Best credit card welcome bonuses
Updated 2026-07-23A welcome bonus is the fastest return a credit card ever pays. Hit a spending target in the first few months and the issuer hands you a lump sum of points, miles, or cash back. The offers below run from a $300 statement credit to as much as 175,000 points worth roughly $3,500, so the right pick comes down to how much you can put on the card early and what you plan to redeem the reward for.
How we rank: We weighed each offer on four things: its cash value, the spend required to earn it, the time window you get, and the annual fee, then ranked the cards by how much reward lands up front.
- 1175,000 points bonusThe Platinum Card® from American Express
American Express · American Express · $895/yr
The welcome offer runs as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points, worth about $3,500, after $12,000 of spend in the first 6 months, the largest headline bonus here even though approvals can land lower and the annual fee is $895.
1x base5x Flights booked directly with5x Prepaid hotels booked throug - 2100,000 points bonusAmerican Express® Gold Card
American Express · American Express · $325/yr
Up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points, about $2,000, after $8,000 in the first 6 months, a premium-tier bonus for a comparatively modest $325 annual fee.
1x base4x Restaurants worldwide4x U.S. supermarkets5x Prepaid hotels booked on Ame - 3100,000 points bonusChase Sapphire Reserve®
Chase · Visa · $795/yr
100,000 bonus points, worth roughly $2,000, after $6,000 in the first 3 months, a lighter spend bar than the two Amex cards, though the all-time-high 150,000-point offer expired June 15, 2026.
1x base8x Travel booked through Chase 5x Eligible Lyft rides4x Flights and hotels booked di - 4100,000 points bonusChase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase · Visa · $95/yr
100,000 bonus points, about $1,250, after $5,000 in the first 3 months, the strongest bonus-for-the-fee on the list at just a $95 annual fee.
1x base5x Travel booked through Chase 3x Dining3x Gas and EV charging - 560,000 points bonusCiti Strata Premier℠ Card
Citi · Mastercard · $95/yr
60,000 ThankYou Points, worth about $1,080, after $4,000 in the first 3 months for a $95 annual fee, with Citi occasionally running elevated offers as high as 70,000 points.
1x base10x Hotels, car rentals and attr3x Air travel and other hotel p3x Restaurants - 675,000 miles bonusCapital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One · Mastercard · $95/yr
75,000 bonus miles, equal to $750 in travel, after $4,000 in the first 3 months, a clean flat-rate bonus on a $95 annual fee.
2x base5x Hotels and rental cars booke - 775,000 miles bonusCapital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One · Visa · $395/yr
The same 75,000 miles, worth $750, after $4,000 in the first 3 months as the standard Venture, but the $395 fee comes back through a $300 annual travel credit plus 10,000 anniversary miles.
2x base10x Hotels and rental cars booke5x Flights, vacation rentals an5x Capital One Entertainment pu - 8$300 bonusBlue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
American Express · American Express · $95/yr ($0 first year)
A straightforward $300 statement credit after $3,000 in the first 6 months, the smallest bonus here but sitting on a $95 annual fee that's waived the first year.
1% base6% U.S. supermarkets6% Select U.S. streaming subscr3% Transit
Bottom line
If you can hit the spend, the Amex Platinum's up-to-175,000-point offer is the biggest payout on this list. But the Sapphire Preferred's 100,000 points and the Citi Strata Premier's 60,000 both land real value on a $95 fee, which is easier math for most wallets. Match the spending requirement to what you would already charge, and skip any bonus that would push you to spend more than you planned.
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