Deals & Offers — My Money Blog

CIT Bank Platinum Savings $225/$300 Bonus + 4.10% APY (New and Existing Customers)

Posted on March 19, 2025 // 22 Comments

Update 3/20/25: This solid deposit bonus is still available (full details below), but I also have a few updates. First, the rate on the Platinum Savings account is now 4.10% APY (as of 3/20/25) with a balance of $5,000 or more. I have updated the original post below as well. Next, CIT Bank has sent me follow-up e-mail confirmations about the status of my bonus, although they took a few days longer than I expected.

Finally, in the past CIT Bank has offered special, higher retention rates via popup window if you tried to make a large withdrawal out to an external account. Reader PT and several commenters in this Doctor of Credit post report that you may be able to get a retention offer of 4.75% APY for 12 months (maybe less now?) if you make a transfer attempt or call in and ask. Some data points suggest that the account needs to be open for at least 3 months. This is not guaranteed and your mileage may vary, but I thought it was worthy of mention. If you are turned down now, it’s still something to keep in mind for later.

Original post:

CIT Bank has a new limited-time $225/$300 Platinum Savings deposit bonus. The bonus depends on deposit amount, and it is open to both new and existing customers. The bonus is on top of the interest rate, currently 4.10% APY (as of 3/20/25) with a balance of $5,000 or more.

New deposit bonus details. For new customers, you must first open a new account with at least $100 and promo code PS2025 at this special offer link. You’ll get multiple confirmations that you are enrolled in the promo during the application process.

If you already had an CIT Bank existing account as of 2/26/25, you still need to first officially enroll in this offer via the “Start savings now” button and then logging into your CIT Bank account. If you have other CIT Bank accounts already, but need to open a new Platinum Savings account, you can do that easily as well.

There are only two tiers for the bonus, either $25,000 or $50,000. Qualifying funds must come from an account outside of CIT Bank. (Transfers from existing CIT Bank accounts will not qualify for this promotion.)

A new deposit of $25,000 to $49,999 within 30 calendar days of your open/enrollment date will get you a $225 cash bonus.
A new deposit of $50,000+ within 30 calendar days of your open/enrollment date will get you a $300 cash bonus.

There is a limit of one Platinum Savings promotional offer per account and per Primary customer. If multiple Platinum Savings accounts are opened, only one account per primary account owner is eligible.

All customers who qualify for the $225 or $300 bonus offer will receive the bonus in the enrolled Platinum Savings account within 60 days after the 30-day funding period. The enrolled Platinum Savings account must be open at the time of the bonus payment to qualify. You can fund all at once or in multiple transfers, it just has to be done within the 30-day window.

Importantly, there is no minimum holding period. You just need to fund within the 30-day period after your opening/enrollment date. Although not explicitly required in the terms, I choose to be extra careful and make sure to time it such that the money is through the 30-day mark. After that, your account just needs to be open at the time of the bonus payment, which is another 60 days after the 30-day mark. You do not have to maintain the balance during those additional 60 days, although you could choose to keep it there until the bonus arrives.

Effective APY rough numbers. The lack of minimum holding period makes the potential effective APY theoretically sky-high. For the sake of rough numbers, if you assume you keep the money there for 30 days, here are the effective interest rates you could get as either a new or existing customer:

For a new/existing customer earning the $225 bonus on $25,000 in new deposits with a 30-day hold period, which also qualifies you for the current 4.10% APY tier, that works out to a total 14.9% APY for 30 days (10.8 + 4.10).
For a new/existing customer earning the $300 bonus on $50,000 in new deposits with a 30-day hold period, which also qualifies you for the current 4.10% APY tier, that works out to a total 11.3% APY for 30 days (7.2 + 4.10).

You can see that the $25k tier works out to be a higher percentage, but you get more absolute money if you have enough fund for the $50k tier.

The Platinum Savings account has no minimum balance fees, no monthly service fees, no inactivity fee. Make sure you keep $5,000 in there to qualify for the highest interest rate tier.

Bottom line. CIT Bank has really good limited-time deposit bonuses from time to time, and they are also usually available to existing customers. Right now is one of those times, with a new up to $300 Platinum Savings deposit bonus and it is indeed open to both new and existing customers. The bonus is on top of the interest rate, currently 4.10% APY (as of 3/20/25) with a balance of $5,000 or more.

This offer is for a limited-time only, and they may end it at any time if their goals are met.

I am doing this offer, and as an existing CIT account owner, enrolling and funding was very easy as my other bank accounts were already linked and ready to go. My fund have arrived and they have confirmed my bonus by e-mail. They are also pretty solid as a transfer hub.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers //

Last updated: March 19, 2025

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Webull ACAT Transfer Bonus: 3% of Assets Possible ($750 Bonus on $25,000)

Posted on March 17, 2025 // 5 Comments

Updated with new offer. The Webull brokerage app is offering an updated ACAT Transfer bonus plus up to $100 in outgoing fee reimbursements on your first transfer of at least $5,000. This specific offer ends 4/6/25. The minimum hold period is 1 year (must hold past 4/20/26). The bonus percentages change with each tier, with the highest being the 3% ratio for the $750 bonus on $25,000 in new assets (or deposits). The bonus is paid out via 12 equal monthly installments.

Here are their directions:

Click the “Enroll Today” button.
Deposit or transfer a total of $5,000 or more into your brokerage accounts by 4/6/2025.(Joint accounts, Futures accounts, Advisor accounts and IRA accounts are excluded)
Receive the first payment of Cash Bonus within 45 days following the offer ends.
Maintain your Net Qualifying Funding Amount and receive monthly bonus payments until 4/20/2026.

Here are the full terms & conditions. Here’s what they say concerning offer eligibility.

This offer (the “Offer”) is open to individuals who (i) have a Webull Account (as defined below), and (ii) receive a push notification or other invitation to participate through the Webull mobile application, desktop application, or website (collectively, the “Webull Platform”) to participate in this Offer (such customers “Eligible Customers”).

I clicked the “Enroll Today” button and logged into my existing account, but was met with this popup:

We’re sorry, but you’re currently not eligible for this promotion. If you’d like to learn more or explore how you can participate, please contact promotion@webull.com. We’re happy to assist you!

Check for yourself, but my best guess is that this offer is limited to existing customers of Webull that have never done an ACAT transfer yet.

If you are a brand new customer, you should consider first grabbing their new customer bonus. Right now, you can get up to 40 free shares of stock (my referral link) if you open a new account, deposit $2,000 and keep it there for 30 days. The bonus shares have a minimum value of $3 each, so the minimum bonus value would be $120. It’s a lottery-type offer so the shares might be worth up to $3,000 each, but I’d expect just the $3 each and anything above will be gravy. (Open with $100 for 6 free shares, open with $500 for 20 free shares.)

As with all similar ACAT transfer offers, you can transfer over your existing stock holdings and the cost basis should also transfer over with no tax consequences. You just keep your same shares of Apple or index ETFs at a different broker. If you want to deposit cash, you could also own things like Treasury bill ETFs (ex. SGOV) or ultra-short term bond ETFs and earn interest on top of the bonus.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers, Investing //

Last updated: March 17, 2025

American Express “Member Week” March 17-21 (Limited-Time Offers)

Posted on March 16, 2025 // 2 Comments

American Express is celebrating their 175th birthday (!) with a “Member Week” from March 17-21. They are touting various special offers. I honestly don’t know if they will be awesome or disappointing, but I figure that it’s worth logging into your AmEx account/app and checking your AmEx Offer. Here is the press release and the official Member Week page.

Besides a chance at tickets to see Gracie Abrams and a free martini at “participating restaurants in New York, Washington D.C., Miami, Atlanta and Chicago”, here’s their teaser on the retail offers:

In honor of its 175th year, American Express will introduce new, limited-time Amex Offers for eligible U.S. Consumer and Business Card Members. Eligible Consumer Card Members can access more than $290 in statement credits when they make qualifying purchases from brands like Kiehl’s, Levi’s, barnesandnoble.com, Brooks Brothers and Shiseido; eligible Business Card Members can access more than $500 in statement credits on qualifying purchases from HP, Lowe’s and more. More information about Amex Offers and redemption deadlines can be found here (terms apply).

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Last updated: March 14, 2025

Helium Mobile Promo Code: Get $50 Gift Card for Joining Free Cellular Plan

Posted on March 15, 2025 // 3 Comments

Update: Helium Mobile just sent me an e-mail offering $50 in Cloud points (supposedly redeemable for gift cards to Airbnb, DoorDash, and Nike) for new customers if you open with the promo code GETLUCKY. Expires 11:59pm PT on March 18, 2025. Must be subscribed for at least 30 days in order to use points in Cloud Store. I’m still not a huge fan of their location tracking, but if you’re gonna go for this plan but haven’t yet, get the $50 in points!

Original post:

Helium Mobile is offering a “free” cellular plan that includes 100 minutes talk, 300 texts, and 3 GB of data per month (no hotspot). You have to upload a government-issued ID (name, address, date of birth, ID number), but you don’t need to provide a credit card. You also have to always allow Location Sharing so they can always track your exact location. Helium Mobile is a T-Mobile MVNO, so you will need a compatible unlocked GSM phone.

The free plan is currently waitlist-only unless you have an invite code, but one of the following invite codes should work to provide you immediate access. Click on the “Got an invite code?” link on the front page. Both iOS and Android apps are available. Try these:

JGKOS6O (my referral code)
HELIUMCEO
HELIUMFREE
BREAKFREE

They offer both eSIM and physical SIMs, but as of now the physical SIMs are out of stock and the expected wait time is at least a few weeks.

This is not the first cellular carrier to promote a “free” plan, nor the first to try and build a network of people sharing their WiFi for theoretically low-cost data (“Helium Hotspots”), and you shouldn’t be surprised that the reason beyond this new one is “something something crypto”. They never seem to last very long, and in the past have had hidden fees (FreedomPop) and sometimes required too much effort (RingPlus).

I probably wouldn’t bother using this as your primary number due to the hassle of porting in and out again possibly soon, but having an extra phone number can be useful for a variety of reasons. Some special offers are effectively limited to one per phone number, and sometimes you may not want to give out your primary phone number. You might have an old phone you want to use, or you could just add an eSIM number to your existing phone.

I’m concerned that the always-on location sharing would be a drain on battery life (in addition to your privacy). They say they use Fitness data which is less draining, but I’m still dubious. I would probably learn towards using an old phone.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Last updated: March 15, 2025

Pepper Gift Card App: $20 Bonus w/ $200 Purchase (New Users), Sam’s Club 10X, Lowe’s 12X, Home Depot 10X

Posted on March 14, 2025 // 41 Comments

Update 3/14: New extended sales from now until 11:59p ET on March 16th. Be sure you see the offer on your screen before tapping “Buy gift card”. For example, if you buy a $50 Sam’s Club gift card during an 10X offer you’ll get a total of 10,000 points – 2,000 instantly and 8,000 extra later (10,000 points = $5, example screenshot below). I check the Pepper app first thing every morning to see the limited-time Flash Sales and to redeem all my available points that arrived from past purchases. Also, check your AmEx Offers to see if you have a targeted $30 off $75 at Pepper.

Sam’s Club 10X/10% back. Sam’s Club codes work at Walmart, and vice versa. They are interchangeable, even after using it at one place you can still use the rest at the other. I’m topped up again.
Home Depot 10X/10% back.
DoorDash 10X/10% back.
Lowe’s 12X/12% back.
Chipotle 10X/10% back.
Giant Eagle/GetGo/Market District 10X/10% back.

I know these screenshots have older dates, but it shows what you’re looking for during a flash sale:

– Pepper points will now expire if 60 days pass without a purchase. If you made a purchase prior to 11/15/24, you’ll enjoy a grace period; this policy change will not take effect until February 1, 2025. Keep in mind you can buy a $1 gift card.

– Pepper has changed their referral offer to a fixed $20 bonus after spending $200 in your first 15 days. Stack with AmEx offers and a flash sale, if possible.)

Look to stack it with this $30 off $75 AmEx Offer. Search for “Pepper” in your AmEx app. You are less likely to find it again if you used it already.

Original post, updated:

Pepper continues to offer up “flash sales” that offer big discounts on gift cards from Sam’s Club, REI, Sam’s Club, and so on. Plus you still get whatever credit card rewards from the Pepper purchase. Examples are Sam’s Club (= Walmart) at 10% back, IKEA 18% back, Airbnb 14% back in the form of points. Stock up quickly when you see the sale in the app. Redeem instantly into your respective store accounts, if you wish. (Tip: The math will work out. Every 2,000 points is worth $1 in future gift cards. 10,000 points = $5, and so on. Must redeem in increments of $5.)

Here’s the current offer for new Pepper users:

Download the Pepper Rewards app and be sure to enter a referral code 588494 on the first screen when joining. Thanks if you use it!
Get $20 after spending $200 in your first 15 days. This bonus has changed from the previous offer, but still not bad astheir old double offer only applied on their standard 4X rates, while their daily flash rates are 10X to 15X.
You’ll also earn rewards from using your credit card for purchase. Use a 2% or better cash back rewards card, or use it to satisfy a credit card bonus spending requirement that is even better than 2%.

Pepper is an iOS and Android app that sells discounted, new gift cards in exact amounts that are delivered instantly on your phone. This lets you to wait until the moment before purchase when you already have the final purchase price (in-person or online), and then go buy a discounted gift card via the app down to the penny. The main problem with gift cards is when you don’t use up the entire balance. This helps to avoid the waste.

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Last updated: March 14, 2025

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card Review: 185,000 Bonus Points Offer

Posted on March 13, 2025 // 8 Comments

Improved offer (nearly double the previous bonus). The card_name is the premium co-branded rewards card for Marriott hotels. This card has a hefty annual fee, but a closer look reveals it’s not as bad as it looks initially due to perks like flexible dining credits, airport lounge access, and elite status. Here are the highlights:

185,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
$300 in Annual Dining Credits, valid at restaurants worldwide. Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 each month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant(R) American Express(R) Card at restaurants worldwide.
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status. This level includes better free room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
Priority Pass™ Select airport lounge membership. Enroll and get unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. Enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location. Enrollment required.
6X Points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® for each dollar of eligible purchases.
3X Points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines.
2X points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant(R) American Express(R) Card.
$100 Marriott Bonvoy(R) Property Credit: Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton(R) or St. Regis(R) when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R). Certain hotels have resort fees.
Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant(R) American Express(R) Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Brilliant Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
25 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
$650 Annual Fee.
See Rates and Fees

Keep in mind the following:

You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card or the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card or previous versions of these Cards. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.

Welcome offer not available to applicants who (i) have or have had The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card from JPMorgan or the J.P. Morgan Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card in the last 30 days, (ii) have acquired the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase in the last 90 days, or (iii) received a new Card Member bonus or upgrade offer for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase in the last 24 months.

This is why you should be looking to get the best possible bonus (like a limited-time offer) if you do apply.

$300 Dining Statement Credit. As long as you make $25 in restaurant purchases on this card each month, they $300 in annual dining statement credits should be easily obtainable. This knocks down the scary $650 annual fee down to effectively $350 net. My first read of this perk was that you had to spend it at a Marriott hotel restaurant, but in fact you can make the purchase at any restaurant worldwide.

You can receive up to $300 in statement credits issued to your Card Account for eligible purchases charged to your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide. Purchases by both the Basic Card Member and Additional Card Members on an eligible Card Account are eligible for statement credits. Each Card Account is eligible for up to $25 in statement credits per month, for a total of up to $300 per calendar year in statement credits across all Cards on the Account.

Priority Pass Select. Includes access at over 1,200 airport lounges for the cardholder plus two guests free. Enrollment required. I’m not sure how I’d value this perk, but I’ve definitely enjoyed it in the past.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card Members must enroll in the Priority Pass™ Select program through the benefits section of their americanexpress.com account or by calling the number on the back of their Card to receive the benefit. Priority Pass is an independent airport lounge access program. At any visit to a Priority Pass Select lounge that admits guests, you may bring in two guests for no charge.

What is a reasonable estimate for the value of a Marriott Bonvoy point? As of April 2022, Marriott no longer has a fixed hotel category chart for booking points. You can still use these points at either long-time Marriott brands (Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Springhill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites) or former Starwood brands (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.

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 95,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $665 redeemable value, and 185,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $1,295 redeemable hotel night value. 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. With the flexibility of points, you could book a week stay at a modest hotel or a couple nights at a luxury resort.

You can use the Marriott free night search tool to price out some sample hotels for yourself.

Free Night Award (85K) 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 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. This is a much better perk than the other 35K and 50K free night awards out there. It’s definitely not hard to get $350 of value out of this award. Here are some sample hotels that I have tried to book in the past that came in at or under 85,000 points for selected dates:

The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Hawaii
JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa
Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris
The St. Regis Deer Valley
The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, Washington, DC
The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch, Colorado.
The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui (Thailand)
The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (Big Island, Hawaii)
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui

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 85,000 points, the maximum hotel value you can redeem for is 100,000 points after adding 15,000 points of your own. Here are details on the Free Night Award Top Off option.

Bonvoy Points can also be transferred to airline miles with a bonus. You can convert your Bonvoy points to miles at 39 participating airlines. The standard ratio with most programs is 3:1 (60,000 Bonvoy: 20,000 airlines) miles. Most programs will add on a bonus 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points you transfer to frequent flyer miles (does not apply to American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, Delta SkyMiles and Korean Air SKYPASS.) If you’re a United MileagePlus® member, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points you transfer. 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.

Bottom line. The card_name is the premium co-branded card between Marriott hotels and American Express. There is a long list of perks, including a flexible dining credit on restaurant purchases and a valuable free night award each card anniversary. As with all hotel cards, the value is dependent on your unique travel preferences.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

(See Rates and Fees)

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

Last updated: March 13, 2025

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card Review: 3 Free Night Awards Welcome Offer

Posted on March 13, 2025 // 2 Comments

New offer. The card_name 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. Here are the highlights:

Welcome Offer: 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 Marriott Bonvoy 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

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 card_name 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)

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

Last updated: March 13, 2025

Southwest Becomes Just Another Commodity Airline (Basic Economy, No Checked Bags, Less Legroom, Paid Seating)

Posted on March 13, 2025 // 10 Comments

The big news in travel is that Southwest Airlines has basically given up their unique “We are different!” corporate identity and become just another commodity airline that tries to look as cheap as possible upfront (only $200!) while adding multiple fees on the backend for all the things that used to be included (want to sit next to each other? checked bags? decent legroom? ok sure it’s really $500). As educated consumers, our job is to understand the changes to their value proposition and adjust accordingly. Here’s a list of the new Southwest realities:

Basic Economy has arrived to Southwest. The cheapest fare tier is now called “Basic”, not “Wanna Get Away”. You can no longer make free changes; you only get a non-transferrable credit that expires after only 6 months. Earns only 2X points, down from 6X points (elite status-holders get a little more). They are stripping everything possible because Southwest believes that people just pick the lowest fare regardless of features when listed on a comparison site like Google Flights or Expedia.
No more free bags. Starting 5/29, on most fares you’ll no longer get two free bags included and they’ll start charging you like everyone else. Business Select fares and A-List Preferred elites will get 2 free checked bags. A-List elites and co-branded credit cardholders will get 1 free checked bag.
No more open seating. Must pay for seat choice. Southwest is moving to assigned seats as well, which means Basic fares will have to pay up to pick their seats or be stuck in the worst middle seats or in the back.
No more reasonable legroom for everyone. Southwest used to be known for decent seat width and legroom in all its seats. Southwest is now adding “premium” extra-legroom seats if you pay extra $$$. This usually means the rest of Economy loses a few inches in return (right now it looks like seat pitch will go down to 31″ from 32″, similar to Basic Economy for other major airlines).
Changes to Rapid Rewards points redemptions. When redeeming Rapid Rewards points for flights, it will not longer be directly linked to the current cash fare. Basically, they want to be able to charge whatever amount they want, and limit the number of award tickets available on certain flights.

I wouldn’t actually read this Southwest press release because it has so much PR-spin that it is quite trifficult to understand what they are actually doing, but this attached graphic is useful:

It’s almost funny because you can still look up their old talking points and interviews on why open seating is better, why keeping free checked bags is better, why the fact that Southwest treats everyone well is important, but now it’s just the exact opposite. Your unique brand was around for 50 years, but now you’ve traded it all for a temporary bump in share price.

Well, Southwest, if you want us to just judge you on price, that’s fine with me. Selling a commodity product is usually a tough business, though. Prediction: The next step is to be merged away with another major airline soon.

In the meantime, I’m not sure if this makes their co-branded credit card more desirable or not. The card has basically added a free checked bag benefit that can be valuable, and some of them offer seating choice perks, but if you were a loyal Southwest flier, these new changes may cause you to not fly them as much anymore and now try out other airlines.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Last updated: March 13, 2025

Wyndham Rewards Earner Cards: Up to 90,000 Bonus Points (Valid at Vacasa Home Rentals)

Posted on March 10, 2025 // 3 Comments

Updated with limited-time offers. The Wyndham Rewards Earner credit cards currently all have increased bonuses of up to 90,000 points. While these are not the highest amounts offered ever, they are above the normal bonuses. This hotel-chain co-branded card earns rewards that redeemable towards the Wyndham chain of hotels and Vacasa-managed vacation home rentals.

Wyndham Rewards Earner Card highlights:

60,000 bonus points after $2,000 in purchases in the first 90 days.
5X points per $1 spent on Hotels by Wyndham and qualifying gas purchases.
2X points per $1 spent on dining and grocery store purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart®).
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham Timeshare resort down payments).
Automatic upgrade to Wyndham Rewards Gold status.
10% fewer Wyndham Rewards points required for go free® awards.
7,500 bonus points each anniversary year if you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases.
No annual fee.

Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card highlights:

90,000 bonus points after $2,000 in purchases in the first 90 days.
6X points per $1 spent on Hotels by Wyndham and gas purchasess.
4X points per $1 spent on dining and grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart).
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham Timeshare resort down payments).
Automatic upgrade to Wyndham Rewards Platinum status.
10% fewer Wyndham Rewards points required for go free® awards.
7,500 bonus points each anniversary year after annual fee renewal.
$75 annual fee.

Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card highlights:

75,000 bonus points total. 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. Also, earn 25,000 bonus points after spending $12,000 on purchases within the first 365 days.
8X points per $1 spent on Hotels by Wyndham and gas purchasess.
5X points per $1 spent on eligible marketing, advertising, and utilities purchases.
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases (excluding Wyndham Timeshare resort down payments).
Automatic upgrade to Wyndham Rewards Diamond status.
10% fewer Wyndham Rewards points required for go free® awards.
15,000 bonus points each anniversary year after annual fee renewal.
$95 annual fee.

Wyndham hotels have a relatively simple system that charges 7,500, 15,000, or 30,000 points for a “Go Free” award hotel night with no blackout dates (as long as a standard room is available for cash, you can book it with points). You can also redeem toward a discounted “Go Fast” cash and points rate. Resort fees may apply and cannot be paid with points. Note that when you have one of these credit cards, you get a 10% discount, so for example the 15,000 points tier would be actually be reduced down to 13,500 points.

You can also use the points for Vacasa vacation home rentals (like Airbnb or VRBO). Starting 3/26/24, it will cost 15,000 points *per bedroom* per night if the cash cost (including all taxes and fees!) is up to $250 *per bedroom* per night, or 30,000 points per bedroom per night if the cash cost is up to $500 per bedroom per night. More details at here and here.

That means your family likes to stay at Airbnbs, then 90,000 points can get you 3 nights at a 1-bedroom Vacasa-managed property that would otherwise cost up to $500 per night when including all taxes and fees, or at a 2-bedroom Vacasa property that would otherwise cost up to $250 *per bedroom* per night when including all taxes and fees. You can browse Vacasa properties here and book by calling 800-441-1034.

Wyndham points expiration – Important!

Wyndham Rewards points will expire if you have no activity on your account for a period of 18 months.
In addition, all Wyndham Rewards points expire 4 years after being earned — regardless of account activity.

From the official Terms & Conditions:

Except as may otherwise be required under applicable law, Wyndham Rewards points expire four (4) years after the checkout date of the stay for which the applicable points are posted to the Member’s account (the “Four Year Rule”), unless the points are forfeited or cancelled earlier due to membership inactivity (as more particularly described below), or otherwise in accordance with these Terms and Conditions. All accrued points in a Member’s Wyndham Rewards account may be cancelled or forfeited if the Member has no Account Activity (as defined below) for a period of approximately, but never less than, eighteen (18) consecutive months. For purposes of these Terms and Conditions, “Account Activity” means any (i) point earning, (ii) stay posted to a Member’s Wyndham Rewards account, regardless of whether or not such stay earns Wyndham Rewards points, and (iii) redemption or transfer activity involving a change in the Member’s Wyndham Rewards point balance, in each case, conducted in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.

For example, earning points via this credit card will only reset the 18-month inactivity clock. Look for the exact date in your online account page.

Wyndham Rewards includes over 9,000 hotels worldwide – from Days Inn motels to Wyndham Grand hotels. You can use this link to filter locations easily by country, state, and/or point level. Participating hotel chains include:

AmericInn by Wyndham®
Dolce Hotels and Resorts® by Wyndham
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham®
Howard Johnson by Wyndham®
La Quinta by Wyndham®
Ramada by Wyndham®
Days Inn by Wyndham®
Super 8 by Wyndham®
Travelodge by Wyndham®
Wingate by Wyndham®
Wyndham Grand®
Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®
Wyndham Garden®

Depending on the hotel, you might get over 1 cent per point value (i.e. $300 cash hotel night for 30,000 points), but you might also get closer to 0.5 cent per point value (i.e. a $75 hotel night might require 15,000 points).

Bottom line. The Wyndham Rewards Earner credit cards earns rewards that can get you free nights at Wyndham hotels and Vacasa vacation home rentals. However, know that you must redeem the points within 4 years at the longest, even with regular account activity. This is somewhat of a niche card, but if you’ve got all the popular ones, there is still good potential value here if you put in some legwork.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers and Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Last updated: March 10, 2025

Best Interest Rates Survey: Savings Accounts, Treasuries, CDs, ETFs – March 2025

Posted on March 10, 2025 // 8 Comments

Here’s my monthly survey of the best interest rates on cash as of March, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Banks love taking advantage of our idle cash, and you can often earning more money while keeping the same level of safety by moving to another FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union. Check out my Ultimate Rate-Chaser Calculator to see how much extra interest you could earn from switching. Rates listed are available to everyone nationwide. Rates checked as of 3/9/2024.

TL;DR: Short-term savings accounts dropped very slightly overall, with top rates varying widely from 3.7% to 5% APY. Short-term T-Bill rates at around 4.3%. Top 5-year CD rates are ~4.30% APY, while 5-year Treasury rate is ~4.1%.

High-yield savings accounts*
Since the huge megabanks still pay essentially no interest, everyone should at least have a separate, no-fee online savings account to piggy-back onto your existing checking account. The interest rates on savings accounts can drop at any time, so I list the top rates as well as competitive rates from banks with a history of competitive rates and solid user experience. Some banks will bait you with a temporary top rate and then lower the rates in the hopes that you are too lazy to leave.

The top saving rate at the moment: Roger.bank is at 5.00% APY (no min), but does require an additional companion checking account. CIT Platinum Savings is now at 4.30% APY with $5,000+ balance, but also has a $225/$300 deposit bonus you can stack on top.
SoFi Bank is at 3.80% APY + up to $325 new account bonus with direct deposit. You must maintain a direct deposit of any amount (even $1) each month for the higher APY. SoFi has historically competitive rates and full banking features. See details at $25 + $300 SoFi Money new account and deposit bonus.
Here is a limited survey of high-yield savings accounts. They aren’t the top rates, but a group that have historically kept it relatively competitive such that I like to track their history.

Short-term guaranteed rates (1 year and under)
A common question is what to do with a big pile of cash that you’re waiting to deploy shortly (plan to buy a house soon, just sold your house, just sold your business, legal settlement, inheritance). My usual advice is to keep things simple and take your time. If not a savings account, then put it in a flexible short-term CD under the FDIC limits until you have a plan.

No Penalty CDs offer a fixed interest rate that can never go down, but you can still take out your money (once) without any fees if you want to use it elsewhere. Marcus has a 13mo No Penalty CD at 4.15% APY ($500 minimum deposit). Farmer’s Insurance FCU has 9-month No Penalty CD at 4.25% APY ($1,000 minimum deposit). Credit Human has 12-month Liquid CD at 4.26% APY ($5,000 minimum) that allows unlimited deposits and two allowed withdrawals. Consider opening multiple CDs in smaller increments for more flexibility.
Security State Bank has a 12-month certificate special at 4.65% APY ($25,000 min). Early withdrawal penalty is 180 days of interest.

Money market mutual funds
Many brokerage firms that pay out very little interest on their default cash sweep funds (and keep the difference for themselves). Note: Money market mutual funds are highly-regulated, but ultimately not FDIC-insured, so I would still stick with highly reputable firms.

Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX) is the default sweep option for Vanguard brokerage accounts, which has an SEC yield of 4.24% (changes daily, but also works out to a compound yield of 4.32%, which is better for comparing against APY). Odds are this is much higher than your own broker’s default cash sweep interest rate.
Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund (VUSXX) is an alternative money market fund which you must manually purchase, but the interest will be mostly (100% for 2024 tax year) exempt from state and local income taxes because it comes from qualifying US government obligations. Current SEC yield of 4.25% (compound yield of 4.33%).

Treasury Bills and Ultra-short Treasury ETFs
Another option is to buy individual Treasury bills which come in a variety of maturities from 4-weeks to 52-weeks and are fully backed by the US government. You can also invest in ETFs that hold a rotating basket of short-term Treasury Bills for you, while charging a small management fee for doing so. T-bill interest is exempt from state and local income taxes, which can make a significant difference in your effective yield.

You can build your own T-Bill ladder at TreasuryDirect.gov or via a brokerage account with a bond desk like Vanguard and Fidelity. Here are the current Treasury Bill rates. As of 3/7/25, a new 4-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 4.31% annualized interest and a 52-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 4.06% annualized interest.
The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 4.20% SEC yield (0.09% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.09 years. SPDR Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) has a 4.13% SEC yield (0.136% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.15 years. The Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) hasn’t been around long enough to generate an SEC yield (0.07% expense ratio).

US Savings Bonds
Series I Savings Bonds offer rates that are linked to inflation and backed by the US government. You must hold them for at least a year. If you redeem them within 5 years there is a penalty of the last 3 months of interest. The annual purchase limit for electronic I bonds is $10,000 per Social Security Number, available online at TreasuryDirect.gov.

“I Bonds” bought between November 2024 and April 2025 will earn a 3.11% rate for the first six months. The rate of the subsequent 6-month period will be based on inflation again. More on Savings Bonds here.
In mid-April 2025, the CPI will be announced and you will have a short period where you will have a very close estimate of the rate for the next 12 months. I will have another post up at that time.

Rewards checking accounts
These unique checking accounts pay above-average interest rates, but with unique risks. You have to jump through certain hoops which usually involve 10+ debit card purchases each cycle, a certain number of ACH/direct deposits, and/or a certain number of logins per month. If you make a mistake (or they judge that you did) you risk earning zero interest for that month. Some folks don’t mind the extra work and attention required, while others would rather not bother. Rates can also drop suddenly, leaving a “bait-and-switch” feeling.

OnPath Federal Credit Union (my review) pays 7.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and login to online or mobile banking once per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization. You can also get a $100 Visa Reward card when you open a new account and make qualifying transactions.
Genisys Credit Union pays 6.75% APY on up to $7,500 if you make 10 debit card purchases of $5+ each per statement cycle, and opt into online statements. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
La Capitol Federal Credit Union pays 5.75% APY (down from 6.25%) on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases of at least $5 each per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization, Louisiana Association for Personal Financial Achievement ($20).
(new) First Southern Bank pays 5.50% APY on up to $25,000 if you make at least 15 debit card purchases, 1 ACH credit or payment transaction, and enroll in online statements.
Credit Union of New Jersey pays 6.00% APY on up to $25,000 if you make 12 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit, online bill payment, or automatic payment (ACH) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
Andrews Federal Credit Union pays 6.00% APY on up to $25,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization.
Find a locally-restricted rewards checking account at DepositAccounts.

Certificates of deposit (greater than 1 year)
CDs offer higher rates, but come with an early withdrawal penalty. By finding a bank CD with a reasonable early withdrawal penalty, you can enjoy higher rates but maintain access in a true emergency. Alternatively, consider building a CD ladder of different maturity lengths (ex. 1/2/3/4/5-years) such that you have access to part of the ladder each year, but your blended interest rate is higher than a savings account. When one CD matures, use that money to buy another 5-year CD to keep the ladder going. Some CDs also offer “add-ons” where you can deposit more funds if rates drop.

KS State Bank has a 5-year certificate at 4.30% APY ($500 minimum), 4-year at 4.30% APY, 3-year at 4.30% APY, 2-year at 4.25% APY, and 1-year at 4.30% APY. $500 minimum. The early withdrawal penalty (EWP) for the 5-year is a huge 540 days of interest.
Mountain America Credit Union (MACU) has a 5-year certificate at 4.25% APY ($500 minimum), 4-year at 4.25% APY, 3-year at 4.25% APY, 2-year at 3.95% APY, and 1-year at 4.25% APY. Early withdrawal penalty for the 4-year and 5-year is 365 days of interest. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization American Consumer Council for a one-time $5 fee (or try promo code “consumer”).
Lafayette Federal Credit Union (LFCU) has a 5/4/3/2/1-year certificates at 4.28% APY ($500 min). Slightly higher rates with jumbo $100,000+ balances. Note that the early withdrawal penalty for the 5-year is a relatively large 600 days of interest. Anyone nationwide can join LFCU by joining the Home Ownership Financial Literacy Council (HOFLC) for a one-time $10 fee.
You can buy certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. You may need an account to see the rates. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance and easy laddering, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. Right now, I see a 5-year non-callable CD at 4.10% APY (callable: no, call protection: yes). Be warned that both Vanguard and Fidelity will list higher rates from callable CDs, which importantly means they can call back your CD if rates drop later. (Issuers have indeed started calling some of their old 5%+ CDs during 2024.)

Longer-term Instruments
I’d use these with caution due to increased interest rate risk (tbh, I don’t use them at all), but I still track them to see the rest of the current yield curve.

Willing to lock up your money for 10 years? You can buy long-term certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. You might find something that pays more than your other brokerage cash and Treasury options. Right now, I see a 10-year CDs at [n/a] (non-callable) vs. 4.32% for a 10-year Treasury. Watch out for higher rates from callable CDs where they can call your CD back if interest rates drop.

All rates were checked as of 3/9/25.

* I no longer recommend fintech companies due to the possibility of loss due to poor recordkeeping and lack of government regulation. (Ex. Evergreen Wealth at 5% APY is a fintech.)

Photo by insung yoon on Unsplash

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers, Investing // Tagged: monthlyrateupdate

Last updated: March 10, 2025

Top 10 Best Small Business Credit Card Bonus Offers – March 2025

Posted on March 7, 2025 // 23 Comments

Updated March 2025. Do you have small business income or work as an independent contractor? Freelance, Uber/Lyft, DoorDash, 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 3FreeNights, Hilton 175k, Delta Gold 90k, United 100k, Alaska 70k, Spark $2,000, Amex Gold 100k, Platinum 150k.
Removed Marriott 125k, Hyatt 60k+FreeNightAward, JetBlue 60k, Citi AA 75k, Ink Unlimited $900

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.

Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card

$2,000 cash bonus after $30,000 in the first 3 months. Additional $2,000 cash bonus for every $500K spent during the first year. See link for details.
Unlimited 2% cash back spent on all purchases with no limit.
$150 annual fee; Spend $150,000 annually and Capital One will refund this fee every year.

The Business Platinum® Card from American Express

150,000 Membership Rewards points after $20,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
American Express Global Lounge Collection® provides complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, including their exclusive Centurion lounges.
$1,000+ in value per year via statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless. Enrollment required.
$695 annual fee.
See Rates and Fees

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

90,000 Bonus Miles after $6,000 in purchases in the first 6 months. Limited-time offer ends 4/2/25. See link for details.
60,000 Skymiles are worth at least $600 in Delta airfare with “Pay with Miles” option.
First checked bag free on Delta flights ($70 value per roundtrip, per person).
$200 Delta flight credit. Get a $200 credit to use toward future Delta travel after $10,000 in purchases within a calendar year.
$0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
See Rates and Fees

American Express® Business Gold Card

100,000 Membership Rewards points after $15,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
Up to $240 Annual Flexible Business Credit. Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. Enrollment is required.
Up to $155 Annual Walmart+ Credit. Get up to $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. Enrollment is required.
Annual fee is $375.
See Rates and Fees

United^SM Business Card

100,000 bonus United miles after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Limited-time offer. See link for details.
Free first checked bag for both you and a companion (a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip).
5,000-mile “better together” bonus each anniversary when you have both the United^SM Business Card and personal Chase United credit card.
Primary rental car coverage when renting for business purposes.
$99 Annual Fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.*

Capital One Venture X Business Card

150,000 Miles (worth $1,500 towards travel) after spending $30,000 in the first 3 months. See link for details.
$300 annual travel credit. Get up to $300 in statement credits when booking through Capital One Travel.
Additional 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary.
Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass(TM) and Plaza Premium Group lounges access.
Up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R).
$395 annual fee.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

90,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $900 straight cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel) after $8,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
3X points on the first $150,000 spent on travel, shipping purchases, internet/cable/phone services, and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines.
Primary rental car coverage when renting for business purposes.
$95 annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.*

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

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

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after $8,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Limited-time offer ends 4/29/2025. See link for details.
Up to $240 in Annual Hilton Credits. Get up to $240 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases made on your Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, with up to $60 in statement credits per quarter.
$195 annual fee.
See Rates and Fees

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

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

CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard

65,000 American Airlines miles after $4,000 in purchases in first the 4 months. Limited-time offer. See link for details.
First checked bag free on domestic AA flights for you and up to 4 companions (Up to $80 value per roundtrip, per person).
$0 annual fee for the first year, then $99.

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

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

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

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

Hawaiian Airlines Business MasterCard

50,000 Hawaiian miles after $4,000 in purchases in first 90 days. 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.

BofA Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards card

$500 statement credit after $5,000 in purchases in the first 90 days. See link for details.
1.5% cash back on all purchases, which can be increased to 2.62% cash back when combined with the Preferred Rewards program.
No annual fee.

US Bank Business Leverage Card

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

JetBlue Business Card

50,000 TrueBlue points total. 50,000 points after $4,000 in purchases in first 90 days. See link for details.
First checked bag free for the primary cardmember and up to 3 companions when tickets are purchased with your JetBlue Plus Card.
$99 annual fee.

Alaska Airlines Visa Business Card (Bank of America)

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 $70 roundtrip per person).
$70 annual fee for company, plus $25 per card.

Capital One Spark Cash Select Card

$500 cash bonus after $4,500 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
Unlimited 1.5% cash back spent on all purchases with no limit.
No annual fee.

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

60,000 Southwest points after $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
Southwest still gives everyone two free checked bags.
$99 annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.*

* 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.

American Express(R) Business Gold Card: See Rates and Fees. The Business Platinum(R) Card from American Express: See Rates and Fees. The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: See Rates and Fees. Marriott Bonvoy Business(TM) Card from American Express(R): See Rates and Fees. Delta SkyMiles(R) Gold Business American Express Card: See Rates and Fees

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Last updated: March 13, 2025

Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers – March 2025 (Updated)

Posted on March 6, 2025 // 45 Comments

Updated March 2025. That space in your wallet or purse is valuable, and you should be the one to get that value. By being smart and picky, you can find offers worth $500+ for a single card, all to encourage you to apply and try it out. This adds up to thousands of dollars in extra income (over $5,000 in 2023). These are the top 10 credit card offers that I would personally apply for right now (or have already). Notable recent changes:

Added Marriott 185k, Hilton 70k+FreeNight, JetBlue 70k, Venture 75k+$250, Southwest Companion Pass, CitiAA 75k, Delta 80k, IHG 100k/170k, Air Canada 70k, BarcAA 70k, Alaska 75k
Removed United 60k, British Airways 85k, CitiAA 75k, Sapphire 60k+$300, Amex Gold 60k+$100

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.

185,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) bonus points after $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. See link for details.
$300 in Annual Dining Credits, valid at restaurants worldwide.
Priority Pass™ Select airport lounge membership.
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.
Free Night Award upon card anniversary (worth up to 85,000 Bonvoy points).
$650 annual fee.
See Rates and Fees

Hilton Honors American Express Card

70,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months. Limited-time offer ends 4/29/2025. See link for details.
No annual fee.
See Rates and Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Limited-time offer bonus of $1,000 value towards travel. 75,000 Miles after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months (worth $750 to offset travel purchases, or transferrable to miles), plus a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit valid towards hotels and flights booked through Capital One Travel. See link for details.
2 Miles per dollar on all purchases.
Up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R).
$95 annual fee.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

80,000 Bonus Miles after $3,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. See link for details.
80,000 Skymiles are worth at least $800 in Delta airfare with “Pay with Miles” option.
$200 Delta flight credit after $10,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year.
First checked bag free on Delta flights ($70 value per roundtrip, per person).
$0 annual fee for the first year, then $150.
See Rates and Fees

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Limited-time offer: Earn a Companion Pass(R) good through 2/28/26 plus 30,000 points after $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
Southwest still gives everyone two free checked bags.
Timing for Companion Pass. If you can sign up for this one and perhaps also the small business version, and time the points to post in 2025, you can qualify for a Companion Pass for 2025 and 2026.
$69 annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.*

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

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 Travel^SM, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases.
$95 annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.*
Upgrade pick: Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card. Higher travel perks including airport lounge access, higher annual fee.

British Airways Visa Signature® Card

75,000 Avios after $5,000 in purchases within first 3 months. 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 a calendar year.
$95 annual fee.

Aeroplan® Credit Card

Up to 70,000 bonus points. 60,000 bonus points after $3,000 on purchases in first 3 months. Plus, 10,000 bonus points after annual fee renewal payment posts and is paid in full. 70,000 points are redeemable for $875 against any travel purchased with Pay Yourself Back. See link for details.
Free first checked bags on Air Canada flights: one free checked bag for the primary cardmember and up to eight other travelers on the same itinerary.
Aeroplan 25K Elite Status benefits for the remainder of the first calendar year, plus the following calendar year.
Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit.
$95 annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Card

75,000 American Airlines miles after $3,500 in purchases in first 4 months. See link for details.
First checked bag free on domestic AA flights ($80 value per roundtrip, per person).
$0 annual fee for the first year, then $99.

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

170,000 Bonus Points after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
Free Night after each account anniversary year (valued up to 40,000 IHG points).
$99 annual fee.
Subject to 5/24 rule.
Don’t like annual fees? The no-annual fee Traveler version also has a competitive offer with no annual fee.

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

100,000 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.*

The Platinum Card® from American Express

80,000 Membership Rewards(R) points after $8,000 in purchases in the first 6 months.
Up to $200 Hotel Credits, up to $240 Streaming Credits, $200 Airline Fee Credits, $200 Uber Cash, $199 CLEAR Plus credit, $300 Equinox credit, up to $155 Walmart+ credit and more annually! Enrollment is required.
Up to $120 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck fee credit.
Premium airport lounge access through the American Express Global Lounge Collection®.
$695 annual fee.
See Rates and Fees

Capital One Venture X Rewards Card

75,000 miles (worth $750 to offset travel purchases, 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 a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R).
$395 annual fee.

Citi Strata Premier Card

75,000 points (worth $750 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 Hotel purchases, Air Travel, Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas Stations, EV Charging.
Must not have gotten bonus from or closed a Citi Premier or Strata Premier card in the past 48 months.
$95 annual fee.

Bank of America Premium Rewards Card

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

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card

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

Alaska Airlines Visa Card (Bank of America)

75,000 bonus miles + Companion Fare voucher after $3,000 in purchases within first 90 days. See link for details.
Companion fare voucher is “Buy one ticket, get one from $23” ($0 fare plus taxes and fees from just $23).
Free first checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to six other passengers on the same reservation (worth $70 roundtrip per person).
$95 annual fee.

Hawaiian Airlines MasterCard

70,000 Hawaiian miles after any purchase (of any amount) within the first 90 days. Try various 6-digit codes, like “000111”. The normal offer has a higher spending requirement. See link for details.
Two free checked bags for primary cardmember when you use your card to purchase tickets directly from Hawaiian Airlines.
One-time 50% off companion discount for roundtrip coach travel between Hawaii and The Mainland on Hawaiian Airlines.
$99 annual fee.

JetBlue Plus Card

70,000 bonus TrueBlue 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.

American Express® Gold Card

60,000 Membership Rewards(R) points after $6,000 in purchases in the first 6 months. See link for details.
$84 Dunkin’ Credit. Up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card at US Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment is required.
$100 Resy Credit. Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. Broken down into up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment is required.
$120 in Uber Cash annually (good towards Uber Eats or Uber rides in the US).
Up to $120 in annual dining credit at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment is required.
4X points at restaurants on up to $50,000 per calendar year.
4X points at US supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year.
$325 annual fee.
See Rates and Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard

60,000 American Airlines miles after any single purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. See link for details.
First checked bag free on domestic AA flights ($80 value per roundtrip, per person).
$99 annual fee.

United^SM Explorer Card

50,000 miles after $3,000 in purchases within 3 months. See link for details.
Free first checked bag for both you and a companion (a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip) when you use your Card to purchase your United ticket.
Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit.
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Subject to 5/24 rule.

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.

Delta SkyMiles(R) Gold American Express Card: See Rates and Fees

American Express(R) Gold Card: See Rates and Fees

The Platinum Card(R) from American Express: See Rates and Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant(R) American Express(R) Card: See Rates and Fees

Hilton Honors Card from American Express: See Rates and Fees

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers // Tagged: monthlyccbonusupdate

Last updated: March 13, 2025

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