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Erika's Picks for Best Sign-up Bonuses
- Best for premium travel rewards:
Chase Sapphire Reserve® - Best for beginners:
Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Best for general travel:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Best for everyday spending:
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express - Best for new & small businesses:
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card - Best for business travel:
Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
Sign-up bonuses are a common credit card incentive — and plenty of cards offer them.
The best sign-up bonuses have achievable spending requirements, offer a valuable haul of points, and provide flexible redemption options so you can use your rewards in a way that works for you.
Best for Premium Travel Rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Rewards Rate
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
Welcome Offer
Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee
$795
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best travel credit cards out there, and right now, the card comes with its biggest welcome offer ever: 150,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months!
Yes, the card does come with a very high annual fee, but its many credits and benefits add up to $3,000 in annual value. For example, you get:
- $300 annual travel credit
- $500 annual credit for The Edit℠ hotels and resorts through Chase Travel℠
- $300 annual StubHub credit for concerts and events
- $288 annual value through Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions
- $300 annually in DoorDash promotions
- $120 annual Lyft credits ($10 monthly)
- Up to $120 annual Peloton credits
- Access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge® and Priority Pass™ Select lounges
- Coverage for trip cancellation, trip delay, lost luggage, baggage delay, emergency evacuation, and emergency medical and dental
Between the ongoing perks and the welcome offer, you can get a lot of value from the Sapphire Reserve — just be sure you can reasonably afford the annual fee.
If you're a frequent traveler who can afford the annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best cards to have in your wallet. It's got all the perks you need for regular travel, like airport lounge access, robust insurance coverage, a credit every four years for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck®, and annual credits for hotels and other bookings.
Plus, with Chase, you're not limited to only redeeming points through Chase Travel℠, and can transfer your points to partner airlines such as Air France KLM, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Southwest, and United.
Best for Beginners
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Rewards Rate
- 5% cashback on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3% cashback on drugstore purchases, restaurants, takeout, and eligible delivery services
- 2% cashback on Lyft rides (through September 30, 2027)
- 1.5% on all other purchases
Welcome Offer
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee
$0
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a solid rewards card for someone with a lower monthly budget, since it has no annual fee. And it also comes with a welcome offer of $200 cashback when you spend just $500 in 3 months.
The ongoing rewards are nothing to scoff at, either. The base rate for every purchase is higher than many other rewards cards, and the bonus spending categories help you maximize your rewards further.
Card features and benefits include:
- Six months complimentary DashPass access (activate by December 31, 2027)
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
- Auto rental coverage
- Travel and emergency assistance
- Purchase protection for 120 days (up to $500 per item)
- Extended warranty protection
The Chase Freedom Unlimited®’s sign-up bonus is excellent because there's no minimum spending requirement.
The elevated rewards-earning potential is appealing, too. It’s a pretty straightforward card that pays you back for purchases at restaurants (takeout and delivery apply too) and drugstores.
It’s also a solid travel card. While you don’t get airport lounge access or TSA PreCheck®, you do receive higher earning rates on bookings through Chase Travel℠, and the card comes with insurance if your trip is interrupted or canceled.
Best for General Travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Rewards Rate
- 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries
- 2x on all other travel purchases
- 1x on all other purchases
Welcome Offer
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee
$95
The Chase Sapphire family of credit cards offers excellent rewards in travel and other spending categories. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the sibling with a fairly low annual fee but still an impressive sign-up bonus and ongoing rewards.
After spending $5,000 in the first three months from account opening, you’ll receive 75,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards® points. These are flexible to redeem for cash, gift cards, statement credits, and travel.
Other card features and benefits include:
- No foreign transaction fees
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance (up to $10,000 per covered traveler and $20,000 per covered trip)
- Auto rental coverage
- Baggage delay insurance (up to $100 per day for up to five days after a minimum six-hour delay)
- Trip delay reimbursement (up to $500 per covered traveler if your common carrier is delayed by at least 12 hours)
- Complimentary DashPass membership for one year (activate by December 31, 2027)
For a reasonable annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a lot of bang for your buck — especially if you’re a traveler. Points are worth 1.25 cents instead of 1 cent when redeeming through Chase Travel℠, helping you get a lot further with your rewards.
You also earn elevated points on other travel spending and dining out, so if you’re a foodie as well as a frequent flier, it’s a good option for you.
The Sapphire Preferred also allows you to transfer points to any of three hotel brand partners and more than 10 airline partners. This gets you equal point value with Southwest Rapid Rewards® and United MileagePlus®, for example.
Best for Everyday Spending
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Rewards Rate
- 6% cashback on purchases at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%)
- 6% cashback on select U.S. streaming services
- 3% cashback on U.S. gas station and transit purchases (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more)
- 1% cashback on all other purchases
Welcome Offer
As High As $300 Cash Back. Find Out Your Offer.
You may be eligible for as high as $300 cash back after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Cash back is received as Reward Dollars, redeemable for statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout. Terms Apply.
Annual Fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (rates and fees)
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a powerful card with a low annual fee (plus no annual fee for your first year). It offers elevated rewards on groceries, streaming services, and gas purchases.
Your welcome offer is easy to earn: Just spend $3,000 in the first six months after opening the card and earn up to $300 cashback.
Other benefits you get with the card include:
- Up to a $10 monthly statement credit for a subscription purchase (including bundles) at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com (enrollment required; subject to auto-renewal)
- Car rental loss and damage insurance*
- 24/7 Global Assist Hotline for when you travel more than 100 miles from home*
- Purchase protection for 90 days (up to $1,000 per item, up to $50,000 per calendar year)*
- Extended warranty protection*
Unlike some other cards on this list, there’s no trip cancellation/interruption insurance or baggage delay insurance.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.One of the perks of this card’s welcome offer is that you have a longer period to meet the minimum spending requirement. Your spending must total at least $3,000 in six months (not three months, unlike many rewards cards).
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is also a big winner for a high cashback rate on purchases at U.S. supermarkets, subscriptions to streaming services, transit purchases like trains and rideshares, and at U.S. gas stations.
Best for New & Small Businesses
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Rewards Rate
- Unlimited 1.5% cashback on every purchase made for your business
- 5% total cashback on Lyft rides through 9/30/27
Welcome Offer
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee
$0
For new or small businesses that don't have high monthly expenses but still want to earn cashback, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a good option. It doesn't charge an annual fee, has an easy flat cashback rate, and currently has an offer of $750 cashback after you spend $6,000 in the first 3 months.
Plus, you're not limited to just cashback. You can also redeem rewards for gift cards, travel, and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
While the card doesn't come with a ton of perks, it does offer:
- Purchase protection for 120 days from the date of purchase, up to $10,000 per item
- Extended warranty protection for an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less
- Auto rental coverage up to $60,000 for theft and collision
- Emergency roadside assistance
- Travel and emergency assistance
Since it doesn't offer as many perks as more premium business credit cards, the Ink Business Unlimited is best suited to sole proprietors, freelancers, and anyone who has a side hustle. If your business is more established, you may want to consider upgrading to a card like the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
If your business is new, you may not yet know which categories you'll spend the most in. In this case, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card can be a good starting point, since it has a flat-rate earning structure. There's also no annual fee and the welcome offer doesn't have an overly high spending requirement.
Plus, while the card doesn't offer a ton of perks, it does come with purchase protection, extended warranty protection, rental car coverage, and assistance for roadside and travel emergencies.
As your business becomes more established, you may want to upgrade to a more premium business card with an annual fee, but more perks.
Best for Business Travel
Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
Rewards Rate
- 8x points on Chase Travel℠ for airline tickets, hotels, including The Edit℠, car rentals, cruises, activities, and tours
- 5x total points on Lyft rides (through 9/30/27)
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct
- 3x points on social media and search engine advertising
- 1x points on all other purchases
Welcome Offer
Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $20,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee
$795
The Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ is admittedly a very pricey card, but if your business his high revenue to justify it and at least $5,000 per month in expenses, you can tap into a whopping welcome offer of 200,000 points after spending $30,000 in your first 6 months.
And if you're a frequent business traveler, the value you get in perks from the card can easily cancel out the annual fee:
- Up to $300 annual travel credit for any travel purchases outside of Chase Travel℠
- Up $500 annual credit for The Edit℠ (a collection of over 1,100 hand-picked hotels and resorts bookable through Chase Travel℠)
- Up to $120 statment credit every four years to help cover the cost of Global Entry/TSA PreCheck®/Nexus
- Complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status
- Access to Priority Pass and Chase Sapphire lounges, with the ability to bring two guests per visit
- Full suite of travel protections, including trip cancellation/interruption, trip delay, baggage delay, emergency medical/dental, and emergency evacuation — those last two are especially rare to find in a credit card
There are also several business-focused annual credits available for ZipRecruiter, Google Workspace, Giftcards.com, DoorDash, and Lyft — if your business regularly uses these brands, you could save over $1,000 in a year.
The Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ has one of the biggest welcome offers we've ever seen, but it's specifically designed for businesses that have high revenue and require a lot of travel.
If you're frequently on the road for work and your business costs can justify the annual fee, you'll earn a ton from this card via perks like lounge access, extensive travel protections, and statement credits for travel and business purchases.
However, if your business is new or isn't earning much yet, you may want to hold off on this ultra-high-end card until you're more established.
How Do Credit Card Sign-up Bonuses Work?
To earn a sign-up bonus, you’ll usually have to hit a minimum spending threshold in the first three to six months after opening your account. The requirements vary and can range from $500 to $4,000 or more.
Read the fine print to make sure you know what you need to do to earn the sign-up bonus. It’s never worth it to spend beyond your means just to earn a sign-up bonus — if you end up carrying that balance from month to month, the interest will quickly offset your bonus.
Once you hit the minimum spending requirement and your card provider validates you’ve met any additional requirements, your sign-up bonus will be credited to your account.
Some issuers note that it could take several weeks for the bonus to be finalized, or that you’ll need to wait until the end of the eligibility period. But it’s not uncommon for your bonus to be reflected in your account within a week or so of hitting the threshold.
What To Look for in a Sign-up Bonus
When you’re ready to start shopping for a credit card, here are a few things to look for:
Does it fit within your budget?
If you need to spend more than you normally would in order to qualify, think carefully about whether it fits your budget. Overspending can lead to debt, and interest can diminish the value of your earned points.
Is the annual fee worth it?
Some of the best sign-up bonuses are tied to cards with expensive annual fees. If you’re eyeing a premium card, look at the benefits and figure out if (and how) you’ll actually use them.
Are there any restrictions?
Some issuers won’t allow you to claim a bonus if you’ve earned one with the same family of cards before, or if you’ve earned a bonus with one of their cards within the last few years.
Other credit cards might have limitations on how points can be redeemed. Review any restrictions to determine if they’ll affect your ability to earn rewards.
How will you use the card?
Will it be used to cover personal expenses or for your business? Will you use the card for daily expenses or a big purchase, like a new sofa?
Develop a plan for how you'll use the card to see which sign-up bonus makes sense for you.
Do the points expire?
Some cards come with points that have to be used within a specific window. Check the fine print and ensure you can use earned points before they expire.
Will you even be able to use the points you earn?
Many travel rewards credit cards offer great sign-up bonuses, but if you aren’t able to use them, earning the bonus might be a moot point.
For example, if your airport isn’t served by the issuer’s travel partner network, you may not be able to get the best value from points.
Pros and Cons of Sign-up Bonuses
Credit card sign-up bonuses can be very enticing — that’s kind of the point. Issuers offer them as an incentive for you to sign up for their card over another issuer’s.
But it’s important to consider the implications of pursuing a credit card sign-up bonus.
Pros
- Extra cash: Cards that offer a sign-up bonus without charging an annual fee are basically handing out free cash. Plus, points you accrue can be used as statement credits, helping offset your monthly bill.
- Free vacations: When you’re strategic with sign-up bonuses, you can score a free — or at the very least, heavily discounted — vacation. Combine that with many other perks travel credit cards offer, like airport lounge access, and you've got a premium travel experience.
- Build credit: New credit accounts for 10% of your credit score. Just be careful: Opening too many cards in a short time can also hurt your score.
Cons
- Risk of overspending: Trying to meet a spending requirement that's beyond your means could lead to credit card debt.
- Damage credit: Making a lot of purchases in a short time just to get the sign-up bonus can impact your credit utilization. High utilization signals to potential lenders that you may be a risky borrower.
- Unable to use the sign-up bonus: The sign-up bonus is only good if you can use it. This is especially true if the card has restrictions on how you can redeem your points or if they expire.
Bottom Line: Are Credit Card Sign-up Bonuses Worth It?
Yes! But only if the spending requirement is within your budget. To decide if a sign-up bonus makes sense, calculate whether you can meet the minimum spending requirement without changing your spending habits.
When selecting a card, it's smart to start with an end goal, like a two-week hike in New Zealand or a week at a luxury resort in Hawaii. This can help you pick a card with the right points, transfer partners, and rewards to make your dream a reality!
Frequently Asked Questions
While there's technically no limit to how many credit cards you can hold, there are often limits on how many sign-up bonuses you can receive from the same card family.
For example, Chase doesn't allow you to earn a bonus from the Chase Sapphire Reserve® if you already have the Chase Sapphire Preferred®. Read the fine print.
Most bonuses require you to meet the spending requirement in the first three to six months. After meeting the requirements, your issuer will verify and credit your account.
Bonus posting varies; it may take a few days or a billing cycle or two.
