Best credit card bonuses and deals this week: January 25, 2021
This article is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. It has not…
This article is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. It has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the issuers listed. Some of the offers you see on the page are from our partners like Citi and American Express, but our coverage is always independent. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page.
With 2021 well underway, there’s no shortage of elevated welcome bonuses to consider if you’re looking to apply for a new credit card. Some issuers have even added new credit card benefits and limited-time spending bonuses to appeal to customers who are still staying close to home.
The best credit card for you depends on your spending and travel habits right now, and big introductory offers can certainly make your decision easier. Some, like the elevated offers on the Southwest personal cards, will only be around for a little while longer. Be sure to apply by February 8, 2021, to earn the highest bonuses ever offered on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card.
These offers are even more lucrative now if you’re trying to qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass because the airline has made it much easier to earn in 2021. All Rapid Rewards members with active accounts as of December 31, 2020, will receive 25,000 out of the required 125,000 points (and 25 qualifying flights) automatically — effectively reducing the Companion Pass requirement to just 100,000 points or 75 flights this year.
American Express is still making waves with impressive offers on The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, and the American Express® Gold Card. None have been given an end date, but we know they won’t last forever. The same applies to the big Chase Ink Business card bonuses, which are still going strong after over two months.
Time is running out fast to apply for the elevated welcome bonuses on the Chase Southwest personal cards — you’ve got until February 8, 2021, to take advantage of these record-high offers:
Read more details on these offers below:
Regular APR
15.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} – 22.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} Variable
Credit Score
Good to Excellent
Featured Reward
80,000 points (50,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months ,and an additional 30,000 points after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 9 months)
- Earn up to 80,000 points. Earn 50,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Earn an additional 30,000 points after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 9 months.
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases. Earn between 12/1/2020 and 3/31/2021 on up to $2,000 spent per month.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other Southwest® purchases.
- 3,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary each year.
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- All points earned count towards Companion Pass.
- No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
- Your points never expire, a benefit of the Rapid Rewards® program.
Pros
- Earns Southwest points on every purchase
- You get 3,000 points every year after your cardmember anniversary
Cons
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- Very limited benefits
Read Our Review
Regular APR
15.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} – 22.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} Variable
Credit Score
Good to Excellent
Featured Reward
80,000 points (50,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months ,and an additional 30,000 points after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 9 months)
- Earn up to 80,000 points. Earn 50,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Earn an additional 30,000 points after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 9 months.
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases. Earn between 12/1/2020 and 3/31/2021 on up to $2,000 spent per month.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other Southwest® purchases.
- 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary each year.
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
- Your points never expire, a benefit of the Rapid Rewards® program.
Pros
- You get 6,000 points each year after anniversary
- You can earn Tier-Qualifying Points toward Southwest elite status for spending on the card
Cons
- Only offers bonus points on Southwest purchases
Read Our Review
Regular APR
15.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} – 22.99{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} Variable
Credit Score
Good to Excellent
Featured Reward
80,000 points (50,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months ,and an additional 30,000 points after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 9 months)
- Earn up to 80,000 points. Earn 50,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Earn an additional 30,000 points after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 9 months.
- Earn 5 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases. Earn between 12/1/2020 and 3/31/2021 on up to $2,000 spent per month.
- 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary each year.
- $75 Southwest® travel credit each year.
- 4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
- 20{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} back on in-flight drinks and WiFi.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other Southwest® purchases.
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Pros
- Generous annual benefits, including a Southwest travel credit and 7,500 points, plus upgraded boardings and in-flight discounts
- If you fly Southwest several times a year, the benefits easily outweigh the annual fee
- Annual fee is low compared to other premium airline credit cards
Cons
- Highest annual fee among Southwest consumer cards
- Doesn’t offer bonus points on non-Southwest purchases
Read Our Review
Chase Southwest personal cards: Earn up to 80,000 Rapid Rewards points
Chase has now assigned an end date of February 8, 2021, for the huge offers on the Southwest Rapid Rewards personal cards, which are all offering up to 80,000 points (50,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months ,and an additional 30,000 points after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 9 months). Because Southwest points are, on average, worth 1.5 cents each toward airfare, the bonus is worth about $1,200 in flights.
These are the highest bonuses ever offered on the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card. Because Southwest points don’t expire, this is a terrific opportunity to stock up on Rapid Rewards points — and save them for when you’re ready to travel again.
The timing of these elevated Southwest card bonuses is perfect if you have your eye on earning the Southwest Companion Pass this year. Between the bonus and points from meeting the minimum spending requirement, you’ll earn at least 90,000 points — and that’s almost enough to unlock the Companion Pass in 2021.
Normally, you’d need to earn 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year to earn the Companion Pass, but Southwest has effectively reduced that requirement to 100,000 points in 2021 by adding 25,000 qualifying points to Rapid Rewards accounts that were open as of December 31, 2020.
Best new and ongoing increased credit card bonuses
These cards have improved welcome offers for a limited time, but we don’t yet know when they’ll end:
Read more details on these offers below:
Credit Score
Good to Excellent
Featured Reward
85,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases within your first 3 months of account opening
- The information related to The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected by Business Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.
- Earn 85,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card plus earn 5x points on eligible purchases in 5 select business categories, up to 80,000 bonus points per category, all within the first 3 months of Card Membership.† Terms Apply.
- Get 50{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} more Membership Rewards® points. That’s an extra half point per dollar, on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more. You can get up to 1 million additional points per year.
- 35{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} Airline Bonus: Use Membership Rewards® Pay with Points for all or part of a flight with your selected qualifying airline, and you can get 35{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} of the points back, up to 500,000 bonus points per calendar year when you book on amextravel.com.
- Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com.
- Enroll to get up to $200 in statement credits annually by getting up to $100 semi-annually for U.S. purchases with Dell. Terms apply.
- Pay Over Time Option: A flexible payment option to help manage cash flow on purchases of $100 or more.
- Terms Apply.
Pros
- More travel benefits than you’ll find on any other business credit card
- Generous airport lounge access options, from American Express Centurion Lounges to Priority Pass
- Complimentary hotel elite status
- Access to Amex concierge services
Cons
- Very high annual fee
- Limited opportunities to earn bonus points
- Annual statement credits won’t be useful for everyone
Read Our Review
Amex Business Platinum card: Earn 85,000 Membership Rewards points
The brand-new offer on the Amex Business Platinum Card is especially appealing to small-business owners who spend a lot in common categories. In addition to a welcome bonus of 85,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases within your first 3 months of account opening, you can earn 5x points on eligible US purchases on shipping, wireless telephone services, advertising in select media, office supplies, and gas stations in the first three months of account opening, up to 80,000 bonus points per category.
The card also comes with a slew of valuable benefits, including up to $200 per calendar year in Dell credits, up to $200 per calendar year in airline incidental fee credits, and a 35{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} rebate when you redeem Amex Membership Rewards points for flights on your selected airline (or any business- or first-class ticket) through the Amex Travel Portal.
Many Amex Business Platinum Card perks can also be found on the personal Platinum Card. If you’re not sure which card is right for you, have a look at our comparison of the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum for a full breakdown.
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Featured Reward
75,000 points after you spend at least $5,000 in your first 6 months of account opening
- Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 10x points on eligible purchases on your new Card at U.S. Gas Stations and U.S. Supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of Card Membership. That’s an additional 9 points on top of the 1 point you earn for these purchases.
- Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member and Additional Centurion Cards only.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. Starting January 1, 2021, earn 5X points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com.
- Enjoy complimentary access to the Global Lounge Collection, the only credit card airport lounge access program that includes proprietary lounge locations around the world.
- Receive complimentary benefits through American Express Travel with an average total value of $550 with Fine Hotels & Resorts® program at over 1,100 properties. Learn More.
- Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $550 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
Pros
- Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott
- Annual statement credits with Saks and Uber
Cons
- Bonus categories leave something to be desired
- One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards
Read Our Review
Amex Platinum card: Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards points
The elevated welcome offer on The Platinum Card® from American Express is still active, but it won’t be around forever. In addition to the welcome bonus of 75,000 points after you spend at least $5,000 in your first 6 months of account opening, new cardholders can earn 10 points per dollar spent at US gas stations and US supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined spending (then 1x) in the first six months of account opening.
Even if you’re not traveling right now, the Amex Platinum 75k bonus is worth considering: Between up to $200 in Uber credits (including Uber Eats) and up to $100 in Saks credits each calendar year, plus the ability to use Membership Rewards points for a wide variety of redemptions (including many that don’t involve travel), it’s easy to get a ton of value from Platinum Card.
New for 2021, cardholders will also receive up to $30 per month in statement credits for PayPal purchases. Lots of popular retailers and services accept PayPal, so this is an incredibly easy way to get even more value from the card.
Regular APR
13.24{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5}–19.24{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} variable APR
Credit Score
Good to Excellent
Featured Reward
$750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} cash back on every purchase made for your business
- 0{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
- Employee cards at no additional cost
- No Annual Fee
Pros
- Earns 1.5{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} cash back on every purchase, with no bonus categories to keep track of
- Intro APR offer
- No annual fee
Cons
- You can earn more cash back on some purchases with a card that has bonus categories
Read Our Review
Regular APR
13.24{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5}–19.24{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} variable APR
Credit Score
Good to Excellent
Featured Reward
$750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn 5{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
- Earn 2{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
- Earn 1{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
- 0{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
- Employee cards at no additional cost
- No Annual Fee
Pros
- Broad 5{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} and 2{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} cash-back categories (you can earn bonus cash back at office supply stores and at gas stations and restaurants)
- Intro APR offer for purchases
- No annual fee
- You can pair this card with a card that earns Ultimate Rewards to redeem your cash back for travel
Cons
- Annual cap on bonus categories
Read Our Review
Chase Ink Business Unlimited and Ink Business Cash: Earn $750 cash back
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and Ink Business Cash® Credit Card increased welcome offers to earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening are still active this week.
Small-business owners who want to earn lots of rewards in the new year can benefit from these all-time-high offers. Keep in mind the Chase Ultimate Rewards points you’ll earn from these cards aren’t just good for cash back — you’ve got options to redeem for travel, and even more flexibility (like transferring to Chase airline and hotel partners) if you also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card in your wallet.
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Featured Reward
60,000 points after you spend at least $4,000 in your first 6 months of account opening
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points on Restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
Pros
- Great rewards for dining and for shopping at US supermarkets
- Monthly statement credit for eligible dining purchases recoups some of the annual fee
Cons
- Underwhelming welcome bonus
Read Our Review
American Express Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points
The increased welcome offer on the American Express® Gold Card has stuck around for a while, and it’s still worth a look, especially since one of its key benefits has just reset in the new year.
Along with 60,000 points after you spend at least $4,000 in your first 6 months of account opening, the American Express® Gold Card earns 4x Membership Rewards points on up to $25,000 spent at US supermarkets each calendar year (then 1x). This perk alone puts the card high on our list of top credit cards for buying groceries.
It’s also a good credit card for dining because it earns 4x points at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery) with no cap.
Jasmin Baron is an associate editor at Personal Finance Insider, where she helps readers maximize rewards and find the best credit cards to fit their lifestyles.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. We occasionally highlight financial products and services that can help you make smarter decisions with your money. We do not give investment advice or encourage you to adopt a certain investment strategy. What you decide to do with your money is up to you. If you take action based on one of our recommendations, we get a small share of the revenue from our commerce partners. This does not influence whether we feature a financial product or service. We operate independently from our advertising sales team.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. We occasionally highlight financial products and services that can help you make smarter decisions with your money. We do not give investment advice or encourage you to adopt a certain investment strategy. If you take action based on one of our recommendations, we get a small share of the revenue from our commerce partners. This does not influence whether we feature a financial product or service. We operate independently from our advertising sales team.
Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they’re subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
