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Several travel rewards credit cards are offering boosted welcome offers. It's great timing to apply now, spend the next few months earning the welcome offer and possibly redeem those points or miles for summer or fall travel this year.
Here’s a look at some of the best deals out there, based on the value of the welcome offers, which were calculated using NerdWallet's valuations of credit card and loyalty program points.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Annual fee: $795.
- Value of welcome offer: $1,500, or more if you transfer your points to travel partners for high-value redemptions.
- Why you should get it: This sign-up bonus is 25,000 points more than the previous offer, and the highest-ever offer we've seen on this card. You can use that to your advantage, especially if you already have a redemption in mind with one of Chase's transfer partners.
- Who should get it: People who can justify the card's high annual fee with its benefits, such as Sapphire lounge access, a $300 annual travel credit, up to $500 in credit annually (split into two $250 credits) for high-end hotel stays booked through The Edit and a credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fees.
- Who should skip it: People who don't live near a Sapphire lounge or plan to use the card's credits can still get access to Chase's transfer partners at a much lower annual fee with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Earn up to 185,000 bonus points. Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 35,000 bonus points after spending a total of $6,000 in the first 6 months from account opening.
Annual fee: $99.
Value of welcome offer: $1,100. NerdWallet values IHG points at 0.6 cent each.
Why you should get it: The current welcome offer is 45,000 points more than the usual offer if you can meet the $6,000 spending threshold.
Who should get it: Anyone who stays at IHG hotels at least once a year can benefit from the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, thanks to the card's annual free night award.
Who should skip it: People who don't (or won't) stay at an IHG hotel. Also, if you don't want to pay for an annual fee, the card's $0-annual-fee sibling, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, also has a sizable welcome offer right now.
Value of welcome offer: $1,100. NerdWallet values IHG points at 0.6 cent each.
Why you should get it: The current welcome offer is 45,000 points more than the usual offer if you can meet the $6,000 spending threshold.
Who should get it: Anyone who stays at IHG hotels at least once a year can benefit from the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, thanks to the card's annual free night award.
Who should skip it: People who don't (or won't) stay at an IHG hotel. Also, if you don't want to pay for an annual fee, the card's $0-annual-fee sibling, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, also has a sizable welcome offer right now.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Earn up to 125,000 bonus points. Earn 90,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 35,000 Bonus Points after spending a total of $4,000 in the first 6 months from account opening.
Annual fee: $0. Value of welcome offer: $750. NerdWallet values IHG points at 0.6 cent each. Why you should get it: This is an absolutely massive sign-up for a card with $0 annual fee. Most cards with no annual fee offer a bonus worth $300 or less. If you're opposed to paying for an annual fee, now's the time to get the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card. Who should get it: Anyone who stays at IHG hotels and doesn't want to pay an annual fee. Who should skip it: People who don't (or won't) stay at an IHG hotel. Also, IHG loyalists will likely be better off choosing the $99-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, which also has a large sign-up bonus right now.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
- Annual fee: $150, see rates and fees.
- Value of welcome offer: $520, plus the value of the Free Night Reward. NerdWallet values Hilton points at 0.4 cent each.
- Why you should get it: This welcome offer now includes a Free Night Reward, which you can redeem at any of Hilton's participating properties. That's different from the free night certificates from other hotel credit cards.
- Who should get it: Hilton enthusiasts who plan to spend at book Hilton properties at least once per quarter. This card gives cardholders $50 in statement credits per quarter for Hilton purchases.
- Who should skip it: People who want an automatic free night certificate might prefer a different hotel card. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card requires $15,000 of spending in a calendar year to earn a Free Night Reward.
- Terms apply.
United Quest℠ Card
Earn up to 100,000 United MileagePlus bonus miles and 3,000 PQP after spending $4,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account (90K + 10K more miles with an authorized user).
- Annual fee: $350.
- Value of welcome offer: $1,200. NerdWallet values United miles at 1.2 cents each.
- Why you should get it: This sign-up offer is up to 20,000 more miles than the previous offer. Plus, United cardholders now receive new benefits, such as an increased mileage earning rate on flights and a discount of at least 10% on flights booked with miles.
- Who should get it: Loyal United flyers going for elite status and who spend at least $200 with United per year.
- Who should skip it: Less frequent United flyers might consider the United℠ Explorer Card, which has a lower annual fee and an elevated sign-up bonus right now as well.
United℠ Explorer Card
Earn up to 80,000 United MileagePlus bonus miles after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases in the first 3 months of opening an account (70K + 10K more miles with an authorized user).
- Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $150.
- Value of welcome offer: $960. NerdWallet values United miles at 1.2 cents each.
- Why you should get it: With the intro annual fee, you'll get two years of United cardholder benefits for the price of one, including free checked bags, increased mileage earning on flights and discounts on award flights.
- Who should get it: People who fly United Airlines at least a few times per year and redeem United miles regularly.
- Who should skip it: Frequent United flyers trying to earn elite status. This card does not have PQP as part of the sign-up offer, like some of the other United cards do.
Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card
Earn 100,000 bonus points and a 25,000-point Global Companion Award with this offer. To qualify, spend $6,500 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account. Additionally, receive a 50% flight discount code for a qualifying future flight after opening your new account.
- Annual fee: $395.
- Value of welcome offer: $1,200. NerdWallet values Atmos points at 1.2 cents each.
- Why you should get it: This is the best ever offer we've seen on this card with the addition of the 50% flight discount code. This is a great opportunity to earn points to redeem for flights on Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines or their partners, such as Japan Airlines, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Starlux, Condor and more.
- Who should get it: Flyers who want to earn points for flights on Alaska, Hawaiian or other partner airlines, want Alaska lounge day passes and can make use of the Global Companion Award.
- Who should skip it: People who want to earn Atmos points could also look into the other options, such as the lower-annual-feeAtmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card or the Bilt credit cards, which offers Atmos Rewards as a 1:1 transfer partner.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®
For a limited time, earn 90,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $5,000 in purchases in the first 4 months of account opening.
- Annual fee: $350.
- Value of welcome offer: $1,170. NerdWallet values American miles at 1.3 cents each.
- Why you should get it: When an airline card offers a welcome bonus worth more than $1,000, it's definitely worth a look. This mid-tier card offers the ability to earn 1 Loyalty Point toward elite status qualification for every $1 spent on the card. It also offers a 2x bonus category on eligible transit purchases, which would be good for people who commute to work via public transit and want to earn extra American miles on that spending.
- Who should get it: American Airlines flyers who are looking for an increased sign-up offer, pursuing elite status and won't use the Admirals Club lounge more than four times per year.
- Who should skip it: If American Airlines lounge access is important, frequent flyers might benefit more from the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® instead.
Bilt Palladium Card
Earn 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Annual fee: $495.
- Value of welcome offer: $1,200. NerdWallet values Bilt cards at 1.8 cents each.
- Why you should get it: Bilt just unveiled its new family of cards, and this is the only one with a points-based sign-up bonus. The points alone are worth $900, and the $300 in Bilt Cash can be redeemed for a variety of purchases within the Bilt ecosystem.
- Who should get it: People who want to earn Bilt points on everyday purchases and redeem them for travel with Bilt transfer partners like World of Hyatt and Alaska Airlines. Bilt Rewards is the only major loyalty program that offers point transfers to Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines' Atmos Rewards.
- Who should skip it: People who already have similar cards, like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or people seeking to use this card solely to earn rewards on rent or mortgage payments. This card is best for people who plan to use the card as their everyday spending card.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Annual fee: $95.
- Value of welcome offer: $750, or more if you transfer your points to travel partners for high-value redemptions.
- Why you should get it: If you missed the 100,000-point sign-up offer in previous years, this offer is your next best option.
- Who should get it: People who want access to Chase's excellent transfer partners for a low annual fee.
- Who should skip it: Travelers looking for airport lounge access will need a more expensive card. May we suggest the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card?
To view rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, see this page.
To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, see this page.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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