.
This card has an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $150.
Learn more about this card in our United Explorer card review.
Best Credit Card Bonus Offer for Marriott Fans
$650
N/A
20.24% - 29.24% Variable
Earn up to 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points
Good to Excellent
- Annual statement credits can save you money on Marriott stays
- You get a free reward night each year after your renewal month
- High annual fee
- Other cards are more rewarding for earning points on your spending
If you're loyal to Marriott, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card can help you save money and improve your stays, thanks to automatic Marriott Platinum Elite status and lots of opportunities to earn additional points.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant®- Earn up to 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points. Earn 100,000 points after you spend $6,000 and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide.
- With Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite Status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when the stay is booked with a Qualifying Rate at hotels that participate in Marriott Bonvoy, subject to availability upon check-in.
- Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Earn 3X Marriott Bonvoy® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2X Marriott Bonvoy® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
- Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Brilliant Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
- $100 Marriott Bonvoy® Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
- Enroll in Priority Pass Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
- With Cell Phone Protection*, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. *Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
If you're all about "go big or go home," the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is offering a great welcome bonus to offset its hefty annual fee.
You can earn 100,000 points after you spend $6,000 and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $2,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership. This is worth around $1,050 by Business Insider's valuations.
Depending on availability, you can use your credit card bonus points to book more than two weeks' worth of award nights on the low end of the Marriott spectrum, or an unforgettable weekend at its most luxurious properties such as the St. Regis Bora Bora.
Cardholders get a free night certificate worth up to 85,000 points each year when they renew this card, which can be a nice way to cover an aspirational hotel stay.
The card has a steep annual fee of $650, but frequent Marriott travelers can easily get their money's worth through the card's many other benefits such as Platinum elite status, which comes with welcome gifts, complimentary room upgrades when available, and late check-out when available.
Learn more in our Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex card review.
Best Credit Card Bonus Offer for Business Owners
The Capital One Venture X Business Card is a powerful tool for business owners who spend big bucks on company expenses each year.
New cardholders can earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first three months from account opening and an additional 200,000 miles once you spend $200,000 in the first six months.
This welcome offer can be worth a whopping $5,950 in travel, based on Business Insider's valuations, if you can earn the bonus — and as mentioned earlier in our review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Card, Capital One miles are very easy to use and redeem.
Qualifying for this welcome bonus may be a challenge for smaller businesses. But the spending requirement may well be in line with annual expenses for larger companies or businesses with high overhead.
Aside from the initial bonus, this card is a great fit for many businesses because it includes expense management tools such as employee cards with no additional cost to add and itemized spending reports with year-end summaries.
Cardholders also get a $300 annual credit toward eligible travel booked through Capital One, and the credit card offers airport lounge access via the Priority Pass lounge network as well as Capital One Lounges.
Cardholders earn 10 miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One's travel booking site, 5 miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One's travel booking site, and 2 miles on all other purchases, and all rewards go to the primary cardholder's account.
Pro tip: This card requires that your balance be paid in full at the end of every month, so it's not a good option for purchases you can't pay off immediately.
Learn more in our Capital One Venture X Business card review.
Best Card Bonus Offer for Luxury Benefits
$695
N/A
See Pay Over Time APR
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points
Good to Excellent
- Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
- Statement credits with Saks and Uber (enrollment required)
- Bonus categories leave something to be desired
- One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards
If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, and more.
Amex Platinum Card- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 per Calendar year in statement credits, when you pay for a CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
The Platinum Card® from American Express isn't right for everyone, but for the right person, this card can be worth its weight in platinum.
The Amex Platinum Card is one of the world's best-known cards, with a decided reputation for luxury.
Cardholders get well over $1,000 in annual value across dozens of benefits, ranging from annual credits for Saks Fifth Avenue and Uber purchases (enrollment required) to complimentary access to multiple airport lounge networks, including the proprietary Amex Centurion Lounges. Terms apply.
The Amex Platinum Card also comes with a generous welcome offer: 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Amex points have an estimated average value of 1.8 cents apiece, so this bonus is worth an estimated $1,440 toward travel based on our valuations. You can either book through American Express Travel®, or transfer points to Amex transfer partner airlines and hotels like Delta, British Airways, and Marriott.
The Amex Platinum Card has an annual fee of $695 (rates and fees), and earns 5 points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 per calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®, and 1 point on other purchases.
Learn more in our American Express Platinum credit card review.
Pro tip: Be strategic when applying for American Express cards. In many cases, you can only earn a welcome bonus once per Amex card, although you can have several different Amex cards at the same time. And some cards do not allow you to earn a welcome bonus if you've already earned one from another card in the same family
What Is A Credit Card Sign Up Bonus?
A credit card sign up bonus is a promotional offer for new cardholders.
If you have multiple credit cards from the same issuer, you may be able to pool your rewards between accounts to reach your redemption goals more quickly.
Sign up bonuses, also known as welcome bonuses or intro offers, give you a boost of points, miles, or cash back to jumpstart your rewards after you're approved for a new credit card and meet the offer requirements.
To qualify for this credit card promotion, you'll typically need to spend a certain amount of money on the card within the first few months of opening your account.
How Credit Card Bonuses Work
Credit card bonus offers typically require spending a certain amount of money within the first few months of opening your new account in order to earn a generous number of points, miles, or cash back.
While there are many excellent cards to choose from (and even more poor choices), the best credit card for you should align with your personal needs, wants, and financial habits — a sign up bonus is just the cherry on top.
If you aren't planning ahead for an investment, you can apply for a credit card at any time. Just evaluate the best credit card offers available, and make sure the card you choose aligns with your personal spending needs.
Choosing the Best Credit Card Bonus For You
Sign up bonuses come in several forms. Your main choice
The best credit card sign up bonus for you is the one that most closely aligns with your personal spending habits.
Cash Back Credit Card Bonuses
If you don't travel often, a cash back credit card may be a good fit for you even if the best credit card offers right now are for travel rewards. Cash back credit cards tend to offer lower bonus offers, but are typically easier to earn because of lower spending requirements.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a great credit card for everyday use with a bonus that's very easy to earn.
Travel Rewards Credit Card Bonuses
Travel rewards credit cards usually offer the best sign up bonuses but often come with annual fees.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the best credit cards to apply for because it comes with a generous bonus offer for valuable Chase points.
Which Credit Card Has The Best Sign Up Bonus?
The credit card with the best sign up bonus depends on your personal habits. But the top credit card bonus offers share some common denominators:
- The best credit card offers are worth several times the card's annual fees in cash value
- The best credit cards to apply for make it easy to earn the sign up bonus, whether through low spending requirements or long promotion periods
- Top credit card offers may be available only for a limited time
Earn A New Credit Card Sign Up Bonus For Big Purchases
Many people sign up for new credit cards right before making a big purchase, such as buying a new car or investing in new household appliances, or when planning a large event like a wedding or launching a new business.
If you're in this boat, you may be able to look outside the box beyond the cards you'd usually consider, and use your new expenses to earn credit card bonus offers for a specific vacation or major life event.
For example, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card may not be a card you'd use every day. But if your wedding venue is in a Marriott hotel, you could charge all of your event expenses to this card and use your points to book an overwater villa in the Maldives for your honeymoon.
How to Maximize Your Credit Card Sign Up Bonus
Maximize the best credit card bonus offers by choosing a credit card with a sign up bonus that's easy for you to earn and use. Once you're approved for the card, make sure you note all relevant dates for earning the bonus, and plan ahead for expiration times (if any) for your rewards.
If you're worried about forgetting important deadlines, set up calendar alerts for yourself or use an app for credit card rewards to help you track travel points and miles.
Capital One
If credit card points and miles intimidate you, consider starting out with a credit card from Capital One.
Capital One credit card rewards are extremely simple to earn and redeem. For example, cardholders can pay for travel purchases from their credit card statement by paying them off with rewards redeemed as statement credits. You can also redeem rewards for gift cards, select shopping purchases, and award travel through Capital One transfer partners.
Chase
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is powerful on its own, but you can unlock even greater value by combining it with other Chase cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card.
Chase points are one of the most valuable "currencies" in the loyalty rewards ecosystem, worth an average of 1.8 cents apiece by Business Insider's calculations of what points and miles are worth in value.
Ultimate Rewards points can be combined between card accounts, so you can earn rewards from each card's bonus categories, then transfer them all to your best credit card for incredible travel deals. You can potentially get even more value out of your points if you learn how to use Chase transfer partners to book business- and first-class flights or luxury hotels.
One of the best ways to quickly accumulate Chase points is by pursuing credit card bonus offers from new credit cards. However, Chase is infamous for its unofficial Chase 5/24 rule, which denies applicants for additional Chase credit cards if they have been approved for five or more credit cards — from any issuer — within the past 24 months. So if you want to earn Chase credit card bonus offers, be strategic about when and where you apply for new credit cards.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Evaluated the Best Credit Card Bonus Offers
Business Insider's personal finance team researched dozens of credit cards to bring you this list of the best credit card bonus offers you can get right now.
We evaluate the best credit card bonus offers by reviewing current sign up bonuses and comparing them to past rates and competitor offerings. We also consider each credit card's ongoing benefits and earning rates to ensure you get ongoing value after the welcome bonus has been earned and redeemed.
Some common criteria we consider include:
How much is the credit card bonus offer worth? — Points and miles aren't created equally, and 100,000 points from one issuer can be worth far less than 10,000 points in another reward "currency." We highlight the best credit card offers available right now, and help you understand what that sign up bonus is worth in equivalent travel value.
Is this sign up bonus the best credit card offer you can get right now? — We rotate our recommendations based on the best credit card bonus offers available for new cardholders right now. If you don't see a credit card you love on this list, that doesn't mean it's a bad card — that just means its current credit card bonus wasn't noteworthy enough for us to feature in this particular guide.
Is the credit card bonus offer easy to earn and redeem? — We typically highlight credit card bonus offers that are easy to earn and redeem. When we include credit card promotions with challenging requirements, we make sure they're worth the extra effort.
See Business Insider's full methodology for how we rate credit cards.
FAQs
What is a welcome bonus on a credit card?
A credit card sign up bonus or introductory offer, also known as a welcome bonus, is a reward of points, miles, or cash back for new credit cardholders who meet designated requirements. Earning these credit card bonus offers typically requires spending a certain amount of money on your new credit card within the first few months after opening the account.
Is a credit sign up bonus the same thing as a welcome bonus?
Yes, credit sign up bonuses and welcome bonuses are the same thing. But the term "sign up bonus" can be misleading because you won't get the reward just because you signed up for a new product. Instead, you'll typically have to complete qualifying activities in order to earn the credit card bonus offer.
How many credit card sign up bonuses can you earn?
Most people can earn multiple credit card bonus offers with the right financial profile, but there are many rules and caveats to keep in mind. For example, the notorious unofficial Chase 5/24 rule may prevent you from being approved for a Chase card if you've been approved for five or more credit cards within the past 24 months.
How do credit card bonuses work?
Credit card bonus offers work by providing a generous boost of points, miles, or cash back to jumpstart your stash of rewards with that issuer once you meet the offer requirements. If you have multiple credit cards from the same issuer, you may be able to pool your rewards between accounts to reach your redemption goals more quickly.
***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
