Deals & Offers — Page 3

Truist Bank $400 New Checking Account Bonus 2024 (Regional Eligibility)

March 15, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 13 Comments

Updated with new offer. Truist Bank formed from the merger of BB&T and Suntrust Banks, now roughly the 10th largest US bank with branches in 17 states and DC. Trust has a new $400 checking bonus for new checking customers that have a mailing address within a state in their branch footprint: AL, AR, GA, FL, IN, KY, MD, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV or DC. I usually don’t list bonuses that aren’t nationwide, but this is a sizable bonus with a large regional bank. If I lived in this area, I’d certainly rather open an account when they are giving out 400 bucks. Here are the steps:

Open a new Truist One Checking account online from 2/28/24 through 6/26/24. Minimum opening deposit is $50. Must open online with promo code TRUIST400DC24.
Receive at least one qualifying Direct Deposit* of $500 or more, AND
Complete at least 15 qualifying debit card purchases** within 90 days of account opening. All debit purchases must be posted to your account to qualify.

Note the following definitions for new customers:

Clients that are the primary account holder on an existing personal checking account with Truist or who have closed a personal checking account with Truist on or after 2/28/23 are not eligible to participate.

The Truist One Checking account has a $12 monthly maintenance fees that is waived each statement cycle by any one of the following:

$500+ in total qualifying Direct Deposits
Maintain a total combined ledger balance of $500 or more in Truist related accounts across personal deposits (excluding Truist HSA) and all investments as reflected on the business day before your statement cycle end date.
Having a personal Truist credit card, mortgage or consumer loan, excluding LightStream®.
Having a linked Small Business Checking Account.
Students under the age of 25.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers

Last updated: March 15, 2024

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Wyndham Rewards Earner Cards: Up to 100,000 Bonus Points

March 13, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 3 Comments

Updated with limited-time offers. The Wyndham Rewards Earner credit cards currently all have increased bonuses of 75,000 to 100,000 points. They are supposed to be the best ever for this hotel-chain co-branded card, with points redeemable towards the Wyndham chain of hotels and Vacasa-managed vacation home rentals.

Wyndham Rewards Earner Card highlights:

75,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 6 months.
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:

100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 6 months.
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:

50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 90 days and an additional 50,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on purchases within the first 12 months.
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 is up to $250/bedroom/night, or 30,000 points per bedroom per night if the cash cost is up to $500/bedroom/night. Details here and here. You can search for the place you want online at Vacasa.com, but you must call 800-441-1034 to book.

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 all have limited-time bonuses. Used at the lowest tier, you could get 10 free nights for 75,000 points. However, know that you must redeem the points within 4 years at the longest, even with regular account activity. This chain isn’t of one of the big ones (I don’t think I’ve stayed at a Wyndham property in the last decade), but this card has good value potential during a limited-time offer.

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 13, 2024

Point.me x American Express Membership Rewards: Free Award Flight Search Tool

March 12, 2024 By Jonathan Ping Leave a Comment

American Express has partnered with the Point.me award travel tool to provide free flight searches for the airline loyalty programs that work with American Express Membership Rewards points. The special site is AmEx.Point.me, where you must log into your American Express account.

With point.me for Membership Rewards® points, eligible Card Members have access to a real time reward-flight search engine. POINT.ME makes it easy to see all of the options, and choose the flight that works best for you before transferring Membership Rewards® points to eligible airline loyalty programs through your Membership Rewards® account.

I am hopeful for this new service, as Membership Rewards has a lot of transfer partners but it can be hard to find the best flights across them all. (Bilt Rewards has also partnered with Point.me for free award searches.) The searches can take a while to finish, but hopefully it’s still better than searching manually. The full version of the Point.me website usually costs $12 a month or $129 a year for all airlines (first 3 searches free). There is also a more expensive Concierge service where a human expert will handle everything for $200/person.

Loyalty programs have been around for decades, especially in the airline industry. However, booking award travel can feel cumbersome, like you’re jumping through multiple hoops just to book a flight! This is where point.me comes in. We’re the first company to offer a tool that makes it easier to use miles and points for air travel. Not only does our tool show you flight options that are bookable using your points, we also guide you step-by-step to book the flight yourself!

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Top 10 Best Small Business Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers

Last updated: March 12, 2024

Greenlight Debit Card For Kids: Free Subscription for PSECU Members ($60/year Value)

March 10, 2024 By Jonathan Ping Leave a Comment

Greenlight is a popular reloadable debit card service for kids, where parents can manage and track their kids spending. You can also add an allowance, payments for recurring chores or one-time jobs, and teach them compound interest via “parent-paid interest”. I suppose its wise to show the kids how handle digital spending before the credit card offers arrive.

I decided to try out the new PSECU perk that offers the basic tier of Greenlight for free. (I did the PSECU $300 checking promo first.) You must enroll at Greenlight.com/PSECU and link a PSECU checking account in order to get the benefit. The “Greenlight Select” membership is a special tier for such partners, but is mostly comparable to the “Greenlight Core” tier on their website, which costs $4.99 a month. Included in the “Greenlight Select” membership:

Debit Mastercards for up to 5 kids. Send money instantly and keep tabs on spending with real-time notifications.
Educational app. The parents have their app where they get notified of every purchase, and the kids have their own app with educational games and short lessons (optional). Kids can divide their money into “savings” or “giving” baskets as well as create specific savings goals.
Parental controls. Created automated allowance payments. Set category and store-level spending limits.
1% APY interest. This is the lowest tier and the lowest interest, although some other apps don’t pay any interest at all. You can get up to 5% APY on $5,000 if you upgrade to the $15/month tier.
Roundup feature. You can set it to round up purchases to the next dollar and put the difference in a savings account.
No overdraft fees. Does not allow overdrafts, so no overdraft fees.
Banking services provided by Community Federal Savings Bank, member FDIC.

Teaching compound interest with higher interest rates. It can be hard to visualize compound interest at low interest rates, so parents can increase it by paying a higher “interest” rate out of their own pockets. For example, here is an illustration of $100 earning a 25% interest rate (paid by the parent) as opposed to a 5% interest rate. It makes the idea of earning interest on interest more immediate and tangible. Ideally, this can teach them that delayed gratification turns it into future rewards. You can set interest rates from 1% up to 100%.

Unfortunately, to add on investments, I would have to upgrade to the $10 a month tier or higher. If I had a teen ready for investing, I’d probably use the Fidelity Youth account instead (available for age 13-17 only, and my kids aren’t that old yet).

For kids under 13, I think that Greenlight would serve as a nice alternative to piggy banks. (Greenlight has no minimum age requirement.) While I suppose $5 a month isn’t a lot of money for all these features, I still like “free” better. After a few quick internet searches for “Greenlight Select”, I found multiple local banks and credit unions in my area that offered this free tier of service. If you plan on paying for it, there is $30 bonus available with a 1-month free trial (bonus not stackable with this free offer).

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers

Last updated: March 10, 2024

PSECU $300 New Checking Account Bonus 2024

March 10, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 9 Comments

Updated with 2024 promo details, free Greenlight kids debit card perk. Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union (PSECU) has a $300 new checking account bonus that is broken up into two stages ($200+$100). That is also my referral link as I successfully did a similar $300 deal from last year. PSECU is a digital-first credit union with a very open membership. If you don’t satisfy the available free options, anyone can join with $10:

Don’t meet any of the criteria above? No problem! You can still become eligible for PSECU membership by joining the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society (PRPS).

PRPS is a statewide association providing education, advocacy, and resources for those working and volunteering to manage Pennsylvania’s 6,000+ local parks. Park and recreation departments provide safe and affordable recreation opportunities, creating stronger and more inclusive communities.

PRPS membership dues are $20, but we cover $10 when you select to join PRPS during our application process.

There may also be a required $5 initial deposit into a share savings account. I also experienced a hard credit check on Experian, which is (unfortunately) common amongst credit unions. Here are the details on the bonus requirements:

$200 Checking Bonus (Stage 1)

Become a PSECU member using promo link and promo code RIGHTNOTEREFER (should be automatically applied) and add a free checking account with debit card.
Sign up and log into digital banking (online or mobile).
Establish Qualifying Payroll Direct Deposit(s) that total at least $500 per calendar month.
Must be completed in the first 60 days of establishing your membership.

$100 Checking Bonus (Stage 2)

Continue recurring Qualifying Payroll Direct Deposits totaling at least $500 per calendar month for 3 consecutive months after Stage 1 requirements are met, with a total additional amount deposited of at least $1,500 during Stage 2.
Complete a minimum of 10 Eligible Debit Card Purchases. Eligible Debit Card Purchases are defined as individual purchases of at least $10 for a minimum overall purchase total of at least $100.
Must be completed within 120 days of establishing your membership.

My application process went smoothly and similar to other credit unions. I did have to upload a scan of the front and back of my driver’s license to help verify my identity (which is a good thing in my opinion) as well as answer some identity verification questions based on my credit report. The application took a couple days to process but I was able to get my account information and online access without any phone call or paperwork required. I did have to call them briefly to get my checking account number (didn’t want to wait on the free checks to arrive) in order to set up my direct deposit.

Added 2024: Another useful perk of PSECU for those with kids and teens is they include a free Greenlight subscription, which is a popular reloadable debit card service for kids. This is usually $5 a month ($60 a year).

Full terms and conditions:

*Hit the Right Note – Up to $300 Bonus Terms and Conditions
From 1.1.24 to 12.31.24, PSECU is running a new member incentive bonus. To receive up to $300, new members must sign up with promotional code RIGHTNOTEREFER and satisfy each of the requirements listed below. PSECU will deposit member incentive bonus into the Regular share within 45 days after the requirements are satisfied. Promotion open to U.S. Residents who are 18 years of age or older at the time the account is opened. Limit one (1) new member Hit the Right Note bonus per tax identification number used to open a new PSECU account. Joint owners listed on accounts are not eligible to be rewarded for this bonus unless they open their own account. You will not be eligible for the Hit the Right Note bonus if you are a current PSECU member, have closed an account within the past 12 months, or have received any new member incentive bonus within the past 12 months. Members who open accounts and/or loans by fraudulent, suspicious, or illegal means, including but not limited to providing PSECU with fraudulent or fabricated information, are not eligible to participate in this bonus offer. PSECU may adjust the deposited bonus or remove the deposited bonus at any time if PSECU suspects accounts and/or loans were opened by fraudulent, suspicious, or illegal means, including but not limited to providing PSECU with fraudulent or fabricated information. $5 is required to open and maintain a Regular share account. This $5 share deposit is also required to be eligible to receive the bonus, and the member must be in good standing as defined by PSECU’s Bylaws Article II, Section 1. A $5 minimum share purchase will be made on behalf of the new member by PSECU. If the member account is closed within the first year of membership, the initial $5 share will be retained by PSECU. The Annual Percentage Yield on PSECU’s Regular share account is 0.50%. This variable rate is current as of 12.1.23 and may change. Withdrawals and fees may reduce earnings on the account. The recipient of the bonus (up to $300) is solely responsible for payment of applicable taxes on that amount. If you have any questions, please seek the advice of a qualified tax professional. All decisions of PSECU regarding this promotion are final. PSECU may terminate or change the terms and conditions of this promotion without notice. Subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers

Last updated: March 11, 2024

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

March 7, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 35 Comments

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

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

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

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

185,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after $6,000 in purchases in the first 6 months. See link for details.
$300 in Annual Dining Credits, valid at restaurants worldwide.
Priority Pass™ Select airport lounge membership included.
Up to $100 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck fee credit.
Free Night Award every year (worth up to 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) after your Card renewal month.
$650 annual fee.

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard

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

The Platinum Card from American Express

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

Chase 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.

Chase Aeroplan Credit Card

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

Capital One Venture X Rewards Card

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

American Express® Gold Card

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

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

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

British Airways Visa Signature Card

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

Chase United Explorer Card

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

Capital One Venture Rewards Card

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

Bank of America Premium Rewards Card

60,000 points (worth $600) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 90 days. See link for details.
2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. Eligible for 25%-75% boost with Preferred Rewards status.
$100 annual Airline Incidental Statement Credit.
Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
$95 annual fee.

Hawaiian Airlines MasterCard

65,000 Hawaiian miles after any purchase (of any amount) within the first 90 days. Any 6-digit code will work, like “000000”. See link for details.
Free first checked bag for primary cardmember.
One-time 50% off companion discount for roundtrip coach travel between Hawaii and The Mainland on Hawaiian Airlines.
$99 annual fee.

Alaska Airlines Visa Card (Bank of America)

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

Citi Premier Card

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

U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card

50,000 bonus points (worth $500 in statement credits) after $2,000 in purchases within 120 days. See link for details.
4X points on travel and gas stations, 2X points on dining and grocery stores.
Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
$30 annual streaming bonus.
$0 annual fee the first year, $95/year thereafter.

Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard

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

JetBlue Plus Card

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

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card

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

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

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

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

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

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

Last updated: April 18, 2024

Hilton Honors American Express Cards: Up to 175,000 Bonus Points

March 7, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 9 Comments

Updated with limited-time offer. Hilton Hotels and American Express have co-branded credit cards with special perks for Hilton customers. Each person can only get one welcome offer, per card in your entire lifetime, so it’s best to apply during a temporary bump-up and/or limited-time offer.

Hilton Honors American Express Card

80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership.
7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors(TM) Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors(TM) Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
No foreign transaction fees.
No annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
Terms Apply.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $8,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card within the first six months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 6/5.
Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible Hilton purchases.
Earn 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made using the Hilton Honors Business Card on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year, 3X points thereafter.
(NEW) Enjoy up to $240 back each year for eligible purchases made directly with Hilton.
Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors(TM) Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card (free breakfast, room upgrades based on availability, 5th standard reward night free).
Get upgraded to Hilton Honors Diamond status if the total eligible purchases on your Card Account during a calendar year reach $40,000 or more.
(NEW) Enjoy complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status. Enrollment in the complimentary Emerald Club® program is required. Terms apply.
$195 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
Terms Apply.

What are Hilton Honor points worth? The best value is from booking free hotel nights or using their “Points & Money” option where you pay with a combination of Hilton points and cash. Hilton has some really nice properties, but the value varies from hotel to hotel. I just ran a search and for the same 60,000 Hilton points, I could book rooms that cost $320 or $532 cash. I’ve seen some valuations around 0.6 cents per point, which I think is fair on average, but I would be more conservative at 0.5 cents a point. That would make 150,000 points = $750 value and 100,000 points = $500 value towards Hilton hotel stays.

The good part of Hilton points is that they have so many different hotel brands, from business-class DoubleTree to luxury Waldorf Astoria. Hilton also lets you transfer and pool points with other with other family or household members. As long as you keep them active (once every 12 months), I do like to keep some around. These credit cards are handy for creating activity.

Bottom line. Hilton American Express cards offer regular Hilton customers a good opportunity to earn additional points towards free Hilton hotel stays as well as additional perks like status upgrades. The best time to apply for a Hilton co-branded American Express card is during a limited-time increase to their welcome offers. This is because American Express has changed their policy to only allow each person to get a welcome offer once per card.

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

Rates and Fees for Hilton Honors American Express Card

Rates and Fees for The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General

Last updated: April 18, 2024

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Credit Card Review: 75,000 Bonus Miles

March 7, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 5 Comments

Updated with limited-time offer. The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard is the co-branded American Airlines card from Citi. Here are the updated card highlights:

75,000 American Airlines miles after $3,500 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 4 travel companions on the same reservation – savings of up to $400 per round trip (they recently increased baggage fees again)
2X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations
2X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at restaurants
2X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases*
1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage(R) mile earned from purchases.
$125 American Airlines Flight Discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your cardmembership year and renew your card.
No Foreign Transaction Fees*
Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
Receive 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases when you use your card on American Airlines flights
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99.

Bonus details. Note the following language for the personal card, which has been changed from 24 to 48 months. Having the business version is okay.

American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® account in the past 48 months.

To clarify, you can have one of both the consumer version of this card and the CitiBusiness® version designed for businesses under your name. The bonuses are also separate.

Baggage fee value. American Airlines recently announced they are going to charge a whopping $40 one-way for the first checked bag if you don’t prepay online ($35 if you prepay online). That’s $80 roundtrip for a single checked bag, per person. With this card, your first checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation. $80 roundtrip x 5 people = $400 potential benefit.

Bottom line. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum® Select® World® Elite® Mastercard® has® a® nice® bonus® offer®. As with most of these co-branded cards, a lot of the ongoing value comes when you fly on American and utilize the free first checked bag benefit for you and up to 4 companions (value of up to $80 per person, round-trip).

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers

Last updated: March 7, 2024

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card Review: 185,000 Bonus Point Limited-Time Offer

March 5, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 7 Comments

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card 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 the flexible dining credits and high-value perks. Right now, there is a limited-time offer with a very high first-year value. Here are the highlights:

185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of new 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® card at restaurants worldwide.
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.
$100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® 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 ($100) 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 every year (worth up to 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) after your Card renewal month at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
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.
If you spend $60,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year on this card, you can select a “Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit”. Options include another 1 Free Night Award valued at up to 85K points.
25 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
$650 Annual Fee. (See Rates and Fees)
Terms Apply.

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 185,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $1,300 redeemable value, and 100,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $700 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 Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card 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. Check out the current welcome offer, which can be redeemed for several free nights at hotels around the world and adds up to a very strong first-year estimated value of over $800.

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

(See Rates and Fees)

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General

Last updated: March 11, 2024

Southwest Airlines Credit Cards: Up to 80,000 Bonus Points

March 5, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 24 Comments

Updated. Southwest Airlines Rapid points are very flexible, as they let you use points to book basically any available seat that could be bought with cash. A conservative approximation from my experience is 1.3 cents in Wanna Get Away airfare in per point. That works out to roughly $650+ in Wanna Get Away airfare for every 50,000 Southwest points. Plus, they still offer two free checked bags on all flights.

In addition, their Companion Pass lets you pick one person to fly with free when you book both paid AND award flights (including to Hawaii!) on Southwest. Once you qualify by earning 135,000 points in a calendar year, you earn the Companion Pass for both the rest of the year in which you earn it AND all of the next year (ex. rest of 2024 + all of 2025). Importantly, all points earned from credit cards count toward the requirement, and each card also offers a 10,000 point boost toward the Companion Pass requirement. Oftentimes if you get both a new personal and a new business card in the same year, you can meet this requirement with the new cardmember bonuses alone.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus credit card

50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Receive 3,000 anniversary points each year.
10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year.
2X points on Southwest(R) purchases.
2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming.
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
2 EarlyBird Check-In(R) each year
25% back on inflight purchases
All points earned count towards Companion Pass(R).
$69 annual fee.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier card

50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Receive 6,000 anniversary points each year.
10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year.
3X points on Southwest(R) purchases.
2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
2X points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming.
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
2 EarlyBird Check-In(R) each year
25% back on inflight purchases
All points earned count towards Companion Pass(R).
$99 annual fee.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority card

50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Receive 7,500 anniversary points and a $75 Southwest® travel credit each year.
10,000 Companion Pass® qualifying points boost each year.
3X points on Southwest purchases.
2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming.
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
2 EarlyBird Check-In(R) each year
25% back on inflight purchases
1,500 Tier Qualifying Points towards A-List Status for every $10,000 in spend
4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
$149 annual fee.

The following are business credit cards:

Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business card

Earn 80,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
9,000 bonus points after each Cardmember anniversary.
NEW: 4X points on Southwest(R) purchases.
3X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
NEW: 2X points on rideshare.
2X points on social media and search engine advertising, Internet, cable and phone services and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
Inflight WiFi Credits (up to 365 x $8 credits per year).
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Fee Credit in the form of a statement credit of up to $100 every four years.
$199 annual fee.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business card

Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
6,000 bonus points after each Cardmember anniversary.
3X points on Southwest(R) purchases.
2X points and Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
2 EarlyBird Check-In(R) each year
$99 annual fee.

Value of Rapid Rewards points. Redeeming Southwest points for flights varies in a narrow range, but a very reasonable approximation from my experience is 1.3 cents in Wanna Get Away airfare in per point. That works out to $650+ in Wanna Get Away airfare for every 50,000 points or $1,300+ in Wanna Get Away airfare from 100,000 points (you are still liable for taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way). Importantly, Southwest does NOT have blackout dates or seat restrictions when you redeem with points. This means that Southwest points are much easier to use than a “saver award” on traditional airlines.

Now, if you manage to qualify for the the Companion Pass on every trip that you book with those points, that doubles the potential value of each award redemption. In other words, 125,000 Rapid Rewards, would usually get you $1,850 in Wanna Get Away airfare, but with the Companion Pass you’d get an extra companion ticket for every flight booked.

There may be other options like gift cards, but the redemption value is less than half the value you could get from redeeming for flights.

Southwest points expiration policy, per Southwest.com:

Do the points I earn expire?

No, your Rapid Rewards points do not expire. However, if you choose to close your account, the points in your account will be terminated.

Southwest still includes two free checked bags per person. The fees on the other airlines have crept up to $30 per bag, each-way. That adds up.

Our family policy is to not try out a new credit card unless it offers us $500 in total value. Just the free award flights from the points are enough to satisfy that rule, and then you can add on the potential value of the companion tickets.

Card restrictions. All of these Southwest credit cards are subject to “5/24” restrictions, which means that your application will be automatically denied if you have opened 5 or more credit cards in the last 24 months (check your credit reports). Our household strategy is to have one person only apply for Chase 5/24 cards, and the other person applies for everything else. There is also this language on the consumer card:

The product is not available to either (i) current Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Card, or (ii) previous Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card who received a new Cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. This does not apply to Cardmembers of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Card and Employee Credit Card products.

Basically, you can get one sign-up bonus from a Southwest consumer card once every 24 months. You can also get one sign-up bonus from a Southwest business card once every 24 months.

Stack your Companion Pass with Chase Ultimate Rewards points. If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest points on a 1:1 basis. If you book an award flight with those Southwest points while you have the Companion Pass, you can double the value of your Ultimate Rewards points as well.

Bottom line. Southwest credit cards offer new cardholders the opportunity to earn hundreds of dollars worth of Wanna Get Away airfare, but if you time things right and maybe combine the welcome offers from a personal and business card, you can also grab the Southwest Companion pass, which provides a free companion ticket on every flight bought with cash OR points booked both during the rest of the year in which you earned it, AND the full next calendar year. Finally, Southwest still includes two free checked bags per person on every flight.

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

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General

Last updated: March 12, 2024

Capital One Venture X Business Card Review: 150,000 Miles Intro Bonus (Worth $1,500 Towards Travel)

March 5, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 11 Comments

Updated. The Capital One Venture X Business Card is the newest entry into the ultra-premium business card category, with features similar to the Capital One Venture X Rewards credit card for consumers (you can have both at the same time). It has a large new-cardholder bonus, loads of perks, and a hefty annual fee. The net result is a first-year value of over $1,500. Let’s take a look at what it offers:

150,000 Miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. 150,000 Miles can be redeemed for $1,500 towards travel! (including airfare and hotel stays).
Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs.
$300 Annual Travel Credit. Get up to $300 in annual statement credits when booking through Capital One Travel. Book your choice of flights, hotel nights, or car rentals. You can redeem these in partial amounts over the course of the year.
10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary.
Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Valid once every 4 years.
Airport lounge access. Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass(TM) and Plaza Premium Group lounges.
Elevate your stay at luxury hotels and resorts from the Premier Collection with a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits on every booking.
This card has no preset spending limit, so you get purchasing power that adapts to your spending needs.
Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease.
This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month.
Annual fee is $395. Free employee cards.

Here is the rewards structure on purchases:

10X Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
5X Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
2X Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.
Redeem miles for any airline, any hotel, rental cars, and more.
Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs.

Redemption towards travel, including airline and hotel purchases. 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, 100,000 miles = $1,000 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 2 miles on on every $1 in purchases essentially makes this a 2% back card when applied towards travel. Earn even higher rewards of 5 miles per $1 spent on on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 10 miles per $1 spent on on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

The Capital One Travel portal offers price matching: if you find a better price on another website within 24 hours of booking, they will refund you the difference.

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 know how to leverage one of these international airline miles programs, this can be a very valuable option. Otherwise, it’s nice to know you can always get a certain level of value by redeeming against any travel purchase.

Airport lounge access details. Capital One is creating their own lounges within select airports (currently in Washington DC’s Dulles Airport and Dallas/Forth Worth). Venture X Business cardholders get unlimited access and can bring 2 free guests per visit. Employee cards do not get lounge access benefits.

You also get Priority Pass membership, which includes access to 1,300+ participating VIP lounges and even included credits to spend at some restaurants, in more than 600 cities and more than 148 countries. You can bring yourself and up to 2 free guests.

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.

This card should not show up on your personal credit reports, so your outstanding balance, credit limit, and closure states won’t affect your credit score. You’ll still see a credit check on your personal credit report from the initial application.

Bottom line. The card_name is an ultra-premium business rewards card that earns a minimum of 2 Miles per dollar on all purchases, which you can either redeem against any travel purchase or transfer to one of their airline/hotel partners. There is a generous new-customer offer of 150,000 bonus miles (worth $1,500 towards travel). If you can take advantage of the $300 annual travel credit, $100 Global Entry fee credit, and add the 10,000 miles on every anniversary, then you’ve effectively offset the $395 annual fee in all future years. To top it all off, the airport lounge access is very nice.

Due to the $1,500+ first-year value, I will be adding this to my Top 10 Best Small Business Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers

Last updated: March 12, 2024

Best Interest Rates on Cash Roundup – March 2024

March 4, 2024 By Jonathan Ping 3 Comments

Here’s my monthly roundup of the best interest rates on cash as of March 2024, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. There are lesser-known opportunities available to individual investors, often earning you a lot 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 3/4/2024.

TL;DR: Mostly minor movements. Still 5%+ savings accounts and short-term CDs, but no more 5-year CDs at 5% APY. Compare against Treasury bills and bonds at every maturity, taking into account state tax exemption.

Fintech accounts
Available only to individual investors, fintech companies often pay higher-than-market rates in order to achieve fast short-term growth (often using venture capital). “Fintech” is usually a software layer on top of a partner bank’s FDIC insurance.

5.30% APY ($1 minimum). Raisin lets you switch between different FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions easily without opening a new account every time, and their liquid savings rates currently top out at 5.30% APY. See my Raisin review for details. Raisin does not charge depositors a fee for the service.
5.36% APY (before fees). MaxMyInterest is another service that allows you to access and switch between different FDIC-insured banks. You can view their current banks and APYs here. As of 12/6/23, the highest rate is from Customers Bank at 5.36% APY. However, note that they charge a membership fee of 0.04% per quarter, or 0.16% per year (subject to $20 minimum per quarter, or $80 per year). That means if you have a $10,000 balance, then $80 a year = 0.80% per year. This service is meant for those with larger balances. You are allowed to cancel the service and keep the bank accounts, but then you may lose their specially-negotiated rates and cannot switch between banks anymore.

High-yield savings accounts
Since the huge megabanks STILL pay essentially no interest, everyone should 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 rate at the moment is at Poppy Bank at 5.50% APY. BrioDirect at 5.35% APY. I have no personal experience with Poppy or Brio, but they are the top rates at the moment. (Milli dropped to 4.75%.) CIT Platinum Savings at 5.05% APY with $5,000+ balance.
SoFi Bank is now up to 4.60% APY + up to $325 new account bonus with direct deposit. You must maintain a direct deposit of any amount 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 highest current rate, but historically have kept it relatively competitive and 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. Raisin has a 4-month No Penalty CD at 5.30% APY with $1 minimum deposit and 30-day minimum hold time. CIT Bank has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 4.90% APY with a $1,000 minimum deposit. Ally Bank has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 4.00% APY for all balance tiers. Marcus has a 13-month No Penalty CD at 4.70% APY with a $500 minimum deposit. Consider opening multiple CDs in smaller increments for more flexibility.
Bask Bank has a 1-year certificate at 5.40% APY ($1,000 min). There is a 90-day interest penalty if you withdraw your CD funds before maturity.
CIBC Agility Online has a 13-month CD at 5.36% APY. Reasonable 30-day penalty if you withdraw your CD funds before maturity.

Money market mutual funds + Ultra-short bond ETFs
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. I am including a few ultra-short bond ETFs as they may be your best cash alternative in a brokerage account, but they may experience losses.

Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund is the default sweep option for Vanguard brokerage accounts, which has an SEC yield of 5.27% (changes daily, but also works out to a compound yield of 5.40%, which is better for comparing against APY). Odds are this is much higher than your own broker’s default cash sweep interest rate.
The PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Bond ETF (MINT) has a 5.34% SEC yield and the iShares Short Maturity Bond ETF (NEAR) has a 5.09% SEC yield while holding a portfolio of investment-grade bonds with an average duration of ~6 months.

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 3/4/24, a new 4-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 5.38% annualized interest and a 52-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 4.99% annualized interest.
The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 5.19% SEC yield and effective duration of 0.10 years. SPDR Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) has a 5.20% SEC yield and effective duration of 0.08 years.

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. You can also buy an additional $5,000 in paper I bonds using your tax refund with IRS Form 8888.

“I Bonds” bought between November 2023 and April 2024 will earn a 5.27% 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 2023, 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 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.
Credit Union of New Jersey 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, 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.
Pelican State Credit Union pays 6.05% APY on up to $20,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, log into your account at least once, and make at least 1 direct deposit, online bill payment, or automatic payment (ACH) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization membership.
Orion Federal Credit Union pays 6.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make electronic deposits of $500+ each month (ACH transfers count) and spend $500+ on your Orion debit or credit card each month. Anyone can join this credit union via $10 membership fee to partner organization membership.
All America/Redneck Bank pays 5.30% APY on up to $15,000 if you make 10 debit card purchases each monthly cycle with online statements.
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.

First Internet Bank has a 5-year CD at 4.61% APY. 4-year at 4.55% APY. 3-year at 4.76% APY. 2-year at 4.86% APY. 1-year at 5.36% APY. $1,000 minimum. The early withdrawal penalty (EWP) for CD maturities of 2 years or more is 360 days of interest. For CD maturity of 1 year, the EWP is 180 days of interest.
BMO Alto has a 5-year CD at 4.60% APY. 4-year at 4.60% APY. 3-year at 4.60% APY. 2-year at 4.75% APY. 1-year at 5.15% APY. No minimum. The early withdrawal penalty (EWP) for CD maturities of 1 year or more is 180 days of interest. For CD maturities of 11 months or less, the EWP is 90 days of interest. Note that they reserve the right to prohibit early withdrawals entirely (!). Online-only subsidiary of BMO Bank.
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 4.25% APY (callable: no, call protection: yes). Be warned that now both Vanguard and Fidelity will list higher rates from callable CDs, which importantly means they can call back your CD if rates drop later.

Longer-term Instruments
I’d use these with caution due to increased interest rate risk, 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] (callable: no, call protection: yes) vs. 4.22% 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 3/4/2024.

Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers, Investing

Last updated: March 6, 2024

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