Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Review: 200,000 Points Limited-Time Offer

New limited-time 200k offer. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the premium co-branded rewards card for Marriott hotels. This card has a hefty annual fee, but a closer look reveals it’s not as bad as it looks initially due to perks like flexible dining credits, airport lounge access, and elite status. Right now, there is a limited-time offer boost that is double the standard bonus. Here are the highlights:

  • 200,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 05/13/2026.
  • $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant(R) American Express(R) Card at restaurants worldwide.
  • Automatic Marriott Bonvoy(R) Platinum Elite Status.. With Marriott Bonvoy(R) Platinum Elite Status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when the stay is booked with a Qualifying Rate at hotels that participate in Marriott Bonvoy, subject to availability upon check-in.
  • Priority Pass(TM) Select airport lounge membership, with an unlimited number of visits to over 1,200 airport lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location. Enrollment required.
  • 6X Marriott Bonvoy(R) points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
  • 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines.
  • 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
  • Up to 21X Marriott Bonvoy(R) points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Earn 6X points with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant(R) American Express(R) Card. Earn up to 10X points from Marriott Bonvoy for being a Marriott Bonvoy member. Earn up to 5X points from Marriott Bonvoy with the 50% Bonus Points on Stays, a benefit available with your complimentary Platinum Elite status.
  • $100 Marriott Bonvoy(R) Property Credit: Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton(R) or St. Regis(R) when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R), such as Le Metropolitan, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Paris. Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant(R) American Express(R) Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Brilliant Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
  • With Cell Phone Protection*, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month’s wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. *Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
  • 25 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $650 Annual Fee.

Keep in mind the following:

You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card or the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card or previous versions of these Cards. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.

Welcome offer not available to applicants who (i) have or have had The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card from JPMorgan or the J.P. Morgan Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card in the last 30 days, (ii) have acquired the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase in the last 90 days, or (iii) received a new Card Member bonus or upgrade offer for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase in the last 24 months.

This is why you should be looking to get the best possible bonus when you do apply.

$300 Dining Statement Credit. As long as you make $25 in restaurant purchases on this card each month, they $300 in annual dining statement credits should be easily obtainable. This knocks down the scary $650 annual fee down to effectively $350 net. My first read of this perk was that you had to spend it at a Marriott hotel restaurant, but in fact you can make the purchase at any restaurant worldwide.

You can receive up to $300 in statement credits issued to your Card Account for eligible purchases charged to your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide. Purchases by both the Basic Card Member and Additional Card Members on an eligible Card Account are eligible for statement credits. Each Card Account is eligible for up to $25 in statement credits per month, for a total of up to $300 per calendar year in statement credits across all Cards on the Account.

Priority Pass Select. Includes access at over 1,200 airport lounges for the cardholder plus two guests free. Enrollment required. I’m not sure how I’d value this perk, but I’ve definitely enjoyed it in the past.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card Members must enroll in the Priority Pass Select program through the benefits section of their americanexpress.com account or by calling the number on the back of their Card to receive the benefit. Priority Pass is an independent airport lounge access program. At any visit to a Priority Pass Select lounge that admits guests, you may bring in two guests for no charge.

What is a reasonable estimate for the value of a Marriott Bonvoy point? Since 2022, Marriott no longer has a fixed hotel category chart for booking points. You can still use these points at either long-time Marriott brands (Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Springhill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites) or former Starwood brands (Westin, Sheraton, The Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton, W Hotels, St. Regis, Le Méridien, Aloft), but now it is “dynamic” awards where the points required are more linked to the actual cash cost than before.

Based on multiple real-world searches of redeemable properties, I choose to use a conservative estimate of 0.70 cents per Bonvoy point. Other estimates that I’ve seen are 0.8 cents per point. That means 200,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $1,400 redeemable value. Remember to compare the full price of the hotel price with all taxes, as that is what you would have to pay instead of just points. With the flexibility of points, you could book a week stay at a modest hotel or a couple nights at a luxury resort.

You can use the Marriott free night search tool to price out some sample hotels for yourself.

Free Night Award (85K) with Card Renewal. At your card anniversary (when you pay the annual fee), you will receive a Free Night Award that is good for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. This is a much better perk than the other 35K and 50K free night awards out there. It’s definitely not hard to get $350 of value out of this award. Here are some sample hotels that I have tried to book in the past that came in at or under 85,000 points for selected dates:

  • The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Hawaii
  • JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa
  • Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris
  • The St. Regis Deer Valley
  • The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, Washington, DC
  • The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch, Colorado.
  • The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui (Thailand)
  • The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (Big Island, Hawaii)
  • The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
  • Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui

NEW: Certificates can be combined with up to 25,000 points for nicer hotels. Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 25,000 points of your own. In other words, if your certificate is worth 85,000 points, the maximum hotel value you can redeem for is 110,000 points after adding 25,000 points of your own. Here are details on the Free Night Award Top Off option.

Bonvoy Points can also be transferred to airline miles with a bonus. You can convert your Bonvoy points to miles at 39 participating airlines. The standard ratio with most programs is 3:1 (60,000 Bonvoy: 20,000 airlines) miles. Most programs will add on a bonus 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points you transfer to frequent flyer miles (does not apply to American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, Delta SkyMiles and Korean Air SKYPASS.) If you’re a United MileagePlus® member, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points you transfer. More information here.

Finally, Marriott points are also convertible to gift cards, but it takes 60,000 points to redeem for a $200 gift card for Marriott or retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, or Nordstrom. That ratio isn’t all that great, so you’ll definitely get the most value via hotel night redemptions or airline miles transfer.

Bottom line. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express has a long list of perks, including a flexible dining credit on restaurant purchases, airport lounge access, and a valuable free night award each card anniversary. During this limited-time offer, the net first-year value is over $1,000. I would value the points at $1,400 plus the $300 in annual dining credit, minus the $650 annual fee. As with all hotel cards, the value will only be there if you can use the points.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Review: 175,000 Points Limited-Time Offer

New limited-time 175k offer. The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express is the mid-tier co-branded rewards card for Marriott hotels. Right now, there is a limited-time offer boost, making it worth a look. Here are the highlights:

  • 175,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 05/13/2026.
  • Free Night Award (50k). Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at a participating hotel. You can top-up the Free Night Award with up to 25,000 of your own points, getting you up to a 75,000 points award night.
  • 1,000 Bonus Points Per Stay. Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
  • Automatic Marriott Bonvoy(R) Gold Elite Status.
  • 6X Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
  • 4X Bonvoy points at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and U.S. Supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
  • 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
  • 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
  • $250 Annual Fee.

Keep in mind the following:

You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card or previous versions of these Cards. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.

Welcome offer not available to applicants who (i) have or have had The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card from J.P. Morgan, the J.P. Morgan Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy® Premier Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy® Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy® Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Business® Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Rewards Business® Credit Card from Chase in the last 30 days, (ii) have acquired the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase in the last 90 days, or (iii) received a new Card Member bonus or upgrade offer for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase in the last 24 months.

This is why you should be looking to get the best possible bonus when you do apply.

What is a reasonable estimate for the value of a Marriott Bonvoy point? Since 2022, Marriott no longer has a fixed hotel category chart for booking points. You can still use these points at either long-time Marriott brands (Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Springhill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites) or former Starwood brands (Westin, Sheraton, The Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton, W Hotels, St. Regis, Le Méridien, Aloft), but now it is “dynamic” awards where the points required are more linked to the actual cash cost than before.

Based on multiple real-world searches of redeemable properties, I choose to use a conservative estimate of 0.70 cents per Bonvoy point. Other estimates that I’ve seen are 0.8 cents per point. That means 175,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $1,200 redeemable value. Remember to compare the full price of the hotel price with all taxes, as that is what you would have to pay instead of just points. With the flexibility of points, you could book a week stay at a modest hotel or a couple nights at a luxury resort.

You can use the Marriott free night search tool to price out some sample hotels for yourself.

NEW: Certificates can be combined with up to 25,000 points for nicer hotels. Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 25,000 points of your own. In other words, if your certificate is worth 50,000 points, the maximum hotel value you can redeem for is 75,000 points after adding 25,000 points of your own. Here are details on the Free Night Award Top Off option.

Bonvoy Points can also be transferred to airline miles with a bonus. You can convert your Bonvoy points to miles at 39 participating airlines. The standard ratio with most programs is 3:1 (60,000 Bonvoy: 20,000 airlines) miles. Most programs will add on a bonus 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points you transfer to frequent flyer miles (does not apply to American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, Delta SkyMiles and Korean Air SKYPASS.) If you’re a United MileagePlus® member, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points you transfer. More information here.

Finally, Marriott points are also convertible to gift cards, but it takes 60,000 points to redeem for a $200 gift card for Marriott or retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, or Nordstrom. That ratio isn’t all that great, so you’ll definitely get the most value via hotel night redemptions or airline miles transfer.

Bottom line. The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express is having a limited-time offers, such that the first-year value is over $900, assuming that you are looking to redeem Bonvoy points at a Marriott hotel.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card Review: 4 Free Night Awards + $100 in Airline Credits

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card is one of the co-branded rewards card for Marriott hotels (which includes The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, JW Marriott, W Hotels, Sheraton, Westin, Marriott, Renaissance, Courtyard, Residence Inn, and Fairfield brands). Right now, there is a special offer that is higher than the standard offer. Here are the highlights:

  • Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Earn 1 additional Free Night Award after spending $4,000 total on eligible purchases within 4 months of account opening. You are also now allowed to top off the award nights with up to 25,000 of your own points, in order to reach a 75,000 point award night. Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • 2026 Exclusive Offer: Get up to $100 in statement credits after spending $500 on eligible airline purchases. The credit are split up semi-annually. Spend $250 between Jan. 1 and June 30 to earn a $50 statement credit. Earn another $50 statement credit after spending $250 or more between July 1 and Dec. 31.
  • Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
  • 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
  • 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
  • Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R) with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless(R) Card.
  • 2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • Automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year.
  • 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $95 annual fee.

Keep in mind the following:

This credit card is not available to you if (1) you currently have any of the following cards or (2) you received a new cardmember bonus for any of the following cards within the last 24 months: Marriott Bonvoy® Premier credit card, Marriott Rewards® Premier credit card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® credit card, Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus credit card, Marriott Bonvoy Bold® credit card.

The new cardmember bonus is not available to you if (1) you currently have or had any of the following cards within the last 30 days: Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card, The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express; or if (2) you applied and were approved for any of the following cards within the last 90 days or (3) received a new cardmember bonus or upgrade bonus for any of the following cards within the last 24 months: Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card.

What is a reasonable estimate for the value of a Marriott Bonvoy point? Since 2022, Marriott no longer has a fixed hotel category chart for booking points. You can still use these points at either long-time Marriott brands (Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Springhill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites) or former Starwood brands (Westin, Sheraton, The Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton, W Hotels, St. Regis, Le Méridien, Aloft), but now it is “dynamic” awards where the points required are more linked to the actual cash cost than before.

Based on multiple real-world searches of redeemable properties, I choose to use a conservative estimate of 0.70 cents per Bonvoy point. Other estimates that I’ve seen are 0.8 cents per point. That means 50,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $350 redeemable value. Remember to compare the full price of the hotel price with all taxes, as that is what you would have to pay instead of just points. With the flexibility of points, you could book a week stay at a modest hotel or a couple nights at a luxury resort.

You can use the Marriott free night search tool to price out some sample hotels for yourself.

NEW: Certificates can be combined with up to 25,000 points for nicer hotels. Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 25,000 points of your own. In other words, if your certificate is worth 50,000 points, the maximum hotel value you can redeem for is 75,000 points after adding 25,000 points of your own. Here are details on the Free Night Award Top Off option.

Bonvoy Points can also be transferred to airline miles with a bonus. You can convert your Bonvoy points to miles at 39 participating airlines. The standard ratio with most programs is 3:1 (60,000 Bonvoy: 20,000 airlines) miles. Most programs will add on a bonus 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points you transfer to frequent flyer miles (does not apply to American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, Delta SkyMiles and Korean Air SKYPASS.) If you’re a United MileagePlus® member, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points you transfer. More information here.

Finally, Marriott points are also convertible to gift cards, but it takes 60,000 points to redeem for a $200 gift card for Marriott or retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, or Nordstrom. That ratio isn’t all that great, so you’ll definitely get the most value via hotel night redemptions or airline miles transfer.

No annual fee alternative. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold card is also offers bonus points and some (lesser) perks, but with no annual fee.

Bottom line. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card is currently offering a special offer for new cardholders. As with all hotel cards, the value is dependent on your unique travel preferences. If you stay at Marriott/Starwood properties regularly, the free night award every year should easily cover the annual fee.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Bilt Rent Day for March 1st, 2026: Japan Airlines Transfer Bonus

Bilt recently revamped their credit cards, leaving Wells Fargo and switching to Cardless. The good news is that they now give rewards on mortgage payments in addition to rent. The bad news is that they require a lot of non-housing spend for you to “unlock” those rewards. Overall, the program is much more complicated than before, requiring you to carefully juggle housing and non-housing spending amounts on your card to make it barely possible to gain value above a simple 2% cash back card.

Importantly, separate from their original Bilt points, which are great and convert 1:1 to Hyatt points in addition to possible monthly transfer bonuses to other airline programs, they added a new thing confusingly called “Bilt Cash” which is nothing like cash at all.

I decided to convert to the new no-annual-fee Bilt “Blue” credit card as they offered me a “$100 sign-up bonus”, but this bonus turned out to be in Bilt Cash, which I haven’t been able to redeem for anything of value to me.

On March 1st only, Bilt is offering a Rent Day transfer bonus of between 25% to 100% to Japan Airlines. If you pay them $135 in Bilt Cash, they will let you bump up to an increased bonus percentage. So if you are on the base tier like me and only get a 25% transfer bonus to JAL, I could pay them $135 in Bilt Cash and make it a 50% transfer bonus. Possibly a good use of Bilt Cash and a way to use up your points, but again only on March 1st.

I wish I could explain the new program here simply, but I can’t. Personally, I have gone ahead and converted nearly all of my Bilt points to Hyatt, and will wait and see if things get better.

Hilton Honors American Express Cards: New Limited-Time Offers

Updated with new limited-time offers. Hilton Hotels and American Express have co-branded credit cards with special perks for Hilton customers. Each person can typically only get one welcome offer, per card in your entire lifetime, so it’s best to apply during a temporary bump-up and/or limited-time offer. Hat tip to DoC and DDG, which has found some personal links without the once-per-lifetime language (“NLL” or “no-lifetime-language”). The business links below still include the NLL. Here’s what the “lifetime-language” looks like, and there should be a pop-up indicating that you are indeed not eligible for the bonus based on their records.

You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card or previous versions of this Card. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.

Hilton Honors American Express Card (No Annual Fee)

  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 70,000 Bonus Points and one Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/15/26.
  • 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
  • 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points per dollar on purchases at US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations.
  • 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases.
  • Hilton Honors(TM) Silver Status comes with this card. Spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on this card within a calendar year and upgrade this benefit to Hilton Honors(TM) Gold Status through the end of the next calendar year.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • No annual fee.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card ($150 Annual Fee)

  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 130,000 Bonus Points and one Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/15/26.
  • 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
  • 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points per dollar on purchases at US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations.
  • 4X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar on U.S Online Retail Purchases.
  • 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases.
  • Hilton Honors(TM) Gold Status comes with this card. Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on this card within a calendar year and upgrade this benefit to Hilton Honors(TM) Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year.
  • Up to $200 in Hilton Credits annually. Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio on your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. That’s up to $200 in statement credits annually.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • Earn an additional Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
  • $150 annual fee.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card ($550 Annual Fee)

  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 175,000 Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 4/15/26.
  • 14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
  • 7X Bonus Points for eligible purchases: on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com; on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies; & at U.S. restaurants.
  • 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases.
  • Hilton Honors(TM) Diamond Status comes with this card.
  • $400 Hilton Resort Credit. Get up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts on your Hilton Honors Aspire Card. That’s up to $400 back annually.
  • $200 Flight Credit. Get up to $50 in statement credits each quarter, for a total of up to $200 back each year, on flight purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com using your Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
  • $209 CLEAR+ Credit. CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $209 per calendar year in statement credits, when you pay for a CLEAR+ Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • Multiple Free Night Reward Opportunities. Enjoy an Annual Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors in your first year of Card Membership and every year upon Card renewal. Earn another Free Night Reward from Hilton after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you can earn an additional Free Night Reward from Hilton after you spend a total of $60,000 in purchases on the Card within the same calendar year.
  • $550 annual fee.

Hilton Honors American Express Business Card ($195 Annual Fee)

  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 175,000 Bonus Points and one Free Night Reward after you spend $8,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/15/26.
  • 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
  • 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other purchases made using the Hilton Honors Business Card on the first $100,000 in purchases each calendar year, 3X Points thereafter.
  • Up to $240 in Hilton credits annually (Up to $60 per quarter). Get up to $60 in statement credits each quarter for purchases made with this card directly with a Hilton portfolio property.
  • Complimentary Hilton Honors(TM) Gold Status (free breakfast, room upgrades based on availability, 5th standard reward night free).
  • Upgrade this benefit to Hilton Honors(TM) Diamond Status through the end of the calendar year if the total eligible purchases that you spend on your Card Account during a calendar year reach $40,000 or more.
  • $195 annual fee.

What are Hilton Honor points worth? The best value is from booking free hotel nights or using their “Points & Money” option where you pay with a combination of Hilton points and cash. Hilton has some really nice properties, but the value varies from hotel to hotel. I just ran a search and for the same 60,000 Hilton points, I could book rooms that cost $320 or $532 cash. I’ve seen some valuations around 0.6 cents per point, which I think is fair on average, but I would be more conservative at 0.5 cents a point. That would make 150,000 points = $750 value and 100,000 points = $500 value towards Hilton hotel stays.

The good part of Hilton points is that they have so many different hotel brands, from business-class DoubleTree to luxury Waldorf Astoria. Hilton also lets you transfer and pool points with other with other family or household members. As long as you are able to keep them active (once every 12 months), I do like to keep some around. These credit cards are handy for creating activity.

Free Night Award details. When it is offered (not all the time), the Free Night Award is valid for a one-night standard room at eligible Hilton properties, and also covers resort fees and taxes. There are many great and valuable options to redeem, but importantly read about the property exclusions here. Here are the full terms. To redeem the Free Night Reward, you must call 1-800-446-6677 (1-800-HHONORS). It’s quite easy and I’ve found the agents to be very helpful if you want to combine multiple certificates, combine a paid stay and a Free Night Award, etc. Free Night Rewards will expire 12 months from date of issuance.

I’ve used this Free Night Award at the Grand Wailea in Maui, and that standard room would have cost 110,000 Hilton Points otherwise. Other fancy possibilities include Conrad New York, Conrad London, Waldorf Astoria Park City, and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.

Bottom line. Hilton American Express cards offer regular Hilton customers a good opportunity to earn additional points towards free Hilton hotel stays as well as additional perks like status upgrades. The best time to apply for a Hilton co-branded American Express card is during a limited-time increase to their welcome offers. This is because American Express has changed their standard policy to only allow each person to get a welcome offer once per card.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers and Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

Bank of America Rewards: Higher Balance Requirements for Credit Card Boosts + New Monthly Credits (Coming May 2026)

(Update: BofA sent out a new e-mail that your existing members with a Preferred Rewards bonus on your credit card will be maintained at least until your annual BofA anniversary date following November 2026. So if your anniversary month is April, you’ll be good until April 2027. For new cardmembers, it starts May 2026. They also added the detail that the monthly debit card credits will apply to select “streaming and news subscription services”. )

Bank of America has a press release that their “Preferred Rewards” program is changing to “BofA Rewards” on May 27, 2026 (hat tip Bogleheads). Notable changes include the tier names, their required balances, and higher requirements for credit card rewards boosts. Here is a comparison of the old and new tiers.

Preferred Rewards Tiers (OLD; Current)

  • Gold – $20,000 to < $50,000 combined balance
  • Platinum – $50,000 to < $100,000 combined balance
  • Platinum Honors – $100,000 to < $1,000,000 combined balance
  • Diamond – $1,000,000 or more combined balance

BofA Rewards Tiers (NEW; Effective May 2026)

  • Member – Less than $30,000 combined balance
  • Preferred Plus – $30,000 to < $100,000 combined balance
  • Preferred Honors – $100,000 to < $1,000,000 combined balance
  • Premier – $1,000,000 or more combined balance

Combined balances refers to the three-month average account balance across qualifying Bank of America and Merrill accounts. Qualifying accounts include:

  • Bank of America deposit accounts: Bank of America Advantage Banking, savings, money market savings, CD and IRA accounts
  • Merrill® investment accounts, such as the Cash Management Account (CMA) and IRA accounts
  • 529 plans appearing on your Merrill statement
  • Revocable grantor trust accounts

The big negative change is that you now need the Premier ($1,000,000+) tier to get the maximum 75% boost in credit card rewards. That’s a huge 10X increase in the balance required.

New BofA Rewards Tiers x Credit Card Rewards Boosts

  • Member – Credit card rewards boost: 10%
  • Preferred Plus ($30k+) – Credit card rewards boost: 25%
  • Preferred Honors ($100k+) – Credit card rewards boost: 50%
  • Premier ($1M+) – Credit card rewards boost: 75%

Many people have moved over stock holdings to a self-directed brokerage account at Merrill Edge in order to qualify for some of these rewards. Going from a 75% boost to 50% boost may mean going from 2.6% cash back on everything to 2.25% cash back, unless your combined balances meet the $1 million mark. A disappointing change.

A possible positive offset are new monthly credits on the higher tiers if you make certain purchases on your BofA debit card linked to your BofA checking account.

New BofA Rewards Tiers x Monthly Debit Card Credits

  • Member – No subscription credits
  • Preferred Plus ($30k+) – No subscription credits
  • Preferred Honors ($100k+) – Up to $8 per month in statement credits for “several pre-determined subscription services” (up to $96/year).
  • Premier ($1M+) – Up to $15 per month in statement credits for “several pre-determined subscription services” (up to $180/year).

BofA has not announced the eligible subscriptions yet, but hopefully it is a flexible category. This will be an important detail, and it could offset a big part of lost cashback rewards for those with lower credit card spending.

Current Preferred Rewards members will be automatically enrolled in BofA Rewards. The terms state that current Gold and Platinum tier members will initially be changed to the Preferred Plus tier, even with the new balance mismatches.

JetBlue Plus Card Review: 75,000 Bonus Points

Limited-time 75k offer with $1,000 spending hurdle. The JetBlue Plus Mastercard is a rewards credit card that earns TrueBlue points for purchases and includes special perks for JetBlue customers. Right now, there is an increased offer above the common prior 50k and 60k offer levels, this time with a low spending requirement but without a first-year annual fee waiver. This is a limited-time inflight offer, where you can enter a 5-digit promo code to credit the flight crew. I have read that the code is 6+Flight number (ex. Flight 214 is 60214), but it seems that any 5-digit code will work. I’ve used 00000 on a similar Barclaycard app and it still worked fine. Here are the highlights:

  • 75,000 bonus TrueBlue points after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.
  • First checked bag is free for the primary cardmember and up to 3 companions when you use your JetBlue Plus Card on JetBlue-operated flights.
  • 6X points on JetBlue purchases, 2 points per $1 at restaurants and grocery stores and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
  • No blackout dates on JetBlue-operated flights & redeem for any seat, any time on JetBlue flights. Points required for an Award Flight will vary based on the published base fare at the time of booking.
  • Annual $100 statement credit after you purchase a JetBlue Vacations package of $100 or more.
  • Points awarded in your TrueBlue account don’t expire.
  • Earn and share points together with Family Pooling.
  • 50% savings on eligible inflight purchases including cocktails, food and movies.
  • Points Payback option allows you to redeem points for a statement credit – up to $1,000 per year.
  • Get 10% of your points back every time you redeem to use toward your next redemption.
  • 5,000 TrueBlue bonus points annually after your account anniversary.
  • $99 annual fee.

First checked bags on JetBlue usually cost at least $35 each-way ($35 off-peak and $40 peak), per person (technically $35 if prepaid or $45 if paid at the airport). The free checked bag perk applies to you and up to 3 travel companions on the same reservation when (1) the ticket is purchased with your JetBlue Plus card, (2) the primary cardmember’s TrueBlue member number must be entered at the time of booking. That works out great for a family traveling together. If you buy higher fare classes, a certain number of complimentary bags may already be included.

How does redeeming TrueBlue points work? TrueBlue works on a “dynamic” revenue-based system, where the points required depends on the current cash cost of the flight (with no blackout dates). If they sell it for cash, you can book it with points. This is different than traditional chart-based systems that charge a fixed point balance but imposes blackout dates and limited seat availability.

TrueBlue points are best redeemed for JetBlue flights. There are some other options like newspaper or magazine subscriptions, but I won’t cover them here.

TrueBlue points can be estimated at 1 points = 1.3 cents. Ex. 30,000 points would cover roughly $390 in JetBlue airfare. The exact value may vary, but 1.3 cents is a conservative average of what I found across Blue and Blue Extra fares. You can test it out yourself by pricing out the same flight on JetBlue.com using points or cash (you don’t need to sign-in or have an account). Here is an example of a randomly-chosen flight between SFO and JFK. Below are both the cash price and points required.

That means the $333 net cost ($339-$6 in taxes) was offset by 23,000 points, or a value of 1.43 cents per TrueBlue point. 1.3 cents per TrueBlue point is a conservative average estimate.

Upon the renewal of your $99 annual fee, you get another 5,000 TrueBlue points ($65 of airfare value at 1.3 cents/point). If you can take advantage of the free checked bag perk, there is definitely ongoing value for regular JetBlue fliers. I haven’t investigated the $100 off a JetBlue Vacations package, but it could be worth a look.

Redemption for cash. As a minimum baseline value, you can redeem TrueBlue points for a flat statement credit. Details from the website are below, and so the value is roughly 0.75 cents per point (10,000 points = $75). Max redemption is $1,000 in statement credits per year. You can nearly always get more value redeeming for a JetBlue flight, but I know some people may just want to cash out.

JetBlue’s Points Payback program allows JetBlue Plus Card holders to redeem TrueBlue points for statement credits on their eligible JetBlue-affiliated credit card. The program starts at 3,333 points for a $25 statement credit, which is worth 75 cents per point. Card holders can redeem up to $1,000 annually in statement credits.

Bottom line. The JetBlue Plus card from Barclaycard offers several perks for regular JetBlue customers such as a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions. Right now, the sign-up bonus is slightly higher than usual. 75,000 points are worth roughly $975 in JetBlue airfare at Blue/Blue Extra levels, minus the $99 annual fee is still $875 in first-year value.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

There is also a JetBlue Business card that currently offers up to 60,000 bonus points. Also see: Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

Delta SkyMiles American Express Gold Card – New Limited-Time Offer w/ $900+ First-Year Value

New limited-time offers. Delta Airlines American Express cards offer various special perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and the ability to earn Delta SkyMiles with card purchases. As you can only get the welcome offers once per specific card name per person per lifetime (a Gold and Platinum card are considered different), I recommend waiting until a limited-time offer to maximize your benefit. I recommend the Gold card as the first sweet spot for many casual travelers, as it currently offers a $900 potential first-year value with no annual fee the first year, along with a free checked bag benefit. Details:

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

  • Up to 90,000 Bonus Skymiles. 70,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 20,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months, starting from the date your account is opened. Offer Ends 4/1/2026.
  • $200 Delta Flight Credit. Get a $200 Delta Flight credit to use toward future Delta travel after $10,000 in purchases on your card within a calendar year.
  • $100 Delta Stays Credit. Get up to $100 back annually as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles(R) Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • First checked bag free (worth $70 roundtrip, per person) on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $280 per round trip for a family of four ($35 each way, per person).
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • Zone 5 Priority Boarding.
  • 2X miles at Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1 miles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • Simplified Pay with Miles option. Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
  • 20% back on eligible Delta in-flight purchases with this card in the form of a statement credit .
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.

90,000 Skymiles is worth at least $900 in Delta airfare. Delta offers a minimum value out of your Skymiles via the “Pay with Miles” option. For example, that means 50,000 Skymiles can reduce the price of your Delta ticket(s) by $500 at the very least. (5,000 mile = $50 minimum redemption.) You can still search and book traditional award tickets and possibly get better value.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

  • Limited-time offer: Up to 100,000 Bonus Miles 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 20,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months, starting from the date your account is opened. Offer Ends 4/1/2026.
  • $2,500 Medallion(R) Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $20 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
  • $150 Delta Stays Credit. Get up to $150 back annually on eligible prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
  • $120 Resy Credit. Get up to $10 in statement credits each month after you pay with your enrolled Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Rideshare Credit. Up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers using your Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card. Enrollment is required.
  • 15% off discount on Award Travel booked through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Applies to Delta flights only, not applicable to partner-operated flights or taxes and fees.
  • Up to $120 Global Entry Fee Credit. You can get either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck(R) (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Delta SkyMiles(R) Platinum American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • Companion Certificate benefit. Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta Main round-trip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
  • First checked bag free (worth $70 roundtrip, per person) on Delta flights. This perk is worth up to $280 per round trip for a family of four ($35 each way, per person).
  • Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
  • 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
  • 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $350 annual fee.

The Platinum version can be a worthy upgrade from the Gold version if you can take advantage of the added perks including Resy/Rideshare credits and especially the annual Main Cabin Companion Certificate (i.e. you plan to book two tickets together on Delta at least once a year). I’ve used it several times in the past and it is easy to use while booking tickets online at Delta.com. My savings from using the Companion Certificate for Delta Main has exceeded $500.

100,000 Skymiles is worth at least $1,000 in Delta airfare. Delta offers a minimum value out of your Skymiles via the “Pay with Miles” option. For example, that means 50,000 Skymiles can reduce the price of your Delta ticket(s) by $500 at the very least. (5,000 mile = $50 minimum redemption.) You can still search and book traditional award tickets and possibly get better value.

Chase MyBonus 2026 Q1: Targeted 5X Points on Gas/Groceries/Restaurants

New quarter, new offers. A quick 2026 Q1 reminder that you can discover targeted offers for your Chase-issued credit card at Chase.com/mybonus. This includes both their in-house cards like Sapphire or Freedom Flex and their co-branded cards like United, IHG, Hyatt, Southwest, Amazon, etc. For some reason, these are often offers that they don’t tell you about otherwise by email or snail mail.

You might get 5X points or 5% cash back on up to $1,000 spent on Gas Stations, Groceries, and Restaurants:

You may also simply get a message that your card can’t be found or that you weren’t targeted:

5% Cash Back Cards: Grocery Stores, Wholesale Clubs, Dining, Streaming – January through March 2026

Activation reminder for 2026 1st Quarter. The credit cards below offer 5% cash back and up on specific categories that rotate each quarter. It takes a little extra attention, but it can add up to hundreds of dollars in additional rewards per year without changing your spending habits. You can also buy gift cards for other retailers at places like Grocery Stores and Home Improvement stores with 5% back now but spend the gift cards later. New cardmembers may also get an upfront sign-up bonus.

Discover it Card

From January 1st through March 31st, 2026, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:

  • Grocery Stores
  • Wholesale Clubs
  • Select Streaming Services, including Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Video, AMC+, Apple Music, Apple TV, Audible, DirecTV Stream, Fandango at Home, Google Play Music and Video, Max, iHeartRadio, MLB.TV, Netflix, Pandora, Paramount Plus, Peacock, SiriusXM, Sling TV, Spotify, Starz, YouTube Music, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV.?

Enroll after logging into your online account. 5% rewards won’t apply until after you activate your rewards, so it is best to activate now before you forget. No annual fee.

Discover it $100 bonus + Double Cashback Match details. If you are a new applicant and sign up via Discover Card referral link, you will get a $50 improved $100 Cashback Bonus after your first purchase within 3 months of being account opening. On top of that, you will also get Cashback Match for an entire year – a dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year, automatically. During those 12 months, your 5% cash back rewards becomes 10% cash back, and your 1% cash back rewards become 2% cash back. You can verify this on the application by looking under “Terms and Conditions” or searching for “cashback match” and “statement credit offer”:

Refer a Friend: You will receive a $100 statement credit after making a purchase within three months of account opening. If the Referral Program is offered, we reserve the right to alter, change or terminate the Referral Program at any time. A Balance Transfer or Cash Advance does not qualify as a purchase. You must apply online through your friend’s digital referral link and be approved by 11:59pm ET, December 31, 2026 in order to be eligible for the $100 statement credit offer. Phone, mail-in, and other digital applications are not eligible for referral rewards. Offer may not be combined with any other introductory offer. Promotional award will be applied within 1-2 billing periods. Statement credits you receive may be taxable to you. Please contact your tax advisor.

Cashback Match: We’ll match all the cash back you’ve earned on your credit card from the day your new account is approved through your first 12 consecutive billing periods or 365 days, whichever is longer, and add it to your rewards account within two billing periods. You earn cash back only when they’re processed, which may be after the transaction date. We will not match: rewards that are processed after your match period ends; statement credits; or rewards transfers from Discover checking or other deposit accounts. Your account must be open and in good standing to receive your Cashback Match. This offer may not be available in the future and is exclusively for new cardmembers. No purchase minimums.

Chase Freedom Flex Card

From January 1st through March 31st, 2026, you can earn 5% cash back (or 5X Ultimate Rewards points) on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:

  • Dining
  • Norwegian Cruise Line®
  • American Heart Association®

(The categories are also the same for the old Chase Freedom card, which is no longer available to new applicants.)

Enroll each quarter online in your Chase account or at ChaseBonus.com. As long as you activate by the 14th of the last month in each quarter, the rewards are retroactive. Technically, you earn Ultimate Rewards points which may be worth even more when converted to airline miles or hotel points instead of cash if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve card. You could also use the Pay Yourself Back tool to additional value. Currently, the Chase Freedom Flex card is offering new applicants a $200 bonus if you sign up and make $500 in purchases in your first three months. No annual fee.

Citi Custom Cash Card

This card offers 5% cash back on your *single* top eligible spending category up to $500 each month (which effectively adds up to $1,500 a quarter). Eligible categories include broad ones like restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, or select travel, but you only get 5% for the top category that month and 1% on everything else. To simplify things you could, for example, elect to only use this card for 5% cash back on gas all year long (up to $500 per month).

Currently, the Citi Custom Cash card is offering new applicants a $200 bonus after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. You’ll actually get 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. No annual fee.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

  • 6% cash back at US supermarkets all year long (on up to $6,000 per year)
  • 6% cash back at select US streaming subscriptions (includes Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube TV, and more).
  • $120 Disney Streaming Credit (up to $10 per month with no minimum or bundle required). You can now earn up to $10 back per month as a statement credit when you use your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card to purchase a subscription, or bundle subscription, on DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites, now with no minimum purchase requirement. Subscription is subject to auto-renewal.
  • 3% cash back at US gas stations and transit (taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
  • $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

I use this card all year long for 6% cash back on groceries up to the limit, get my $120 in Disney+ credit to more than offset the $95 annual fee, and then in December use up the $6k annual limit on gift cards bought in the supermarket aisle. New cardholders are also eligible for a $250 welcome offer after $3,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. See details in link.

U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card

You must choose the two 5% cash back categories every quarter, out of a preset selection of specific categories:

  • Fast Food
  • Cell Phone Providers
  • Home Utilities
  • Ground Transportation
  • Select Clothing Stores
  • Electronics Stores
  • Car Rentals
  • Gyms/Fitness Centers
  • Sporting Goods Stores
  • Department Stores
  • Furniture Stores
  • Movie Theaters
  • TV, Internet, and Streaming Services

Unfortunately, you can’t pick a broad category like gas stations, restaurants, or grocery stores. Make sure to choose your categories each and every quarter, even if you want them to stay the same. If you do not choose your categories, all purchases revert to only earning 1% cash back for that quarter. No annual fee. Currently, new applicants are offered a $200 bonus after you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.


Amazon Prime Rewards Card

Earn 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods all year long. Up to 10% cash back on select items during special promos. Prime membership required. New cardholder bonus of $250 available until 1/8. No annual fee.

Citi Dividend Card. This card has not been available to new applicants for years now, but if you still have the grandfathered card you can view and activate your quarterly 5% category here. Limit of $300 cash back for the calendar year.

Prime Visa Review: $250 Instant Gift Card, 5% Back at Amazon + Whole Foods

Limited-time offer now scheduled to expire 1/8. If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you probably spend a good chunk at Amazon and should at least consider the Prime Visa, a credit card (not store card) available only to Amazon Prime members. During the holiday season, the bonus has boosted to a high of $250 but is going to expire 1/8. Highlights:

  • $259 Amazon Gift Card *instantly* upon approval exclusively for Prime members. No spending requirement.
  • 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership.
  • 5% back on Chase Travel(SM) purchases with an eligible Prime membership.
  • 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories
    on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership.
  • 2% Back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting
    (including rideshare).
  • 1% Back on all other purchases.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • No annual fee.

Rewards can be redeemed easily either on your next Amazon.com purchase or as a statement credit on your bill. But since you get 5% back on your Amazon purchases on this card… it’s slightly better to take the statement credit, even though it is also slightly more hassle.

I have this card set up as my default credit card at Amazon, and that’s its primary purpose in life, to absorb all my Amazon and Whole Foods purchases. (Which is still a lot, unfortunately…)

If you do this, remember that there are also the following extra protections built into the card:

  • Extended warranty protection. Extends the time period for the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
  • Purchase Protection. Covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.

Bottom line. If you are a Prime member that spends a lot of money at Amazon and/or Whole Foods and prefer simplicity, using the Prime Visa can add up with minimal extra effort. Be sure to make it your default card for your Amazon account. You can then track all your Amazon spending on one card, and also be sure you remember that you get extended warranty protection and purchase protection on those items.

Free Credit Monitoring Alerts From All 3 Major Credit Bureaus

Updated. Happy New Year! 🎉 🥳 In terms of keeping my finances in order, what I’ve been finding most useful recently are credit monitoring alerts. The last time I applied for a credit card, I received multiple e-mails within minutes alerting me that someone had checked my credit report. I’m also told if a new account is added. This makes me feel more comfortable knowing that I’ll be alerted quickly if someone does try to steal my identity. The following third-party services listed below provide you a free credit score (of various algorithms) and/or free continuous credit monitoring from select credit bureaus.

Credit Karma

  • Free credit score (VantageScore 3.0) from both Transunion and Equifax.
  • Free credit monitoring from both Transunion and Equifax. Via e-mail alerts or app notification. Will let you know about things like a new credit check or a new account added.
  • Limited identity theft monitoring. Credit Karma uses your email address to search and notify you if they are listed in public data breaches.

Credit Sesame

  • Free credit score (VantageScore 3.0) from Transunion. Daily credit score updates and weekly credit report profile updates.
  • Free credit monitoring from Transunion. Via e-mail alert. Will let you know about things like a new credit check or a new account added.

Experian.com (Free Tier)

  • Free credit score (FICO 8) from Experian. Daily credit score updates and daily credit report profile, refreshed upon login.
  • Free credit monitoring from Experian. Free e-mail alerts.
  • Warning that Experian will regularly try to upsell you to a paid membership tier. Simply click “No, keep my membership” to stay on the free tier. I’ve been on it for years.
  • Improve your credit score by adding utility payments. Experian Boost is a free option that can potentially improve your Experian-based credit score by adding on-time utility and phone bill payments.

WalletHub

  • Free credit score (VantageScore 3.0) from Transunion. Daily credit score updates and free daily full credit reports.
  • Free credit monitoring from Transunion. Via e-mail alert. Will let you know about things like a new credit check or a new account added.

CreditWise from Capital One

  • Free credit score (FICO 8) from Transunion. You do not need to be a Capital One customer to sign up.
  • Free credit monitoring from both Transunion and Experian.

None of the services above require a trial or credit card number to sign up for their free tiers. They may ask for the last 4 digits of your SSN for verification. These are all ad-supported (they will pitch you stuff) and usually have a paid upgrade option (but you can stay on the free tier forever).

The government requires the credit bureaus to provide you a free credit report at least once every 12 months (now actually weekly since the pandemic). However, the site will not provide you credit scores or pro-active alerts if anything changes on those reports.

Note that some of the scores above are not FICO scores because Fair Isaac might charge more money in licensing fees. If you really want a FICO number, nearly every major credit card issuer now includes a monthly FICO score with their cards: Chase, Citi, Bank of America, Discover, Barclaycard, and American Express.

Bottom line. Used in combination, I use the services above to keep track of changes to my credit reports across all three credit bureaus for free. None of them require my credit card number, and they quickly alert me to things like new accounts, new credit check inquiries, and high credit line usage. I just ignore the generic ads and upsells.