It’s an exciting month for credit card sign-up bonuses. We have increased offers on the IHG Rewards Club Premier and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless from Chase. American Express also increased the sign up bonus on the Delta cards ahead of a refresh in 2020. Here’s my list of top credit card sign-up bonuses for October 2019.
IHG Rewards Club Premier Card from Chase
- 125,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months and $50 statement credit after first purchase
- $89 annual fee
IHG doesn’t tend to offer the best value for high end properties but having some IHG points can certainly come in handy. One of the best benefits of this card is the annual free night certificate at a property worth 40,000 points or less. Act fast – this offer is only good until October 9th.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card from Chase
- 100,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months
- $95 annual fee
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless is not my favorite card, but you can’t beat the sign-up bonus. Keep in mind you may not be eligible for the card or the bonus if you had certain Chase or American Express Marriott/Starwood cards recently. Check the fine print before applying to be safe.
Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express
- 60,000 miles after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months
- $50 statement credit after making a Delta purchase in the first 3 months
- $95 annual fee, waived first year
60,000 miles is typically the highest offer for the Gold Delta card. It is also fairly simple to get the $50 statement credit; I paid $5.60 in fees on an award booking to trigger it. For those looking to build up their SkyMiles account, now’s the time to do it. As a note, SkyMiles never expire but they can be devalued over time.
Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express
- 75,000 miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
- $100 statement credit after making a Delta purchase in the first 3 months
- $195 annual fee
The Platinum Delta card from Amex comes with a $195 annual fee, but is a great option for those who are trying to earn elite status with the airline. The first level of Medallion Status is Silver which can be earned after 25,000 MQMs. With the Platinum card, you’re a fifth of the way there.
Delta Reserve SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express
- 75,000 miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months
- $450 annual fee
This card has a high annual fee, but it might make sense if you’ve never gotten the sign-up bonus and you plan on flying Delta within the next year. Benefits include a free checked bag and Delta Sky Club access.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Card from Chase
- 80,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months
- $199 annual fee
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business card is new and offers some great benefits including 3x points on Southwest purchases, 9,000 points on your card member anniversary, four upgraded boardings per year, inflight WiFi credits, and Global Entry fee reimbursement.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card from Chase
- 60,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
- $99 annual fee
You can pair the Southwest business card with one of the Southwest personal cards to get the Companion Pass. Since the year is almost over, now is the time to start thinking about earning it for 2020/2021.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
- Earn 5,000 points for adding an authorized user
- $95 annual fee
This is about as good as this sign-up bonus will ever get. The annual fee is no longer waived for the first year, but I think the extra 10,000 points makes up for it. The rules on Chase Sapphire cards are now pretty strict, so make sure you are eligible before signing up.
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature from Bank of America
- 40,000 miles and $100 statement credit after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months
- Companion Fare – Buy one ticket, get one for $99 + taxes and fees
- $75 annual fee
The Alaska Airlines credit card offers usually sit at 30,000 miles for a $1,000 spending requirement. Since these miles are so versatile, the extra $1,000 spend is worth it for 10,000 more miles. Also, the $100 statement credit helps offset the annual fee. Just be careful with Bank of America’s rules. There is also a similar offer on the business card, but without the statement credit.
Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard (use offer code 356467)
- 60,000 miles when you make your first purchase in the first 90 days
- $95 annual fee, waived first year
It’s rare these days to see an offer with such a high bonus without a spending requirement. If you sign up with this inflight offer, the annual fee is waived. You can also apply for an even better offer on the business card, though it requires spending $1,000 and the annual fee is not waived.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited
- 50,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
- No annual fee
Like the Chase Freedom Unlimited, you can earn unlimited 1.5x points (or cash back) on all purchases with this card. This is a good choice if the bonus categories from Chase Ink Cash or Preferred don’t work for you. The sign-up bonus also makes this card an obvious choice.
Chase Ink Business Cash
- 50,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
- No annual fee
This is the best bonus we’ve seen on this card. It’s a great deal considering there is no annual fee. The bonus is technically $500 cash back, but you can use the points as Chase Ultimate Rewards points if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, or Chase Ink Preferred. You’ll earn 5x points on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services as well as 2x points on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants.
Chase Ink Business Preferred
- 80,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months
- $95 annual fee
This is currently Chase’s highest bonus on a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Points are worth 1.25x when redeemed on Chase’s portal. You can also transfer to Chase’s travel partners at a 1:1 ratio. You’ll earn 3x points on travel purchases and business-related expenses like shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, and social media/online advertising. Might as well pay some bills with this card!
Chase Sapphire Reserve
- 50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
- $450 annual fee
While the sign-up bonus is smaller, Chase Sapphire Reserve is still one of the best cards around for its travel protection benefits. I still think it’s worth getting this card for the 50,000 point sign-up bonus and possibly keeping it since the annual fee is only $150 if you deduct the $300 travel credit. The rules on Chase Sapphire cards are now pretty strict, so make sure you are eligible before signing up.
Citi Premier
- 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
- $95 annual fee, waived first year
The sign-up bonus is worth a minimum of $750 towards airfare! In addition to the bonus, you’ll earn 3x points on travel and 2x on dining out and entertainment. Points can also be transferred to airlines including Singapore Airlines and JetBlue.
Capital One Venture Card
- 50,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
- $95 annual fee, waived first year
This is a slightly higher offer on the Capital One Venture card. What makes the offer so exciting is that Capital One recently introduced transfer partners like Air France/KLM and Emirates. This card also comes with a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit.
Above offers available as of 10/1/19. Click here for the most up-to-date offers.
Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here the are author’s alone, not those of any bank or credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
