Best credit card signup bonuses

Credit card

Summary

Signup bonus

Value of signup bonus

Ongoing rewards

Annual fee

American Express Platinum

A high annual fee ($695), but excellent travel perks (5x on travel, annual $200 Uber credit, and many hotel perks) and a 125K points welcome bonus.

125K points

(after spending $6K w/in 6 months)

$1,936 (1.55 cents per point)

Earning points:

• 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express travel (on up to $500,000 spent per year).
• 5x points on hotels booked on amextravel.com.
• For the first 6 months: Earn 10x points at restaurants and Shop Small® U.S. merchants, on up to $25,000 in combined spending.
• 1x points on everything else.

Elite statuses:

• American Express Global Lounge Collection benefits: Unlocks access to more than 1,200 airport lounges across 130 countries and counting.
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status: Includes 25% points bonus, priority late checkout, Elite phone line, complimentary enhanced internet, upgrades to enhanced rooms, and welcome gifts.
• Hilton Honors Gold status: Includes 80% points bonus on stays, milestone bonus, fifth night free on reward stays, two complimentary bottles of water per stay, room upgrades, breakfast, and bonus points or another welcome amenity.
• Uber VIP Status: Get matched with top-rated Uber drivers.

Special access:

• American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts program: Provides the following elite-like benefits at over 1,000 luxury hotel locations: Room upgrade upon arrival (subject to availability), daily breakfast for 2 people, guaranteed 4pm late checkout, noon check-in (subject to availability), complimentary wi-fi, and a unique property amenity valued at $100 (spa or food and beverage credit).
• "By Invitation Only" program: Specially-curated and customized once-in-a-lifetime events exclusively for American Express Platinum and Centurion Card Members, including Additional Centurion Cards. (RSVP is required.)

Annual credits:

• $200 for Uber: Up to $15 per month in Uber credits for U.S. rides, plus a bonus $20 in December.
• $100 for Saks: $100 voucher for Saks Fifth Avenue ($50 January-June and $50 July-December).
• $179 for CLEAR® airport security service: Up to $179 in fee credits for a CLEAR® airport security service plan. (Enrollment required; credit is a statement credit.)
• $200 for hotels: $200 Hotel Credit as statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel. (Enrollment Required.)
• $200 for airline fees: $200 in annual airline fee credits (as statement credits) for your chosen airline (Enrollment required)
• $240 for digital entertainment: $240 Digital Entertainment Credit which is good for up to $20 back each month on select digital subscriptions with Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, and The New York Times.(Enrollment Required.)
• $300 for Equinox: $300 Equinox Credit as a $25 statement credit valid each month at Equinox, valid for Equinox All Access, Destination, or E by Equinox membership fees, or for Equinox+. (Enrollment required.)

$695

Chase Sapphire Preferred

A good card for travel and dining (2x points) with a great signup bonus (100K points), but with a $95 annual fee.

100K points

(after spending $4K w/in 3 months)

$1,500 (1.5 cents per point)

• Through March 2022: 5x points on Lyft rides.
• For the first year: $50 in statement credits for groceries.
• For the first year: Complimentary DoorDash "DashPass" membership, which offers unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12 on qualifying food purchases.
• Through December 2021: Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app.
• 2x points on restaurants and travel (hotels, air travel, and rental car).
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
• Points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel (via Chase Ultimate Rewards) and/or (for at least a limited time) for statement credits in select rotating categories (via "Pay Yourself Back").

$95

Citi Premier

A good card for spending on food and travel (3x points on restaurants, groceries, gas, airlines, and hotels), with an 80K points signup bonus, but also a $95 annual fee.

80K points

(after spending $4K w/in 3 months)

$1,160 (1.45 cents per point)

• 3x points on restaurants, groceries, gas, airlines, and hotels. 1x on everything else.
• $100 Annual Hotel Savings Benefit: Enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, through thankyou.com, once per calendar year.

$95

American Express Gold Card

A decent high-end card ($250 annual fee) for people who travel frequently and are looking for premium travel-related rewards and perks.

75K points

(after spending $4K w/in 6 months)

$1,163 (1.55 cents per point)

• 4x points at US restaurants.
• 4x points at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases).
• 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 dining credit: Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with The Gold Card at participating partners (Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations). Enrollment required.
• $120 Uber credit each year: $10 per month in Uber credits to spend on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S.

$250

Chase United Club Infinite

A great card for United frequent flyers (4x miles at United, 2x on other travel and dining, free United Club membership, and Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection benefits), with a 75K miles signup bonus, but has a $525 annual fee. 

75K miles

(after spending $3K w/in 3 months)

$975 (1.3 cents per point)

• United Club membership: Allows you (and up to 2 people you're traveling with) to access United Clubs and select Star Alliance lounges when flying United and its partners.
• 4x miles on United purchases.
• 2x miles on all other travel purchases.
• 2x miles on restaurant purchases. (This also includes eligible delivery services such as GrubHub, Seamless, DoorDash, and Caviar.)
• 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
• 25% cash back on United in-flight purchases.
• Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection benefits: Provides the following benefits at over 1,000 luxury hotels, resorts, lodges, and spas: Daily breakfast for two, a room upgrade (if available), early check-in and late check-out (if available), complimentary wi-fi, and a special benefit unique to each property (e.g., lunch or dinner for two, a spa treatment, waivers of golf greens fees, welcome gift, or airport transfers).
• Premier Access travel services: Receive preferential treatment to ease your way through the airport with priority check-in, security screening (where available), boarding and baggage handling privileges.
• Free first and second checked bags for you plus a travelling companion.
• Premier upgrades on award tickets: The primary card member who is also a MileagePlus Premier member and traveling on an award ticket can take advantage of Complimentary Premier Upgrades on United-operated flights (when available).
• Personal concierge service (via Visa Infinite Concierge): Find tickets to the top sports and entertainment events, make dinner reservations, and even get help sending the perfect gift.
• Access to United card events from Chase and United MileagePlus events.

$525

($0 intro)

Credit card

Summary

Signup bonus

Value of signup bonus

Ongoing rewards

Annual fee

Barclays Choice Privileges Visa Signature

A surprisingly good card for travel and general spending, with a good signup bonus (75K points) and no annual fee.

75K points

(after spending $2K w/in 180 days)

$510

(0.68 cents per point)

• Earn 8,000 anniversary bonus points every year you spend $10,000 or more on purchases with your card by your account anniversary date.
• 15 points per dollar spent at eligible Choice Privileges locations with your Choice Privileges Visa Signature Card and Choice Privileges membership.
• 5 points per dollar spent on the purchase of Choice Privileges points or Choice Hotels gift card purchases.
• 2 points per dollar spent on everyday purchases.
• Barclays Elite Gold status: Earn 10% in bonus points on qualifying stays, and get access to dedicated reservations, customer serivce numbers, and exclusive offers.

$0

American Express Hilton Honors

A good card for people who are frequent Hilton guests (7x points on Hilton) or who spend on dining, groceries, and gas (5x), which has a welcome bonus of 100K points (after spending $1K w/in 3 months), and no annual fee.

100K points

(after spending $1K w/in 3 months)

$400 (0.4 cents per point)

• 7x points at Hilton properties.
• 5x points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
• 3x points everywhere else.
• Hilton Honors Silver status: Includes 15% points bonus, fifth night free on award stays, and two complimentary bottles of water per stay.

$0

Chase United Gateway

A mediocre card for frequent United Airlines flyers, offering 2x miles on spending at United Airlines, gas stations, and public transit, as well as a 30K miles signup bonus and no annual fee.

30K miles

(after spending $3K w/in 6 months)

$390 (1.3 cents per mile)

• 3x miles on spending at grocery stores, on up to $1,500 spent per month through 9/30/2021.
• 2x miles on spending at United Airlines, gas stations, and public transit/commuting.
• 1 mile per dollar for all other purchases.

$0

Chase Freedom Flex

$200

(after spending $500 w/in 3 months)

$200

• Through March 2022: 5x points on Lyft rides.
• 5% cash back (on up to $1,500 spent per quarter) in categories that rotate each quarter (e.g., gas, restaurants, groceries, and Amazon).
• 5% cash back on grocery store purchases, on up to $12,000 spent in the first year. (Does not include purchases at Target or Walmart.)
• 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase.
• 3% cash back on restaurants and drugstores.
• 1% cash back on all other spending.
• Receive a $10 Lyft credit once per month for every 5 rides you take in a month.

$0

Chase Freedom Unlimited

An excellent all-around (general spending) cash back card for most people, due to its 1.5% cash back rate, $200 signup bonus, and no annual fee.

$200

(after spending $500 w/in 3 months)

$200

• Through March 2022: 5% cash back on Lyft rides.
• 5% cash back on grocery store purchases, on up to $12,000 spent in the first year. (Does not include purchases at Target or Walmart.)
• 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase.
• 3% cash back on restaurants and drugstores.
• 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$0