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Erika's Picks for Best Sign-up Bonuses
- Best for all-around travel rewards:
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card - Best for no annual fee:
Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Best for travel:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Best for everyday spending:
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express - Best for business expenses:
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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 All-Around Travel Rewards
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Rewards Rate
- Earn 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2x miles on all other purchases
Welcome Offer
$250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
Annual Fee
$95
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the best all-around credit cards, thanks to its robust earning power. It’s a top card for frequent travelers because of its unlimited potential to earn double miles on dollars spent.
Not only do you get 75,000 reward miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months after opening your account, but you also receive $250 to put toward Capital One Travel during your first cardholder year.
The welcome offer has a reasonable minimum spend to earn the mileage bonus, and if you take advantage of the travel offer, your bonus effectively totals $1,000.
But don’t apply for this card purely for the sign-up bonus — the Venture Rewards also has other benefits that make it worthwhile, especially given its low annual fee:
- No foreign transaction fees
- Auto rental collision damage waiver
- Travel accident insurance
- 24-hour travel assistance services
- Statement credit toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has some of the best added perks of any rewards card. If you’re a frequent flyer, having your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee covered is great as it lets you navigate more smoothly through airport security.
If you like Capital One Travel for booking flights and hotels, this is the ideal card for you, since you earn elevated points on those bookings.
Capital One also has a flexible redemption program so you can book travel using rewards miles or transfer them to a number of loyalty programs. Gift cards, cash, or shopping at various retailers are other redemption options (not just flight and hotel purchases).
Best for No Annual Fee
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Rewards Rate
- 5% cashback on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3% cashback on drugstore purchases, restaurants, takeout, and eligible delivery services
- 1.5% on all other purchases
Welcome Offer
Limited Time Intro Offer: Earn a $250 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 a much lower spending requirement to earn the sign up bonus.
Unlike the other cards in this roundup, the Freedom Unlimited has no annual fee, making it an easy card to keep on hand without racking up extra costs.
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 TravelTM, and the card comes with insurance if your trip is interrupted or canceled.
Best for 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 100,000 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 100,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards® points. This offer is limited, and this card rarely has sign-up offers this lucrative – those points can go a long way! 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 TravelTM, 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%) and on select streaming services
- 3% on U.S. gas station and transit purchases
- 1% on all other spending (cashback is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout)
Welcome Offer
Earn $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first six months
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 a $250 statement credit.
Other benefits you get with the card include:
- $84 Disney Bundle credit (enrollment required)
- 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 Business Expenses
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Rewards Rate
- 3x points on every dollar spent on shipping, advertising with social media and search engines, internet, cable, phone, and travel — up to the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in these categories
- 1x per dollar spent everywhere else
Welcome Offer
Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
Annual Fee
$95
If you’re a business owner, consider the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. It offers a host of benefits and rewards, as well as a lucrative sign-up bonus.
Your business needs to spend a minimum of $8,000 within the first three months after opening the account to earn the bonus. But the 90,000 bonus points you receive is excellent — it’s worth $900 if redeemed for statement credits or cash.
Even better, your points are worth 25% more if redeemed through Chase TravelTM, making this a terrific card if you do a lot of business travel. The sign-up bonus points alone are worth $1,125 this way.
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns an elevated rate on common business expenses such as internet, cable, and phone services and advertising costs incurred through social media.
This is also an excellent travel rewards card, thanks to the higher earning rate on travel purchases.
The card offers plenty of other benefits that make it stand out:
- Reward points transfer at a 1:1 ratio to popular travel partners like Air Canada Aeroplan and World of Hyatt
- No foreign transaction fees
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
- Auto rental coverage
- Roadside assistance
- Employee cards at no additional cost
If you’re a business owner who travels a lot for work, this card could cover all your bases.
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
There’s technically no limit to how many credit cards you can hold. Many issuers will even allow you to earn a sign-up bonus more than once. But read the fine print.
Chase, for example, has a 48-month rule: If you’ve previously earned a sign-up bonus from any Sapphire card, you’ll have to wait 48 months until you can earn it again.
One loophole you might consider is strategically working toward credit card sign-up bonuses in tandem with your partner. You can individually sign up for the same credit card, making both of you eligible for the same sign-up bonus.
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.
