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Summer is in full swing and if you’re getting ready to travel again, it’s a great time to consider opening a new credit card. Credit card issuers have recently launched massive new offers and promotions, including record-high welcome bonuses of 100,000 points or more, but they won’t be around forever.
This includes one of the most exciting offers we’ve ever seen — a record-high bonus of 100,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
There’s also an incredible new offer on The Platinum Card® from American Express
to earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 in your first 6 months of card membership, plus 10x points on eligible purchases on the Card at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the U.S., on up to $25,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of card membership. Amex just raised the annual fee to $695 (See Rates), but also added a slew of new benefits that can more than offset the fee bump.
Read more: The best current credit card offers of July 2021
Other recently updated offers include a new 5x grocery bonus on the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited®, six-figure bonuses on Chase’s Avios-earning cards, and new elevated offers for the United℠ Explorer Card, United Gateway℠ Card, and United℠ Business Card.
With all these new offers coming in fast, taking advantage of an increased credit card bonus now can set you up with points you can use for flights, hotels, and more when you’re finally ready to travel again.
Here are some of the best credit card offers to consider this week.
Best credit card offers this week
Flexible rewards credit card bonuses
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Featured Reward
100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 in your first 6 months of card membership, plus 10x points on eligible purchases on the Card at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the U.S., on up to $25,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of card membership
Pros
- Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
- Annual statement credits with Saks and Uber
Cons
- Bonus categories leave something to be desired
- One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards
- Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Plus, earn 10x points on eligible purchases on the Card at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the U.S., on up to $25,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Enrollment required.
- New! American Express has expanded The Centurion® Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Now there are even more places your Platinum Card® can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one qualifying airline.
- $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status available to Basic Card Member only.
- $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $25 back each month on select Equinox memberships. Enrollment required.
- $179 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $179 back per year on your CLEAR® membership.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
Read Our Review
Transferable credit card points are best if you value flexibility because there are so many ways to redeem them. With programs like American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Capital One Rewards, you’ve got options that include:
If you’ve been on the fence about applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — one of the very best rewards credit cards, especially if you’re new to travel points and miles — now is the time to pull the trigger. The card is offering a staggering 100,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Read more: Chase Sapphire Preferred card review
That’s worth $1,000 in cash back, $1,250 in travel booked through Chase or for statement credits toward eligible purchases through Pay Yourself back, and potentially much more if you transfer to Chase’s airline and hotel partners for award travel.
Another excellent deal is one of the best cards with premium travel and shopping benefits, The Platinum Card® from American Express. You can currently earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 in your first 6 months of card membership, plus 10x points on eligible purchases on the Card at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the U.S., on up to $25,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of card membership — here’s our Amex Platinum card review for all the details.
Capital One miles are now even more useful with the addition of four new transfer partners and airport lounges coming later this year. You could get at least $1,000 in travel from the 100,000-mile welcome bonus on the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card — and potentially even more value if you transfer miles to airline and hotel partners for award travel.
Read more: Amex and Chase points are the two most valuable types of credit card rewards — here are their biggest differences
And don’t overlook our favorite sleeper card — the Citi Premier® Card. Along with a substantial welcome bonus, the card offers excellent earnings in categories that fit well whether you’re sticking close to home or on the road. You’ll earn 3x points on air travel, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Small-business credit card bonuses
Regular APR
14.24 – 22.24 Variable
Credit Score
Good to Excellent
Featured Reward
100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases within your first 3 months of card membership
Pros
- More travel benefits than you’ll find on any other business credit card
- Generous airport lounge access options, from American Express Centurion Lounges to Priority Pass (enrollment required)
- Complimentary hotel elite status (enrollment required)
- Access to Amex concierge services
Cons
- Very high annual fee
- Limited opportunities to earn bonus points
- Annual statement credits won’t be useful for everyone
- Welcome Offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com.
- Get 50% more Membership Rewards® points. That’s an extra half point per dollar, on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more. You can get up to 1 million additional points per year.
- 35% Airline Bonus: Use Membership Rewards® Pay with Points for all or part of a flight with your selected qualifying airline, and you can get 35% of the points back, up to 500,000 bonus points per calendar year when you book on amextravel.com.
- Breeze through security with CLEAR® where available and get up to $179 back per year on your membership when you use your Card.
- Enroll to get up to $200 in statement credits annually by getting up to $100 semi-annually for U.S. purchases with Dell. Terms apply.
- Pay Over Time Option: A flexible payment option to help manage cash flow on purchases of $100 or more.
- Terms Apply.
Read Our Review
If you’re a small-business owner, opening a small-business credit card can offer a lot of benefits. Keeping your business and personal expenses separate makes it easier to keep track of expenses, and many cards offer bonus points, miles, or cash back in popular business spending categories.
Read more: The best small-business credit cards of 2021
You don’t have to own a full-time business or make millions to be eligible to apply — even if you’re a freelancer or have a side gig, you could qualify for a small-business card. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card are both offering 100,000 points after meeting minimum spending requirements, and, depending on how you redeem them, you could get a value of $1,800 or more from these bonuses.
Cash-back credit card bonuses
Annual Fee
$95 (waived the first year)
Regular APR
13.99% to 23.99% variable APR
Featured Reward
20% back on Amazon.com purchases (up to $200 back) in your first 6 months of Card Membership, plus $150 back as a statement credit after you spend $3,000 on the Card within the first 6 months
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening
Pros
- Generous bonus rewards, especially at U.S. supermarkets
- One of a small handful of credit cards that offer bonus rewards on select streaming services
- Intro APR offer
Cons
- Unlike many other cash-back cards, it charges an annual fee
- If you spend more than $6,000 at US supermarkets each year, you’ll want to use another card once you reach that cap
- Earn 20% back on Amazon.com purchases on the Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $200 back.
- Plus, earn $150 back after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. You will receive cash back in the form of statement credits.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Low intro APR: 0% for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 13.99% to 23.99%
- Plan It® gives the option to select purchases of $100 or more to split up into monthly payments with a fixed fee.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
- Terms Apply.
Read Our Review
Our top pick for the best cash-back credit card overall, the Citi® Double Cash Card, doesn’t currently offer a welcome bonus. And other excellent options, like the Chase Freedom Flex℠, Chase Freedom Unlimited®, and the new Citi Custom Cash℠ Card, aren’t exclusively cash-back cards (though they’re marketed that way).
Read more: The best cash back credit cards of 2021
You’ll also earn 6% cash back on your first $6,000 in U.S. supermarket spending each year (then 1% back), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services, 3% back on U.S. gas stations and transit, and 1% back on all other eligible purchases (cash back is earned in the form of Rewards Dollars).
Airline credit card bonuses
Regular APR
15.74% to 24.74% variable
Credit Score
Good to Excellent
Featured Reward
90,000 Bonus Miles after spending $3,000 in purchases (plus a $200 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase) within your first 3 months (offer expires 7/28/2021)
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months (offer expires 7/28/2021)
Pros
- Earns bonus miles at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets
- Annual companion certificate can help you recoup most, if not all, of the annual fee
- You get a free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights
Cons
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months and a $200 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months. Offer expires 7/28/2021.
- Limited Time Offer: Plus, get a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable 15.74% – 24.74%. Offer expires 7/28/2021.
- Accelerate your path to Medallion Status, with Status Boost®. Plus, in 2021 you can earn even more bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) to help you reach Medallion Status.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. *Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
Read Our Review
Delta loyalists have some excellent welcome bonuses to choose from with the latest elevated bonuses on the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. These are all great deals, but you’ll earn the most miles from the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, which is offering 90,000 Bonus Miles after spending $3,000 in purchases (plus a $200 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase) within your first 3 months (offer expires 7/28/2021).
If you’re a United Airlines flyer, you’re spoiled for choice right now with a whopping five Chase United credit cards with increased bonuses to pick from. Because United miles don’t expire, it’s a great time to earn more United MileagePlus miles for a trip when you’re ready to travel again.
Read more: The best airline credit cards of 2021
This includes the new New United Quest℠ Card, which is a great option if you check luggage on United flights frequently — it offers two free checked bags for yourself and a companion when you use the card to pay for your ticket (or the taxes and fees on an award ticket).
Meanwhile, Southwest fans have another reason to look at the three personal Southwest cards. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card are each offering an increased bonus of 65,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Hotel credit card bonuses
Regular APR
15.99% – 22.99% Variable
Credit Score
Good to Excellent
Featured Reward
3 Free Nights (valued up to 50,000 points each) after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10x total points per $1 spent on up to $2,500 in combined purchases in select categories within your first 6 months
Pros
- Annual free night reward for hotels that cost up to 35,000 points can be worth more than annual fee
Cons
- The only lucrative bonus category is participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- Upgrading to Gold status requires spending $35,000 on the card in an account year,
- Earn 3 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases + 10X total points on eligible purchases in select categories.
- 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
- Earn up to 17X total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy™.
- 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year.
- 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Earn unlimited Marriott Bonvoy points and get Free Night Stays faster.
Read Our Review
Several hotel credit cards are offering increased bonuses — including all-time-high points offers on the IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card, Hilton Honors American Express Card, and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
There’s also a unique elevated offer on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card. New cardholders can earn 3 Free Nights (valued up to 50,000 points each) after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10x total points per $1 spent on up to $2,500 in combined purchases in select categories within your first 6 months.
Marriott points are worth, on average, 0.7 cents each according to Insider’s points and miles valuations, so you can expect to get around $1,225 in value if you redeem your free nights at 50,000-point hotels and max out the 10x grocery, gas, and dining bonus.
Read more: The best hotel credit cards of 2021
Keep in mind that most hotel chains, including Marriott and Hilton, have temporarily paused points expiration due to the pandemic, so there’s no harm in earning points now for a vacation down the road.
100,000 points
Good to Excellent
Featured Reward
3 Free Nights (valued up to 50,000 points each) after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10x total points per $1 spent on up to $2,500 in combined purchases in select categories within your first 6 months
Credit Needed
Good to Excellent
Featured Reward
$200 after spending $500 in the first three months from account opening
Credit Needed
Good to Excellent
