A Guide to the Best Sign-Up Bonus Credit Card Offers in November 2024

Citi Rewards+ card can be a great choice, particularly when for those valuing redemption options. Add the “round up” offer and the “points back” benefit to the mix and you’ll understand why this credit card remains a favorite among modest spenders.

Sign-Up Bonus

One of the things that makes the Citi Rewards+℠ Card a popular choice in this market is its generous introductory offer. As a new cardholder, you get a one-time sign-up bonus of 15,000 points. But to claim it, you’ll have to spend at least $1,000 in the three months following the opening of your account. 

Rewards and Redemption Options

The Citi Rewards+℠ Card sweetens your purchases with ThankYou® points: you get two ThankYou® points per dollar spent at supermarkets and refueling at gas stations for the first $6,000 you spend in 12 months. You’ll also get a single ThankYou® point per dollar on all purchases made in other places or after the initial 12-month period.

The Citi Rewards+ offers multiple redemption options for the rewards you’ve accumulated. You can use the points to shop at Amazon.com and BestBuy.com, or redeem them for gift cards or travel rewards via Citi’s ThankYou.com platform. Additionally, cardholders receive 10% of ThankYou® points back for the first 100,000 points they redeem in a year.

Additional Benefits

Citi Rewards+ also has a unique point-counting policy. Unlike other credit cards on our list, this option automatically rounds up your bonus to the nearest 10-point mark on every purchase, with no cap. To put it simply, a $2 coffee will earn you 10 points, while a $12 meal gets rounded up to 20 points.

APR and Fees

The Citi Rewards+ credit card is among the most competitive options cost-wise. First of all, there isn’t an annual membership fee. Second of all, new cardholders get to enjoy a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. After this credit card promo period expires, expect to be charged a variable APR of between 13.49% and 23.49%.

Also, note that there’s a balance transfer fee (3% of the amount of each transfer or $5, whichever is greater), a cash advance fee (5% of the amount of each cash advance or $10 - the greater of the two), a 3% foreign transaction fee, a late payment charge of up to $40, and a returned payment fee that can also amount to $40.

The Bottom Line

Although Citi Rewards+ doesn’t offer the highest credit card bonus, the fact that you won’t have to spend more than $1,000 over the first three months to get on the welcome wagon makes it much more competitive. It also stands out from the crowd as the only card that automatically rounds up your rewards to the nearest 10 points on literally any purchase.

Overall, this Citi card is an excellent option for those looking for a way to maximize their rewards on everyday purchases and claim the sign-up offer quickly, but not that great for users who’d like a larger credit card promotion amount.

Reasons to Apply

• Flexible bonus redemption
• 0% intro APR for 15 months
• Rewards round up to the nearest 10 points

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus is a solid travel card. Although it doesn’t offer as many perks as the other two options available through Southwest’s partnership with Chase, it boasts the lowest annual fee, good rewards rates, and flexible redemption opportunities.

Sign-Up Bonus

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus presents a 30,000-point welcome bonus to its new users. All you have to do to claim it is spend $5,000 on purchases over the first three months of account ownership. 

Annual card membership rewards are also part of the package; starting from your first anniversary, you’ll receive 3,000 bonus points for every 12 months of use.

Rewards and Redemption Options

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus also offers a solid rewards policy. Cardholders receive two points per dollar spent on Southwest Airlines purchases, as well as each dollar spent on products and services provided by the airline’s hotel and car rental partners.

Some of the eligible hotel chains are Marriott, Best Western, and Hyatt, while Hertz, Avis, and several others are among the included car rental companies. There are no double bonus points on dining or grocery stores, but you’ll still receive a point per dollar spent on those and all other types of purchases.

As far as redemption options go, Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus is fantastic. There’s a wide variety of redemption options including flight tickets, hotel stays, car rentals, gift cards, and merchandise. 

If you’re looking to get the biggest bang for your buck, we suggest you use your points for airfares. Southwest lets you redeem your rewards via any of its three fare tiers (Anytime, Business Select, and Wanna Get Away). Although the least flexible of the three options, Wanna Get Away tickets come with the most generous points redemption deals.

Additional Benefits

Access to the Southwest Companion Pass benefit is another great thing about this credit card. This unique feature lets you pick a friend or a family member to fly with you for free each time you buy a plane ticket or redeem your points to cover the cost.

However, keep in mind that the requirements for this buy-one-get-one-free perk are hard to achieve. You’ll need to accumulate 125,000 points to qualify and the Companion Pass will be valid for the remainder of the year in question, plus the entire following year, but not indefinitely.

APR and Fees

Unlike some of the other competing options, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus does come with an annual charge. However, the $69 fee is relatively low. And while there is no introductory APR discount, the regular annual percentage rate ranges between 15.99% and 22.99% (variable). 

Note that you’ll also face balance transfer fees ($5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer), cash advance fees ($10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction), and foreign transaction fees (3% of the amount in US dollars). In addition to that, penalty charges such as late and returned payments can go up to $39.

The Bottom Line

All in all, Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus is a good choice for frequent flyers. The cost of what may seem like a high annual fee is easily justified by the card membership anniversary bonus and access to the unique Southwest Companion Pass benefit.

Reasons to Apply

• Annual card membership bonus
• Low annual fee
• Companion Pass benefit

High rewards, flexible redemption options, and a huge welcome bonus with the Capital One Venture Rewards credit card will catch the eye of any prospective cardholder. Thanks to its premium-level added benefits, this card is a particularly great option for frequent travelers.

Sign-Up Bonus

The welcome bonus given to new Capital One Venture Rewards cardholders certainly deserves the spotlight. New cardholders get the opportunity to earn 60,000 bonus miles by spending at least $3,000 on purchases made within three months of opening the account, making it an all-around great choice for those that can take advantage of such features. 

Rewards and Redemption Options 

The Capital One Venture Rewards card is also well-known for rewarding its users with two miles per each dollar spent on practically any type of purchase. There are no upper limits on how many miles you can earn, and so long as your account is open, your miles won’t expire. 

The Capital One Venture Rewards card offers plenty of redemption options. You can use your miles for travel shopping in the Capital One Travel center (or outside of the credit card company’s network), or redeem them for gift cards, statement credit, and checks. 

Another great thing about this credit card is that it lets you redeem your bonus miles via PayPal. We suggest you save your miles for travel purchases (plane tickets, vacation rentals, car rentals, etc), as that’s the way to get the most value out of them.

Additional Benefits

In addition to flexible redemption options, the credit card also comes with a long list of bonus perks. These include up to $100 credit for TSA Precheck/Global Entry, travel accident insurance, car rental insurance, roadside assistance, virtual card numbers for safe online shopping, and extended warranty on eligible purchases. 

APR and Fees

On the other side of the coin, the Capital One Venture Rewards card is definitely not the most affordable financial product of its kind. However, considering all the additional perks you can benefit from for the annual fee of $95, it isn’t the most expensive card either. 

The Capital One Venture Rewards card has an immediate annual percentage rate, ranging between 17.24% and 24.49%. Additional charges include a 3% transaction fee on balance transfers, a $10 fee or 3% of the amount for cash advances, and a late payment penalty of up to $40, but there are no international transaction fees. 

The Bottom Line

Given that there are cards on our list that don’t charge annual fees, Capital One Venture Rewards isn’t the most affordable solution on the market, despite offering one of the highest bonuses to its card users.

However, considering that the Capital One Venture Rewards card comes with highly flexible redemption opportunities and a long list of added benefits, it’s safe to say that this travel rewards card is worth the $95 annual charge. 

Reasons to Apply

• No foreign transaction fees
• Multiple additional benefits
• Flexible redemption options

The United GatewaySM Card could be your best travel companion. This JP Chase & Morgan card is designed for people who travel a lot.

With a great sign-up bonus, zero annual membership fees, and an enticing rewards program, this is a must-have accessory for frequent travelers on United Airlines and the other 26 airlines in its Star Alliance rewards network.

Sign-Up Bonus

To receive your welcome bonus, you’ll need to spend at least $1,000 on purchases, after which United will credit your MileagePlus account with 20,000 travel miles. You’ll need to meet this requirement within 3 months of signing up for the card. It’s a nice bonus offer, especially considering there aren’t any annual fees for this card.

Rewards and Redemption Options

Frequent and no-so-frequent flyers will reap the benefits of this card. Bonuses are mostly flight-related. Each dollar spent is converted into bonus miles according to a conversion rate of $1 to three miles for purchases made at grocery stores up to $1,500 per month and to two miles for United purchases, local transit, and gas station purchases.

Other purchases are converted on a one-mile-per-dollar basis. Additionally, you’ll get 25% cash back for every in-flight purchase you make while traveling with United Airlines, including the on-board Wi-Fi.

Once you’ve stacked up some miles, you can convert them to free flights, car rentals, hotel stays, electronics gear, or other merchandise. The MileagePlus website serves as the hub for all the rewards conversions.

Additional Benefits

The Gateway Card will net you some additional benefits, especially when traveling abroad. Payments you make outside the US aren’t subject to foreign transaction fees, for example - that can save you a substantial sum.

The card also provides travel insurance, reimbursing you up to $1,500 per person or $6,000 per journey if you have to cancel your pre-paid trip due to an unforeseen mishap.

APR and Fees

United doesn’t waive interest during the introductory period. That said, APR ranges are kept within industry averages, varying from 16.49% to 23.49%. The Gateway Card comes with no annual fees, making it a great proposition for thrifty customers.

There aren’t many additional fees to worry about, either. Exactly two kinds of fees are applicable to this card. First is the balance transfer fee, which totals either $5 or 5% of the transaction, whichever is greater. The other is the cash advance fee, which is either $10 or 5% of the transaction amount, whichever is greater.

The Bottom Line

If you frequently fly with United or a Star Alliance partner, the Gateway Card is the card for you. You’ll quickly rack up thousands of bonus miles that let you fly free or snatch up some really snazzy gifts from the membership hub. You can even use the company’s concierge service to handle your chores. Best of all, it all comes with no annual fees.

Reasons to Apply

• Generous rewards program
• No fees on foreign transactions
• $0 annual membership

Credit card sign-up bonuses have become quite enticing in recent years. There are many solid cards available to frequent travelers, so credit card companies are falling over each other to offer you the most exciting bonuses when you sign up.

The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card was born to address this competitive market. The card comes with many benefits, including a generous bonus and a very exciting rewards plan.

Sign-Up Bonus

Bank of America’s card doesn’t offer any cashbacks. Instead, you’ll be collecting points - and there is quite a bonus to be secured after you sign up.

If you make $1,000 in transactions using this card within 90 days of signing up, your account will be rewarded with 25,000 points that you can immediately spend on various rewards.

Rewards and Redemption Options

Like the introductory offer, the rewards program is streamlined. There are no special requirements. For each $1 you spend, your account is credited with 1.5 points - it’s as simple as that. It doesn’t matter whether you used your card to fill up at the gas station, buy groceries, or reserve a hotel room online: It all counts. Points don’t expire, and there are no blackout dates for your rewards.

Members of Preferred Rewards club score even more points - up to 75% more per transaction. There’s a handy calculator at the Bank of America website that can help you estimate how many points you’ll earn in a year.

As for the rewards, you can convert points into hotel bookings, airplane tickets, cruises, rentals, even whole vacation packages. Or you can simply convert your points into cash, albeit at a lower rate compared to physical rewards.

Additional Benefits

Since this is a Visa card, you’re entitled to 24/7 concierge services thanks to the Visa Signature promotion. Worried about your FICO score? You can check its status for free every month if you’d like.

In addition to the Travel Rewards card’s bonus, international transactions come with $0 fees, and you’ll be able to use this card practically anywhere in the world.

APR and Fees

During your first year with the Bank of America Travel Rewards Card, the APR is set to 0%. After 12 months, it varies from 14.99% to 22.99%, which is slightly under the average APR today. This card comes with no annual membership fee, too, so the first 12 months are quite care-free for users of the Travel Rewards plan.

There’s just one fee aside from the APR. It’s the balance transfer fee, a small fee that gets added on top of every transfer. The fee is just 3% or $10.

The Bottom Line

For Bank of America customers who travel a lot, signing up for the Travel Rewards card is a no-brainer. The card’s generous sign-up bonus, excellent rewards program, and $0 annual fee make for an easy recommendation.

Reasons to Apply

• No annual or foreign transaction fees
• 0% intro APR for 12 months
• Extra rewards for Preferred Rewards members

Bank of America offers two of the industry’s best credit cards with sign-up bonuses. We’ve talked about the card that rewards frequent travelers, so let’s focus now on a cashback card for, well, frequent shoppers.

The red Cash Rewards credit card is another Visa Signature card from Bank America that offers concierge service alongside a neat rewards program. Let’s look at how it differs from its steel-blue sibling.

Sign-Up Bonus

This is a cashback card, so it’s natural that the welcome offer is based on cash. Bank of America will reward you with a $200 cash bonus once you make at least $1,000 in purchases within 90 days of signing up. It’s a very straightforward bonus, just like the benefits that come with the bank’s other cards.

Rewards and Redemption Options

The Bank of America Cash Rewards card has a generous rewards scheme. The offer is very interesting. Each month, you choose a category that will deliver you a 3% cashback bonus: gas, travel, dining, online shopping, furnishings, or drug stores.

You can select only one of these categories for your 3% cashback bonus each month, so plan your purchases accordingly. 

Shopping at grocery stores and wholesalers nets you a 2% cashback bonus, while all other purchases generate a 1% bonus. The biggest bonuses are limited to the first $2,500 you spend each month. Your purchase and bonus status can be monitored with a free mobile app.

Additional Benefits

The Cash Rewards credit card delivers a handful of additional interesting benefits. Visa concierge services are available to you 24/7, along with monthly updates of your FICO score that can be checked for free via a mobile app.

The card also comes with overdraft protection, an optional service that can prevent overdrawing your checking account and all the attendant returned checks and declined purchases.

APR and Fees

Bank of America charges an industry-average APR for its reward cards. The APR is variable and ranges from 13.99% to 23.99%. But for the first 12 months, it’s set to 0%. That’s a very enticing offer, especially considering the $0 annual fee.

That doesn’t mean you’ll be collecting rewards completely free. If you perform any balance transfers, the bank will charge you 3% or a minimum of $10.

The Bottom Line

Great cashback bonuses and a generous, no-strings-attached welcome offer make the Cash Rewards credit card one of the best choices for shoppers in America.

Reasons to Apply

• $200 cashback bonus
• 0% APR for 12 months
• No membership fees

This Visa card comes with a lot of tempting incentives on top of a bonus that’s pretty enticing compared to the competition’s. Here’s how it all works.

Sign-Up Bonus

This Chase credit card has a dual bonus for new customers. First up is a straight-up cashback award of $200 when you spend $500 in the first 3 months. You also receive a 5% cashback bonus on your grocery shopping for the entire first year you use your card. This bonus is limited to $12,000, and it excludes purchases made at Walmart and Target.

Rewards and Redemption Options

Chase Freedom Unlimited doles out regular rewards after the sign-up bonus.

You will receive 5% in cashback rewards for each travel purchase made through Chase Ultimate Rewards program, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and restaurant orders, including fast food and deliveries. All other purchases are eligible for a 1.5% cashback bonus.

Best of all, Chase doesn’t impose any time limits on your cashback rewards, and there’s no minimum amount that you can redeem. If you link your account to Amazon, you’ll be able to use your rewards with the popular online store during the checkout process.

Additional Benefits

If you’re a frequent traveler, you’ll be glad to hear that Chase offers trip cancellation and interruption insurance. It’s the standard policy - reimbursement of up to $1,500 per person or $6,000 for the whole trip if you have pre-paid with your Chase Freedom Unlimited card.

APR and Fees

Chase’s APR ranges are smack in the middle of the standard range. For your first year, the APR is 0%. Later, the APR converts to a rate based on your creditworthiness and the Prime Rate - something from 14.99% to 23.74%. Chase assesses a $0 annual membership fee.

One disadvantage is that Chase charges a 3% fee on all foreign transactions. Compared to other products, that’s not a great deal. Visa cards are great for traveling, but only if the card issuer doesn’t charge extra fees for using them abroad.

The Bottom Line

It’s very easy to recommend the Freedom Unlimited card. It has one of the most enticing sign-up bonuses, big rewards for shoppers, and some valuable extras for people who travel a lot.

Reasons to Apply

• Easy-to-earn sign-up bonus
• 0% APR for 12 months
• Big cashbacks