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 2018.
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 Preferred Card
- Receive 50,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 50k points are worth $625 in travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Earn 5,000 bonus points after you add the first authorized user and make a purchase in the first 3 months from account opening
- $0 foreign transaction fees
- 1:1 point transfer to leading frequent travel programs at full value
- Introductory Annual Fee of $0 the first year, then $95
Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card
- Earn 2X 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.
Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
- Signup Bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Bonus Points worth $1,000 toward travelredeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- 3X Points Reward: Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year
- 1X Points Reward: Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards Redeem points for travel, cash back, gift cards and more
- No foreign transaction fees
- Employee cards at no additional cost
- $95 Annual Fee
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
- Earn $200 back after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months.
- Earn Cash Back: 6% U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 3% U.S. gas stations & select U.S. dept stores, 1% other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.
- With the Blue Cash Preferred® Card, you can start earning cash back. No rotating reward categories. No enrollment required.
- Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. Cash back is earned only on eligible purchases.
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, then a variable rate based on your creditworthiness and other factors.
- Annual Fee: $95
- Terms Apply
Chase Freedom
- Signup Bonus: Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- 5% Cash Back: Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter
- 1% Cash Back: Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Intro APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers
- Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey
- No annual fee
Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Cash Back: Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase
- Get access to a higher credit line after making your first 5 monthly payments on time
- Free credit monitoring with the CreditWise® app
- $0 fraud liability if your card is ever lost or stolen
- Get customized alerts and manage your account with the Capital One mobile app
- $39 annual fee
Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
- Welcome Bonus: $150 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
- Cash Back Rewards–
- 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%);
- 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores; and
- 1% back on other purchases.
- Note: Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits, gift cards, and merchandise.
- Intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers.
- No annual fee.
- Terms Apply
American Express Cash Magnet Card
- Earn a $150 statement credit after you spend $1,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Earn an additional $100 statement credit after you spend an additional $6,500 in purchases within your first 12 months.
- Unlimited 1.5% Cash Back on your purchases.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits, gift cards, and merchandise.
- 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable rate, currently 14.74% to 25.74%.
- No Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
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
- Limited Time Offer: Earn up to 100,000 bonus points. Here’s how–
- Earn 50,000 bonus Avios after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening;
- Earn 25,000 bonus Avios after you spend $10,000 total on purchases within your first year from account opening; and
- Earn 25,000 bonus Avios after you spend $20,000 total on purchases within your first year from 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 3 Avios for every $1 spent on British Airways purchases
- 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.
Wells Fargo Propel American Express Card
- Earn 30K bonus points when you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s a $300 cash redemption value
- Earn 3X points for eating out and ordering in
- Earn 3X points for gas stations, rideshares and transit
- Earn 3X points for travel including flights, hotels, homestays and car rentals
- Earn 1X points on other purchases
- 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance
- No annual fee
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
- Earn up to 65,000 points.
- Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- Earn 25,000 points after you spend $15,000 total on purchases within the first year.
- 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.
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Click here to learn more about the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card and similar credit cards.
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.
Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express
- Welcome Bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you use your new card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 10/31/2018.
- Earn 6 points for each dollar of eligible purchases at over 6,500 participating SPG and Marriott Rewards hotels worldwide.
- Earn 4 points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, and on U.S. purchases for shipping. Earn 2 points for all other eligible purchases.
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary.
- Enjoy complimentary Silver Elite status with your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases and $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95
- Terms Apply
Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card
- Earn 2X 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 Card from American Express
- 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 Rewards Premier Plus Credit Card
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Annual Bonus: Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
- 6x Rewards: Earn 6 points per $1 spent at participating Marriott Rewards & SPG hotels.
- 2x Rewards: Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year.
Click here to learn more about the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Credit Card and similar credit cards.
British Airways Visa Signature
- Limited Time Offer: Earn up to 100,000 bonus points. Here’s how–
- Earn 50,000 bonus Avios after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening;
- Earn 25,000 bonus Avios after you spend $10,000 total on purchases within your first year from account opening; and
- Earn 25,000 bonus Avios after you spend $20,000 total on purchases within your first year from 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 3 Avios for every $1 spent on British Airways purchases
- Earn 1 Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
Click here to learn more about the British Airways Visa Signature and similar credit cards.
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
Click here to learn more about the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card and similar credit cards.
IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening
- Earn 5,000 bonus points after you add your first authorized user and make your first purchase in the first three months from account opening
- 10x Rewards: Earn 10 points per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 2x Rewards: Earn 2 points per $1 spent on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants.
- 1x Rewards: Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get a free night after each account anniversary year at eligible IHG hotels worldwide.
- Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier card member
- Global Entry or TSA Pre?® Fee Credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
Click here to learn more about the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card and similar credit cards.
Ink Business Unlimited
- Signup Bonus: Earn $500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Rewards: Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
- 0% APR: 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers
- No Annual Fee
Click here to learn more about the Ink Business Unlimited and similar credit cards.