A credit card sign-up bonus can help you quickly earn valuable rewards as a qualified new cardholder, whether you prefer cash back, points, or miles. Your bonus could be worth up to $750 or more, depending on the offer.
These limited-time credit card offers provide better deals than the standard offers, but they’re only here for a limited time, so act quickly if one meets your needs.
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Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
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Welcome offer
Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months
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Rewards rate
- 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 in purchases annually, then earn 1%)
- 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 3% cash back on transit and U.S. gas stations
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- *Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout
Why we like it: The Amex Blue Cash Preferred has one of the most rewarding cash-back rates available for common expenses, making it easy to earn cash-back rewards on purchases you already make. If you want an everyday rewards earner, this could be your card.
Read our full Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card review
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Rewards rate
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
Why we like it: The Capital One Quicksilver makes sense if you want a straightforward, no-frills cash-back card. With no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or bonus categories to worry about, this can be the only card you need in your wallet.
Read our full Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards review
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Rewards rate
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (includes takeout and eligible delivery service)
- 1.5% on all other purchases
Why we like it: The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a heavy-hitter rewards earner and 0% intro APR card, all with no annual cost. Even better, you have flexibility with your redemption options, with complete control over redeeming your rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards, and more.
Read our full Chase Freedom Unlimited review
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Annual fee
$0
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Welcome offer
Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months
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Introductory APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then variable 19.24% – 29.24% APR
Why we like it: The Capital One Savor has an excellent 0% intro APR offer for new cardmembers, and it also checks multiple other boxes to ensure it provides lasting value. It has no foreign transaction fees, no annual fee, and one of the best rewards rates available for earning unlimited cash back on everyday purchases.
Read our full Capital One Savor Cash Rewards review
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Annual fee
$95
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Welcome offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months — that’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
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Benefits
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel
- Earn up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel
- On every account anniversary, earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year
Why we like it: The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best cards for travelers because it earns valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points and has a low annual fee. You also have flexibility with your redemption options, including redeeming points for airfare, hotel stays, rental cars, transfer partners, and more.
Read our full Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review
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Annual fee
$95
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Welcome offer
Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months, plus a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
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Rewards rate
- 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2x miles on all other purchases
Why we like it: If you want a straightforward card for earning travel rewards on all your eligible purchases, look no further than the Capital One Venture Rewards. This card doesn’t have confusing spend categories, making it the perfect addition to your wallet if you want one card for everything.
Read our full Capital One Venture Rewards review
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Rewards rate
- 5% cash back at different places you shop each quarter (grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more) up to the quarterly maximum, then 1%
- 1% on all other purchases
Why we like it: The Discover it Student Cash Back is a dual threat, allowing you to earn valuable rewards while building a positive credit history. If you compare this card with the non-student version, you’ll find you don’t lose out on its high rewards rate or generous welcome offer.
Read our full Discover it Student Cash Back Credit Card review
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Benefits
- Earn a free night on each account anniversary, plus get a fourth night free when you redeem your points for a consecutive four-night stay at IHG properties
- Receive Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, or NEXUS statement credit of up to $120 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
- Access perks including free upgrades, welcome amenities, and guaranteed room availability when you book at least 72 hours in advance
Why we like it: The IHG One Rewards Premier is one of our favorite hotel cards because you get a free anniversary night each year and automatic elite status. The free night benefit alone can offset the annual fee, so any other value you get from rewards and benefits is just icing on the cake.
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Benefits
- Receive upgrade priority over other Medallion Members within the same Medallion level and fare class
- Receive a Companion Certificate on a First Class, Delta Comfort+, or Main Cabin round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. Terms apply.
- Enjoy 15 complimentary visits to the Delta Sky Club® when you fly Delta, and unlock unlimited visits after spending $75,000 in purchases in a calendar year
Why we like it: The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex makes sense if you frequently fly Delta and want premium travel benefits, such as access to Delta Sky Clubs and up to $240 annual Resy credit (up to $20 back per month on eligible Resy purchases). It’s also an excellent way to boost your Medallion Status yearly, as it boosts Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD) earnings.
Read our full Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex Card review
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Annual fee
$325
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Welcome offer
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months
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Rewards rate
- 4x Membership Rewards Points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x)
- 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x)
- 3x Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com
- 2x Membership Rewards points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com
- 1x Membership Rewards points on all other eligible purchases
Why we like it: The Amex Gold Card is excellent for earning points in the Membership Rewards program on everyday shopping and dining trips. It’s also one of our favorite cards for foodies because of its multiple dining-related perks where you can receive statement credits to more than cover the annual membership cost.
Read our full Amex Gold Card review
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Benefits
- $300 annual credit for travel bookings through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 annual bonus miles (worth $100 in travel spending; starts on your first account anniversary)
- Unlimited access for you and two guests to Capital One Lounges and 1,300+ more lounges through partner networks
Why we like it: The Capital One Venture X is our pick for a premium travel credit card with a reasonable annual fee. You still get the airport lounge access benefits and an annual $300 travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, but you don’t have to pay as much as you would with certain competitor cards.
Read our full Capital One Venture X review
A credit card sign-up bonus is a reward you can earn as a new cardholder on a rewards credit card. You usually must meet a spending requirement to earn a welcome bonus, often rewarded as cash back, points, or miles. For example, earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months after account opening.
The requirements can vary by the welcome offer, credit card issuer, and credit card, but you typically have to spend a certain amount of money on your card within a specific period to earn a bonus.
It’s common for welcome offer spending requirements to give you a three-month period to earn the bonus, but some periods can last for six months or more. The amount of money you must spend for the bonus can vary, but often ranges from $500 to $4,000.
Many business credit card card welcome offers have higher spending requirements, sometimes reaching $15,000 or more in the same amount of time.
You won’t earn the welcome bonus if you don’t meet the spending requirements within the given timeframe. One thing to be aware of is that having any of your expenses credited back because of canceled or returned purchases could affect whether you qualify for a bonus.
The most common types of credit card sign-up bonuses include rewards in the form of:
Cash-back credit cards reward cash back, while travel credit cards reward you with points or miles.
Credit card sign-up bonus requirements can include:
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Approval: You must apply and be approved for a card to qualify for its welcome offer. This could include having a sufficient credit score to be eligible for approval.
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Previous bonus requirements: You might not qualify for a bonus offer if you’ve earned a similar offer recently, such as within the last 24 or 48 months.
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Similar card requirements: You might not qualify for a bonus offer if you have or have had the same or a similar credit card.
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Spending requirements: To earn a welcome bonus, you must spend a certain amount on your card within a specific timeframe.
Consider these factors when reviewing credit card sign-up bonuses:
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Type of reward: Cash back, points, and miles are the most common reward types. If you’re interested in travel, consider points or miles. Otherwise, cash back is the recommended option.
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Rewards value: Not all rewards currencies are the same, so it’s worth researching the estimated value of a currency when researching different welcome offers. For example, 100,000 points on one card could equal $1,000, but the same number of points on another card might be worth $1,500 toward travel on another card.
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Your monthly budget: Going beyond your usual spending habits to earn a welcome offer doesn’t make sense in most situations. For this reason, you should calculate your everyday expenses, such as buying groceries and filling up at gas stations, to see if your typical budget can help you meet the spending requirements for a bonus.
It’s worth looking into the best sign-up bonuses if you have large upcoming purchases. This strategy lets you earn valuable rewards without overspending. However, it’s also worth considering a card’s other perks and benefits to see if they can bring you long-term value.
You typically aren’t taxed for earning a credit card welcome bonus. You might incur taxes if you earned a bonus without spending money or earned rewards in other ways, such as referral bonuses, without spending anything.
These credit cards provide bonus rewards to qualifying new cardmembers:
Multiple credit cards provide welcome bonuses that could be worth at least $750, including:
We researched nearly all available rewards credit cards with sign-up bonuses from major card issuers to find the best sign-up bonuses. We did not research every available credit card from every credit card company or include business cards in our research.
We added over 100 credit cards to a rubric to compare current welcome offers, including their bonus values and spending requirements. We also included card types for each card, such as “cash back,” “travel,” and more.
We determined which cards had the best sign-up bonuses according to the amount of value you could receive from them, as well as the best sign-up bonuses according to card type. Our final list is based on our rubric, research, and expert opinion.
Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn’t include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
