Quick facts
Time
about 3 months per card to earn most bonuses (6 months on Amex cards)
Cost
$0 to $895 in annual fees, plus spending you would do anyway
Potential value
roughly $200 to $1,700 in estimated first-year value per card after the fee, using the valuations below
Best for
people with good credit who pay in full every month and can meet the minimum spend without stretching
A welcome bonus is the fastest way to earn points. One card’s bonus can be worth more than several years of everyday earning. This page lists the 15 public offers we think are worth a look right now, with the numbers that matter: the bonus, the spend and time window, the annual fee, an estimated first-year value, who each card fits, and the eligibility rule most likely to trip you up.
Every bonus, fee, and rule below was checked Oct 14, 2026 on the issuer’s own card page or offer terms, linked next to each card. Offers change often, sometimes overnight. Check the issuer page again on the day you apply.
Watch Out
The offers here are the public offers on each issuer’s own card page. You may see a different offer (higher or lower) in a targeted mailer, inside your bank login, in a branch, or through a referral. Amex goes further: it shows the Platinum and Gold offers as “as high as” amounts and tells you your actual offer only after you apply and before you accept the card.
October 2026 at a glance
| Card | Bonus | Spend and window | Annual fee | Est. first-year value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | 75,000 points | $5,000 in 3 months | $95 | $1,030 |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 100,000 points | $6,000 in 3 months | $795 | $705 |
| Chase Ink Business Preferred | 100,000 points | $8,000 in 3 months | $95 | $1,405 |
| Amex Platinum Card | As high as 175,000 points | $12,000 in 6 months | $895 | Up to $1,730 |
| Amex Gold Card | As high as 100,000 points | $8,000 in 6 months | $325 | Up to $1,175 |
| Capital One Venture X | 75,000 miles | $4,000 in 3 months | $395 | $730 |
| Capital One Venture | 75,000 miles + $300 stays credit | $4,000 in 3 months | $95 | $1,330 |
| Citi Strata Premier | 60,000 points | $4,000 in 3 months | $95 | $805 |
| Bilt Palladium | 50,000 points + Gold status + $300 Bilt Cash | $4,000 in 90 days (not rent or mortgage) | $495 | $255 (Bilt Cash not counted) |
| Bank of America Premium Rewards | 60,000 points | $4,000 in 90 days | $95 | $505 |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey | 60,000 points | $4,000 in 3 months | $95 | $505 |
| U.S. Bank Altitude Connect | 20,000 points | $1,000 in 90 days | $0 | $200 |
| United Explorer (Chase) | 70,000 miles + 10,000 for adding an authorized user | $3,000 in 3 months | $0 first year, then $150 | $960 |
| Hilton Honors Amex Surpass | 130,000 points + a Free Night Reward | $3,000 in 6 months | $150 | $500 (free night not counted) |
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless (Chase) | 3 Free Night Awards (up to 50,000 points each) | $3,000 in 3 months | $95 | $955 |
Estimated first-year value = our estimated value of the bonus minus the first-year annual fee. It does not count annual credits, ongoing earning, or perks, and it is our estimate, not an issuer figure*. See the assumptions below.
How we value points (estimates)
These are the assumptions behind the “estimated first-year value” column. They are deliberately simple and middle of the road. You can do better or worse depending on how you redeem.
- Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou points, and Bilt Points: 1.5 cents each. These transfer to airline and hotel partners, where careful redemptions often beat 1.5 cents and lazy ones fall below it.
- Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and U.S. Bank points: 1 cent each. Bank of America calls 60,000 points “a $600 value” and Wells Fargo calls its 60,000 points “$600 toward your next trip,” so we use the issuers’ own cash-style value.
- United miles: 1.2 cents each.
- Hilton Honors points: 0.5 cents each.
- Marriott Free Night Awards (up to 50,000 points): $350 each. Real value depends entirely on the hotel you book.
- Credits that are part of the welcome offer (Capital One Venture’s $300 stays credit) are counted at face value. Bilt Cash and free night certificates outside Marriott are not counted.
Tip
If you will not use transfer partners, value flexible points closer to 1 cent each. That drops most of the estimates above by about a third, and simple cash-back style cards start to look better.
How we pick
We start with every major U.S. issuer’s public card pages and keep a card on this list only if:
- The offer is public and verifiable. It appears on the issuer’s own card page or offer terms, with no login, and we can link to it.
- The bonus is strong for the card. It is at or near the best public offer we have seen for that card, or it is the best public offer in its category this month.
- The spend is realistic. We note the spend clearly so you can skip anything you can’t meet with normal, planned spending.
- The rules are clear. We quote the issuer’s own eligibility wording, because a bonus you can’t get is worth $0.
We don’t rank by commission, and the apply links below go to the issuer’s public card page, not an affiliate or referral link.
Eligibility rules to know before you apply
- Chase. Chase card pages say it “may also consider the number of cards you have opened and closed in determining your bonus eligibility.” Chase does not publish a numeric rule. The widely reported “5/24” guideline (you are usually denied if you opened five or more personal cards from any bank in the last 24 months) is not stated on Chase’s pages, so treat it as a strong rule of thumb, not an official policy. If you are under 5/24, start with Chase. Our Why start with Chase guide explains the order.
- Amex. Bonus terms use “you may not be eligible for a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card,” and some cards add related cards (a “family”). Amex says it will tell you if you are not eligible before it processes the application, so you can withdraw.
- Capital One. The Venture X page says existing or previous cardmembers are not eligible “if they have received a new cardmember bonus for this product in the past 48 months.” The Venture page says you are not eligible if you received a bonus on either the Venture or Venture X in the past 48 months.
- Citi. The Strata Premier page now says the bonus “is not available if you currently have or previously had a Citi Strata Premier® or a Citi Premier® account.” That is stricter than the old 48-month wording, with no time limit on the page.
Watch Out
“previously had” means ever, unless the terms give a time window. Read the offer terms for the exact card you are applying for, not a summary.
The cards
Card review · Details
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Source: Chase card page and offer details, checked Oct 14, 2026.
Chase now lists 5x on Chase Travel, 3x on dining, gas and EV charging, select vacation home brands, top streaming, and online grocery, and 2x on other travel. The full breakdown is in our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.
The bonus alone doesn’t cover the fee by much. The Reserve only makes sense if the credits replace money you would spend anyway.
Earns 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 a year in combined shipping, advertising, internet, cable and phone, and travel purchases.
Card review · Details
The Platinum Card from American Express
Source: Amex card page and offer terms, checked Oct 14, 2026.
Card review · Details
American Express Gold Card
Source: Amex card page and offer terms, checked Oct 14, 2026.
Watch Out
The Gold Card’s terms list the Platinum Card in its family. If you have ever held a Platinum, you may not be eligible for the Gold bonus. The Platinum terms do not list the Gold, so if you want both, the Gold first is the order the wording allows.
Card review · Details
Capital One Venture
Source: Capital One card page and offer terms, checked Oct 14, 2026.
New to Bilt? Start with our Bilt Rewards guide, then read Bilt Rent Day explained before you transfer anything.
Card review · Details
Bank of America Premium Rewards
Source: Bank of America card page, checked Oct 14, 2026.
Want to stack this card with a shopping portal? See Bank of America Premium Rewards + Rakuten.
Card review · Details
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey
Source: Wells Fargo card page and footnotes, checked Oct 14, 2026.
Card review · Details
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect
Source: U.S. Bank card page and terms, checked Oct 14, 2026.
Card review · Details
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
Source: Amex card page and offer terms, checked Oct 14, 2026.
Card review · Details
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless (Chase)
Source: Chase card page and offer details, checked Oct 14, 2026.
How to choose (and not overdo it)
- Under 5/24 and new to points? Start with a Chase card, usually the Sapphire Preferred. Several of the rules above only get harder later.
- Have a business, even a small side business? The Ink Business Preferred has the highest estimated value on this list at a $95 fee.
- Big spender who travels a lot? The Platinum and Sapphire Reserve bonuses are large, but the fees are too. Only count credits you would use anyway.
- Want simple and cheap? Capital One Venture, Citi Strata Premier, and the Bank of America and Wells Fargo cards all have $95 fees.
- Loyal to one airline or hotel? Co-branded cards like United Explorer, Hilton Surpass, and Marriott Boundless often pay well for low spend.
Tip
One bonus at a time is plenty. Pick the card whose spend you can meet with bills and purchases you already planned, put a calendar reminder on the deadline, and track progress in your bank app.
Watch Out
Never carry a balance to earn a bonus. At these cards’ variable APRs, interest wipes out the value of the points within months.
Updated monthly
We recheck every offer on this page at least once a month and whenever a big change hits. The date at the top of each card’s source line tells you when we last checked it. Offers that end are removed, not left up with old numbers. Want the update in your inbox? Join Points & Miles Weekly.
FAQ
What is the best credit card sign up bonus right now?
By our estimate, the Chase Ink Business Preferred (100,000 points after $8,000 in 3 months, $95 fee) has the highest first-year value on this list. For a personal card with a low fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred (75,000 points after $5,000 in 3 months) and Capital One Venture (75,000 miles plus a $300 stays credit) lead.
Are these the highest offers ever?
Not necessarily. We list current public offers checked Oct 14, 2026. Targeted, in-branch, or login offers can be higher or lower.
Why does Amex show “as high as”?
Amex’s Platinum and Gold terms say it will tell you your exact offer after you apply and before you accept the card. You may get less than the headline number, or no offer.
What is Chase 5/24?
A widely reported Chase guideline: if you opened five or more personal cards from any bank in the last 24 months, you will likely be denied. Chase does not publish it; its pages say only that it may consider the number of cards you have opened and closed.
Does applying hurt my credit score?
Usually a little, and briefly. Amex says you can learn whether you are approved with no impact to your credit score, but your score may be affected if you are approved and accept the card.
How do you calculate estimated first-year value?
Our estimated value of the bonus minus the first-year annual fee, using the valuations in “How we value points.” It is an estimate, not a promise.
What to read next
If you are just starting out, read Why start with Chase for card order and 5/24 timing, then our Chase Sapphire Preferred review. Not sure which card fits your travel style? See our best travel credit cards by traveler type.
The Points Quest
Points Quest is educational content only, not personalized financial advice. Every offer, fee, and eligibility rule was checked on the issuer’s own card page or offer terms on October 14, 2026 and can change at any time. Point values and “estimated first-year value” are our estimates, not issuer figures. Publicly linked offers may differ from targeted offers. Advertiser Disclosure