Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonus Offers May 2018

Credit card sign-up bonus offers are a great way to earn hundreds of dollar’s (sometimes thousands) worth of cash, points and miles. Many times the best deals are only available for a limited time, so we’ve decided to keep track of them on this page.

The biggest bonus values usually are available with personal and business travel credit cards. Many great promotions come from airline or hotel-branded cards, but many can be had with general travel cards for flexibility in redemption.

For those who prefer the simplicity of receiving straight cash back, there are many credit cards with awesome sign-up cash bonuses as well.

If you are new to credit card bonuses, every offer will require various requirements within a specified amount of time to earn the bonus. Typically this will be a set minimum amount you must spend on purchases within the first initial months of account opening.

For points and miles bonuses, you will have the option to redeem for statement credits, travel, gift cards, or other rewards depending on the program associated with that card. It’s important to know the value you’re getting with these points/miles, so we’ve added some insight into what you can expect they’re worth.

Below is our round-up of all the best current sign-up bonuses available from all card issuers. Take a look at the “Best Overall” list first, and then view the other pages for card bonuses based on your specific needs.

PAGE INDEX

• Page 1: Best Overall Credit Card Bonuses
• Page 2: Flexible Travel Credit Card Bonuses
• Page 3: Cash Back Credit Card Bonuses
• Page 4: Airline Credit Card Bonuses (Domestic)
• Page 5: Airline Credit Card Bonuses (International)
  
• Page 6: Hotel Credit Card Bonuses
  
• Page 7: Business Credit Card Bonuses

Best Overall Credit Card Bonus Offers

The most important criteria for credit cards on this list is the value of the bonus offered. Secondly, we look at the earning potential of the card in determining its ongoing usefulness for the user and whether it’s worth keeping around. We’ve picked a few of the best promotions for each category of card with no bias towards a particular card issuer.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^SM 50,000 Bonus Points

The sign-up Bonus: The 100,000 bonus points offer is no longer available , but you can still earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Being marketed as a premium travel credit card, these points are worth $750 in travel when you redeem through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards^® portal. Even with the reduced bonus points offer, the benefits of this card make it the best choice out of all the premium travel cards.

What points are worth with the Chase Sapphire Reserve℠: These Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for cash or gift cards. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve^℠ card, the points can be redeemed for travel at a value of 1.5 cents per point. With Travel and Dining purchases using the card, you’ll earn 3 points per $1. These 3 points equate to a 4.5% (3 X 1.5) rewards rate when you redeem towards travel. All other purchases will earn the 1 point per $1 spent, which can be redeemed at the 1.5% towards travel.

Who the Chase Sapphire Reserve℠ card is good for: While everyone sure can use the massive bonus opportunity, this card benefits customers that spend a good amount on travel and dining. The annual fee on this card is steep at $450. However, this card will let you receive up to $300 in statement credits annually as reimbursement for travel purchases such as airfare and hotels. Consider also the included Priority Pass Select membership ($399 value) and you’ll definitely come out on top if you’re a frequent traveler.

It should be easy to receive the full $300 credit amount if you travel even just a few times a year. Then, earning at least 10,000 points by spending more than $3,333 on travel and dining each year will essentially cancel out the $450 annual fee.

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Barclays Arrival^® Premier World Elite Mastercard^®

The sign-up Bonus: The Barclays Arrival^® Premier World Elite Mastercard^® is unique in that it doesn’t offer an initial sign-up bonus offer. Instead, this card allows users who plan on carrying this card for the long-term to earn up to 25,000 loyalty bonus miles (worth $250) each and every year.

What points are worth with the Barclays Arrival^®: Miles are worth 1 cent per mile when redeemed towards Travel statement credits, which is the best value to use your accrued miles. There are no categories to be concerned with while using this card – you’ll earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on all purchases.  This equates to 2% back when you redeem towards travel.

Who the Barclays Arrival^® card is good for: This card is not intended for someone seeking a great sign-up bonus. Rather, Barclays is targeting consumers that are high spenders looking for a simple travel rewards card that is great value for the long-term. While signing up for new cards with big sign-up bonuses every year will likely bring more value, this card is for users who prefer not to go that route and rather stick to one card. High spenders that make at least $25,000 a year in purchases will earn 25,000 loyalty bonus miles (worth $250), and this bonus can be earned every year.

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 Chase Sapphire Preferred^® 80,000 Bonus Points

The sign-up Bonus: You can earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus earn an additional 30,000 bonus points after you spend $30,000 on purchases within your first year of account opening. These 80,000 total points are worth $1,000 when you redeem towards travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards^® portal.

This has been on of the best card bonuses for travelers for a long time.

What points are worth with the Chase Sapphire Preferred^®: As with all cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points, each point is worth at least 1 cent each, and you can redeem in a variety of ways including gift cards, Amazon purchases and cash back. When you use the points for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards^® portal, they’re worth 1.25 cents each.

Who the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is good for: The bonus points are worth it for anyone, but customers who will benefit the most out of this card will be those who spend on travel and dining. When making purchases in these two categories, you’ll earn 2 points per $1. Purchases outside of these categories will earn 1 point per $1.

Travelers who don’t like being tied to a specific airline or hotel branded card will appreciate the flexibility. As expected with any good travel credit card, there are no foreign transaction fees to worry about.

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Chase Freedom^® $150 Bonus Cash

The sign-up Bonus: You can earn a $150 bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. This is one of the easiest bonuses to earn with a low spending requirement, and it’s straight cash back rather than points.

What rewards are worth with the Chase Freedom^® card: There are no points to convert with this card – you’ll earn straight cash back. Easy and simple. Purchases in quarterly changing categories will earn 5%, while all other purchases earn 1% cash back.

Who the Chase Freedom^® card card is good for: With no annual fee to worry about, this card fulfills the needs of a wide range of customers as an everyday spending credit card. You won’t have to be concerned about spending enough to offset an annual fee like many cards that offer bonuses. You do have to keep up with bonus categories that change every quarter, where you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in spending.

For international travelers – be aware there will be foreign transaction fees.

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Capital One^® Venture^SM Rewards 40,000 Bonus Miles

The sign-up Bonus: You can earn a one-time bonus of 40,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within 3 months of approval. These 40,000 miles are worth $400 in travel redemption. This is one of the better travel bonus values for a card with an annual fee that is waived the first year. After the first year, the annual fee is still a manageable $59. While not the highest card bonus available, this is a great overall card to keep around for most travelers.

What miles are worth with the Capital One^® Venture^SM Rewards: Each mile is worth 1 cent when redeemed for travel rewards. This card earns an unlimited 2 miles for every dollar you spend on all purchases, which basically means you’re getting 2% back when you redeem towards travel expenses. You can also redeem miles for cash, gift cards and more, but you’ll get less value in doing so.

Who the Capital One^® Venture^SM Rewards card is good for: This card and it’s bonus miles will benefit customers that do at least some traveling every now and again. The good news is you don’t have to be concerned about only earning the maximum amount of miles with spending in certain categories. All purchases will earn the 2 miles per $1. However, to maximize what the miles are worth, you should redeem towards travel purchases.

It’s particularly easy to offset the low $59 annual fee (waived the first year) when every purchases qualifies for the 2 miles per dollar spent. As expected, there is no foreign transaction fee for international travelers.

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Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express 50,000 Bonus Points

The sign-up Bonus: Going directly through the American Express website (don’t use the ad links above the Google search) will occasionally reveal an offer for 50,000 Membership Rewards bonus points (worth up to $500). The typical offer is for 25,000 bonus points when the 50,000 one isn’t available. Several American Express credit cards offer sign-up bonuses, so we decided to add this one to the overall best list because of the bonus amount and the fact that the annual fee is waived the first year (it’s $195 thereafter). You must not currently have or have had this card to be eligible for the bonus.

What points are worth with the Premier Rewards Gold Card: Point values will vary according to how you decide to redeem and can actually change at any time. In general, most ways of redeeming will have a maximum points value of 1% (1,000 points are worth up to $10). There are many ways to redeem your points. A good option is to redeem your points through the American Express Travel portal, where the 50,000 bonus points are worth $500.

Who the Premier Rewards Gold Card card is good for: This card is definitely most suitable for frequent travelers, as the maximum amount of points are earned with airfare purchases. You’ll earn 3X points for airfare purchases directly from airlines. Spending at US restaurants, US gas stations, and at US supermarkets will earn 2X points. You’ll still earn 1X points on all other purchases.

You can also get a $100 airline fee credit per calendar year for incidental fees (i.e. baggage fees) charged to your card by a qualifying airline.

Book a stay of at least two consecutive nights using their Hotel Collection page and you can earn 2X points, in addition to a $75 hotel credit to spend on qualifying dining, spa, and resort activities.

There is no foreign transaction fee for international travelers. Be aware that American Express cards are not as widely accepted as Visa and MasterCard depending on your destination abroad.

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Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express $250 Back

The sign-up Bonus: Using the American Express website directly, you can find a bonus offer for $250 back. This offer is worth a mention because the card has no annual fee involved. You can earn $250 back after spending $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of opening. The offer may not appear for everyone, especially if you’re applying through third party websites. When going to the product page on a different computer, we got a $100 bonus offer instead.

What rewards are worth with the Blue Cash Everyday^® Card: There’s no conversion required here – you earn straight cash back in the form of statement credits. You will earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 per year (it’s 1% after that). Spending at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. department stores will earn 2% back, and all other purchases will earn 1% back.

Who the Blue Cash Everyday^® Card card is good for: This is a great everyday spending card for most customers because the categories that earn the most cash back include supermarkets and gas stations. There’s no annual fee with the card, so just pick and choose when you’d like to use the card when it benefits you the most.

Many people prefer straight cash back for simplicity, especially if they don’t particularly spend much on travel and dining out.

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BankAmericard Travel Rewards^® 20,000 Bonus Points

The sign-up Bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus points after spending at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. Redeeming these bonus points toward travel purchases will get you a $200 statement credit. This is one of the best offers from Bank of America because there is no annual fee involved.

What points are worth with the BankAmericard Travel Rewards^®: Redeeming your points for travel is the best way to go. Each bonus point is worth 1 cent when you redeem towards travel, which includes flights, hotels, vacation packages, cruises, rental cards or baggage fees. Redeeming your points for cash or gift cards will be of lesser value.

With every $1 spent on all your purchases earning 1.5 points, you’re essentially getting 1.5% back when you redeem towards travel. You can also increase how many bonus points you earn on every purchase if you have an active Bank of America checking or savings account, or if you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards client.

Who the BankAmericard Travel Rewards^® card is good for: This is a great card for customers who don’t travel enough to offset the annual fees associated with more feature-rich travel cards. Having no annual fee involved, you can hang on to the card and slowly build up enough points until you have travel expenses to redeem towards.

Your points will never expire and there are also no foreign transaction fees, so it’s a good Visa card to use abroad.

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Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier 50,000 Bonus Points

The sign-up Bonus: You can earn $50,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. Redeem these bonus points toward travel on Southwest Airlines and they’ll be worth $500. The $99 annual fee is definitely something to consider, but the bonus opportunity makes up for it.

What points are worth with the Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier: The Rapid Rewards points earned with this card are worth about 1 cent per point on average. When you redeem towards Domestic and international Wanna Get Away?^® fares on Southwest Airlines they are valued at 1.1 cents per point.

Who the Southwest Rapid Rewards^® Premier card is good for: Being an airline branded credit card, this one is best suitable for those who travel on Southwest regularly. You’ll earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines purchases and participating Hotel and Car Rental partners. All other purchases will earn 1 point per dollar. You’ll also receive 6,000 bonus points after your cardmember anniversary, which helps to offset the annual fee quite a bit. There are no foreign transaction fees with this card either.

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Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Platinum Select^® World Elite™ MasterCard^® 60,000 Bonus Miles

The sign-up Bonus: The current special offer directly through Citi’s website is for 60,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Normally the offer is for 30,000 American Airlines AAdvantage^® bonus miles after spending $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

What points are worth with the : Determining what these bonus points are worth when redeeming for airfare can be tricky, but a good way to view it is roughly 1.5 cents per mile. Redeeming your miles for travel will be based on American Airlines’ flight award charts, and those numbers are nice round numbers. You’ll earn 2 AAdvantage^® miles for every $1 spent on American Airlines purchases, and 1 AAdvantage^® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases.

Who the  card is good for: If you’re near an American Airlines hub or fly with them often, this card is well worth it for you. You’ll get a lot of travel benefits that make life that much easier, including getting your first checked bag for free and Group 1 boarding on American Airlines domestic flights. You’ll also be able to fly on American Airlines operated flights for up to 7,500 fewer AAdvantage^® miles. There are no foreign transaction fees with this card.

Next Page: Flexible Travel Credit Card Bonuses…