The holiday shopping season is the perfect time to take advantage of credit card signup bonuses, getting potentially hundreds or even thousands of dollars back in value. Right now, there are amazing limited-time offers on both points/miles cards and cash-back cards. Here are the best bonuses you need to know about.
Capital One Venture X: A Rare High-Value Offer
Capital One is currently offering 100,000 bonus miles on the Venture X after spending $10,000 on purchases within the first 6 months from account opening.
- The Spend: While $10,000 is higher than the typical offer ($4,000 over 3 months for 75,000 miles), it breaks down to about $1,667 per month on average. This can be doable with holiday shopping and planned large purchases (like new tires, car insurance, etc.).
- Pro Tip: Consider shopping for and switching car insurance providers to both save money and put a large, necessary expense toward your minimum spend.
- Total Value: You’ll actually earn at least 120,000 miles in total (100,000 bonus + 20,000 from the card’s 2x earnings on all purchases).
- At a minimum value of 1 cent per mile for travel, that’s at least $1,200.
- By transferring miles to travel partners (for potential redemptions of 2 cents per mile or higher), the value could be closer to $2,400.
Capital One Savor Card: Up to $300 in Value
This limited-time offer is broken into two parts:
- A $100 credit for flights, stays, and rental cars booked through Capital One’s travel portal (expires after your first cardholder year).
- A $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first 3 months.
- Important Fine Print: The $100 travel credit expires on your account anniversary date and does not earn rewards.
- Pro Strategy: Pair the Savor Card with the Venture X in a “Capital One Duo” setup. This lets you convert the Savor’s cash back into Capital One miles at a rate of $1 = 100 miles. The $200 cash bonus becomes 20,000 miles, and the 3% categories become 3x miles.
Prime Visa: Instant Value for Amazon Shoppers
Get a $250 Amazon gift card instantly loaded into your account upon approval.
- You must be a Prime member to get this card, but the card itself has no annual fee.
- Earn 5% back on Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and Chase travel purchases.
- This is a powerful cash-back card for frequent Amazon shoppers, especially during the holidays.
Citi Strata Elite: New Premium Card Offer
Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months.
- There is a $595 annual fee, but the card offers a $300 hotel credit and up to $200 in “annual splurge” credits.
- These points are especially valuable because the Strata Elite (and Strata Premier) now have access to American Airlines as a 1:1 transfer partner.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select®: In-Flight Offer
An in-flight offer is available for 80,000 American Airlines miles after spending just $1,000 within the first 3 months.
- The $99 annual fee is waived the first year.
- To access the offer, visit the special page and enter the six-digit code from an American Airlines flight attendant. If you don’t have a code, you may try entering six zeros.
Barclays Hawaiian Airlines Card: A Niche, Possibly Ending Deal
There are two offers to note for this card, which earns points in the new Atmos Rewards program (for Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines).
- General Offer: 80,000 Atmos points after spending $2,500 in the first 90 days.
- In-Flight Offer (getmyhawaiiancard.com): 60,000 Atmos points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days. A promo code from a Hawaiian Airlines flight may be required, but entering numbers randomly has worked for some.
- Note: This card may not be around much longer, as Barclays no longer prominently features it, and future focus seems to be on Atmos-branded cards.
American Express Cards for the Holidays
Blue Cash Everyday®
- Bonus: $200 back after spending $2,000 in the first 6 months.
- Key Feature: Earns 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per calendar year). This cap resets on January 1st, making it perfect for year-end holiday shopping.
- Also earns 3% back at U.S. supermarkets and gas stations.
- Includes a $7 monthly Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ streaming credit—great to stack with Black Friday deals on these services.
Amex Gold & Platinum Cards
- Amex Gold Card: Can earn as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months.
- Amex Platinum Card®: Can earn as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $8,000 in the first 6 months.
- Important: American Express uses “as high as” language. You can apply to see your personalized offer and decline it without affecting your credit score if it’s not satisfactory.
Chase Sapphire Cards: Consistently Valuable
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Bonus: 75,000 Ultimate Rewards® points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months.
- Value: Points are worth at least $750 in cash back, easily covering the $95 annual fee. When transferred to partners like Hyatt, they can be worth closer to $1,500 in travel.
- A no-brainer offer for most people.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Bonus: 125,000 Ultimate Rewards® points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months.
- This card has a $795 annual fee and comes with various travel credits to manage. It’s best for frequent travelers willing to maximize its benefits. Earning 125,000 Chase points is always a deal worth mentioning.
Let me know in the comments if you’re aware of any other great credit card bonuses out there!