Blog >> The 15 Most Valuable Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses
By Kevin Zanes / September 18, 2021
What is the fastest, most efficient method to accumulate points and miles? Everyday spending? Manufacturing spending? Buying Groups? Referrals? As we all know, the answer is Crypto! Just kidding, it is Sign Up Bonuses. A sign up bonus is a one-time point or mile “accelerator.” The agreement is simple: spend $X and earn Y points or Z miles. “Chasing” sign up bonuses is a strategy many points and miles enthusiast use as often as possible; either as the entire strategy or as one “cog” in multiple, simultaneous strategies. Given the potential limitations on sign up bonuses per year (i.e. lifetime language, 5/24, new accounts, hard inquiries, etc.), it is important to understand the value of a sign up bonus and the opportunity cost of chasing certain “extreme” sign up bonuses; like the $15,000 World of Hyatt requirement.
With that in mind, I ran the numbers for the sign up bonus on 55 personal travel rewards credit cards to find where the value truly lies! The basic value equation compares the sign up bonus minimum spend requirement to the sign up bonus point value (using ThePointsGuy point values). The ratio represents a “value score.” The higher the number, the more valuable the sign up bonus as compared to the spend requirement. In addition, I layer on top the time period to earn the sign up bonus. The longer the time period, the easier the sign up bonus, and subsequently, the more value for a given credit card.
Here are the TOP 15 most “valuable” sign up bonuses by issuer.
AMERICAN EXPRESS
Sign Up Bonus: 50,000 Membership Rewards Points
Minimum Spend: $2,000
Time: 6 Months
Other Benefits: N/A
Sign Up Bonus: 125,000 Membership Rewards Points
Minimum Spend: $6,000
Time: 6 Months
Other Benefits: N/A
Sign Up Bonus: 75,000 Membership Rewards Points
Minimum Spend: $4,000
Time: 6 Months
Other Benefits: N/A
Sign Up Bonus: 70,000 Hilton Honors Points
Minimum Spend: $1,000
Time: 3 Months
Other Benefits: 1 Free Night Reward
* Offer ends March 31st, 2022
Sign Up Bonus: 70,000 Delta SkyMiles
Minimum Spend: $2,000
Time: 3 Months
Other Benefits: N/A
* Offer ends April 13th, 2022
Sign Up Bonus: 130,000 Hilton Honors Points
Minimum Spend: $2,000
Time: 3 Months
Other Benefits: 1 Free Night Reward
AMEX Delta SkyMiles Platinum *
Sign Up Bonus: 90,000 Delta SkyMiles
Minimum Spend: $3,000
Time: 3 Months
Other Benefits: N/A
* Offer ends April 13th, 2022
Barclays
Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red
Sign Up Bonus: 50,000 AAdvantage Miles
Minimum Spend: $1 + $99 Annual Fee
Time: 3 Months
Other Benefits: N/A
Sign Up Bonus: 50,000 Frontier Miles
Minimum Spend: $500
Time: 3 Months
Other Benefits: N/A
Sign Up Bonus: 60,000 JetBlue Miles
Minimum Spend: $1,000
Time: 3 Months
Other Benefits: N/A
Barclays Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus
Sign Up Bonus: 45,000 Wyndham Points
Minimum Spend: $1,000
Time: 3 Months
Other Benefits: N/A
Capital One
Sign Up Bonus: 20,000 Venture Miles
Minimum Spend: $500
Time: 3 Months
Other Benefits: N/A
Chase
Sign Up Bonus: 20,000 Ultimate Rewards Points
Minimum Spend: $500
Time: 3 Months
Other Benefits: N/A
Sign Up Bonus: 20,000 Ultimate Rewards Points
Minimum Spend: $500
Time: 3 Months
Other Benefits: N/A
Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority *
Sign Up Bonus: 30,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Miles
Minimum Spend: $5,000
Time: 3 Months
Other Benefits: Southwest Companion Pass through February 28th, 2023.
* Offer ends March 14th, 2022
** The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus and Premier offer the same sign up bonus value, but with lower annual fees.
NOTE: These figures do not account for current card portfolio, 5/24 status, hotel or airline preferences, etc. The assumption is an individual starts from scratch and has no preferences for hotel, airline, or flexible point currency.
One interesting observation. This analysis began with a comment on the “opportunity cost” of the $15,000 spend requirement to hit the World of Hyatt sign up bonus. Guess where the World of Hyatt credit card ranks. Dead last! Now, this is not to say the World of Hyatt credit card has no value; quite the opposite. However, the sign up bonus, as compares to the spend requirement, leaves much to desire.
Why Is This Important?
People tend to gravitate towards the largest sign up bonuses (i.e. the Capital One Venture X, which you may notice IS NOT on the list), but these may not be the best value. In the Top 15 list, eight cards have a spend requirement of $1,000 or less and most of those cards offer points or miles sign up bonuses below 50,000! On the other hand, not all “high value” sign up bonuses are good sign up bonuses. If you never plan to fly Frontier or stay in a Wyndham hotel, it does not matter how valuable the sign up bonus. You SHOULD NOT open the card. In a similar vein, opening multiple “small,” but “valuable,” sign up bonus credit cards may cost you in other ways (i.e. over 5/24, too many new accounts, hard inquires, etc.)
Furthermore, there is significant value outside the “Big Two” banks of AMEX and Chase; although AMEX offers the most “high value” sign up bonuses. While Barclays is not a household name, it owns the two most valuable sign up bonuses. Both the AAdvantage and Frontier offerings provide MORE value in points than costs in minimum spend! Barclays offers an amazing opportunity to diversify your points and miles credit card portfolio, while simultaneously earning “high value” sign up bonuses.
Final Thoughts
“Chasing” sign up bonuses is a legitimate, sole, points and miles strategy, especially for beginners. With that said, sign up bonuses remain an important piece of the overall strategy, even for hard core points and miles enthusiasts. In this strategy, the value of the sign up bonus is just one piece. Other factors come into play, such as lifetime language, the desire to remain below the Chase “5/24 rule,” current credit card portfolio, and number of new accounts. With that said, always consider the opportunity cost when chasing a large sign up bonus! There may be other ways to unlock the same, or more, value for less cost!