Which Credit Cards Should You Apply for at the End of 2025? "Best Timing in December"

Before you know it, it’s already December 2025 again—the best time of year to apply for credit cards! In this post, I’ll break down why. First, let’s start with the cards that are most worth applying for and the statement credits you can rack up, then we’ll explain the logic behind it.

Credit Cards That Make Sense to Apply for at the End of 2025

The cards below can all be applied for in late 2025, then downgraded in early 2027. You pay one annual fee, but can collect multiple rounds of various credits.

AMEX Platinum family

• Pay one annual fee of $895
• Earn up to a 175,000-point welcome bonus, worth $2,625
• Get $3,050 in credits: four $300 FHR hotel credits, six $75 Lululemon credits, three $200 airline credits, six $100 Resy dining credits, and four $50 Saks credits.
• On top of that, you can also add in the card’s annual Uber, Ouring, and other credits
• Downgrade option: after using the 2027 credits, you can downgrade to the AMEX Green with a $150 annual fee and wait for an upgrade offer. Closing the card is also fine.

The same logic also applies to other AMEX Platinum cards, though the welcome bonuses differ.

• AMEX Platinum (Schwab version) review: limited-time 125,000-point welcome bonus; benefits fully updated
• AMEX Platinum (Morgan Stanley version)

AMEX Hilton Aspire

• Pay one annual fee of $550
• Earn a limited-time 175,000-point welcome bonus, worth $875
• Get a total of $1,100 in credits: four $200 Hilton Resort credits and six $50 flight credits
• Downgrade option: after using the 2027 credits, you can downgrade to the no-annual-fee AMEX Hilton and wait for an upgrade offer. Closing the card is also fine.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

• Pay one annual fee of $795
• Earn a limited-time 125,000-point welcome bonus, worth $1,875
• Get a total of $1,200 in credits: four $150 Sapphire Table dining credits and four $150 Stubhub ticket credits
• There are also DoorDash benefits, The Edit hotel benefits, the $300 travel credit, and more, so the overall value is still quite strong
• Downgrade option: after using the 2027 credits, you can downgrade to either the no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex or Freedom Unlimited

AMEX Business Platinum

• Pay one annual fee of $895
• Earn up to a 200,000-point welcome bonus, worth $300
• Get $2,550 in credits: four $300 FHR hotel credits, three $150 Dell credits, three $200 airline credits, and six $50 Hilton credits
• On top of that, you can also add in the card’s annual Uber, Ouring, and other credits
• Downgrade option: after using the 2027 credits, you can downgrade to the AMEX Business Green with a $95 annual fee, then keep it and wait for an upgrade offer or close it

Chase Sapphire Reserve Business

• Pay one annual fee of $795
• Earn a limited-time 200,000-point welcome bonus, worth $3,000
• Get a total of $200 in credits: four $50 giftcards.com credits
• There are also DoorDash benefits, The Edit hotel benefits, the $300 travel credit, and more, so the overall value is still quite strong
• Downgrade option: after using the 2027 credits, just close the card (it seems there may not be a downgrade path)

Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite

• Pay one annual fee of $550
• Earn a 75,000-point welcome bonus, worth $935
• Get a total of $1,350 in credits: three $300 airline incidental credits and three $150 Life Style credits
• Downgrade option: after using the 2027 credits, you can downgrade to the no-annual-fee BofA Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Citi Strata Elite

• Pay one annual fee of $595 (Citi Gold and Private clients may receive a discount)
• Earn a limited-time 100,000-point welcome bonus, worth $1,500
• Get $1,900 in credits: four $100 blacklane credits, three $200 AA/Bestbuy credits, and three $300 hotel credits!
• Downgrade option: after using the 2027 credits, you can downgrade to the no-annual-fee Double Cash or custom cash
• Amazing value! 10 reasons to apply for the Citi Strata Elite credit card right now!

Bank of America Premium Rewards

• Pay one annual fee of $95
• Earn a 60,000-point welcome bonus, worth $600
• Get a total of $300 in credits: three $100 airline incidental credits
• There are also DoorDash benefits, The Edit hotel benefits, the $300 travel credit, and more, so the overall value is still quite strong
• Downgrade option: after using the 2027 credits, you can downgrade to the no-annual-fee BofA Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Chase Sapphire Preferred

• Pay one annual fee of $95
• Earn a limited-time 75,000-point welcome bonus, worth $1,125
• Get a total of $150 in credits: three $50 Chase Travel hotel credits
• Downgrade option: after using the 2027 credits, you can downgrade to either the no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex or Freedom Unlimited

Citi Strata Premier

• Pay one annual fee of $95
• Earn a 60,000-point welcome bonus, worth $900
• Get three $100 off $500 hotel discounts
• Downgrade option: after using the 2027 credits, you can downgrade to the no-annual-fee Double Cash or custom cash

Why Applying for Credit Cards at Year-End Has Advantages

Applying for credit cards also comes down to timing, positioning, and your personal profile. “Timing” refers to limited-time welcome bonuses, which we can’t control and can only wait for. “Positioning” refers to when you choose to apply. “Personal profile” refers to your credit score and your relationship with the bank. Of course, the ideal scenario is when all three line up—but timing is hard to predict.

When it comes to application timing, my personal view is that the best window is year-end, from October to December. Here’s why:

• Many card benefits reset by calendar year: travel credits and bonus earning opportunities are often tied to the calendar year, so applying late in the year can maximize your value
• Limited-time offers / elevated welcome bonuses: when there’s a strong offer, go for it. Combined with heavier spending at year-end, minimum spending requirements are usually easy to complete
• Year-end is peak spending season: meeting the spending requirement is less of a concern, and a good credit card can also earn you more rewards and give you more purchase protection
• Year-end is also peak travel season: applying for a card with travel credits or an airline/hotel co-branded card can help you travel for less while also enjoying elite-style card benefits

Credit Cards That Maximize Calendar-Year Value

Annual fees on credit cards are generally based on how long you actually keep the card, and some issuers do not charge the annual fee until the 13th month. In addition, the timing of the annual fee also depends on your statement cycle. So in theory, the annual fee might not post until 14 months after you opened the card. Some credit card benefits, however, are based on the calendar year. That means if you apply for a card near year-end, you may theoretically be able to use this type of benefit up to three times before the annual fee posts. After getting three rounds of credits, you can choose to close the card or downgrade to another no-annual-fee card.

For example, the hotel credit and Splurge credit on Citi Strata Elite are both based on the calendar year. Suppose you:

• Apply in November 2025 and receive the 2025 credits of $300 + $200.
• After the credits reset in January 2026, you can get another total of $500 in credits.
• Then in November 2026, the second-year annual fee of $595 posts.
• In January 2027, another $500 in credits becomes available.
• If you no longer want to keep the card, you can downgrade to a no-annual-fee Citi card such as Double Cash, and the second-year annual fee will be refunded on a prorated basis.

Let’s calculate the value and cost of this strategy.

• Value: three rounds of $300 + $200 credits, or $1,500 total
• Cost: first-year annual fee of $595 + second-year prorated annual fee of $595/12 (for 1 month) = $645

As you can easily see, the credits far exceed the annual fees you paid. It is effectively like holding this premium card for 1 year and 2 months for free.

Once you understand how annual benefits can be used three times, monthly, quarterly, and semiannual benefits are easy to understand too. If you open the card in 2025.12 and downgrade or close it in 2027.1, here is what it looks like:

• Calendar-year benefit: 2025.12, 2026, 2027.1, for a total of three times (for example, the AMEX Platinum annual $200 airline incidental credit)
• Semiannual benefit: 2025.12, 2026.1-6, 2026.7-12, 2027.1, for a total of four times (for example, the AMEX Aspire resort credit)
• Quarterly benefit: 2025.12, 2026.1-3, 2026.4-6, 2026.7-9, 2026.10-12, 2027.1, for a total of six times (for example, the AMEX Platinum Lululemon credit)
• Monthly benefit: 2025.12, 2026.1-12 (12 times), 2027.1, for a total of thirteen times (for example, the AMEX Platinum Uber credit)

However, reconsideration can take time, and mailing the card also takes time, so if you apply after November 15, you can usually line up the timing pretty well.

If you apply in December, then you need to move quickly to use all kinds of credits. As for the annual fee, if you use the credits right after the New Year and then immediately close or downgrade the card, you only need to pay the first-year annual fee, which saves one month compared with applying in November.

Other Cards and Reasons

High Welcome Bonuses

Many credit cards offer unusually high welcome bonuses near year-end, though the minimum spending requirements are often high as well. If you can use your year-end spending to meet those requirements, you can earn a lot of welcome bonuses.

• Best US Credit Card Welcome Bonuses (Personal Cards) [Up to $3,000+ Bonus]
• Best US Small Business Credit Cards [Up to $3,000+ Bonus]

High Cash Back Cards

High bonus-category cash back on credit cards usually comes with a cap, and that cap is often based on the calendar year.

• AMEX Gold Rewards: 4x points at supermarkets, capped at 25,000. Supermarkets often sell third-party gift cards, Amazon, eBay, and Visa gift cards. If your spending is high enough to max out three rounds of 25,000, the upside can be quite substantial.
• AMEX Blue Cash Preferred: 6% cash back on the first $6,000 in supermarket spending. The annual fee is usually charged in the 13th month, so you may be able to use three rounds of the $6,000 cap and then downgrade to the no-annual-fee Blue Cash Everyday.

Elite Status / Benefits

Elite status is also generally calculated by year. Getting it in January is usually the best deal, because it can last through the current year plus the following year. Working backward from that, applying for the credit card near the end of the year is often best, because meeting the spending requirement takes some time. Ideally, apply near year-end, complete the spending in January, then receive the elite status or benefit you want and keep it for a full two years.

• Delta elite status: Both the AMEX Delta Platinum and Delta Reserve cards can help you earn MQM through the welcome bonus and high spending, so it is very possible to earn Delta elite status just through spending without flying any Delta flights. See: Delta Platinum Credit Card and Delta Reserve Credit Card

Credit card referral bonuses also have caps, and those are usually based on the calendar year as well. Therefore, for a credit card with an annual fee, you may be able to pay only one annual fee, refer for up to three rounds, and then close or downgrade the card. For cards that can be referred, see:

• Credit Card Refer A Friend Guide

Credit Cards Good for Year-End Spending

Year-end spending is often concentrated in online shopping (Amazon), department stores (sears, Macy's), and electronics (Best Buy).

• Discover it: Amazon.com and drugstores earn 5% cash back, capped at $1,500 in spending. Everyone is familiar with these two categories. Amazon is great for shopping and also sells many third-party gift cards. Drugstores such as CVS and Walgreens also sell many third-party gift cards, as well as $500 Visa gift cards. This $1,500 cap should be easy to max out. (Activation Link)
• Chase Freedom: Old Navy, Chase Travel, Department Store, and PayPal (December only). (Activation Link)
• US Bank Cash+: choose your own categories; in Q4 you can pick electric store or department store to fit holiday shopping needs. Of course, this depends on your spending habits. (Activation Link)
• Chase Amazon: currently has a limited-time $250 welcome bonus, and amazon5x is quite useful during the holiday shopping season.

Credit Cards Good for Year-End Travel

There is a lot of travel at year-end, so applying for some travel-related cards can be a great idea. You can use points to offset travel purchases, use travel spending to complete welcome bonus requirements, and also enjoy the travel perks that come with these cards for a better experience.

• Best Travel Credit Cards [Fully Updated 2025.8]

Airline co-branded cards often offer priority boarding and free checked bags, which are useful for trips. At the same time, the miles from the welcome bonus may also have unexpectedly high value when redeeming flights near year-end.

• Guide to US Airline Credit Cards [Fully Updated 2025.9]

Hotel co-branded card welcome bonus points can sometimes be surprisingly valuable when redeeming at certain extremely popular hotels. The elite status that comes with them can also provide benefits such as late checkout, room upgrades, and even free breakfast.

• Best US Hotel Credit Cards [Fully Updated 2025.9]