The best travel rewards are the ones that get you where you want to go, and some do a better job of that than others. Airline miles can help you book free flights and hotel points can help you book free rooms, but transferable points (like Chase Ultimate Rewards and AmEx Membership Rewards) can do both — and more.
Here are six reasons why transferable points are at the apex of travel rewards, and why you should prioritize earning them over other types of points and miles.
1. Transferable points provide flexibility
Suppose you’re in the market for a new travel credit card and you’ve narrowed your decision to two choices: the first card earns points that can be redeemed with your favorite airline, while the second card earns points that can be redeemed not only with your favorite airline, but also with your favorite hotel chain. The cards are functionally identical otherwise. Which do you choose?
The second card is the obvious answer. The option to redeem with both airline and hotel partners makes the rewards you earn from it more useful, since they can meet a broader range of award travel needs. In short, the rewards earned by the second card are more valuable because they’re more flexible.
Transferable points programs expand on that premise by partnering with a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs, giving you a diverse range of redemption options instead of just one.
Flexibility isn’t the only ingredient needed to add value, since making points transferable doesn’t necessarily mean transferring them is worthwhile. For example, you can transfer Hilton Honors points to more than two dozen airline partners, but in most cases the transfer ratio is a dismal 10:1 (i.e., 10,000 Hilton points becomes 1,000 airline miles).
That provides marginal value because it’s only useful in marginal situations, like if you urgently need a small number of miles to book a highly valuable award flight. While Hilton Honors points are technically “transferable,” their transferability doesn’t add much.
In contrast, the major transferable points programs generally offer neutral or favorable transfer ratios, as well as transfers that process quickly (or in many cases, instantly). That kind of flexibility adds more clear and consistent value.
2. Transferable points have greater upside
Suppose you’re booking a long weekend trip from Denver to San Francisco in the spring. You’ll be attending a wedding at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco and plan to pay out of pocket for your room there, but you have 60,000 United Airlines MileagePlus miles you can use to book your flight.
You want to arrive Thursday morning and return Sunday evening, so you search United’s website and find an itinerary that suits your needs for 32,200 miles and $11.20 in fees. You compare that with the cash price of $375.72 and calculate a redemption value of 1.13 cents per mile. That’s quite close to NerdWallet’s valuation of1.2 cents per mile, so you’re satisfied.
Now imagine that instead of United miles, you have a reserve of 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Instead of being able to redeem them solely for United flights, you can transfer those points to 11 airlines and three hotels based on which one suits your needs and offers the best value.
For example, instead of booking with United, you could transfer points to Southwest Airlines and book a comparable (though not identical) itinerary for 27,577 points and $11.20 in fees, versus a cash price of $386.97.
Assuming you’re not bothered by the earlier outbound departure and you don’t have a strong preference for one airline, the ability to choose between them saves you about 4,600 points on your flight.
Alternatively, you could transfer points to Hyatt to book your stay at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco. The award cost is 17,000 points per night, totaling 51,000 points for your three-night visit.
Cash rates start at $323 per night, but the cheapest rates require advance purchase and are nonrefundable, while booking with points generally allows you to cancel with no penalty until two days before arrival.
A cash rate with a comparable cancellation policy totals $1,386.22 after taxes and fees, which yields a redemption value of over 2.7 cents per point (more than double what you’d get by redeeming for the United flights above).
This is just one example about a set itinerary, but it illustrates how the versatility of transferable points provides an upside when you’re not locked into specific travel providers.
Having more redemption options yields more opportunities to use points efficiently, which in turn raises the expected value of each redemption.
3. Transferable points have more favorable expiration policies
Many loyalty programs have expiration policies that can cause your rewards to vanish over time. While you’ll generally have 12 to 36 months to keep rewards active, some points and miles expire in as little as six months.
It’s easy to let rewards lapse and disappear in that timeframe if you’re not a frequent traveler and you don’t monitor your loyalty accounts vigilantly.
In contrast, transferable points generally don’t expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing. That means you won’t have to keep track of when you last logged activity in each loyalty program or take action to keep dormant rewards from expiring.
4. Transferable points offer lucrative transfer bonuses
Most transfers to airline and hotel partners are done at a 1:1 ratio, so transferring typically gets you the same number of rewards you put in.
For example, transferring 1,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United Airlines gets you 1,000 United miles, or transferring 1,000 Citi ThankYou Rewards points to Wyndham Hotels gets you 1,000 Wyndham points. While exchange rates vary depending on the loyalty program and credit card you’re using, a 1:1 transfer ratio is the industry standard.
However, transferable points programs offer occasional transfer bonuses that boost the exchange rate, commonly by 20%-50%. Instead of the usual 1:1, every 1,000 points you transfer with a bonus could get you 1,200 to 1,500 points with the partner program (or in some cases, more).
These higher exchange rates can save you points when a transfer bonus aligns with your travel plans, since booking the trip you want requires fewer transferable points than it would normally.
Transfer bonuses also create opportunities to top up your loyalty account balances by sending points to the programs you use most (even if you don’t have immediate plans to redeem them).
5. Transferable points reduce the risk of devaluation
Loyalty programs change over time, and while they sometimes add features, lower award prices or introduce new redemption options that make rewards more valuable, the opposite is more common.
Devaluations are a regular occurrence among airline and hotel programs and sometimes take place with no warning. When your points or miles are suddenly in decline, you have little recourse.
Transferable points programs aren’t immune from devaluations; they add, remove and modify features just like airline and hotel programs.
However, transferable points are insulated from devaluation by the sheer number of available redemption options — when a single airline or hotel program devalues, other transfer partners are unaffected, so transferable points retain the bulk of their worth.
In short, earning transferable points is the award travel equivalent of diversifying investments: By having a share of many loyalty programs, you’re less affected by a downturn in one of them.
6. Transferable points offer alternative redemption options
Transfers to airline and hotel partners tend to be the most valuable use of rewards, but transferable points programs feature a variety of other ways to redeem them.
One is to book flights, hotels or other travel directly through the program’s travel portal, especially with programs that offer added value for travel portal redemptions. For example, Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders get 1.5 cents per point when redeeming through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
NerdWallet Rating
Annual fee
$550
Some programs also offer added value when redeeming for cash equivalents like statement credits or gift cards. For example, the American Express Platinum Card for Schwab lets you redeem Membership Rewards points at 1.1 cents apiece for cash deposits to an eligible Charles Schwab account. Terms apply.
Even though cashing out yields a lower average return than transfers to travel partners, it’s nice to be given the option when you need it, as it’s one you generally don’t have with other points and miles programs.
Why you should be using transferable points
Among travel rewards, transferable points have the best chance to provide useful redemption options, yield a high return and retain their value over time.
That’s why they’re broadly prized above rewards from individual airline and hotel programs, and why earning them should be the focus of your award travel strategy.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
Update 9/28/23: The 125k offer has come back again now after many months of being lower. (ht USCCG)
The Offer
Direct link to offer
American Express is offering 125,000 points after $6,000 in purchases within the first six months of being a cardmember
Card Details
Annual fee of $695 is not waived the first year
Morgan Stanley version of the Platinum card offers one free Platinum authorized user, then $195 for each one thereafter
Authorized Gold cards are free
Full details here
Card earns at the following rates:
5x points per $1 spent on purchases made with airlines or with American Express Travel
5x points per $1 spent on hotel & airline bookings made directly from the American Express travel website
1x points on all other purchases
$200 airline incidental credit per calendar year
$200 Uber credit ($15 per month and additional $20 in December)
Lounge access:
Centurion lounge access
International American Express lounge access
Delta SkyClub lounge access
Priority pass select membership
Airspace lounge access
$240 digital entertainment credit. This is a credit of $20 per month and can be used on Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM and The New York Times.
$200 hotel credit. This can be used on select prepaid bookings (Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection) when using American Express Travel
$179 Clear credit
$300 Equinox credit. This is a $25 credit each month
Global Dining Access by Resy
The Global Lounge Collection
Our Verdict
You need to be a Morgan Stanley customer to be eligible for this card and you can no longer use the access investing work around unfortunately. It’s rare we see increased offers on these co-branded versions of the Platinum card, so it’s worth signing up if you are eligible and can make use of all the various credits. We will add this to our list of the best credit card bonuses.
Lots of American Express Platinum cardholders subscribe to the Disney Bundle Trio Premium which costs $19.99. This uses up the monthly $20 Entertainment credit.
Beginning on October 12, 2023, this bundle will increase in cost to $24.99.
There is a new Disney Bundle Duo Premium costing $19.99 which you can subscribe to instead. This will keep you within your $20 monthly allotment on the Amex Platinum card. By switching to the Duo in place of the Trio, you’ll keep the Disney+ and Hulu, but you’ll lose the ESPN.
(Update 9/3/23: Audible is getting removed from October 2, 2023 and beyond. They added Wall Street Journal instead.)
American Express has just launched a number of new benefits for Platinum cardholders. In this post we will explain the new $240 digital credit. This credit allows cardholders to get up to $20 in statement credits per month when they make purchases with participating partners. You need to enroll in this benefit first (enrollment link here). The participating partners are as follows:
Peacock
Audible (removed from October 2, 2023, and beyond)
SiriusXM
The New York Times
Hulu
Disney+
Disney+ bundle (with Hulu and ESPN+)
ESPN+
Wall Street Journal (added in August 2023)
You need to allow 6-8 weeks for the credits to post, but it will likely credit much quicker than that.
Peacock
The credit can be used on all Peacock subscriptions (Peacock Premium & Premium Plus). Gift card purchases are specifically excluded.
Peacock Premium is $4.95 per month
Peacock Premium Plus is $9.95 per month
Audible
Credit can be used on all Audible subscriptions (Audible Plus & Audible Premium Plus) as well as audiobook purchases. Audible has two membership tiers:
Plus: $7.95
Premium Plus: $14.95
More information about Audible can be found here (our affiliate link).
SiriusXM
All purchases made directly with SiriusXM online, telephone or direct mail purchases. It excludes SiriusXM safety, security or Telematics services (Connected Vehicle), SiriusXM for Business subscriptions, SiriusXM ad sales or Pandora. SiriusXM has three different membership tiers (plus a bunch of additional options):
Streaming: $10.99 per month
Car + streaming select: $16.99 per month
Car + streaming all access: $21.99 per month
New York Times
Unfortunately purchases from NYtimes store are excluded, as are gift card purchases. Subscriptions (digital, print, NYT Cooking, and New York Times Game) are all eligible. New York Times digital subscription is $4.25 per week (billed at $17 every four weeks).
Best Uses Of The Credit
The best use of this credit will obviously be if you’re already subscribed to any of these services or would like to subscribe to them. At the moment we don’t know if things like gift card purchases will work, although they are specifically exclude in the terms that doesn’t always mean it’s enforced (although with American Express who knows if they will do a claw back ten years from now).
I can’t see any interesting portal plays at the moment (looks like Mr Rebates has $5 on Peacock), but SiriusXM sometimes has deals where you can get free echo dots and or similar devices when signing up.
I think most people that just want to ‘set & forget’ this credit will end up doing a combination of Peacock and Audible. Obviously some will find SiriusXM and New York Times useful as well. Overall this credit as it currently stands is extremely disappointing, fingers crossed we can find some better uses of it.
American Express has made some negative changes to the Platinum card.
Annual fee for authorized user cards has increased to $195 for each card. Previously it was $175 for three additional cards.
Sign up bonus has new restrictive language:
You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card, the Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab, the Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley or previous versions of these Cards. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.
Some minor changes to the digital credit. WSJ has been added as an option, Audible has been removed as of October 1, 2023.
Our Verdict
Very annoying that Audible has been removed as an option, but the authorized user fee change and also more restrictive sign up bonuses are even worse.
While applying for a new credit card is typically the fastest and easiest way to rack up a meaningful number of points and miles, sometimes the first bonus offer you see for a given card isn’t always the best.
Before applying for a new credit card, it makes sense to take a few minutes ensuring you’re getting the best deal possible.
This is important because you can often only get card welcome bonuses once — or at least only once for several years. Sometimes, targeted offers are available to lucky individuals who can get a higher sign-up bonus than just by going with the publicly-available link.
Targeted offers can be sent in the mail, via email, might be lurking in your online bank or loyalty account, can be sent to you by friends who make referrals or might sometimes even live in the CardMatch Tool. It’s important to say upfront that we’ll never know the full answer to how to get a better credit card bonus offer as companies spend a lot of money developing proprietary methods for generating and targeting these offers.
Still, we’ve been around card offers enough to make a few educated guesses on how this works — and how to improve the chances you find and notice these offers.
Related: These credit card offers are worth $1,000 or more
Use the CardMatch tool
Let’s start with a tool that is an obvious first stop when seeing if you have special offers available to you.
By using the CardMatch Tool (offers subject to change at anytime), you sometimes gain access to enhanced welcome offers on cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express or the American Express® Gold Card that’s available to a select group of individuals. In the past, we’ve seen CardMatch include an up to 125,000-point welcome offer for the Platinum Card and up to 75,000 points on the Gold Card after meeting minimum spend requirements.
The CardMatch website explains that after you input your information, a soft credit check will be performed.
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This means CardMatch accesses the information on your credit report, but this won’t show up on your credit report or affect your score in any way (i.e. it’s not a new inquiry on your report). Of course, if you go ahead and actually apply for one of these cards, then that will be a regular new account on your report.
CardMatch partners with several banks, including Chase, Amex and Capital One, and based on the information they obtain from your credit report, they use a proprietary algorithm specific to each card issuer to generate offers for you.
Anecdotally, we’ve seen some of the best CardMatch offers with American Express, specifically often available to those who don’t have any other open accounts with that bank. And while we didn’t find an especially high offer today in our searches, it has happened and is a place worth checking.
Related: How to use CardMatch to potentially get better offers
Check your pre-approval offers
Sometimes, you have better offers — or perhaps even better eligibility terms — available to you via some pre-approval offers.
These offers may arrive in your email inbox or physical mailbox, but you can also go looking for them. While a pre-approved offer doesn’t guarantee you’ll get approved, you likely have solid odds — and potentially access to better offers.
When logged into your Chase account, you can scroll to the top and select “Open an account” and then click on the “Just for you” option to see if there are any special terms or offers available for you based on your existing Chase relationship. While it’s not an exact science, the more accounts you already have open with Chase, the smaller chance a new account will be dangled in front of your face.
Related: All about the Chase 5/24 rule
Refer a friend
Sometimes, a bank decides that the best way to find cardholders similar to the ones they already have is to let their current cardholders do the ‘work’ in referring their friends. There’s usually a set number of bonus points or miles given to the one who makes the referral if someone gets approved with their links, making it a potential win-win.
These friend referral links can be the same, better or occasionally worse than the common public offer.
However, on the flip side, there are sometimes referrals that are better than the public offers either on their own or at least once you factor in bonus points you’ll get for referring someone like your partner to the card.
AMEX
Ask in person
There are some increased card offers that you can only get in person at the physical bank. For example, we’ve seen the Chase Sapphire Preferred have a 10,000-point higher bonus in the physical Chase bank than online.
Pay attention to your inbox
Sometimes the best offers will come directly to you and aren’t available via shareable links. When you get a credit card mailer in the mail or in your email, it’s certainly worth taking a look at it and comparing it to the publicly available offers, which you can often see on this page.
We’ve seen individually targeted offers as high as 200,000 points for some cards when public offers are just at 100,000 or less, so always keep your ears and eyes peeled when something is addressed directly to you and don’t opt out of marketing emails and sends from banks unless you really don’t want to receive anything.
Bottom line
While we’ll never know exactly why one person receives a targeted offer and the next person doesn’t, it helps to put yourself in the mind of the companies sending out these offers and think about what they’re trying to achieve: new business.
When it comes to new card openings, banks are looking for responsible and valuable long-term customers, while airlines and hotels are simply looking to attract new customers away from their rivals. If a targeted offer succeeds in getting even a few years of loyalty, it’s likely done its job perfectly.
Once you see an offer, it’s worth comparing it to the offer history for that card in one of the guides below so that you can be confident that you are maximizing your points and miles:
Additional reporting by Ethan Steinberg and Summer Hull.
For rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card, please click here. For rates and fees of the American Express Gold Card, please click here .
With the start of summer upon us, 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 June 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 $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership.
$2,000.
$95.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
80,000 points after you spend $6,000 in the first six months, though you may be able to get a higher bonus through the CardMatch tool (terms apply).
$1,600.
$695 (see rates and fees).
American Express® Green Card
60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in their first six months of card membership. Also, get 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in your first six months to earn up to $200 back.
$1,400 ($1,200 in points plus up to $200 in cash back).
$150 (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.
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.
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).
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card, and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
60,000 bonus points plus a 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
$900.
$69 (Plus), $99 (Premier) and $149 (Priority).
United Club Infinite Card
80,000 bonus miles and 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Offer ends Aug. 9.
$880.
$525.
IHG Rewards Premier Business Card
165,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
$825.
$99.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points and a free night reward after spending $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months of cardmembership. Offer ends July 19.
$780.
$95 (see rates and fees).
* 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 Expresswith 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.
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 $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of account opening.
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 Audible, 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 (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 $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
The American Express Green Card
The American Express Green Card provides a compelling offering in the mid-tier travel category. With 3 points per dollar on broader travel, restaurants and transit as well as annual statement credits for Clear and LoungeBuddy that more than cover its annual fee, the Green from Amex is a card that modern travelers should consider.
The earning rates and benefits of the American Express Green Card will be most attractive to young professionals and millennials (or millennials at heart) who travel for work, pleasure or both. The card earns 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on travel, restaurants and transit, so you’ll want to consider this card if a large chunk of your budget goes toward these categories.
The Amex Green also offers annual up to $189 Clear Plus and up to $100 LoungeBuddy statement credits that can more than offset the $150 annual fee (see rates and fees) while making your time in the airport more efficient and relaxing. If you can utilize these statement credits, the card can easily be a worthwhile addition to your purse or wallet.
Read our review of the Amex Green for more information.
Official application link: Amex Green with 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership. Also, get 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in your first six months to earn up to $200 back.
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 17 airline and three 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, 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 annual credit for Uber rides and Uber Eats purchases and up to $120 in statement credits for select dining purchases (enrollment is required for select benefits) — all 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 or even 90,000-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 — and when your friend applies for a new account by June 7, you can earn an additional +5 rewards per dollar (as either points or cash back, depending on the card) on eligible U.S. supermarket purchases for three months after they’re approved (starting from the first date the referred friend’s account is opened), on up to $25,000.
Additionally, new applicants for the Amex Gold through a referral link will be eligible for an up to $200 statement credit after reaching minimum spending requirements, on top of that card’s usual welcome offer.
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.
Southwest personal cards
All three personal of Southwest’s personal credit cards — the Rapid Rewards Plus, Rapid Rewards Premier and Rapid Rewards Priority — are currently sporting identical welcome offers: 60,000 bonus points plus a 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This is the first time Southwest has offered a promo code as part of a sign-up bonus on a credit card.
The code will appear directly in your Southwest.com account within eight weeks of meeting the spending requirement. It can be used — only once — on a single one-way or round-trip Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime and Business Select fare, and is available for use until October 31, 2024.
Given it is a single-use promo code, it would be best to save this for a more expensive ticket. You’ll get the biggest savings when using the code for round-trip travel and/or during peak travel periods like the summer or the holidays.
Read more about the three cards and this limited-time offer.
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier
Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
United Club Infinite Card
The United Club Infinite Card is the ideal card for United lounge access — bar none.
The United Club Infinite Card’s $525 annual fee sounds high until you factor in the United Club membership included with the card. Membership normally costs $650 per year for non-elite members.
In addition, one of the primary disadvantages of many airline credit cards is a low return on spending, even on branded purchases, as most airline cards only offer 2 or 3 points per dollar on airline purchases. But the United Club Infinite Card sets a new standard with an impressive 4 points per dollar on United purchases.
If you spend thousands of dollars on United flights each year, the United Club Infinite Card is worth considering.
Read our review of the United Club Infinite for more information.
Official application link: United Club Infinite with 80,000 bonus miles and 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Offer ends Aug. 9.
IHG Rewards Premier Business Card
New applicants for the IHG Rewards Premier Business card can earn 165,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within three months from account opening.
Your bonus will come in the form of IHG points, which TPG values at half a cent each. Thus, this bonus is worth $825.
Generally speaking, you won’t get fantastic earning rates on most hotel credit cards — especially on broad categories like dining and groceries. That said, the IHG Premier Business card could be a solid option, especially at participating IHG properties.
When you use your card at IHG hotels and resorts, you’ll earn 10 points per dollar spent on your stay. This is in addition to the 10 base points that all IHG One Rewards members accrue at most participating brands. And since you have automatic Platinum Elite status with the card, that’ll give you another 60% bonus on top of the base points. When combined, that translates to a total of 26 points per dollar spent on most IHG stays — or a 13% return on spending, based on TPG’s valuations.
Beyond IHG purchases, cardholders of the IHG Premier Business will earn points at the following rates:
5 points per dollar spent on travel, dining and gas purchases.
5 points per dollar in select business categories, such as social media and search engine advertising and at office supply stores.
3 points per dollar spent on all other purchases.
You’ll also receive a free night certificate (worth up to 40,000 points) every year when you renew your card and enjoy your fourth night free on award stays of four nights (or longer)
Read our full review of the IHG Rewards Premier Business for more information.
Official application link: IHG Rewards Premier Business card with 165,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within three months from account opening.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card provides solid earnings at Hilton properties and automatic Hilton Gold elite status, which offers complimentary breakfast, increased earnings and space-available upgrades when you stay at Hilton properties.
Hilton Honors Gold status is one of the best mid-tier hotel loyalty statuses you can obtain. As a Hilton Gold elite member, you’ll get complimentary breakfast, space-available room upgrades and improved earnings when staying at Hilton brands. Luckily, you can easily earn and maintain Hilton Gold status since it is an automatic perk of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card.
The Hilton Surpass card is an ideal choice for those who stay at Hilton properties often and want a cobranded credit card with a modest annual fee and valuable perks.
Read our full review of the Hilton Surpass for more information.
Official application link: Hilton Surpass with 130,000 bonus points and a free night reward after spending $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months of cardmembership. Offer ends July 19.
*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.
For rates and fees of the Amex Green card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass, click here.
Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox and Eric Rosen.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
Last year, an average of over one in five flights were delayed, and about 2% were canceled. While that means most flights went out on time, millions and millions of travelers still found themselves not flying when they hoped.
Another busy travel season is upon us. When flight delays and cancellations do happen, there may not be a ton of additional seats available to simply hop on the next flight in some situations.
Here are tips on how to decrease your chances of getting stuck and increase your chances of arriving at your destination as quickly as possible, even if you get the unwelcome news that you are facing a flight delay — or worse.
How to find out if your flight might be delayed
In the current era of full flights and easily available information, don’t wait for the airline to tell you there is a problem.
You can keep an eye on general flight trends across the country on FlightAware, which gives you a good overview of how a day in the sky looks.
This page focuses on delays. Manually check the status of your flight on your airline’s website in the 24 hours leading up to travel. Also, check where the plane is coming from, if possible.
Also, opt in to flight notifications with your airline and download the carrier’s app on your phone. Here are details on that process with American Airlines and United Airlines. You’ll likely have more up-to-date flight departure information from your airline’s mobile app than what’s reflected on the airport departure and arrival boards.
You can also get flight status updates sent directly from FlightAware.
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When to arrive at the airport if your flight is delayed
This can be a tricky one. If your flight is still listed as “on time” when you check the app, leave for the airport according to the original schedule.
Even if your flight shows as delayed in the app, it can be subject to change. It’s best to be at the airport ready to go at the originally scheduled time in most cases. We’ve certainly heard stories where the flight is suddenly ready to go sooner than expected, leaving some passengers behind. Sometimes you’ll receive confirmation well in advance that the flight will be significantly delayed. However, it’s safer to be at the airport, just in case.
Bad weather will sometimes cause a temporary ground stop at the airport. As soon as the weather gets better, the stop is lifted, and airlines try to get their flights off the ground ASAP.
Related: 3 things to do if your flight is delayed
What to do if there is bad weather
Monitor weather patterns starting a few days before your flight to see if any major systems are anticipated. It’s then vital to check the forecast on the night before and the day of travel to see how any issues could affect your departure and arrival airports.
Again, be sure to opt in for updates on your flight’s status. If you know bad weather is coming later in the day, ask for an earlier flight if you can. Alternatively, if you leave the night before, that’s a good idea, too.
More and more airlines are allowing travelers to change plans with no fare difference prior to severe weather problems, like impending blizzards, ice storms or even heavy thunderstorms. Some will even proactively change your flight for you.
If you know bad weather is on the horizon, either go to your airline’s website and look for an advisory notice or call the airline to talk about options. If an airline gets ahead of weather issues, you may be able to reschedule your flight by a few days in either direction with no fees. Additionally, you can try asking for a nonstop flight if the weather is putting your connecting flight in jeopardy.
However, if the airline hasn’t issued its own advisory, you could have to pay out of pocket for any fare differences if you really need to get where you are going.
Related: How the weather affects your flight — the atmosphere and winds
What to do if your flight is delayed or canceled
If a flight delay happens and you want an alternative to waiting it out, check the airline’s app or in-airport kiosk for rebooking options. You don’t have to stand in line to talk to a real person in many cases, as you can self-service the rebooking with most major airlines. In fact, it may be faster to do it online or at a kiosk in the airport — and speed matters. You may be able to rebook at a new flight time or even to a new “nearby” origin or destination city.
There are times when automated rebooking systems are not your best option, though. Sometimes, the only automated option is for a red-eye flight or a future flight heading to your destination more than two days later. That’s especially true with flights as full as they are right now.
If you can’t find what you need online, find an airline employee who knows how to work the ticketing desk. Look at their uniforms and name tags to ensure you get a ticket agent and not a baggage handler or similarly outsourced contractor.
If the U.S. call center has a long hold time (which happens during widespread issues), you can try dialing an international number for faster service. You might also find success reaching out to an airline on Twitter, via chat or other social media channels when customer service lines are busy.
For example, when the first leg of an American Airlines flight from New York City to Arkansas just before Christmas was delayed, TPG editor Madison Blancaflor missed her connection.
She reached out to American Airlines on Twitter to help ensure she was rebooked on the earliest possible flight. She still had to endure a long layover in Charlotte, but it was better (and less stressful) than rushing to the customer service desk to try and rebook upon arrival in Charlotte.
If there are no reasonable booking options left with your carrier, ask if there are options on another airline. If the delay is weather-related, and you are on a basic-economy ticket or are flying on a low-cost carrier, there might not be other airline options at your fingertips. Still, it’s worth asking and — if possible — presenting available options you have researched yourself.
Related: Top tips to get through to airline customer service faster
Retreat to a lounge
If you have airline club access at a United Club, Delta Sky Club or similar, you can head there for help from experienced agents with potentially shorter lines. Use it as a spot to gather your thoughts, charge your phone and make level-headed decisions. The agents there might be able to help you change or track your flight.
In third-party lounges, such as an American Express Centurion Lounge, you won’t be able to get that type of airline-specific assistance, but you’re still probably in a better spot to wait out the storm than in a crowded terminal.
Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access
Rebook your flight
Sometimes, if you really need to get home, you may need to do the work and layout for the expenditure for a new flight yourself.
During a delay while traveling from Orlando to Houston when my original carrier couldn’t get me home for more than 24 hours after my initial flight was canceled, I found a nonstop Southwest Airlines flight with one last seat available for $463.
Even though rebooking yourself will not typically be covered by any insurance or carrier, I went for the Southwest option and got my original United ticket refunded, which at least offset some of the pain of a new ticket. In my case, it was worth controlling my own destiny and not being stuck.
Your credit card’s built-in trip delay or trip cancellation coverage can help with many unexpected expenses in the face of delays and cancellations, but a brand-new flight home isn’t likely to be one of them. Still, in some cases, it may be the only way home for a while, so you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons.
Related: When to buy travel insurance vs. when to rely on credit card protections
Check airport hotels
While thinking through what to do in case of a flight delay or cancellation, consider your options at airport hotels, which can fill up if there are major delays and cancellations. Sometimes, it is best to pull the plug on getting home that day, get some good rest and try again in the morning.
Airport hotels are generally pretty affordable on points, although cash rates can skyrocket when demand surges. Accommodations are typically covered by trip delay protection, offered by cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card® from American Express.*
* Eligibility and benefit level vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Show up early for standby flights
If you know in advance that your flight is canceled or delayed, heading to the airport early could score you a same-day standby flight that gets you to your destination early.
For example, a TPG staffer was able to use this strategy to avoid getting stuck overnight when a hiccup with his flight from Austin to New York City would have caused him to miss a connection in Dallas. Since he had A-List status with Southwest, he showed up at the airport a bit earlier and did a free same-day standby onto an earlier flight that connected to a different city. His A-List status bumped him to the top of the standby list and onto the flight.
Getting on the standby list isn’t a foolproof method, especially if the earlier flight is almost full. This is a case where having elite status can help since you’ll have priority over non-elite travelers. Additionally, some airlines charge a fee for non-elite travelers to get on the standby list for an earlier flight.
Related: Best credit cards for airline elite status
How to get a refund or flight compensation
If you decide not to fly your originally scheduled flight in light of major delays and cancellations, get your money or points back. Do not settle for an airline voucher that may be hard to use and eventually expire.
You may have a cancel-and-refund option available to you online or in the airline’s app. If not, you can ask an airline employee for assistance in person or over the phone. Just be sure to cancel your original flight before its eventual departure so you can get the money or miles (hopefully) returned.
Know your rights and take stock of your credit card protections. You’ll have to read some fine print, but you may be entitled to accommodations, credits or expense reimbursement by the airline or from your credit card (usually depending on the length of your delay and the reason for delay or cancellation).
Many travel credit cards offer trip delay insurance that can save you money when you’re stuck somewhere. While it won’t help you avoid cancellations or delays, it could help you cover expenses while you wait for your flight.
Related: You are entitled to a refund for your canceled flight — even if the airline says you aren’t
Cards that provide travel protection
There are many rewards credit cards that help confer valuable travel protections when you do have a delayed or canceled flight (if you used them to book your flight). Below are just a few examples of cards that provide some built-in coverage:
Chase Sapphire Reserve: Provides a $300 annual travel credit, up to $20,000 in trip cancellation coverage, up to $75,000 in car rental coverage, trip delay benefits of up to $500 per person that kick in starting at a six-hour delay and more.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: The Chase Sapphire Preferred includes trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, emergency assistance services and more.
American Express Platinum: In addition to the extensive lounge benefits and up to $200 in annual airline fee credits, the Platinum card also provides trip cancellation and interruption insurance for up to $20,000 of a covered trip and incident.
Make a decision
Last but not least, we don’t recommend being too indecisive in the face of delays and cancellations. If you are, expect your options to dwindle. Once you finally decide to wait it out or try and switch flights, you will be at the mercy of whatever options the airline has to offer … which may not be great.
As you wait, flight options are likely to disappear as hundreds (or thousands) of other passengers beat you to rebooking. Weigh your realistic options and make a quick decision if you want to keep some control of your schedule.
If you’re OK getting stuck somewhere for a bit or taking a creative route home, waiting for the airline to direct you is a feasible option. Just don’t stress about your decision once you make it.
Your credit card’s built-in travel protections may cover unexpected expenses not covered by the airline (such as a hotel for an overnight weather delay, though not a new flight) if you get stuck during your journey.
In my Orlando example, my original flight was stuck in Denver with a five-hour weather delay, so the odds of that flight getting me where I needed to be that day didn’t seem great. When I didn’t clear standby on the other United flight to Houston from Orlando that night, I made a decision and stuck with it.
I left the terminal and headed to my new Southwest flight in another terminal (Clear and PreCheck helped with that quick transition). Yes, that choice cost me a new flight home, but I had to make that call right then or roll the dice on my United flight making it out that day.
I wasn’t in a gambling mood when it came to getting home, and I understood the out-of-pocket implications.
Bottom line
Most of the time, your flight will get you where you need to be close to when you want to be there. Still, flight delays and cancellations happen.
If your flight is delayed by an hour or two, there’s not usually much to do other than be patient. However, when facing a long delay or cancellation, it’s good to have a plan to reduce the odds of getting stuck.
Given the common theme of full passenger loads on flights these days, acting quickly, researching options and making a speedy decision will put you ahead of the pack.
Related: Best credit cards that offer trip delay reimbursement
Additional reporting by Melissa Klurman, Kristy Tolley, Victoria Walker, Madison Blancaflor, Benji Stawski and Benét J. Wilson.
Update 11/6/22: Offer was lowered down from 125,000 to 100,000. Everything else is the same. (ht Shri)
The Offer
Direct Link to offer
American Express is offering a new sign up bonus on the Platinum personal card:
Get 125,000 points signup bonus when spending $6,000 within 6 months.
10x points per $1 spent at restaurants worldwide on up to $25,000 in spend within your first six months month (that’s 9x bonus points on top of the standard 1x point)
Card Benefits
Annual fee of $695 is not waived the first year
Authorized Platinum cards are $175 for three user (then $175 per Platinum)
Authorized Gold cards are free
Full details here
Card earns at the following rates:
5x points per $1 spent on purchases made with airlines or with American Express Travel
5x points per $1 spent on hotel & airline bookings made directly from the American Express travel website
1x points on all other purchases
$200 airline incidental credit per calendar year
$200 Uber credit ($15 per month and additional $20 in December)
Lounge access:
Centurion lounge access
International American Express lounge access
Delta SkyClub lounge access
Priority pass select membership
Airspace lounge access
$240 digital entertainment credit. This is a credit of $20 per month and can be used on Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM and The New York Times.
$200 hotel credit. This can be used on select prepaid bookings (Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection) when using American Express Travel
$179 Clear credit
Walmart+ monthly credit. Cardholders will receive a $12.95 credit (covers the full cost of membership).
$300 Equinox credit. This is a $25 credit each month
Global Dining Access by Resy
The Global Lounge Collection
Our Verdict
We once saw a better version of this offer with 15x back on dining and shop small. I wouldn’t hold my breath for that one to come back, and this is still a monster offer with up to 375,000 points bonus potential if you max out the restaurant part.
I’m not sure if the recent 150,000 bonus on the personal Platinum card is still available. Regardless, a lot of people will prefer this Resy offer for 125,000 + up to 250,000 points. A downside of the Resy offer is that you can’t use a referral link to signup.
We’ll add this to our List of Best Credit Card Signup Bonuses. Check out these Things To Know About American Express before applying.