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Credit card bonuses are an increasingly popular way for credit card companies to entice new customers or reward existing customers for their loyalty. These bonuses can come in a variety of forms, from miles or points to cash back rewards.
These rewards programs come with their own terms and conditions, and it is important to read the fine print before agreeing to any program.
For those who are willing to take the time to research the different credit card bonus options, the rewards can be quite lucrative. With the right card, a customer can expect to receive cash back for every dollar spent on the card.
Some cards also offer promotions where customers can double or even triple their rewards after a certain spending threshold has been met. Additionally, many cards come with annual bonuses that sweeten the deal even further.
The key to making the most of credit card bonuses is to do your research and read the fine print before signing up. It is also important to ensure that your spending pattern matches what the credit card company requires in order to receive the bonus. With all of this in mind, credit card bonuses can be a great way to save money and earn rewards.
There are now credit card bonus offers worth $1000+, especially if you combine rewards.
Read more: See the best credit card bonuses…
Best Credit Card Offers With $1,000 In Bonuses
Here are our top choices for credit cards with high earnings.
Chase Freedom Flex
Estimated total earning potential: $200–$1,000*
Chase Freedom Flex is a simple credit card with no annual fee that can help you earn money in surprising ways if you use it right. Also, as its name suggests, it gives you a little more freedom than the Freedom Unlimited.
With Freedom Flex, you can choose which bonus categories give you 5% cash back every three months. Gas stations, grocery stores, and some online stores are among the choices. Other than that, the card gives the same 5% back on purchases made with Chase Ultimate Rewards, plus 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases and 1% back on everything else.
Freedom Flex has the same welcome bonus as Freedom Unlimited. If you spend $500 or more in the first three months, you can get $200. It also has an APR of 0% for the first 15 months.
*Total based on estimated annual cash back earnings and sign-up bonus
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Estimated total earnings: $200 to $1,200*
Chase Freedom Unlimited is one of my favorite reward credit cards for people who are just starting out. There’s no annual fee, and if you spend $500 or more in the first three months after getting the card, you’ll get a $200 bonus. On top of that, the card gives you 5% cash back on the first $12,000 you spend at certain supermarkets each year. This is worth an extra $600 a year.
Chase Freedom is also a great travel credit card because it gives you 5% back on all travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards. You also get 3% cash back at restaurants, even if you order takeout, and 3% cash back at drugstores. 1.5% cash back is earned on every other purchase.
Plus, you can enjoy all of these earnings without having to worry about paying interest in your first year. Chase Freedom has an introductory APR of 0% for both purchases and balance transfers, so it can be your go-to credit card for more than one thing.
*Total based on estimated annual cash back earnings and sign-up bonus
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Estimated total earning potential: $1,000 to $5,000+*
One of Chase’s most popular credit cards, Sapphire Reserve, is also one of its more exclusive ones. To get it, you’ll need to have a good credit score, and the annual fee is a lot at $550.
Still, this card is so popular because it has so many rewards and perks that make up for the high cost. To start, if you spend $4,000 or more in your first three months, you can get an 80,000-point (about $1,200) bonus. Cardholders also get a $300 statement credit each year that can be used to buy airline tickets.
Members of Sapphire Reserve can also use VIP airport lounges at more than 1,300 locations in the U.S., and every four years, they get a $100 credit toward TSA pre-check. When you add in the fact that you get 10x points on car rentals and hotel stays and 5x points on all other travel expenses, this could be the best travel card you can get for your money.
*Total is based on sign-up bonus, estimated annual rewards earnings, statement credits, and travel perks.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Estimated total earnings: $750 to $2,000*
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a high-end option for people who eat out a lot and travel a lot. There is a $95 annual fee, but when a new cardholder spends $4,000 or more in the first three months, they get 60,000 bonus points, which are worth about $750.
The bonus gets you close to our $1,000 earning limit, but when you earn 5x points on all travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you’ll blow right past it. You also get three times as many points when you eat out, buy groceries, or use certain streaming services.
In general, this is the best card for people who want to spend most of their money on travel. The most valuable thing you can do with the points you earn is travel, so if you want a credit card that gives you cash back, you can probably find a better one.
*Total based on estimated annual cash back earnings and sign-up bonus
American Express Gold Card
Estimated total earnings: $1,000 to $2,000+*
Amex Gold is another great travel card, but its benefits aren’t just limited to flights and hotel stays. It’s a good all-arounder that covers most of the main spending categories, so even if you’re not traveling, it’s a good deal.
If you spend $4,000 or more in your first six months with the card, you’ll get 60,000 bonus points. That will get you off to a good start with your reward points, but you can add to them by spending money at restaurants, grocery stores, or on flights, where you’ll get four times as many points.
The $250 fee per calendar year is a bit high, but the $120 dining credit you can use at a lot of popular delivery apps and restaurants will help you pay for a good chunk of it. You also get an extra $120 toward Uber and UberEats every year, so if you like to eat, your annual card fee is pretty much covered.
*Total is based on sign-up bonus, estimated annual rewards earnings, statement credits, and travel perks.
The Platinum Card from American Express
Estimated total earning potential: $1,000 to $5,000+*
The Amex Platinum Card is a better version of the Gold Card. Its annual fee has gone up to $695, but the sign-up bonus has gone up to 100,000 points to match.
But even though that bonus isn’t anything to scoff at, the Platinum Card keeps giving bonuses because you can earn points all year long. Just look at how many statement credits you can get every year:
- $200 toward hotel stays
- $240 toward streaming services
- $155+ toward Walmart purchases
- $200 toward airline fees
- $200 in Uber Cash
- $300 toward Equinox membership
- Complimentary Priority Pass membership
- Complimentary Centurion airport lounge access
Even if you don’t get the sign-up bonus, a quick calculation shows that this card still earns its members more than $1,000 each year. And that’s before we get to the way it gives points.
Platinum focuses on travel categories when it comes to reward points, giving 5x points for flights and hotels bought through the Amex portal. All other purchases won’t get a multiplier, so it’s best to use a different card at the grocery store, gas station, and restaurants.
So, even though Platinum costs a lot up front, it has a much better chance of making more money in the long run than Gold. You’ll need a good credit history to get this card, but if you do, it’s one of the best-earning cards you’ll find anywhere.
*Based on the sign-up bonus, estimated annual rewards earnings, statement credits, and travel perks
Citi Double Cash
We estimate that you could make a total of $1,000*
Citi Double Cash is a cash-back Mastercard that gives you 2% cash back on every purchase. There’s a catch, though. Double Cash spreads out the 2% instead of giving it all at once.
Here’s how it works: When you buy something, you get 1% cash back, and when you pay your bill, you get another 1% cash back. Because of this, people who tend to carry a balance shouldn’t get the Double Cash card.
Other than that, there is no annual fee, there are no limits on what categories you can use, and there are no limits on how much cash back you can earn. It’s a pretty flexible card that lets you use your rewards in a variety of ways, such as statement credits, gift cards, or travel. You can even buy things from Amazon with the money you get back.
*Based on a budget of $50,000 per year
Capital One Venture
Estimated total earnings: between $750 and $1,500*
Capital One Venture is one of the best travel credit cards for people with good credit. Venture gives you double miles on all purchases, and when you sign up and spend $4,000 in your first three months, you get 75,000 bonus miles.
You can either book your trip through Capital One Travel or use the miles to pay for a trip you bought somewhere else. But it’s best to book through Capital One because hotels and rental cars booked through the app will give you 5x the miles. The card also comes with free TSA Pre-Check and there are no fees for using it in other countries.
Venture has a reasonable annual fee of $95, but if you want a free credit card with fewer perks, you could always choose VentureOne.
*Based on the sign-up bonus, estimated annual rewards earnings, statement credits, and travel perks
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
Estimated total earning potential: $500 to $1,500*
The Wells Fargo Autograph Card is a Visa Signature credit card that lets you earn triple points on gas, restaurants, travel, and more. When you sign up, you get 30,000 bonus points if you can spend $1,500 or more in the first three months. Since there is no annual fee and the APR is 0% for the first year, this is one of the best free credit cards you can get.
The card also comes with a cell phone protection plan, emergency travel assistance, Wells Fargo deals, and a bunch of other useful perks that you can expect from a big issuer. You can also use the other benefits that come with any Visa Signature card, like 24/7 concierge services and special perks at Visa Signature hotels.
*Based on the sign-up bonus, the estimated amount of rewards earned each year, and the perks.
How Credit Card Bonuses Work
Many credit cards give you a sign-up or welcome bonus when you open an account. This is to get you to spend money right away. The spending requirements for these credit card offers are usually met in the first three to six months after opening an account.
For example, a new credit card might give you a $1,000 bonus if you spend at least $5,000 in the first three months. The bonus cash could come in the form of cash back rewards, statement credits, or bonus points.
Even though credit card bonus offers are fun and a good way to tell one card from another, they are only a small part of any rewards program. In fact, the best credit cards keep earning even after you get your welcome offer, so it’s important to look at the whole picture and not just the benefits you get right away.
How Credit Card Rewards Work
Credit card rewards are anything you get for using your card to spend money. Credit card companies offer these rewards to get people to sign up for credit cards and use them to buy things. They can be gift cards, cash back, travel perks, or reward points. Each credit card with rewards has different perks and ways to get them.
Most of the time, cardholders get rewards when they use their card to buy things that qualify. Each card has different bonus categories, like grocery stores or gas stations, that make your transactions worth more money.
Determining Total Value Of Credit Card Rewards
Start thinking about the total value of a new credit card by looking at the costs and fees that come with it. There could be an annual fee, a variable APR, fees for foreign transactions, fees for transferring your balance, and more.
Some of these costs are usually unavoidable, like your annual fee. The good news is that you can avoid paying any interest fees at all if you pay off your entire balance at the end of every billing cycle.
Once you know how much it will cost, you can look at how much you could make. The sign-up bonus for your credit card is an obvious place to start, and it’s also the easiest one to keep track of.
Next are the perks, which can include things like free TSA pre-check and other travel rewards like flight upgrades. Some cards also give you discounts on car rentals, free streaming services, protection plans for your cell phone, and more. It depends on which card you have.
From there, a card’s total value depends on how it is used. For instance, a credit card might have fixed or rotating categories that give you more points when you shop at certain stores.
In your first year, you might also get a higher rate of rewards, so it’s important to make the most of any limited-time offers.
Read more: See the best bank promotions here and the best investing promotions here.
