Updated and checked September 2023. That space in your wallet or purse is valuable, and you should be the one to get that value. By being smart and picky, you can find offers worth $500+ for a single card, all to encourage you to apply and try it out. This adds up to thousands of dollars in extra income (over $3,000 so far in 2023). These are the top 10 credit card offers that I would personally apply for right now (or have already). Notable recent changes:
Added Aeroplan 100k, JetBlue 75k, Wyndham 75k, IHG 140k+credit, Hawaiian 70k 
Removed AmEx Green 60k+200, Delta 65k, AA Red 70k, Southwest 60k+30{dec8eed80f8408bfe0c8cb968907362b371b4140b1eb4f4e531a2b1c1a9556e5}off, Citi Premier 75k
This is a companion post to my Top 10 Best Business Card Offers. Small business bonuses are on average even higher than those on consumer cards.
- Up to 100,000 points – 75,000 points after $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months, plus 25,000 points after $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months. 100,000 points is worth $1,250 in travel value with Pay Yourself Back®. See link for details.
- Free first checked bags on Air Canada flights: one free checked bag for the primary cardmember and up to eight other travelers on the same itinerary.
- Aeroplan 25K Elite Status benefits for the remainder of the first calendar year, plus the following calendar year.
- $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit.
- $95 annual fee.
- Subject to 5/24 rule.
- 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $750 towards travel or transferrable to miles/points) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. See link for details.
- $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards(R), 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases.
- $95 annual fee.
- Subject to 5/24 rule.*
- Upgrade pick: Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. Higher travel perks including airport lounge access, higher annual fee.
The Platinum Card from American Express
- 80,000 Membership Rewards(R) points after $8,000 in purchases in the first 6 months.
- $200 Hotel Credits, $240 Streaming Credits, $200 Airline Fee Credits, $200 Uber Cash, $189 CLEAR Credit, $300 Equinox credit, $155 Walmart+ credit and more annually!
- $100 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck fee credit.
- Premium airport lounge access through the American Express Global Lounge Collection®.
- $695 annual fee.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Card
- 75,000 miles (worth $750 towards travel, or transferrable to miles) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. See link for details.
- $300 annual travel credit. Get up to $300 in statement credits when booking through Capital One Travel.
- Additional 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary.
- Priority Pass + Capital One airport lounge access. Additional cardholders are free, and also get their own Priority Pass!
- Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
- $395 annual fee.
- 60,000 Membership Rewards points after $4,000 in purchases in first 6 months. Limited-time offer. See link for details.
- $120 in Uber Cash annually (good towards Uber Eats or Uber rides in the US).
- $120 in annual dining credit at Grubhub, Seamless, and more.
- 4X points at restaurants.
- 4X points at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 per year.
- $250 annual fee.
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
- 140,000 IHG Rewards club points after $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, earn up to $100 in IHG® statement credits on purchases at IHG® Hotels and Resorts during the first 12 months. See link for details.
- Free Night after each account anniversary year (valued up to 40,000 IHG points).
- $99 annual fee.
- Subject to 5/24 rule.
- Don’t like annual fees? The no-annual fee Traveler version is now offering 80,000 IHG bonus points + $50 IHG credit.
- Up to 75,000 bonus TrueBlue points – 70,000 bonus points after $1,000 on purchases and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. Plus additional 5,000 bonus points if you apply using the special application link given. See link for details.
- First checked bag free for the primary cardmember and up to 3 companions when tickets are purchased with your JetBlue Plus Card.
- $99 annual fee.
Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card
- 75,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. See link for details.
- 75k points worth between 2 and 10 free nights. Wyndham hotel award nights cost between 7,500 to 30,000 points.
- Automatic upgrade to Wyndham Rewards Platinum status.
- $75 annual fee.
British Airways Visa Signature Card
- 75,000 Avios after $5,000 in purchases within first 3 months. See link for details and redemption tips.
- 10{dec8eed80f8408bfe0c8cb968907362b371b4140b1eb4f4e531a2b1c1a9556e5} off British Airways flights starting in the US when you book through the website provided in your welcome materials.
- Free Travel Together companion ticket when you spend $30,000 in calendar year.
- $95 annual fee.
- 60,000 miles after $3,000 in purchases within 3 months. See link for details.
- Free first checked bag for both you and a companion (a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip) when you use your Card to purchase your United ticket.
- Expanded award availability. Having this card makes it easier to find that saver award economy ticket.
- $0 annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Subject to 5/24 rule.
Capital One Venture Rewards Card
- 75,000 miles (worth $500 towards travel, or transferrable to miles) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. See link for details.
- 2{dec8eed80f8408bfe0c8cb968907362b371b4140b1eb4f4e531a2b1c1a9556e5} cash back on ALL purchases.
- Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
- $95 annual fee.
Bank of America Premium Rewards Card
- 60,000 points (worth $600) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 90 days. See link for details.
- 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. Eligible for 25{dec8eed80f8408bfe0c8cb968907362b371b4140b1eb4f4e531a2b1c1a9556e5}-75{dec8eed80f8408bfe0c8cb968907362b371b4140b1eb4f4e531a2b1c1a9556e5} boost with Preferred Rewards status.
- $100 annual Airline Incidental Statement Credit.
- Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
- $95 annual fee.
- 70,000 Hawaiian miles after any purchase (of any amount) within the first 90 days. Any 6-digit code will work, like “000000”. See link for details.
- Free first checked bag for primary cardmember.
- One-time 50{dec8eed80f8408bfe0c8cb968907362b371b4140b1eb4f4e531a2b1c1a9556e5} off companion discount for roundtrip coach travel between Hawaii and The Mainland on Hawaiian Airlines.
- $99 annual fee.
Alaska Airlines Visa Card (Bank of America)
- 62,000 bonus miles + Companion Fare voucher after $3,000 in purchases within first 90 days. See link for details.
- Companion fare voucher is “Buy one ticket, get one from $122” ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from just $23).
- Free checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to six other passengers on the same reservation (worth $60 roundtrip per person).
- $95 annual fee.
- 60,000 points (worth $600 in gift cards, or transferrable to miles/points) after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
- 3X points for every $1 spent on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- Must not have gotten bonus from or closed a Citi Rewards+, ThankYou Preferred, Premier, or Prestige card in the past 24 months.
- $95 annual fee.
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
- 50,000 bonus points (worth $500 in statement credits) after $2,000 in purchases within 120 days. See link for details.
- 4X points on travel and gas stations, 2X points on dining and grocery stores.
- Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
- $30 annual streaming bonus.
- $0 annual fee the first year, $95/year thereafter.
Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard
- 50,000 American Airlines miles after any purchase in the first 90 days. See link for details.
- First checked bag free on domestic AA flights ($60 value per roundtrip, per person).
- $99 annual fee.
If you pay off your balances every month, then you can join me and many others in funding a huge chunk of your annual travel budget with cash credits, points, and miles. I mostly use my rewards points on family trips – domestic economy flights, mid-range hotels, and cheap car rentals. If you have credit card debt, you should focus on paying that off first as the interest charges could offset most of the perks.
* 5/24 Rule? Certain Chase cards have a “5/24 rule” which is an unofficial rule that they will automatically deny approval on new credit cards if you have 5 or more new credit cards from any issuer on your credit report within the past 24 months (2 years). This rule applies on a per-person basis, so if you are new, you might want to start with those Chase cards.
