If you have plans to apply for cards soon, I think there are actually quite a few cards worth prioritizing right now. The high offers on the AMEX Platinum and Gold are still around, and the Hilton Aspire just increased to an all-time-high 200,000-point offer; the Delta cards and AA Executive also have very high offers. In addition, Aeroplan now has an all-time-high 115,000-point offer, and the IHG Premier also has a version with 5 40k free night certificates + 10k points. If you have already gotten most of these cards, it is not too late to look at cards like the CSP and AA Platinum afterward. Here are the details:
- For flexible-points cards, the AMEX Gold 100,000 and Platinum 175,000 offers are both very good, though unfortunately both are “mystery box” high offers. If you have a lot of rent or mortgage payments, the new premium Bilt card is also good. There is also the Capital One Venture 75,000 + $300 credit offer
- For airline cards: the Delta cards currently have very high offers, Aeroplan is directly at an all-time-high 115,000, AA Executive 125,000 is also very good, and AA Platinum, BA, and UA all have decent offers
- For hotel cards: this round of Hilton offers is very strong, with the Aspire directly at an all-time-high 200,000, and the other two personal cards also offering an uncapped free night certificate; the IHG Premier also has a high offer of 5 40k free night certificates + 10k points; the Marriott Brilliant limited-time offer is also still around
- If you are not sure what stage you are in or which card to apply for, you can read our latest guide: 2026 U.S. Credit Card Application Roadmap: From Your First Card to Advanced Player
My recommendations are as follows:
| Rank | Card | Offer | First-Year Value | Credit Value | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AMEX Platinum | Up to 175,000 MR (mystery box) | $1,730 | $1,700 | $3,430 |
| 2 | AMEX Gold | Up to 100,000 MR (mystery box) | $1,175 | $424 | $1,599 |
| 3 | AMEX Delta Gold | Up to 80,000 Delta + $250 (expires November 4) | $1,210 | $100 | $1,310 |
| 4 | AMEX Hilton Aspire | 200,000 Hilton (all-time high, expires January 13) | $450 | $950 | $1,400 |
| 5 | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant | 150,000 Marriott + $250 (expires September 30) | $800 | $300 | $1,100 |
| 6 | Citi AA Executive | 125,000 AA (all-time high) | $1,180 | $300 | $1,480 |
This article mainly lists good welcome offers for personal cards. For business card rankings, please see: Best Business Cards
Contents [Hide]
- 1 This Month’s All-Time-High Welcome Offers
- 2 This Month’s Limited-Time Welcome Offers
- 2.1 Capital One Venture Rewards (75,000 + $300 Hotel Credit)
- 2.2 Citi AA Platinum (80,000)
- 2.3 AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant (150,000 + $250)
- 2.4 Chase Sapphire Preferred (75,000)
- 2.5 Bilt Palladium (50,000+$300)
- 2.6 Chase Marriott Bonvoy (3 free night certificates+$100)
- 2.7 Capital One Venture X (75,000)
- 2.8 AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Bevy (125,000+$150)
- 2.9 Citi Strata Elite (75,000)
- 2.10 Chase United Airline (60,000+first-year annual fee waived)
- 2.11 Chase United Quest (70,000+500 PQP)
- 2.12 Chase British Airways (90,000)
- 3 Regular welcome bonuses this month
- 3.1 Chase Sapphire Reserve (100,000)
- 3.2 BofA Atmos Rewards Summit (80,000+25,000 companion fare)
- 3.3 Co-branded Platinum (80,000)
- 3.4 BofA Atmos Rewards Ascent (70,000+companion fare)
- 3.5 Bank of America Premium Rewards ($600)
- 3.6 Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite (75,000)
- 3.7 Citi Strata Premier (60,000)
- 3.8 Wells Fargo Autograph Journey (60,000)
- 3.9 Chase Hyatt (up to 60,000)
- 3.10 Citi AA Globe (60,000)
- 4 About welcome bonuses
- 5 Big roundup of welcome bonuses
- 6 This Month’s All-Time-High Welcome Offers
- 7 This Month’s Limited-Time Welcome Offers
- 7.1 Capital One Venture Rewards (75,000+$300 hotel credit)
- 7.2 Citi AA Platinum (80,000)
- 7.3 AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant (150,000+$250)
- 7.4 Chase Sapphire Preferred (75,000)
- 7.5 Bilt Palladium (50,000+$300)
- 7.6 Chase Marriott Bonvoy (4 free night certificates+$100)
- 7.7 Capital One Venture X (75,000)
- 7.8 AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Bevy (135,000)
- 7.9 Citi Strata Elite (75,000)
- 7.10 Chase United Airline (60,000+first-year annual fee waived)
- 7.11 Chase United Quest (70,000+500 PQP)
- 7.12 Chase British Airways (90,000)
- 7.13 Chase Hyatt (75,000)
- 8 This Month’s Regular Welcome Offers
- 8.1 Chase Sapphire Reserve (100,000)
- 8.2 BofA Atmos Rewards Summit (80,000+25,000 companion fare)
- 8.3 Co-branded Platinum (80,000)
- 8.4 BofA Atmos Rewards Ascent (70,000 + companion fare)
- 8.5 Chase IHG Premier (140,000)
- 8.6 Bank of America Premium Rewards ($600)
- 8.7 Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite (75,000)
- 8.8 Citi Strata Premier (60,000)
- 8.9 Wells Fargo Autograph Journey (60,000-70,000)
- 8.10 Chase Aeroplan (60,000)
- 8.11 Citi AA Globe (60,000)
- 9 About Signup Bonuses
- 10 Signup Bonus Roundup
This Month’s All-Time-High Welcome Offers
- All-time high: refers to the highest welcome offer ever, or a particularly good welcome offer over a long period of time
- My suggestion is: if you can see one of these offers, prioritize applying for it! If you get approved, you definitely will not lose out!
Three All-Time-High AMEX Hilton Offers
- Which of the Four Hilton Co-Branded Credit Cards Should You Apply For During These All-Time-High Offers?
- The no-annual-fee Hilton card offers 70,000 points + 1 uncapped free night certificate; the Surpass offers 130,000 points + 1 uncapped free night certificate; the Aspire has directly increased to 200,000 points. The promotion ends on January 13, 2027
AMEX Hilton Aspire Credit Card
Complimentary top-tier Hilton Diamond status! Up to $600 in annual airline and hotel credits, plus a free night reward every year!
- Welcome bonus: 200,000 Hilton points (spend $6,000 in six months)
- Rewards: 14x on Hilton hotel purchases, 7x on flights, dining, and car rentals, and 3x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable at Hilton properties worldwide
- Annual fee: $550
- Apply now>>
AMEX Hilton Surpass Credit Card
Complimentary Hilton Gold status + $200 hotel statement credits!
- Welcome bonus: 130,000 Hilton points + 1 free night certificate (spend $3,000 in 6 months)
- Rewards: 12x at Hilton hotels, 6x at supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations, 3x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable at Hilton properties worldwide
- Annual fee: $150
- Apply now>>
AMEX Hilton Honors Credit Card
No annual fee
- Welcome bonus: 70,000 Hilton points + 1 free night certificate (spend $2,000 in six months)
- Rewards: 7x on Hilton hotel purchases, 5x at supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations, 3x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable at Hilton properties worldwide
- Annual fee: $0
- Apply now>>
AMEX Platinum (150,000-175,000)
- You can get up to 175,000 points, but you have to go through the application to the final step yourself to see what welcome offer you get
- The best approach: meet the spending requirement for the welcome offer. Hold the card for one year, and at the beginning of the second calendar year, remember to use up the airline fee credit. In the second year, you can downgrade or close the card; if you want to keep it, I recommend asking for a Retention Offer
- The airline incidental fee credit, FHR, Lululemon, Uber, and Resy are all credits that can be useful, adding up to $1,700 in the first year (if you are aggressive, you can count using them again after the calendar year turns over)
Up to $2,600 in annual statement credits; plus a wide range of premium perks!
- Welcome bonus: Up to 175,000 Membership Rewards (spend $12,000 in 6 months)
- Rewards: 5x on airfare and select hotel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Transfer 1:1 to many airline miles and hotel points programs
- Annual fee: $895（Changes for existing cardholders in 2026）
- Apply now>>
AMEX Gold (up to 100,000)
- You can get up to 100,000 points, but you have to go through the application to the final step yourself to see what welcome offer you get
- The welcome offer is very high, and the return on dining and supermarkets is also excellent.
- If you use up the monthly $10 dining credit and $10 Uber Eats credit, they can almost offset the annual fee
High rewards on groceries and dining, plus $300+ in annual statement credits
- Welcome bonus: Up to 100,000 Membership Rewards (spend $4,000 in 6 months)
- Rewards: Dining, supermarkets 4x; airfare, amextravel.com 3x; all other purchases 1x
- Redemption: Can be redeemed for gift cards, cash, and travel; best value comes from airline mile transfers
- Annual fee: $325
- Apply now>>
Delta Cards
- The Delta Gold has the first-year annual fee waived and also has a welcome offer of up to 80,000 + $250. I recommend this one for most people, as it is flexible whether you want to keep moving up or step back later.
- Unfortunately, this 80,000 is the highest version, and you may only see 60,000. You can see the exact amount at the final step of the application. If you really see 80,000, just go for it!
First two checked bags free; Delta flight perks, plus $100 hotel reimbursement each year
- Welcome bonus: As High As 80,000 miles + $250 (six-month spend $3,000)
- Rewards: Delta purchases, supermarkets, restaurants 2x; everything else 1x
- Redemption: Redeem for Delta flights and SkyTeam partner award tickets; 15% off redemptions
- Annual fee: $150（Annual fee waived for the first year）
- Apply now>>
- If you want something higher-end and you usually fly Delta fairly often, you can consider this Platinum card. Note that if you have not gotten the Gold before, I recommend getting the Gold first, because once you have had the Platinum, you cannot get the Gold bonus
- Unfortunately, this 90,000 is the highest version, and you may only see 70,000. You can see the exact amount at the final step of the application. If you really see 90,000, just go for it!
First two checked bags free; $390 in annual reimbursement + a companion ticket, solid Delta perks
- Welcome bonus: 90,000 miles + $300 (spend $4,000 in six months)
- Rewards: Delta purchases, hotel purchases 3x, restaurants and supermarkets 2x, everything else 1x
- Redemption: Can be redeemed for Delta flights and SkyTeam partner flight tickets; redemptions get 15% off
- Annual fee: $350（Some legacy cardholders: $250）
- Apply now>>
- If you need Delta elite status and access to Delta’s own airport lounges, you can consider this card; ideally, only consider it if you fly a lot. It is not suitable for the average person
- Also, the two round-trip tickets in this offer look very valuable, but they come with many restrictions. Unless you really often fly long-haul within the U.S. and can make use of them, then it can be fine
First two checked bags free; annual companion ticket + $610 reimbursement, with generous premium Delta perks
- Welcome bonus: 50,000 miles + 2 free round-trip U.S. domestic tickets (6-month spend $10,000)
- Rewards: 3x on Delta purchases, 1x on everything else
- Redemption: Can be redeemed for Delta flights and SkyTeam partner airline tickets; redemptions get 15% off
- Annual fee: $650（Some legacy cardholders pay $550）
- Apply now>>
You can read our comparison article to choose the Delta card that fits you:
Citi AA Executive (125,000)
- The welcome offer is good, but the annual fee is very high and there are not many credits
- Only suitable for people who fly AA a lot
Citi AAdvantage Executive Credit Card
Complimentary Admirals Club access, plus up to $480 in annual statement credits; premium AA credit card
- Welcome bonus: 125,000 AA miles (spend $15,000 in five months)
- Rewards: 4x on AA purchases; after $150k in annual spending, it becomes 5x; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Best value for award travel between the U.S. and China and between the U.S. and Europe; business-class redemptions offer good value.
- Annual fee: $695
- Apply now>>
Chase Aeroplan (up to 115,000)
- All-time-high 115,000 welcome offer: spend $4,000 in the first 3 months to earn 75,000 points, and earn another 40,000 points after spending a cumulative $20,000 within 12 months of account opening
- The miles have solid value, and PYB can also be used to cash out
Chase Aeroplan Air Canada Co-Branded Credit Card
Complimentary Air Canada elite status just for holding the card, helping you reach higher tiers faster! $100 Air Canada credit each year
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 miles (spend $4,000 in 3 months) + 40,000 miles (spend $20,000 total in 12 months)
- Rewards: 3x on Air Canada website purchases and travel; 2x on gas, restaurants, and supermarkets; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for international and domestic flights on Air Canada and Star Alliance member airlines; cardholders get discounted redemptions
- Annual fee: $195（Some existing cardholders pay $95）
- Apply now>>
Chase IHG Premier (5 40k Free Night Certificates + 10k / 170k + $100)
- There are currently two very high offers to choose from: 5 40k Free Night Certificates + 10k points for adding an authorized user, or the 160k + 10k authorized-user bonus + $100 dining credit offer in the IHG App
- This card is also worth holding long term, as the annual free night certificate basically offsets the annual fee
Annual free night certificate + $50 flight credit!
- Welcome bonus: 5 40,000-point Free Nights (spend $4,000 in 3 months) + 10,000 points (add one authorized user)
- Rewards: 10x on IHG purchases; 5x on travel, gas, and dining; 3x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem at IHG hotels, worth 0.6 cpp
- Annual fee: $99
- Apply now>>
This Month’s Limited-Time Welcome Offers
- Limited-time: excellent offers that are newly released this month or will expire soon
- My suggestion is that these are highly recommended. As long as you have even a slight need, you definitely will not regret applying!
Capital One Venture Rewards (75,000 + $300 Hotel Credit)
- You can get the $300 hotel credit by booking through Capital One Travel
- Check preapproval first, and you can see the welcome offer. If you are not preapproved, it will not affect your credit score
Capital One Venture Credit Card
2x miles on all purchases!
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 Capital One points + $300 hotel reimbursement (spend $4,000 in 3 months)
- Rewards: 2x on all purchases
- Redemption: 100 miles = $1 toward travel purchases; 1:1 transfer to airline miles
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Citi AA Platinum (80,000)
- A classic airline card with a high first-year offer and the annual fee waived for the first year, so you can hold it for one year without pressure
- In the second year, you can downgrade to a no-annual-fee AA card or close it
Citi AA Platinum American Airlines Credit Card
No annual fee for the first year!
- Welcome bonus: 80,000 AA miles (spend $3,500 in the first 4 months)
- Rewards: 2X on AA website ticket purchases; 2x at restaurants and gas stations; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Best value when redeeming for flights between China and the U.S. or between the U.S. and Europe; business-class redemptions can also offer solid value.
- Annual fee: $99（No annual fee for the first year）
- Apply now>>
AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant (150,000 + $250)
- The annual 85,000-point free night certificate is very nice and can be worth $300-$1,000
- The $300 dining credit can also offset part of the annual fee
AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Credit Card
Complimentary Marriott Platinum Elite status; annual 85k free night certificate and up to $300 in dining statement credits each year
- Welcome bonus: 150,000 Marriott points + $250 (six months spending $6,000)
- Rewards: 6x at SPG/Marriott/Ritz-Carlton hotels, 3x on airfare and dining, 2x on everything else
- Redemption: Redeemable at SPG/Marriott/Ritz-Carlton properties, or transfer to airline miles at up to a 3:1.25 ratio
- Annual fee: $650
- Apply now>>
Chase Sapphire Preferred (75,000)
- A long-standing mid-tier credit card; once you have it, your UR points can be transferred to airline and hotel partners
- 7 tips to help you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred welcome bonus!
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
A very good travel credit card; includes a $100 annual hotel discount and free rental car insurance!
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 points (spend $5,000 in three months)
- Rewards: 5x on select travel; 3x on dining, streaming, gas and EV charging, ride sharing and shared lodging; 2x on other travel; 1X on everything else
- Redemption: Can be redeemed directly for cash; can transfer 1:1 to airline and hotel points; can be used at 1:1.25 toward travel purchases; worth 1.6 cents per point
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Bilt Palladium (50,000+$300)
- Worth considering if you have a lot of rent or mortgage payments
- The points are relatively valuable
Up to $400 in hotel credits each year, $200 in Bilt Cash, plus complimentary airport lounge access
- Welcome bonus: 50,000 Bilt points (spend $4,000 within three months) + $300 Bilt Cash (when you open the card)
- Rewards: 1x Bilt Points on rent and mortgage payments; 2x Bilt Points + 4% Bilt Cash on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be redeemed for miles with multiple airline partners and hotel points
- Annual fee: $495
- Apply now>>
Chase Marriott Bonvoy (3 free night certificates+$100)
- It gives a free night certificate every year, so it can still be a keeper card
- The $100 credit is split into $50 per half year, and requires $250 in airline spending to earn
Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Marriott Credit Card
Comes with 1 free night certificate every year; a standout card
- Welcome bonus: 3 Marriott 50,000-point free night certificates (spend $3,000 in the first 3 months) + $100 airline credit
- Rewards: 6x at Marriott hotels; 3x on gas, groceries, and dining; 2x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Can be redeemed at Marriott/Ritz-Carlton properties, or transferred to airline miles at up to a 3:1.25 ratio
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Capital One Venture X (75,000)
- Using the 500,000 method makes approval much easier; click through to the details to learn more
- This card gives a $300 credit and 10,000 points every year, so the effective holding cost is basically zero. The earlier you get it, the better!
Capital One Venture X Credit Card
A premium card that can more than pay for itself each year
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 Capital One points (spend $4,000 in the first 6 months)
- Rewards: 2x on all purchases, plus 10x/5x through the Capital One Travel portal
- Redemption: 100 points = $1 toward travel purchases; 1:1 transfers to airline miles
- Annual fee: $395
- Apply now>>
AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Bevy (125,000+$150)
- 125,000 Marriott points are worth about $875 at 0.7 cents per point; add the $150, and the welcome bonus is worth about $1,025
AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Credit Card
1,000 bonus points on every stay; complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status just for being a cardholder.
- Welcome bonus: 125,000 Mariott points + $150 (spend $5,000 in the first 6 months)
- Rewards: 6x at Marriott hotels; 4x on dining and groceries; 2x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for Marriott hotel stays, or transfer to airline miles
- Annual fee: $250
- Apply now>>
Citi Strata Elite (75,000)
- Citi’s new premium card; its various credits can offset the annual fee
- In the second year, you can consider downgrading to Premier or keeping it long term
- Great value! 10 reasons to apply for the Citi Strata Elite credit card right now!
New premium card with a $300 annual hotel credit, $400 in statement credits, and complimentary airport lounge membership
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 Thank You Points (3-month spend $6,000)
- Rewards: 12x on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel; 6x on airfare; 6x at restaurants and on delivery on Friday and Saturday evenings; 3x on dining at other times; 1.5x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be transferred 1:1 to airline and hotel partners, or redeemed for cash back
- Annual fee: $595（Discount available for Citi Gold and Private clients）
- Apply now>>
Chase United Airline (60,000+first-year annual fee waived)
- A long-standing airline miles card. The annual fee is waived the first year, so it is easy to keep with no pressure
Chase United Explorer Credit Card
Annual Club Passes; free checked bags; plus plenty of statement credits!
- Welcome bonus: 50,000 UA miles (spend $3,000 in the first 3 months) + 10,000 (add a supplementary card within 3 months)
- Rewards: 5x on hotels booked through UA channels; 2x on airfare booked on the UA website, dining, and hotel purchases; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable for domestic and international flights on UA and Star Alliance members, valued at 1.6 cents/point
- Annual fee: $150（Annual fee waived for the first year）
- Apply now>>
Chase United Quest (70,000+500 PQP)
- Factoring in the credits, the value is pretty good. If you need help chasing status, this card is worth considering
Chase United Quest Credit Card
Get $200 in annual flight credits, plus lots of reimbursements and perks~
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 UA miles + 500 PQP (spend $4,000 in 3 months) + 10,000 (add one authorized user within 3 months)
- Rewards: 3X on UA purchases; 2x on dining, streaming, and travel purchases (hotels, car rentals, airlines, cruises, etc.); 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable for domestic and international flights on UA and Star Alliance partners, with a value of 1.6 cent/point
- Annual fee: $350
- Apply now>>
Chase British Airways (90,000)
- If you like BA miles, consider getting one. The miles can be quite useful for short-haul flights within the U.S. or nonstop flights
Chase British Airways Credit Card
Up to $600 per year in award ticket taxes and fees reimbursement!
- Welcome bonus: 90,000 BA miles (spend $5,000 in 3 months)
- Rewards: 3x on flights with Iberia, British Airways, and Aer Lingus (5x in the first year); 2x on hotel bookings made directly with the hotel (3x in the first year); 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for British Airways award tickets or award tickets with oneworld partner airlines
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Regular welcome bonuses this month
- Regular bonuses: these are offers that a card tends to maintain over the long term. When a bonus is elevated, it will be moved to the limited-time or all-time-high sections. Note that this comparison is against the card’s own historical offers; compared with other cards not on the list, these bonuses are already quite good.
- If you cannot apply for any of the cards above and you do have spending needs in the near future, consider picking from this category
Chase Sapphire Reserve (100,000)
- After the refresh, the benefits and annual fee changed significantly, and the welcome bonus is also generous!
- After subtracting the annual fee, the welcome bonus is worth about $500; the travel credit is easy to use, so add another $300
Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card
Premium perks included! Up to $2,300 in annual statement credits!
- Welcome bonus: 100,000 points (spend $6,000 in the first 3 months)
- Rewards: 8x on flights, hotels, car rentals, and activities booked through Chase Travel; 4x on flights and hotels booked directly; 1x on other purchases
- Redemption: Can be redeemed for cash back; can be transferred 1:1 to airline and hotel partners; up to 1:2 redemption for premium hotels and flights; value 1.6 cents/point
- Annual fee: $795
- Apply now>>
BofA Atmos Rewards Summit (80,000+25,000 companion fare)
- A very high welcome bonus, plus a 25,000 companion discount certificate and airfare discount certificate
BofA Atmos Rewards Summit Credit Card
Annual 25k-mile discount certificate; extensive airline benefits
- Welcome bonus: 80,000 miles + 25,000 global companion ticket (spend $4,000 within 90 days)
- Rewards: 3x on purchases outside the U.S. and dining; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for Alaska or partner award tickets
- Annual fee: $395
- Apply now>>
Co-branded Platinum (80,000)
- The best approach: meet the spending requirement for the welcome bonus. Keep it for one year, and at the start of the second calendar year, remember to use up the airline credit. In the second year, you can downgrade or close the card; if you want to keep it, consider asking for a Retention Offer
Up to $2,600 in annual credits, plus a large set of premium perks!
- Welcome bonus: 80,000 Membership Rewards (spend $12,000 in six months)
- Rewards: 5x on flights and select hotel purchases; 1X on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be transferred to a Schwab brokerage account at 1:1.1 for cash redemption; also transferable at 1:1 to many airline miles and hotel points programs
- Annual fee: $895（Changes for existing cardholders in 2026）
- Apply now>>
AMEX Platinum (Morgan Stanley) Card
Up to $2,600 in annual credits; plus a long list of premium benefits!
- Welcome bonus: 80,000 Membership Rewards (spend $12,000 in 6 months)
- Rewards: 5x on airfare and select hotel purchases, 1X on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be transferred into a Morgan Stanley brokerage account and redeemed for cash at a value of 1 cent per point (100 points = $1); points can also be transferred 1:1 to many airline miles and hotel loyalty programs
- Annual fee: $895（Existing cardholders change in 2026）
- Apply now>>
BofA Atmos Rewards Ascent (70,000+companion fare)
- The miles are fairly valuable, and you can also get a companion fare
BofA Atmos Rewards Ascent Credit Card
One companion fare each year; free checked bags; one free museum day every month!
- Welcome bonus: 70,000 Alaska miles + 1 companion ticket (spend $2,500 within 90 days)
- Rewards: 3x on Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases; 2x on gas, EV charging, streaming, and public transit; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable for award flights on the airline and its partner airlines
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Bank of America Premium Rewards ($600)
- You can use the credit to buy AA gift cards, which effectively makes it a negative-annual-fee card that can be kept long term
- After subtracting the annual fee, the welcome bonus is worth about $500; the airline credit is easy to use, so you can add another $100
BofA Premium Rewards Credit Card
Up to $100 in annual airline incidental statement credits; 2x on dining and travel
- Welcome bonus: $600 cash back (spend $4,000 in three months)
- Rewards: 2% on travel and dining; 1.5% on all other purchases; BofA premium account holders can earn up to 1.75x points
- Redemption: 1:1 direct cashback redemption
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite (75,000)
- $300 airline incidental credit; rideshare, streaming, food delivery, and similar purchases can use the $100 credit, which is fairly easy to take advantage of
BofA Premium Rewards Elite Credit Card
$450 in annual statement credits
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 points (spend $5,000 in three months)
- Rewards: 2x on travel and dining; 1.5x on all other purchases; BOA premium banking customers can earn up to 1.75x points
- Redemption: 1:1 cash back redemption; 20% discount on airfare redemptions
- Annual fee: $550
- Apply now>>
Citi Strata Premier (60,000)
- After the refresh, it added charging benefits, trip delay coverage, and more, with more value at the same price
- A new one-card setup: 3x covers many aspects of daily life and travel. It also added a $100 annual hotel discount for bookings through the travel center, and TYP points can now be cashed out directly at 1: 1.
- After subtracting the first-year annual fee, the welcome bonus is worth about $700. If you can use the hotel discount, add another $100
Citi Strata Premier Credit Card
One of the best all-around credit cards for both everyday spending and travel. Plus, get a $100 annual hotel benefit.
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 ThankYou Points (Spend $4,000 in three months)
- Rewards: 10x on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel; 3x at supermarkets, restaurants, gas stations, on airfare, hotels, and EV charging; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be transferred 1:1 to airline and hotel loyalty programs, or redeemed for cash back
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey (60,000)
- A new card with pretty good value; the points can be transferred to airline and hotel partners
- Valuing the points at 1.2 cents per point, the welcome bonus is worth about $750+
Great for travel spending, plus a $50 annual credit
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 points (spend $4,000 in three months)
- Rewards: Hotels 5x; airfare 4x; restaurants, takeout, and other travel 3x; all other purchases 1x
- Redemption: Cash back; can also be redeemed for airline miles or hotel points
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Chase Hyatt (up to 60,000)
- The spending requirement is a bit high
Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card
Free night award every year; 4x at Hyatt hotels!
- Welcome bonus: 30,000 Hyatt points (spend $3,000 in 3 months) + 2x additional points (6-month spending period, up to $15,000 in purchases)
- Rewards: 4x at Hyatt hotels; 2x on airfare, car rentals, dining, transit, and fitness clubs; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for stays at Hyatt hotels, valued at 1.6 cents/point
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Citi AA Globe (60,000)
- Apply purely for the welcome bonus; the credits are a bit weak
- In the second year, you can downgrade to a no-annual-fee AA card or close it
$750 in various statement credits, extensive AA flight benefits, and an annual companion ticket
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 AA miles (spend $5,000 in three months)
- Rewards: AA Hotel 6x; purchases on the AA website 3x; dining and food delivery 2x; rideshare and public transit 2x; all other purchases 1x
- Redemption: Redeem for AA, Oneworld, and partner-airline award tickets, with an estimated value of about 1.5 cpp
- Annual fee: $350
- Apply now>>
About welcome bonuses
In the U.S., many credit cards offer generous welcome bonuses. For example, 100,000 airline miles, 60,000 points, or 50,000 hotel points can each be worth more than $1,000. A welcome bonus can be worth far more than several years of earnings from holding a 5% cash-back credit card. In addition to welcome bonuses, many credit cards also offer statement credits, and if you can use them, the value can be remarkable. Earning more than a thousand dollars from opening one card is not a fantasy, so in this article we are rounding up recent high-value welcome bonuses to give you a reference when applying.
We have also added labels so you can quickly see which cards should be prioritized.
*This ranking only considers holding the credit card for one year; credit values are considered as appropriate
**Current welcome bonuses are determined based on the list’s update date, and we try to keep them up to date. Some cards require special steps to open the offer in order to see the welcome bonus. You can follow the instructions in the credit card review.
***All point valuations are based on: points and miles valuation estimates; comparisons are converted to cash value.
****This ranking ignores the opportunity cost of the spending required to earn the welcome bonus
*****Formula: value $XXX = welcome bonus * point value + credit amount * discounted value - annual fee
Big roundup of welcome bonuses
The accounts below all have very solid sign-up bonuses. Pick the ones you like and earn some extra cash. Over time, those small amounts add up, and in a year you can make a good amount of money and travel funds from these financial accounts.
- Meika 101 Exclusive Bonus: Apply through our site to get higher rewards and perks
- U.S. Credit Card Sign-Up Bonus Rankings (Personal Cards):
- Bank Account Sign-Up Bonus Rankings (Personal Accounts) [Updated Monthly]
- High-Interest Account Sign-Up Bonus Rankings [Updated Monthly]
- Investment and Stock Platform Sign-Up Bonus Rankings [Updated Monthly]
- U.S. Business Credit Card Rankings [Updated Monthly]
- Bank Account Sign-Up Bonus Rankings (Business Accounts)
If you plan to apply for a card soon, I think the best ones to prioritize are the AMEX Gold, Platinum, the all-time-high Delta offers, Marriott Brilliant, and the all-time-high AA Executive offer. If you have already had all of those, then look at the CSP and AA Platinum. Details below:
- For issuer cards, AMEX Gold 100,000 and Platinum 175,000 are both very good, though unfortunately both are high targeted offers that can feel like opening a mystery box. If you have a lot of rent or mortgage payments, Bilt’s new premium card is also good. There is also the new Capital One Venture 75,000+$300 credit
- For airline cards: the Delta series is directly at all-time highs, AA 80,000 is also very good, and BA and UA offers are decent too. The category is really firing on all cylinders!
- For hotel cards: the Marriott Brilliant limited-time offer is worth getting; Hyatt is just so-so, and for the others, wait for now
- If you are not sure which stage you are in or which card you should apply for, see our latest guide: 2026 U.S. credit card application roadmap: from your first card to advanced player
My recommendations are as follows:
| Rank | Card | Bonus | First-year value | Estimated credit value | Total value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AMEX Platinum | Up to 175,000 MR (targeted mystery-box offer) | $1,730 | $1,700 | $3,430 |
| 2 | AMEX Gold | Up to 100,000 MR (targeted mystery-box offer) | $1,175 | $424 | $1,599 |
| 3 | AMEX Delta Gold | Up to 80,000 Delta + $250 (expires November 4) | $1,210 | $100 | $1,310 |
| 4 | AMEX Delta Platinum | 90,000 Delta + $300 (expires November 4) | $1,030 | $390 | $1,420 |
| 5 | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant | 150,000 Marriott + $250 (expires September 30) | $800 | $300 | $1,100 |
| 6 | Citi AA Executive | 125,000 AA (all-time high) | $1,180 | $300 | $1,480 |
This article mainly lists good welcome offers for personal cards. For rankings related to business cards, see: Business Card Recommendations
This Month’s All-Time-High Welcome Offers
- All-time high: This refers to a welcome offer that is the highest ever, or exceptionally good over a long period of time.
- Our recommendation: if you can see one of these offers, prioritize applying for it! If you get approved, you definitely will not lose out.
Three AMEX Hilton All-Time-High Offers
AMEX Hilton Aspire Credit Card
Complimentary top-tier Hilton Diamond status! Up to $600 in annual airline and hotel credits, plus a free night reward every year!
- Welcome bonus: 200,000 Hilton points (spend $6,000 in six months)
- Rewards: 14x on Hilton hotel purchases, 7x on flights, dining, and car rentals, and 3x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable at Hilton properties worldwide
- Annual fee: $550
- Apply now>>
AMEX Hilton Surpass Credit Card
Complimentary Hilton Gold status + $200 hotel statement credits!
- Welcome bonus: 130,000 Hilton points + 1 free night certificate (spend $3,000 in 6 months)
- Rewards: 12x at Hilton hotels, 6x at supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations, 3x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable at Hilton properties worldwide
- Annual fee: $150
- Apply now>>
AMEX Hilton Honors Credit Card
No annual fee
- Welcome bonus: 70,000 Hilton points + 1 free night certificate (spend $2,000 in six months)
- Rewards: 7x on Hilton hotel purchases, 5x at supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations, 3x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable at Hilton properties worldwide
- Annual fee: $0
- Apply now>>
AMEX Platinum (150,000-175,000)
- You can get up to 175,000, but you have to go all the way to the final step of the application to see what welcome offer you get.
- The best approach: meet the spending requirement for the welcome offer. Hold the card for one year, and at the beginning of the second calendar year, remember to use up the airline incidental credit. In the second year, you can either downgrade or close the card. If you want to keep it, we recommend asking for a retention offer.
- The airline incidental credit, FHR, Lululemon, Uber, and Resy are all usable credits. In total, the first year offers $1,700 in credits (if you want to be aggressive, you can count another round after the calendar year turns over).
Up to $2,600 in annual statement credits; plus a wide range of premium perks!
- Welcome bonus: Up to 175,000 Membership Rewards (spend $12,000 in 6 months)
- Rewards: 5x on airfare and select hotel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Transfer 1:1 to many airline miles and hotel points programs
- Annual fee: $895（Changes for existing cardholders in 2026）
- Apply now>>
AMEX Gold (up to 100,000)
- You can get up to 100,000, but you have to go all the way to the final step of the application to see what welcome offer you get.
- The welcome offer is very high, and the rewards rate on dining and supermarkets is also excellent.
- There is a $10 monthly dining credit and a $10 monthly Uber Eats credit. If you use them all, they can almost offset the annual fee.
High rewards on groceries and dining, plus $300+ in annual statement credits
- Welcome bonus: Up to 100,000 Membership Rewards (spend $4,000 in 6 months)
- Rewards: Dining, supermarkets 4x; airfare, amextravel.com 3x; all other purchases 1x
- Redemption: Can be redeemed for gift cards, cash, and travel; best value comes from airline mile transfers
- Annual fee: $325
- Apply now>>
Delta Cards
- Delta Gold waives the annual fee for the first year and also has a welcome offer of up to 80,000 + $250. We recommend this card for most people because it gives you flexibility.
- Unfortunately, this 80,000 is the highest version; you may only see 60,000. You can see the exact amount at the final step of the application. If you really see 80,000, go for it without hesitation!
First two checked bags free; Delta flight perks, plus $100 hotel reimbursement each year
- Welcome bonus: As High As 80,000 miles + $250 (six-month spend $3,000)
- Rewards: Delta purchases, supermarkets, restaurants 2x; everything else 1x
- Redemption: Redeem for Delta flights and SkyTeam partner award tickets; 15% off redemptions
- Annual fee: $150（Annual fee waived for the first year）
- Apply now>>
- If you want more benefits and fly Delta fairly often, you can consider this Platinum card. Note that if you have not gotten Gold before, we recommend getting Gold first, because once you have received the Platinum bonus, you can no longer get the Gold bonus.
- Unfortunately, this 90,000 is the highest version; you may only see 70,000. You can see the exact amount at the final step of the application. If you really see 90,000, go for it without hesitation!
First two checked bags free; $390 in annual reimbursement + a companion ticket, solid Delta perks
- Welcome bonus: 90,000 miles + $300 (spend $4,000 in six months)
- Rewards: Delta purchases, hotel purchases 3x, restaurants and supermarkets 2x, everything else 1x
- Redemption: Can be redeemed for Delta flights and SkyTeam partner flight tickets; redemptions get 15% off
- Annual fee: $350（Some legacy cardholders: $250）
- Apply now>>
- If you need Delta elite status benefits and access to Delta’s own airport lounges, you can consider it, but preferably only if you fly very frequently. It is not suitable for the average person to apply for.
- Also, the two round-trip tickets this time look very valuable, but they come with many restrictions. It is only reasonably worthwhile if you really often fly long-haul routes within the U.S. and can use them.
First two checked bags free; annual companion ticket + $610 reimbursement, with generous premium Delta perks
- Welcome bonus: 50,000 miles + 2 free round-trip U.S. domestic tickets (6-month spend $10,000)
- Rewards: 3x on Delta purchases, 1x on everything else
- Redemption: Can be redeemed for Delta flights and SkyTeam partner airline tickets; redemptions get 15% off
- Annual fee: $650（Some legacy cardholders pay $550）
- Apply now>>
You can read our comparison article to choose the Delta card that fits you best:
Citi AA Executive (125,000)
- The welcome offer is good, but the annual fee is very high and there are not many credits.
- Only suitable for people who fly AA a lot.
Citi AAdvantage Executive Credit Card
Complimentary Admirals Club access, plus up to $480 in annual statement credits; premium AA credit card
- Welcome bonus: 125,000 AA miles (spend $15,000 in five months)
- Rewards: 4x on AA purchases; after $150k in annual spending, it becomes 5x; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Best value for award travel between the U.S. and China and between the U.S. and Europe; business-class redemptions offer good value.
- Annual fee: $695
- Apply now>>
This Month’s Limited-Time Welcome Offers
- Limited-time: Excellent offers that are newly released this month or will expire soon.
- Our recommendation: strongly consider applying. You could say that as long as you have even a slight need for the card, you definitely will not regret applying!
Capital One Venture Rewards (75,000+$300 hotel credit)
- You can get the $300 hotel credit by booking through Capital One Travel.
- Get pre-approved first, and you can see the welcome offer. If you do not pass pre-approval, it will not affect your credit score.
Capital One Venture Credit Card
2x miles on all purchases!
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 Capital One points + $300 hotel reimbursement (spend $4,000 in 3 months)
- Rewards: 2x on all purchases
- Redemption: 100 miles = $1 toward travel purchases; 1:1 transfer to airline miles
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Citi AA Platinum (80,000)
- A classic airline card with a high first-year bonus and no annual fee for the first year, so you can hold it for one year with no pressure.
- In the second year, you can downgrade to a no-annual-fee AA card or close it.
Citi AA Platinum American Airlines Credit Card
No annual fee for the first year!
- Welcome bonus: 80,000 AA miles (spend $3,500 in the first 4 months)
- Rewards: 2X on AA website ticket purchases; 2x at restaurants and gas stations; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Best value when redeeming for flights between China and the U.S. or between the U.S. and Europe; business-class redemptions can also offer solid value.
- Annual fee: $99（No annual fee for the first year）
- Apply now>>
AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant (150,000+$250)
- The annual 85,000-point free night certificate is very nice and can be used for $300-$1,000 in value.
- The $300 dining credit can also offset part of the annual fee.
AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Credit Card
Complimentary Marriott Platinum Elite status; annual 85k free night certificate and up to $300 in dining statement credits each year
- Welcome bonus: 150,000 Marriott points + $250 (six months spending $6,000)
- Rewards: 6x at SPG/Marriott/Ritz-Carlton hotels, 3x on airfare and dining, 2x on everything else
- Redemption: Redeemable at SPG/Marriott/Ritz-Carlton properties, or transfer to airline miles at up to a 3:1.25 ratio
- Annual fee: $650
- Apply now>>
Chase Sapphire Preferred (75,000)
- A classic mid-tier credit card. After you have it, UR points can be transferred to airlines and hotels.
- 7 tips to help you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred welcome offer!
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
A very good travel credit card; includes a $100 annual hotel discount and free rental car insurance!
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 points (spend $5,000 in three months)
- Rewards: 5x on select travel; 3x on dining, streaming, gas and EV charging, ride sharing and shared lodging; 2x on other travel; 1X on everything else
- Redemption: Can be redeemed directly for cash; can transfer 1:1 to airline and hotel points; can be used at 1:1.25 toward travel purchases; worth 1.6 cents per point
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Bilt Palladium (50,000+$300)
- People with large rent or mortgage payments can consider applying.
- The points are relatively valuable.
Up to $400 in hotel credits each year, $200 in Bilt Cash, plus complimentary airport lounge access
- Welcome bonus: 50,000 Bilt points (spend $4,000 within three months) + $300 Bilt Cash (when you open the card)
- Rewards: 1x Bilt Points on rent and mortgage payments; 2x Bilt Points + 4% Bilt Cash on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be redeemed for miles with multiple airline partners and hotel points
- Annual fee: $495
- Apply now>>
Chase Marriott Bonvoy (4 free night certificates+$100)
- It gives free night certificates every year, so it can still be worth holding long term.
- The $100 credit is split into $50 every half year, and you need to spend $250 on airfare to get it.
Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Marriott Credit Card
Comes with 1 free night certificate every year; a standout card
- Welcome bonus: 3 Marriott 50,000-point free night certificates (spend $3,000 in the first 3 months) + $100 airline credit
- Rewards: 6x at Marriott hotels; 3x on gas, groceries, and dining; 2x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Can be redeemed at Marriott/Ritz-Carlton properties, or transferred to airline miles at up to a 3:1.25 ratio
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Capital One Venture X (75,000)
- Using the 500,000 method makes it easy to get approved. You can click into the details to learn more.
- This card gives a $300 credit and 10,000 points every year, so it basically has no holding cost. The earlier you get it, the better!
Capital One Venture X Credit Card
A premium card that can more than pay for itself each year
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 Capital One points (spend $4,000 in the first 6 months)
- Rewards: 2x on all purchases, plus 10x/5x through the Capital One Travel portal
- Redemption: 100 points = $1 toward travel purchases; 1:1 transfers to airline miles
- Annual fee: $395
- Apply now>>
AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Bevy (135,000)
- Looking purely at the Marriott points from the welcome offer, it is already worth $1,400.
AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Credit Card
1,000 bonus points on every stay; complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status just for being a cardholder.
- Welcome bonus: 125,000 Mariott points + $150 (spend $5,000 in the first 6 months)
- Rewards: 6x at Marriott hotels; 4x on dining and groceries; 2x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for Marriott hotel stays, or transfer to airline miles
- Annual fee: $250
- Apply now>>
Citi Strata Elite (75,000)
- Citi’s new premium card. Its various credits can offset the annual fee.
- In the second year, you can consider downgrading to Premier or holding it long term.
- Great value! 10 reasons to convince you to apply for the Citi Strata Elite credit card right away!
New premium card with a $300 annual hotel credit, $400 in statement credits, and complimentary airport lounge membership
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 Thank You Points (3-month spend $6,000)
- Rewards: 12x on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel; 6x on airfare; 6x at restaurants and on delivery on Friday and Saturday evenings; 3x on dining at other times; 1.5x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be transferred 1:1 to airline and hotel partners, or redeemed for cash back
- Annual fee: $595（Discount available for Citi Gold and Private clients）
- Apply now>>
Chase United Airline (60,000+first-year annual fee waived)
- A classic airline miles card. The annual fee is waived for the first year, so you can hold it with no pressure.
Chase United Explorer Credit Card
Annual Club Passes; free checked bags; plus plenty of statement credits!
- Welcome bonus: 50,000 UA miles (spend $3,000 in the first 3 months) + 10,000 (add a supplementary card within 3 months)
- Rewards: 5x on hotels booked through UA channels; 2x on airfare booked on the UA website, dining, and hotel purchases; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable for domestic and international flights on UA and Star Alliance members, valued at 1.6 cents/point
- Annual fee: $150（Annual fee waived for the first year）
- Apply now>>
Chase United Quest (70,000+500 PQP)
- Factoring in the credits, the value is pretty good. If you have status-related needs, you can consider this card.
Chase United Quest Credit Card
Get $200 in annual flight credits, plus lots of reimbursements and perks~
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 UA miles + 500 PQP (spend $4,000 in 3 months) + 10,000 (add one authorized user within 3 months)
- Rewards: 3X on UA purchases; 2x on dining, streaming, and travel purchases (hotels, car rentals, airlines, cruises, etc.); 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable for domestic and international flights on UA and Star Alliance partners, with a value of 1.6 cent/point
- Annual fee: $350
- Apply now>>
Chase British Airways (90,000)
- If you like BA miles, you can consider getting one. The miles are pretty good for short-haul flights within the U.S. or nonstop flights.
Chase British Airways Credit Card
Up to $600 per year in award ticket taxes and fees reimbursement!
- Welcome bonus: 90,000 BA miles (spend $5,000 in 3 months)
- Rewards: 3x on flights with Iberia, British Airways, and Aer Lingus (5x in the first year); 2x on hotel bookings made directly with the hotel (3x in the first year); 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for British Airways award tickets or award tickets with oneworld partner airlines
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Chase Hyatt (75,000)
- The spending requirement is a bit high.
Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card
Free night award every year; 4x at Hyatt hotels!
- Welcome bonus: 30,000 Hyatt points (spend $3,000 in 3 months) + 2x additional points (6-month spending period, up to $15,000 in purchases)
- Rewards: 4x at Hyatt hotels; 2x on airfare, car rentals, dining, transit, and fitness clubs; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for stays at Hyatt hotels, valued at 1.6 cents/point
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
This Month’s Regular Welcome Offers
- Regular offers: These are offers that the card keeps for the long term. When an offer is elevated, it will be moved to the limited-time or all-time-high section. Note, however, that this comparison is relative to the same card’s own history. Compared with other cards not on the list, these offers are already very good.
- Our recommendation: if you cannot apply for any of the cards above and you do have spending needs recently, you can choose from this category.
Chase Sapphire Reserve (100,000)
- After the refresh, the benefits and annual fee changed significantly, and the welcome offer is also generous!
- After subtracting the annual fee, the welcome offer is worth about $500; the travel credit is easy to use, so add another $300.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card
Premium perks included! Up to $2,300 in annual statement credits!
- Welcome bonus: 100,000 points (spend $6,000 in the first 3 months)
- Rewards: 8x on flights, hotels, car rentals, and activities booked through Chase Travel; 4x on flights and hotels booked directly; 1x on other purchases
- Redemption: Can be redeemed for cash back; can be transferred 1:1 to airline and hotel partners; up to 1:2 redemption for premium hotels and flights; value 1.6 cents/point
- Annual fee: $795
- Apply now>>
BofA Atmos Rewards Summit (80,000+25,000 companion fare)
- Very high signup bonus, plus 25,000 in companion discount codes and flight discount codes
BofA Atmos Rewards Summit Credit Card
Annual 25k-mile discount certificate; extensive airline benefits
- Welcome bonus: 80,000 miles + 25,000 global companion ticket (spend $4,000 within 90 days)
- Rewards: 3x on purchases outside the U.S. and dining; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for Alaska or partner award tickets
- Annual fee: $395
- Apply now>>
Co-branded Platinum (80,000)
- Best approach: meet the spending requirement for the signup bonus. Keep it for one year, and at the beginning of the second calendar year, remember to use up the airline credit. In the second year, you can either downgrade or close the card. If you want to keep it, it is recommended to ask for a Retention Offer
Up to $2,600 in annual credits, plus a large set of premium perks!
- Welcome bonus: 80,000 Membership Rewards (spend $12,000 in six months)
- Rewards: 5x on flights and select hotel purchases; 1X on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be transferred to a Schwab brokerage account at 1:1.1 for cash redemption; also transferable at 1:1 to many airline miles and hotel points programs
- Annual fee: $895（Changes for existing cardholders in 2026）
- Apply now>>
AMEX Platinum (Morgan Stanley) Card
Up to $2,600 in annual credits; plus a long list of premium benefits!
- Welcome bonus: 80,000 Membership Rewards (spend $12,000 in 6 months)
- Rewards: 5x on airfare and select hotel purchases, 1X on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be transferred into a Morgan Stanley brokerage account and redeemed for cash at a value of 1 cent per point (100 points = $1); points can also be transferred 1:1 to many airline miles and hotel loyalty programs
- Annual fee: $895（Existing cardholders change in 2026）
- Apply now>>
BofA Atmos Rewards Ascent (70,000 + companion fare)
- The miles are relatively valuable, and you can also get a companion fare
BofA Atmos Rewards Ascent Credit Card
One companion fare each year; free checked bags; one free museum day every month!
- Welcome bonus: 70,000 Alaska miles + 1 companion ticket (spend $2,500 within 90 days)
- Rewards: 3x on Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases; 2x on gas, EV charging, streaming, and public transit; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable for award flights on the airline and its partner airlines
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Chase IHG Premier (140,000)
- I personally prefer the points version, since the points do not expire
- This card can also be kept long term. The annual free night certificate basically offsets the annual fee
Annual free night certificate + $50 flight credit!
- Welcome bonus: 5 40,000-point Free Nights (spend $4,000 in 3 months) + 10,000 points (add one authorized user)
- Rewards: 10x on IHG purchases; 5x on travel, gas, and dining; 3x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem at IHG hotels, worth 0.6 cpp
- Annual fee: $99
- Apply now>>
Bank of America Premium Rewards ($600)
- Just use the credit to buy AA gift cards. That is effectively a negative annual fee, so it can be kept long term
- After subtracting the annual fee, the signup bonus is worth about $500; the airline credit is very easy to use, so you can add another $100
BofA Premium Rewards Credit Card
Up to $100 in annual airline incidental statement credits; 2x on dining and travel
- Welcome bonus: $600 cash back (spend $4,000 in three months)
- Rewards: 2% on travel and dining; 1.5% on all other purchases; BofA premium account holders can earn up to 1.75x points
- Redemption: 1:1 direct cashback redemption
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite (75,000)
- $300 airline incidental credit; rideshare, streaming, food delivery, and similar categories can get $100 in credits, which are fairly easy to use
BofA Premium Rewards Elite Credit Card
$450 in annual statement credits
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 points (spend $5,000 in three months)
- Rewards: 2x on travel and dining; 1.5x on all other purchases; BOA premium banking customers can earn up to 1.75x points
- Redemption: 1:1 cash back redemption; 20% discount on airfare redemptions
- Annual fee: $550
- Apply now>>
Citi Strata Premier (60,000)
- After the refresh, it added EV charging benefits, trip delay coverage, and more, giving you more value at the same price
- A new entrant as a strong one-card setup, with 3x covering many everyday and travel categories. It added an annual $100 discount on hotel bookings through the travel center, and TYP can now be directly redeemed at 1:1.
- After subtracting the first-year annual fee, the signup bonus is worth about $700. If you can use the hotel discount, you can add another $100
Citi Strata Premier Credit Card
One of the best all-around credit cards for both everyday spending and travel. Plus, get a $100 annual hotel benefit.
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 ThankYou Points (Spend $4,000 in three months)
- Rewards: 10x on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel; 3x at supermarkets, restaurants, gas stations, on airfare, hotels, and EV charging; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be transferred 1:1 to airline and hotel loyalty programs, or redeemed for cash back
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey (60,000-70,000)
- A newly launched card with a pretty good value proposition. Points can be transferred to airline and hotel partners
- Valuing points at 1.2c/p, the signup value is about $750+
Great for travel spending, plus a $50 annual credit
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 points (spend $4,000 in three months)
- Rewards: Hotels 5x; airfare 4x; restaurants, takeout, and other travel 3x; all other purchases 1x
- Redemption: Cash back; can also be redeemed for airline miles or hotel points
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Chase Aeroplan (60,000)
- The miles have good value, and PYB can be used to cash out
Chase Aeroplan Air Canada Co-Branded Credit Card
Complimentary Air Canada elite status just for holding the card, helping you reach higher tiers faster! $100 Air Canada credit each year
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 miles (spend $4,000 in 3 months) + 40,000 miles (spend $20,000 total in 12 months)
- Rewards: 3x on Air Canada website purchases and travel; 2x on gas, restaurants, and supermarkets; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for international and domestic flights on Air Canada and Star Alliance member airlines; cardholders get discounted redemptions
- Annual fee: $195（Some existing cardholders pay $95）
- Apply now>>
Citi AA Globe (60,000)
- Apply purely for the signup bonus; the credits are a bit weak
- In the second year, you can downgrade to a no-annual-fee AA card or close it
$750 in various statement credits, extensive AA flight benefits, and an annual companion ticket
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 AA miles (spend $5,000 in three months)
- Rewards: AA Hotel 6x; purchases on the AA website 3x; dining and food delivery 2x; rideshare and public transit 2x; all other purchases 1x
- Redemption: Redeem for AA, Oneworld, and partner-airline award tickets, with an estimated value of about 1.5 cpp
- Annual fee: $350
- Apply now>>
About Signup Bonuses
In the United States, many credit cards offer generous signup bonuses. For example, 100,000 airline miles, 60,000 points, or 50,000 hotel points can all be worth more than $1,000. A signup bonus can easily be worth far more than several years of earnings from holding a 5% cash back credit card. In addition to signup bonuses, many credit cards offer credits; if you can use them, the returns can also be surprisingly high. Earning more than a thousand dollars from opening a single card is not a fantasy, so in this article we round up some of the current high-value signup bonuses to give you a reference when applying.
We have also added tags so you can quickly see which cards should be prioritized.
*This ranking only considers holding the credit card for one year, and the value of credits will be considered as appropriate
**Current signup bonuses are determined based on the ranking update date, and we try to keep them as up to date as possible. Some cards require special methods to open the offer in order to see the signup bonus. You can follow the instructions in the credit card introduction.
***All point values are based on: Miles and Points Valuations, and comparisons are converted to cash value.
****This ranking ignores the opportunity cost generated by the spending requirement for the signup bonus
*****Calculation formula: Value $XXX = signup bonus * point value + credit amount * discounted value - annual fee
Signup Bonus Roundup
The accounts below all have very solid sign-up bonuses. Pick the ones you like and earn some extra cash. Over time, those small amounts add up, and in a year you can make a good amount of money and travel funds from these financial accounts.
- Meika 101 Exclusive Bonus: Apply through our site to get higher rewards and perks
- U.S. Credit Card Sign-Up Bonus Rankings (Personal Cards):
- Bank Account Sign-Up Bonus Rankings (Personal Accounts) [Updated Monthly]
- High-Interest Account Sign-Up Bonus Rankings [Updated Monthly]
- Investment and Stock Platform Sign-Up Bonus Rankings [Updated Monthly]
- U.S. Business Credit Card Rankings [Updated Monthly]
- Bank Account Sign-Up Bonus Rankings (Business Accounts)
