5 credit card sign-up bonuses that can fund your holiday shopping

If you’re searching for ways to save on holiday expenses, you’re far from alone.

A recent Bankrate survey found that 1 in 3 people are shortening their holiday shopping lists to spend less this year, and 28 percent said they were stressed about the cost of holiday shopping. That’s not to mention the cost of travel. A 2024 Bankrate travel survey found that more than 80 percent of holiday travelers are changing plans this season because of inflation.

Credit card welcome bonuses can be a big help if you’re looking to stretch your holiday budget, and though you may not have time to earn and receive a new bonus before the end of the year, any bonuses or rewards you earn over the next few months can go a long way toward offsetting the holiday spending you do make.

Some cards with rewards also offer a 0 percent introductory APR on purchases, which could allow you to chip away at new purchases over several months without paying interest.

Here are some of the best credit cards with welcome bonuses you can earn right now, all of which we also recommend in the long term.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for high cash back bonus

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express currently has one of the highest-value welcome offers among all credit cards with a bonus offer. Cardholders can earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 on purchases within six months of account opening. Though that may sound like a high spending requirement, holiday spending could make it easier to reach.

“I always get a new card with a focus on earning a sign-up bonus around the holidays,” says Bankrate writer Ryan Flanigan, known among his colleagues as a rewards strategist extraordinaire. “Between my family’s personal shopping and the additional spending I do for my side hustles, I’m guaranteed to have more than enough spending to earn a bonus. I’ll often look for bonuses with higher spending requirements, as this is the time of year when I know I can easily attain them.”

The high spending requirement pays off, too. Say you spend $50 on each gift recipient this holiday season, and you’re able to earn this welcome offer — that $250 statement credit could offset the cost of 5 gifts!

The one caveat with this card is the card’s $95 annual fee ($0 intro annual fee for the first year), but we think it’s still well worth it because the Blue Cash Preferred is also a lucrative cash back card to keep for the long haul.

The card’s ongoing rewards categories are geared to the everyday spending habits of many consumers, including 6 percent cash back on U.S. supermarket purchases (on up to $6,000 in spending per year, then 1 percent back) and 3 percent back on U.S. gas station purchases.

These practical bonus categories should make it all the easier to earn the card’s welcome offer, since you’ll likely reach the spending requirement via both one-off holiday shopping purchases and purchases you already make regularly.

This card also comes with an intro 0 percent APR offer for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers, followed by a variable APR of 18.49 percent to 29.49 percent. This makes it a good option for paying down your holiday shopping bill interest-free for the first year.

I always get a new card with a focus on earning a sign-up bonus around the holidays…I’ll often look for bonuses with higher spending requirements, as this is the time of year when I know I can easily attain them.

— Ryan Flanigan Writer, Bankrate

Chase Freedom Flex®: Best for modest spenders

The Chase Freedom Flex®* can be a good choice for modest spenders since you only have to use the card to cover about $500 in purchases in your first three months to earn $200 in bonus cash. If you’re nervous about meeting the spending requirement for other welcome offers — some of which require thousands in spending — this card is a great alternative.

“I applied for this card right before the holidays a few years ago and, unfortunately, I suppose, buying just a few gifts was enough spending to earn the sign-up bonus,” says Bankrate editor and Freedom Flex cardholder Nouri Zarrugh. “I used those rewards to cover everyday purchases in the new year.”

Unfortunately, I suppose, buying just a few gifts was enough spending to earn the sign-up bonus.

— Nouri Zarrugh Editor, Bankrate

There’s no annual fee, and you’ll earn 5 percent back on up to $1,500 in quarterly spending in the card’s bonus categories, which require activation and rotate each quarter (you’ll earn 1 percent back after reaching the $1,500 quarterly threshold). And unlike with other rotating category cards, you’ll also enjoy year-round bonus categories with the Freedom Flex, including 5 percent back on Chase Travel and 3 percent back on dining and drugstore purchases.

“In the past, this card has offered especially useful bonus categories toward the end of the year, such as PayPal,” says Zarrugh. “I take advantage of those end-of-year categories to earn bonus rewards on online shopping whenever that’s a possibility.”

You can redeem your Freedom Flex rewards for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, a check in the mail and travel, so you should have no trouble making use of them in the new year.

Prime Visa card: Best for online shoppers

If you plan to do most of your holiday shopping online, and you love shopping at Amazon.com, the Prime Visa can be an excellent fit.

While its sign-up bonus isn’t the highest, it’s definitely one of the easiest to earn. You don’t have to do anything — Prime members get a $150 Amazon gift card instantly upon account approval.

“I don’t think I’ve had an easier time earning a sign-up bonus,” says Zarrugh, also a Prime Visa cardholder. “I do a lot of shopping on Amazon, so applying for this card and scoring the bonus and ongoing rewards seemed like a no-brainer.”

I don’t think I’ve had an easier time earning a sign-up bonus.

— Nouri Zarrugh Editor, Bankrate

This card doesn’t have an annual fee, and with an Amazon Prime membership you can earn unlimited 5 percent back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases, 5 percent back on travel purchases booked through Chase and 2 percent back at gas stations, restaurants and on local transit and commuting.

Bankrate senior editorial director John Puterbaugh also has first-hand experience with the Prime Visa and takes advantage of the card’s rewards to offset his family’s holiday spending every year. He simply uses the card for all of his Amazon and Whole Foods purchases throughout the year, saves up his cash back and then uses it in November and December each year.

This “painfully simple credit card strategy,” as Puterbaugh puts it, helps him earn around $300 per year in rewards he can use on Amazon purchases. “The extra money goes toward my holiday gift giving budget to help dampen the financial impact of the holiday season,” he says. “That’s it. That’s the whole strategy. I told you it was painfully simple.”

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for frequent travelers

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is ideal for holiday shoppers who may want to travel next year, as well as those who don’t mind spending more to earn a higher cash bonus.

“I snagged this card for holiday spending hoping to reach the sign-up bonus requirement,” says Bankrate editor Courtney Mihocik. “I used the card to pay for the group at a Friendsgiving dinner outing and asked friends to Venmo me their part of the meal. Then, I used it to pay for holiday gifts and travel during that time in order to reach the sign-up bonus. I used the points from the sign-up bonus to pay for hotels, rental cars and flights for my three-week honeymoon in Europe.”

I snagged this card for holiday spending hoping to reach the sign-up bonus requirement…I used the points from the sign-up bonus to pay for hotels, rental cars and flights for my three-week honeymoon in Europe.

— Courtney Mihocik Editor, Bankrate

In the case of the Sapphire Preferred, the high spending requirement pays off. The points you can earn from the sign-up bonus are worth $600 in gift cards or statement credits, or $750 in travel if you redeem via Chase Travel. Chase Ultimate Rewards points also transfer to airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio, and you may squeeze even more value out of the bonus with the right transfer: We estimate Ultimate Rewards points can be worth around 2.0 cents per point on average.

Travel rewards are all the more valuable right now, as the cost of flights and hotels during the holidays is especially high. Indeed, according to Bankrate’s 2024 holiday travel survey, “only 14 percent plan to fly and/or stay in a hotel or short-term rental for the December holidays.”

In terms of rewards on regular spending, this card offers 3X points on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs) as well as 5X points on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Keep in mind, however, that this card doesn’t come with a 0 percent introductory APR offer, so it’s best for heavy shoppers who can earn a lot of rewards but plan to pay their balance in full each month.

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card: Best for simplicity

Finally, consider the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card if you want to earn a generous bonus and simple ongoing rewards without having to keep track of spending categories.

This card charges no annual fee, and you can earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases within the first three months. The rewards rate is a flat 2 percent cash rewards on purchases, so you don’t have to worry about earning caps.

As a plus, cardholders get an intro APR of 0 percent on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 15 months from account opening (followed by a variable APR of 19.49 percent, 24.49 percent, or 29.49 percent). That makes this card a great option for charging new holiday purchases, earning rewards and then paying your balance down slowly if you need to.

“En route to earning its bonus, I used this card to cover some bigger ‘miscellaneous’ gifts last year, which wouldn’t have earned more than 1 percent back on other cards,” says Zarrugh, an Active Cash cardholder. “I bought one friend a niche subscription service, and paying for the year in advance made it a cinch to meet the spending requirement. I also had the option of paying that cost off over time while minimizing interest thanks to the card’s intro APR offer.”

En route to earning its bonus, I used this card to cover some bigger ‘miscellaneous’ gifts last year, which wouldn’t have earned more than 1 percent back on other cards.

— Nouri Zarrugh Editor, Bankrate

How to choose a credit card for holiday shopping

Whether you want a credit card for holiday shopping only, or you prefer a rewards credit card you’ll want to keep for the long haul, here are some of the most important considerations to keep in mind.

• Check for annual fees. While most cash back credit cards don’t charge an annual fee, some rewards cards with the most generous welcome offers do. There’s nothing wrong with paying an annual fee, but you should confirm the rewards and cardholder perks you get in return are worth it to you before signing up.
• Consider which categories you spend the most in. Look for cards that offer bonus rewards in categories you spend a lot in, which may include online shopping, dining, travel or groceries.
• Confirm welcome bonus requirements. Make sure you understand the card’s welcome offer fine print and confirm you can meet the required minimum spending with regular expenses and bills. If you have to overspend to earn a credit card welcome bonus, it won’t be worth it.
• Know the interest rate. Also know your card’s interest rate range and when it will apply if your card has an introductory APR offer. If you plan to carry a balance while you have access to a 0 percent APR, have a plan to pay your balance off completely before the introductory period ends.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

• Which credit cards are best for holiday shopping?

  Some of the best credit cards for holiday shopping include the Prime Visa, the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.

• How do I earn a credit card welcome bonus?

  Most credit cards require you to spend a minimum amount within a specified timeline to earn their bonus offers. For example, you may have to spend $500 or $3,000 on the card within a few months of account opening depending on the offer.

• Do I have to pay interest on a credit card?

  Avoid credit card interest by paying your credit card statement balance in full each billing cycle by your credit card’s due date. If your card offers 0 percent APR for a limited time, you can also avoid interest that way until the offer period ends.

The bottom line

If getting a credit card with the best bonus is on your agenda this holiday season, there are an endless number of credit card holiday offers to consider. Not only can you earn a generous welcome offer when you meet a minimum spending threshold in the first few months, but you can earn cash back or travel rewards for each dollar you spend on gifts.

When you add in the 0 percent APR offers some of these cards have, you can see where a rewards card could leave you ahead this holiday season. Just remember that credit card interest rates are on the high end when compared to other loans, so using one for holiday shopping and carrying the debt beyond a card’s 0 percent intro period can make every gift you purchase cost more in the long run.

*The information about the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.