Updated and checked November 2023. 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 so far 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 Southwest 75k, AA 75k, Aeroplan 100k, IHG 140k+credit, Hawaiian 65k 
Removed Wyndham 75k, JetBlue 75k, AmEx Green 60k+200, Delta 65k, AA Red 70k, Citi Premier 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.
- Up to 100,000 points – 75,000 points after $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months, plus 25,000 points after $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months. 100,000 points is worth $1,250 in travel value on ANY airline 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.
- $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit.
- $95 annual fee.
- Subject to 5/24 rule.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card
- 75,000 Rapid Rewards points. Earn 75,000 points after $3,000 in purchases in first 3 months.
- Southwest still gives everyone two free checked bags.
- Great 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.*
- 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $750 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 Ultimate Rewards(R), 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.
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 Credit, $300 Equinox credit, $155 Walmart+ credit and more annually!
- $100 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck fee credit.
- Premium airport lounge access through the American Express Global Lounge Collection®.
- $695 annual fee.
Capital One Venture X 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.
- $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.
- 60,000 Membership Rewards points after $4,000 in purchases in first 6 months. Limited-time offer. 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 Rewards club points after $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, earn up to $100 in IHG® statement credits on purchases at IHG® Hotels and Resorts during the first 12 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 is now offering 80,000 IHG bonus points + $50 IHG credit.
British Airways Visa Signature Card
- 75,000 Avios after $5,000 in purchases within first 3 months. 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.
- 60,000 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 $500 towards travel, or transferrable to miles) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. See link for details.
- 2% cash back 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.
- 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. Eligible for 25%-75% boost with Preferred Rewards status.
- $100 annual Airline Incidental Statement Credit.
- Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
- $95 annual fee.
- 65,000 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)
- 60,000 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.
- 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.
- 4X points on travel and gas stations, 2X points on dining and grocery stores.
- Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
- $30 annual streaming bonus.
- $0 annual fee the first year, $95/year thereafter.
Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard
- Up to 75,000 American Airlines miles. 60,000 miles after any purchase and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. Add an authorized user, make a purchase on the authorized user card within the first 90 days and earn an additional 15,000 miles. See link for details.
- First checked bag free on domestic AA flights ($60 value per roundtrip, per person).
- $99 annual fee.
- 50,000 bonus TrueBlue points – 50,000 bonus points after $1,000 on purchases and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within 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.
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.
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Hi Jonathan,
Thanks so much for sharing! I haven’t researched credit card bonuses in a while, but we have always enjoyed getting a combination of cash-back or points. We don’t carry a balance and have to spend money anyway, so we choose to get cash-back or points every month.
I really will look into the IHG Rewards Club Premier Card because it looks like they are having an amazing deal right now! Thanks again for the tip 🙂
hi—-can thee be redeemed for cash back or statement credit ?
IHG Hotels 140k/75k – 140k still highest ever, new 75k traveler offer.
The best redemption is definitely IHG hotel stays. See linked post for details. There are other options, just not nearly as good value. For example, you can redeem 140k points for $350 in Home Depot gift cards or $300+ in Amazon gift cards.
Couple months ago I used the credit card match to get 100k signup bonus for AMEX Platinum….was nice. I think signup is usually 60k points.
https://www.creditcards.com/cardmatch/?aid=1046404&tid=6ff26a4833ca43cba76cb82c3ee25bdc
It seems that the metric for best value is travel (though maybe I’m missing something). In these Covid times, I’m not that eager to build up more skymiles or hotel rewards. I suppose cash back is the other option. Any posts on which are the best cash back cards? Thanks!
I definitely understand the cash preference, and they do exist just at lower values. One suggestion right now is the AmEx Blue Cash Preferred which offers 6% cash back on groceries ($6k per year) and a $250 sign-up bonus:
https://www.mymoneyblog.com/blue-cash-preferred-american-express-review-groceries.html
Do you leave the credit cards open after you’ve gotten and used the sign up rewards for cards with annual fees or close them?
I always look at new credit cards as trials. I will try them out, keep it for a full year, and see how I like it. I give them a chance – that what I feel that I owe them. For example, I kept the expensive Sapphire Reserve because I feel it offers enough value. If I don’t like it, then I cancel after the next annual fee hits and they always remove the annual fee and close the card.
hank you, Jonathan.
These are hefty spend requirements in 3 months…$5,000 to $7,000. In what ways could an ordinary/frugal person spend on necessities this much ?
Yes, some of the biggest bonuses do require bigger spending. If you look carefully, there are still many bonuses that have lower spending requirements. The bonuses may be somewhat smaller, but still worthwhile.
That’s my problem as well – even $2k-$3k is a stretch for me (I still have to pay my rent with a check, no electronic option). Considering the Wyndham card though!
Many of the offers require about $1,000 a month average spending hurdle, and my strategy is to first move over my insurance bill which is charged on credit card on monthly installments. I have homeowners, 2 cars, term life, and umbrella insurance bundled and it is roughly $500 a month. So half of the spending is right there. Healthcare expenses that are later can be reimbursed by FSA are usually another couple hundred per month. Add in food, groceries, household products, etc. So we have a base amount of expenses that can be shifted.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Looks like you’ve got a typo. I believe the Venture X bonus requiries $10,000 in purchases within the first 6 months, not 3 months.
Fixed, thanks!
This is goldmine information! I’m definitely going after the Chase cards first, looking forward to take the most advantage of those points and miles!
FYI, I just reapplied for US Connect after calling to confirm I can have the card again without and T&C on timeframe. I closed this card this year and was recently approved again. Sweet deal!
Citi Aadvantage card shows only 60K mile bonus when I click on the link.
Thanks, will update.
I always find the spends for these comical. I live so frugally, I don’t spend even a fraction of the spend amount in 3 months! Like, $16k a year in non-rent/non-mortgage/non-auto loan card spendable expenses? Wow.
Same here. This worked for a couple of new cards I had when I bought a car but that was maybe six years ago. Probably should just be thankful I don’t have expenses that big I guess 🙂
Hi Jonathan, curious if you have a recent article on your strategy with these cards. i.e. which cards you are participating in (or have), rotation into the deals, etc.
I learned this from you a long time ago but haven’t’ seen it for a while (or maybe I missed it)
Hi Jonathan, These posts are wonderful. Thank you!
Question: how often is too often for sighing up for credit cards? I see certain banks have rules for themselves, but assuming they are different banks, do you know if people get flagged for signing up for too many cards at once?
The banks do know how many “credit inquiries” you have on your credit report within the last 6 months and also last 2 years, so they can base their decision partially on that. So yes, it is possible to sign up for too many cards at once. These days I just limit myself to less than 5 per year per person (my spouse also opens cards as well).
Hi Jon, any cards with 0% intro that give a bonus?
Where did you see 75k for 3500 spend on Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Mastercard in May 2023? I checked just now and see 60k for 3000 spend.
It was definitely there at the beginning of May, but I guess they pulled it. Thanks for catching that.
Jonathan: Have you done the math on the “12 month” or “15 month” 0% interest new card offers? They typically have a low signing bonus (e.g., $200), but allow carrying debt and earning interest in an independent savings account. Don’t pay off your debt monthly, instead pay the minimum, earn 4% or 5% in a savings account, and then pay the balance BEFORE the 0% interest period expires.
With $10,000 in spending early in a 15 month 0% interest period, that amounts to $400 to $700 in bonus interest beyond the signing bonus plus any cash back that you might earn. It’s a good strategy if you plan to spend a lot for major purchases anyway (e.g., vacation, TV, computer, etc.) early in the 0% period. This strategy requires discipline and not spending more than usual just to “save” money.
I frequently churn cards but I find it more and more difficult to redeem miles for flights especially when factoring in all the fees/surcharges that I have to pay on top of the redeemed miles. Typically its often the same price to just pay cash or pay for the flight directly(via points) in the credit card travel portal which has the fees/fuel surcharges already baked into the cost. What am i missing here?
I don’t know that you’re missing anything, I usually try to keep my expectations of points and miles low (closer to 1 cent per mile) but if a credit is offering 50,000 miles or 50,000 points, I am still going to take it and get the most value that I can get out of it. There are often ways to avoid fuel surcharges, often by flying domestically. If they offer me cash, I’ll take that too. Points and miles are big business these days and it doesn’t look to be going away, so it’s just earn and burn.
Hey Jonathan, are the credit card links supposed to go to Cardratings.com? Do you get your commission that way? Just clicked on American Express Gold Card link and it surprised me that it wasn’t a click through to Amex.com.
Yes, the Cardratings links are where there are affiliate links available to me for the card offers. If you go through them and apply, I may earn a commission. Thanks for your support!
I think I will go with American Express® Gold Card, although the annual fee is a bit bigger, it is worth it with the benefits of the card