Getting Credit Bonuses Where Credit Bonuses Are Due.
March 15, 2011 9:51 AM Subscribe
My girlfriend is looking to apply for a credit card. Where would she find the best bonus offers right now for applying?
So my girlfriend has excellent credit and is looking to apply for two credit cards. One Amex for their excellent purchase protection and one Visa for everywhere that won't take Amex. When I applied for one of mine a while back, I just happened to see on a deal site this offer and I got 30,000 miles for doing it. Which was a free plane ticket.
So where would I find these fat rewards today? Do you know of any? Are there forums or special newsletters?
So my girlfriend has excellent credit and is looking to apply for two credit cards. One Amex for their excellent purchase protection and one Visa for everywhere that won't take Amex. When I applied for one of mine a while back, I just happened to see on a deal site this offer and I got 30,000 miles for doing it. Which was a free plane ticket.
So where would I find these fat rewards today? Do you know of any? Are there forums or special newsletters?
Have you looked at BankRate's credit card section? You can choose to filter by specific rewards cards.
posted by backseatpilot at 10:52 AM on March 15, 2011
posted by backseatpilot at 10:52 AM on March 15, 2011
A really nice option right now is the Chase Freedom card. $100 cash back just for getting one. Plus the card has a number of really nice features: 5% cash back on rotating spending categories (1% on everything else), the Blueprint feature that lets you choose to pay off certain purchases every month while paying off others over time. Plus you get additional bonus points if you have a Chase checking account.
If you prefer travel rewards, check out the Chase Sapphire, it has $150 cash back bonus for getting one.
If you have a preferred airline, or hell, even if you don't, signing up for the affiliated credit card can, as you discovered, net you a free flight. Hint: US Airways has affiliated credit cards through two different banks, and you can sign up for both and get the bonus miles twice.
posted by kindall at 11:17 AM on March 15, 2011
If you prefer travel rewards, check out the Chase Sapphire, it has $150 cash back bonus for getting one.
If you have a preferred airline, or hell, even if you don't, signing up for the affiliated credit card can, as you discovered, net you a free flight. Hint: US Airways has affiliated credit cards through two different banks, and you can sign up for both and get the bonus miles twice.
posted by kindall at 11:17 AM on March 15, 2011
My go to place for the latest reward credit card details is Fatwallet's summary. For sign up bonuses in particular (which are generally much less than the overall savings of regularly using a rewards card) there is a separate thread (which is apparently out of date).
posted by burnmp3s at 12:01 PM on March 15, 2011
posted by burnmp3s at 12:01 PM on March 15, 2011
I love looking around for the best credit card deals. These are my favorites at the moment (ie what I have in my wallet). I never keep a balance unless its during the promotional 0% apr period (since the effectively free loan gets me interest in my checking account), so I rank mostly on best intro offer, and then best per dollar rewards. Usually I cancel after the the promotional bonuses stop and the annual fees start, and stick to the no annual fee cards after that until I can find a good new intro offer.
My suggestions:
Starwood Preferred guest american express: 25,000 starwood points (can be transfered for 30,000 miles of most major airlines). No annual fee for the first year. 1 point per dollar, which you can transfer to the airline of your choice, or use with starwood for hotel reservations.
(If you are interested in this one you should pm me your email, since I can get 5,000 points for referring you)
Bank of America Cash rewards: $50 with sign up, 12 months 0% apr. 1.25% cash back on all purchases. Occasionally has reward categories that give higher percents. No annual fee.
One other good one:
Escape by Discover: 2% back redemable towards any travel expenses, plus $10 per month for the first 25 months (but you have to redeem in $100 increments). $60 annual fee.
American Express has by far the best service, but both of the others have treated me well when dealing with the various benefits they offer.
posted by vegetableagony at 4:33 PM on March 19, 2011
My suggestions:
Starwood Preferred guest american express: 25,000 starwood points (can be transfered for 30,000 miles of most major airlines). No annual fee for the first year. 1 point per dollar, which you can transfer to the airline of your choice, or use with starwood for hotel reservations.
(If you are interested in this one you should pm me your email, since I can get 5,000 points for referring you)
Bank of America Cash rewards: $50 with sign up, 12 months 0% apr. 1.25% cash back on all purchases. Occasionally has reward categories that give higher percents. No annual fee.
One other good one:
Escape by Discover: 2% back redemable towards any travel expenses, plus $10 per month for the first 25 months (but you have to redeem in $100 increments). $60 annual fee.
American Express has by far the best service, but both of the others have treated me well when dealing with the various benefits they offer.
posted by vegetableagony at 4:33 PM on March 19, 2011
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posted by TomMelee at 10:14 AM on March 15, 2011