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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers the best overall sign-up bonus, because Ultimate Rewards points are so valuable and flexible.You’ll receive a 25% boost in rewards value when you redeem points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus, you can transfer points at a rate of 1:1 to 11 airline partners and three hotel partners.
A credit card sign-up bonus is one of the best incentives when it comes to opening a credit card. It allows you to earn a substantial amount of rewards in a short period of time, which come in the form of cash back, points or miles. Travel credit cards offer larger sign-up bonuses but usually come with an annual fee and higher spending requirement. Cash back credit cards offer easy-to-earn sign-up bonuses typically valued around $200. To decide which sign-up bonus is best for you, look at the value of the sign-up bonus, the annual fee, the spending requirement to get the sign-up bonus and what benefits and rewards the card will offer long term. Citi is an advertising partner.
Earn 60,000 points (worth at least $750 in travel)
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers one of the most valuable and flexible sign-up bonuses currently available. It’s worth at least $750 toward travel when used in the Chase travel portal, or possibly even more by transferring it to Chase’s travel partners.
Points can be redeemed for a variety of travel needs, including airfare, hotels, rental cars and more. The card does come with a $95 annual fee, though the value of the sign-up bonus more than makes up for the annual fee in the first year.
Who’s eligible:
Applicants who are not currently cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card and who have not received a new cardmember bonus on any Sapphire card within the last 48 months. You’ll also need to be under Chase 5/24. $95
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
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.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
Member FDIC
The information related to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
Redemption options have little value outside of Hilton
Travel benefits are limited
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is a great option if you’re looking for a valuable welcome offer without the annual fee. The value of the offer starts at around $400, earning you at least one free night.
This card also offers a great earning rate for a no-annual-fee card. You’ll earn points for hotel-related spending and on purchases made at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations.
Who’s eligible:
You’ll be eligible for this offer if you have not owned this card or other versions of this card previously.
To see rates & fees for Hilton Honors American Express Card please click here.
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.
Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
Earn 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
Bonus on rental cars and hotels through Capital One
Simple flat-rate rewards on everything else
Transfer miles to 15+ travel partners
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
Two complimentary Capital One Lounge visits each year
No foreign transaction fees
Annual fee
No major U.S. airline travel partners
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card‘s sign-up bonus runs a close second to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It offers a larger number of miles, but it doesn’t have quite as robust a set of airline and hotel partners, making it a little less valuable. Still, it offers valuable flexible rewards that you can redeem for Capital One miles to pay for travel, be reimbursed for past travel or transfer them to more than 15 hotel and airline and hotel loyalty programs. If you prefer this card’s benefits and rewards program, it’s a great alternative to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Who’s eligible:
Existing or previous accountholders may not be eligible for this offer. Also, those who have applied for two or more Capital One cards within the past 30 days may not qualify.
Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Enjoy two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges through the Partner Lounge Network
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
Free night award worth up to 35,000 points each year
No foreign transaction fee
Annual fee
Limited redemption options outside of Marriott
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is offering a very large sign-up bonus for a $95-annual-fee card. You get free night certificates worth up to 150,000 points, or around $1,350 in hotels stays by our estimates. While not as flexible as a points-based offer, you can still get a long weekend at higher end Marriott properties, for a reasonable annual fee.
In fact, this card is a great option for travelers who are frequent Marriott travelers. Earning Marriott Bonvoy points, getting extra elite nights and free night certificates can supercharge your next vacation.
Who’s eligible:
You’re eligible for the bonus on this card if you’re not a current cardmember of the Marriott Bonvoy® Premier, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card or Marriott Bonvoy Bold cards, and also haven’t received a new cardmember bonus on any of those cards in the past 24 months. You’ll also need to be under Chase 5/24.
Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.
Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
No foreign transaction fees.
The information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
Matches your cash back in the first year (worth around $340 for the average cardholder)
Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
Earn a large amount of cash back in quarterly rotating categories
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fee
Have to enroll in quarterly rotating categories
$1,500 limit on quarterly category
You only earn 1% cash back on other categories
The Discover it® Cash Back card provides a unique introductory offer for new cardholders that gets better and better the more that you spend on the card. Discover will match the cash back you earn in the first year for new cardholders. This means that if you earn $100 in cash back in the first year, you will earn an additional $100.
We estimate that the average cardholder who spends around $20,000 on the card could earn around $340 from the cash back match. For savvy spenders, the card could be even more rewarding. If you max out the card’s quarterly rotating categories, you could earn an extra $300 in cash back for those categories alone.
Who’s eligible:
The offer is available exclusively for new cardmembers.
INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem.
Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
No annual fee.
Click through to Discover’s website to see terms and conditions.
Large number of points on common business purchases
Transfer points to 10+ travel partners
25% bonus for Chase travel portal redemptions
No foreign transaction fees
Great travel protections
Annual fee
Requires excellent credit
The Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers one of the largest sign-up bonuses available, as well as great rewards for spending in common business categories – all for a reasonable annual fee.
The points you earn from the sign-up bonus can be used in a variety of ways to suit your business’s unique spending. For example, if you and your employees travel often, you can increase the value of your points by 25% by redeeming them for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. That means points are worth 1.25 cents each instead of 1 cent each. Or, if you often make purchases from Amazon.com, points can conveniently be redeemed to cover all or part of your eligible Amazon.com order — including tax and shipping. You can also redeem points for cash back or gift cards to help incentivize employees.
Who’s eligible:
You’ll need to be under Chase 5/24 to be approved for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. You’ll also need to have an eligible small business to apply. However, freelancers and independent contractors may qualify as small businesses.
Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed 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
Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Member FDIC
The information related to the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
Earn bonus miles on dining, hotels and United Airlines purchases
Airline benefits like free checked bag and priority boarding
2 complimentary United Club passes each year ($118 value)
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
Primary rental car insurance coverage
Excellent travel insurance protections
No foreign transaction fees
Annual fee after the first year
Rewards are limited to United Airlines
The United℠ Explorer Card offers one of the most valuable welcome offers in the airline category worth around $780. This card is packed with airline benefits like free checked bags, priority boarding, Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credits valued at $20 a year, 2 United Club passes each year valued at $118 and primary rental car insurance.
This card also includes excellent travel protections including baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance and trip delay reimbursement.
If you fly United Airlines you’ll also appreciate the miles you can earn on dining, hotels and United purchases. Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays and United® purchases. 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. United miles are worth about 1.3 cents.
Who’s eligible:
You’ll be eligible for this offer if you have not owned this card previously and pass Chase’s 5/24 rule, which means that you have not been approved for five or more personal credit cards from any issuer within the last 24 months.
Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases
Up to $100 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS fee credit
25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Explorer Card
Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip. Terms Apply.
Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United ClubSM with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary
Member FDIC
The information related to the United℠ Explorer Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
Best 0% APR credit card sign-up bonus
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Review Coming Soon
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Intro Purchase APR0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
Annual Fee$0
Regular Purchase APR20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases. After that, a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR applies. Plus, 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers. After, a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR applies. With a long intro APR, you will not have to pay interest on purchases or balance transfers for more than a year.
This card also offers a valuable sign-up bonus with a low spending requirement: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. Similar cards do not offer as valuable of a sign-up bonus, especially cards with a flat-rate cash back structure.
Who’s eligible:
You are eligible for this card’s sign-up bonus if you have not opened an additional Wells Fargo card in the last six months.
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5
$0 annual fee
No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open
Enjoy a premium collection of benefits at a selection of the world's most intriguing and prestigious hotel properties with Visa Signature Concierge
Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (subject to a $25 deductible).
Select “Apply Now” to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions
The information related to the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
Easy-to-earn sign-up bonus
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
Review Coming Soon
Earn 50,000 bonus miles (worth around $600)
Earn 50,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.
Generous sign-up bonus with no spending requirement to earn
Earn Loyalty Points towards AAdvantage status
Airline benefits like free checked bags, preferred boarding and in-flight discounts
$99 annual fee
No bonus categories outside of American Airlines purchases
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® offers one of the easiest sign-up bonuses to earn. This card does not have a spending requirement to earn the sign-up bonus. You’ll just have to make a purchase using the card and pay the annual fee. This sign-up bonus is also extremely valuable for American Airlines loyalists. The sign-up bonus will cover at least one free flight and you’ll receive a number of other American Airlines benefits.
Who’s eligible:
Anyone who is approved for the card is eligible for this offer as long as you have not previously had an account within the AAdvantage program.
Earn 50,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.
10% of your redeemed miles back (10,000 miles maximum per calendar year)
Earn 2X AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases
Earn 1X AAdvantage® miles on all other purchases
Receive 25% inflight savings on food and beverages
No foreign transaction fees
First checked bag free for the primary cardmember and up to 4 companions on eligible bags
The information related to the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
How to compare the best sign-up bonus cards
Evaluate how much the sign-up bonus is worth. (Cash, points or miles)
Determine the overall first-year value of the card by subtracting the annual fee from the sign-up bonus value.
See if the annual fee fits your budget after the one-time sign-up bonus.
Decide if the card fits your financial needs and spending habits by looking at benefits like the intro and regular APR, rewards offered, travel benefits and more.
Look for a card that you’ll be able to use long term to avoid closing it after redeeming the sign-up bonus.
Side-by-side comparison of the best sign-up bonus cards
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
$0
$200
Review Coming Soon
What is a credit card sign-up bonus?
A sign-up bonus is an incentive offered by credit card issuers to persuade consumers to apply for a credit card. It may also be called a welcome offer or welcome bonus. When you are approved for a credit card, you will often see a welcome offer connected to a minimum spending requirement. Typically, you must hit this spending threshold in the first few months of card ownership to earn the sign-up bonus. Sign-up bonuses usually come in the form of cash, points or miles depending on the credit card.
How do sign-up bonuses work?
Despite their name, sign-up bonuses are not earned when you sign-up for the card. After you are approved for the card, you will usually have around three to six months – depending on the card issuer – to earn your sign-up bonus. The higher the bonus, the more you typically have to spend to earn the sign-up bonus. If you do not hit the spending requirement, you will not earn the bonus.
Discover is an exception with its sign-up bonuses. They offer a cash back match program where you’ll earn an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match on all cash back at the end of your first year.
Here are a few features to consider as you look to find the best credit card signup bonuses.
While it is easy to value cash back rewards, the value of hotel points or airline miles can vary based on how they are redeemed. Because of that, you should think about how you would redeem these rewards. Investigating some sample redemption options and comparing the dollar value to the number of points required should give you a better idea of how far a card’s sign-up bonus can take you.
Most credit cards require you to make a certain amount of purchases on the card within the first few months of having the card to get the sign-up bonus. For cards with high welcome offers, the spending threshold is also often quite high. Make sure that you can meet the spending requirement before you apply for a new card.
Depending on the type of rewards that your credit card earns, it may be easier or more difficult to redeem your points. Cash back rewards are always the easiest to redeem, and most bank points like Chase Ultimate Rewards® or American Express Membership Rewards points allow you to redeem in a variety of different ways. But if your card earns hotel points or airline miles, make sure you understand the different redemption options and how easy or difficult it is to get value for your points and miles.
While many credit cards have no annual fee, others do come with a fee that you have to pay each year. While most credit cards with annual fees are worth getting for at least the first year (due to the outsized value of the welcome bonus), make sure that you account for the annual fee when considering the value of a credit card’s sign-up bonus.
Most credit cards offer rewards or cash back with each purchase. Some credit cards give the same rewards rate for all purchases, while others offer different rewards rates depending on where you’re making the purchase. Consider your spending habits and look for a credit card that offers bonus rewards in the categories where you spend the most.
Many credit cards, especially hotel and airline credit cards, offer other credits and benefits. These might include free luggage, travel credits, free hotel night certificates or elite status. Look at the card’s ancillary benefits to see how much value they would provide to your specific situation.
Pros and cons of credit card sign-up bonuses
Sign-up bonuses can be redeemed in a number of ways: Depending on the card that you choose, you can redeem your sign-up bonus for cash, travel, gift cards and more.
Ongoing rewards: Cards that offer sign-up bonuses often come with excellent ongoing rewards in a variety of categories.
Other benefits: Rewards credit cards offer additional benefits like travel perks, insurance and purchase protections.
Competitive offers: The purpose of a sign-up bonus is to entice the consumer to apply for a credit card. For this reason, card issuers often create highly competitive offers.
Spending requirement: Earning a card’s sign-up bonus requires you to spend a certain amount. Be careful not to rack up money on your card that you are unable to pay off after earning the sign-up bonus.
Higher interest rates: Rewards credit cards often come with higher rates.
Potential annual fees: Typically the higher sign-up bonus cards come with higher annual fees.
Requires good to excellent credit: Cards that offer a number of rewards usually require good or excellent credit.
How to earn a credit card sign-up bonus
In order to earn a sign-up bonus, you typically need to spend a certain amount over a specific period of time using that credit card. The details of the sign-up bonus can be found with the terms of the card.
Some cards require you to spend more than others to earn the sign-up bonus. When opening a new credit card, it is important to consider how the spending fits within your budget.
Tips for earning sign-up bonuses
Sign-up bonuses may come with colossal spending requirements, which can tempt you to spend past your budget. There are many strategies to help you avoid putting yourself into debt:
Move all of your regular household spending to the new card
Consider updating your autopay cards to the new card
Be smart about when you sign up for a new card — ideally right before you have large one-time bills or purchases
Look at prepaying some expenses like taxes, utilities, insurance or other recurring bills
If you’re out with a group, pay the bill (with your new card) and get reimbursed by the others
Ask family or trusted friends if you can pay some of their bills (and get reimbursed)
How to choose the best credit card sign-up bonus
With so many credit cards out there, it can be challenging to find the card that is the best option for you. Here are a few things that you’ll want to keep in mind when choosing the best credit card sign-up bonus:
1. Make sure your credit history is up to par
First of all, look at the eligibility requirements of the cards that you are considering. Most credit cards will consider your income, credit score and overall financial situation when deciding whether to approve your application.
Don’t know your credit score? Sign up at LendingTree to get your free credit score and recommendations to boost your score.
FICO Score
Vantage Score
300-579 is poor credit
580-669 is fair credit
670-739 is good credit
740-799 is very good credit
800-850 is exceptional credit
300-499 is very poor credit
500-600 is poor credit
601-660 is fair credit
661-780 is good credit
781-850 is excellent credit
2. Choose the type of rewards you want to earn
Deciding what kind of rewards you want to earn is another step toward choosing the best credit card sign-up bonus. Different cards offer different types of rewards, like cash back, airline miles, hotel points or bank points.
Tip: You should also check the redemption options in the program to make sure you can redeem points/miles for what you want. Also, check how many points or miles it will require. That will make sure you understand how close the card’s sign-up bonus will get you to where you want to go.
3. Make sure you qualify to earn the bonus
Many issuers have additional restrictions besides just your credit score, income and financial situation. Even someone with perfect credit might open a card and meet a spending threshold just to learn that they weren’t qualified for the bonus. Major issuers typically put restrictions on earning sign-up bonuses to avoid credit card churning — the practice of repeatedly opening and closing credit cards with the intention of earning sign-up bonus rewards. Make sure that you always read the fine print of the offer before you apply.
What is the Chase 5/24 rule?
Chase’s 5/24 rule prevents cardholders from earning a sign-up bonus on a Chase credit card if they have opened more than four accounts with any issuer in the past 24 months. The rule is in place to deter cardholders from opening new cards just to earn sign-up bonuses. It’s an unwritten rule, which means, it’s not included in Chase’s fine print anywhere. Users have reported it in online forums after being turned down for a credit card.
Other issuer restrictions on sign-up bonuses
Issuer
Restrictions
Chase
Chase has an unwritten “5/24 rule” that prevents you from being approved for a new Chase card if you have opened five personal credit cards (from any issuer) within the past 24 months. In addition, if you’ve received a new cardmember bonus for a particular card (or card in the same family) within the past 24 months, you won’t be eligible to receive the current sign-up bonus for that card.
American Express
American Express has a once-per-lifetime card bonus policy. This rule means that each customer can only get a welcome offer for a specific card once in the customer’s lifetime.
Capital One
If you are an existing or previous account holder for a Capital One card, you may not be eligible for that particular card’s one-time sign-up bonus. You also may not be eligible if you’ve applied for a Capital One credit card two or more times in the past 30 days, or if you have five or more open Capital One credit card accounts.
Citibank
With Citi, a card’s bonus is not available if you received a bonus for the same card within the past 48 months.
Bank of America
Bank of America offers a one-time sign-up bonus to customers opening a new account. You may not be eligible for a card if you currently have or have had the card in the past 24 months.
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo limits sign-up bonuses to cardholders who have opened the same card and earned the bonus already within the last 15 months. Also, you may not qualify for an additional Wells Fargo credit card if you have opened a Wells Fargo credit card in the past six months.
4. Calculate the value of the bonus
It’s crucial to understand the value of an offer before you apply. While cash back bonuses are fairly straightforward, the value of points and miles can vary dramatically depending on how you redeem them. For example, with the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, 50,000 miles is worth around $750 in airfare because Delta miles are worth around 1.5 cents. It’s therefore important to estimate the point value and the overall value of the bonus based on how YOU intend to redeem the rewards in order to properly compare.
Tip: It can be challenging to determine the value of a card’s points or miles. See our section below for steps on how to make this calculation.
How to calculate the value of a sign-up bonus
First, take the cash value of your target redemption option and divide it by the number of points or miles — be sure to subtract any taxes and fees that you have to pay in cash. This will give you the value per point or mile.
Point value = $ value of target redemption option (minus taxes/fees that you still have to pay) ÷ Number of points
Multiply the number of points/miles by the point value
Then, take the point value and multiply it by the number of points in the sign-up bonus. That will give you an approximate cash value for that card’s welcome bonus.
Bonus value = $ value of points or miles x Number of points or miles
Example: 80,000 miles x $0.01 (1 cent per point) = $800
How do you calculate the value of a hotel certificate?
Some hotel credit cards offer free night certificates that you can use at a variety of different hotels. These certificates often come with a lot of restrictions, so you should generally assume they’re worth less than their maximum point value. You might value them at 80% or 90% of their listed point value due to the restrictions.
Besides the sign-up bonus, you should also consider a card’s ongoing rewards — especially if you want to keep it. This includes benefits like travel credits, elite status perks or other benefits. Weigh these ongoing benefits against the annual fee to see if the card is worth keeping. Note that cards with annual fees often are more valuable than those without annual fees, especially in the first year.
Travel card comparison:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Welcome offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
Point value
$0.01
$0.015
Value of bonus
$600
$750
Earning rate
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
Points earned on $20,000 in travel purchases
$1,000
$600
Value of rewards and benefits
$1,600
$1,350
Annual fee
$95
$250
Value minus annual fee
$1,505
$1,100
Other benefits
Hotel credit, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance, trip delay reimbursement, travel and emergency assistance services, purchase protection, extended warranty protection
In-flight discount, annual companion certificate, discounted Delta Sky Club lounge rate, free checked bag for up to eight people in the same reservation, priority zone 1 boarding, baggage insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance, extended warranty, purchase protection
To see rates & fees for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card please click here.
Cash back card comparison:
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Sign-up bonus
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
Earning rate
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
Cash back earned on $20,000
$400
$200 - $1,000
Value of rewards and benefits
$600
$400 - $1,200
Annual fee
$0
$250
Value minus annual fee
$600
$400 - $1,200
Other benefits
Cellphone protection, 24/7 concierge service, access to the Visa Signature Hotel Collection, zero liability protection
Auto rental collision damage waiver (secondary coverage), trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance, travel and emergency assistance services, extended warranty, purchase protection
Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
$200 total value
To see rates & fees for Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card please click here.
Should you get a credit card with a large sign-up bonus?
Deciding if you should choose a card with a large sign-up bonus depends on how you plan to use the card long term. There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to sign-up bonuses. Large sign-up bonuses may feel enticing, but it’s important to consider how the benefits and rewards the card offers would fit into your spending habits after the sign-up bonus.
Also consider how much you would have to spend to get to a large sign-up bonus. Cards with larger sign-up bonuses often require higher spending, and you won’t want to start your new credit card off with a balance you can’t pay and avoid interest.
Should you keep the card after earning the bonus?
You should keep your credit card open after earning the sign-up bonus. It’s important to choose a card that fits best for your individual needs and spending habits so that you can keep it open after you have cashed out the sign-up bonus.
If you redeem the sign-up bonus and determine the card you have chosen is not right for you, many banks allow you to switch to another card. You may be able to switch – or downgrade – to a card without an annual fee, one with a lower annual fee or another card the issuer offers that better fits your spending habits.
It is also a red flag to issuers if you frequently open and close accounts. This could decrease approval odds when trying to open new cards down the line. You also may not receive a sign-up bonus at all if you have carried the card in the past or open and close cards within a short period of time.
Tip: If you are worried that opening a new credit card will affect your credit score, know that in the short term, your credit score will go down a little bit. But in the long term, a new credit card will have positive benefits for building your credit.
Opening a new credit card puts a hard inquiry on your credit and decreases the average age of accounts which makes up 15% of your FICO score. However, a new credit card will significantly increase your credit score over time by improving your credit utilization ratio – your debt in relation to your total available credit – while reporting your account and payment history to the three major credit bureaus.
Frequently asked questions
Generally, the following purchases and transactions won’t count toward the minimum spend amount required to earn a sign-up bonus: balance transfers, cash advances, ATM transactions, travelers checks, foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers or similar cash-like transactions, lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, race track wagers or similar betting transactions, interest, unauthorized or fraudulent charges and fees of any kind, including annual fees, returned payment fees, late fees and monthly fees.
Once you qualify for the sign-up bonus, the amount of time it takes to post to your account may vary depending on the issuer. For example, Chase states that cardholders should allow six to eight weeks for the bonus to post to your account, while Bank of America may take eight to 10 weeks.
Note, your account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfillment.
In most cases, you cannot earn more than one sign-up bonus offer from the same card. Plus, depending on the issuer, you may not be able to earn a sign-up bonus from more than one card in the same card family. However, if you close the card account and re-apply after a set amount of time, you may be able to receive a sign-up bonus from the new card.
For example, if you are a current cardholder of a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or a Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or if you are a previous cardholder of either card who received a new cardmember bonus within the past 48 months, you wouldn’t be eligible to receive the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card’s current new cardmember bonus.
Sign-up bonuses that require you to spend a certain amount to earn the bonus are considered rebates instead of income. Therefore, they are not taxable.
But if you receive a bonus without a spend requirement, it may be taxable. If this is the case, you will need to submit a Form 1099-INT or Form 1099-MISC to the IRS.
Methodology: How we chose the best sign-up bonuses
To select the best card for each of these categories, our credit card experts compared a broad range of credit cards on LendingTree.com and major issuer sites, including cash back cards, travel cards, business cards and more.
We chose our top picks based on a variety of factors:
Value of the card’s sign-up bonus
Type of rewards offered
Spending threshold required to earn the bonus
The card’s annual fee
The ongoing value of the card once the bonus has been earned
Other factors that come into play when making our selection include the variety of benefits the card offers, including insurance protections and travel perks.
To see rates & fees for Hilton Honors American Express Card please click here.
To see rates & fees for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card please click here.
To see rates & fees for Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card please click here.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
The information related to the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, Chase Freedom Flex℠, Capital One Spark Cash Plus and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
Sammi Panko
Expertise: Credit cards, personal finance
Education: Appalachian State University
Sammi Panko is a web content coordinator covering credit cards at LendingTree.
Before joining LendingTree, Sammi worked as a content marketing and paid media specialist at a digital marketing agency, a marketing specialist covering topics in home appliances and real estate and a freelance writer. From her experience writing about personal finance and homeownership, Sammi is passionate about guiding consumers toward making wise financial decisions
Sammi earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a focus in advertising from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.