Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card Review: 100,000 Bonus Points Offer

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The card_name 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. Here are the highlights:

  • 100,000 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.
  • $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.
  • See Rates and Fees

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 (like a limited-time offer) if 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? As of April 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. That means 95,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $665 redeemable value, and 150,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $1,050 redeemable hotel night 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 15,000 points for nicer hotels. Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 15,000 points of your own. In other words, if your certificate is worth 85,000 points, the maximum hotel value you can redeem for is 100,000 points after adding 15,000 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 card_name is the premium co-branded card between Marriott hotels and American Express. There is a long list of perks, including a flexible dining credit on restaurant purchases and a valuable free night award each card anniversary. As with all hotel cards, the value is dependent on your unique travel preferences.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

(See Rates and Fees)

GigSky: Free Travel eSIM with Many Visa Cards (Signature/Infinite)

GigSky is a travel eSIM provider, which allows you to access cellular data both in the US and internationally in 125+ countries with your existing phone (almost all newer smartphones now support eSIM). They have a promotion that gives you one free eSIM per year for each Visa Signature and/or Visa Infinite credit card that you link with their app, along with up to 30% off paid plans. If you have multiple credit cards, there is a good chance you have at least one Visa Signature. Visa Infinite cards are usually those with $300+ annual fees.

  • Visa Infinite: Free 3 GB / 15-day plan (one per year). Discount of 30% off all paid plans.
  • Visa Signature: Free 1 GB / 15-day plan (one per year). Discount of 20% off all paid plans.

If you link multiple Visa cards, you can get multiple free eSIMs. The value of a 3 GB eSIM is about $10, 1 GB eSIM is about $4, depending on the country. If you want, you can use my referral code at sign-up JONP110 for a 25% off coupon on your first plan purchase, but won’t be that much better than this offer.

I’ve personally used Airalo in the past, which is very similar but what I like about them is that they usually list the specific cellular network(s) that their eSIM uses. Sometimes that matters, for example I have bought a Verizon SIM for certain US national parks with only Verizon cellular coverage. If you want, you can use my Airalo referral link or JONATH1624 for $3 off your first Airalo eSIM.

Hyatt Hotels Points Calendar Tool: Find Award Night Availability

My favorite hotel rewards program is still Hyatt, as they are the least diluted program with the most valuable points. I can almost always get at close to 2 cents per point value, often a lot more. In addition to earning Hyatt points through stays or their co-branded credit card, you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points (including the Chase Sapphire line of cards) and Bilt Rewards points to Hyatt at a 1:1: ratio.

Hyatt just introduced their “Points Calendar” tool which makes it much easier for you to find award nights to use your points. Let’s take the Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. I just looked for a close-in date and the cash cost after all taxes would be $320 a night for the cheapest Member’s Rate, plus a “daily destination fee” of $38 per night. So that’s $358 a night, or 18,000 points per night, for a value of 2 cents per point. Hyatt award nights include all taxes/fees and also waive daily resort-type fees.

Tip: Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach is also Category 4, which means you can use your Cat 1-4 Free Night Awards at this hotel as well. Pretty solid deal to get ~$360 of value out of a free night certificate.

When you pick the hotel, you’ll have to look for the “Points Calendar” icon:

Now you can see which days are available to book with points without having to check every night or span of nights separately. This is the calendar for August, which is literally days away and during peak season, so I wouldn’t expect it to be completely open. With this tool, you can quickly see exactly which nights you can use your Hyatt points or Free Night Awards. A long-awaited improvement.

Citi ThankYou Points: 1:1 Transfers to Accor ALL Hotel Program (Limited-Time Offer)

Update: Expired, although even the default transfer is still a decent way to get over one cent per point value out of your Citi ThankYou points.

Original, expired post:

If you have a stash of Citi ThankYou points, right now at ThankYou.com you can transfer the to the Accor Live Limitless (ALL) hotels rewards program at a 1:1 ratio. This is double the usual transfer ratio and looks to be a limited-time offer, as it is a potentially very valuable way to redeem ThankYou points.

The Accor Live Limitless (ALL) rewards program offers a straightforward redemption system: 2,000 ALL Reward points = €40 off your hotel bill, which is worth ~$45 USD, depending on the current exchange rate. This means each ALL point is worth ~2.25 cents when redeemed for stays at Accor hotels (such as Sofitel, Novotel, Fairmont, and Mercure). There are no blackout dates, and redemptions can be applied directly at checkout, making ALL points very flexible.

Aeroplan® Credit Card Review: 85,000 Bonus Points (Improved Offer)

Improved offer. The Aeroplan® Card is the Air Canada co-branded credit card for US customers, issued by Chase. If you fly Air Canada regularly, this card makes the experience better in many different ways. If you don’t fly Air Canada regularly, you can still use the new Pay Yourself Back feature where Aeroplan points can be redeemed at 1.25 cents per point towards any eligible travel purchase on ANY airline, for up to 200,000 points per year (for up to $2,500 back). Here are the highlights on the sign-up bonus and Air Canada perks:

  • 85,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
  • 85,000 points can be redeemed to offset over $1,000 in travel. Redeem points at a rate of 1.25 per point as a statement credit to cover travel purchases including flights, hotels, car rentals, ride-shares and more. Through 12/31/2025, you can redeem up to 200,000 points for up to $2,500 back.
  • Free first checked bags on Air Canada flights: one free checked bag for the primary cardmember and up to eight other travelers on the same itinerary.
  • Automatically receive Aeroplan 25K Elite Status for the remainder of the first calendar year, plus the following calendar year, allowing primary cardmembers to enjoy benefits such as priority check-in, early boarding, upgrades and more on Air Canada flights.
  • Each calendar year in which you spend at least $15,000 in purchases you earn Aeroplan 25K Status through the following calendar year.
  • Up to $120 credit toward Global Entry, TSA Precheck or NEXUS every four years (as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card)
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $95 annual fee.

Here is the rewards structure on credit card spending:

  • 3X points on dining, takeout, and eligible delivery services
  • 3X points at grocery stores
  • 3X points on direct purchases at Air Canada
  • 1 point for each dollar spent on all other purchases
  • 500 bonus points for every $2,000 spent in a calendar month (up to a maximum of 1,500 points per calendar month)

Redeeming Aeroplan points for flights. It is very easy to redeem Aeroplan points on Air Canada, Air Canada Express, or Air Canada Rouge flights because “every Air Canada seat available to buy for cash is also available for points, no restrictions.” You simply run a search like normal on the Air Canada website, and it will tell you upfront the cost in Aeroplan points. It’s quite easy to compare the cash cost side-by-side. In addition, when you have this credit card, you get even better preferred pricing on flights when redeeming points.

Here is an example flight from San Francisco to Vancouver during our March Spring Break period:

At 8,300 miles + CAD$8 for a one-way flight, that means I could get 4 of these SFO-YVR roundtrip flights for 70,000 with some 3,000+ points left over. This means an entire family of four could get their flights covered. The cash cost for the one way was CAD$207 or US$161 at this writing, for a total redemption value of CAD$1,656 or US$1,288.

For a more general idea, here is a link to the Aeroplan rewards chart (PDF). The points required are based on distance.

You can also get excellent value by redeeming your points on a partner airline.

Finally, with this credit card, you get preferred pricing on award flights (less points required):

You, as the primary cardmember will often require fewer Aeroplan points to redeem for flight rewards through the Aeroplan program than Aeroplan Members who do not hold an Aeroplan co-branded Credit Card.

Redeem towards any travel at 1.25 cents per points. Via their Pay Yourself Back(R) feature, Chase allows an alternative option to redeem Aeroplan points at a rate of 1.25 cents per point to cover travel purchases including airline flights, hotels, cruises, car rentals, rideshares, parking lots, and more. This provides a nice minimum floor on the value of an Aeroplan point. More Aeroplan Pay Yourself Back details here. Here are the updated eligible categories for 2025, which include eligible restaurants and grocery stores:

Pay Yourself Back®
Aeroplan® points may be redeemed for a statement credit using Pay Yourself Back for purchases made at select merchants within the 90 days before the redemption request date.? Redemptions using Pay Yourself Back against the following purchases made with your credit card will qualify: travel purchases and the prior payment of your annual fee. Currently, purchases made in the following promotional categories will also qualify: dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services), grocery stores (including eligible delivery services, excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs). Each point you redeem through Pay Yourself Back for a statement credit towards qualifying travel purchases (up to 200,000 points or $2,500 annually) and the prior payment of your annual fee is worth $.0125 (one and a quarter cents), which means that 100 points equals $1.25 in redemption value. Each point you redeem through Pay Yourself Back for a statement credit towards qualifying purchases in promotional categories is worth $.008, which means that 100 points equals $.80 in redemption value. Valid through December 31, 2025.

Here’s all of what counts as “Travel”:

Merchants in this category include airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages. Some merchants that provide transportation and travel-related services are not included in this category; for example, real estate agents, educational merchants arranging travel, in-flight goods and services, on-board cruise line goods and services, sightseeing activities, excursions, tourist attractions, RV and boat rentals, merchants within hotels and airports, public campgrounds and merchants that rent vehicles for the purpose of hauling. Purchases from gift card merchants or merchants that sell points or miles will not qualify in the travel category.

Personal experience. I have had this card, and here is why I renewed and paid the annual fee for another year. There are a lot of little things with this card that makes travel better.

  • You get 25K elite status on Air Canada with this card (25K automatically for the remainder of the first calendar year, plus the following calendar year, later years with eligible spending), and that lets you check in using the speedy priority line with helpful humans! The same line as business class ticket holders. This 1 on 1 person can help you make flight changes, fix seats, check bags and just make flying smoother rather than trying to flag down the kiosk person trying to help 30 people at once.
  • 25K status lets you pick better seats for free and gives you a 50% discount on the preferred seats with extra legroom on (non-basic) Flex economy fares.
  • 25K status gets you Zone 2 boarding even on basic economy tickets, which is very early. You know how the line is usually split between “1st class/fancy folks” and “everyone else”? You get to board in the fancy folks line.
  • Free checked bags for you and all travel companions with the card. For me, that means my family can check 5 bags for free. 25K status also gives the person with status 2 free checked bags.

Basically, this card helps me feel closer to a business class passenger when I just buy economy tickets and pay for the extra legroom seats. I get the nice check-in line, no hassles with checked bags, TSA PreCheck for security, and true priority boarding so no stress about carry-on space.

Bottom line. The Aeroplan® Card offers a generous sign-up bonus (redeemable for multiple Air Canada flights or use the Pay Yourself Back feature to offset travel purchased from ANY airline or hotel) and Air Canada flight perks (including free first checked bag and elite status).

I will be adding this offer to the Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

The information for the Aeroplan® Card has been collected independently by My Money Blog. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Virgin Red Rewards Credit Card: 60,000 Bonus Points (Improved Offer)

The Virgin Red Rewards credit card is the co-branded card for Virgin Red, the loyalty program for Virgin Atlantic flights, Virgin Hotels and Virgin Voyages. In addition, Virgin points can be used for other things like Delta Airlines flights, Legoland tickers, all the way down to a bag of AMC movie popcorn. Right now, there is an improved offer, so let’s take a closer look.

  • 60,000 Virgin Points on new accounts when you spend $4,000 in your first 90 days.
  • 3X Virgin Points per $1 spent on Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Hotels and Virgin Voyages.
  • 2X Virgin Points per $1 spent at grocery stores, on dining out, select streaming services and EV charging.
  • 1 Virgin Point per $1 spent on everything else.
  • Spend $15,000 in a year to choose one Personal Perk, or $30,000 to choose two. Options include Flying Club reward voucher for a companion seat or cabin upgrade (Virgin Atlantic), a free night stay or priority upgrade (Virgin Hotel), or a $150/$300 Bar Tab credit or Blue Extras perk package (Virgin Voyages).
  • Book two nights at a Virgin Hotel, get your third night free with this card.
  • Add an authorized user and earn 2,500 Virgin Points. Maximum of 10,000 Virgin Points.
  • Earn Tier Points with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Earn 25 Tier Points for $2,500 of qualifying spend, up to 50 Tier Points a month.
  • Anniversary bonus: 5,000 Virgin Points every year you renew.
  • $99 annual fee.

This card is currently a Mastercard issued by Synchrony Bank. While Synchrony is not my favorite issuer, that can actually be a good thing once if you’ve already gotten many of the other popular rewards cards and they start to turn you away…

What can you redeem Virgin Points for? First, a quick reminder that there are both Virgin Red points and Virgin Flying Club points. Although they are separate programs, you can link your accounts together and use your points across both programs.

You can redeem Virgin points for free flights on Virgin Atlantic Airlines, including Economy, Premium Economy, and Upper (First) Class. There is no fixed award chart, but you can use this Reward Seat Checker tool to see what is available. Here are the best case scenarios for a Saver reward, which are very limited. You’ll also have to watch out for carrier-imposed surcharges, which are not included.

The US partner airlines include Delta Airlines. There are also a variety of international partner airlines including both SkyTeam (Air France/KLM) and non-SkyTeam (like ANA), which I won’t go into detail here. (As of June 30, 2025, Virgin Red members can no longer redeem Virgin Points for Hawaiian Airlines flights.)

For Delta Airlines, here are the one-way costs for domestic flights within the US, excluding taxes, fees and carrier-imposed surcharges. The cost is based on distance, so it can be a relatively better deal for shorter Delta flights within the US.

Lots of incoming transfer partners. Even if you rarely/never fly Virgin, a positive feature is that there are many ways to get Virgin points if you need some extra to meet a redemption. These are all the programs that transfer into Virgin Red points at a 1:1 ratio:

  • American Express Membership Rewards
  • Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • Bilt Rewards
  • Capital One Miles
  • Citi ThankYou Rewards
  • Wells Fargo

You can also transfer from Marriott Bonvoy at a different 3:1 ratio (plus possible 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points transferred).

Like most co-branded credit cards, the value depends a lot on how often you already use Virgin products. As someone who has never used any Virgin product, my plan for this card would be instead to use the bonus points within the first year on economy Delta flights for my entire family. I’d transfer enough points over from another program to top off the account and use them all at once. I’ll have to see if Delta flies to where we want to go and calculate the cost based on distance.

Bottom line. The Virgin Red Rewards credit card is the co-branded card for Virgin Atlantic flights, Virgin Hotels and Virgin Voyages. Right now, there is an improved offer of 60,000 bonus Virgin points, which are can be redeemed towards airfare on Virgin Atlantic or Delta Airlines, along with some other partner airlines.

I do believe it is reasonably easy to get $600+ of flight value out of 60,000 Virgin points, so I will be adding this card to my list of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

The information for the Virgin Red Rewards credit card has been collected independently by My Money Blog. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Credit Card Review: 80,000 Bonus Miles (Limited-Time Offer)

Limited-time offer. The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard is the co-branded American Airlines card from Citi. Here are the updated card highlights:

  • 80,000 American Airlines miles after $3,500 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
  • First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 4 travel companions on the same reservation – savings of up to $400 per round trip.
  • 2X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations
  • 2X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at restaurants
  • 2X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases*
  • 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage(R) mile earned from purchases.
  • $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your cardmembership year and renew your card.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees*
  • Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
  • 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases when you use your card on American Airlines flights
  • $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99.

Bonus details. Note the following language for the personal card, which has been changed from 24 to 48 months. Having the business version is okay.

AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® account in the past 48 months.

To clarify, you can have one of both the consumer version of this card and the CitiBusiness® version designed for businesses under your name. The bonuses are also separate.

Baggage fee value. American Airlines recently announced they are going to charge a whopping $40 one-way for the first checked bag if you don’t prepay online ($35 if you prepay online). That’s $80 roundtrip for a single checked bag, per person. With this card, your first checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation. $80 roundtrip x 5 people = $400 potential benefit.

Bottom line.  The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum® Select® World® Elite® Mastercard® has® a® nice® bonus® offer®. As with most of these co-branded cards, a lot of the ongoing value comes when you fly on American and utilize the free first checked bag benefit for you and up to 4 companions (value of up to $80 per person, round-trip).

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Top 10 Best Small Business Credit Card Bonus Offers – September 2025

Updated September 2025. Do you have small business income or work as an independent contractor? Freelance, Uber/Lyft, DoorDash, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Airbnb? A small business credit card separates your personal and business expenses and can build up your business credit profile. If you are not a corporation or LLC, you can apply as a sole proprietorship, with your name as the business name and your Social Security number as the Tax ID number. These are the top 10 credit card offers that I would personally apply for right now (or have already). Recent changes:

  • Added Amex Platinum 200k, Delta 90k, Marriott 125k, CSR 200k, Venture X 350k, Citi AA 75k, Spark $2,000, Amex Gold 100k.
  • Removed Hilton 175k, Alaska 70k, Marriott 125k, Hyatt 60k+FreeNightAward, JetBlue 60k, Ink Unlimited $900.

This is a companion post to my Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers for personal cards. Notice that small business bonuses are on average even higher than those on consumer cards.

The Business Platinum® Card from American Express

  • 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after $20,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • American Express Global Lounge Collection® provides complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, including their exclusive Centurion® Lounge.
  • Unlock over $2,500 in statement credits with business and travel benefits annually* on the Business Platinum Card. Terms apply. Learn more. *After meeting qualifying spend thresholds.
  • $895 annual fee.
  • See Rates and Fees

Chase Sapphire Reserve® for Business Card

  • 200,000 Ultimate Rewards points after $30,000 in purchases in the first 6 months. See link for details.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit, plus a long list of other credits – Curated Gift Card, Google Workspace, ZipRecruiter Credit, DoorDash, Lyft.
  • Up to $120 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck fee credit.
  • $795 annual fee.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

  • Limited-time offer: 90,000 Bonus Miles after $6,000 in eligible purchases in first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 10/29/2025. See link for details.
  • 90,000 Skymiles are worth at least $900 in Delta airfare with “Pay with Miles” option.
  • First checked bag free on Delta flights ($70 value per roundtrip, per person).
  • $200 Delta flight credit. Get a $200 credit to use toward future Delta travel after $10,000 in purchases within a calendar year.
  • $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
  • See Rates and Fees

Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card

  • $2,000 cash bonus after $30,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Additional $2,000 cash bonus for every $500K spent during the first year. See link for details.
  • Unlimited 2% cash back spent on all purchases with no limit.
  • $150 annual fee; Spend $150,000 annually and Capital One will refund this fee every year.

American Express® Business Gold Card

  • 100,000 Membership Rewards points after $15,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • Up to $240 Annual Flexible Business Credit. Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. Enrollment is required.
  • Up to $155 Annual Walmart+ Credit. Get up to $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. Enrollment is required.
  • Annual fee is $375.
  • See Rates and Fees

Capital One Venture X Business Card

  • 150,000 Bonus Miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months. 150,000 Miles can be redeemed for $1,500 towards travel (including airfare and hotel stays). See link for details.
  • $300 annual travel credit. Get up to $300 in statement credits when booking through Capital One’s travel booking site.
  • Additional 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary.
  • Lounge access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass(TM) lounges, after enrollment.
  • Up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R).
  • $395 annual fee.

CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard

  • 65,000 American Airlines miles after $4,000 in purchases in first the 4 months. See link for details.
  • First checked bag free on domestic AA flights for you and up to 4 companions (Up to $80 value per roundtrip, per person).
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $99.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

  • 90,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $900 straight cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel) after $8,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • 3X points on the first $150,000 spent on travel, shipping purchases, internet/cable/phone services, and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines.
  • Primary rental car coverage when renting for business purposes.
  • $95 annual fee.
  • Subject to 5/24 rule.*

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

  • 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after $8,000 in purchases in your first 6 months. Plus an additional 25,000 Hilton Honors Bonus points after an additional $2,000 in purchases within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 8/13/2025.
  • Up to $240 in Annual Hilton Credits. Get up to $240 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases made on your Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, with up to $60 in statement credits per quarter.
  • $195 annual fee.
  • See Rates and Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

  • 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after $8,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms apply. Limited-time offer ends 10/22/2025. See link for details.
  • Additional Free Night Award upon card anniversary (worth up to 35,000 Bonvoy points). Earn another additional Free Night Award after spending $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.Free Night Awards are valid at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • New award night top-off option: Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 15,000 points of your own. For example, the 50k Award can be used to book a hotel at 65,000 points level if you spend 15,000 points of your own. This opens up the number of potential hotels available in expensive areas.
  • Annual fee is $125.
  • See Rates and Fees

Hawaiian Airlines Business MasterCard

  • 50,000 Hawaiian miles after $4,000 in purchases in first 90 days. See link for details.
  • Receive a one-time 50% off companion discount for roundtrip coach travel between Hawaii and The Mainland on Hawaiian Airlines.
  • $99 annual fee.

BofA Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards card

  • $500 statement credit after $5,000 in purchases in the first 90 days. See link for details.
  • 1.5% cash back on all purchases, which can be increased to 2.62% cash back when combined with the Preferred Rewards program.
  • No annual fee.

US Bank Business Leverage Card

  • 75,000 bonus points after $7,500 in purchases (on the Account Owner’s Card only) in first the 120 days. 75,000 bonus points can be redeemed for $750 in cash back. See link for details.
  • Availability may be restricted to certain states.
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $95.

JetBlue Business Card

  • 50,000 TrueBlue points after $2,000 in purchases in first 90 days and paying the annual fee. See link for details.
  • First checked bag free for the primary cardmember and up to 3 companions when tickets are purchased with your JetBlue Plus Card.
  • $99 annual fee.

Alaska Airlines Visa Business Card (Bank of America)

  • 60,000 Alaska miles + Companion Fare Voucher after $4,000 in purchase within 90 days. See link for details.
  • Companion fare voucher is “Buy one ticket, get one for $122” ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from just $23).
  • Free checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to six other passengers on the same reservation (worth $70 roundtrip per person).
  • $70 annual fee for company, plus $25 per card.

Capital One Spark Cash Select Card

  • $500 cash bonus after $4,500 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • Unlimited 1.5% cash back spent on all purchases with no limit.
  • No annual fee.

* Note: Certain Chase cards have a “5/24 rule” which is an unofficial rule that they will automatically deny approval on new credit cards if you have 5 or more new credit cards on your credit report within the past 2 years. This rule applies on a per-person basis, so if you are new, you might want to start with those Chase cards.

American Express(R) Business Gold Card: See Rates and Fees. The Business Platinum(R) Card from American Express: See Rates and Fees. The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: See Rates and Fees. Marriott Bonvoy Business(TM) Card from American Express(R): See Rates and Fees. Delta SkyMiles(R) Gold Business American Express Card: See Rates and Fees

American Express® Gold Card: As High As 100,000 Points Welcome Offer, $84 Dunkin’ Credit, $100 Resy Credit, $120 Uber Cash, $120 Dining Credit

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The card_name has been refreshed in order to get back to its former glory as a status card with several new perks and credits mostly related to travel and dining. Here are the highlights:

  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards(R) Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • 4X Membership Rewards(R) points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 of purchases per calendar year, then 1X for the rest of the year).
  • 4X Membership Rewards(R) points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 of purchases per calendar year, then 1X for the rest of the year).
  • 3X Membership Rewards(R) points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
  • 2X Membership Rewards(R) points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • 1X Membership Rewards(R) point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 in Uber Cash. Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards(R) points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin’ Credit (NEW): Get up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit (NEW). Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. This is broken down into up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment is required.
  • $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express(R) Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment is required.
  • The Hotel Collection benefit. Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • Apply with confidence. Know if you’re approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you’re approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $325 annual fee (increased). Additional cards (authorized users) are free.
  • See Rates and Fees

Note the following:

Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this Card or the Premier Rewards Gold Card. We may also consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer eligibility.

The application will tell you if they detect that you are not eligible for the bonus based on their records.

Membership Rewards points can be converted to the following airline and hotel programs (there are more, this is just a selection):

  • Delta SkyMiles
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • JetBlue
  • ANA Mileage Club (partner of United Airlines)
  • Air Canada (partner of United Airlines)
  • British Airways (partner of American Airlines)
  • FlyingBlue (Air France/KLM)
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Virgin Atlantic
  • Choice Privileges
  • Hilton Honors
  • Marriott Rewards (Starwood)

You can also transfer to gift cards many retailers at varying rates, but many available at the rate of 10,000 MR points = $100 gift card. My most common redemption is a $100 Home Depot card for 10,000 points, sometimes less when they run special discount. However, don’t expect the cash-equivalent prepaid credit cards at that rate, it’s usually closer to a 0.6 cent/point ratio.

The value this card really depends on if you can use up their long list of annual credits, worth over $400 in value annually. Their target customer is a “food lover” that travels regularly. If you can take advantage of the credits, your potential first year value is higher than $800 with the current limited-offer.

Bottom line. The new card_name has a bunch of new features more targeted at the young, urban traveler including hundreds of dollars of potential credits related to dining out and travel.

(See Rates and Fees)

New Chase Sapphire Reserve Personal & Business Cards: Huge Bonus, Huge Annual Fee, Huge List of Perks

Chase managed to make a media event out of its revamp of the Chase Sapphire Reserve and new Chase Sapphire Reserve Business cards. The personal and business credit cards both have a huge $795 annual fee, huge new cardholder bonus, and long list of perks. Very much like the American Express Platinum, these “coupon book” perks revolve around an upscale “lifestyle” that includes staying at luxury hotels, flying Premium Economy and Business Class, eating at nice restaurants, and so on.

I’m not sure I fit this mold, and it’s definitely going to take a bit of reading to figure out all the angles. At a very high level, the $300 annual travel credits are relatively easy to redeem and after that the net annual fee becomes ~$500. Can I get $500 in value from the rest of the card? 🤷 You may find it fits you better; the application links are now available. Here are the highlights:

New Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card (Personal)

  • 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points + $500 Chase Travel promo credit (must be used all at once, and bought through Chase Travel portal) after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
  • New application restrictions that are more vague, instead of “5/24”. However, if you don’t qualify for the bonus, they will tell you ahead of time and you won’t get a hard credit pull.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit, which is pretty flexible.
  • 8X points on Chase Travel portal purchases.
  • 4X Points on flights and hotels purchased directly.
  • 3X points on dining worldwide.
  • $500 Annual The Edit Hotels Credit. The Edit is a “collection of over 1,100 hand-picked hotels and resorts around the world”. The ones I’ve seen are all expensive, luxury hotels.
  • $300 Annual Dining Credit. Up to $150 in statement credits from January through June and again from July through December for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of the “Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.” Again, expensive restaurants.
  • Points Boost – Redeem points at up to 2x value on select flights and hotels. You’ll have to book via Chase Travel portal, and the best boost are for Premium Economy class and above.
  • $1,000+ in additional credits – Apple TV+, Apple Music, Lyft, DoorDash, StubHub, Peloton
  • Lounge Access – Priority Pass Select membership, Chase Sapphire Lounges, and some Air Canada Lounges.
  • $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Fee Credit.
  • $795 annual fee. $195 for each authorized user.

New Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business Credit Card

  • 200,000 Ultimate Rewards points after $30,000(!) in purchases in the first 6 months.
  • New application restrictions that are more vague, instead of “5/24”. However, if you don’t qualify for the bonus, they will tell you ahead of time and you won’t get a hard credit pull.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit
  • 8X points on Chase Travel portal purchases.
  • 4X Points on flights and hotels purchased directly.
  • 3X points on social media & search engine advertising.
  • $500 Annual The Edit Hotels Credit. The Edit is a “collection of over 1,100 hand-picked hotels and resorts around the world”. The ones I’ve seen are all expensive, luxury hotels.
  • $1,000+ in additional credits – Curated Gift Card, Google Workspace, ZipRecruiter Credit, DoorDash, Lyft.
  • $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Fee Credit.
  • Lounge Access – Priority Pass Select membership, Chase Sapphire Lounges, and some Air Canada Lounges. Two guests may accompany the Primary Cardmember to the lounges free of charge.
  • $795 annual fee.

I will be including these both in my lists of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers and Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred Mastercard: 40,000 Point Offer (Worth $1,000 in Amtrak Fare)

Limited-time is back, expires 7/30. The Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred Mastercard, issued by First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO), offers a variety of perks for Amtrak riders. It also currently has a 40,000 points limited-time offer that is worth up to roughly $1,000 value in Amtrak train fare or $400 in Amazon gift cards. This boosted offer came around the same time last year. Here are the highlights:

  • 40,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 billing cycles of account opening.
  • Roundtrip companion coupon upon account opening and card anniversary.
  • One-class upgrade upon account opening and card anniversary.
  • Station Lounge pass upon account opening and card anniversary.
  • 3X points per $1 spent on Amtrak travel, including onboard purchases.
  • 2X points per $1 spent on dining, travel, transit and rideshare.
  • 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • 5% Amtrak Guest Rewards point rebate when you book your Amtrak redemption travel.
  • 20% rebate on food and beverage purchases on board, via statement credit on this card.
  • 1,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) every time you make at least $5,000 in purchases in a calendar year, up to 4,000 TQPs
  • Amtrak points will not expire as long as your card account is open.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $99 annual fee.

This offer is not going to be attractive for everyone, but it can be very valuable if you either enjoy recreational train travel or if you can use it for your commuting needs.

Amtrak points are currently worth roughly 2.5 cents per points towards Amtrak train fare. That means 40,000 points is worth approximately $1,000 in Amtrak train fare. Amtrak redemptions are variable and directly-linked to the cash cost, so you can use points on basically any ticket. There is also the potential value of the companion coupon, lounge pass, and one-class upgrade.

The best value is for train fare, but Amtrak points do transfer to certain other hotel programs, although some require elite status in those programs.

Gift cards. You can also redeem for various gift cards at a rate of 5,000 points = $50 gift card. So 40,000 points would get you $400 in gift cards to Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, etc.

You could take the train across the entire country! There is an 18-hour Capitol Limited overnight train from Washington D.C. to Chicago in a “Superliner Bedroom” with a private bathroom.

You could then take the 3-day, 2-night trip on the California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco. Enjoy the views as you cut through both the Rockies and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges.

Bottom line. The Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred Mastercard currently has a limited-time offer that can get you roughly $1,000 value in Amtrak train fare, with an $99 annual fee. The potential value is high, but I don’t know if it is too niche to include in my list of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers. For you folks that prefer cash or near-cash, you could also get $400 in Amazon or Walmart gift cards with 40,000 points, minus the $99 annual fee.

Capital One Spark Cash Review: Simple Business Card with 2% Cash Back on Every Purchase

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The card_name is a straightforward business credit card offering a big early spend bonus offer in addition to ongoing unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases (or better). Here are the highlights:

  • Earn a $1,000 cash bonus when you spend $10,000 within 3 months of account opening.
  • Unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, everywhere with no limits or category restrictions.
  • 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One’s travel booking site.
  • Free employee cards, which also earn unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases.
  • Rewards won’t expire for the life of the account, and you can redeem your cash back for any amount.
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $0 annual fee for the first year; $95 after that.

The required spending hurdle may seem like a lot, but many businesses make a lot of purchases for raw materials and/or inventory. If you pay estimated taxes each quarter, you can also pay the IRS via credit card with a 1.75% fee and still come out ahead.

This card does not have all of the bells and whistles like top-level rewards, transferrable airline miles, or airport lounge access. For that, look into the Capital One Venture X Business Card and its higher annual fee.

If you also hold the Spark Miles, Capital One Venture, or the Capital One Venture X rewards cards, you can convert your cash back rewards into their “miles”, which are then transferrable to various airline miles programs including British Airways Avios. With the right companion card, $2,000 in cash rewards could be converted to 200,000 miles.

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that they can apply for business credit cards, even if they are not a corporation or LLC. The business type is called a sole proprietorship, and these days many people are full-time or part-time consultants, freelancers, eBay/Amazon/Etsy sellers, Uber/Lyft drivers, or other one-person business owners. This is the simplest business entity, but it is fully legit and recognized by the IRS. On a business credit card application, you should use your own legal name as the business name, and your Social Security Number as the Tax ID.

Bottom line. The card_name is the flavor of Capital One business cards that has the combination of straightforward and solid 2% cash back rewards, modest annual fee ($0 for the first year; $95 after that), and works like a traditional credit card.

Due to the high current first-year value, I will be adding this to my Top 10 Best Small Business Card Bonus Offers.