The best credit card sign-up bonus offers put you on the fast track to big rewards. In most cases, you have to do more than sign up for the card to get a welcome bonus. Typically, you’ll need to hit a spending threshold within the first few months of having the card. Read on to learn more about how credit sign-up bonus offers work and what you need to do to maximize their value.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Regular APR
21.49% – 28.49% Variable
On Chase Bank USA, NA’s Secure Website
Methodology
Our team of experts evaluated over 100 cards, evaluating factors such as the sign-up bonus value and other card perks. Using a data-based approach, we narrowed down the list to the top 11 credit cards that scored highly based on our weightings. Read our full methodology below.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
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Best credit card sign-up bonus offer
Key takeaways
2X
Earn 2 miles per dollar on all eligible purchases.
2X
Earn 5 miles per dollar on flights.
10X
Earn 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars when booking via Capital One Travel.
5/5
Best credit card sign-up bonus offer
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Best for flexibility
Key takeaways
5x
Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
2x
Earn 2x on all other travel purchases
4.8/5
On Chase Bank USA, NA’s Secure Website
Best for everyday bonus categories
Key takeaways
3X
Earn 3 points per dollar at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, hotels and air travel.
1X
1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
4.6/5
Best for everyday bonus categories
Best for versatile travel credits
Key takeaways
5X
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
3X
Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
4.8/5
Best for versatile travel credits
On Chase Bank USA, NA’s Secure Website
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
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Best for hotels
Key takeaways
3X
Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
17X
Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
4.9/5
Best for airlines
Key takeaways
3X
Earn 3x points for each dollar spent on grocery stores, dining at restaurants including takeout and eligible delivery services, and Air Canada directly.
1X
Earn 1x points for each dollar spent on all other purchases.
4.5/5
Capital One Venture X Business Card
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Best small-business credit card
Key takeaways
2X
Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase
5X
Earn 5 miles per dollar on flights and 10 miles on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal
4.9/5
Best small-business credit card
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Best no-annual-fee business card
Reward rate
5%
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year.
2%
Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.
1%
Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn.
3.8/5
Best no-annual-fee business card
On Chase Bank USA, NA’s Secure Website
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Best for business and travel spending
Key takeaways
3x
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year.
1x
Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases, with no limit to the amount you can earn.
4.6/5
Best for business and travel spending
On Chase Bank USA, NA’s Secure Website
Our picks at a glance
What are the types of credit card sign-up bonuses?
- Cash back: Some credit cards offer cash back bonuses once a cardholder hits a minimum spend threshold within a certain amount of time after opening the account.
- Points: Some credit card issuers use their own points system (think Chase Ultimate Rewards® and American Express Membership Rewards, for example). These act as rewards currencies that can be used in a range of ways. You’ll generally need to spend a certain amount in the first few months after opening the account to qualify for bonus points.
- Travel points and miles: Credit cards that are tied to hotel and airline loyalty programs often offer sign-up bonuses with points and miles in the relevant loyalty program, such as Marriott Bonvoy or Air Canada’s Aeroplan program.
- Elevated rewards rates: Cards may also offer higher reward rates for the first year, potentially with limits.
How do credit card sign-up bonuses work?
Credit card welcome bonuses vary among issuers, but the majority of them offer a limited-time opportunity to earn more points, miles or cash back after opening the account.
For example, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months from account opening.
Other welcome bonuses aren’t as easy to reach, though. The Amex Platinum (terms apply, see rates and fees), for example, offers 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of account opening.
While most credit card bonuses have spending thresholds you must meet to unlock cash back, points or miles, there are exceptions. For example, Discover will match all of the rewards you’ve earned by the end of your first year with the card, regardless of spending level. In rare cases, credit card sign-up bonuses don’t require anything other than getting approved for the card. The Prime Visa comes with a $100 Amazon gift card upon approval with an eligible Prime membership.
If you’re drawn to a card for its sign-up bonus, you should be sure you’re eligible to earn the bonus before you apply. Consumers who’ve earned the card’s sign-up bonus previously and then closed the card may not be able to earn the bonus again, for example. Restrictions will often be somewhere in the fine print, but you can also contact the issuer if you’re unsure.
Are sign-up bonuses worth it?
On a no-annual-fee credit card, a welcome bonus represents all upside, as long as you can meet the spending requirement with your regular expenses. However, the math isn’t as simple for a credit card that comes with an annual fee.
While the sign-up bonus may be able to easily offset any costs in the first year, think about whether you will want to keep paying that annual fee for years to come without the boost of a sign-up bonus. If your circumstances change and an annual fee is no longer worth it, you can cancel the card. But first, see if you can get the issuer to give you a retention offer or downgrade you to another card without a fee. Closing a card can harm your credit score.
How to pick the best credit card sign-up bonus offer
As you compare the best sign-up bonus credit card offers, consider how different offers align with your regular spending habits. Ask yourself these questions before you decide to apply:
- How much do you normally spend each month? Some premium credit card sign-up offers require a sizable chunk of spending to receive the bonus. Never spend more than you can afford to pay back just to get a bonus.
- Do you have any big upcoming expenses? Opening a credit card prior to a major purchase can be a strategic way to make sure you meet the required spending. For example, if you’re planning a vacation with your family or looking to buy new appliances for your kitchen, you may want to think about charging the expenses to a new card to unlock the bonus.
- Will the card’s reward structure be a good fit after the bonus? Review each card’s standard rewards rates for different spending categories to determine how much you will regularly earn after the bonus.
- Are you willing to pay an annual fee? While sign-up bonuses on premium credit cards can be very attractive, high-end cards come with high annual price tags. The sign-up bonus only happens once, but the annual fee will appear on your statement each year. Make sure that you can justify paying the cost.
Methodology
Our money and data analytics teams evaluated over 100 credit cards that met a minimum sign-up bonus threshold. We then narrowed down our list of the best sign-up bonus cards by giving them a star rating out of five, based on the following factors and our editorial judgment:
Sign-up bonus value (60%)
To pick the best sign-up bonus credit cards, we weighted the value of each card’s bonus heavily. When relevant, we used points valuations from The Points Guy to calculate values. We boosted cards with stronger sign-up bonuses.
Rewards value and annual credits (20%)
Many credit cards with strong sign-up bonuses also earn valuable ongoing rewards, but not all credit card points and miles are worth the same amount. We used spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and estimates of rewards values from The Points Guy to determine which cards dole out the best rewards value. Credit cards that come with credits and bonuses for spending in categories including groceries, dining, entertainment and gas also received a boost.
Benefits (10%)
Cards that offer benefits such as cell phone protection, purchase protection, extended warranty and a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers received a boost.
Select fees (10%)
We also considered whether cards charged annual fees or foreign transaction fees, and favored cards with no or low fees.
What didn’t make the cut
As you’re comparing the best sign-up bonus offers to figure out the best new card for your wallet, you’re likely going to see these five cards pop up on numerous lists. They’re good — but not quite good enough for us. Here’s why:
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: This card’s welcome bonus is on par with the Venture X’s, but the Venture X has a real ‘X’ factor that sets it apart: a long list of premium benefits, including up to a $300 annual travel credit, a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus and airport lounge access. If you don’t want to pay Venture X’s $395 (terms apply, see rates and fees) annual fee, though, you might want to give the Venture Rewards Card and its $95 (terms apply, see rates and fees) annual fee a closer look.
- Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express
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The information for the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express: If you frequent Hilton properties, this card could be a good fit, but the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
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The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
is a better all-around hotel pick due in part to a significantly lower annual fee — $95 vs. the $550 price tag for the Hilton card. - Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card: While the welcome offer of $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening is attractive, the card’s $195 annual fee is a major downside — particularly because this card doesn’t offer the ability to transfer points to Chase travel partners.
- American Express® Gold Card: This card’s reward structure is a solid choice for everyday spending at restaurants and supermarkets, but the welcome offer has a relatively high spend threshold of $6,000 and the card has a higher annual fee ($250) (terms apply, see rates and fees) than some competitors on our list.
- Cash-back cards: While straightforward cash-back cards like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offer appealing and easy-to-hit sign-up bonuses, there aren’t any opportunities to look for higher-value redemptions with travel partners.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
In most cases, you do not need to worry about paying taxes on your credit card sign-up bonus. The IRS looks at credit card rewards as a rebate on a purchase — not income. If you do earn taxable income from your credit card, your issuer will likely send you a tax form.
Depending on the credit card you sign up for, you may be able to transfer your points to a hotel or airline rewards program. For example, Chase, American Express and Citi offer the ability to transfer points on certain cards.
If you do not meet the conditions spelled out in the fine print of your card agreement, you will not receive the sign-up bonus. Make sure you track progress toward the spending requirement associated with your bonus.
Many no-annual-fee credit cards offer sign-up bonuses. For example, the Chase Freedom Flex, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card all have welcome offers.
There isn’t a defined limit on the number of credit card sign-up bonuses you can earn from different issuers. However, some issuers impose limits on the ability to earn multiple sign-up bonuses. For example, if you have either the Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve, you cannot receive a welcome bonus if you open the other card. If you have closed one Chase Sapphire card within the last 48 months, you cannot receive a welcome bonus if you open the other one.
To view rates and fees for Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Chase Freedom Flex℠, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for American Express® Gold Card, please visit this page.
*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by CNN Underscored Money: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Citi Premier® Card, The Platinum Card® from American Express, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
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The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
, Aeroplan® Credit Card, Capital One Venture X Business Card
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The information for the Capital One Venture X Business Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, Chase Freedom Flex℠, Prime Visa, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, American Express® Gold Card, Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, and Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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