Bilt Mastercard: Earn Rewards For Paying Rent w/ Any Landlord (April 1st Rent Day Promos)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

April 1st Bilt Rent Day: Free Hyatt Explorist Status for 90 days. The Bilt Mastercard is great for all renters, but especially if you wait until their special promos on the first of every month (“Rent Day”). Now through April 1st, Bilt Members can get trial World of Hyatt Explorist status for 90 days with a Status Challenge opportunity to extend your status. I also got 100 Bilt points just for linking my World of Hyatt account.

Explorist is the second-to-top status (Globalist) and gets you upgrades to the best available room at check-in, up to but excluding suites and rooms with lounge access. Nice benefit if you already have some Hyatt rooms booked through July 16th.

– Link your Bilt Rewards and World of Hyatt accounts in the Bilt app under the “Travel” tab.
– Now through April 1st, choose “Unlock World of Hyatt Trial Status” on the Rent Day tab in the Bilt app.
– Receive confirmation by April 17th of your trial World of Hyatt Explorist status, and enjoy through July 16th. All stays checking in April 17th or after, and checking out July 16th or before, will count towards your qualifying nights.
– If you complete enough qualifying nights, enjoy Explorist (10 nights) or Globalist (20 nights) status through February 28th, 2025.

On 4/1/23, you can also get 6X points on dining, 4X points on travel, and 2X points on other purchases (except rent) for up to 10,000 points. Remember that you also need to make 5 transactions each statement period, so it’s best to get these done on the double points Rent Day where you get a minimum of 2x points.

Finally, they have a simple trivia game called “Point Quest” every 1st of the month, and last month I got around 200 free and easy Bilt points (worth 200 Hyatt points) just for playing it. Easy and fun.

Full review:

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

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

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

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

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

Bilt Rewards Points redemption options

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. 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.

5% Cash Back Cards: Amazon, Lowe’s, Restaurants, Wholesale Clubs, Gas – April through June 2023

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

5percentbackActivation reminder for 2023 2nd Quarter. The credit cards below offer 5% cash back and up on specific categories that rotate each quarter. It takes a little extra attention, but it can add up to hundreds of dollars in additional rewards per year without changing your spending habits. You can also buy gift cards at places with 5% back now but spend the gift cards later. (* You can buy gift cards from lots of different places at grocery and drug stores…) New cardmembers may also get an upfront sign-up bonus.

Chase Freedom Flex Card

From April 1st through June 30th, 2023, you can earn 5% cash back (or 5X Ultimate Rewards points) on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:

  • Amazon.com (includes gift cards, Prime subscriptions, Whole Foods)
  • Lowes (both in-store and online)

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

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

Discover it 14 ImageDiscover it Card

From April 1st through June 30th, 2023, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:

  • Restaurants (includes eat-in, take-out, and delivery)
  • Wholesale Clubs (like Sam’s Club and BJ’s)

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

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

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

* You will receive a $100 Statement Credit after making a purchase within three months of account opening. You must apply through your friend’s referral link and be approved by December 31, 2023 in order to be eligible for the $100 Statement Credit offer. Offer may not be combined with any other introductory offer. Promotional award will be applied within 8 weeks.

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

Similar to the Chase Ultimate Rewards system above, this card and the Citi Double Cash card (earns 2% cash back) both technically earn Thank You points. You can’t convert your points to airline miles with this card alone, but you can transfer them to the Citi Premier Card, which does allow you to convert miles in various programs on a 1:1 basis including JetBlue, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Etihad, Flying Blue by Air France and KLM, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways.

Currently, the Citi Custom Cash card is offering new applicants a $200 bonus after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. You’ll actually get 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. No annual fee.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card

  • 6% cash back at US supermarkets all year long (on up to $6,000 per year)
  • 6% cash back at select US streaming subscriptions (includes Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube TV, and more).
  • NEW: Disney Bundle credit worth up to $84 annually. The Disney Bundle includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Get $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $13.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription with your Blue Cash Preferred Card. Enrollment required.
  • 3% cash back at US gas stations and transit (taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don’t settle for the “1% on everything else” that these cards offer. Get 2% cash back or higher. There are multiple options out there, here are the ones I’ve had for years. Check out the card-specific reviews for details.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. 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.

Discover It Card Review: Double Cashback Match Your First Year + $100 Referral Bonus

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

Discover it 14 ImageThe Discover it® card is a rewards credit card that offers 5% cash back on rotating categories each quarter and no annual fee. Right now, new cardholders get double their cash back during the entire first year (“Cashback Match”). This means that their 5% cash back on specific categories each quarterly will effectively get doubled to 10% cash back. Here are the highlights:

  • We’ll double all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. So if you earned $101 cash back, we’ll double it to $202—Automatically. Only for new cardmembers.
  • 5% cash back in categories that change each quarter like gas, restaurants, home improvement stores and more—up to the quarterly maximum when you sign up. 1% cash back on all other purchases.
  • Freeze It on/off switch lets you prevent new purchases, cash advances & balance transfers on misplaced cards in seconds by mobile app & online.
  • 100% U.S.-based customer service.
  • Free FICO credit scores updates on your monthly statement.
  • No overlimit fee. No foreign transaction fee. No late fee on first late payment & paying late won’t raise your APR.
  • No annual fee.

From January 1st through March 31st, 2023, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:

  • Grocery Stores (excludes Walmart and Target)
  • Drug Stores
  • Select TV & Music Streaming Services (including Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Video, AMC+, Apple Music, Apple TV, Audible, DirecTV Stream, FUBO, Google Play, HBO Max, iHeartRadio, MLB.TV, Pandora, Paramount Plus, Peacock, Showtime, SiriusXM, Sling TV, Spotify, Starz, Vudu, YouTube Music, YouTube Premium, YouTube TV)

From April 1st through June 30th, 2023, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:

  • Restaurants (includes eat-in, take-out, and delivery)
  • Wholesale Clubs (like Sam’s Club and BJ’s)

Enroll after logging into your online account (look on the right-hand side). 5% rewards won’t apply until after you activate your rewards, so it is best to activate now before you forget. No annual fee.

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

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

* You will receive a $100 Statement Credit after making a purchase within three months of account opening. You must apply through your friend’s referral link and be approved by December 31, 2023 in order to be eligible for the $100 Statement Credit offer. Offer may not be combined with any other introductory offer. Promotional award will be applied within 8 weeks.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. 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.

Ask the Readers: How to Get Cash from Balance Transfers in 2023? (Credit Card Arbitrage)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

Recent events have reminded us that banks make money by taking in deposits at low interest rates and reinvesting those deposits at higher interest rates (either bonds or directly making loans themselves). When you see a credit union have a certificate special, that usually means it needs more deposits to fund commercial, residential, or personal loans to its members. This is a form of arbitrage. (Usually this works just fine, as long as your depositors don’t try to ask for all their money bank at once.)

With short-term interest rates now at 5% again, this brings back the possibility of credit card arbitrage to individuals. Borrow money with a no or low-fee 0% APR balance transfer, invest it in FDIC-insured banks at 5%, and you have significant rate spread. At that spread, borrowing $10,000 will make $500 a year, while borrowing $50,000 will make $2,500 a year.

Back around 2005, I was pretty heavy into this game as it was the equivalent of a 10%+ increase in my annual income. I knew all the ways that I could turn a balance transfer into cash. Some issuers gave out balance transfer checks, other issuers let you direct deposit a balance transfer into your bank account, and finally I could also transfer a balance larger than my actual balance and then request a credit refund via check. For example, I might have a $2,000 average recurring monthly balance as a regular customer at Bank A but then request a $12,000 balance transfer from Bank B. That would leave a negative $10,000 credit balance at Bank A, which they would send back to me as a check.

Interest rates have been very low for a very long time, and I haven’t used a balance transfer for a very long time. (There is a reason why credit card companies will give you 0% APR for 21 months, and it isn’t because they are nice people who enjoy giving out free loans. It’s because they get to charge you 24% interest after that introductory period.)

So, I ask you kind and intelligent readers: Has anyone tried to obtain cash directly via a credit card balance transfer recently? If so, what was your experience? What worked, what didn’t, and with which card issuer?

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. 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 – March 2023 (Updated)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

0aprRising rates 📈 also means credit card APRs are going up. 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 a good mix of different bank and lesser-known credit unions with easy membership requirements.

Finding the best combination of the longest 0% APR period and the lowest balance transfer fees. As of March 2023, the average credit card interest rate is 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 **

Hopefully, you 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.

1) 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 balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount of each credit card balance transfer or $5, whichever is greater. No annual fee.

2) BankAmericard Credit Card – 0% Intro APR for 21 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. A 3% fee (min $10) applies to all balance transfers. No annual fee.

3) Wells Fargo Reflect Card – 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months from date of account account opening. Intro APR extension of up to 3 months with on-time minimum payments during the introductory and extension periods. (Note this is not the same as starting the countdown from the time of transfer.) Introductory balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, for 120 days from account opening. After that, it is 5% of each credit card balance transfer or $5, whichever is greater. No annual fee.

4) US Bank Visa Platinum Card  – 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles. Balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater. Side perk of up to $600 in cell phone protection. No annual fee.

5) First Tech Fed Platinum Mastercard0% 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 First Tech Federal Credit Union member to obtain this card, but membership is open to everyone who joins a partner organization for as little as $8 (Financial Fitness Association). You must also keep a nominal amount (usually around $10) in a share savings account. No annual fee.

6) Wings Financial CU Platinum Card0% Introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers after account opening and no balance transfer fee. After the intro APR offer ends, a variable APR will apply. You must be a Wings Financial Credit Union member to obtain this card, but membership is open to everyone who joins a partner organization for as little as $5 (Wings Financial Foundation). You must also keep a nominal amount (usually around $10) in a share savings account. No annual fee.

7) 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 $10) in a share savings account. No annual fee.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. 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.

Top 10 Best Small Business Credit Card Bonus Offers – March 2023

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

Updated March 2023. Do you have small business income or work as an independent contractor? Freelance, Uber/Lyft, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Airbnb? A small business credit card separates your personal and business expenses and can build up your business credit profile. If you are not a corporation or LLC, you can apply as a sole proprietorship, with your name as the business name and your Social Security number as the Tax ID number. These are the top 10 credit card offers that I would personally apply for right now (or have already). Recent changes:

  • Added Marriott 125k, Alaska 70k, Hilton 165k, Ink Cash 90k w/ No AF, Ink Unlimited 90k w/ No AF, Ink Preferred 100k/$1250.
  • Removed Hawaiian 90k, Barc AA 80k+$95, JetBlue 80k+$99, United 150k, Marriott 125k, Delta 75k

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

Chase Ink Business Unlimited Card

  • $900 bonus cash back (Highest ever, Ending soon!) (90,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • Flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases with no limit.
  • No annual fee.
  • Subject to 5/24 rule.*

Chase Ink Business Cash Card

  • $900 bonus cash back (Highest ever, Ending soon!) (90,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services each account anniversary year.
  • No annual fee.
  • Subject to 5/24 rule.*

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

  • 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Limited-time offer. See link for details.
  • Additional Free Night Award upon card anniversary (worth up to 35,000 Bonvoy points). Earn another additional Free Night Award after spending $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
  • Annual fee is $125.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

  • 165,000 Hilton Honors points after $5,000 in purchases in first 3 months. Limited-time offer ends 4/5/23. See link for details.
  • Earn a Free Night Reward after you spend $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year.
  • $95 annual fee.

Chase Ink Business Preferred Card

  • 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $1,000 straight cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®) after $15,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • 3X points on the first $150,000 spent on travel, shipping purchases, internet/cable/phone services, and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines.
  • Primary rental car coverage when renting for business purposes.
  • $95 annual fee.
  • Subject to 5/24 rule.*

United Explorer Business Card

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

Business Platinum® Card from American Express

  • 120,000 Membership Rewards points after $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
  • HUGE list of additional perks including $400 Dell, $360 Indeed, $150 Adobe, $120 wireless phone annual credits, $200 annual airline fee credit, $189 CLEAR credit, Centurion airport lounge access, and more. See link for details.
  • $695 annual fee.

Hawaiian Airlines Business MasterCard

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

CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard

  • 65,000 American Airlines miles after $4,000 in purchases in first the 4 months. See link for details.
  • First checked bag free on domestic AA flights for you and up to 4 companions ($60 value per roundtrip, per person).
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $99.

World of Hyatt Business Card

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

Bank of America Business Advantage Cash Rewards Card

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

US Bank Business Leverage Card

  • 75,000 bonus points after $7,500 in purchases (on the Account Owner’s Card only) in first the 4 months. 75,000 bonus points can be redeemed for $750 in cash back. See link for details.
  • Availability may be restricted to certain states.
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $95.

Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business Card

  • 50,000 miles (worth a $500 statement credit) after $4,500 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • Flat 2X points per dollar spent on all purchases with no limit.
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $95.

JetBlue Business Card

  • Up to 70,000 TrueBlue points. 60k miles after $2,000 on purchases in first 90 days, and 10k miles after a purchase is made on an employee card. 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.

Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Business Card

  • Up to 70,000 American Airlines miles. 60k miles after $2,000 on purchases in first 90 days, and 10k miles after a purchase is made on an employee card. See link for details.
  • First checked bag free on domestic AA flights for you and up to 4 companions ($60 value per roundtrip, per person).
  • $95 annual fee.

Alaska Airlines Visa Business Card (Bank of America)

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

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

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. 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.

Chase Ink Business Cash Card Review: $750 Bonus, 5% Back Categories, No Annual Fee

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

Got a small business? The Ink Business Cash Card has a sign-up promotion offering a $750 cash bonus (90,000 Ultimate Rewards points) for new cardholders, along with 5% cash back and 2% cash back on select small business categories, all with no annual fee. Here are the details:

  • Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • 5% cash back (or 5X Ultimate Rewards per dollar) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year.
  • 2% cash back (or 2X Ultimate Rewards per dollar) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.
  • 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn.
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases.
  • Free additional cards for employees.
  • No annual fee.
  • Member FDIC

Ultimate Rewards points. The cash sign-up bonus actually comes in the form of Ultimate Rewards points at 1 point = 1 cent in cash. 75,000 points = $750 cash. This is similar to the situation with the Chase Freedom Unlimited.

If you have also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred Card, then you can pool all of your Ultimate Rewards points together (even with your spouse/partner as an authorized user) and either use the airline/hotel transfer partners or redeem using the new “Pay Yourself Back” tool for a 25% to 50% boost in value.

Leveraging the 5% back bonus categories. Putting all of your small business cell phone, landline, and internet bills on the card and getting 5% back is pretty handy. For example, even just $200 a month x 12 months x 5% back is $120 back a year without changing your spending habits. Now let’s take the office supply store category and the fact that you can buy gifts cards to Amazon.com and other retailers at such office supply stores like Staples and OfficeMax… now you can effectively discount many of your other purchasing needs by 5% as well. Putting those purchases on such gift cards upfront can also help you meet the spending requirement for the bonus.

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, or other one-person business owners. This is the simplest business entity, but it is fully legit and recognized by the IRS. On a business credit card application, you should use your own legal name as the business name, and your Social Security Number as the Tax ID.

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

Bottom line. The Ink Business Cash Card has a large sign-up bonus and ongoing features of 5X/2X categories with no annual fee. This card is best if you have significant expenses in the special 5% and 2% categories above. If you have certain other Chase credit cards, you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points over to those cards and increase your value.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. 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.

Chase Ink Business Unlimited Card Review: $750 Cash Bonus, 1.5% Flat Cash Back, No Annual Fee

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

The Ink Business Unlimited Card is a small business credit card offering a $750 cash bonus (75,000 Ultimate Rewards points) for new cardholders and the simplicity of a flat, unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Here are the details:

  • Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Unlimited, flat 1.5% cash back (or flat 1.5X Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent) on all purchases with no limit.
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases.
  • Free additional cards for employees.
  • Member FDIC
  • No annual fee.

Ultimate Rewards points. The cash sign-up bonus actually comes in the form of Ultimate Rewards points at 1 point = 1 cent in cash. 50,000 points = $500 cash. If you have one of the other annual fee cards that offer a boost in value like the Ink Business Preferred, Sapphire Preferred, or Sapphire Reserve, you can transfer your points between Ultimate Rewards accounts and redeem using that other card’s 25% travel bonus. This can increase the value of your points.

You could think of this card as the small business version of the Chase Freedom Unlimited card.

Prefer airline and/or hotel points? You can’t transfer points to miles directly with this card, but if you transfer over your Ultimate Rewards points to the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (or Ink Business Preferred card), then you can use that card to transfer into hotel and/or airline miles. If you value those miles/points at more than 1 cent per point, then your 1.5X rewards from this card can be significantly higher. Examples:

– You could earn 1.5 United miles per dollar spent.
– You could earn 1.5 Hyatt points per dollar spent.
– You could earn 1.5 British Airways Avios per dollar spent.
– You could earn 1.5 Southwest Rapid Rewards points per dollar spent.

For example, if you placed a perceived value of 1.5 cents on each United mile or Southwest Rapid Rewards point, then you’d receive 2.25 cents of perceived value per dollar spent with this card. Your actual numbers will depend on your own specific redemption choices.

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, or other one-person business owners. This is the simplest business entity, but it is fully legit and recognized by the IRS. On a business credit card application, you should use your own legal name as the business name, and your Social Security Number as the Tax ID.

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

Bottom line. The Ink Business Unlimited Card has a large sign-up bonus and flat 1.5% cash back with no annual fee. This card is best for people who want simple and straightforward rewards. If you have certain other Chase credit cards, you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points over to those cards and increase your value. Be sure to compare with other Chase small business cards – Ink Business Preferred and Ink Business Cash.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. 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 – 125,000 Bonus Points + Free Annual Award Night

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

New limited-time offer. The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is the re-branded business credit card of the Marriott Bonvoy program (formed after the merger of Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest). This card offers unique perks for Marriott customers. Here are the highlights:

  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 5/3/23.
  • Receive a 7% discount off standard rates for reservations of standard guest rooms at hotels that participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program when you book directly. Terms and Conditions Apply.
  • 6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy(R) program.
  • 4x points for purchases made 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 1 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. Awards 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.
  • Enjoy Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Card.
  • Each calendar year you can receive credit for 15 nights towards the next level of Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.
  • 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.

Free Night Award. 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 qualify under the 35,000 point limit:

  • Sheraton Kona Resort (Big Island, Hawaii)
  • Westin Hapuna Beach 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

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.

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

(See Rates and Fees)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. 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.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card: 40,000 Bonus Miles (Best Offer) w/ No Annual Fee

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards card is their no-annual-fee travel rewards card with a flat 1.25x miles per dollar on all purchases. I haven’t really discussed this card previously as I prefer the bigger rewards and bonuses from the premium Capital One Venture and ultra-premium
Capital One Venture X
cards, but the welcome bonus amount has just been increased significantly to 40,000 miles after $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. This is the best offer that I’ve seen for this card.

40,000 miles can be redeemed for $400 in travel, offsetting any travel purchase made with the card (any airline, any hotel, AirBNB stays, Uber rides, no blackout dates), which is very high for any no-annual-fee card in general along with a relatively low spending hurdle. This is also the rare card that allows your points to transfer to airline miles without an annual fee. Here are the highlights:

  • Earn a bonus of 40,000 miles once you spend $1000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $400 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase.
  • Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 months; 19.74% – 29.74% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 18 months
  • Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn
  • 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase – or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $0 annual fee.

Travel statement credit redemption details. Capital One “miles” can be redeemed directly for a cash statement credit on a 1 mile = $0.01 basis when offsetting any travel purchase made on the card within the past 90 days. In other words, 40,000 miles = $400 toward travel. That means you can fly on any airline or stay at any hotel, pay with this card, and then “erase” that purchase using your miles balance later. This even includes AirBnB vacation rentals, car rentals, and Uber rides.

This means that earning 1.25 miles on on every $1 in purchases essentially makes this a flat 1.25% back card when applied towards travel. You also have the option of booking travel through their travel portal, similar to Chase Ultimate Rewards, but you are not required to do so. You have the flexibility of booking through them or making the purchase directly through the airline, hotel, car rental counter, etc.

Miles transfer options. Capital One now allows you to transfer your “miles” into select airline miles programs as well. Here are the airline transfer partners:

  • Aeromexico
  • Air France/KLM
  • Air Canada Aeroplan
  • Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
  • Avianca Lifemiles
  • British Airways Avios
  • Emirates Skywards
  • Etihad
  • EVA
  • Finnair
  • Qantas
  • Singapore Airlines Krisflyer
  • TAP Air Portugal
  • Turkish Airlines
  • Virgin Red

Hotel partners

  • Accor Live Limitless
  • Choice Hotels

If you are willing to do some research on how to best leverage these international airline miles programs, this can be a very valuable option. (My personal favorite is Air Canada Aeroplan points.) Otherwise, it’s nice to know you can always get a certain level of value by redeeming against any travel purchase.

Comparison with other travel cards. This VentureOne Rewards credit card earns 1.25X Capital One miles per dollar spent with no annual fee, and has the capability on its own to transfer to airline miles. The Chase Freedom Unlimited card earns 1.5 Ultimate Rewards (UR) points per dollar spent with no annual fee, but it does not allow you to transfer the points to airline mile partners on its own. You must first transfer the UR points to another Chase Sapphire card that has an annual fee. You may also consider this VentureOne card as a downgrade option for other Venture cards, given its no annual fee and ability to keep your miles redeemable and transferrable (but with lower earning rates and fewer features).

Capital One’s “premium” card is the Venture Rewards credit card, which is more directly competitive with the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Capital One’s “ultra-premium” card is the Venture X Rewards credit card, which has more perks including Priority Pass airport lounge access and a $300 annual travel credit through Capital One Travel, but also a higher $395 annual fee. The Venture X competes more directly with the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Bottom line. The Capital One VentureOne Rewards card earns 1.25x miles on all purchases, which you can either redeem against any travel purchase or transfer to one of their airline/hotel partners. Right now, there is an improved offer of 40,000 bonus miles, worth $400 towards travel. This is a high value for a credit card with no annual fee.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. 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.

Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers – March 2023 (Updated)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

Updated and checked March 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 in 2021). These are the top 10 credit card offers that I would personally apply for right now (or have already). Notable recent changes:

  • Added Marriott 100k, Hilton 100k, Aeroplan 100k, IHG 120k w/ no AF, Alaska 70k+$100
  • Removed Delta 70k, Southwest CP+30k, Premier 80k, JetBlue 80k.

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

Chase Aeroplan Credit Card

  • Up to 100,000 points: 60,000 points after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months, plus 40,000 points after $20,000 in purchases in the first 12 months. See link for details.
  • 100,000 points is worth $1,250 in travel value with Pay Yourself Back®.
  • 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.

Hilton Honors American Express Card

  • 100,000 Hilton Honors points after $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months. Offer ends 04/05/2023. See link for details.
  • Free Honors Silver status (5th standard reward night free, 2 bottles of water in your room).
  • No annual fee.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card

  • 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Limited-time offer. See link for details.
  • Free Night after each account anniversary year (valued up to 35,000 Bonvoy points).
  • $95 annual fee.
  • Subject to 5/24 rule.

Alaska Airlines Visa Card (Bank of America)

  • 70,000 bonus miles + $100 statement credit + 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 $121” ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from just $22).
  • 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.
  • Compare with alternative offer.

Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard

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

Citi Premier Card

  • 60,000 points (worth $600 in gift cards, or transferrable to miles) 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.

IHG Rewards Club Traveler Card

  • 120,000 IHG Rewards club points after $2,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • 4th Award Night Free (Book 3 nights in a row with points, 4th is free)
  • No annual fee.
  • Subject to 5/24 rule.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

  • 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $750 minimum towards travel and more) 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.

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.
  • Priority Pass 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.

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.

The Platinum Card from American Express

  • 80,000 Membership Rewards(R) points after $6,000 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.

Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Mastercard

  • 60,000 American Airlines miles after $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • First checked bag free on domestic AA flights ($60 value per roundtrip, per person).
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $99.

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.

Hawaiian Airlines MasterCard

  • 70,000 Hawaiian miles after first purchase (any amount) within the first 90 days. Any 6 digit promo code works. 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.

American Express® Gold Card

  • 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 at restaurants.
  • 4X points at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 per year.
  • $250 annual fee.

Bank of America Premium Rewards Card

  • 50,000 points (worth $500 towards travel) after $3,000 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.
  • $100 annual Airline Incidental Statement Credit.
  • Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
  • $95 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.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards, and may receive a commission from card issuers. 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 Boundless Card Review: 100,000 Bonus Points Limited-Time Offer

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and Credit-Land for selected credit cards and may receive a commission. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

100k limited-time offer is back. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card is one of the co-branded rewards card for Marriott hotels (including hotels from the merger of Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott). Here are the highlights:

  • Limited Time Offer! Earn 100,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
  • 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
  • 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
  • Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R) with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless(R) Card.
  • 2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • Automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year.
  • 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $95 annual fee.

Keep in mind the following:

The bonus is not available to you if you:

(1) are a current cardmember, or were a previous cardmember within the last 30 days, of Marriott BonvoyTM American Express® Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express);

(2) are a current or previous cardmember of either Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express) or Marriott Bonvoy BrilliantTM American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card), and received a new cardmember bonus or upgrade bonus in the last 24 months; or

(3) applied and were approved for Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express) or Marriott Bonvoy BrilliantTM American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card) within the last 90 days.

That’s a lot of long card names, but note the different 30-day, 90-day, and 24-month waiting periods that may now include Marriott business cards. (See my Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card Review.) This is why you should be looking to get the best possible bonus (like a limited-time offer) if you do apply.

As of April 2022, Marriott no longer has a fixed hotel category chart for booking points. You can still use these points at either Marriott properties (Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Springhill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites) or former Starwood Properties (Westin, Sheraton, The Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton, W Hotels, St. Regis, Le Méridien, Aloft), but now it is “dynamic” awards where the points required are more linked to the actual cash cost than before.

For reference, 50,000 Bonvoy points used to get you a peak award at Courtyard Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, a standard or off-peak award at the Sheraton Kauai Resort or Residence Inn Maui Wailea, or an off-peak award night at the Westin Moana Surfrider in Waikiki, Honolulu or the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas.

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.

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.

Bonvoy Points can also be transferred to airline miles with a bonus. 60,000 Marriott points = 25,000 airline miles. Similar to the old Starwood bonus structure, they will add 15,000 points for every 60,000 points you transfer to airline miles. More information here.

Finally, Marriott points are also convertible to gift cards, but it takes 60,000 points to redeem for a $200 gift card for Marriott or retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, or Nordstrom. That ratio isn’t all that great so you’ll definitely get the most value via hotel night redemptions or airline miles transfer.

Free Night Award with Card Renewal. At your card anniversary (when you pay the annual fee), 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 value. Here are some sample hotels that I have tried to book in the past that came in at or under 35,000 points for selected dates:

  • Sheraton Kona Resort (Big Island, Hawaii)
  • Westin Hapuna Beach 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

Find a hotel that costs 40,000 points a night or 50,000 points? For example, I recently booked the Westin Maui at 60k points a night. You can just pay the difference in points, as long as the difference is within 15,000 points. Here are details on the Free Night Award Top Off option.

No annual fee alternative. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold card is also offers bonus points and some (lesser) perks, but with no annual fee.

Bottom line. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card (formerly the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Credit Card) is currently offering a special offer for new cardholders. As with all hotel cards, the value is dependent on your unique travel preferences. If you stay at Marriott/Starwood properties regularly, the free night award every year should easily cover the annual fee.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

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