Credit Cards — My Money Blog

Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers – May 2024 (Updated)

May 3, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 37 Comments

Updated and checked May 2024. That space in your wallet or purse is valuable, and you should be the one to get that value. By being smart and picky, you can find offers worth $500+ for a single card, all to encourage you to apply and try it out. This adds up to thousands of dollars in extra income (over $5,000 in 2023). These are the top 10 credit card offers that I would personally apply for right now (or have already). Notable recent changes:

Added Sapphire 75k, Hawaiian 70k, LFCU 50k, WF Journey 60k, British Airways 75K+5X, Delta 70k+$200 credit, JetBlue 70k, Alaska 75k
Removed Marriott 185k, CitiAA 75k, Hilton 100k, IHG 165k, Southwest CP, Aeroplan 100k, Wyndham 75k

This is a companion post to my Top 10 Best Business Card Offers. Small business bonuses are on average even higher than those on consumer cards.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

75,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $937.50 towards travel or transferrable to miles/points) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. See link for details.
$50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel(SM), 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases.
$95 annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.*
Upgrade pick: Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card. Higher travel perks including airport lounge access, higher annual fee.

British Airways Visa Signature Card

75,000 Avios after $5,000 in purchases within first 3 months. Also, get 5X Avios on up to $10,000 (up to 50,000 total Avios) in gas, grocery stores, and dining purchases for first 12 months. Limited-time offer. See link for details and redemption tips.
10% off British Airways flights starting in the US when you book through the website provided in your welcome materials.
Free Travel Together companion ticket when you spend $30,000 in calendar year.
$95 annual fee.

The Platinum Card from American Express

80,000 Membership Rewards(R) points after $8,000 in purchases in the first 6 months.
$200 Hotel Credits, $240 Streaming Credits, $200 Airline Fee Credits, $200 Uber Cash, $189 CLEAR Plus credit, $300 Equinox credit, $155 Walmart+ credit and more annually!
Up to $100 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck fee credit.
Premium airport lounge access through the American Express Global Lounge Collection®.
$695 annual fee.

Chase Aeroplan Credit Card

60,000 points – 60,000 points after $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Redeemable towards any travel purchase with Pay Yourself Back. See link for details.
Free first checked bags on Air Canada flights: one free checked bag for the primary cardmember and up to eight other travelers on the same itinerary.
Aeroplan 25K Elite Status benefits for the remainder of the first calendar year, plus the following calendar year.
Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit.
$95 annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Card

75,000 miles (worth $750 towards travel, or transferrable to airline miles) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. See link for details.
$300 annual travel credit. Get up to $300 in statement credits when booking through Capital One Travel.
Additional 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary.
Priority Pass + Capital One airport lounge access. Additional cardholders are free, and also get their own Priority Pass!
Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
$395 annual fee.

American Express® Gold Card

60,000 Membership Rewards points after $6,000 in purchases in first 6 months. See link for details.
$120 in Uber Cash annually (good towards Uber Eats or Uber rides in the US).
$120 in annual dining credit at Grubhub, Seamless, and more.
4X points at restaurants.
4X points at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 per year.
$250 annual fee.

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

140,000 IHG Points after $3,000 in purchases within first 3 months. See link for details.
Free Night after each account anniversary year (valued up to 40,000 IHG points).
$99 annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.
Don’t like annual fees? The no-annual fee Traveler version also has a competitive offer with no annual fee.

Chase United Explorer Card

50,000 miles after $3,000 in purchases within 3 months. See link for details.
Free first checked bag for both you and a companion (a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip) when you use your Card to purchase your United ticket.
Expanded award availability. Having this card makes it easier to find that saver award economy ticket.
$0 annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Subject to 5/24 rule.

Capital One Venture Rewards Card

75,000 miles (worth $750 towards travel, or transferrable to miles) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. See link for details.
2 Miles per dollar on all purchases.
Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
$95 annual fee.

Bank of America Premium Rewards Card

60,000 points (worth $600) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 90 days. See link for details.
$100 annual Airline Incidental Statement Credit.
Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
$95 annual fee.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card

60,000 points (worth $600 towards travel) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 90 days. See link for details.
$50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
$95 annual fee.

Lafayette Federal Credit Union Platinum Mastercard

50,000 points (worth $500 towards gift cards or flights) after $5,000 in purchases within the first 90 days. See link for details.
You must be a member of LFCU to apply. View membership eligibility options here. Anyone nationwide can join LFCU by joining the Home Ownership Financial Literacy Council (HOFLC) for a one-time $10 fee.
Combine with LFCU new member program for potentially another $50 bonus.
No annual fee.

Hawaiian Airlines MasterCard

70,000 Hawaiian miles after any purchase (of any amount) within the first 90 days. Any 6-digit code will work, like “000000”. See link for details.
Free first checked bag for primary cardmember.
One-time 50% off companion discount for roundtrip coach travel between Hawaii and The Mainland on Hawaiian Airlines.
$99 annual fee.

Alaska Airlines Visa Card (Bank of America)

75,000 bonus miles + Companion Fare voucher after $3,000 in purchases within first 90 days. See link for details.
Companion fare voucher is “Buy one ticket, get one from $122” ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from just $23).
Free checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to six other passengers on the same reservation (worth $60 roundtrip per person).
$95 annual fee.

Citi Premier Card

60,000 points (worth $600 in gift cards, or transferrable to miles/points) after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
3X points for every $1 spent on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
Must not have gotten bonus from or closed a Citi Rewards+, ThankYou Preferred, Premier, or Prestige card in the past 24 months.
$95 annual fee.

U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card

50,000 bonus points (worth $500 in statement credits) after $2,000 in purchases within 120 days. See link for details.
Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Includes Priority Pass Select membership w/ 4 free lounge visits a year.
$0 annual fee the first year (effective September 9, 2024, $0 annual fee ongoing.)

Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard

50,000 American Airlines miles after any purchase and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. See link for details.
First checked bag free on domestic AA flights ($60 value per roundtrip, per person).
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99.

JetBlue Plus Card

70,000 bonus TrueBlue points – 70,000 bonus points after $1,000 on purchases and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. Any 5-digit code should work, like “00000”. See link for details.
First checked bag free for the primary cardmember and up to 3 companions when tickets are purchased with your JetBlue Plus Card.
$99 annual fee.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card

50,000 Southwest points after $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
Southwest still gives everyone two free checked bags.
Timing for Companion Pass. If you can sign up for this one and perhaps also the small business version, and time the points to post in early 2024, you can qualify for a Companion Pass for 2024/2025.
$69 annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.*

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

40,000 Delta Skymiles after $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. See link for details.
40,000 Skymiles are worth at least $400 in Delta airfare with “Pay with Miles” option.
$200 Delta flight credit after $10,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year.
First checked bag free on Delta flights ($60 value per roundtrip, per person).
$0 annual fee for the first year, then $150.
There is also a 50k bonus miles offer on the Platinum version.

If you pay off your balances every month, then you can join me and many others in funding a huge chunk of your annual travel budget with cash credits, points, and miles. I mostly use my rewards points on family trips – domestic economy flights, mid-range hotels, and cheap car rentals. If you have credit card debt, you should focus on paying that off first as the interest charges could offset most of the perks.

* 5/24 Rule? Certain Chase cards have a “5/24 rule” which is an unofficial rule that they will automatically deny approval on new credit cards if you have 5 or more new credit cards from any issuer on your credit report within the past 24 months (2 years). This rule applies on a per-person basis, so if you are new, you might want to start with those Chase cards.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers Tagged With: uqui

Last updated: May 3, 2024

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Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card: 75,000 Bonus Points (Worth $1,125 Toward Travel), $300 Annual Travel Credit, Airport Lounge Access

May 2, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 39 Comments

The “ultra-premium” Chase Sapphire Reserve® is offering an opening incentive of 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points which can be redeemed for at least $1,125 of travel when you redeem through Chase Travel(SM), but can also be used in many other ways which can bring even more value. Right now, there is a limited-time offer with increased bonus points. Here is the long list of card perks:

75,000 Bonus Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel(SM). For example, 75,000 points are worth $1,125 of airfare, hotels, and other travel through Chase Travel(SM).
$300 Annual Travel Credit . Every year, the card will automatically rebate you back up to $300 in travel purchases such as airfare and hotel nights charged on your card.
5X total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel(SM) immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
3X points per $1 spent on travel & dining worldwide. The 3X points on travel kick in immediately after earning your $300 travel credit. 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Up to $100 statement credit towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every four years.
Airport lounge access via Priority Pass Select membership. Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select.
New: Access to Chase Sapphire Lounges, which are new airport lounges starting at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Complimentary DashPass + $5 monthly DoorDash Credits from DoorDash through 12/31/2024. 12 months of complimentary DashPass + Get $5 in DoorDash credits each calendar month while enrolled in DashPass through 12/31/2024. Activate by 12/31/2024.
Complimentary Instacart+ Membership.: 12 months of complimentary Instacart+ membership, when the membership is activated between 6/15/2022 and 7/31/2024.
NEW: 2 free years of Lyft Pink All Access and a 3rd year at 50% off when you activate by Dec 31, 2024 (a value of $199/year). Membership auto-renews. Details here. Benefits here.
Annual fee is $550; $75 for each additional authorized user.

Note the following offer language:

The product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 48 months. If you are an existing Sapphire customer and would like this product, please call the number on the back of your card to see if you are eligible for a product change. You will not receive the new cardmember bonus if you change products.

Ultimate Rewards points. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers a special 50% bonus on travel redemptions made through the Chase Travel(SM) website. Compare that with the 25% bonus on the Chase Sapphire Preferred. 60,000 Ultimate Rewards = $900 in travel. Similar to Expedia or Travelocity, you can book flights on most major airlines and hotel chains. This makes it much more flexible to spend your points. You can even buy something more expensive than what you can afford with solely points and pay the difference in cash.

If you have other Chase cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points like the Freedom, Freedom Unlimited, Ink Business Cash or Ink Business Unlimited, you can transfer points into this card account and take advantage of the this higher premium. In other words, your existing Ultimate Rewards points balance could be increased in value by getting this card.

Possibly even better value via airline and/or hotel points. This card also allows you to transfer Ultimate Rewards points into hotel and/or airline miles. Transfer to United Airlines, British Airways, Air Canada (new), Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Southwest, Hyatt Hotels, IHG Hotels, and Marriott Hotels at a ratio of 1 Ultimate Rewards point = 1 mile/hotel point. Miles redemption continue to offer great value for savvy travelers, especially for last-minute travel and business class seats.

Personally, my preferred redemption method is Hyatt points, where I can consistently get over 2 cents per points of value for my hotel bookings. Recently, I have also been using my Ultimate Rewards points on the new Air Canada option.

Cash redemptions are a simple and easy option, but the conversion is a straight 100 points = $1.

Sharing points. Ultimate Rewards points are instantly transferable to other accounts like family members, as long as they have their own Chase card with Ultimate Rewards as an authorized user (free with Chase Freedom). This way, you can pool points together for transfers and redemptions if you like.

Additional card benefits:

Dedicated customer service line with a live person that answers the phone 24/7. No waiting or complicated phone trees.
No foreign transaction fees.
Primary car rental collision damage waiver insurance. Decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card. Coverage is primary and provides reimbursement up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad. Most other cards only offer secondary coverage that kicks in only after the deductible of your individual insurance policy is used.
Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance. If your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather and other covered situations, you can be reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses, including passenger fares, tours, and hotels.
Trip Delay Reimbursement. If your common carrier travel is delayed more than 6 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket
Enjoy special car rental privileges from National Car Rental, Avis, and Silvercar when you book with your card.

Note that Chase has an unofficial rule that they will automatically deny approval on new credit cards if you have 5 or more new credit cards from any issuer on your credit report within the past 2 years (aka the 5/24 rule). This rule is designed to discourage folks that apply for high numbers of sign-up bonuses. This rule applies on a per-person basis, so in our household one applies to Chase while the other applies at other card issuers.

As for the $300 annual travel credit, “annually” means the year beginning with your account open date through the first December statement date of that same year, and each 12 billing cycles starting after your December statement date through the following December statement date. So it’s not exactly by calendar year, but roughly close and you can likely get this twice under the first year’s annual fee. When you log into the Chase website, there is a handy tracker that tells you how much of your $300 annual credit has been reimbursed, and how much is remaining.

Bottom line. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card has a 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points sign-up bonus, 50% boost to all your travel credit redemptions of Ultimate Rewards points, $300 annual travel credit, 3X points on Dining/Travel (more if you use Chase Travel(SM) to book), Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership, up to $100 Global Entry application credit, DoorDash perks, Lyft perks, and more… in exchange for a $550 annual fee. You should compare against that of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, which has less perks but also a lower annual fee.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General, Reviews

Last updated: May 2, 2024

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Review: Best All-Around Travel Card w/ 75,000 Bonus Points Limited-Time Offer (Worth $900+ Towards Travel)

May 2, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 135 Comments

Updated with new 75k limited-time offer. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a premium travel rewards credit card that has gotten very popular due to its rewards structure and flexible Ultimate Rewards points that can be redeemed for cash, travel credits, or transferred to airline miles and hotel points. I’ve had it for years. Right now, there is a limited-time offer with increased bonus points. Here are the highlights:

75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening — that’s worth $937.50 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel(SM). You can also convert to airline miles or hotel points.
5X total points on all travel purchased through Chase Travel(SM).
3X points on on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out.
3X points on select streaming services. Includes Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify and YouTube TV.
3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).
2X points on all other travel purchases.
1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
$50 Annual Credit on hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel(SM). New cardmembers will start earning towards the credit immediately and existing cardmembers will start earning after their next account anniversary.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel(SM). For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
10% Anniversary Point Bonus. Each account anniversary, cardmembers will earn bonus points equal to 10% of total purchases made the previous year. That means, $25,000 in spend will earn an additional 2,500 bonus points.
No foreign transaction fees.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
$95 annual fee.

Note: If you visit a physical Chase Bank branch and apply for the card in-person, you may be able to find a higher offer that includes an additional 10,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 total on purchases made in the first six months after account opening.

Note the following text:

The product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 48 months.

Chase has an unofficial rule that they will automatically deny approval on new credit cards if you have 5 or more new credit cards from any issuer on your credit report within the past 2 years (aka the 5/24 rule). This rule is designed to discourage folks that apply for high numbers of sign-up bonuses. This rule applies on a per-person basis, so in our household one applies to Chase while the other applies at other card issuers.

Ultimate Rewards points. This card offers a special 25% bonus on travel redemptions made through the Chase Travel(SM) site. For example, 60,000 Ultimate Rewards = $750 in travel. 75,000 Ultimate Rewards = $937.50 in travel. Similar to Expedia or Travelocity, you can book flights on most major airlines and hotel chains. This makes it much more flexible to spend your points. You can even buy something more expensive than your points can cover and pay the difference in cash.

If you have other Chase cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points like the Freedom Flex, Freedom Unlimited, Ink Business Cash or Ink Business Unlimited, you can transfer points into this card account and take advantage of the this higher premium. In other words, your existing Ultimate Rewards points balance could be increased in value by getting this card.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card is the “ultra-premium” rewards card that offers a bigger 50% bonus on travel redemptions, along with more perks and a higher annual fee.

Prefer airline and/or hotel points? This card also allows you to transfer Ultimate Rewards points into hotel and/or airline miles. Transfer to United Airlines, British Airways, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Southwest, Hyatt Hotels, IHG Hotels, and Marriott Hotels at a ratio of 1 Ultimate Rewards point = 1 mile/hotel point. Miles redemption continue to offer great value for savvy travelers, especially for last-minute travel and business class seats. I personally use the transfers to “top off” my account to reach a free coach ticket or free hotel night when I don’t have enough points otherwise. My favorite options are United miles, Southwest miles, and Hyatt hotel points. I usually save up my points for a Hyatt hotel stay that gets me over 2 cents per point value.

Cash redemptions are a simple and easy option at straight conversion of 100 points = $1.

Sharing points. Ultimate Rewards points are instantly transferable to other accounts including family members, as long as they have their own Chase card with Ultimate Rewards as an authorized user. This way, you can pool points together for transfers and redemptions if you like.

Additional card benefits:

Primary car rental collision damage waiver insurance. Decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card. Coverage is primary and provides reimbursement up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad. Most other cards only offer secondary coverage that kicks in only after the deductible of your individual insurance policy is used.
Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance. If your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather and other covered situations, you can be reimbursed up to $10,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses, including passenger fares, tours, and hotels.
Trip Delay Reimbursement. If your common carrier travel is delayed more than 6 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket

Bottom line. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a popular premium travel rewards card. The sign-up bonus is currently 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points, which for example could be converted to 60,000 United miles, 60,000 Hyatt points, or $750 towards travel when you redeem through Chase Travel(SM) or in select categories via their Pay Yourself Back tool. The 3X points on dining out, online grocery, and select streaming services plus a $50 annual hotel credit are recent additions.

Compare with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, which offers a bigger 50% bonus on travel redemptions, along with more perks and a higher annual fee.

This offer is on my list of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General, Reviews

Last updated: May 2, 2024

Bilt Mastercard: Earn Rewards For Paying Rent w/ Any Landlord (May 1st Reminder)

April 30, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 9 Comments

May 1st Bilt Rent Day reminder. The Bilt Mastercard offers rewards for all renters, plus they roll out special promos on the first of every month (“Rent Day”). On May 1st, they are offering:

Redeem points towards rent, get 100% back towards Bilt Home Collection. Redeeming Bilt points towards Rent is a poor value at 0.55 cents per point. In my opinion, redeeming 10,000 Bilt points for $55 in Rent and $55 in overpriced home goods is still not a good deal. I’d still much rather have 10,000 Hyatt points to redeem towards hotel stays.
Note: The ability to transfer Bilt points to American Airlines will end in June 2024. So if you want to make such a transfer, May would be the month to do it. Bilt also added Alaska Airlines as a new transfer partner.

Bilt members can again book complimentary bike sessions on the 1st of each month at SoulCycle studios across the country. 10 bikes available per class on a first come, first served basis. One rider will get their rent paid (up to $2,500).

There is also the new game show (one question only, prize is an entry to enter drawing to win free rent) on top of the most reliable bet of up to 250 bonus points for PointsQuest Trivia.

I also try to score 6X Bilt/Hyatt points on Dining during the usual Double Points on Rent Day:

Just joined recently? Don’t miss these free Bilt Points opportunities (any day). Bilt lets you earn bonus points for a variety of different small activities, which can add up to 1,000+ easy points. I don’t know if these are officially listed anywhere, but I got them.

After I first got approved for the Bilt card, they offered me 5X Bilt points on all purchases (except rent) for a limited period of time (reader Eileen reports 5 days). This is a good opportunity to earn 5X points for everyday larger purchases like insurance, tax payment, charitable giving, or utility bills. Max 50,000 points.
100 points for linking each transfer partner. Link Hyatt? 100 points. Link Air Canada Aeroplan? 100 points. Link them all! 10+ partners = 1,000+ points.
500 points for Amazon Shop with Points. Link your Amazon account and you can buy stuff with Bilt points at the usual mediocre 0.7 cents per points value. Linking gets you 250 points, and using the program (spend at least 1 Bilt point) and get another 250 Bilt points.
100 points for each credit card linked to Bilt Dining (up to 300 points). Bilt Dining lets you earn 5X points per dollar when you pay at an eligible restaurant using a linked credit card. Link three different credit cards, get 300 Bilt points.

Important reminder: You must use your card to make 5 purchases (of any amount) each statement period to earn points.

Full review:

The updated Bilt Mastercard is a unique credit card that earns rewards on rent payments to any landlord. Bilt is a rent payment platform and they will send your landlord a check or ACH bank transfer so that your landlord will not have to do anything. In addition, the credit card has bonus categories and a variety of points redemption options like many other rewards credit cards. Here are the highlights:

Up to 1X points spent on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 50,000 points each calendar year.
3X points on dining.
2X points on travel including hotels, rental cars, and cruises when booked directly with airlines, hotels, and car rental agencies.
1X points on other purchases.
Earn points when you make 5 transactions that post each statement period.
When renting at a Bilt Alliance property, you can choose to have your rent payments automatically reported by Bilt to the three major credit bureaus each month; Experian(TM), TransUnion(TM), and Equifax(TM).
No annual fee.
World Elite Mastercard perks like cell phone insurance and purchase protection.

That means your rent can be up to $50,000 per year ($4,166 per month) and you would still be able to take full advantage of the 1X points per dollar spent on rent payments. They do require you to make at least 5 transactions per month (rent can be one), otherwise too many people might just put their rent on the card and not use the card otherwise.

Bilt has partnered with the owners of over 2,000,000 apartment units to create the Bilt Rewards Alliance. The easiest way is find out if you live in a qualifying property is to simply type in your address into the Bilt app.

Bilt also offers Double Points on “Rent Day”, aka the 1st of every month. This means that on the 1st day of every month, you can get 6X on dining, 4X on travel, and 2X on other purchases(except rent). They also offer other promos on this day. For example on 12/1/2022, you can transfer 1 Bilt point into 2 IHG points (1:2 instead of 1:1).

Bilt Rewards Points redemption options

Travel partners. Bilt Rewards points transfer on a 1:1 basis to the following hotel and airline partners. You can also get 100 bonus points for every loyalty program you link to Bilt.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan (NEW)
American Airlines AAdvantage (ends June 2024)
Air Canada Aeroplan
United Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines
FlyingBlue (Air France/KLM)
Miles & Smiles (Turkish Airlines)
Emirates Skywards
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
British Airways Executive Club
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Aer Lingus Aer Club
Turkish Miles & Smiles
Iberia Plus
World of Hyatt
IHG One

Hyatt hotel points, American, United, and Hawaiian miles are likely the most useful points for the average US traveler. I am conservative when valuing points and miles due to their redemption hassles and steady threat of devaluation, so I would place the value here a 1 cent a point even though I definitely plan to exceed that. You may wish to use a different value.

Home Downpayment? Bilt says that your points can be redeemed at 1.5 cents per point when used towards a home downpayment. This seems like it might be rather complicated to actually redeem, so I would keep it mind but wouldn’t count on it. If you racked up 100,000 points over time, it would be nice to have $1,500 via this method.

Shop with Points at Amazon. You can link your Bilt Rewards points to Amazon and pay for your purchases at rate of 0.70 cents per point.

Rent. Bilt will let you convert points towards your next rent payment at 0.55 cents per point. This is not a good redemption rate when compared to the miles/Hyatt option. It’s too bad there is no easy, decent cash-out option.

Statement credit. Bilt will also let you convert points towards a statement credit on your credit card statement at 0.55 cents per point.

Other options include fitness classes or physical items like “limited-edition” home decor or art in the “Bilt Collection” catalog. Personally, I like being able to add to my Hyatt and Canada Aeroplan stash.

Possibly help your credit score? When renting at a Bilt Alliance property, your on-time payment activity can be automatically reported to the three major credit bureaus. In addition, with the optional “BiltProtect” feature, your rent payments will be immediately withdrawn from a linked bank account so your credit limit is not decreased (and ideally your rent won’t contribute to your credit card debt).

How do I pay my landlord or property manager? They don’t take credit cards due to the transaction fees. Bilt will provide you with a bank ACH routing number and account number that you can use to perform an ACH transfer, or they will simply send a paper check on your behalf. You don’t actually pay with the credit card, nor do you or your landlord have to pay any credit card transaction fees.

Free cell phone protection. Pay your monthly cell phone bill with your Bilt Mastercard and get up to $800 of protection (subject to $25 deductible) against covered damage or theft. For complete coverage details, visit wellsfargo.com/biltbenefits. To file a claim, call 1-800-316-8051 or visit mycardbenefits.assurant.com.

Bottom line. The Bilt Mastercard offers a unique rewards structure targeted specifically at all renters with any landlord. At $2,000 a month in rent, the 1X rewards would add up to 24,000 points per year in rewards = 24,000 American/United/Hawaiian miles or 24,000 Hyatt points with no additional transaction fees and no credit card annual fee. You may even do better if you wait for a “Rent Day” promo on the first of the month. Something to consider if you already have to pay rent anyway.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers

Last updated: May 2, 2024

The Business Platinum Card(R) from American Express Review: 150,000 Bonus Points, $400 Dell Credit, $120 Wireless Credit, $200 Airline Fee Credit

April 30, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 6 Comments

Increased offer. The Business Platinum Card(R) from American Express is the ultra-premium AmEx business card with a very long list of new perks and statement credits. You also get the best airline lounge access program (Delta Sky Club + their own Centurion lounges) and an improved welcome offer. I’ve tried to keep it brief, but there is a lot to cover:

Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards(R) points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
5X Membership Rewards(R) points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com
Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
35% Airline Bonus. You can receive 35% Membership Rewards® points back after you use the Pay With Points feature for all or part of a flight booked with American Express Travel if the flight is either First or Business class or on your selected qualifying airline, up to 1,000,000 bonus points back per calendar year.
$1,000+ in value per year via statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless.
$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 the Card.
Up to $100 Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership through any Authorized Enrollment Provider for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85) when the application fee is charged to an eligible Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
$189 CLEAR(R) Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR(R) Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card(R).
$695 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
Terms Apply.

Note the following language: “Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product.” You can only get the welcome offer on the Platinum Business AmEx once time per lifetime, so it is best to apply during an improved offer (and also the time when perks have been added but before the annual fee increase).

New annual statement credit details:

$400 Dell Technologies credit. Get up to $400 back per year toward U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies. Enrollment required.‡
$360 Indeed credit ($90 per quarter). Enroll and get up to $360 in statement credits per year for purchases with Indeed on the Business Platinum Card. That’s up to $90 back per quarter.
$150 Adobe Creative Solutions credit. Enroll and get up to $150 in statement credits per year for purchases with Adobe on annual prepaid plans for eligible Creative Cloud for teams and Acrobat Pro DC with e-sign for on the Card.
$120 wireless telephone credit ($10 per month). Enroll and get up to $120 in statement credits per year for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S. on the Business Platinum Card. That’s up to $10 back per month.‡

American Express Global Lounge Collection. Some other travel cards give you Priority Pass Select, which is nice but not as inclusive as the Platinum card’s list of 1,300+ airport lounges across 140 countries. Domestically, you get Delta Skyclub access (an individual Skyclub membership costs $495 from Delta alone) as well as the new Centurion Lounge network built specifically for American Express cardholders.

The Centurion® Lounge
The International American Express Lounges
Delta SkyClub®
Priority Pass Select
Airspace Lounge
Escape Lounges

35% Airline Bonus details. Let’s say your selected airline is Delta, and you want to buy a couple economy Delta tickets for $1,000 using their Pay with Points features. This means that $1,000 ticket booked through AmEx Travel will only cost you 65,000 Membership Rewards points net (100,000 points and then 35,000 point rebated back). This improves the 1 cent per point value to 1.54 cents per point value. This means that 120,000 Membership Rewards points can be worth $1,848 in airfare on your selected airline.

Transfer partners. You can transfer Membership Rewards points to 16 airline and 3 hotel partners including Delta, British Airways, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Air Canada, Hilton, Starwood Preferred Guest, and Choice Hotels. If you’re good at snagging award tickets, you can get even better value this way.

Bottom line. The Business Platinum Card(R) from American Express is the ultra-premium AmEx business card that includes a HUGE list of perks. Add them up for your own situation and see how it compares with the annual fee. Keep in mind that the annual fee can also count as a business expense.

The net first-year value of this card is easily over $1,000, as it is definitely one of the Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

(See Rates and Fees)

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General

Last updated: April 30, 2024

Top 10 Best Small Business Credit Card Bonus Offers – April 2024

April 29, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 22 Comments

Updated April 2024. Do you have small business income or work as an independent contractor? Freelance, Uber/Lyft, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Airbnb? A small business credit card separates your personal and business expenses and can build up your business credit profile. If you are not a corporation or LLC, you can apply as a sole proprietorship, with your name as the business name and your Social Security number as the Tax ID number. These are the top 10 credit card offers that I would personally apply for right now (or have already). Recent changes:

Added Platinum 150k, Hilton 175k, AA 75k, Ink Preferred $1,250, United 75k, Alaska 75k, Spark Cash Select $750.
Removed Marriott 5FreeNights, Venture X 300k, Hyatt 75k, JetBlue 75k, AmEx Gold 70k, SWPremier 120k

This is a companion post to my Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers for personal cards. Notice that small business bonuses are on average even higher than those on consumer cards.

The Business Platinum® Card from American Express

150,000 Membership Rewards points after $20,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
HUGE list of additional perks including $400 Dell, $360 Indeed, $150 Adobe, $120 wireless phone annual credits, $200 annual airline fee credit, $189 CLEAR credit, $100 TSA/Global Entry credit, Centurion airport lounge access, and more. See link for details.
$695 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
Terms Apply.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after $8,000 in purchases in the first six months. Offer Ends 6/5. See link for details.
Up to $240 in Annual Hilton Credits. Get up to $240 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases made on your Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, with up to $60 in statement credits per quarter.
$195 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
Terms Apply.

Capital One Venture X Business Card

150,000 Miles (worth $1,500 towards travel) after spending $30,000 in the first 3 months. See link for details.
$300 annual travel credit. Get up to $300 in statement credits when booking through Capital One Travel.
Additional 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary.
Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass(TM) and Plaza Premium Group lounges access.
Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
$395 annual fee.

CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard

75,000 American Airlines miles after $5,000 in purchases in first the 5 months. See link for details.
First checked bag free on domestic AA flights for you and up to 4 companions (Up to $80 value per roundtrip, per person).
$0 annual fee for the first year, then $99.

United(SM) Business Card

75,000 bonus United miles after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Limited-time offer. See link for details.
Free first checked bag for both you and a companion (a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip).
5,000-mile “better together” bonus each anniversary when you have both the United(SM) Business Card and personal Chase United credit card.
Primary rental car coverage when renting for business purposes.
$0 annual fee for the first year, then $99.
Subject to 5/24 rule.*

Chase Ink Business Preferred Card

100,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $1,000 straight cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel) after $8,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
3X points on the first $150,000 spent on travel, shipping purchases, internet/cable/phone services, and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines.
Primary rental car coverage when renting for business purposes.
$95 annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.*

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

3 Free Night Awards (Worth Up To 150K Total Marriott Bonvoy Points) after $6,000 in eligible purchases within first 6 months. Each Free Night Award is worth up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) points redemption level. See link for details.
New award night top-off option: Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 15,000 points of your own. For example, the 50k Award can be used to book a hotel at 65,000 points level if you spend 15,000 points of your own. This opens up the number of potential hotels available in expensive areas.
Additional Free Night Award upon card anniversary (worth up to 35,000 Bonvoy points). Earn another additional Free Night Award after spending $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
Annual fee is $125. (See Rates and Fees)
Terms Apply.

Chase Ink Business Unlimited Card

$750 bonus cash back (75,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
Flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases with no limit.
No annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.*

Capital One Spark Cash Select Business Card

$750 bonus after $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
Unlimited 1.5% cash back spent on all purchases. with no limit.
No annual fee.

Chase Ink Business Cash Card

Up to $750 bonus cash back total (75,000 Ultimate Rewards points). Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months. See link for details.
5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year.
No annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.*

World of Hyatt Business Card

60,000 Hyatt points after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Up to $100 in Hyatt statement credits – spend $50 or more at any Hyatt property and earn $50 statement credits up to two times each anniversary year.
$199 annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.

American Express® Business Gold Card

70,000 Membership Rewards points after $10,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
$240 Annual Flexible Business Credit. Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores.
$155 Annual Walmart+ Credit. Get $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card.
Annual fee is $375. (See Rates and Fees)
Terms Apply.

Hawaiian Airlines Business MasterCard

70,000 Hawaiian miles. 60,000 miles after $2,000 in purchases in first 90 days. 10,000 miles after a qualifying purchase is made on an employee card. See link for details.
Receive a one-time 50% off companion discount for roundtrip coach travel between Hawaii and The Mainland on Hawaiian Airlines.
$99 annual fee.

Bank of America Business Advantage Cash Rewards Card

$500 statement credit after $5,000 in purchases in the first 90 days. See link for details.
3% cash back on your choice of six categories. 2% cash back on dining and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. The 3% and 2% cash back applies to the first $50,000 in combined category/dining purchases each calendar year, 1% thereafter.
No annual fee.

US Bank Business Leverage Card

75,000 bonus points after $7,500 in purchases (on the Account Owner’s Card only) in first the 120 days. 75,000 bonus points can be redeemed for $750 in cash back. See link for details.
Availability may be restricted to certain states.
$0 annual fee for the first year, then $95.

JetBlue Business Card

60,000 TrueBlue points 50,000 points after $4,000 in purchases in first 90 days. Plus, earn 10,000 bonus points when a purchase is made on an employee card in the first 90 days. See link for details.
First checked bag free for the primary cardmember and up to 3 companions when tickets are purchased with your JetBlue Plus Card.
$99 annual fee.

Alaska Airlines Visa Business Card (Bank of America)

75,000 Alaska miles + Companion Fare Voucher after $4,000 in purchase within 90 days. See link for details.
Companion fare voucher is “Buy one ticket, get one for $122” ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from just $23).
Free checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to six other passengers on the same reservation (worth $60 roundtrip per person).
$70 annual fee for company, plus $25 per card.

* Note: Certain Chase cards have a “5/24 rule” which is an unofficial rule that they will automatically deny approval on new credit cards if you have 5 or more new credit cards on your credit report within the past 2 years. This rule applies on a per-person basis, so if you are new, you might want to start with those Chase cards.

For rates and fees of The Business Platinum® Card from American Express, please visit here. For rates and fees of The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, please visit here. For rates and fees of Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, please visit here. For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, please visit here.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers

Last updated: April 29, 2024

Chase MyBonus 2024 Q2: Check For Targeted 5X Points or HBO Max Offers

April 18, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 20 Comments

New quarter, new offers. A quick 2024 Q2 reminder that you can discover targeted offers for your Chase-issued credit card at Chase.com/mybonus. This includes both their in-house cards like Sapphire or Freedom Flex and their co-branded cards like United, IHG, Hyatt, Southwest, Amazon, etc. For some reason, these are often offers that they don’t tell you about otherwise by email or snail mail.

Selected folks are getting 5X points on Gas Stations, Groceries, and Home Improvement Stores:

Many others are being offered a $25/$35 discount on annual subscriptions of MAX (formerly HBO Max) streaming service.

You may also simply get a message that your card can’t be found or that you weren’t targeted:

In some cases, you may be able to stack on top of your existing rewards, for example the current 5% cash back categories of the Chase Freedom and Freedom Flex.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers

Last updated: April 18, 2024

$7,000 IRA Contribution Bonus Challenge: $2,428 in Bonuses (2024 YTD Edition)

April 10, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 8 Comments

Each year, I challenge myself to earn the equivalent of the maximum annual IRA contribution limit ($7,000 for 2024 if under 50) using the profits from various finance promotions alone. I earned $5,592 in 2021, $6,259 in 2022, and $5,444 in 2023 (plus another $2,500 in stock special situations). Here’s a progress update after the end of the first quarter of 2024.

If you combined these hobby profits and steady investing, this CAN create enough for a house downpayment (unlike perhaps spare change roundups). If you had put $6,000 into your IRA every year for the recent 10 year period (2014-2023) and invested in a simple Target Date retirement fund, you would have turned small, weekly deals into a $95,000+ nest egg.

That’s worth repeating: An extra 100 grand has been the real-world result of playing this game and investing $500 a month in proceeds for the last 10 years! I have the brokerage statements to prove it. Not to mention, a couple could double these numbers. Focus + Long attention span = Surprising results.

Ground rules: Real-world results for one person only. Following with My Money Blog tradition, this will track my personal, real-world results. It would be quite easy to list a bunch of promotions that add up to $6,000, but these will be promotions that I personally sign up for and complete the requirements (even though I’ve already opened 100+ bank accounts, credit cards, and brokerage accounts over the years). I will track my individual results only, although my partner does also participate on a more selective basis. Nearly all of them have been documented in real-time in the Deals and Offers category, Top 10 credit cards list, and brokerage bonus list.

2024 bonuses and promotions list. The 💵 symbol means I have received and/or cashed out the bonus successfully. The ⌛ symbol means that the promo is still in progress. “Still live” means the offer is still available but the values may have gone up or down.

Fidelity Bloom App $30 (still live) 💵
NASA FCU $300 Checking bonus (expired) ⌛
NavyFed Flagship Rewards credit card ($540 net first-year value, still live) 💵
iPhone Slowdown Settlement ($92.71, expired) 💵
Laurel Road $20/month Checking bonus (still live) ⌛
Bilt Rent Day easy credits ($27.50 so far, ongoing) 💵
Amazon Shop with Points #1 $10 credit (still live, targeted) 💵
Alaska Airlines Visa 75k + Companion Fare Savings + Free Bags + 10% Bonus (still live) 💵
Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard 65k + Free Bags (still live) 💵
Target $10 off $100 Apple GC #1 (expired, recurring) 💵
Pepper Rewards 10% off Amazon ($250) + $20 (still live) 💵

I chose the Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines cards because I already had planned trips within the next 12 months and knew I could take advantage of the free checked bags, companion fare savings, and redeem the miles. I valued the miles at a simple and conservative $0.01/mile. The Alaska Companion fare on its own saved us nearly $700.

I’m not counting these again in 2024, but I earned them in 2023 and they are “still live”:

Total for 2024 YTD: If I assume that all bonuses for which I have completed the required activity will eventually post, the total tally so far is $2,428, which is 35% of the $7,000 annual IRA contribution limit for 2024.

Honorable mention #1: Cummins / Atmus Odd Lot Tender Offer. I did make a $4,819 profit over only 23 calendar days from the Cummins / Atmus Filtration odd lot tender offer. This did require a $26,000 commitment to buy 99 shares (the max allowed as an individual small investor) before the odd lot tender, but the lockup time was short with an annualized rate of return of 1,528%.

Honorable mention #2: Robinhood 3% IRA Transfer / 401k Rollover Bonus. After some hemming and hawing (I had to look up how to spell that), I decided to go forward with this offer that expires 4/30 using my largest Roth IRA account from Vanguard. The size of this bonus will depend on the size of your assets, so I won’t include this bonus in my annual sums. But the expected value is over $8,000 after fees. Let’s hope the transfer completes smoothly.

This is a personal challenge/game that I like to play (and have played for a long time now). It’s not for everyone. I happen to enjoy trying out new apps and services. I also like my hobbies to be profitable – not gonna lie – but I don’t like to waste my time either. I look for a solid return based on the time commitment required. I try to avoid speculative bets, bonuses that are hard to convert to real cash-equivalent value, and anything that requires driving to stores where things may or may not be in stock. The deals that I post often last only a few days, but it’s a bit like value investing where you have to be ready to get off your butt and take decisive action when an opportunity shows up, because they won’t last forever.

Many things I have to skip simply because I’ve already done them. For those new to this hobby, I would first grab the best overall cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve and build up a nice stash of flexible Ultimate Rewards points. After that, I would recommend looking at the Citi Premier (ThankYou points), Capital Venture X (Capital One Miles), and American Express Gold (AmEx Membership Rewards points) to jumpstart your points stashes.

This list also ignores the additional interest earned from otherwise optimizing my existing cash balances, as well as everyday credit card rewards like 2% to 2.6% cash back on all purchases and 5% cash back on specific categories or 1% or better cash back on rent.

Finally, I am also excluding small-business deals like big $1,000+ value business card bonuses, big business checking bonuses, and so on.

Photo was generated by Adobe’s Firefly tool (AI).

Filed Under: Banking, Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General, Goals

Last updated: April 11, 2024

British Airways Visa Signature® Card Review: 85,000 Avios Points Limited-Time Offer

April 4, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 108 Comments

New limited-time offer. The British Airways Visa Signature® Card is a Chase-issued card that offers unique perks with British Airways. The Avios program offers a distance-based award system in the US (including Hawaii), allowing you to fly for less points than you might think. You can also book partner awards on American Airlines. You may also use Avios to fly business class to Europe. Here are the highlights:

Limited-time offer: 85,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you’ll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.
10% off British Airways flights starting in the US when you book through the website provided in your welcome materials.
Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL.
Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel.
No foreign transaction fees.
$95 annual fee.

The Avios reward chart is now based on how far you want to travel in terms of miles. So what can you do with all those points?

Redeem awards domestically on partner American Airlines. Within the US, it’s usually easiest to find flights on partner American Airlines. There are no fuel surcharges when booking with American. Seating availability will be limited, but if you are flexible there is decent inventory.

Los Angeles to Honolulu, Hawaii using only 13,000 Avios one-way and 26,000 Avios points roundtrip. I ran a quote and it cost $659 broken down to $621 fare and only $38 in taxes. So in this case you could save $621 in exchange for 26,000 points, which is 2.4 cents per point. This also works from Hawaii to Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle. You can also do JFK to LAX for 25k points roundtrip.
Shorter-distance flights can be a good deal as well. Roundtrip from Chicago to New York City is only 18,000 Avios points + about $30 in taxes. Charlotte, NC to New York City is only 12,000 Avios roundtrip. Los Angeles to Las Vegas is also 12,000 Avios roundtrip. Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon is 18,000 Avios roundtrip.

Finding partner awards on BA.com is better than is was in the past, so try it first. Type in your to/from cities within the US, choose to book flights with Avios points (“Book” then “Book a flight with Avios”). As usual, it helps to book far ahead (or last-minute) and to be flexible with dates. Here’s a quick screenshot of a one-way flight booking from LAX to HNL for 13,000 points and $5.60 in taxes. Families can take note that there were 7 seats available at this price on the flight when I looked.

Use the American Airlines AA.com website and look the cheapest level awards. Record the exact flight dates and numbers, and then call at British Airways at 1-800-452-1201 to book them. If you can’t find the same flight on BA.com, they should waive the phone book fee (they did for me). Don’t be discouraged if you have to use this method, especially if you aren’t flying nonstop. Also, call back and talk with a different agent if they aren’t helpful initially.

Beware of fuel surcharges on British Airways flights. Don’t use Avios for a economy British Airways flight from USA to Europe, because you’ll still be subject to taxes and fees on award redemptions, which are often half the entire cost of the ticket. I ran a quick search for a random New York City (JFK) to London (LHR) flight that cost $1,050, the taxes and fees alone were $650. You can get the $400 “fare” for 40,000 Avios points, but that’s only 1 cent a point value.

Bottom line. The British Airways Visa Signature® Card has an updated bonus that offers enough Avios for two roundtrip tickets from the mainland US to Hawaii. It’s a keeper card if you can take advantage of their companion ticket.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General

Last updated: May 2, 2024

Global Entry Changes 10/1/24: Adult Fee up to $120, Children Free w/ Adult

April 3, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 4 Comments

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) just announced an upcoming fee change for some of its most popular Trusted Traveler Programs, including Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck), NEXUS, and SENTRI. Starting 10/1/24, the application fee for Global Entry will rise to $120 every 5 years, up from $100. NEXUS and SENTRI will also have the same $120 fee. TSA PreCheck on its own is still set to stay at $78, but again Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck.

This is potentially actionable news in a few different ways:

It’s a good reminder to use up any of those $100 Global Entry/TSA credits on any credit cards you have now. There are over a dozen cards that offer this credit from all the major issuers like all of the major issuers. I’ve never actually paid for a Global Entry (GE) application fee for any of our five household members, thanks to such credits. The cards will probably eventually increase to match, but why not just get it reimbursed in full for sure. There is usually a 12-month window before expiration when you can renew.
If you have kids, you may choose to wait until after 10/1 to apply or renew for Global Entry. As long as the parent or legal guardian is already a Global Entry member OR is applying at the same time, it will become free for the child under 18. A reminder that as long as just the parents have TSA PreCheck, the kids will still get TSA PreCheck line access as well when flying. However, Global Entry does not work that way and so everyone needs their own Global Entry membership to use that special line.
Note that the biggest hassle right now is trying to find an interview time to actually complete for your Global Entry application, especially after the pandemic. This depends on the availability where you live. We still have one kid without Global Entry (even though we paid for the application) due to this hurdle. For a while, there were simply zero appointments available. Then we had to eventually schedule the appointment for six months out, and it’s still not until June 2024. Things appear a little better now.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers

Last updated: April 3, 2024

United(SM) Business Card Review: 75,000 Bonus Miles Offer + First Year Annual Fee Waived

March 28, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 3 Comments

The United^SM Business Card offers unique perks for regular United customers including free checked bags and expanded award seat availability for redeeming miles. Here are the highlights:

Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
5,000-mile “better together” bonus each anniversary when you have both the United(SM) Business Card and personal Chase United credit card.
Free first checked bag – a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip (terms apply), 2 United Club(SM) one-time passes per year, and priority boarding privileges.
$100 United® travel credit after 7 United flight purchases of $100 or more each anniversary year.
2X miles per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including train tickets, taxi cabs, mass transit, tolls and ride share services.
2X miles on dining, gas stations and office supply stores.
2X miles on United purchases and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
No foreign transaction fees.
Your miles don’t expire as long as your credit card account is open, with no limit to the number of miles you can earn.
Employee cards at no additional cost.
Get one-year complimentary DashPass, a membership for both DoorDash and Caviar that provides unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders. After that, you are automatically enrolled in DashPass at the current monthly rate. Activate by 12/31/24.
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.

This card is considered a “new” card, differ from the old Business Explorer card:

This product is available to you if you do not have this Card and have not received a new Cardmember bonus for this Card in the past 24 months.

In addition, you can get this card and bonus if you had the consumer version of the United Explorer in the past 24 months (or have one now).

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that they can apply for business credit cards, even if they are not a corporation or LLC. The business type is called a sole proprietorship, and these days many people are full-time or part-time consultants, freelancers, eBay/Amazon/Etsy sellers, Uber/Lyft drivers, or other one-person business owners. This is the simplest business entity, but it is fully legit and recognized by the IRS. On a business credit card application, you should use your own legal name as the business name, and your Social Security Number as the Tax ID.

Note that Chase has an unofficial rule that they will most likely deny approval on new credit cards if you have 5 or more new credit cards from any issuer on your credit report within the past 2 years (aka the 5/24 rule). This rule is designed to discourage folks that apply for high numbers of sign-up bonuses. This rule applies on a per-person basis, so in our household one applies to Chase while the other applies at other card issuers.

The good news is that small business cards from Chase hardly ever show up on personal credit reports, so getting this card in itself won’t affect your future 5/24 eligibility. This it makes a “free” application if you are already eligible.

This card is very focused on rewarding you for being a United customer. Before you board, you might use one of your free United Club lounge passes. You have the first checked bag for free on United flights, both for your and a companion traveling on the same reservation. The fee is usually $35 per person, each way, so that this how they get the value of $140 each roundtrip. You also get Priority Boarding, which helps you find space for your carry-on.

Expanded award availability. This card also makes it easier for you to redeem those miles on Saver level tickets with no blackout dates for MileagePlus members booking award flights on United. Expanded and exclusive award seat availability on selected flights are another perk of this card.

Another unique feature of this card is that it offers primary coverage on the Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver. On many other cards, this coverage is offered as secondary coverage, meaning it only kicks in after your personal auto insurance has been exhausted.

Bottom line. The United Business card offers valuable perks for folks that fly United even just once or twice a year. The card provides lounge passes, a free checked bag, priority boarding, and inflight discounts. There are bonus categories to earn more miles, and special expanded award seat inventory for credit card holders to make it easier to actually redeem those miles for flights.

Also see: Top 10 Best Small Business Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General

Last updated: April 4, 2024

5% Cash Back Cards: Amazon, Hotels, Restaurants, Gas, Home Improvement – April through June 2024

March 25, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 48 Comments

Activation reminder for 2024 2nd Quarter. The credit cards below offer 5% cash back and up on specific categories that rotate each quarter. It takes a little extra attention, but it can add up to hundreds of dollars in additional rewards per year without changing your spending habits. You can also buy gift cards at places with 5% back now but spend the gift cards later. (* You can buy gift cards from lots of different places at grocery and drug stores…) New cardmembers may also get an upfront sign-up bonus.

Chase Freedom Flex Card

From April 1st through June 30th, 2024, you can earn 5% cash back (or 5X Ultimate Rewards points) on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:

Amazon.com
Hotels (booked either directly through hotel or Chase Travel)
Restaurants (full eligibility list)

(The categories are also the same for the old Chase Freedom card, which is no longer available to new applicants.)

Enroll each quarter online in your Chase account or at ChaseBonus.com. As long as you activate by the 14th of the first month in each quarter, the rewards are retroactive. Technically, you earn Ultimate Rewards points which may be worth even more when converted to airline miles or hotel points instead of cash if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve card. You could also use the Pay Yourself Back tool to additional value. Currently, the Chase Freedom Flex card is offering new applicants a $200 bonus if you sign up and make $500 in purchases in your first three months. No annual fee.

Discover it Card

From April 1st through June 30th, 2024, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:

Gas Stations & Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Home Improvement Stores (includes online and in store purchases at home improvement retail stores, building supply stores (e.g. lumber, paint, and hardware stores), lawn, nursery, and garden supply stores)
Public Transit

Enroll after logging into your online account. 5% rewards won’t apply until after you activate your rewards, so it is best to activate now before you forget. No annual fee.

Discover it $100 bonus + Double Cashback Match details. If you are a new applicant and sign up via Discover Card referral link, you will get a ~~$50~~ improved $100 Cashback Bonus after your first purchase within 3 months of being account opening. On top of that, you will also get Cashback Match for an entire year – a dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year, automatically. During those 12 months, your 5% cash back rewards becomes 10% cash back, and your 1% cash back rewards become 2% cash back. You can verify this on the application by looking under “Terms and Conditions” or searching for “cashback match” and “statement credit offer”:

Refer a Friend: You will receive a $100 statement credit after making a purchase within three months of account opening. You must apply online through your friend’s digital referral link and be approved by 11:59pm ET, December 31, 2024 in order to be eligible for the $100 statement credit offer.

Cashback Match: We’ll match all the cash back rewards you’ve earned on your credit card from the day your new account is approved through your first 12 consecutive billing periods or 365 days, whichever is longer, and add it to your rewards account within two billing periods.

Citi Custom Cash Card. This new card offers 5% cash back on your *single* top eligible spending category up to $500 each month (which effectively adds up to $1,500 a quarter). Eligible categories include broad ones like restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, or select travel, but you only get 5% for the top category that month and 1% on everything else. To simplify things you could, for example, elect to only use this card for 5% cash back on gas all year long (up to $500 per month).

Currently, the Citi Custom Cash card is offering new applicants a $200 bonus after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. You’ll actually get 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. No annual fee.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card

6% cash back at US supermarkets all year long (on up to $6,000 per year)
6% cash back at select US streaming subscriptions (includes Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube TV, and more).
Disney Bundle credit worth up to $84 annually. The Disney Bundle includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Get $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $12.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription with your Blue Cash Preferred Card. Enrollment required.
3% cash back at US gas stations and transit (taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).

I use this card all year long for 6% cash back on groceries up to the limit and put all my streaming services on it (including Disney+ bundle), and then in December use up the $6k annual limit on gift cards bought in the supermarket aisle. New cardholders are also eligible for a $250 welcome offer after $3,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. See details in link.

U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card. You must choose the two 5% cash back categories every quarter, out of a preset selection of specific categories:

Fast Food
Cell Phone Providers
Home Utilities
Ground Transportation
Select Clothing Stores
Electronics Stores
Car Rentals
Gyms/Fitness Centers
Sporting Goods Stores
Department Stores
Furniture Stores
Movie Theaters
TV, Internet, and Streaming Services

Unfortunately, you can’t pick a broad category like gas stations, restaurants, or grocery stores. Make sure to choose your categories each and every quarter, even if you want them to stay the same. If you do not choose your categories, all purchases revert to only earning 1% cash back for that quarter. No annual fee. Currently, new applicants are offered a $200 bonus after you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.

Amazon Prime Rewards Card. Earn 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods all year long. Prime membership required. New cardholder bonus varies by person. No annual fee.

Citi Dividend Card. This card has not been available to new applicants for years now, but if you still have the grandfathered card you can view and activate your quarterly 5% category here. Limit of $300 cash back for the calendar year.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers

Last updated: March 25, 2024

Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers – May 2024 (Updated)

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card: 75,000 Bonus Points (Worth $1,125 Toward Travel), $300 Annual Travel Credit, Airport Lounge Access

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Review: Best All-Around Travel Card w/ 75,000 Bonus Points Limited-Time Offer (Worth $900+ Towards Travel)

Bilt Mastercard: Earn Rewards For Paying Rent w/ Any Landlord (May 1st Reminder)

The Business Platinum Card(R) from American Express Review: 150,000 Bonus Points, $400 Dell Credit, $120 Wireless Credit, $200 Airline Fee Credit

Top 10 Best Small Business Credit Card Bonus Offers – April 2024

Chase MyBonus 2024 Q2: Check For Targeted 5X Points or HBO Max Offers

$7,000 IRA Contribution Bonus Challenge: $2,428 in Bonuses (2024 YTD Edition)

British Airways Visa Signature® Card Review: 85,000 Avios Points Limited-Time Offer

Global Entry Changes 10/1/24: Adult Fee up to $120, Children Free w/ Adult

United(SM) Business Card Review: 75,000 Bonus Miles Offer + First Year Annual Fee Waived

5% Cash Back Cards: Amazon, Hotels, Restaurants, Gas, Home Improvement – April through June 2024

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