Best Bonuses

Perhaps the best "starting out card" in miles and points.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a low annual fee, unlocks transfers from this and any linked Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card to airline and hotel partners, comes with excellent built-in trip delay insurance, primary car rental CDW coverage and earns 2x points on travel and dining.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Earn Rate:

• 5X Chase Ultimate Rewards points on Lyft rides
• 2X Ultimate Rewards points on travel and dining
• 1X Ultimate Rewards on all other purchases

Limited Time Chase Sapphire Preferred Bonus Categories - July 1st - September 30, 2020 Only

• Earn 5X Ultimate Rewards points for Streaming Services
• Earn 3X Ultimate Rewards points at Gas Stations
• Earn 3X Ultimate Rewards points for Instacart
• Get up to $50 in Instacart Express credits

• Qualifying Streaming Services are listed as: Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube TV.

Chase Will Let you “Pay Yourself Back”

Chase Sapphire Preferred cardmembers can always use their points to book travel via the travel portal where they get 1.25 cents per point.

Now, you can redeem in the same manner for grocery stores, home improvement stores and dining, including restaurants, takeout and eligible delivery services. Instead of using a “portal” to make the purchases, you just pay as you normally would and then go into the Chase website to “pay” for that purchase with points. You will get the same 1.25 cents per point in value as you get booking travel. The feature is branded “Pay Yourself Back^SM“. 

The only requirement is that the merchant category be in one of the specified categories and you must “Pay yourself back” within 90 days of purchase.

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers get the same opportunity, but at a higher 1.5 cents per point cash-out rate.

The card that re-revolutionized points-earning credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a high-end travel rewards card that unlocks transfers from this and any linked Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card to airline and hotel partners and offers rich benefits for a frequent traveler.

It offers 3x Ultimate Rewards points on travel and dining. It provides a 50% boost in point value within the Chase portal and you get an annual $300 travel credit each card year which greatly offsets the card's annual fee.

New Lyft and DoorDash Benefits:

• Earn 10X Ultimate Rewards points on Lyft rides
• Get a one-time complimentary Lyft Pink (15% Lyft discounts, free bike/scooter rentals each month, and better cancellation rules). ($19.99 / month value)
• Get $60 in DoorDash credits each year (2020 and 2021).
• Get free DashPass to get free DoorDash deliveries at select restaurants with $12 or more in your order and decreased service charges.

Limited Time Chase Sapphire Reserve Bonus Categories - July 1st - September 30, 2020 Only

• Earn 10X Ultimate Rewards points for Streaming Services
• Earn 5X Ultimate Rewards points at Gas Stations
• Earn 5X Ultimate Rewards points for Instacart
• Get up to $50 in Instacart Express credits

• Qualifying Streaming Services are listed as: Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube TV.

Chase Will Let you “Pay Yourself Back”

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers can always use their points to book travel via the travel portal where they get 1.5 cents per point.

Now, you can redeem in the same manner for grocery stores, home improvement stores and dining, including restaurants, takeout and eligible delivery services. Instead of using a “portal” to make the purchases, you just pay as you normally would and then go into the Chase website to “pay” for that purchase with points. You will get the same 1.5 cents per point in value as you get booking travel. The feature is branded “Pay Yourself Back^SM“. 

Earn 4x World of Hyatt points at Hyatt, 2x at restaurants, airline tickets purchased directly, local transit and commuting, and fitness club and gym memberships.

The Hyatt card gives you a Category 1 - 4 night every card year at renewal and you can earn a second one with $15,000 spend. Additional benefits include automatic Discoverist status and 5 elite nights credited each calendar year as well as the ability to earn 2 elite nights for every $5,000 in purchases.

Keep in mind that all points earned on a Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred can also be transferred to World of Hyatt at a 1 to 1 ratio.

NOTE: In calculating your rewards for this card, we are making the assumption that all Hotel spend entered is spent on Hyatt. If part of that spend is on other hotel chains, that spend will earn only 1x on this card, reducing the value of your rewards.

Get complimentary top-tier Hilton Diamond status, an annual $250 Hilton Resort credit, an annual $250 airline incidental fee credit, and a Free Weekend Night Award.

Also includes Priority Pass Select Airport Lounge Access for you and up to 2 guests per visit at no additional charge. (Enrollment required).

Earn Rate:

14x Hilton Honors points at Hiltons; 7x points on flights booked directly with airlines, car rentals booked direct, and US restaurants; and 3x points everywhere else.

Only in 2020 - Additional Hilton Aspire Benefits including Grocery Bonus Points

• Bonus Points earned through eligible purchases on all Hilton American Express Cards, that post to the Card Member’s Hilton Honors account between May 1 through December 31, 2020 will be considered Base Points and will count towards Elite tier qualification and Lifetime Diamond Status.
• Hilton Aspire Consumer Card Members’ eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery, will now qualify toward the $250 Hilton resort credit benefit (June through August 2020).
• Groceries: From May 1 – July 31, 2020, you’ll get 12X points per dollar at US Supermarkets.
• Free Night Awards: Unexpired and new Free Weekend Night Rewards issued now through Dec 31, 2020 can be used any night of the week and any newly issued awards now through Dec 31, 2020 will be valid for 24 months.

NOTE: For the purposes of calculating your expected rewards for this card, we are assuming that the spend you put in "Hotels" is all spent at Hilton portfolio hotels and resorts. If some is spent at other hotels, your actual rewards will be slightly lower.

Review: Get a free checked bag and preferred boarding on American Airlines. Earn 2x AAdvantage miles at gas stations and restaurants, as well as on American Airlines. Also earn a $100 flight discount after spending $20,000 and renewing your card.

NOTE: In calculating your potential rewards for this card, we are assuming that all spend entered as "Airline" is on American Airlines. If some of your airline spend is on other airlines, that spend will earn 1x rather than 2x miles and reduce your expected rewards.

Review: Get full Admirals Club Membership for the primary cardholder, plus Admirals Club access for authorized users. Get a free checked bag for you and up to 8 companions on the same record, priority boarding, priority check-in, and priority screening (screening where available).

Earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles, and earn a bonus of 10,000 EQMs (towards elite qualification) in any calendar year you spend $40,000 on the card.

NOTE: In calculating your potential rewards for this card, we are assuming that all spend entered as "Airline" is on American Airlines. If some of your airline spend is on other airlines, that spend will earn 1x rather than 2x miles and reduce your expected rewards.

This mid-tier Hilton card comes with complimentary Hilton Gold status.

It will allow you to earn 12x Hilton Honors points at Hilton; 6x at US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations; and 3x everywhere else.

There is also an opportunity to earn Diamond status and a free weekend night via card spend.

American Express defines a supermarket as offering a wide variety of food and household products such as meat, fresh produce, dairy, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies. (Superstores, convenience stores and warehouse clubs are NOT considered supermarkets.)

Note: Estimated Rewards Values shown throughout this site assume your hotel spend will be at Hilton brand hotels and resorts. If you have additional hotel spend not associated with Hilton, your actual return will be lower.

The IHG credit card offers an annual anniversary free night, the fourth reward night free whenever you redeem for 4 or more nights, and Platinum status.

Earn 10x at IHG and 2x at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants. Also earn 10,000 bonus points when you spend $20,000 plus one additional purchase each card year.

NOTE: In calculating your rewards values for this card, we are making the assumption that all Hotel spend entered is spent on IHG. If part of that spend is on other hotels, that spend will earn only 1x on this card, reducing the value of your rewards.

Earn Marriott points for purchases. Earn 6x at Marriott and SPG and 2x everywhere else. Get a Free Night Award, 15 elite credits, and Silver status every year.

NOTE: In valuing your potential rewards from this card, we assumed that all spend from Hotels is at Marriott brands, which earn 6x points. If some of your hotel spend is at other hotel brands, your actual rewards will be somewhat lower.

This card earns 3x Avios on British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Air Lingus.

Earn a Travel Together Ticket, good for bringing a companion for just the taxes and fees when you redeem a reward flight for yourself, when you spend $30,000.

NOTE: In calculating your rewards for this card, we are making the assumption that all airfare entered is spent on British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Aer Lingus. If part of that spend is on other airlines, that spend will earn only 1x on this card, reducing the value of your rewards.