Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred Mastercard: 40,000 Point Offer (Worth $1,000 in Amtrak Fare or $400 in Amazon Gift Cards)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

The Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred Mastercard, issued by First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO), offers a variety of perks for Amtrak riders. It also currently has a 40,000 points limited-time offer that is worth up to roughly $1,000 value in Amtrak train fare or $400 in Amazon gift cards. Here are the highlights:

  • 40,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 billing cycles of account opening.
  • Roundtrip companion coupon upon account opening and card anniversary.
  • One-class upgrade upon account opening and card anniversary.
  • Station Lounge pass upon account opening and card anniversary.
  • 3X points per $1 spent on Amtrak travel, including onboard purchases.
  • 2X points per $1 spent on dining, travel, transit and rideshare.
  • 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • 5% Amtrak Guest Rewards point rebate when you book your Amtrak redemption travel.
  • 20% rebate on food and beverage purchases on board, via statement credit on this card.
  • 1,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) every time you make at least $5,000 in purchases in a calendar year, up to 4,000 TQPs
  • Amtrak points will not expire as long as your card account is open.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $99 annual fee.

This offer is not going to be attractive for everyone, but it can be very valuable if you either enjoy recreational train travel or if you can use it for your commuting needs.

Amtrak points are currently worth roughly 2.5 cents per points towards Amtrak train fare. That means 40,000 points is worth approximately $1,000 in Amtrak train fare. Amtrak redemptions are variable and directly-linked to the cash cost, so you can use points on basically any ticket. There is also the potential value of the companion coupon, lounge pass, and one-class upgrade.

The best value is for train fare, but Amtrak points do transfer to certain other hotel programs, although some require elite status in those programs.

Gift cards. You can also redeem for various gift cards at a rate of 5,000 points = $50 gift card. So 40,000 points would get you $400 in gift cards to Amazon, CVS, Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Starbucks, etc.

You could take the train across the entire country! There is an 18-hour Capitol Limited overnight train from Washington D.C. to Chicago in a “Superliner Bedroom” with a private bathroom.

You could then take the 3-day, 2-night trip on the California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco. Enjoy the views as you cut through both the Rockies and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges.

Bottom line. The Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred Mastercard currently has a limited-time offer that can get you roughly $1,000 value in Amtrak train fare, with an $99 annual fee. The potential value is high, but I don’t know if it is too niche to include in my list of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers. For you folks that prefer cash or near-cash, you could also get $400 in Amazon gift cards with 40,000 points, minus the $99 annual fee.

Note: In the past, if you start a booking on Amtrak.com, they have sometimes offered you an extra $100 statement credit during the checkout process before final payment. I just tried, but it was only 20,000 points + $100.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card Review: 3 Free Night Awards Offer (Worth Up To 150K Total Points)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is the re-branded business credit card of the Marriott Bonvoy program. This card offers unique perks for Marriott customers, along with a generous new customer incentive (especially during a limited-time offer). Here are the highlights:

  • Earn 3 Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Each Free Night Award has a redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) points, for a total potential value of up to 150,000 points, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R). Certain hotels have resort fees. Terms apply.
  • 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.
  • Room rate discount: 7% discount on eligible Marriott Bonvoy hotel bookings as a benefit of being both a Marriott Bonvoy(R) member & a Marriott Bonvoy Business(R) American Express(R) Card Member when you book directly with Marriott through an eligible channel for a participating property under the Amex Business Card Rate.
  • 6X Marriott Bonvoy points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy(R) program.
  • 4X points at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
  • 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
  • Receive a Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60k in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R). Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with this card.
  • Elite Night Credits: Receive credit for 15 nights towards the next level of Marriott Bonvoy Elite status, each calendar year.
  • Annual fee is $125. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

Keep in mind the following terms and conditions:

Welcome offer not available to applicants who (i) have or have had the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Rewards® Business Credit Card from Chase in the last 30 days, (ii) have acquired the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Credit Card from Chase or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase in the last 90 days, or (iii) received a new Card Member bonus offer in the last 24 months on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase.

This is more specific than before, note the different 30-day, 90-day, and 24-month waiting periods that may now include consumer cards. American Express usually gives you a pop-up warning during the application process if you are ineligible based on their records. This is why you should be looking to get the best possible bonus (like a limited-time offer) when you do apply.

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.

NEW: Certificates can be combined with up to 15,000 points for nicer hotels. Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 15,000 points of your own. In other words, if your certificate is worth 35,000 points, the maximum hotel value you can redeem for is 50,000 points after adding 15,000 points of your own. if your certificate is worth 50,000 points, the maximum hotel value you can redeem for is 65,000 points after adding 15,000 points of your own.

You can use the Marriott free night search tool to price out some sample hotels for yourself. Also, here are details on the Free Night Award Top Off option.

What is a reasonable estimate for the value of a Marriott Bonvoy point? Based on multiple real-world searches of redeemable properties, I choose to use a conservative estimate of 0.70 cents per Bonvoy point. That means 50,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $350 redeemable value, and 100,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $700 redeemable hotel night value. However, I almost always get closer to 1 cent per point value when I actually choose to redeem. Remember to compare the full price of the hotel price with all taxes, as that is what you would have to pay instead of just points.

50k Free Night Award (Welcome Offer). Based on a few quick searches (log in and try to book with points), the following premium hotels can potentially be booked for 65,000 points or less. (* Marriott no longer publishes a fixed point award chart):

  • The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, Big Island, Hawaii
  • The Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
  • The Ritz-Carlton, Bali
  • Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa
  • JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa
  • Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld®
  • Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
  • The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

35k Free Night Award (Anniversary). At your card anniversary, you will receive a Free Night Award that is good for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. This excludes the very top properties, but for regular travelers it will be very easy to get your $95 or even $125 value. Many W Hotels, Westin, and even some Ritz-Carltons worldwide are included. Here are some sample hotels that may qualify under the 35,000 point limit (* Marriott no longer publishes a fixed point award chart):

  • Sheraton Kona Resort (Big Island, Hawaii)
  • Courtyard Waikiki Beach (Honolulu, Oahu)
  • Sheraton Kauai Resort (Kauai, Hawaii)
  • W Atlanta
  • New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge
  • Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
  • W Chicago
  • The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, China
  • The S. Regis Bangkok, Thailand

You can expand this even further if you use the top-off option and look for hotels at up to 50,000 Bonvoy points.

Bottom line. The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is the co-branded business card between Marriott hotels and American Express. You also get a Free Night Award at card anniversary, which can be worth much more than the annual fee. Check out the current welcome offer, which can be redeemed for multiple free nights at hotels around the world.

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

(See Rates and Fees)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


IHG One Rewards Premier Card Review: 165,000 Bonus Points Limited-Time Offer

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

New limited-time offer. The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is the IHG hotel co-branded card that includes special IHG perks like a free night award every year you keep the card, Elite status, and every 4th award night free. Here are the highlights:

  • 165,000 Bonus IHG Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Free Award Night after each account anniversary year at eligible IHG hotels worldwide. Valid at IHG Hotels with a current point redemption cap of 40,000 points. NEW: You can now also pay the difference over 40,000 points to redeem your Anniversary Night at hotels above the 40,000 point redemption level.
  • 4th Award Night Free. Enjoy a free reward night when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG(R) hotel stay. That means if you use points to pay for 3 nights in a row, the 4th night is free. You can even book 8 award nights total and get two of them free, and so on. Works on any award level.
  • Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts.
  • Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • Automatic Platinum Elite status included as a Premier card member. IHG points also don’t expire when you are an Elite member.
  • Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS statement credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®.
  • $99 annual fee.

Please note the following:

This product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of this credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of this credit card who received a new cardmember bonus for this credit card within the last 24 months.

What can you get with IHG points? The best redemption value for IHG points is for free hotel nights. The other options offer significantly less value. While the points don’t translate directly to a dollar value, but overall a conservation valuation is 0.50 cents of value per point, which would make 140,000 IHG points worth an estimated $700 value. You can perform the calculations for hotels that fit your needs. I tried a bunch of other various combinations and got between 0.5 cents and 0.8 cents per point equivalent value.

(IHG points are worth less than other points like Hyatt or Chase Ultimate Rewards points, but you get a lot more of them with this bonus!)

IHG stands for Intercontinental Hotel Group which has over 5,000 hotels including the following brands:

  • Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts
  • Crowne Plaza
  • Kimpton
  • Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express
  • Staybridge Suites
  • Candlewood Suites
  • Hotel Indigo
  • EVEN Hotels

Fourth Reward Night Free

The 4th Reward night free perk can be very valuable and nice to see on a card with no annual fee. You get the fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG hotel stay (only pay for 3 nights with points). It showed up automatically for me when booking with points online.

For each standard room Reward Night stay of 4 or more nights, every 4th night is free. Applies only to 4 or more consecutive nights within the same Reward Night point redemption room stay at the same property. With this benefit, eligible members will be charged the Reward Night point redemption rate for the first 3 nights, and 0 points for the 4th night of the stay, as applicable. Members can utilize the 4th Reward Night Free benefit on an unlimited number of stays annually.

IHG points expire after 24 months of inactivity, so if you keep up your activity then you can save up these free nights for later. Chase Ultimate Rewards points also convert to IHG points.

Total of 26X points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG. Here’s how this breaks down: Earn 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG One Rewards Member + 10X points with this card + 6X points from IHG® with Platinum Elite Status with Platinum Elite Status (a benefit of this card) = total of 26X points total at 5,400+ IHG® hotels & resorts.

The rewards on other purchases has improved to the following:

  • 5X IHG points per $1 spent at gas stations, dining, and travel (including hotels).
  • 3X IHG point per $1 spent on all other card purchases

I would keep this card if you can use the anniversary night certificate with the 40,000 point maximum value. You should be able to get $99 value out of it as long as you need a hotel night. Stay must be completed within 12 months from date of issue.

Don’t want a card with an annual fee? The no-annual fee Traveler version has a very competitive bonus right now.

Bottom line. The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card includes special IHG perks like a free night award every year you keep the card, Elite status, and every 4th award night free. As with most of these co-branded cards, the best value is obtained if you can redeem for IHG hotel nights.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


IHG One Rewards Traveler Card Review: 100,000 Bonus Points Offer, No Annual Fee

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

New limited-time offer. The IHG One Rewards Traveler Card is the IHG hotel card that includes special IHG perks but with no annual fee. Here are the highlights:

  • 100,000 bonus IHG points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
  • Earn up to 17 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • Fourth Reward Night Free when you redeem points for any 4+ night stay. That means if you use points to pay for 3 nights in a row, the 4th night is free.
  • IHG Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental(R), Crowne Plaza(R), Kimpton(R), EVEN(R) Hotels, Indigo(R) Hotels & Holiday Inn(R).
  • No annual fee.

Note the following:

This product is available to you if you do not have a current IHG One Rewards Credit Card and have not received a new
Cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. This does not apply to Business Card Credit Card products.

What can you get with IHG points? The best redemption value for IHG points is for free hotel nights. The other options offer significantly less value. While the points don’t translate directly to a dollar value, I would use a conservative estimate of 0.50 cents of value per point, which would make 80,000 IHG points worth an estimated $400 value. Not bad for a no annual fee card. You can perform the calculations for hotels that fit your needs. I tried a bunch of other various combinations and got between 0.5 cents and 0.8 cents per point equivalent value.

IHG stands for Intercontinental Hotel Group which has over 5,000 hotels including the following brands:

  • Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts
  • Crowne Plaza
  • Kimpton
  • Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express
  • Staybridge Suites
  • Candlewood Suites
  • Hotel Indigo
  • EVEN Hotels

IHG points expire after 24 months of inactivity, which is relatively long so with occasional activity you can easily save up these free nights for later. Chase Ultimate Rewards points also convert to IHG points.

The 4th Reward night free perk can be very valuable and nice to see on a card with no annual fee. You get the fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG hotel stay (only pay for 3 nights with points).

Total of 17x points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG. Here’s how this breaks down: Earn 5X points per $1 spent as an IHG® Rewards Club Traveler credit cardmember + 10X points per $1 spent from IHG® for being an IHG® Rewards Club Member, 5X points with this card, plus 2X points from IHG® with Silver Elite Status (a benefit of this card) for a total of 17X points total at any of their 5,400+ IHG® hotels & resorts.

Given my 0.5 cent per IHG point valuation, I would book my IHG nights on this card, but not my everyday purchases on an ongoing basis. I would just put a little spending on there to keep my IHG points from expiring.

  • 3 IHG points per $1 spent at gas stations, dining, utilities, internet, cable, and phone services
    and select streaming services.
  • 2 IHG point per $1 spent on all other card purchases

Upgrade to Premier? Downgrade to Traveler? If you can reliably use a anniversary night certificate (40,000 point value) and get $99 value out of it, you should consider going with the IHG Rewards Premier credit card mentioned on the same application page. The Premier card also adds some other small perks like Platinum Elite status and a TSA Precheck fee credit.

If you already have the Premier card and don’t want to pay for those added perks, you may consider asking if you can downgrade to this Traveler now without any annual fee.

Bottom line. The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card now comes with no annual fee and a sign-up bonus. As with most of these co-branded cards, the best value is obtained if you can redeem for IHG hotel nights.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card: 75,000 Miles + $122 Companion Fare ($95 Annual Fee)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

75k offers are back (5k more than before). The Alaska Airlines Visa credit card is issued by Bank of America and offers several unique cardholder perks, and currently has an increased limited-time offer. The business card version currently also has a limited-time offer.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card

  • 75,000 Alaska mile + Companion Fare from $122 after $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days after account opening. Companion fare voucher is “Buy one ticket, get one for $122” ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from just $23).
  • Free checked bag + Priority boarding. Any cardholder who purchases airfare with their card, and up to 6 additional guests traveling on the same reservation, may check their first bag free. This is worth $60 roundtrip per person.
  • 3X miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases. 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, cable, streaming services and local transit including ride share purchases. 1X mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • 10% rewards bonus w/ BofA on all miles earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® account.
  • Ability to earn another Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare ($6k spend requirement). Get another Companion Fare from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. Valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $95 annual fee.

I will be adding this offer to the Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Alaska Airlines Visa Business Card

  • 75,000 Alaska miles + Companion Fare Voucher after $4,000 in purchase within 90 days. Companion fare voucher is “Buy one ticket, get one for $122” ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from just $23).
  • Free checked bag + Priority boarding. Any cardholder who purchases airfare with their card, and up to 6 additional guests traveling on the same reservation, may check their first bag free. This is worth $60 roundtrip per person.
  • Ability to earn another Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare ($6k spend requirement). Get another Companion Fare from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. Valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.
  • 10% rewards bonus w/ BofA on all miles earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® small business account.
  • $70 annual fee for company, plus $25 per card.

I will be adding this offer to the Top 10 Best Small Business Credit Card Bonus Offers.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard Review: 60,000 AA Miles (Single Purchase, No Annual Fee First Year)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

Offer now has no annual fee for the first year. The Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard is a co-branded American Airlines credit card from Barclays. This offer is notable because the bonus can be triggered by a single purchase of any amount (no spending hurdle) and waives the annual fee for the first year. Various perks for AA fliers are also included. Here are the card highlights:

  • 60,000 bonus AA miles
  • First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for the primary cardmember and up to 4 companions traveling with you on the same reservation.
  • Preferred boarding (Group 5) for the primary cardmember and up to 4 companions on the same reservation for all American Airlines operated flights. “Eligible cardmembers will board after priority boarding is complete, but before the rest of economy boarding.”
  • Up to $25 back in inflight Wi-Fi statement credits every anniversary year on American Airlines operated flights.2
  • Anniversary Companion Certificate each anniversary year; earn a Companion Certificate good for 1 guest at $99 (plus taxes and fees) if you spend $20,000 on purchases and your account remains open for 45 days after your anniversary date.
  • 2X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
  • 1X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
  • $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99.

Anniversary Companion Certificate details. From the fine print:

At each card anniversary, you will be eligible to earn 1 domestic economy fare companion certificate redeemable for 1 companion ticket at $99 (plus taxes and fees) if you spend $20,000 or more on eligible Net Purchases with your Card Account that have a transaction date within your cardmembership year (each 12-month period through and including your Card Account anniversary month) and your Card Account remains open for at least 45 days after your anniversary date. After the companion certificate is earned, please allow 1-2 weeks for it to be deposited to the primary cardmember’s AAdvantage® account.

When the companion certificate is used according to its terms, you will pay a $99 companion ticket fee plus government taxes and fees, the amount of which will depend on the itinerary (as of the date of these Card Account Reward Rules government taxes and fees range between $21.60 and $43.20), for a round-trip qualifying domestic economy fare ticket for a companion when an individual round-trip qualifying domestic economy fare ticket is purchased and redeemed through American Airlines Meeting Services. Companion certificate eligible travel must be booked and purchased from select economy inventory. The Companion certificate will be valid one year from the issue date. Companion certificate eligible travel is defined as travel on flights within the 48 contiguous United States, on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airline Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Air Wisconsin Airlines, PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This is not available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. For residents of Alaska and Hawaii, companion certificate eligible travel is defined as round-trip travel originating in either of those two states and continuing to the 48 contiguous United States. For residents of Puerto Rico only, valid for round trip travel originating in Puerto Rico and continuing to the 48 contiguous United States. For residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands only, valid for round trip travel originating in the U.S. Virgin Islands and continuing to the 48 contiguous United States. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Details, terms and conditions, certain restrictions, and restricted dates apply and will be disclosed on the companion certificate.

Additional bonus details. Note the following language if you have had this card previously. However, I have been able to get a new Barclays card in the past, as long as my old account was closed for at least roughly a year.

From time to time, we may offer bonuses of AAdvantage® miles or other incentives to new American Airlines AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard cardmembers in connection with an application for a new card account. These bonuses and/or incentives are intended for applicants who are not and have not previously been American Airlines AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard cardmembers. You understand and agree that you may no longer be eligible for any bonuses and/or incentives in connection with a new American Airlines AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard account after this Card Account is opened. If you receive a bonus or incentive for which you are not eligible due to your status as a current or former American Airlines AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard cardmember, we may revoke the bonus or incentive, or reduce your AAdvantage® miles by the amount of the bonus or incentive, or charge your Card Account for the fair value of the bonus or incentive, in our sole discretion.

Bottom line. The Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard is a co-branded American Airlines credit card that offers a relatively simple and straightforward sign-up bonus and free checked bags on domestic AA flights for you and up to 4 travel companions. The $99 companion certificate also has potential value, but you’ll have to spend $20,000 on the card within a year (and then wait for your next card anniversary and thus pay the $99 annual fee) to get it.

I will be adding this offer to Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


JetBlue Plus Card Review: 60,000 Bonus Points ($99 Annual Fee)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

Offer bumped up to 60k from 50k. The JetBlue Plus Mastercard is a rewards credit card that earns TrueBlue points for purchases and includes special perks for JetBlue customers. Here are the highlights:

  • 60,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.
  • First checked bag is free for the primary cardmember and up to 3 companions when you use your JetBlue Plus Card on JetBlue-operated flights.
  • 6X points on JetBlue purchases, 2 points per $1 at restaurants and grocery stores and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
  • No blackout dates on JetBlue-operated flights & redeem for any seat, any time on JetBlue flights. Points required for an Award Flight will vary based on the published base fare at the time of booking.
  • Annual $100 statement credit after you purchase a JetBlue Vacations package of $100 or more.
  • Points awarded in your TrueBlue account don’t expire.
  • Earn and share points together with Family Pooling.
  • 50% savings on eligible inflight purchases including cocktails, food and movies.
  • Points Payback option allows you to redeem points for a statement credit – up to $1,000 per year.
  • Get 10% of your points back every time you redeem to use toward your next redemption.
  • 5,000 TrueBlue bonus points annually after your account anniversary.
  • $99 annual fee.

First checked bags on JetBlue usually cost $35 each-way, per person. The free checked bag perk applies to you and up to 3 travel companions on the same reservation when (1) the ticket is purchased with your JetBlue Plus card, (2) the primary cardmember’s TrueBlue member number must be entered at the time of booking. That works out great for a family traveling together. If you buy higher fare classes, a certain number of complimentary bags may already be included.

How does redeeming TrueBlue points work? TrueBlue works on a revenue-based system, where the points required depends on the current cash cost of the flight (with no blackout dates). If they sell it for cash, you can book it with points. This is different than traditional chart-based systems that charge a fixed point balance but imposes blackout dates and limited seat availability.

TrueBlue points are best redeemed for JetBlue flights. There are some other options like newspaper or magazine subscriptions, but I won’t cover them here.

TrueBlue points can be estimated at 1 points = 1.3 cents. Ex. 30,000 points would cover roughly $390 in JetBlue airfare. The exact value may vary, but 1.3 cents is a conservative average of what I found across Blue, Blue Plus, and Blue Flex fares. You can test it out yourself by pricing out the same flight on JetBlue.com using points or cash (you don’t need to sign-in or have an account). Here is an example of a randomly-chosen Blue flight from New York City (JFK) to Orlando (MCO). The roundtrip flight costs $250.20 cash total:

Or the exact same roundtrip flight costs 15,800 TrueBlue points + $11.20 in taxes/fees:

That means the 15,800 points offset $239 in cash, or a value of 1.51 cents per TrueBlue point. But again, 1.3 is a conservative average estimate.

This means 2X points back on restaurants and groceries can be estimated as 2.6% back in the form of TrueBlue airfare. The 3X points back on Jetlue-operated flights can be 3.9% back in the form of TrueBlue airfare. The 6X points back with the Plus card on JetBlue-operated flights can be 7.8% back in the form of TrueBlue airfare.

Upon the renewal of your $99 annual fee, you get another 5,000 TrueBlue points ($65 of airfare value at 1.3 cents/point). If you can take advantage of the free checked bag perk, there is definitely ongoing value for regular JetBlue fliers. I haven’t investigated the $100 off a JetBlue Vacations package, but it could be worth a look.

As a minimum baseline value, you can redeem up to 100,000 TrueBlue points per year at 1 cent a point for a flat statement credit. So 30,000 points = $300, and so on. You always get more value redeeming for a JetBlue flight, but I know some people may just want to cash out.

Bottom line. The JetBlue Plus card from Barclaycard offers several perks for regular JetBlue customers such as a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions. Right now, there is also a new cardholder offer of up to 75,000 TrueBlue points when you satisfy the spending requirements and pay the $99 annual fee.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

There is also a JetBlue Business card that currently offers up to 60,000 bonus points. Also see: Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Delta SkyMiles® American Express Cards – Up to 75,000 Bonus Miles

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

Updated. Delta has revamped these cards again with updates that include increased welcome offers, additional perks and credits, new Delta SkyClub access rules, and an increased annual fee.

Delta Airlines American Express cards offer various special perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and the ability to earn Delta Skymiles with card purchases. As you can only get the welcome offers once on each of these cards per person per lifetime (each card is considered different), I recommend waiting until a limited-time offer to maximize your benefit. Here are the current offers:

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

  • 40,000 Bonus Delta Skymiles (increased) after $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months.
  • $200 Delta flight credit (increased). Get a $200 credit to use toward future Delta travel after $10,000 in purchases within a calendar year.
  • $100 Delta Stays Credit (new). Get up to $100 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
  • 2X miles at Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1 miles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • Simplified Pay with Miles option. Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
  • 20% back on eligible Delta in-flight purchases with this card in the form of a statement credit .
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150 (increased). (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

50,000 Skymiles is worth at least $500 in Delta airfare. Delta offers a minimum value out of your Skymiles via the “Pay with Miles” option. That means 50,000 Skymiles can reduce the price of your Delta ticket by $500 at the very least. (5,000 mile = $50 minimum redemption.) You can still book the traditional award tickets and possibly get better value.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

  • 50,000 Bonus Delta Skymiles (increased) after $3,000 in purchases within the first 6 months.
  • $2,500 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollars (new) each Medallion Qualification Year. Also earn $1 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases in a calendar year.
  • $150 Delta Stays Credit (new). Get up to $150 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • $120 Resy Credit (new). Up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
  • $120 Rideshare Credit (new). Up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • $100 Global Entry Fee Credit. Global Entry membership includes TSA PreCheck.
  • Main Cabin Roundtrip Companion Certificate (enhanced) on US domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. You still have to pay the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments).
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
  • Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
  • 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
  • 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $350 annual fee (increased). (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

The Platinum version can be a worthy upgrade from the Gold version if you can take advantage of the annual Companion Certificate (i.e. book two tickets together on Delta at least once a year). I’ve used it several times in the past and it is easy to use while booking tickets online at Delta.com. My savings from using the companion certificate has ranged from $200 to $500.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

  • 60,000 Bonus Delta Skymiles (increased) after $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months.
  • $2,500 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollars (new) each Medallion Qualification Year. Also earn $1 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases in a calendar year.
  • Delta Sky Club access (changed). Enjoy complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club(R) and bring up to two guests or immediate family members at a rate of $50 per person per visit when flying Delta. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
  • Get four Delta Sky Club(R) One-Time Guest Passes each year when you fly together on Delta. After that, you may bring up to two guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person, per location.
  • Centurion Lounge access. Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion(R) Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
  • $200 Delta Stays Credit (new). Get up to $200 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • $240 Resy Credit (new). Up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy dining purchases using your enrolled Card.
  • $120 Rideshare Credit (new). Up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • $100 Global Entry Fee Credit. Global Entry membership includes TSA PreCheck.
  • First Class Main Cabin domestic round-trip companion certificate. Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+(R), or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. You must still pay for government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments).
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
  • 3X Miles on Delta purchases.
  • 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
  • $650 annual fee (increased). (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

The Reserve version can be a worthy upgrade for frequent Delta fliers. Enjoy Delta Sky Club and/or Centurion Lounge access on your Delta flights, that First Class companion certificate can be worth thousands, earn additional MQMs on your purchases, etc.

BUSINESS Card Versions

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

  • 55,000 Delta SkyMiles after $4,000 in purchases within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • $200 Delta flight credit (increased). Get a $200 credit to use toward future Delta travel after $10,000 in purchases within a calendar year.
  • $150 Delta Stays Credit (new). Get up to $150 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
  • Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
  • 2X miles on purchases at U.S. Shipping providers and at U.S. providers for Advertising in select media on up to $50,000 of purchases per category, per year. 2X Miles on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and 2x Miles on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants. 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $150 (increased). (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

  • 65,000 Delta SkyMiles after $6,000 in purchases within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • $2,500 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollars (new) each Medallion Qualification Year. Also earn $1 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases in a calendar year.
  • $200 Delta Stays Credit (new). Get up to $200 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • $120 Resy Credit (new). Up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
  • $120 Rideshare Credit (new). Up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • $100 Global Entry Fee Credit. Global Entry membership includes TSA PreCheck.
  • Main Cabin Roundtrip Companion Certificate (enhanced) on US domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. You still have to pay the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments).
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
  • Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
  • $350 annual fee (increased). (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms and limitations apply.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

  • 75,000 Delta SkyMiles after $10,000 in purchases within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • $2,500 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollars (new) each Medallion Qualification Year. Also earn $1 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases in a calendar year.
  • Delta Sky Club access (changed). Enter Delta Sky Club(R) at no cost and bring up to two guests or immediate family at a rate of $50 per person per visit. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
  • Centurion Lounge access. Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion(R) Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
  • $250 Delta Stays Credit (new). Get up to $250 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • $240 Resy Credit (new). Up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy dining purchases using your enrolled Card.
  • $120 Rideshare Credit (new). Up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel on Delta flights booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • $100 Global Entry Fee Credit. Global Entry membership includes TSA PreCheck.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Worth up to $100 towards Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck).
  • First Class Main Cabin domestic round-trip companion certificate. Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+(R), or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. You must still pay for government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments).
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
  • Enjoy 3X miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
  • $650 annual fee (increased). (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms and limitations apply.

Again, Delta offers a minimum value out of your Skymiles via the “Pay with Miles” option. That means 100,000 Skymiles can reduce the price of your Delta ticket by $1,000 at the very least. (5,000 mile = $50 minimum redemption.) You can still book the traditional award tickets and possibly get better value.

In my opinion, the Delta Gold is still the best for most casual Delta customers because of the high potential upfront value in the first year (bonus miles + $200 flight credit) all with no annual fee for the first year. Even after the first year, the $100 increase in flight credit ($100 to $200) more than offsets the $51 increase in annual fee ($99 to $150) as long as you spend $10,000 in purchases during the year. That’s on top of the other perks like free checked bags. The main draw of the Platinum is the ability to earn MQDs for elite status, along with the Main Cabin companion certificate. The main draw of the Reserve cards is the ability to earn even more MQDs, the airport lounge access and the First Class companion certificate. I have used the companion certificate several times in the past and have gotten good value out of it.

During a limited-time offer, I will add these to my list of the Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Rates and Fees for Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

Rates and Fees for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

Rates and Fees for Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

Rates and Fees for Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

Rates and Fees for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

Rates and Fees for Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Best 0% APR Balance Transfer Credit Cards – Updated 2024

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

0aprLooking to pay off any remaining credit card debt? 📈 Shopping around for the best balance transfer offer can save you thousands of dollars in interest. Below is a freshly updated list of the best 0% APR balance transfer offers. I try to include both the big banks and lesser-known credit unions with easy membership requirements.

Best No Balance Transfer Fee 0% APR Offers

Fairwinds CU Cash Back Card0% Introductory APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers and no balance transfer fees. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. You must be an Fairwinds Credit Union member to obtain this card, but membership is open to everyone. You must also keep a nominal $5 in a share savings account. Also earns 1.5% cash back on purchases. No annual fee.

La Capital FCU Rewards Card0% Introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers and no balance transfer fee during the first 90 days after account opening. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. You must be an La Capitol Federal Credit Union member to obtain this card, but membership is open to everyone who joins a partner organization for as little as $20 (Louisiana Association for Personal Financial Achievement). You must also keep a nominal amount (usually around $5) in a share savings account. No annual fee.

Navy Federal CU Platinum Card0.99% Introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers during the first 60 days after account opening and no balance transfer fees. (This is not 0%, but ~1% is still quite rare in the current interest rate environment.) After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. You must be an Navy Fedral Credit Union member to obtain this card, and membership is limited to those with a military affiliation, although it does include anyone whose immediate family member serves or has ever served in the military. You must also keep a nominal amount (usually around $5) in a share savings account. No annual fee.

Comparing a shorter no-fee balance transfer vs. a longer one with a modest fee. As of January 2024, the average credit card interest rate is roughly 24% APR (!). If you are paying 24% APR, that’s like paying 2% on your balance every month (!). Paying a 3% upfront fee for an 21 month period of 0% would be like paying your current interest rate for 1.5 months and then getting 0% interest for the remaining 19.5 months. That may be preferable to 12 months at 0% with no balance transfer fee, especially if you spread out your payments over the entire period and use that additional time to pay it all off by the end. Here is an example comparison.

  • $5,000 balance, 24% APR, 12 month payoff = $472 per month for 12 months. ($5,673 total paid)
  • $5,000 balance, 0% APR + No BT fee, 12 month payoff = $417 per month for 12 months. ($5,000 total paid)
  • $5,000 balance, 24% APR, 21 months payoff = $293 per month for 21 months. ($6,172 total paid)
  • $5,000 balance, 0% APR + 3% BT fee, 21 month payoff = $245 per month for 21 months. ($5,150 total paid)
  • $5,000 balance, 0% APR + no BT fee, 21 month payoff = $238 per month for 21 months. ($5,000 total paid) ** not an available offer **

I can see how one might prefer the $245 per month for 21 months, even thought it results in a slightly higher total amount paid than the $417 per month for 12 months. Especially if this creates an attainable plan that the end of 21 months, you are debt-free and you saved over $1,000 in interest ($6,172 vs. $5,150). Even if there was no balance transfer fee for 21 months (which unfortunately isn’t an option), the difference would only be $7 per month.

If you are sure you can pay it all off within the shorter 0% period, then you should pick the no balance transfer fee option.

Best Low Fee, Longer-Term 0% APR Balance Transfer Offers

US Bank Visa Platinum Card  – 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 21 billing cycles. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. There is a 3% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum). Side perk of up to $600 in cell phone protection. No annual fee.

Citi Simplicity® Card – 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months from date of first transfer. All transfers must be completed in first 4 months. This unique card has no late fees and no penalty interest rate. You also get 0% Intro APR on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. There is a 3% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum). No annual fee.

BankAmericard Credit Card – 0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases and balance transfers made in the first 60 days of opening your account. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. There is a 3% balance transfer fee. No annual fee.

Wells Fargo Reflect Card – 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 21 months from date of account account opening. Balance transfers must be made within 120 days from account opening There is 5% balance transfer fee (min $5). No annual fee.

Wells Fargo Reflect Card – 0% Intro APR for 18 months for purchases and balance transfers. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. There is a 3% balance transfer fee ($5 minimum) for balance transfers made in the first 60 days of opening your account. No annual fee.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


World of Hyatt Business Card Review: 60,000 Bonus Points + $100 Annual Hyatt Statement Credits

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card issued by Chase is the small business version of the consumer World of Hyatt credit card. Here are the highlights:

  • 60,000 Bonus Hyatt Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
  • 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.
  • 9X points total per $1 spent at Hyatt – 4 Bonus Points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member.
  • 2X Points per $1 spent in your top three spend categories each quarter through 12/31/24, then your top two categories each quarter.
  • 2X Points per $1 spent on fitness club and gym memberships
  • 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • 5 Tier-Qualifying night credits toward status and Milestone rewards for every $10,000 you spend in a calendar year.
  • World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open. Plus, gift Discoverist status to up to five employees.
  • 10% Redemption bonus. Spend $50,000 in a calendar year and get 10% of your redeemed points back for the rest of the year.
  • $199 annual fee.

Under-the-radar benefit: The “2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in your top three spend categories each quarter through 12/31/24, then your top two categories each quarter” is pretty good if you want to earn 2X Hyatt points per dollar spent. Eligible categories are:

  • Dining
  • Shipping
  • Airline tickets when purchased directly with the airline
  • Local transit & commuting
  • Social media & search engine Advertising
  • Car rental agencies
  • Gas stations
  • Internet, cable & phone services

Application details. Note the following:

This bonus offer 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.

The 5/24 rule is believed to apply to this card. On many Chase cards, there is an unwritten 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 is applied on a per-person basis, so in our household one applies to Chase while the other applies at other card issuers.

The value of Hyatt hotel points. The most valuable redemption options are for free hotel nights, points+cash hotel combinations, and/or room upgrades. Hyatt allows you the flexibility of combining your points with any other World of Hyatt member to redeem an award. They are also somewhat unique in that you can book a suite directly with points.

Below is their points award chart, and here is their award search tool. Free rooms start at 3,500 points, and you can book suites with points as well.

If you compare with the cash cost of these hotels, the number varies but you are nearly always getting between 1 cent and 2 cents per point value on the low end, and possibly much more on the luxury end. We stayed at Grand Hyatt Kauai on Hyatt points (earned via credit cards), where the cash value is $701 per night when you include all taxes and the $35/night resort fee. That worked out to 2.8 cents per Hyatt point.

I am conservative with point valuations, so I prefer to use a simple value of 1 cent per Hyatt point. After the Marriott/Starwood merger, I believe that Hyatt points are now the most valuable hotel points on a per-point basis. In general, I would rather convert my Chase Ultimate Rewards points into Hyatt points than any other hotel program.

Hyatt points expire after 24 months of inactivity, but earning points via this credit card counts as activity. Chase Ultimate Rewards points also convert to Hyatt points and the transfer counts as activity.

The free Discoverist status from this card gets you a free bottle of water daily, a free upgrade to premium WiFi internet, dedicated check-in area, and a 2pm late checkout upon request at participating locations. You are also eligible for a minor room upgrade within your type booked.

Bottom line. The new World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offers the best value to small business owners that regularly stay at Hyatt properties. (This is me – World of Hyatt is my favorite hotel rewards program.) The first-year value on this business card is very strong. 60,000 Hyatt points even at a conservative 1 cent per point value is worth $600. One perk missing that is included with the consumer version of this card is the Free Night award each after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort, but that is effectively replaced by the $100 statement credit. As long as you have two $50+ charges at a Hyatt property (including a food or spa purchase), that is another $100. Ignoring every other perk and subtracting the $199 annual fee, that’s still an estimated first-year value of $500.

I will be adding this to my Top 10 Best Small Business Card Bonus Offers.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Navy Federal Flagship Travel Rewards Credit Card: 35,000 Bonus Points, Year of Amazon Prime, 2X Points

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

The Navy Federal Visa Signature Flagship Rewards Credit Card has an updated offer. This is not the highest ever, but it’s still higher than the “standard” offer. The rewards points are now directly redeemable for cash statement credits (not only offsetting travel). Offer expires 2/29/24. The highlights:

  • 35,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 within the first 90 days of opening a new card. 35,000 points can be redeemed for a $350 statement credit.
  • Free year of Amazon Prime membership. Use the card to purchase an Amazon Prime annual membership, and they’ll reimburse you ($139 value).
  • 3X points per net dollar spent on travel.
  • 2X points per net dollar spent on everything else.
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit (up to $100), once every 4 years.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $49 annual fee.

The catch here is that in order to apply, you must first become a NavyFed credit union member. Membership eligibility for NavyFed now goes beyond current and retired members of the armed forces to include their families and household members of veterans, Department of Defense personnel and more.

Each point is worth $0.01, with a minimum redemption 5,000 points = $50 statement credit. Therefore, this card could be considered the equivalent of a 2% cash back card on everything with the added perks of 3% cash back on travel. The drawback is that $49 annual fee, although you could consider that offset by the upfront bonus points, free first year of Amazon Prime membership, and/or $100 TSA PreCheck credit. 4,900 points would directly offset the $49 annual fee.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


$6,500 IRA Contribution Bonus Challenge: $5,444 in Bonuses (2023 Year End)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

Final totals for 2023. Each year, I challenge myself to earn the equivalent of the maximum annual IRA contribution limit (up to $6,500 for 2023) using the profits from various finance promotions alone. In 2021, I reached $5,592 in bonuses. In 2022, I reached $6,259 in bonuses. I just went back and tallied up the totals so far for 2023.

I consider it a profitable hobby with serious potential if you add in some disciplined investing. If you had put $6,000 into your IRA every year for the recent 10 year period (2013-2022) and invested in a simple Target Date retirement fund, you would have turned small, weekly deals into a $104,000+ nest egg. You didn’t need to be an investing genius. Another example of Focus + Long attention span = Surprising results.

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! Not to mention, a couple could double these numbers.

Ground rules: Real-world results for one real 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.

2023 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.

Total for 2023: If I assume that all bonuses for which I have completed the required activity will eventually post (just a couple left worth under $200), the total tally so far is $5,444, which is 84% of the $6,500 annual IRA contribution limit for 2023. My progress stalled significantly towards the end of 2023; I didn’t apply to any new credit cards at all this quarter, which usually do the bulk of the work. Mostly picked a few low-hanging fruit here and there.

Honorable mention #1: Johnson & Johnson. I did make a $1,350 profit over only 10 calendar days from the Johnson & Johnson odd lot tender play. This did require a $17,000 commitment to buy 99 shares (the max allowed as an individual small investor) before the odd lot tender, but the lockup time was very short.

Honorable mention #2: Microsoft/Activision. I also participated in a merger-arbitrage deal involving Microsoft and Activision. My net profit on my $10,040 initial investment was $2,534, which is $1,177 more than the $1,357 that I could have earned from owning the S&P 500 over the same time period of about 17 months.

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 tend 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.

In terms of the top current bonus, I would pick the Chase Aeroplan Card that offers the chance to earn 100,000 Aeroplan points that can be used to offset $1,250 of any travel purchases charged on the card.

Exclusions. Importantly, this list 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.

I am also excluding small-business deals like big Chase Ink Business Cash card bonuses, big business checking bonuses, and so on.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.