I compile a list of the top travel rewards credit card offers available each month. Many of the cards on my list remain consistent from month to month thanks to great benefits and consistent bonus opportunities, like those available with the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Citi Prestige.
However, the rankings do shift as new offers appear and others vanish. Among the major changes in recent months was the launch of Chase’s new premium travel credit card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which has had points and miles enthusiasts buzzing thanks to a 100,000-point sign-up bonus and top-shelf benefits such as an annual $300 travel credit, phenomenal bonus spending categories of travel and dining, and more. It’s a new salvo in the battle of the premium credit cards. This month’s list also includes new entries for the Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN and the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card from American Express, both of which are offering increased sign-up bonuses.
Though this list has the best offers of the moment, you can always find a comprehensive roundup of the best deals currently available, as well as specific hotel and airline credit cards that might interest you, on the Hot Deals page. However, if you’re thinking of applying for a credit card now, this list features my top choices at the moment. Check back each month for updates and the latest and best offers out there.
Credit Factors to Consider
Before you get started, you can peruse these posts for advice on checking your credit score, applying for new cards and getting approved.
How Credit Card Applications Affect Your Credit Score
5 Things To Understand About Credit Before Applying For Cards
Should I Be Concerned About A Credit Card Denial?
Credit Card Application Restrictions for the Major Issuers
5 Lesser-Known Things That Affect Your Credit Score
Will My Credit Score Drop If I Don’t Use My Credit Cards?
Debunking Credit Card Myths: Does Applying For A Card Permanently Impact My Credit Score
THE SHORT LIST
Here’s the short list of this month’s cards, but continue reading below for more details on each of them.
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve
2. Chase Sapphire Preferred
3. Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN
4. Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card
5. Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card and Platinum Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card from American Express
6. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Card
7. Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express and the Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express
8. Citi Prestige
9. Platinum Card from American Express
10. Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve
THE DETAILS
Here’s an in-depth look at each of the cards listed above, including their benefits and reasons to apply now.
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve
Current Bonus: 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months.
Benefits: Earn 3 points on travel and dining at restaurants and 1 point per dollar everywhere else. $300 annual travel credit. Priority Pass Select lounge access. Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit. No foreign transaction fees. Primary auto rental insurance. Trip cancellation coverage. Redeem points through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal for 1.5 cents apiece.
Annual fee: $450
Reasons to get it: Though the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card has a high annual fee of $450 in line with other premium travel rewards cards, it offers some top-of-class perks that make it well worth that amount. The sign-up bonus is worth an outstanding $2,100 based on my latest valuations, and the 3x points you earn on travel and dining equal a return on spending of 6.3% compared to 4.2% for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. And while the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal isn’t usually the best way to use your points, you can still reap significant value from your points when you do redeem them that way (1.5 cents per point vs. 1.25 cents per point with the Chase Sapphire Preferred).
That’s before we’ve even gotten to the very generous $300 annual travel credit, which applies to a huge range of travel purchases, from airfare to parking fees, and beats the other premium cards’ similar benefit. The travel credit effectively brings the annual fee down to $150, and you also get a fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. While several other cards offer lounge access through Priority Pass Select, this perk is still nice to have — especially if you don’t have lounge access through another card. Overall, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is an extremely lucrative travel rewards card — it’s now my go-to card for earning valuable points for all my travel and dining purchases.
For more detailed information on this phenomenal new card, check out our recent posts on it:
Chase Sapphire Reserve Review
Questions and Answers About the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
Everything You Need to Know About Chase Sapphire Reserve Perks
10 Best Ways to Use 100,000 Ultimate Rewards Points
How I’m Using My 100,000 Points From the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
How I Got Approved for the Chase Sapphire Reserve
2. Chase Sapphire Preferred
Current Bonus: 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on the card in the first three months. That’s $625 in travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards. You’ll earn another 5,000 bonus points when you add an authorized user and make a purchase within the first three months.
Benefits: This card regularly ranks high on my list of top travel credit cards thanks to the fact that it earns 2 points per dollar on travel and dining at restaurants and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases worldwide. It waives foreign transaction fees, provides primary auto rental insurance, trip cancellation coverage and gives cardholders the ability to transfer points to 11 travel partners, including British Airways, Hyatt, Marriott, Southwest and United among others.
Annual Fee: $0 introductory annual fee the first year, then $95.
Reasons to get it: While Chase Sapphire Preferred isn’t quite as compelling as it once was, following the launch of Chase Sapphire Reserve, it’s still a fantastic choice if you aren’t sure you want to take on the Reserve card’s $450 annual fee. The Sapphire Preferred allows you to earn 2 points per dollar at restaurants and on a range of travel purchases, with no limit. You can transfer your points to the Ultimate Rewards program’s 11 great travel partners or redeem Ultimate Rewards points directly for airfare at a rate of 1.25 cents apiece, giving you more flexibility.
Chase has been restricting some new credit card applications depending on how many cards you have (generally, Chase might turn you down if you’ve applied for more than five credit cards within a 24-month period), so you might want to apply for this one first (or at least after the Sapphire Reserve) if you plan on getting a few Chase credit cards. For more about the card and its benefits, check out this post on 5 reasons to get the Sapphire Preferred now, and these 5 things to do when you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred to help you maximize this card’s outstanding benefits.
Beyond that, you can read these posts for more information on the card and the Ultimate Rewards program:
5 Reasons Chase Sapphire Preferred Should Be Your First Credit Card in 2016
5 Chase Sapphire Preferred Benefits You Might Not Know About
10 Fun Ways to Use 50,000 Ultimate Rewards Points
One Year of Earning and Burning With The Chase Sapphire Preferred
Redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards Points for Maximum Value
3. Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN
Current Bonus: 50,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $5,000 on purchases on the card within the first three months of cardmembership.
Benefits: Earn 3 points per dollar on a category of your choice from a list of 5 categories that include: airfare purchased directly from airlines, US purchases for advertising in select media, US purchases at gas stations, US purchases for shipping, US computer hardware, software and cloud computing purchases made directly from select providers. Earn 2 points per dollar on the 4 remaining categories and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. The 3x and 2x apply to the first $100,000 in purchases in each of the 5 categories per year, then you earn 1 point per dollar thereafter. The card waives foreign transaction fees.
Annual fee: $0 the first year, then $175 thereafter.
Reasons to get it: Though the Business Gold Rewards card doesn’t have the benefits package of the more premium Business Platinum Card, it also doesn’t have that card’s $450 annual fee, which is not waived the first year. The Business Gold Rewards Card’s sign-up bonus usually hovers around 40,000 points, so this offer is a 25% premium over that, and the best public offer we’ve seen in quite a while. I value Membership Rewards points at 1.9 cents apiece, so the sign-up bonus is worth about $950 by my estimation. But the card’s real value lies in the potential to maximize those bonus spending categories. The points you can earn by spending up to that $100,000 cap can represent tremendous value. Not only that, but Membership Rewards points are extremely versatile thanks to the program’s robust roster of transfer partners. The card also unlocks access to Amex’s OPEN program, which includes perks like discounts or bonus points at FedEx and Hertz, among other outlets.
4. Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card
Current Bonus: Three complimentary nights at any participating Tier 1-4 Ritz-Carlton Hotel after spending $5,000 in the first three months your account is open.
Benefits: Earn 5 points per dollar at Ritz-Carlton and Marriott properties; 2 points per dollar on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline and at car rental agencies and restaurants; and 1 point per dollar on everything else. $300 annual travel credit. Complimentary $100 credit for qualifying dining, spa or other hotel recreational activities on paid stays of two nights or longer. Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. Automatic Gold elite status during your first account year. Upgrade to the Ritz-Carlton Club Level three times per year on paid stays of up to seven nights. $100 Global Entry application fee credit.
Annual fee: $450
Reasons to get it: Thanks to a great sign-up bonus and its additional perks, the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card is one of the strongest premium travel rewards cards on the market. With the sign-up bonus, you can earn three complimentary nights at Tier 1-4 (out of 5) hotels, which represents most of the brand’s portfolio. So if you can maximize the three free nights at expensive hotels, it can be well worth it. In addition to a better sign-up bonus, the card now offers a Global Entry application fee reimbursement that is separate from the $300 annual travel credit, and you also get Priority Pass Select lounge membership, which can come in handy if you don’t have lounge access through another card. The annual fee did increase from $395 to $450, but if you can maximum the additional free night and new benefits, it could be well worth it.
For more information on Ritz-Carlton, see these posts:
The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card Gets Major New Perks
The Updated Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card Review
10 Best Properties for Free Night Certificates
5. Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card and Platinum Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card from American Express
Current Bonus: Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $5,000 in purchases within your first three months, and get a $100 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase on your new card within your first three months. This is a limited-time offer available only until November 9, 2016.
Benefits: Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta and 1 mile for every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. If you spend $25,000 on the card in a calendar year, you’ll earn 10,000 MQMs and 10,000 bonus miles, and if you spend $50,000 in a calendar year, you’ll earn another 10,000 MQMs and 10,000 bonus miles. Cardholders also get priority boarding, a free checked bag and 20% off in-flight purchases. Cardholders receive a companion certificate for a round-trip domestic economy flight each year upon card renewal.
Annual fee: $195
Reasons to get it: This limited-time offer has a few interesting features. First, the sign-up bonus, at 70,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs, is literally double the normal bonus on this card, though you have to spend significantly more in order to earn it ($5,000 compared to the usual $1,000). Though the card’s annual fee isn’t waived, you can also offset it by taking advantage of that one-time $100 Delta rebate. This card’s other defining feature is the ability to earn Medallion-Qualifying Miles through spending, which could help folks who put large purchases on it over the threshold to achieve a higher tier of elite status.
6. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Card
Current Bonus: 40,000 Rapid Rewards points after spending $1,000 in the first three months your account is open.
Benefits: Earn 2 points per dollar on Southwest Airlines, and with Rapid Rewards participating hotel and rental car partners. No foreign transaction fees. Earn 6,000 bonus points each year after your account anniversary. Earn 1,500 Tier-Qualifying Points per $10,000 you spend on the card each calendar year up to a maximum of 15,000 Tier-Qualifying Points per year.
Annual Fee: $99
Reasons to get it: This airline card remains among the top cards on my list because of its strong sign-up bonus. Rapid Rewards points are worth about 1.5 cents apiece, so the sign-up bonus alone is worth at least $600 by my reckoning. This card offers the ability to earn elite credit based on spending, which can be a nice boost. However, the major selling point has to be that the points you earn with it count toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass. When you accrue 110,000 qualifying points in a calendar year, you earn the Companion Pass, which is a two-for-one benefit that allows you to bring a companion along on any flight and just pay the taxes on his/her ticket, including tickets you book with points. Given Southwest’s fantastic domestic route network and the airline’s rapidly expanding international destinations list, the Companion Pass can mean tremendous savings and travel potential. The reason this is so important right now is that if you apply for the card this month, you can time your spending so that the 40,000 bonus points hit your account early in 2017. Then if you can accrue the other 70,000 quickly, you will earn the pass for the rest of 2017 and 2018 — an even better value!
For more information on Southwest and the card, see these posts:
One Year of Earning and Burning with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Visa
Earning Southwest Rapid Rewards Points Without Flying
How Can I Earn Points for the Southwest Companion Pass?
Maximize 50,000 Southwest Points on Flights to the Caribbean
10 Tips for Maximizing Southwest Rapid Rewards
7. Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express and the Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express
Current Bonus: Earn two free nights at Category 1-5 Starwood properties after spending $3,000 or $5,000 in the first three months on the personal and business card, respectively. Offer available through October 19, 2016.
Benefits: Earn 2 Starpoints per dollar on purchases at participating Starwood hotels, in addition to what you’d normally earn through SPG. Earn 2 stays/5 nights of credit toward elite status each year, plus automatic Gold status when you spend $30,000 on the card in a calendar year. American Express added new benefits to both cards last year, including no foreign transaction fees, complimentary unlimited Boingo Wi-Fi on up to four devices at once and complimentary premium in-room internet access. The business version offers OPEN program perks as well as free access to Sheraton Clubs when you book rates that are eligible to earn Starpoints.
Annual Fee: $0 the first year, then $95.
Reasons to get them: These cards normally offer sign-up bonuses of 25,000 points (with the occasional offer of 30,000-35,000), but this is the first time we’ve seen a sign-up offer of free nights at specific tiers of hotels. It might just be a sign of things to come as the Marriott-Starwood takeover proceeds. Whether this is the right offer for you really depends on how and where you plan to redeem these free nights. Category 1 hotels only require 2,000-3,000 points per night so you’d be better off with the regular bonus offer. But Category 5 properties require 12,000-16,000 points per night, so this offer might better fit your needs if you plan to redeem them at the higher end of the spectrum. Do the math and think about which bonus offer might be best for you. And think about applying sooner rather than later, because with the merger well underway now, there’s no telling how much longer these cards will be around.
For more information, check out these posts:
One Year of Earning and Burning with the SPG Amex
The Best Credit Cards for Starwood Guests
The Award Traveler’s Guide to Starwood Preferred Guest
6 Best Ways to Use Starpoints from the SPG Amex Cards
Redeeming Starpoints for Maximum Value
The Best Starwood Category 5 Properties for Free Nights
8. Citi Prestige Card
Current Bonus: 40,000 ThankYou points when you spend $4,000 in the first three months.
Benefits: Earn 3 ThankYou points per dollar on air travel and hotel purchases, 2 points per dollar on dining and entertainment and 1 point per dollar on everything else. Get a $250 air travel credit each year for things like airfare, baggage fees, lounge access and some in-flight purchases. Priority Pass Select lounge access. No foreign transaction fees. $100 Global Entry application fee waiver. Get your 4th night free at hotels with no blackout dates when you book four consecutive nights at any hotel via a personal travel advisor designated by MasterCard. Redeem your points for air travel at a rate of 1.33 cents apiece, or 1.6 cents apiece on American Airlines (until July 23, 2017). Citi ThankYou Rewards now has 13 transfer partners, including Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Etihad Guest, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer and Hilton HHonors, among others.
Annual Fee: $450
Reasons to get it: This card continues to rank, but lower down on my list because Citi announced a slew of negative changes in July. These include the loss of Admirals Club access and lower redemption rates for airline tickets that will go into effect July 23, 2017. Citi lowered the sign-up bonus to 40,000 points while raising the spending requirement to $4,000. Not only that, but there are nuanced changes to the 4th Night Free benefit including the fact that it will now be calculated based on the average nightly rate, not just the fourth night of a stay, and taxes will no longer be included. The annual three rounds of golf benefit is also being eliminated.
With all those changes, plus the introduction of the new Chase Sapphire Reserve with its 100,000-point bonus and similar benefits, you might wonder why the card still makes my list, but there are several major reasons. Namely, the $250 annual air travel credit, the Global Entry fee waiver, the fact that lounge access will continue in its current form for another year or so, that extremely valuable 4th Night Free benefit and the bonus earning categories, not to mention ThankYou Rewards’ 13 travel transfer partners. So while this is still a really strong credit card, you now have to weigh the reduced benefits against its hefty $450 annual fee.
For more information on the Citi Prestige and Citi ThankYou Rewards, check out these posts:
Maximizing Benefits with the Citi Prestige in 2016
How I’ve Gotten $2,250 in Value from my Citi Prestige Card
Maximizing Citi Prestige Benefits – A Reader Success Story
Redeeming Citi ThankYou Points for Maximum Value
How to Use 100,000 Citi ThankYou Points
9. Platinum Card from American Express
Current Bonus: 40,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $3,000 in the first three months. There are targeted offers through the CardMatch Tool, where you might be eligible for special bonuses like 100,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months, which we last saw in May.
Benefits: This card offers no shortage of valuable benefits, including a $200 annual airline rebate, access to Delta and Priority Pass lounges (plus the Amex Centurion Lounges) and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application rebate. You can also transfer the Membership Rewards points you earn with this card to 20 airline and hotel partners.
Annual Fee: $450
Reasons to get it: Despite having one of the highest annual fees on the market, the Platinum Card continues to make my list thanks to several distinctive benefits. Its most valuable perks include a $200 annual airline rebate, access to Amex Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs and Priority Pass lounges. It also confers free Hilton Gold status and Starwood Preferred Guest Gold status (and, therefore, Marriott Rewards Gold status). Cardholders can book hotels through the Fine Hotels & Resorts program and receive value-added perks like on-property credits, and they also get Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credits.
For more information, check out these posts:
Maximizing Benefits with the Amex Platinum Card
Is Amex Platinum Worth It If I’m Not Near Centurion Lounges?
10 Things to Do When You Get Amex Platinum
My Experience Getting Refunded for the Global Entry Application Fee With My Amex Platinum Card
10. Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve
Current Bonus: Two weekend night certificates after spending $2,500 in the first four months. Each certificate is good for one weekend night (standard room, double occupancy) at most hotels and resorts within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio.
Benefits: Earn 10 HHonors points for every dollar spent on hotel stays within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio, 5 points for every dollar spent on airline and car rental purchases and 3 points for every dollar spent on all other purchases. Receive automatic Hilton HHonors Gold status and earn Diamond status with $40,000 in annual spending. No foreign transaction fees. Cardholders who spend $10,000 annually (starting on your annual fee date) get a free weekend night certificate on the account anniversary.
Annual Fee: $95
Reasons to get it: This card’s sign-up bonus of two free nights can be worth as much as 190,000 points if you redeem them at top-tier properties like the Conrad Maldives. This card also confers automatic Gold status and the ability to earn Diamond status through spending. Elite status seems like less of a benefit since Hilton announced it would be offering status matches through March 2017, so even with new stay requirements, there might be a glut of new elites. Another great benefit: If you spend $10,000 annually, you get another free weekend night certificate, which can far outweigh the card’s $95 annual fee depending on where you redeem it.
For more information, check out these posts:
Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card Review
Maximizing Citi Hilton Reserve Free Nights
Citi Hilton Honors Reserve Free Weekend Nights Valid at Category 1-10 Hotels
Which Hilton Card Offers Elite Status?
What is Hilton Elite Status Worth in 2016?
Chase Sapphire Reserve℠
APPLY NOW
New! Earn 100K bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,500 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases such as airfare and hotels charged to your card
3X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. Plus, no foreign transaction fees
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 100,000 points are worth $1,500 toward travel
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 900+ airport lounges worldwide with complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership
Up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Preè
No blackout dates or travel restrictions - as long as there's a seat on the flight, you can book it through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Intro APR
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Foreign Transaction Fee
Credit Rating
N/A
16.24%-23.24% Variable
$450
0%
Excellent Credit