Credit card companies roll out the red carpet to get new card members. From cash to points to miles, signup bonuses abound from top card issuers. It’s for that reason that I complied this exhaustive list of credit card welcome bonuses, deals, and promotions for 2020.
Table of Contents
The list starts with the highest bonuses, and then is organized by type of bonus (cash, points, or miles) and by type of card (business and student cards).
As you review this list keep a few things in mind:
- The signup bonus, while certainly a nice perk, is only one factor to consider when comparing the cards;
- The higher the signup bonus, the higher then spending requirement you’ll need to meet to get it;
- The higher the signup bonus, the higher the annual fee; and
- The value of points or miles can vary depending on how you use them.
With that, let’s get to the list:
Best Signup Bonuses
Here are the cards that offer some of the highest bonuses currently available:
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
- Welcome Offer: Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- $300 Annual Travel Credit
- 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit.
- 3X points on dining at restaurants & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- $0 foreign transaction fees.
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™
- Select Up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre?®
Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card
- Welcome Offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 12X at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio
- Earn 6X on Select Business & Travel Purchases
- Earn 3X Everywhere Else. Terms & Limitations Apply.
- Enjoy complimentary Gold status with your Hilton Honors Business Card.
- Earn a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year.
- Earn another Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases on your card in the same calendar year.
- Enjoy 10 free airport lounge visits each year once enrolled in complimentary Priority Pass(TM) Select membership, which offers access to over 1,000 lounges in over 120 countries.
- Terms apply.
Cash Welcome Bonuses
As the saying goes, cash is king. The following credit cards pay a cash bonus when you spend a set amount within a certain period of time. Keep in mind that many of the points and miles offers can be converted to cash or statement credits.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Welcome Offer: Earn $250 statement credit after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening..
- Earn Cash Back: 6% at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), and 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions including Spotify, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, ShowTime, Pandora, Apple Music, Amazon Music or Video (Does not include Prime membership).
- Earn 3% at U.S. gas stations and on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more.
- 1% on all other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.
- With the Blue Cash Preferred® Card, you can start earning cashback. No rotating reward categories. No enrollment required.
- Cashback is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. Cashback is earned only on eligible purchases.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then a variable rate based on your creditworthiness and other factors.
- Annual Fee: $95
- Terms Apply
Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Welcome Bonus: Earn $200 after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
- Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Earn 3% cash back at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- Earn 3% cash back at drugstores
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- Intro APR: 0% for 15 months from account opening on purchases
- Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey
- No annual fee
Miles Welcome Bonuses
Here you’ll find the top miles bonuses, followed by the top points deals in the next section. There really is, however, no practical difference between points and miles.
Airlines typically call their rewards “miles,” although there are exceptions. British Airways calls them “Avios.” Go figure. Southwest Airlines calls them points, but we know Southwest just likes to be different (remember how they board planes). Most hotel cards and non-branded travel cards call rewards points, but again, their are exceptions. The Capital One Venture Rewards card calls its rewards “miles.”
So why did I divide them between miles and points? Simplicity. With that said, here are the Miles promotions:
British Airways Visa Signature
- Signup Bonus: Earn 50,000 statement credit after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.50,000 statement credit after you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months from account opening..
- Welcome Offer #2: Earn an additional 50,000 bonus Avios after spending $20,000 within your first year of account opening.
- Each year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you’ll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.
- Earn 1 Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
Points Welcome Bonuses
Here are the points promotions. As with miles, it’s not enough to simply compare these bonuses in absolute terms. You need to understand the value of the points when you redeem them. Often, the value depends on how you redeem the points.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- Eearn 40,000 after spending $1,000 within the first .
- Earn 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
- $75 Southwest® travel credit each year.
- Four Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
- 20% back on in-flight drinks, WiFi, messaging, and movies.
- 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partner purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Business Card Welcome Bonuses
As a small business owner, I know the value of a good credit card. These deals span all categories, cash, miles and points.
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $3,000 within the first 3 months
- Earn 6x points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- Earn 4x points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, U.S. purchases on shipping, and wireless telephone services purchased from U.S. service providers
- Earn 2x points on all other eligible purchases
- Receive 1 Free Night Award each year after your Card account anniversary you can use at a participating hotel.
- Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status.
- Earn Gold Elite status after spending $35,000 on eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year.
- Annual fee is $125
Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card
- Welcome Offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 12X at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio
- Earn 6X on Select Business & Travel Purchases
- Earn 3X Everywhere Else. Terms & Limitations Apply.
- Enjoy complimentary Gold status with your Hilton Honors Business Card.
- Earn a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year.
- Earn another Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases on your card in the same calendar year.
- Enjoy 10 free airport lounge visits each year once enrolled in complimentary Priority Pass(TM) Select membership, which offers access to over 1,000 lounges in over 120 countries.
- Terms apply.
Hilton Honors Credit Card from American Express
- Welcome Offer: Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening..
- Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for every dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Honors portfolio of brands.
- Earn 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for every dollar of eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status with your Card.
- No Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- Bonus Offer: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening..
- Earn a free night award (worth up to 35,000 points) every year after your account anniversary
- Earn 6X points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- Earn 2X Bonvoy points on all other purchasers
- Earn Silver Elite Status each account anniversary, path to Gold Status after users spend $35,000 each year
- Receive 15 Elite Night Credits granted each calendar year.
- Unlimited Marriott Bonvoy Points
- $95 Annual Fee
British Airways Visa Signature
- Signup Bonus: Earn 50,000 statement credit after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.50,000 statement credit after you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months from account opening..
- Welcome Offer #2: Earn an additional 50,000 bonus Avios after spending $20,000 within your first year of account opening.
- Each year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you’ll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.
- Earn 1 Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- Annual Bonus: Earn 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
- 2X Rewards: Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases and Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partner purchases.
- 1X Rewards: Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Earn points on employee spending
- No blackout dates when you redeem points, no seat restrictions, bags fly free®, and no change fees
- No foreign transaction fees
