Best Credit Card Deals and Bonuses This Week: October 4, 2021
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October is here and with holiday shopping and vacation planning in full swing, it’s a good time to open a new credit card. Almost all of the major credit card issuers have recently launched huge offers and even brand-new cards, including some with record-high welcome bonuses of 100,000 points or more — but many are for a limited time.
These include one of the most exciting offers we’ve ever seen — a record-high bonus of 100,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Chase recently announced major upgrades to the card, including up to $50 per year in Chase Travel Portal hotel booking credits and improved earning in certain categories.
Chase has also extended its popular Pay Yourself Back feature and introduced new redemption categories. If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or other Ultimate Rewards-earning cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you can redeem points at a higher value toward eligible purchases for a limited time.
There’s also an excellent offer on The Platinum Card® from American Express
to earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 in your first 6 months of card membership, plus 10x points on eligible purchases on the Card at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the U.S., on up to $25,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of card membership. Amex recently raised the annual fee to $695 (See Rates), but also added numerous new benefits that can more than offset the fee bump.
Read more: The best current credit card offers of October 2021
Other improved offers to consider include new offers on the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, rarely seen welcome bonuses on the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, new bonuses on three Amex Hilton cards, and a 5x grocery bonus on the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited®.
With new promos continuing to roll out, you’ve got a terrific opportunity to take advantage of an increased credit card bonus now, so you’re set up with points you can use for flights, hotels, and more when you’re finally ready to hit the road.
Here are some of the best credit card offers to consider this week.
Best credit card offers this week
Flexible rewards credit card bonuses
Regular APR
15.99%-22.99% Variable
Pros
- High sign-up bonus starts you off with lots of points
- Strong travel coverage
Cons
- Doesn’t offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit
- Our best offer ever! Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,250 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Enjoy new benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3X points on dining and 2X points on all other travel purchases, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 100,000 points are worth $1,250 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back(SM), your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required.
Read Our Review
Transferable credit card points are best if you value flexibility because there are so many ways to redeem them. With programs like American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Capital One Rewards, you’ve got options that include:
Our favorite under-the-radar card — the Citi Premier® Card — is offering a record-high welcome bonus, and it offers excellent earnings in categories that fit well whether you’re sticking close to home or on the road. You’ll earn 3x points on air travel, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
If you’ve been on the fence about applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — one of the very best rewards credit cards, especially if you’re new to travel points and miles — now is the time to pull the trigger. The card offers a staggering 100,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Read more: 5 best ways to use the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s sky-high 100,000-point welcome bonus
That’s worth $1,000 in cash back, $1,250 in travel booked through Chase or for statement credits toward eligible purchases through Pay Yourself back, and potentially much more if you transfer to Chase’s airline and hotel partners for award travel.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card now offers improved earning categories for current and new cardholders:
- 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out (previously 2x)
- 3x points on select streaming services
- 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
Other eligible travel purchases will continue to earn 2x points, and all other purchases will earn 1 point per dollar as before.
Another excellent deal is one of the best cards with premium travel and shopping benefits, The Platinum Card® from American Express. You can currently earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 in your first 6 months of card membership, plus 10x points on eligible purchases on the Card at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the U.S., on up to $25,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of card membership — here’s our Amex Platinum card review for all the details.
Read more: Amex and Chase points are the two most valuable types of credit card rewards — here are their biggest differences
Small-business credit card bonuses
Regular APR
15.99%–20.99% variable APR
Featured Reward
100,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Pros
- High sign-up bonus
- Offers 3x bonus points on several spending categories, including travel and advertising purchases
- Includes comprehensive travel coverage
Cons
- Welcome bonus has a very high minimum spending requirement
- Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- With Fraud Protection your card transactions will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring
- With Zero Liability you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more – your points don’t expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account
- $95 Annual Fee
Read Our Review
If you’re a small-business owner, opening a small-business credit card can offer a lot of benefits. Keeping your business and personal expenses separate makes it easier to keep track of expenses, and many cards offer bonus points, miles, or cash back in popular business spending categories.
Read more: The best small-business credit cards of 2021
You don’t have to own a full-time business or make millions to be eligible to apply — even if you’re a freelancer or have a side gig, you could qualify for a small-business card. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card are both offering 100,000 points after meeting minimum spending requirements, and, depending on how you redeem them, you could get a value of $1,800 or more from these bonuses.
The recent annual-fee increase on the personal Platinum Card actually makes the Amex Business Platinum Card a more compelling choice, since its annual fee is a full $100 less than the personal version (See Rates) — but it comes with many of the same benefits and credits.
Cash-back credit card bonuses
Annual Fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Regular APR
13.99% to 23.99% variable APR
Featured Reward
$300 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening
Pros
- Generous bonus rewards, especially at U.S. supermarkets
- One of a small handful of credit cards that offer bonus rewards on select streaming services
- Intro APR offer
Cons
- Unlike many other cash-back cards, it charges an annual fee
- If you spend more than $6,000 at US supermarkets each year, you’ll want to use another card once you reach that cap
- Earn a $300 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months after account opening. Plans created after that will have a plan fee up to 1.33% of each purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low intro APR: 0% for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 13.99% to 23.99%
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
- Terms Apply.
Read Our Review
Our top pick for the best cash-back credit card overall, the Citi® Double Cash Card, doesn’t currently offer a welcome bonus. And other excellent options, like the Chase Freedom Flex℠, Chase Freedom Unlimited®, and the new Citi Custom Cash℠ Card, aren’t exclusively cash-back cards (though they’re marketed that way).
Read more: The best cash back credit cards of 2021
You’ll also earn 6% cash back on your first $6,000 in U.S. supermarket spending each year (then 1% back), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services, 3% back on U.S. gas stations and transit, and 1% back on all other eligible purchases (cash back is earned in the form of Rewards Dollars).
Airline credit card bonuses
Annual Fee
$99 (with a $0 intro for the first year)
Regular APR
15.74% to 24.74% variable APR
Featured Reward
70,000 bonus miles and a $50 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening (offer ends 11/10/2021)
Pros
- Intro annual fee is $0 for the first year (then $99)
- Earns bonus miles on select business-related purchases as well as on Delta purchases
- Get a free checked bag and Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights
Cons
- Doesn’t earn bonus miles on common expenses like dining
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 70,000 bonus miles, and a $50 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer Ends 11/10/2021.
- Additionally, take $100 off your next Delta flight – after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you will earn a $100 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta, on every dollar spent on eligible U.S. purchases for advertising in select media, on every dollar spent on eligible U.S. shipping purchases, on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants. Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
- Check or stow your bag with ease: First Checked Bag Free + Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel overseas.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
- Terms and limitations apply.
Read Our Review
Amex is offering elevated bonuses on the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card. These bonuses are at least double the usual offer, so if you’ve been on the fence about applying, now is an excellent time to do so.
Read more: The best airline credit cards of 2021
Hotel credit card bonuses
Regular APR
15.74% to 24.74% variable APR
Featured Reward
Earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points and a bonus Free Night Award (value up to 85,000 points) after spending $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months of card membership (resort fees may apply, offer expires 11/3/2021)
Pros
- Annual statement credits can save you money on Marriott stays
- You get a free reward night each year after your account anniversary
Cons
- High annual fee
- Other cards are more rewarding for earning points on your spending
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points and a bonus Free Night Award after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Resort fees may apply. Terms apply. Offer expires 11/3/2021.
- Enjoy up to $300 in statement credits each year of Card Membership for eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program.
- Earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. 3 points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2 points on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive 1 free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points) at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Enjoy unlimited airport lounge visits when you enroll in Priority Pass™ Select membership.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $450 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
Read Our Review
Several hotel credit cards are offering increased bonuses — including the IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card, Hilton Honors American Express Card, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.
There are also increased offers on the Marriott credit cards, including the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card. The welcome bonus on that card is unprecedented: Earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points and a bonus Free Night Award (value up to 85,000 points) after spending $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months of card membership (resort fees may apply, offer expires 11/3/2021).
And if you’re a small-business owner, be sure to check out the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card, which is also offering an elevated bonus: Earn 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points and 2 bonus Free Night Awards after making $5,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months from account opening (offer ends 11/3/2021).
Read more: The best hotel credit cards of 2021
Keep in mind that most hotel chains, including Marriott and Hilton, have temporarily paused points expiration due to the pandemic, so there’s no harm in earning points now for a vacation down the road.
Featured Reward
125,000 bonus points and 1 free night award (value up to 50,000 points) after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Featured Reward
$200 after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
