As summer wraps up and we’re looking ahead to fall and holiday travel, now may be a great time to evaluate your credit card portfolio. Credit card sign-up bonuses and welcome offers are the quickest and easiest way to rake in lots of points and miles, so we regularly update the roundup of our favorite current offers in our best credit cards guide.
But to help you keep up with an ever-changing list of bonuses, we’ve also compiled a list of the best card offers currently available — especially the ones that are worth an extra look right now because they are at all-time highs or may end soon.
Since many issuers have restrictions on how often you can earn a bonus on a card, it’s important to time your application for when there’s a good offer. Also, higher bonuses don’t always stick around for long, so if you’re considering one of these offers, you’ll want to hop on it sooner rather than later.
Finally, if you’re not ready to jump on a higher-end card, consider these great starter cards or even one with a 0% introductory annual percentage rate (APR) offer.
The best credit card offers for September 2023
| Card | Sign-up bonus/welcome offer | Welcome offer value* | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Business Platinum Card® from American Express | 120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership | $2,400 | $695 (see rates and fees) |
| Ink Business Preferred Credit Card |
100,000 points after you spend $8,000 on purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership | $2,000 | $95 |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | 100,000 miles after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Offer ends Sept. 6. | $1,770 | $595 (see rates and fees) |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | 80,000 points after you spend $8,000 in the first six months of card membership, though you may be able to get a higher bonus through the CardMatch tool (terms apply) | $1,600 | $695 (see rates and fees) |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening | $1,388 | $395 (see rates and fees) |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening | $1,388 | $95 (see rates and fees) |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening | $1,200 | $550 |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening | $1,200 | $95 |
| American Express® Gold Card | 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first six months of card membership, though you may be able to get a higher bonus through the CardMatch tool (terms apply) | $1,200 | $250 (see rates and fees) |
| Aeroplan Credit Card | 75,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, plus another 25,000 points after you spend $20,000 total on purchases in the first 12 months | $1,500 | $95 |
* Welcome offer value is determined using TPG valuations and is not provided by nor reviewed by the issuer.
The Business Platinum Card from American Express
This business card stands out not only for its 120,000-point welcome offer but thanks to added travel perks that can easily cover the card’s $695 annual fee (see rates and fees). Cardholders enjoy automatic Gold status in both the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programs, along with access to a wide variety of airport lounges — including Amex Centurion, Priority Pass and Delta Sky Club (when traveling on same-day Delta flights). Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Cardholders also enjoy 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked at American Express Travel, along with 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year).
Related: Amex refreshes Business Platinum Card with new perks, higher annual fee and a 120,000-point bonus
On top of that, the card comes with up to $200 in annual airline fee statement credits and a 35% points rebate for flights booked through Amex Travel in first or business class on any airline (up to 1 million points back per calendar year), or in any class on the U.S. airline of your choice each year. Non-travel benefits include up to $400 in annual statement credits toward U.S. Dell purchases, up to $360 in credits toward Indeed, up to $150 toward select Adobe purchases and up to $120 toward wireless telephone services.
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Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Read our review of the American Express Business Platinum Card for more information.
Official application link: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express with 120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership.
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Then there’s the Ink Business Preferred. According to TPG’s valuations, this card’s welcome bonus alone is worth $2,000 since you can take advantage of Chase’s excellent collection of airline and hotel transfer partners. Points redeemed through the Chase travel portal are worth 1.25 cents each, which isn’t bad, either. And the card also now has a lower spending threshold to earn the bonus.
Another factor in this card’s favor? Its tremendous earning rates. You’ll earn 3 points per dollar across the following categories on up to $150,000 in combined purchases (1 point per dollar thereafter):
- Travel
- Shipping purchases
- Internet, cable and phone services
- Advertising on social media sites and search engines
Depending on which categories you spend in, you could earn a whopping 450,000 bonus points per year if you maxed out that $150,000 cap.
Among the Ink Business Preferred’s unsung benefits are cellphone protection, primary rental car coverage (when renting for business purposes) and other travel and purchase protections. You can also add employee cards to your account for free.
Read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card for more information.
Official application link: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card with 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of account opening.
Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
The Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard recently underwent some significant changes, including an increased annual fee (now $595) and additional benefits. For a limited time, it’s offering a best-ever offer of 100,000 points after spending $10,000 within the first three months of account opening, worth $1,770 according to TPG valuations.
This is the most premium AAdvantage card offered by Citi, and its most significant perk continues to be its Admirals Club access. As a cardholder, you’ll get complimentary access for you and up to two guests (or your immediate family members) traveling with you. Authorized users also get Admirals Club privileges, even when you’re not traveling with them. And after the recent revamp, cardholders also receive up to $360 in annual statement credits.
However, you must now pay to add authorized users; it’s $175 (total) for the first three and then $175 each after that.
For more details, please see our full review of the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard.
Official application link: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® with 100,000 points after you spend $10,000 in the first three months of account opening. Offer ends Sept. 6.
The Platinum Card from American Express
Often referred to as the king of the premium travel rewards cards, the Amex Platinum offers a slew of benefits — along with a $695 annual fee (see rates and fees). Cardholders enjoy perks such as automatic Gold status with both Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy plus access to a wide range of airport lounges, including Amex Centurion, Priority Pass and Delta Sky Club (on same-day Delta flights). On top of that, you’ll get up to $200 in annual airline fee statement credits, an up-to-$200 hotel statement credit to use toward prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings (the latter of which requires a minimum two-night stay) via Amex Travel, and an up-to-$189 Clear Plus membership statement credit — along with numerous other perks. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Related: It’s a ‘lifestyle’ card now: A closer look at the Amex Platinum’s 6 new benefits
Non-travel benefits include an up-to-$240 digital entertainment statement credit (split into monthly $20 credits) for The New York Times, SiriusXM, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal and services under the Disney umbrella — including Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu.
Cardholders also receive an up-to-$155 Walmart+ credit (subject to auto-renewal; Plus Ups are excluded), an up-to-$300 SoulCycle bike credit and an up-to-$300 Equinox statement credit for eligible Equinox memberships which are subject to auto-renewal (now available as an annual benefit rather than monthly credits). You also receive Uber VIP status and up to $200 in annual Uber Cash (split into monthly $15 credits for U.S. rides and Uber Eats orders plus a $20 bonus in December).
Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Finally, cardholders will enjoy enhanced earning rates on many travel purchases:
- 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year)
- 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel
- 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases
And while the current welcome offer provides solid value, be sure to check the CardMatch Tool to see if you can receive an even higher one (offers are targeted and subject to change at any time).
Read our review of the American Express Platinum Card for more information.
Official application link: The Platinum Card® from American Express with 80,000 points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Venture X card is Capital One’s premium rewards card and offers great earning rates and incredible perks.
Aside from a hefty welcome bonus of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months – worth about $1,388 according to our valuations thanks to Capital One’s excellent airline and hotel transfer partners – the card gives members up to $300 back in statement credits annually for bookings made through Capital One Travel and 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary, starting on their first anniversary (worth $100 toward travel, or $185 by our valuations).
As for earning rates, the Venture X racks up 10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked via Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked via Capital One Travel, and an unlimited 2 miles per dollar on everything else.
Frequent travelers will also enjoy taking advantage of access to Capital One’s developing network of airport lounges as well as the ability to enroll for Priority Pass membership for entry into more than 1,300 lounge locations worldwide (though this no longer includes participating restaurants). It also added the ability to access Plaza Premium lounges worldwide in 2022 and launched The Premier Collection in 2023, giving cardmembers on-property perks at a curated set of luxury hotels.
Read our review of the Capital One Venture X card for more information.
Official application link: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card with 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Venture Rewards packs a pretty good punch for a mid-tier credit card. It earns a flat 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases worldwide, but you can earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel. The miles you earn with this card can be transferred to Capital One’s 18 airline and hotel partners or redeemed through the Capital One Travel portal.
The card stands out for offering an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years; many other cards that offer this benefit have annual fees of $400 or more. This TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credit alone is worth up to $100. When making everyday purchases, you may also get Warranty Manager Service which can be used for extended warranty protection. The Venture Rewards card doesn’t impose foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) so you can use the card overseas without accumulating extra charges.
Read our review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Card for more information.
Official application link: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card with 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
This is one of the best premium credit cards available.
It earns a whopping 10 points per dollar on Lyft (through March 2025), Chase Dining booked through Ultimate Rewards, and hotel and car rental purchases through the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal. Cardholders also earn 5 points per dollar on airline travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal, 3 points per dollar on travel (after using the $300 travel credit) and dining, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Chase defines travel and dining quite broadly, including everything from parking fees to Airbnb stays and food delivery orders. Perks of the card include a $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass membership, a $5 monthly DoorDash in-app credit (through December 2024), a complimentary DashPass membership and an impressive array of travel protections.
Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve for more information.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve with 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
If you can’t justify a high annual fee or want a solid card with an appealing set of perks, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is an ideal fit. It earns 5 points per dollar on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 3 points per dollar on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out; 3 points per dollar on select streaming services; 3 points per dollar on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs); 2 points per dollar on all other travel; and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
The points you earn with this card can be transferred to Chase’s airline and hotel partners or redeemed for 1.25 cents each through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Benefits include a $50 annual credit on hotel stays purchased through Ultimate Rewards, at least 12 months of DashPass membership (when activated by Dec. 31, 2024), primary rental car coverage, up to $500 in trip delay reimbursement if you’re delayed more than 12 hours or overnight, up to $10,000 in trip cancellation and interruption insurance and up to $100 per day for up to five days in baggage delay reimbursement if your bag is delayed more than six hours.
Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred for more information.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Preferred with 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
American Express Gold Card
The Amex Gold card is a favorite of many TPG staffers thanks (in large part) to its terrific earning rates:
- 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.)
- 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year (1 point per dollar after that)
- 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
The card also offers up to $120 in Uber Cash (up to $10 per month) that can be used for Uber rides and Uber Eats purchases in the U.S., and you’ll also receive up to $120 in statement credits (up to $10 per month) for select dining purchases (enrollment is required for select benefits). All of this is available for a manageable annual fee of $250 (see rates and fees)
And while it’s not providing a limited-time bonus for new cardmembers, you can often find elevated welcome offers through the CardMatch tool. The card currently features a public welcome offer of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. However, some new customers can earn a 75,000-point welcome offer via the CardMatch tool after meeting the same minimum spending requirements. Note that these elevated offers are targeted and subject to change at any time.
Alternatively, you can refer a friend through the Amex referral program.
Read our review of the American Express Gold Card for more information.
Official application link: American Express® Gold Card with 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first six months of card membership.
Aeroplan credit Card
The Aeroplan Credit Card is worth more than just the welcome bonus. The card is a strong earner on a variety of spending categories, accruing points at the following rates:
- 3 points per dollar on purchases made directly with Air Canada
- 3 points per dollar spent on grocery store purchases
- 3 points per dollar on dining (including delivery services)
- 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases
Additionally, cardholders will get a 500-point bonus for every $2,000 spent on the card per month, up to 1,500 bonus points per month. It also comes with automatic Aeroplan 25K status for the rest of the year in which you’re approved and the entire next calendar year, all for a reasonable $95 annual fee.
Aeroplan points are incredibly valuable, as the program still publishes an award chart and imposes minimal fuel surcharges on award tickets.
Read our review of the Aeroplan Credit Card for more information.
Official application link: Aeroplan Credit Card with 75,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, plus another 25,000 points after you spend $20,000 total on purchases in the first 12 months.
*Bonus offer value is based on TPG valuations and not provided by issuers.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.
Additional reporting by Emily Thompson, Ryan Wilcox and Eric Rosen.
