This month my consumer card picks are dominated by great hotel card offers, but some of the old (and still great) standby cards offering transferable points are still there too. On the business side, transferable point offers continue to lead the pack. I love transferable points because they let you wait to find the best award booking deals before you commit your points to a particular loyalty program.
Below you’ll find my picks and a dash of analysis for the top 5 6 consumer card offers and the top 5 business card offers.
Background
Our Best Credit Card Offers page always shows the best offers sorted overall and within each card issuer by estimated first year value. This is a great non-biased way to compare credit card offers, but it misses nuances such as whether or not the rewards are easy to use, whether or not the card is worth keeping long term, etc. With this monthly series, I list my top consumer offers and top business offers, but with a small dash of analysis for each.
Top 5 Consumer Card Offers
OK, yeah, I’m cheating with 6 offers instead of just 5…
Hilton Surpass: 130K + free night
| Card Offer |
|---|
Limited Time Offer: 130K points + Free Night Certificate ⓘ Affiliate 130K points + free night certificate after $3K spend within the first 6 months. Terms apply. (Offer Expires 7/31/2024)$150 Annual Fee After clicking through, be sure to select the card you want on the next page. Recent better offer: None, this is the best that we've seen. |
![](http://cdn.nextinsure.com/imaging/opt/0fb236dd-aecb-49ed-9f28-94aaf0efd9a2.png?w=300" alt="Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card" />)
This combination of 130,000 points plus a free night after only $3,000 spend in 6 months is hard to beat! Hilton’s free night certificates can be used at nearly any Hilton hotel worldwide when standard rooms are available. A great option is for a couple to each apply so that you’ll have the opportunity to get 2 free nights plus the ability to spend $15K on each card for additional free nights.
Sonesta: Up to 125K
| Card Offer |
|---|
Up to 125K points ⓘ Non-Affiliate Up to 125K points: 120K points after $2K spend in 90 days plus 5K points for adding an authorized user within first 90 days$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $75 Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. |
This is a smoking hot offer. The welcome bonus can easily be worth $1,300 or more towards Sonesta hotel stays. The only big downside is that Sonesta properties are currently limited mostly to North and South America. You can find a full list of Sonesta locations, here.
Capital One Venture Rewards: 75K + $250 travel credit
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
75K Miles + up to $250 in statement credits ⓘ Affiliate Limited-time offer: For a limited time, earn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year - that's equal to $1,000 in travel. Also, earn unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.$95 Annual Fee Alternate Offer: Airport Kiosk offer of 80K miles after $4K spend in the first 3 months See this post for details. FM Mini Review: This card earns 2 "miles" per dollar, which are worth exactly 1 cent each toward travel. This makes the return on spend similar to a 2% cash back card (though in this case you must redeem your miles to offset travel in order to get 1 cent per mile). One big advantage over cash back: Capital One allows transfering their "miles" to airline miles & hotel points. Click here for our complete card review Earning rate: 2X miles everywhere ✦ 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel Card Info: Mastercard issued by CapOne. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: Receive up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® ✦ Redeem miles for travel at value of 1 cent per mile ✦ Convert "miles" to airline miles & hotel points ✦ No foreign transaction fees |
This is an excellent bonus for an excellent card. You can use the bonus directly to offset travel purchases at a penny per “mile” or you can get even better value by transferring to airline and hotel partners when you find outsized value awards. For those looking for a single travel card with a low annual fee, this is an excellent choice. If you’re willing to spend $395 per year, though, the Venture X card may be an even better choice for you.
See also: Capital One “Miles” Complete Guide.
Citi Strata Premier: 75K
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
75K Points ⓘ Non-Affiliate 75,000 points after $4,000 spend in 3 months$95 Annual Fee FM Mini Review: Very strong earnings for spend. Excellent bonus categories. Points transferable to select airlines. Recommend pairing this card with Citi Double Cash and Citi Rewards+. Click here for our complete card review Earning rate: 3X grocery ✦ 3X dining ✦ 3X gas stations & EV charging ✦ 3X flights, hotels, travel agencies ✦ 10X hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel℠ Card Info: Mastercard World Elite issued by Citi. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: Transfer points to airline partners ✦ $100 Annual Hotel Savings Benefit ($100 off a $500+ hotel stay, excluding taxes and fees, when booked through Citi Travel) ✦ Travel protections See also: Citi ThankYou Rewards Complete Guide |
This is nearly as good as the all-time-best 80K offer that we saw last year. The Citi Strata Premier card offers excellent earnings on spend (3X grocery; 3X dining; 3X gas stations; 3X flights, hotels, travel agencies) and unlocks the ability to transfer ThankYou points to airline and hotel programs.
IHG Premier: 5 60K Nights
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
Limited Time Offer: 5 x 60K Free Night Certificates ⓘ Affiliate Five 60K free night certificates after $4K spend in 3 months (Offer Expires 9/4/2024)$99 Annual Fee This card is subject to Chase's 5/24 rule (click here for details). Recent better offer: 175K after $3K in spend (expired 4/6/23) Earning rate: 10X IHG ✦ 5X travel, dining, and gas stations ✦ 3X on all other purchases Card Info: Mastercard World Elite issued by Chase. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: 10K bonus points + $100 statement credit after you spend $20K in a calendar year + make one additional purchase ✦ Diamond status after $40K in purchases + one additional purchase in a calendar year Noteworthy perks: Anniversary free night e-certificate good at IHG properties up to 40K points per night ✦ Ability to add an unlimited number of points to a free night certificate to book a higher-level hotel ✦ Fourth night free on award stays ✦ 20% discount on points purchases ✦ Platinum elite status ✦ Up to $50 in United TravelBank cash per year (must register your card with your United account) |
This is an excellent offer that is marred by the fact that you can’t top-off (add points to) the 60K certificates from the welcome bonus. With the card’s annual upon renewal 40K free nights, you can top them off. With the latter, for example, if a property costs 70,000 points for a night, you can use the 40K certificate plus 30,000 points to book the stay. With the 60K certificates from this welcome offer, though, you would not be able to book a 70,000 point night at all.
See also:
- Citi ThankYou Rewards Complete Guide
- How to use your Citi ThankYou point fortune
- Citi’s awesome trio –Double Cash, Premier, Rewards+.
American Airlines: 70K after adding user + first purchase
| Card Offer |
|---|
70K Miles ⓘ Non-Affiliate 70K miles after 1st purchase and paying the annual fee within 90 days $99 Annual Fee Recent better offer: Up to 75K: 60K miles after first purchase and 15K after adding an authorized user and making one purchase on that card [Expired 2/24/24] |
It’s rare these days to see a compelling welcome bonus that doesn’t require much spend. You can meet the requirements of this offer simply by adding an authorized user and using each card to buy a cup of coffee. Plus, if you’re interested in eventually getting the best AA card on the market (see this post for details) you need to start with the Aviator Red and look for an upgrade offer.
More Great Consumer Card Offers
Here is an unfiltered list of all of the consumer rewards cards we track sorted by best estimated first year value (e.g. sorted with the best welcome bonuses on top):
Top 5 Business Card Offers
More:
You must have a business (but you probably do): In order to apply for a business credit card, you must have a business. That said, it's common for people to have businesses without realizing it. If you sell items at a yard sale or on eBay, for example, then you have a business. Similar examples include: consulting, writing (e.g. blog authorship, planning your first novel, etc.), handyman services, owning rental property, renting on airbnb, driving for Uber or Lyft, etc. In any of these cases, your business is considered a Sole Proprietorship unless you form a corporation of some sort.When you apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor, you can use your own name as your business name, use your own address and phone as the business' address and phone, and your social security number as the business' Tax ID / EIN. Alternatively, you can get a proper Tax ID / EIN from the IRS for free, in about a minute, through this website.
Is it OK to use business cards for personal expenses? Anecdotally, almost everyone I know uses business cards for personal expenses. That said, the terms in most business card applications state that you should use the card only for business use. Also, some consumer credit card protections do not apply to business cards. My advice: don't use the card for personal expenses if you're not comfortable doing so.
Amex Business Platinum: 250K
This offer is absolutely spectacular, but it’s only targeted to a select few. This post has the details for how to check to see if you’re targeted.
Ink Business Preferred: 120K
| Card Offer |
|---|
120K points ⓘ Affiliate 120K after $8K spend in 3 months$95 Annual Fee Alternate Offer: There is an in-branch offer of 120K points after $8K in purchases in the first 3 months. Recent better offer: 80K after $5K spend. Many preferred the 80K offer due to the much lower spend requirement |
In addition to its awesome welcome bonus, this is a great card to keep thanks to its 3x travel earnings and its ability to transfer Ultimate Rewards points to airline and hotel partners.
See also:
Capital One Venture X Business Card: 150K
| Card Offer |
|---|
150K Miles ⓘ Affiliate Earn a one-time bonus of 150K miles after $30K spend in the first 3 months$395 Annual Fee Recent better offer: Expired 3/31/23: 250K Miles after $50K in spend. |
The Venture X Business card is almost identical to the consumer Venture X, but it is a business charge card. Both cards offer excellent perks and basically pay for themselves with their annual point bonuses and travel credits.
See also: Capital One “Miles” Complete Guide.
Ink Business Cash: 75K + great 5X categories
| Card Offer |
|---|
Up to 75K points ⓘ Affiliate 35K after $3K spend in 3 months and an additional 40K points after $6K spend in 6 months. In addition, 10% Business Relationship bonus if you have the Ink Business Cash and a Chase Business Checking account on your first anniversary.No Annual Fee Alternate Offer: If you have a household member with an Ink card, you may prefer the referral offer whereby the referrer can earn 40,000 points and the new account holder can earn 75,000 points after $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months since it will yield more total points. Recent better offer: 90K after $6K spend in 6 monthd (expired 1/17/24 |
This fee-free card belongs in every point collector’s wallet. It offers 5X for office supplies and 5X for phone service, cable TV, and internet (on up to $25,000 in total purchases in 5X categories annually). Many families would do well to setup their phone, TV, and internet bills to autopay from the Ink Business Cash card in order to earn 5X rewards without any effort whatsoever.
See also:
Ink Business Unlimited: 75K + 1.5x everywhere
| Card Offer |
|---|
75K points ⓘ Affiliate 75K after $6K spend in 3 monthsNo Annual Fee Alternate Offer: You may be able to get an offer of 120,000 points after $6,000 in purchases via a Business Relationship Manager. Recent better offer: 90K after $6K spend in 6 monthd (expired 1/17/24) |
This isn’t as much of a “must have” card as the Ink Cash, but the welcome bonus is similarly awesome. It is possible to get both cards even if you have only one business
See also:
More Great Business Card Offers
Here is an unfiltered list of all of the business rewards cards we track sorted by best estimated first year value (e.g. sorted with the best welcome bonuses on top):
| Card Offer Mini |
|---|
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 Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card Earn 3 Free Night Awards - Valued at up to 50K points each, up to 150K points total. ⓘ $619 1st Yr Value Estimate |
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 Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card $500 statement credit ⓘ $425 1st Yr Value Estimate |
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 Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards credit card $300 statement credit ⓘ $240 1st Yr Value Estimate |
 The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express 15K points + 0% APR for 12 months ⓘ $236 1st Yr Value Estimate |
 The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card $250 back + 0% APR for 12 months ⓘ $220 1st Yr Value Estimate |
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![](http://cdn.nextinsure.com/imaging/opt/49ef3906-6ee7-4f77-a40b-74728901760e.jpg?w=300" alt="American Express® Business Gold Card" />){kind=small}
![](http://cdn.nextinsure.com/imaging/opt/a5e33401-8d6f-4ae8-b471-5da085075406.jpg?w=300" alt="The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card" />){kind=small}
![](http://cdn.nextinsure.com/imaging/opt/47dd49f9-d80b-4251-aa8e-2fbf313e6402.jpg?w=300" alt="Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card" />){kind=small}
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I would love to open one business account and one personal account. Suggestions as to the best?
It’s really hard to say. It depends so much on what goals you have, how much you can spend to meet minimum spend requirements, what cards you already have, etc.
Check out the new format for this post, though. It might be more helpful than before.
I obtained a Marriott Brilliant card in August. I recently applied for the Marriott AMEX Business Bonvoy with the 125k offer and was refused. I wonder why that would be the case, as the Brilliant card was the only one I have opened in the past few years? When would it make sense to reapply?
Just a note to say that I tend to come back to this page throughout the month as I think of next steps. It’s not perfect, but it’s a great resource to have all this at one’s fingertips. I don’t say I follow FM’s trail everywhere it leads, but when my inclinations line up with your recs, that’s a pretty good indicator.
That’s great to hear!
Amex Marriott Brilliant now up to 250k. In a 150k plus 75k format. Not certain if it’s targeted.
Where did you see that offer?
Curious why you didn’t include the delta cards. In most cases, the first year value of the delta cards is higher than any of these other airline offers.
Good catch. I took them out when the bonuses dropped and forgot to put them back when the bonuses went up again. I’ll add them.
Greg, small point: On the Ink Business Preferred: 100K, you say: “Who shouldn’t get it: Don’t apply if you don’t have a business or if you’re over 5/24″.
But that should be “Don’t apply if you don’t have a business or if you’re not UNDER 5/24”.
I see what you mean but I don’t love the sort-of double negative “not under”. How about “… or if you’re at or over 5/24”
Not sure about the requirements for the 200k AMEX BIZ Plat offer. In the separate post, I understood it to say that I must do the checking account AND the $15k spend to get the 200K MRs. I already have the AMEX checking (from the original offer) so if I just do the spend will I get the MRs?
You would get the 150K only.
The 200k offer listed at the top here is different. This one doesn’t require a business checking account
I was thinking about replacing my vanilla Platinum with the Schwab as I’d prefer a reasonable cash out option, but the linked page shows only 80K, not, 100K. Has the offer gone down?
Sorry about that. Yes the offer went down.
Would you recommend applying for the current Platinum offer (150K + $200) or wait until early December to apply given the ability to triple dip the calendar year credits? I’d very likely only hold for 1 year and cancel after second AF posts.
If you’re confident you can use the various perks (like the $200 airline fee credit) quickly in December of 23 and January of 25, then I’d wait. There’s always a chance that the signup bonus will be significantly worse then, though, so there’s some risk, but my guess is that you’ll be able to find at least a 150K offer even if the $200 extra is no longer available.
When I click the 160K link for the Amex Biz Plat, it shows a 155K bonus – 150K for the card, 5K for the AU. And then when I click thru and login, it says it is no longer available (not sure if that means it is unavailable just for me, or for everyone).
However I did just receive an email for the 200K Biz Plat + Biz checking with an Apr 30 expiration. I already have the checking (60K bonus should be posting soon), does anyone know if I can do it again to get a net 50K bonus assuming I get another Biz Plat?
Thanks. I’ve updated that section to say 150K + 5K. It still works for me when I log in so I believe that you aren’t targeted.
I don’t know the answer to your question about the biz checking bundle
That streets are saying csp may go 90k soon.
Greg: you mention that the $50K spend requirement for the Capital One Venture X Business Card could possibly be better spent elsewhere. “Also, if you prefer to sign up for lots of cards, you can do much better with $50K of spend.” Could you give me an example(s) of what you are referring to?
Greg is referring to doing several sign-up bonuses rather than just the one with Cap1. For example, from the list above, you could get an Amex Business Platinum with $15K required spend and a Chase Ink with $6K required spend. If you wanted to only be applying for business cards (e.g. to stay under 5/24), and if you wanted to spread your applications across banks, you could add the BofA Alaska Biz card for $4K and the Barclays AA or JetBlue Biz card for $2K, taking your total to $27K and still with $23K for spend on different new cards. You need to give 90 days and then you can apply for another Biz Plat or Chase Ink (though by then the 90K bonus will probably be gone), or maybe get a Amex Biz Gold or … there are a lot of options. I am not factoring in all the annual fees, you would need to look at the annual fee costs as well as the value to you of all the points/cash-back earned in bonuses and the perks provided by the cards (e.g. how much are the Dell credits on the Biz Plat worth to you).
Thank you!
A couple small things – for Ink Biz Preferred, current CIC is 90% of points with 40% of minimum spend – not 75% and 50%.
Also, I thought you could no longer get IHG premier if you had the old IHG card. I gather it may not always be enforced?
I have both the Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited cards for some years now. In my chase account, I see offers “Just for You” for both of the 90k offers plus the Ink Preferred cards. Is it possible to receive the SUB again for the Inks, and have two of the same cards?
Yes.
Greg, I’ve heard that there needs to be at least 90 days between Amex NLL offers on the same card type. Any thoughts? Thanks.