Best credit card bonuses for December 2024

A credit card bonus — whether it’s called a sign-up bonus, intro bonus or welcome offer — is an incentive for new cardholders. In most cases, you’ll need to spend a certain amount on purchases with your new card within a specified time period (usually three to six months) to earn these bonuses. They are mostly offered as a lump sum in the form of cash back, points or travel miles. However, bonus offers can also include limited-time reward rates and categories, one-time discounts (like a free hotel stay) or gift cards (as with some student and co-branded cards).

Credit card bonuses can offer great value if the spending requirement falls within your regular spending habits, but a high return isn’t always guaranteed. If you’re comparing bonus offers, consider whether they offer a good return on your spending (at least 20 percent for a consumer card).

Credit card bonuses are typically distributed as additional cash back, points or miles. However, several types of welcome offers can be just as valuable — if not more so — than traditional, straightforward offers.

Our points and miles valuations play a vital role when we’re evaluating and comparing credit card bonuses. After all, the number of points or miles that come with a bonus don’t mean much if their redemption value is low. We can only get a clear sense of the true value of a card bonus by estimating the average redemption value of points and miles. 

Many of the top rewards cards offer bonuses worth several hundreds or even thousands of dollars, but most have a far lower value. 

Here’s a look at the top bonus offers currently available on this page, sorted by their estimated redemption value (cards with equivalent offer values will be ranked by return on spend and Bankrate review score). You can also see the spending required to earn each bonus, as well as where its value ranks compared to the bonuses of other cards in the same category in our scoring database.

*Bonus values and rankings are based on Bankrate’s points and miles valuations and the current bonus available on each card compared with the values of other cards’ bonuses in our rankings database.

In various online forums, including Reddit, many users have recently singled out Capital One credit cards as offering some of the best sign-up bonuses on the market. Capital One bonuses are often cited as a major draw for prospective cardholders and are credited with helping users quickly earn valuable rewards.

One user highlights the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card as offering an impressive sign-up and annual bonus, as well as great ongoing value (especially paired with the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card):

“I like the Capital One duo ([the Venture X and Savor]). The [Venture X] will give a nice … sign up bonus, and the statement credits + anniversary points easily cover the [annual fee].” 

— Reddit user*

Along with praise for specific sign-up bonuses, users share general advice on how to find the rewards card that fits you best. One key point: Don’t let the bonus be the only feature you consider. 

“No fee cards with modest bonuses are nice to take out routinely, but I try to be tactical about this where some of these cards have a long-term use for specific categories … Hefty fee cards usually have higher bonuses, but [I] would encourage you to not force yourself to spend the money they offer — should be a natural fit into your life[.]” 

— Reddit user*

As you consider cards and card bonuses, you should also consider whether you can meet any spending requirements without overspending or going into debt. Additionally, create a plan for how you’ll redeem rewards to maximize the value of your sign-up bonus.

*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Be sure to check the issuer's website/terms and conditions for all up to date content. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

To make the most of a credit card bonus, you should continue to make wise credit decisions and avoid debt to keep your balance manageable. Here are some tips for making sure you don’t overspend and outpace the value of your new bonus with interest charges and fees:

• Plan ahead: Assess the offer’s spending requirements and the value of the points you’ll earn. Bankrate’s points and miles valuations can help you understand the value of any potential bonus so you can redeem your rewards wisely.
• Spend normally: Make timely payments and stay within your budget. If you spend beyond your means, you risk running up interest charges that can eat away at the value of your bonus or ongoing rewards.
• Consider long-term value: New credit accounts lower your average account age, hurting your credit score. While bonuses can be attractive incentives, they shouldn’t be your sole reason for choosing a credit card. Avoid opening new cards just for the bonus unless these cards will help you in the long term.

Here’s how Bankrate writer and credit card expert Ryan Flanigan filters through his options when looking for a new credit card with a sign-up bonus:

“Getting a good sign-up bonus is one of the most important factors to consider when opening a new card. I place a lot of focus on how the current offer compares to previous offers because getting a lower offer than what came before can be lost value.

I also think about how the card will meet my needs overall. If I have a travel goal with an airline or hotel, a sign-up bonus can give me a big boost toward the amount of miles or points I need. Also, will any bonus categories help me earn more points while spending towards meeting the bonus? The more value I can extract initially, the better set up I'll be towards meeting my travel or cash back goals.

Lastly, I consider if I can achieve the spending requirement in the allotted time frame. The biggest mistake someone can make is failing to spend enough to earn the welcome bonus because you won't get another chance. If I have large upcoming expenses, I try to put them towards a new sign-up bonus. Strategic spending like this can help defray larger costs by giving me a bigger return. While there are definitely many factors to consider when picking the right card with an ideal sign-up bonus, I can get a ton of value when I manage my spending wisely.”

— Ryan Flanigan, Writer, Credit Cards

When evaluating the best credit cards with bonus offers, we consider both the quality of a card bonus itself and the card’s long-term value, including its cost and perks. 

We calculate the value of each card’s bonus based on our internal point and mile valuations (assuming it’s not a cash bonus) and compare this to the value of bonuses available on cards in a similar category and at a similar price level. We also consider the spending required to earn each bonus.

After identifying cards that carry valuable bonuses with a high return on spend, we factor in how cards score overall in our proprietary card rating system and whether they offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards to scoring a large welcome bonus to saving on interest. 

We analyzed over 250 of the most popular credit cards and selected standouts with high-value bonuses. We scored each card based on the factors most relevant to its primary category, including its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, intro APR period, ongoing APR, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup. 

Here’s a quick look at the factors that make up our card scoring methodology for rewards, cash back and business cards (the card types most likely to offer welcome bonuses), along with more information on how we assess the quality of card bonuses themselves.