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Looking for the best rewards credit card offers for December 2019? Each month we feature the best credit card offers on cash back cards, flexible rewards cards, and co-brand cards from some of our favorite airline and hotel loyalty programs. We do the legwork researching the best credit card deals as ranked by the AwardWallet team and assemble them in an easy to digest format in the table below, alongside why they make our top-ten.
When assessing the best credit card deals available to points and miles fans, we weigh up the current welcome offer, annual fee (or lack thereof), the ongoing value the card provides, and, to some degree, any special considerations such as application restrictions or transfer policies. The list includes a few limited-time offers, and although not every card features a monster 100K+ welcome bonus, we think these cards provide outstanding value.
Best Rewards Credit Card Offers for December 2019
| Credit Card | Earning Category | Current Offer | Annual Fee | Why It Makes The List |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business | Small Biz | Limited Time Offer: Earn up to 200,000 bonus miles worth up to $2,000 to spend on travel—flights, hotels and more. Earn 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months and earn 150,000 bonus miles when you spend $50,000 in the first 6 months of your account opening | $0 intro for first year; $95 after that | The highest welcome offer currently available on any rewards card, this offer from Capital One comes with a high minimum spend requirement but a huge payoff. There is also a similar offer on the Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business if you prefer to earn cash back over travel rewards. |
| Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card | Small Biz | Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | $95 | Highest Ultimate Rewards signup offer available, useful 3x bonus categories for small business owners, affordable annual fee. Full card review. |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Flexible Points | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® | $95 | Stellar signup offer of 60,000 bonus points, 2x Ultimate Rewards on travel and dining, provides tangible, valuable perks and travel protection. We break down the benefits to show why this card tops the list as the best beginners travel card. |
| Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card | Hotel Rewards | Earn 125,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card after you use your new Card to make $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. (Terms Apply) | $95 (Rates & Fees) | The best of the Hilton offers in our books. Cardholders receive Gold Elite status which qualifies you for free breakfast, 12x points on Hilton spend, plus a weekend free night when you spend $15K in a calendar year. |
| United℠ Explorer Business Card | Airline Miles | For small business owners: Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles after qualifying purchases. Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $25,000 total on purchases in the first 6 months your account is open. | $95 | One of the few 100K mile offers currently available for co-brand airline cards, the United Business Card also provides a free checked bag for you and a companion, two United Club one-time passes, priority boarding, and expanded award space. |
| The World Of Hyatt Credit Card | Hotel Rewards | Earn up to 50,000 Bonus Points - 25,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus an additional 25,000 Bonus Points after you spend a total of $6,000 on purchases within the first 6 months of account opening. | $95 | Up to 50,000 bonus World of Hyatt points, anniversary category 1-4 free night certificate plus a second free night after $15K spend, earn 4x points on Hyatt spend, complimentary Discoverist status and ability to spend your way to top-tier status. See 5 reasons to get the World of Hyatt Card |
| Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card | Flexible Points | 50,000 Miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening | $0 intro for first year; $95 after that | High-value bonus for a card with a low annual fee; 2x points on every purchase; points transfer free to other Capital One accounts and now transfer to 14 airline partners. Read more about transferring Venture miles to partners in our detailed review. |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card | Airline Miles | Earn 70,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. | $199 | While this isn't the highest offer we've seen on the Southwest Performance Business Card, now is the perfect time to start planning out your Southwest Companion Pass strategy for 2020 and beyond, and this offer is a great way to kickstart your plan. |
| American Express® Green Card | Flexible Points | Earn 30,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $2,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Receive up to $100 in statement credits towards any eligible purchase made directly with Away in your first 3 months. Offer ends 1/15/2020. (Terms Apply) | $150 (Rates & Fees) | An updated welcome offer and sporting new bonus categories and card benefits, the Green from Amex has jumped into our top 10 cards for the first time. The new bonus categories firmly cement this card as a competitor for the Sapphire cards from Chase. |
| Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card | Cash Back | $300 Cash Back after you spend $3000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening | $0 intro for first year; $95 after that | A $300 cash back bonus, 4% back on dining and entertainment, and 2% back on groceries, plus you pay no annual fee for the first year. |
Best Flexible Rewards Credit Card
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel
- 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Current Offer – Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Why It Takes the Top Spot – Sporting a high-value signup bonus of 60,000 points, the Sapphire Preferred lives up to its name as the most well-rounded travel card for beginners, and we believe it is the best overall consumer rewards card package currently on offer. 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points provide a ton of value if transferred to partners such as Hyatt, United, or Singapore for premium travel experiences. Cardholders also receive class-leading travel and purchase protection for a card in this price point, including primary auto rental insurance, trip interruption & cancelation insurance, and trip delay coverage.
- 50,000 Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening; worth $500 in travel if redeemed for a fixed-value, or potentially much more when transferred to airline partners
- 2 Miles on every purchase, plus earn 10 Miles on hotels at hotels.com/venture, through January 2020
- Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔® (up to $100)
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 intro for first year; $95 after that
- 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.
- 10 Miles per dollar on hotels at hotels.com/venture, through January 2020
We also want to give a shout out to the Capital One Venture here which offers a 50,000 mile signup bonus after you meet the minimum spend. With the addition of an airline transfer program featuring 14 travel partners, the ability to earn 2X miles on every purchase, plus you can still use Venture Miles at a fixed-value towards other travel experiences, the Capital One Venture is now firmly on the record as a competitive rewards card. Although the ability to earn 10x miles at hotels.com/venture winds up on 01/31/2020, Capital One recently announced a new category of 5X miles on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel for Capital One miles earning cards.
Best Co-Brand Travel Rewards Credit Card
- Earn 125,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card after you use your new Card to make $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Earn a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Portfolio.
- Earn 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year.
- $95 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Portfolio
- 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations
- 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card
Current Offer – Earn 125,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card after you use your new Card to make $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Why It Takes the Top Spot – The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is one of the only cards currently offering a welcome bonus of more than 100,000 points. New cardmembers can earn 125,000 bonus points after meeting the very affordable minimum spend, enough points for a week or more at the lower end of Hilton's award chart, or one to two nights redeeming for a premium Hilton hotel or resort. You receive Hilton Gold Elite status for as long as you hold the card which grants free breakfast at most Hilton properties for you and a companion, potential upgrades and executive lounge access, and 5th night free on award stays. Plus, you get 10 complimentary Priority Pass Lounge passes for the primary cardholder and any nominated guests.
If the perks aren't enough of an incentive to have you part with the $95 annual fee (Rates & Fees), in our recent post on how to extract maximum value from the Hilton Surpass Card, we outline a strategy detailing how you can get returns of 3.5% on non-bonus purchases on this card, 5% returns on a wide range of bonus categories, and 8% or more on Hilton purchases!
Best Small Business Rewards Credit Card
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year
- Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases - with no limit to the amount you can earn
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Redeem points for travel, cash back, gift cards and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- No foreign transaction fees
- Employee cards at no additional cost
- $95 Annual Fee
- 3X 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 point per $1 on all other purchases
Current Offer – Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Why It Takes the Top Spot – Offering the perfect balance between signup bonus and minimum spending at 80,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. The Ink Preferred features top-class bonus categories for small business owners that allow you to earn up to 450,000 Ultimate Rewards per year at 3x points per dollar, we rate the Ink Preferred the best small business card on offer. Pair it with the Ink Business Unlimited and maximize the return on business expenses.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn up to 200,000 bonus miles worth up to $2,000 to spend on travel—flights, hotels and more. Earn 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months and earn 150,000 bonus miles when you spend $50,000 in the first 6 months of your account opening; worth $2,000 in travel if redeemed for a fixed-value, or potentially much more when transferred to airline partners
- 2 Miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere
- 5 Miles on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel℠
- Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔® (up to $100)
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 intro for first year; $95 after that
- 2 Miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere.
- 5 Miles on hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One Travel℠
If you are 100% confident you can make the higher than average minimum spending requirement, the Spark Miles from Capital One is offering the equal highest sign-up bonus we've ever seen on the card. This is a once-yearly chance to secure up to 200,000 miles from a single welcome offer.
Final Thoughts
Welcome offers on rewards cards are continually changing, and it can be hard keeping tabs on the latest signup bonuses. We update our top-ten offers every month, so if you have a card you think belongs in the list, let us know why in the comments below.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: American Express® Green Card (Rates & Fees), and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Thanks for the info!
Thank you for the information.
I applied today for the Barclays Business AAdvantage card with the offer of 60,000 miles after $1000 in purchases. I would suggest adding that to the list.
Thanks for the feedback, Kevin, the Aviator is a great bonus. Especially for those who don’t have a ton of business spend.
wow. that Barclay’s off is tempting! I agree, it should be on the list.
Nice blog! The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is an amazing product and must have for the serious business traveler.
Chase Ink Buisness is a great card with 80k Ultimate Rewards points plus I get a referral bonus of 20k. That is a great bonus plus 2x rewards on many purchase. Fits well for my business.
This is a very useful list. I’m glad I signed up for the Chase Saphire Reserve card back when the bonus was 100,000 bonus points.
I appreciate the work you all do, it really helps me keep everything going with a minimum of time!
Provide excellent information in order to make decisions on credit cards
Nice job putting these all together to- make it clearer to understand.
thanks!
Very good information about benefits and features of credit cards
Just waiting to get under 5/24.
Me too. I wish AMEX didn’t have the “once in a lifetime” rule.
I know. That’s the the constant annoyance.
I really like the Amex Hilton Ascend card. Gold status has been great on overseas travel.
I love these blog posts. AA is actually where I store all my oneworld points.
Me too, except I send some to Avios too for shorthaul redemptions.
I need to double check my 5/24 and see if I am eligible to grab one of the Chase ones.
I applied for an IHG credit card last week, application is pending. I’m wondering how long the process usually takes.
I love how the AwardWallet app helps me to keep essential information at my fingertips
I am also waiting on a reply from IHG card. Glad to know I wasn’t only one not immediately approved.
The IHG card has been the longest approval process of all my cards so far. Everything else had been either right away or within a day so I began to worry that IHG took so long. Probably took about 3 weeks for us.
While the signup bonus is not as great, the Chase Sapphire Reserve (50K bonus), might also be a good option for some folks based on their utilization. Although it has a hefty annual fee ($450), the annual $300 travel credit drops it to the equivalent of $150. It also earns 3x points on dining and travel, instead of 2x for the Sapphire Preferred, and also points are worth 25% more than the Sapphire Preferred when using the Chase travel portal. But the main benefit that I see is for those whose home airport has a restaurant that participates in the Priority Pass Program. It enables you to bring up to two guests and each of you get a $28 dining credit for each visit. I generally use this benefit before every trip and travel a couple times each month with my wife which makes it an tremendous savings given the minimal effective fee difference between the Preferred and the Reserve Cards. It might not be the right card for everyone, but if it fits your circumstances it can have incredible value. I have heard that the credit approval requirements are somewhat tougher, so that might be something that needs to be considered.
Thanks for the detailed comment on how you get value from the CSR. It got strong consideration for the list, but we wanted to keep the options diverse for folks who can’t get a Chase card due to 5/24, and the Sapphire Preferred 60k bonus seemed like too good a deal to leave off the list. We appreciate the feedback. We have a detailed review covering the benefits of the Reserve here for those who are curious.
Great cards!!
This is a good list, though I’m surprised the Citi Double Cash Card isn’t included: 2% cash back on any purchase — 1% on purchase and an additional 1% as you pay for the purchase.
This is a great web site to learn about the different credit cards.
There are deals abound. However, none of them are in the same category as the chase sapphire reserve card for 100,000 + points which were the icing on the cake. Hotel reward points are not worth the same as airline reward miles. So 100,000 in hotel points is not a big incentive.
Definitely agree. We’re always on the lookout for those exceptional offers. We usually dedicate a whole post to breaking it down when there is an offer that is much better than normal.
Love Award Wallet and appreciate the service. It would be great if Award Wallet could more easily distinguish between point…for example 1 mile with AA requires 3 miles from Marriott!
Thanks for the feedback Bill! We know not all points have the same value, so we are working on incorporating expected savings and point conversion rates to give you access to all the detail you need to optimize your points strategy.
5 miles wooo!
I had some good luck recently with Marriott cat 3 redemption, usually hard to find a good use for the annual free night, but got $400/night value at Aloft Scottsdale.
It’s helpful to see all the best credit card offers.
Ink preferred is my favorite! Should open before they lower the signup bonus. Missed it when it used to be 100k bonus…
Do you know when the current offer ends?
This is a great synopsis of the best current offers and will help in my selection.
I FIND AWARD WALLET NOT JUST A CONVENIENT WAY TO ORGANIZE MY MILES, BUT A SOURCE OF GREAT DEALS.
Great summary. Good to see this all in one place. Notice CSR isn’t on the list.
Thanks for the tips
I love the tips. Would like more info on the new Marriott Bonvoy. I am Lifetime Titanium and did not know it until I checked in a month ago at a location. No idea what Titanium gets me. Planning a vacation at Marriott Royal Hawaiian in Honolulu on May 11th and it sounds like I get nothing. Extra charge for club level and extra charge for internet and extra charge for bottled water. Does loyalty have value or is it that the Starwood merger needs work?
Hey Robert, I think these two posts might help.
https://awardwallet.com/blog/everything-about-the-marriott-rewards-program/
https://awardwallet.com/blog/the-complete-guide-to-marriott-bonvoy-elite-status/
5 miles
✈️💺
Thank you for reviewing the attractive credit cards, with comparisons and recommendations. This helped me reach a decision more quickly, and start receiving the benefits!
Does anyone know if opening a business card affects your taxes or tax reporting in anyway?
There is no impact to taxes from opening a business card.
award wallet is a great place to keep track of miles/programs-not just a list of miles but updates on expiration,. etc. i have a question: does chase consider business cards?
Hey Leo, business cards don’t count towards the Chase application restrictions. You can learn more here.
That’s an excellent reminder.
Love the Chase cards. Hate the restrictions,
Some great options, thanks
The chase family of personal and business cards are the best ,combine all the points into 1 account. They add up quickly!
Given the recent devaluation of Delta and United FF programs (no more published award charts!!) + AA & UA EQD threshold increases, wondering if airline and hotel loyalty cards are going to still be worth the high interest rates vs. Amex points or 2% back credit cards? Am only keeping AA Citi Mastercard to continue being able to access Admirals Club, but flying less and less so this benefit not really as valuable as it used to be.
Very relevant question, unfortunately. They can’t devalue your 2% cashback once it’s in your pocket!
Always good info.
I have Marriott and Capital One cards. My brain can’t handle any more.
Thanks for all the great info. Why does the Sapphire win out ahead of the Sapphire Reserve?
Do you think the personal Freedom Unlimited is preferable to the business version? Given the signup bonus, I’m torn.
It’s hard to say. In terms of total long-term benefit, you really want to get the card for the place where you spend the most on things that don’t get category bonues. For example, if a lot of your personal spending is on airfare, restaurants and groceries, and you have the Amex Gold, you’re getting 3-4X on a lot of personal spending. So maybe the biz card is the place to get 1.5X. For other folks, the opposite might be true. The good news is that you can eventually get both 🙂
Thank you for sharing this information! It is always helpful to know what bonuses are available for different cards that I might want to sign up for.
Too many offers in the pile. Just need to evaluate your own goals and keep focused and not be lured by other offers…it only dilutes your plans!
I am curious why the Sapphire Reserve isn’t included? Why does Sapphire win out over SR?
Thanks.
Hey Deb, thanks for the feedback. We love the CSR. Since some people aren’t eligible for Chase cards, we wanted to keep the list as diverse as possible while still covering some of the best offers. The Sapphire Reserve just missed the cut, but we’ve covered the benefits in detail here
Great site! One stop place to analyze what the current credit cards perks are doing. Thanks for the email notifications as well!
I appreciat e the tips
This is helpful for travel hackers.
Excellent program
Wish I could earn miles faster than I spend them! 😉
good consolidated list, thanks
Appreciate the advice! So easy to compare all CC ad make an educated choice quickly!
This is a great concise list, thanks for posting. I plan on sharing with others too!
Thanks for the credit card summary
I want 5 miles
Happy to help 🙂
really attracted to Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card but it’s unlike my lol/24 status will allow me to get approved.
Thanks for all the content.
I will take the chase for the 80000 points – it is a very attractive offer and I love to accumulate points or miles.
Thank you for your email , very informative !
Thanks for your website and all the information we can glean from it. Cash back cards are more flexible for anyone and great for those who don’t travel as much as others. Fidelity 2% Back Visa, Citi Double Cash Back (2%) and Chase Freedom Unlimited (3% the first year, then 1.5%) are my favorites that are available. The very best is USAA Limitless Cashback, which offers a flat 2.5% cash back on all purchases with direct deposit to USAA checking. Unfortunately, it is no longer open to new applicants…but who knows if/when it might open up again.
Great site to learn which cards to go with. I’m in the process of changing and trying to decide which card is best for me & there’s a lot of good information available here. Thanks!
Love this listing. will help me determine which card i will sign up for.
Great summary, thanks!
Thanks for compiling these offers!
a great blog! the chase sapphire is such a deal!
This is great information, I have learned a lot from this.
Love this site and especially the good news emails telling me when I have earned more miles.
Hilton Honors is the best. I’ve racked up so many points with HH I’m always looking for chances to earn more.
Thanks for the comparisons…definitely save me time to find the best deal.
FYI, I signed up for Chase Sapphire Preferred when they had 50,000 points offer. I asked them if they can match the current 60,000 points offer and they declined.
Thanks for sharing John, never hurts to try. We appreciate you sharing the data point.
Nice review, but I favor the Chase Sapphire reserve.
Really appreciate Award Wallet!
This is an extremely useful and timely list. I am so pleased with my decision to sign up for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card back at a time when the bonus was 100,000 points.
Completely agree, that 100k bonus was very nice.
I currently run the Reserve and Freedom Unlimited. Do you use any other Chase cards along with that?
Any thoughts on getting a business card without having a large business. I have one as a sole proprietorship, so I can use my social security number, but the revenue is only abbot $15,000. Do you think I would be eligible for a business card with that low revenue? My personal credit score is 820.
Hey Joe, absolutely! We’ve heard from lots of folks in a similar situation that were able to open a business account. If you don’t have a business tax ID (i.e. you’re applying as a sole proprietor) just make sure you list your name as the business name, since it needs to match the tax ID.
Great info! Loving the AwardWallet app!
Great resource for finding information on what credit cards would best meet my travel needs.
Thanks for keeping the information current. Saves me from wasting time looking through outdated offers and terms.
Thanks for making it easy to compare the top cards. Great info
Lots of great Chase cards. Too bad I’m not eligible due to 5/24 rule.
Very good information about benefits and features of credit cards. Just waiting to get under 5/24
The IHG and Marriott Bonvoy cards are good deals, with their free night every year, although they do limit the level of points made available so the top chain hotels are not eligible for the free night deal.
I own at Marriott. Getting 6 points per $, gets me a ton when I pay my maintenance fees.
Lucky you!
5 miles
✈️💺
I am really leaning toward getting the Hyatt card. I know the chain has a limited footprint, but they have some of the best hotels in Europe. And the annual free night is a great benefit.
Great!
Thanks for the valuable information. A wonderful job of synthesizing the best reward cards.
I love my Sapphire Reserve card!
Keep up the good work.
This is a very useful list of cards. Thank you!
Thank you for the information–I love the format which presents information in a concise easy-to-use way.
Thanks for the info, always clear and understandable.
I have looked at many, many cards and frankly I find that the chase sapphire reserve card offers the best value even without the 100,000. One of the best decisions I have made and recommend to others. Please strongly consider it and take a look at the alternatives, but I believe you will find it to be great choice.
How would you describe your reasons for recommending the Chase Sapphire Reserve?
I will get the Ink Business Preferred as soon as I am under 5/24!
Waiting to drop below 5/24.
Can I apply for all of these immediately? I WANT THEM ALL!!
Haha, we know how you feel. It’s a good idea to keep your new applications spaced out. New requests for credit is 10% of your credit score, so opening a lot of cards all at once can have a negative impact. You can learn more here. https://awardwallet.com/blog/tips-managing-credit-score/
Almost overwhelming–
Where has this sight been? I wish I had discovered it years ago. Thanks for all the GREAT info.
These updates are great! Appreciate it very much
thanks for sharing the offers
It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen AMEX Premier Rewards or even AMEX Business Gold cards offers. Do these cards still exist and ever offer large “membership rewards” sign up bonuses?
I am considering the Chase Freedom Card 3% Cash Back is appealing but the turn off is that it is only for one year (then goes to 1.5%). I know that I could keep using my Citi Double Cash (2% cash back and no annual fees) afterward but it still irritates me a little. Thanks!
Great Info here!
I love the award wallet! Great information.
Wonderful summary. Thank you
Thank you! New-ish to the game and looking for my next card, so this is super helpful, timely info.
Thanks for all the great info. Even with all the digs at Bonvoy, I got the card with 15 nights and 80k points.
Don’t expect anything from Chase sapphire travel protection. I had a flight delay which caused me to miss my connecting flight. They refused to do anything about it and I had to pony up another $250 out of pocket to buy a new connecting flight ticket.
Thanks for always being there and making sure I have a safe place for my Boarding Pass! You make traveling easier for me and I’m sure many more people like me.
Thanks again Dan
We have sapphire card and love it
BLUF: Don’t let your miles and points gather dust! Posting to keep my AA miles alive, which were collected during the days of 2-3 browser applications with Citi. I used 200k to take family to Hawaii after initially earned, which was great. However, the other 200k miles have been in my AA account since then just gathering dust. So remember, the points and especially the miles aren’t worth the fair market value blogs quote until you use them. Otherwise, miles are generally being consistently devalued.az they gather dust.
Just got the Hilton Ascend card. 150k points and Gold status for $95 sounds good to me. Not sure about the Aspire yet; do not typically stay at Hiltons but now will give the chain a try.
Thanks for the update about the INK card, checking it out! Presently AMEX Delta
interesting top 10 list as always
Thanks for the information.
Thanks for the info!
I just applied for the Chase Sapphire Reserve last night, but have also been eyeing the Capital One Venture card that is on this list…. Helpful info. Thanks, AwardWallet!
My husband signed up for Chase Sapphire Reserve, and we LOVE it! Although he has to pay $450 annual fee, you can get $300 of travel bonus every year, and it’s worth paying the rest of the annual fee. We both are your website’s fans now! Thank you!
Thanks for the updated information!
Sorry for my ignorance, but what do people mean by “5/24”?
Don’t apologize Faith, there is a lot to take in. We break the 5/24 rule down in detail here – How does the Chase 5/24 policy work?
This is very helpful. Keep the recommendations coming.
Great run down on the cards. I love my Ink Business Preferred Card!
Good article, though I do not want more than the two cards I already have.
Thanks for the summary!
I know where to check when I am in the market for an airline card because your site provides a great summary and all the research is done for me.
Thank you for this. I’d appreciate the info on the “business” requirements to open the CIP card. Thanks!
Have a run through this post, should fill in the gaps for you – How you can get a business card
Have to try the Venture card for easy miles.
Patiently waiting 2 more months to be below 5/24 so I can apply for the WOH card. Thanks Awardwallet for keeping me current on all the offers!
AwardWallet is amazing to track all of my many miles and points – over 8 million! I don’t often update my credit card collection, though, so I leave many bonuses untouched. Thanks for the info.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers a great sign on bonus for sure but after that, it’s hard to justify the $95 annual fee. I’m I missing something? 2x returns is not great compared to other cards out there. Please let me know what else there is.
Offers the best travel protection benefits for the annual fee and allows you to transfer your accumulated UR points to transfer partners (+ redeem at 1.25¢ per point through the portal).
Thanks for the updates and newest opportunities to get rewards.
Great post. Do you think Marriott will relax the rules in the next year wrt old cards. Have a Chase card and it sucks that I can’t get an Amex card.
A very good summary. Thanks for all the info.
Even with all the problems, I’m still a big fan on Marriott. Thanks for the info on those credit cards.
Thanks for the great overview. Very useful for deciding my card strategy.
Any cards which do not follow 24 mon rule and ones you can reapply after a time period and get bonus again?
TMI about Chase. Their restrictions are too much to deal with! I don’t even consider their offers anymore.
Thanks!
Thank you Award Wallet for the valuable information!
Flew American DCA to MCO round trip last week. Very nice flight attendants
Great matrix. I can see which ones are worth comparing
Thanks for the information. Yours is one of the couple of travel blogs I read.
Looks like I have five of ten of these cards.
This is an excellent list of possibilities to choose from. Thanks!
All these sign-on bonuses are very attractive. At what point does it become detrimental to have a large number of cards, and need to close some of them?
Great to have all the best card info in one location!
Have Capital One cc, thanks for info
Fantastic layout of really easy to follow information and tips for my next credit card. Just received some nice signup bonuses from AA and UA!
Chase Ink for 80K for the win!! Plus 3x bonus!!
Chase Ink for 80K sign up for the win!! Plus 3x bonus. Can’t beat it!!
There are some decent airline offers as well. You could combine two SouthWest card offers (personal and business) for not only miles but also earn a free companion pass good through the end of 2020.
Ink cards are great. I have 3 for my business.
Decisions, decisions!! It’s time for a new card, and I still can’t decide which!! This helps narrow it down tho!
Thanks for the info. The Chase Ink card is definitely my preferred card at Office supply stores due to the 5% UR points benefit.
Thanks for this post! Helpful!
Great site! Keep feeding us the info.
I favored Barclays AA cards over Citi for many positive reasons and advantages (pun intended). Sadly I had both and they were closed off with no warning nor explanation a few years back. With perfect scores and credit history I’m not sure what I did. Anyone had this experience and is there a chance to get approved again?
I am pretty sure I signed up for a Starwood’s account about 10 years ago when I stayed at one for 4 nights in Chicago.
I do not Have any info on my membership anymore but can Marriott Bonvoy access that with my name and address to consolidate points?
If you haven’t accessed your account in that long then your points have most likely expired and your acccount been closed due to inactivity. You can always get in touch with Marriott and double-check, but my gut tells me you’re out of luck on this one.
The increased minimum spend requirements to get the full sign-up bonus is a concerning trend, sadly.
I love my chase trifecta, CSR, Freedom and Freedom Unlimited. Chase Ultimate Rewards are hard to beat. I also love my AmEx Hilton Honors Aspire card. Sure, like the CSR, it comes with a hefty $450 AF but I have already used $500 worth of credits and the Diamond level gets us some great perks. I try to make the most out of all of my cards.
Thanks for the info. I’ll keep this in mind
I hate that I signed up for the CSP a day before the increase in bonus =(
Bonvoy…. let’s give everyone 10-50k points to upgrade…. hey since you upgraded no new card bonuses for you….. even business bonuses.
Makes sense to me Marriott.
Thanks for breaking it down; I love comparing all the cards great information.
Some can check for targeted offers by logging into Chase under the “Selected for You” section. The offers in this section also bypass the 5/24 rule, so this could be a good option for those that are over 5/24!
May I suggest…
How about posting this list consistently on the first day of every month, like a regular feature? It would help us poor readers anticipate what is coming. There are other regular features you could on certain days every month, like:
– Reader susses story
– Best redemption deals
– Best shopping deals (to earn points/discounts)
– Airline service news you can use.
Before the end of the first year, it might be worthwhile for some people (like me) to downgrade the World Of Hyatt card to the $75 annual fee Hyatt card, which still gives you a free night certificate each credit card renewal year.
Make sure you see what the conversion rate is Bonvoy to airline miles . I found the SPG rates far superior
I think Chase is leading the pack with a great number of products. Good article!
i like that Fidelity 2% Back Visa, Citi Double Cash Back (2%) and Chase Freedom Unlimited (3% the first year, then 1.5%) are terrific
This offer is wonderful if your AAdvantage mileage is expiring, and want to extend the expiration date!
I feel so lucky to have subscribed their emails!
I hope they have the same/ similar offerings in the future again!
Good list. Even though the Bonvoy card is a good offer- many of us with boatloads of points have been ‘bonvoyed’- then ‘unbonvoyed’- only to be ‘bonyoved’ again. Seems at the moment they don’t have it together. It’s a good offer, and for a beginner they may not notice all the problems that continue to manifest in the new system- but care should be taken to recommend it as a ‘top 10’ card until Marriott gets their crap together. Just my 2 cents.
The Capitol One Venture also has a feature that was new for me:
Pay using virtual numbers with Eno® from Capital One®.
This is an extension for Chrome that detects when I’m purchasing something and am at the point of entering credit card information for payment. This Eno feature will provide the seller with a virtual number that accomplishes the payment with my card, but the vendor doesn’t receive the information about my actual card. I guess if that virtual card number fell into the wrong hands and that virtual card information is used with any other vendor it would be flagged and not allowed.
I like that feature and it is very convenient to use.
I think the current sign up bonus on the Hyatt card is a little too low.
Waiting for a higher one…
Excellent summary. Why no Sapphire Reserve, though?
I am surprised not to see the Hilton Aspire or Chase Sapphire Reserve listed here.
Realistically, you could swap out the Ascend for the Aspire if you could justify the annual fee (and make full use of the airline/hotel credits), but we tend to favor low annual fee cards in this list as it allows folks to keep their total annual fees down year on year. For the CSR vs CSP, the CSR featured in our last iteration of this list but you can now earn more points on the Prestige and Amex Gold when dining, and the Platinum and Prestige both offer more points on airfare. It’s still a great card, but the extra 10K bonus points on the CSP and additional points from other cards on the CSR’s primary bonus categories hands the CSP the win in this case.
I disagree with the second part of your post. As we all know, the number of points one can earn is irrelevant as points are not equal across programs given value and available transfer partners. I will take UR points over an equal (or slightly more) amount of MR or TY points any day. Other cards may earn more points on dining and airfare, but that does not necessarily make those cards better choices for your wallet.
The info are so helpful. Thank you
Thank you for the good information. In a month it will be time for me to apply for another card and this will help me decide.
Chase and Barclays are my preference. Great updates!
Great list but the Hilton aspire card is missing
Thanks so much for this useful information.
Thanks for the information! Bookmarked it!
I think it is time that I sign up for the ArrivalPlus card. There are certainly some places that it could fit into my wallet. Since I’m moving soon, those expenses could definitely go toward my initial spend for the bonus.
Could you/would you be able to publish a similar article with airline rewards cards in different countries (ex-US)?
Mexico
We would love to Marcos but unfortunately, I don’t know enough about the points and miles scene south of the border to make it worth reading. We are primarily US facing as 90%+ of our readers are from the US.
I found these to be very attractive credit cards, with comparisons and recommendations. Great tool.
Sounds good, I’ll have to look into this.
Just got the Chase Sapphire for the second time. So worth it!
We cover it in detail here – How to check your 5/24 status
Great top ten list. The trend towards higher spending requirements is killing me though. I’m about to get priced out.
Although I prefer Chase I think is important to note Citi and Barclays as the only cards for AA (kindly correct me if I am wrong). Sadly I had mine cancelled years ago without warning and no explanation either. Anyone out there with the same experience tried to apply again? Just curious…
How many sign up their kids for reward cards? I have 2 in college and they get the usual target CC flyers.
You can double dip on the credit card deals if you and you spouse both apply
This blog saves a lot of time looking for the information about benefits from the wide array of credit card offerings.
I am migrating more towards cash back vs miles, especially with many award charts changing to be variable
I already have a Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Visa. Does anyone know if the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card is a different Visa Card? If so, can I get this in addition to the one I already have. Thanks
No, they are one and the same.
That aviator deal mentioned in the comments is not too shabby. But very good list. Thanks.
I’m glad that you guys are here. I would not be able to keep up with the constant changing rules, promotions, and activity tracking. THANK YOU AwardWallet!
Thank you again for the great information!
As always, great tips. Lots of information in one place. Thanks.
I would love to read more articles on this website about credit cards offered by Canadian financial institutions with airline reward bonuses
Saphire Reserve didn’t make the list?
Thank you for this information! Award Wallet is great!
Barclay Arrival Plus is at an all-time high point sign-up. I enjoyed the card when I had it a few years back!
If you have an LLC, score , or c corp you can register those as well for cards and get points
Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card is the best small biz card out there with the highest bonus point welcome offer. Don’t forget if you already have the card, you can still receive up to 100k bonus points a year by referring other businesses.
Chase saphire preferred just up my referral bonus to 15k points
Thanks for all the great content
A great list. However I think the Hilton Aspire card really should be there considering all those great benefits it offered. You can easily earn back those $450 annual fee and IMHO it is really a card should be kept regularly.
I will never get more than one credit card no matter how much you entice me.
Thank you for putting such great information together in an easy to understand format.
So many great options. Thank you
Make sure to read the rules about how you can transfer your UR points from Chase. I was hoping to share with a family member but it’s not allowed. Overall, the UR points are flexible with multiple partners!
Just got my CSP. Love the metal card.
Hoping Chase starts offering some increased/promo award mile bonus’s in the near future…. fingers crossed…
I appreciate the help with earning more miles for more travel!
Chase cards are such a value for transfering to southwest. If you have authorized users, you can transfer to their accounts as well.
It’s interesting how quicckly these lists have changed with a few small benefit changes!
I’m impressed by the way the airline shopping extension in Chrome will remind me of the opportunity to earn miles on the vendor sites. And then it is very convenient to get it configured properly before the purchase.
This month there are some really great “highest ever” credit card promos going. I got the Chase sapphire, again!
Great app! Thank you for providing a way to prevent AA miles from expiring.
The WF Propel Card may be a good option if you’re in the market for an AmEx card.
So many great options. I appreciate the breakdown!
I greatly appreciate this article:
Best Rewards Credit Card Offers for April 2019
Credit Card Earning Category Current Offer Annual Fee Why It Makes The List
Do you update and post similar information for every month?
Yes, bookmark this post and we will be updating the post each month with our top offers.
Thank you. Good to know. I will be using this.
Thank you, this is really useful info.
@Mar Having more than one card is not a bad thing. But one of they key to succeed in using points & miles is to be very organized and strictly responsibly. Each one should know their own limits and obviously use credit responsibly.
I have pretty much no card to apply ever since Chase has furthered its 5/24…
Thank you. I just received my CSP in the mail. I took advantage of the 60k sign up and am hoping the advertised additional 75k for new mortgage through Chase is going to work as advertised as we just secured our loan through Chase and close on the 10th of May. Reading through the fine print now. Hope this all pans out as we are hoping.
Thanks for all the info
I’m glad to know that there is only a 24 month waiting period from the last time I had the card, before being eligible for landing another sign-up bonus.
My concern with these cards is always what to do with it after the first fee free year is up. Canceling and doing the churn and burn makes me worry about my credit score. And I am just not sure the annual fee is worth it…not to mention the annual fee on several cards at the same time. I usually end up doing nothing and skipping it all.
The INK Business seems like a great sign-up bonus. Might have to have my credit pulled for that one!
Great Stuff
Do Citi or Barclays limit cards as Chase 5/24 do?
Not the same rules but all issuers have application restrictions. See this post for details – Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules & Restriction
I like that tip about miles being combined within an alliance. Thank you.
Out of all the options for redeeming miles in my Venture card account, which is the way to maximize their value? I assume it might be the reimbursement for travel expenses, but I have not found the rate for cash back payments.
Reimbursing for travel expenses can be a solid value. The best way to do better than that would be to take advantage of Capital One’s 14 transfer partners. The downside is that booking through transfer partner programs can be more time consuming, but that strategy can give you a significantly higher value than 1 cent per point on the right kinds of trips.
Love all these cards. Gotta pick one…
Have looking for an alternative for Chase Saphire Reserve but to no avail so far
If you sign up for a credit card that offers a sign up bonus for a certain amount of dollar charges in the first few months but you don’t quite make the spending requirement in the time period, all is not lost. Just call their customer service number and ask for a slight extension. I did this and was told to call back when I have met the spending limit. At that time they will request the bonus. I forgot to call back as soon as I had met the requirement. When I did call, I was told they could not help me. I asked for as supervisor. He said he could make the request but doubted it would be approved because I had waited so long.
A few weeks later I received notice the request has been approved.
Lessons learned:
1) Make the request
2) Don’t delay longer than necessary
3) It doesn’t hurt to ask that request be made
4) The worst thing that could happen is the answer will be No, and it could be Yes.
With the help of the information you share with us, I’m gaining more confidence to make use of more of these benefits.
Thank you
Thanks for the great summary! It’s a lot easier than trying to sort through each cards website.
No mention of the 2% cash back Fidelity card. I guess Award Wallet doesn’t get a kickback on this card.
Is there a way around Chase 5/24 rule?
Unfortunately, there isn’t. The best strategy is to just wait it out and focus your earning strategy on business cards that don’t count towards 5/24 if you have business spending.
I used my Venture card to pay the $85 for TSA Precheck at an enrollment center today. It sure is nice to know it will be reimbursed to me as a perk of the credit card account.
I like knowing that each of the purchases I make with a credit card is providing a benefit down the road. I also know that the prices I have to pay include these costs of credit card use into the price. But I can’t have a direct affect on that price, unless there is a posted discount for cash.
The Chase Freedom looks like a great deal at 3% for the first year.
Does any of the cards offer CLEAR membership?
Great question! At this time, we don’t know of any cards that offer free CLEAR membership. It would be a great differentiator.
Great topic! You could make this survey in different countries, Brazil for instance.
Is there more information about a Delta AmEx card with a 70,000 mile bonus?
Hey Marlin, unfortunately, the Amex Delta 75K offer ended at the beginning of April. You can see current offers here: https://awardwallet.com/blog/airline-cards/
Thank you, Erik. Maybe that offer will come around again, if I’m patient.
The bofa card is not bad if you are in their tier award program.
A few years ago my Citi and Barclays card were canceled without explanation and I have excellent credit. Is there a blacklist for these banks? I reapplied for Citi several times but am always turned down.
I asked this question before but no answer so far.
What considerations do you suggest for deciding when I need to close some credit card accounts before signing up for more introductory offers?
If you have a business, Chase Ink preferred is the way to go. 80,000 points can get you allot of travel!!!
I definitely agree with the top to listed credit cards for business and personal.
I’m looking forward to seeing what credit card offers are best for May 2019.
Thanks for sharing! Chase freedom is an outstanding deal
Don’t forget the Amex Everyday does 20% extra points after 30 purchases within the billing cycle
Chase preferred is a great but a concern is that then you cannot get reserve for 48 months
Curious if there’s a blog post that discusses any strategies for dropping or downgrading a card and when it makes sense to do so (Ex. Chase Sapphire Reserve to Chase Sapphire Preferred)?
I dropped reserve so that to apply and get bouns again in two years, but they raised it to four. Was not worth dropping at the end.
Do you know if United credit card would allow a free carry-on AND a checked bag for domestic flights?
What are the indicators when one has accumulated too many credit cards to get their introductory bonuses?
Low credit scores and/or high debt could be an indicator
Nice offers, but might be nice to say who would be eligible or not based on past cards? (i.e. 5/24 applies here, etc.)
Thank you for the recommendations. I’m looking forward to the next opportunity to add one of these cards.
Some great opportunities. Trying to stay under the chase 5/24. Thanks for list.
Trying to find a place to comment/ask about the new IHG card.
Site isn’t that easy to navigate.
Have an IHG card, wondering if I should get the new one and cancel the old one.
Hey Jan, you can find our review of the current IHG card offering here: https://awardwallet.com/blog/ihg-rewards-club-premier-credit-card-review/
If you have the IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card, which is no longer available to new applicants, you might consider hanging on to it. The card comes with a free night and also earns a 10% rebate on award redemptions. The free night should cover the annual fee if you can use it each year. The 10% rebate isn’t offered on the new card, so it’s a benefit that’s off the table unless you already have the card and are grandfathered in.
https://awardwallet.com/blog/ihg-rewards-club-premier-credit-card-review/
Good Comparison side by side. I really like this website as I get 5 AA advantage points for just commenting.
The Venture card I picked from this list has been working well. TSA Pre check, miles, etc. I am happy with it.
The Premier rental car primary insurance is still a reason to keep the AmEx Delta card.
Chase Sapphire looks like a good signup bonus. Does it get very complicated to keep track of the ways to maximize the points?
We often recommend the Sapphire Preferred as the first card because redemption through the Chase portal is very simple, but you also have the option to transfer points to some great partners if you want to dig a little deeper. Ultimate Rewards have several partner programs like United that are very easy to use, and a few that are slightly more work (but can offer great value) like Virgin Atlantic, AirFrance, British Airways, and Singapore.
Thank you. I do want to dig deeper, to see if the Sapphire Preferred has a good transfer rate to Korean Air miles.
Unfortunately, Chase UR discontinued their relationship with Korean Airlines. Marriott is the only program that transfers to Skypass
Man, this is getting oh so complicated. I am sticking with my Chase CSR for now.
How about a review of the new AA Milesaver?
Thank you for the information. I was going to apply for the AMEX Hilton Ascend until the devaluation last month. Instead I am applying for the delta gold credit card.
5/24 is the bane of my existence. 😀
Thank you. Very helpful info !
Always nice to see some of my cards on these lists 🙂
Thank you for the details. These are very helpful recommendations!
I hope one day Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card will have a 100,000 sign up….one can dream….
Hilton American Express is my choice. The best for me.
Curious which one? There are 3 personal + biz…
Very helpful and useful info thanks a lot
I am still hesitant about Citi mainly because I’ve had issues with them in the past.
I would get their card if they got American as a transfer partner, otherwise then I would pass.
I really like my UR and MR points and can do without TY points for now. I’m am so hoping that American sees the benefit in having
a credit card transfer partner!
Sapphire card is the best of the bunch. Although, you can’t go wrong with any of them.
Good to see those no fee options
Does the ink ever offer more than 80,000 points?
Not so far. The bonus has held steady at 80K for a long time.
Lots of great cards. Thanks! Always prefer no fee
I concur with others that it would be nice to see AwardWallet including other bank cards (I am aware of very appealing offers from Barclays and BankAmerica). Perhaps there’s a way to be “partnered” with more banks other than AMEX and Chase (which both have very fine awards programs). It would enhance the experience even further. Thank you for listening, and for the resources on AW. 🙂
Thanks for the great information, just signed up on Chase! 🙂
AMEX Hilton aspire wins this round for me, 150K points + Diamond status is a no brainer
4/24 now and might be time to finally pull the trigger on the Ink.
great list
I love the Chase Ink Business Card
Thanks for the information. nice list.
Thanks for the list! I am looking to add a card or two this year and appreciate the summaries.
This is very useful information to help me choose the right card to maximize my points awards. I look forward to choosing one of the no fee options that suit me best. Thank you!
Thanks for the valuable list! I just applied for one of your top recommendations!
great information, thanks! It is time to get a rewards card.
The table laying out all of the benefits and fees was super helpful. Another great card to consider is the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card. It has no annual fee, 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $1000 in the first 3 months and it offers 1.25x miles on every purchase. A lot of the same benefits of the Capital One mentioned here, but without the hefty $95.00 annual fee.