(Update: Limited-time boost to welcome offers announced. Also, the entire line-up of cards now offer a new perk of 15% off award travel when redeeming miles for Delta flights on delta.com. Details below.)

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

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

• Earn 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
• $100 Delta flight credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, receive a Credit to use toward future travel.
• First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
• NEW: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
• 2X miles at Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1 miles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your ticket for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
• Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $99. (See Rates and Fees)
• Terms Apply.

40,000 Skymiles is worth at least $400 in Delta airfare. Delta offers a minimum value out of your Skymiles via the “Pay with Miles” option. That means 50,000 Skymiles can reduce the price of your Delta ticket by $500 at the very least. (5,000 mile = $50 minimum redemption.) You can still book the traditional award tickets and possibly get better value.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

• Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
• Earn up to 20,000 Medallion(R) Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost(R) per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion(R) Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion(R) Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
• Up to $100 Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R) after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate: Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
• NEW: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
• Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
• Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• $250 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
• Terms Apply.

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

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

• Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
• Earn up to 60,000 Medallion(R) Qualification Miles (MQMs) With Status Boost(R) per year. After you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 15,000 MQMs up to four times per year, getting you closer to Medallion(R) Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn towards flights.
• Delta Sky Club access. Complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club(R) for you when travelling on a Delta flight.
• Centurion Lounge access. Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion(R) Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
• NEW: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Up to $100 Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R) after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• First Class Main Cabin domestic round-trip companion certificate. Receive a domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+(R) or domestic Main Cabin round trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases.
• Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
• $550 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
• Terms Apply.

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

BUSINESS Card Versions

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

• Limited Time Offer: Earn 75,000 Bonus Miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 3/29/23.
• NEW: Save 15% On Award Travel With TakeOff 15. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• $100 Delta flight credit. Additionally, receive a $100 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
• First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
• Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
• Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta, on every dollar spent on eligible U.S. purchases for advertising in select media, on every dollar spent on eligible U.S. shipping purchases, on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants. Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
• $0 annual fee for the first year, then $99. (See Rates and Fees)
• Terms Apply.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

• Limited Time Offer: Earn 95,000 Bonus Miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 3/29/23.
• NEW: Save 15% On Award Travel With TakeOff 15. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after $25,000 in purchases in a calendar year, up to two times per year. This helps get you reach elite Medallion Status, but does not earn you miles towards reward flights.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Worth up to $100 towards Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck).
• Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate. You can receive a domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Take a friend or family member when you fly Delta. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
• Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
• Earn 3 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent on purchases made directly with hotels.
• Earn more miles on big purchases with 1.5 miles per dollar on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (that’s an extra half mile per dollar), up to 50,000 additional miles per year. If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply (ex. you would earn 3X miles on purchases made directly with Delta and Hotel Stays instead of 1.5X).
• Delta Sky Club(R) Access – enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
• With Status Boost(R), earn 10,000 Medallion(R) Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to 2x per year getting you closer to Medallion Status.
• $250 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
• Terms Apply.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

• Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 3/29/23.
• NEW: Save 15% On Award Travel With TakeOff 15. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Status Boost(R) earns 15,000 Medallion(R) Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to 4x per year getting you closer to Medallion Status.
• Delta Sky Club access. Complimentary access into the Delta Sky Club(R) for you when travelling on a Delta flight.
• Centurion Lounge access. Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion(R) Lounge or Escape lounges -The Centurion(R) Studio Partner when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Worth up to $100 towards Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck).
• First Class Main Cabin domestic round-trip companion certificate. Receive a domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+(R) or domestic Main Cabin round trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card.*Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• First checked bag free on Delta flights – that’s a savings of up to $240 per round trip for a family of four ($30 each way, per person).
• Plus enjoy 3X miles per dollar on all eligible Delta purchases.
• After you spend $150,000 on your Card in a calendar year, you earn 1.5 miles per dollar (that’s an extra half mile per dollar) on eligible purchases the rest of the year. If your purchase qualifies for a category that has a higher mileage accelerator, only the higher accelerator will apply (ex. you would earn 3X miles on purchases made directly with Delta instead of 1.5X).
• $550 annual fee. (See Rates and Fees)
• Terms Apply.

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

In my opinion, the Delta Gold is still the best for most casual Delta customers because of the free checked bag, new $100 flight credit, and relatively big sign-up bonus. The main draw of the Platinum is the MQMs for those that want to achieve status (and thus free upgrades), along with the Main Cabin companion certificate. The main draw of the Reserve cards is MQMs, the airport lounge access and the First Class companion certificate. I have used the companion certificate several times in the past and have gotten good value out of it.

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

New 100k offer. Chase and Air Canada have partnered to create the Chase Aeroplan World Elite Mastercard for US customers. I was able to get over $1,200 in value from 70,000 Aeroplan points towards Air Canada flights, but you can also redeem 100,000 points for $1,250 back toward eligible travel purchases including flights on any airline (details below). Here are the highlights on the sign-up bonus and Air Canada perks:

• Earn up to 100,000 points.. Earn 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open, plus 40,000 points after you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months your account is open. 100,000 points is worth $1,250 in travel value with Pay Yourself Back®.
• Free first checked bags on Air Canada flights: one free checked bag for the primary cardmember and up to eight other travelers on the same itinerary.
• Automatically receive Aeroplan 25K Elite Status for the remainder of the first calendar year, plus the following calendar year, allowing primary cardmembers to enjoy benefits such as priority check-in, early boarding, upgrades and more on Air Canada flights.
• Each calendar year in which you spend at least $15,000 in purchases you earn Aeroplan 25K Status through the following calendar year.
• $100 credit toward Global Entry, TSA Precheck or NEXUS every four years (as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card)
• No foreign transaction fees.
• $95 annual fee.

Here is the rewards structure on credit card spending:

• 3X points on dining, takeout, and eligible delivery services
• 3X points at grocery stores
• 3X points on direct purchases at Air Canada
• 1 point for each dollar spent on all other purchases
• +500 bonus points for every $2,000 spent in a calendar month (up to a maximum of 1,500 points per calendar month)

Redeeming Aeroplan points for flights. It is very easy to redeem Aeroplan points on Air Canada, Air Canada Express, or Air Canada Rouge flights because “every Air Canada seat available to buy for cash is also available for points, no restrictions.” You simply run a search like normal on the Air Canada website, and it will tell you upfront the cost in Aeroplan points. It’s quite easy to compare the cash cost side-by-side. In addition, when you have this credit card, you get even better preferred pricing on flights when redeeming points.

Here is an example flight from San Francisco to Vancouver during our March Spring Break period:

At 8,300 miles + CAD$8 for a one-way flight, that means I could get 4 of these SFO-YVR roundtrip flights for 70,000 with some 3,000+ points left over. This means an entire family of four could get their flights covered. The cash cost for the one way was CAD$207 or US$161 at this writing, for a total redemption value of CAD$1,656 or US$1,288.

For a more general idea, here is a link to the Aeroplan rewards chart (PDF). The points required are based on distance.

You can also get excellent value by redeeming your points on a partner airline.

Redeem towards any travel at 1.25 cents per points. Chase allows an alternative option to redeem Aeroplan points at a rate of 1.25 cents per point to cover travel purchases including airline flights, hotels, cruises, car rentals, rideshares, parking lots, and more. This provides a nice minimum floor on the value of an Aeroplan point. You can redeem unlimited points for 2023 as an introductory offer; in the future it will be capped at 50,000 points redeemed per year in this way.

Here’s all of what counts as “Travel”:

Merchants in this category include airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages. Some merchants that provide transportation and travel-related services are not included in this category; for example, real estate agents, educational merchants arranging travel, in-flight goods and services, on-board cruise line goods and services, sightseeing activities, excursions, tourist attractions, RV and boat rentals, merchants within hotels and airports, public campgrounds and merchants that rent vehicles for the purpose of hauling. Purchases from gift card merchants or merchants that sell points or miles will not qualify in the travel category.

Bottom line. The new Chase Aeroplan World Elite Mastercard currently offers a limited-time 100,000 point sign-up bonus (worth $1,250 towards travel) and Air Canada flight perks (including free first checked bag and elite status).

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

(New limited-time offer, highest bonus ever. Boosted this bonus as well; Compared with the no-annual-fee Traveler, this card has higher upfront bonus, higher purchase rewards, and $100 Global EntryTSA PreCheck fee credit but also a $99 annual fee.)

The Chase IHG Rewards Club Premier credit card is the IHG hotel co-branded card that includes special IHG perks like a free night award every year you keep the card, Elite status, and every 4th award night free. Here are the highlights:

• Earn 175,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Free Award Night after each account anniversary year at eligible IHG hotels worldwide. Valid at IHG Hotels with a current point redemption cap of 40,000 points. NEW: You can now also pay the difference over 40,000 points to redeem your Anniversary Night at hotels above the 40,000 point redemption level.
• 4th Award Night Free. Enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG(R) hotel stay. That means if you use points to pay for 3 nights in a row, the 4th night is free. You can even book 8 award nights total and get two of them free, and so on. Works on any award level.
• 25X points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel.
• 2X points at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
• Platinum Elite status included as a Premier card member. IHG points also don’t expire when you are an Elite member.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® fee credit up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• $99 annual fee.

Please note the following:

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

This offer is for the new “IHG Club Premier” card, so this language means that if you have the older and different “IHG Club Select” card, you can still apply for this card and get the sign-up bonus.

What can you get with IHG points? The best redemption value for IHG points is for free hotel nights. The other options offer significantly less value. While the points don’t translate directly to a dollar value, but overall a conservation valuation is 0.50 cents of value per point, which would make 125,000 IHG points worth an estimated $625 value. You can perform the calculations for hotels that fit your needs. I tried a bunch of other various combinations and got between 0.5 cents and 0.8 cents per point equivalent value.

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

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

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

Fourth Reward Night Free

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

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

Total of 25x points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG. Here’s how this breaks down: Earn 10X points per $1 spent as an IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Cardmember + 10X points per $1 spent from IHG® for being an IHG® Rewards Club Member + 5X points per $1 spent from IHG® with Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of this card = total of 25X points total at 5,400+ IHG® hotels & resorts.

I would book my IHG nights on this card, but not my everyday purchases on an ongoing basis.

• 2 IHG points per $1 spent at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants.
• 1 IHG point per $1 spent on all other card purchases

I would keep this card if you can use the anniversary night certificate with the 40,000 point maximum value. You should be able to get $89 value out of it as long as you need a hotel night. Stay must be completed within 12 months from date of issue.

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

Bottom line. The Chase IHG Rewards Club Premier credit card has a current sign-up bonus boost of 140,000 IHG points. As with most of these co-branded cards, the best value is obtained if you can redeem for IHG hotel nights.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Limited-time offer. The Chase IHG Rewards Club Traveler card is the IHG hotel card that includes special IHG perks but with no annual fee. Right now, there is a limited-time 120k offer that is the highest ever, much larger than the previous 60k and 80k point bonuses. Here are the highlights:

• 120,000 bonus IHG points after $2,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
• Earn 15X points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel.
• Earn 2X points at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Fourth Reward Night Free when you redeem points for any 4+ night stay. That means if you use points to pay for 3 nights in a row, the 4th night is free.
• No annual fee.

Note the following:

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

What can you get with IHG points? The best redemption value for IHG points is for free hotel nights. The other options offer significantly less value. While the points don’t translate directly to a dollar value, I would use a conservative estimate of 0.50 cents of value per point, which would make 120,000 IHG points worth an estimated $600 value. Not bad for a no annual fee card. You can perform the calculations for hotels that fit your needs. I tried a bunch of other various combinations and got between 0.5 cents and 0.8 cents per point equivalent value.

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

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

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

The 4th Reward night free perk can be very valuable and nice to see on a card with no annual fee.

Total of 15x points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG. Here’s how this breaks down: Earn 5X points per $1 spent as an IHG® Rewards Club Traveler credit cardmember + 10X points per $1 spent from IHG® for being an IHG® Rewards Club Member, for a total of 15X points total at any of their 5,400+ IHG® hotels & resorts.

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

• 2 IHG points per $1 spent at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants.
• 1 IHG point per $1 spent on all other card purchases

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

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

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

During the limited-time offer, I will be adding this to the Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Southwest Airlines offers a very flexible Rapid Rewards program where the points can be used to book basically any seat that they sell for cash, instead of trying to nab just the ones some airlines set aside for awards. 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 roughly $650+ in Wanna Get Away airfare for every 50,000 points. Add in those two free checked bags on all flights, and you see why Southwest is popular wherever they fly.

Another unique Southwest feature is their unique Companion Pass, which lets you pick one person to fly with free when you book both paid AND award flights (including to Hawaii!) on Southwest. This lasts for both the year in which you earn it AND all of the next year (ex. rest of 2023 + all of 2024). Importantly, points earned from credit cards are qualifying points toward the requirement, including sign-up bonuses! You can often get very close to that magic 125,000 points with a calendar year when you add up the potential miles from these Southwest consumer and business cards. This is on top of the value you can get by redeeming those bonus points for Southwest flights.

Note: In October 2022, Southwest announced that starting 1/1/2023, the Companion Pass for 2023 will require 135,000 points (increased from 125,000 points). However, Southwest-branded credit cardholders will receive a new benefit – a boost of 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points every year – which basically brings it back down to 125,000 points again.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus credit card

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

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier card

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

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority card

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

The following are business credit cards:

Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business card

• 80,000 points after $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
• 9,000 bonus points after each Cardmember anniversary.
• NEW: 4X points on Southwest(R) purchases.
• 3X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car 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

• 60,000 Rapid Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
• 6,000 bonus points after each Cardmember anniversary.
• NEW: 3X points on Southwest(R) purchases.
• 2X points and Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
• NEW: 2X points on rideshare.
• 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
• NEW: 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 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.

Free Night Rewards now valid any night of the week, not just weekends. 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-ups.

Hilton Honors American Express Card

• Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 7X Hilton Honors points on purchases at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio.
• 5X Hilton Honors points on purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
• 3X Hilton Honors points for all other eligible purchases.
• Free Honors Silver status (5th standard reward night free, 2 bottles of water in your room).
• Spend $20,000 in a calendar year on this card and get Honors 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

• Welcome Offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
• Earn another Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases on your Card in the same calendar year.
• Earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card: 12X at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio, 6X at U.S. gas stations, on U.S. purchases for shipping, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel, on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies, and at U.S. restaurants, 3X on all other eligible purchases.
• Free upgrade to Honors Gold status (free breakfast, room upgrades based on availability, 5th standard reward night free).
• $95 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 good at creating activity, but here’s another tip on how to keep Hilton points active.

Free night award details. The free night is valid any night of the week, includes resort fees and taxes, and does not come with a points limit, but there are some excluded hotels that are not bookable. Here is the fine print behind the Free Night Award:

The Free Night Reward can be redeemed for one standard accommodation, double occupancy, subject to availability at properties in the Hilton portfolio, excluding those listed at HiltonHonors.com/freenightreward. To redeem the Free Night Reward, you must call 1-800-446-6677. The Free Night Reward expire 12 months from date of issuance. […] The Free Night Reward includes all applicable resort fees and taxes on the cost of the room for the redeemed night.

Theoretically, this free night award could be used to book a room night that would otherwise require 95,000 Hilton points. Indeed, I have redeemed my award for a night at the Grand Wailea in Maui, which is worth 95,000 points a night. Amazing hotel, and very happy the resort fees were covered as well. However, you may need to book early enough that standard rooms are still available.

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 bonus once per card per lifetime.

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

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

• Earn 3 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months.
• 3X Bonvoy points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
• 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
• Additional Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
• Up to 17X total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy™.
• 2X Bonvoy points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year.
• 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• $95 annual fee.

Keep in mind the following:

The bonus is not available to you if you:

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

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

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

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

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

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

You can use the Marriott free night search tool to price out some sample hotels. In general, I’ve found that you can get most mid-tier hotels (Sheraton, Marriott, Residence Inn, Courtyard) but often not the higher tier (Westin, St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton) at most major US cities. Still, for 5 free nights times $200 a night value easily in my experience, that’s already $1,000+ in potential value.

50k Point Free Night Award. Here is an example from a search performed in June 2022 for a night in August 2022. I can get 5 nights at the Westin San Francisco at Union Square for 48,000 points a night, which otherwise would have cost $343 a night prepaid upfront + taxes. With taxes, the total was $400 a night ($399.56 to be exact). $400 x 5 nights = $2,000 value.

Find a hotel that costs 52,000 points a night or 60,000 points? For example, I recently booked the Westin Maui at 60k points a night. You can just pay the difference in points, as long as the difference is within 15,000 points. Here are details on the Free Night Award Top Off option.

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

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

Free Night Award with Card Renewal. At your card anniversary (when you pay the annual fee), you will receive a Free Night Award that is good for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. This excludes the very top properties, but for regular travelers it will be very easy to get your $95 value. Here are some sample hotels that I have tried to book in the past that came in at or under 35,000 points for selected dates:

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

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

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

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

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

• Welcome Offer: Earn 75,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 6X points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy(R) program.
• 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
• 2X points on all other eligible purchases
• Receive a 7% discount off standard rates for reservations of standard guest rooms at hotels that participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program when you book directly. Terms and Conditions Apply.
• Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R). Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Enjoy Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Card.
• Each calendar year you can receive credit for 15 nights towards the next level of Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.
• Annual fee is $125. (See Rates and Fees)
• Terms Apply.

Keep in mind the following terms and conditions:

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

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

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that they can apply for business credit cards, even if they are not a corporation or LLC. The business type is called a sole proprietorship, and these days many people are full-time or part-time consultants, freelancers, eBay/Amazon/Etsy sellers, Uber/Lyft drivers, or other one-person business owners. This is the simplest business entity, but it is fully legit and recognized by the IRS. On a business credit card application, you should use your own legal name as the business name, and your Social Security Number as the Tax ID.

Free Night Award. At your card anniversary, you will receive a Free Night Award that is good for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. This excludes the very top properties, but for regular travelers it will be very easy to get your $95 or even $125 value. Many W Hotels, Westin, and even some Ritz-Carltons worldwide are included. Here are some sample hotels that qualify under the 35,000 point limit:

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

Bottom line. The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is the co-branded business card between Marriott hotels and American Express. You also get a Free Night Award at card anniversary, which can be worth much more than the annual fee.

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

(See Rates and Fees)