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Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi Review

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card features cash back on gas, dining and travel while offering unique rewards, no foreign fees and exclusive Costco benefits. Compare its features to similar cards to find your best match.

Updated: March 19, 2024

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About Grace Pilling

Grace Pilling was the Senior Content Manager for Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. She previously led personal finance teams at Bankrate, CreditCards.com and MoneyUnder30.

Pilling has a bachelor's degree in English from Western Sydney University and a diploma in book editing, proofreading and publishing. She is focused on empowering readers to make informed financial choices that support their best lives, not a company’s bottom line.

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Credit Cards > Reviews

Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi review: Worthwhile for routine Costco shoppers

Stella Shon

Robin Saks Frankel

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Updated 7:06 a.m. UTC Nov. 14, 2023

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Citi is a Blueprint partner.

If you already pay for an annual Costco membership, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi * The information for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is practically essential for households who love a good deal, especially since there’s no annual fee. Plus, the card offers an impressive rewards rate on eligible gas and EV charging purchases — even at non-Costco gas stations.

Why trust our credit card experts

Our team of experts evaluates hundreds of credit cards and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best card for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.

• 50+ cards analyzed.
• 8 data points considered.
• 5-step fact-checking process.

About the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi

If you frequent the membership-only warehouse store for groceries, household items and everything in-between, the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi offers valuable cash-back rewards to use on future Costco purchases. There’s no annual fee to worry about as long as you pay for a Costco membership, which costs as little as $60 per year . When you shop in-store, your Costco Anywhere Visa Card doubles as your membership ID card. 

The Costco Anywhere Visa Card earns 4% cash back on gas and EV charging for the first $7,000 per year then 1%, 3% cash back on restaurants and travel purchases, 2% cash back at Costco and Costco.com and 1% cash back on all other purchases. A Costco membership is required to apply.

If you have any international trips planned, the Costco Anywhere doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees and can be used wherever a merchant accepts Visa.

There are a few caveats to note with this popular cash-back card. Your Costco rewards are only accessible once per year in February, so you may want to look elsewhere for a card that lets you redeem your cash back more frequently. Finally, you’ll want to be careful to pay off your full statement balance in a timely manner, as it has a 20.49% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. Balance transfers must be completed within two months from account opening and a fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies. 

Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi basics

• Annual fee: $0 (but a Costco membership is required to apply for the card).
• Welcome bonus: None.
• Rewards: 4% cash back on gas and EV charging for the first $7,000 per year then 1%, 3% cash back on restaurants and travel purchases, 2% cash back at Costco and Costco.com and 1% cash back on all other purchases. A Costco membership is required to apply.
• APR: 20.49% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. Balance transfers must be completed within two months from account opening and a fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies.
• Other perks and benefits: No foreign transaction fees.
• Does it report to all three credit bureaus? Yes.
• Does the issuer offer a pre-approval tool? No.
• Recommended credit score: Excellent.

Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi other details

Costco anywhere visa card by citi rewards.

The major benefit of the Costco Anywhere Visa Card is that it offers rewards on both Costco purchases and other life expenses. With this card you can earn 4% cash back on gas and EV charging for the first $7,000 per year then 1%, 3% cash back on restaurants and travel purchases, 2% cash back at Costco and Costco.com and 1% cash back on all other purchases. A Costco membership is required to apply.

While you can earn a tremendous rewards rate on eligible gas and EV charging purchases, there are a few limitations to discuss. First, you can only the elevated rewards rate on the first $7,000 spent per year, and some gas stations at non-Costco superstores and grocery stores may not count towards the elevated rewards rate. If your household spends more than $583 on gas per month, you’ll only earn the lower rewards rate on gas and EV charging purchases after this spending threshold. 

It’s also worth noting that many credit cards offer strong rewards on groceries but tend to exclude warehouse stores like Costco, Sam’s Club or BJ’s. If you shop at Costco often, opening the Costco Anywhere Visa Card can be a great way to earn a solid rewards rate on all of your Costco purchases. 

Patience is a virtue with the Costco Anywhere Visa, as cardholders will receive a lump sum of their rewards earned once per year—specifically when your February billing statement closes. Rewards accrued from January through December’s billing statements are given in the form of an annual Costco credit card reward certificate and must be redeemed by December 31 of that same year.

Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi rewards potential

Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has an annual income of $84,352 and $25,087 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a credit card. We’ll also assume that this household spends half of its grocery spend at Costco. 

• $1,568 in spending on gas x 4% back = $62.72 in rewards.
• $2,375 in spending at restaurants x 3% back = $71.25 in rewards.
• $985 in spending on travel x 3% back = $29.55 in rewards. 
• $2,471 in spending on groceries at Costco x 2% back = $49.42.
• $17,688 in spending on all other eligible purchases = $176.88. 

This example cardholder can earn a grand total of $389.82 in rewards annually.

Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi pros

• No annual fee: As long as you have a Costco membership open, you won’t pay an annual fee if approved for the Costco Anywhere Visa Card.
• Good rewards rate: The card offers impressive rewards potential on popular bonus categories, including Costco purchases, gas, restaurants and travel.
• No foreign transaction fees: The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi is accepted anywhere that accepts Visa worldwide, and comes with no foreign transaction fees.
• Card doubles as your membership ID: Forget your Costco ID at home? Don’t fret — you can show your Costco Anywhere Visa Card instead.

Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi cons

• You must keep your Costco membership open to keep the card (and rewards): If you decide to close your Costco membership, you’ll lose all of your hard-earned rewards — and the ability to keep the Costco Anywhere Visa Card active.
• Rewards expire: Cardholders will receive their cash-back rewards annually in February and must redeem their reward certificate in-person by the end of the year.
• No more extended warranty: The card no longer offers this useful benefit, which adds an additional 24 months on top of an eligible manufacturer’s warranty for up to a maximum of seven years of protection. 
• No sign-up bonus: There’s no introductory welcome offer on the card. 

How the Costco Anywhere Visa card compares to other rewards cards

Costco anywhere visa card vs. chase freedom unlimited®.

If you’d rather redeem your rewards throughout the year, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is another trusty cash-back card that may fit your needs better. Also with no annual fee, the card earns 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstore purchases and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. 

The Chase Freedom Unlimited offers greater flexibility since you earn a higher rewards rate than the Costco Anywhere Visa on all other purchases. Plus, you can redeem your rewards on the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal at any amount. 

Currently, new cardholders can earn 1.5% back on everything bought in the first year on up to $20,000 in spending, which is worth up to $300.

Costco Anywhere Visa Card vs. Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi * The information for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.  

If you’re a restaurant owner, are self-employed or own any type of small business, you may want to consider the Costco Anywhere Visa Business card instead. It offers the same great benefits and rewards rates as the personal version, also with no annual fee. Costco’s Business membership starts at $60 per year. 

The Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card is also a solid option for keeping your personal and business finances separate. You can also add employees as authorized users for no additional cost, but they must have their own Costco membership to qualify. 

Costco Anywhere Visa Card vs. Citi Premier® Card * The information for the Citi Premier® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.  

The Citi Premier Card can help you stretch your everyday expenses further and earn travel rewards. The card offers 3 ThankYou® points per $1 at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Plus, through June 30, 2024, earn 10 ThankYou points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel portal. 

While there’s a $95 annual fee with the card, you have many valuable redemption options for your rewards. For maximum value, consider transferring your points to one of Citi’s travel loyalty partners. Plus, you can enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or greater (excluding taxes and fees) when you book through thankyou.com, once per calendar year — a move that can help you break even with the annual fee.

New applicants can also earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. 

Should you get the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi?

With more than 120 million members, Costco is among the most popular warehouse clubs in the world. If you’re a Costco loyalist, the Costco Anywhere Visa Card can help you maximize your purchases and save big on a future purchase, whether you’ve been eyeing a new TV or want to reduce your grocery cost.  

Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi summary

Methodology

Our credit card team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings.

Some of the factors evaluated in selecting the best rewards credit cards included:

• Rewards potential and redemption options.
• Welcome bonuses.
• Travel and shopping benefits.
• Intro APRs.
• Annual fees.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

You can use the Citi Costco Visa Card anywhere that accepts Visa cards — whether that’s at Costco, Costco.com or virtually any retailer that takes Visa.

Yes, Costco accepts all Visa cards — including the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi.

No, you must make your Citi Costco Anywhere Visa Card payments through your online Citi account. 

Citi, like most issuers, doesn’t specify an exact credit score requirement to be eligible for approval. However, for your best chances of approval, you’ll likely need a very good credit score, which FICO generally defines as 740* or higher.

Yes. You’ll be given a specific credit limit upon approval depending on your creditworthiness and other factors. 

*Blueprint credit ranges are derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.

*The information for the Citi Premier® Card, Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi and Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Stella Shon is a freelance writer that connects the dots between personal finance and travel. Her work has appeared in The Points Guy, ValuePenguin and MoneyUnder30, and she's been interviewed by The New York Times, CNBC and more.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

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I Cut My Hotel Price in Half Using Costco Travel and Still Earned Solid Travel Rewards

Brett Holzhauer

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Costco Travel Remains a Staple in My Toolbelt

Booking through costco travel, booking through marriott, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

When you’re a seasoned points and miles fan, it can become a ritual to simply book all your flights and hotel directly through the airline or hotel brand. This is typically more beneficial than not, as you earn loyalty status and also get direct customer service if something goes wrong.

But occasionally, I’ve found it to be beneficial to book through Costco Travel. Although I typically use this service for rental cars only, I’ve found some solid value in the last few months by using Costco’s all-in-one travel portal.

Here’s what you need to know about how I saved money through Costco Travel for my upcoming Mexico trip.

It’s shocking to me when I tell people about Costco Travel since many people don’t even know it’s a benefit. While it’s not always the best route to go, it’s a great resource to keep in mind when you’re looking for the best deal for your next trip.

On the platform, you can book hotels, rental cars, cruises, and theme park-related getaways, and you don’t need a membership to look through the website to see the available deals. However, you do need a membership (or a friend with a membership) to book through Costco Travel .

If you find a Costco Travel deal worth booking and aren’t a member, simply ask a friend or family member with a Costco membership for their login. I’ve booked rental cars, cruises, and hotels for friends and family through Costco Travel plenty of times with no issue at all. The entire booking can be in someone else’s name, and if you have an Executive Membership, you will earn 2% back to your yearly membership reward.

Regardless of how or where you travel, Costco Travel is worth playing around with, as there can be some great deals.

How I Saved Money Through Costco Travel

Although I recently wrote about how travel prices really haven’t jumped all that much when adjusted for inflation , seeing larger numbers never sits well psychologically. To add insult to injury, I’ve been pretty “points broke,” so I found myself using cash rather than credit card rewards for my recent travels.

When an opportunity came up to book a nice 5-day getaway in Cancun (a short 1.5-hour flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida), I jumped right at it. But wow, some of these hotels are charging absurd prices. So I did some digging and found an incredible deal through Costco Travel. Here’s how the numbers shake out for a 5-night stay at the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa and how much it would be if I booked directly through Marriott.

For a 5-night stay for 2 people at the JW Marriott Cancun, I paid $1,905.71, or $381 per night. It was still a bit pricey, but there’s more to take into account.

When booking travel through Costco Travel, you will likely see several promotions or discounts that further incentivize you to book through their portal. And this deal was no different.

For this deal, I’m getting the following perks:

• A $112 Costco gift card
• Private transportation to and from the airport
• $50 daily resort credit during the stay
• $50 spa credit

For the sake of this example, I won’t be counting the resort and spa credits, as booking through Marriott offers the same benefit. But I figure that a $112 Costco Gift Card is essentially a cash rebate. And since I have a Costco Executive Membership, I will earn 2% back on the purchase price, or $38 back. So my out-the-door cost for this stay is $1,755 .

For the $1,905 purchase, I used my Ink Business Preferred ® Credit Card , which earns 3x per $1 spent on travel (and select business categories up to the first $150,000 spent each year), netting me 5,715 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points. At a 2 cents per point valuation , that’s an additional $114 in value for my next trip.

The way I see it, I paid $1,755 for this trip and earned some valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards along the way.

Here’s the sticker shock if I were to have booked through Marriott directly for the same room. For the same 5-night stay when booking direct, I would have paid double — $4,036.

This is for the Transportation Package in Cancun , and while it may say $3,315 for the stay, it slyly adds in the government taxes and fees at checkout, bringing the total to just over $4,000.

This package comes with roughly the same benefits that Costco Travel was offering, with resort and spa credits and transportation to and from the airport. However, it doesn’t come with the Costco gift card.

But, if I were to book directly with Marriott, I would earn 10 Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 — earning me 40,360 Marriott points. And if I used my Ink Business Preferred card for this purchase as well, I would earn 12,108 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. With our points valuation , this would be $282 and $242 in earned value, respectively.

So, with all factors considered, including the rewards I would earn booking the trip, I would have paid $3,512 — double what I paid going through Costco.

The only benefit I would get booking through Marriott and not Costco Travel is earning toward Marriott elite status . But as I rarely stay at Marriott properties and don’t have status, it wasn’t part of my consideration.

Like any purchase you make today, it’s worth shopping around to see if there are better deals out there. Although it may pain you to make a third-party booking where you can’t take advantage of your loyalty status benefits, your wallet will thank you later. With all that money saved, you can definitely afford an extra hot dog on your next trip to Costco.

Was this page helpful?

About Brett Holzhauer

Brett is a personal finance and travel junkie. Based out of Fort Lauderdale, he’s had over 100 credit cards and earned millions of credit card rewards. He learned the tricks of the trade from his mom, and has taken many steps forward. He wasn’t exposed to much travel as a kid, but now has a goal of reaching 100 countries in his life. In 2019, he sold all of his possessions to become a digital nomad, and he says it was one of the best decisions he ever made. He plans to do it again at some point in his life.

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Citi Ends Foreign Transaction Fee on Costco Anywhere Visa

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» This page is out of date

The terms on the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi have changed since this article was written. For current information, see NerdWallet's review of the card.

If you have the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi and you like to travel, the new year is bringing you some good news: You can soon wave goodbye to the card's 3% foreign transaction fee. Citi notes the change will be effective on purchases made after Jan. 25, 2018.

For world travelers, especially those on a budget, foreign transaction fees can add a tidy sum to the cost of a trip. For example, if you were to spend $1,000 on the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi for airfare to London, you'd earn 3% cash back. But if you then spend $1,000 on that card while you’re in England, the current 3% foreign transaction fee would wipe out any cash-back benefit you got when you paid for your airfare.

Removing the foreign transaction fee should make the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi more appealing as a travel card .

“Citi and Costco are committed to consistently delivering value to customers and ensuring that the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi remains a highly competitive card,” a Citi spokesperson wrote in an email.

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi pays 4% cash back on up to $7,000 in gas purchases per year (then 1%), 3% cash back on eligible restaurant and travel purchases, 2% at Costco and Costco.com, and 1% on all other spending. It has an annual fee of $0 , but you have to be a Costco member. A basic membership costs $60 a year.

Citi already offers a number of cards without a foreign transaction fee, including the Citi Premier® Card . And nearly all issuers offer cards that have no foreign transaction fees .

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Costco Anywhere Visa Cardmember Deal

Digital Costco Shop Card

Maximize Your Rewards

Book an eligible vacation package* in one of the select locations using your Costco Anywhere Visa® card by Citi and receive a Digital Costco Shop Card valued at 20% of your total package price¹. Simply enter your promo code at checkout to receive the bonus Digital Costco Shop Card valued at 20% of your total package price. Valid for travel through 8/31/24, book between 2/6/24 – 4/30/24. In addition, you can earn 3% cash back rewards on Costco Travel purchases when you use the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi.‡

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San francisco, los angeles, phoenix & scottsdale, new york city.

Digital Costco Shop Card is not redeemable for cash except as required by law.

*Not valid for cruises, rental cars, hotel (room-only) reservations, Disneyland® Resort packages, guided vacations, or any other specialty vacation products.

¹Bonus Digital Costco Shop Card Promotion: One bonus Digital Costco Shop Card per booking. To qualify for the Bonus 20% Digital Costco Shop Card, you must book a vacation package to Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, Florida, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Europe, Sedona, Phoenix or New York City with your Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi within the book by Window and travel through dates. The Promo Code provided must be provided during checkout to qualify. The Digital Costco Shop Card is non-transferable and may not be combined with any other promotion. The Digital Costco Shop Card will be emailed 1 – 4 weeks after your trip. Digital Costco Shop Cards are not redeemable for cash, except as required by law. For complete Digital Costco Shop Card terms and conditions, click on the Terms & Conditions link below.

‡Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi — Earn 3% cash back rewards on Costco Travel purchases. Subject to credit approval. Cash back will be provided as an annual reward certificate once your February billing statement from Citi closes and is redeemable for cash or merchandise at U.S. Costco warehouses including Puerto Rico, until December 31 of the year issued.

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Citi to raise Global Entry statement credits to $120 for 2 cards

Applying for Global Entry is getting more expensive, but a major credit card issuer is now boosting its Global Entry benefits for two popular travel cards.

On Thursday, Citi announced it would increase its Global Entry statement credits to $120 every four years for the Citi®/AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees ) and the Citi Prestige® Card .

The move comes just days after TPG was first to report that the price of applying for a five-year Global Entry membership would rise from $100 to $120 beginning in October. In announcing the fee hike, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees Global Entry, cited rising costs to operate the program.

The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Offsetting the higher Global Entry fee

As valuable an option as Global Entry is for travelers, the application fee isn't a drop in the bucket. However, some travel credit cards will reimburse the fee when it comes time to apply.

But many of those cards' benefits include specified credits of up to $100 to cover the existing Global Entry expense. (Exact terms differ from card to card.)

CBP's fee hike planned for later this year opened the door for questions about whether card issuers might adapt their Global Entry benefits to account for the new, higher fee.

Now, Citi has done just that, ensuring Global Entry remains essentially a free perk for travelers who carry two of its high-end cards.

What citi cards are raising their global entry credit?

Starting on Oct. 1, 2024, Citi will raise its Global Entry fee statement credits for two cards: the Citi Prestige Card and the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard .

Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard

Though the Citi/AAdvantage Executive card has a hefty $595 annual fee, it carries strong value for regular American flyers; it's the only card that provides complimentary Admirals Club access.

Cardholders can earn 4 AAdvantage miles for every dollar spent on American Airlines purchases and 1 AAdvantage mile for every dollar spent on other purchases. You'll earn Loyalty Points on everyday purchases, too, which helps you work your way toward AAdvantage elite status .

That's on top of other perks such as Lyft and Grubhub credits, as well as the Global Entry (or TSA PreCheck) statement credit once every four years; that credit will now rise from $100 to $120 for Global Entry applicants to cover the program's hiked fee.

Citi Prestige Card

Meanwhile, cardholders with the Citi Prestige card (no longer available to new applicants) can receive a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry enrollment fee credit every four years. As of October, that credit will likewise cover up to $120 for applications to the latter program.

The card carries a $495 annual fee.

What is Global Entry?

Global Entry provides travelers with an expedited trip through passport control following an international flight. It's available at 77 airports, most of which are in the U.S.; there's also a handful of international preclearance facilities.

The program also gives travelers access to the TSA PreCheck lanes at airport security checkpoints.

Though Global Entry applicants have faced delays in recent years, from long processing times to challenges finding an interview, wait times are improving for the vast majority of travelers, CBP insisted in a recent interview with TPG.

Bottom line

Now, all eyes will be on other credit card issuers to see if they will follow in Citi's footsteps and raise their Global Entry statement credits to account for the program's higher fee. The higher fee takes effect in October.

Because of the changes to make Global Entry more efficient and technologically advanced — not to mention the fact that children of members or applicants can apply for free as of October — it's a great time to consider joining. This is especially the case if the adults in your family can get their application costs reimbursed or offset through an eligible travel credit card.

Related reading:

• The best current credit card welcome offers
• 7 things to understand about credit before applying for a new card
• How to apply for a credit card
• What is APR on a credit card?
• How to check your credit score for free

Credit Card Bonuses up to $1,600 for New Cardholders

With credit card bonuses, you can make banks pay for your business. Here are the best sign-up deals.

• Newsletter sign up Newsletter
• Amex Platinum: $1,600
• Marriott Bonvoy: $1,050
• Alaska Airlines: $770 + free ticket
• Blue Cash Preferred: $250
• Other bonus offers
• Rewards cards warning

This article reviews our picks of the best rewards credit cards. We may get compensation if you visit partner links on our site. We may not cover every available offer. Our relationship with advertisers may impact how an offer is presented on our website. However, our  selection of products  is made independently of our relationship with advertisers. 

Credit card bonuses really can get you a free airline ticket or line your pocket with some extra cash. But as is the case with many rewards credit cards , the devil is in the details. Since you want to keep your credit cards active and avoid having them closed by the issuer, you should only sign up for credit cards that you want for the long term.

Here are the personal cards that will land you the biggest sign-up bonuses as measured by cash back or the value of miles or points (as calculated by Bankrate ). Each card offers the top value in the categories of general travel credit cards , hotel cards, airline cards and cash back cards . 

Some cards have low annual fees, while others have high fees that we have deemed worth the cost. 

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Best General Travel Card Bonus: $1,600 for Amex Platinum

<a href="https://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/pdp/the-platinum-card-from-american-express/?aid=d7da4e43&tid=a5c94a31662f4f9abed073210cd0dc33" data-link-merchant="bankrate.com"" target="_blank"> The Platinum Card® from American Express  

Annual fee : $695. 

Sign-up bonus : Worth $1,600. Up to 80,000 points if you spend $8,000 in the first six months.

Frequent travelers can offset the card’s hefty annual fee by taking advantage of its bountiful perks and valuable points structure. For example, you can get yearly credits of up to $200 for incidental fees with one airline you choose, $200 for select hotel bookings through Amex, $189 for membership with the CLEAR airport security screening program, $200 in Uber Cash (for Uber Eats orders and Uber rides) and $155 for a Walmart+ membership (which provides free shipping from Walmart, among other benefits). 

Travelers enjoy access to airport lounges, including Amex’s Centurion lounges, Airspace, Delta Sky Club, Escape, Plaza Premium, and Priority Pass Select networks. Plus, you get up to $100 in fee reimbursement for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. 

Cardholders earn five Membership Rewards points per dollar for flights booked with airlines or through American Express (on up to $500,000 per year spent) and on prepaid hotel bookings through Amex; two points per dollar spent on other qualifying Amex Travel reservations (such as cruises); and one point per dollar on other spending.

Interest rates: Pay over time 21.24% to 29.24% APR, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. Terms Apply. <a href="https://oc.brcclx.com/t?lid=26689075" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" data-link-merchant="bankrate.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">See rates and fees.

For more on this and other general travel cards, read <a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/605269/the-best-travel-rewards-credit-cards" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" data-link-merchant="bankrate.com"">Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards.

Best Hotel Card Bonus: $1,050 from Marriott Bonvoy

<a href="https://creditcards.chase.com/travel-credit-cards/marriott-bonvoy/boundless" data-link-merchant="creditcards.chase.com"" target="_blank"> Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Annual fee:  $95

Sign-up bonus: Worth $1,050. Earn Three Free Night Awards  (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from your account opening. You'll also enjoy a Free Night Award every year after your account anniversary.

Frequent guests of Marriott hotels can get good value from this card from Chase; redeem points for Marriott stays or transfer them to the frequent-flier programs of nearly 40 airlines. You can also transfer Ultimate Rewards points earned on other Chase cards to your Bonvoy account.

You can rack up points quickly on this card. Earn up to a total of 17x bonus points by layering reward categories. Earn six Marriott points per dollar spent at Marriott properties, ten points for being a Marriott Bonvoy member, three points per dollar on up to $6,000 spent yearly at grocery stores, gas stations and dining, and two points per dollar on all other spending. 

Interest rate: 21.49% to 28.49% variable.

Read the full review: <a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/marriott-bonvoy-bonus-offer" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="creditcards.chase.com""> Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Offer: Three Nights Free

Best Airline Card Bonus: $770 + free ticket from Alaska Air

<a href="https://www.alaskaair.com/content/credit-card/visa-signature" data-link-merchant="alaskaair.com"" target="_blank"> Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card

Annual fee : $95.

Sign-up bonus : For a limited time, new cardholders get a free companion pass and 70,000 Bonus Miles (worth about $770) after spending $3,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of opening the account. 

This card offers three points for every dollar spent on Alaska Airlines travel, two points on gas, cable, streaming and local transit, and one point on all other purchases. 

Interest rates: 20.24% to 28.24% variable APR for purchases and balance transfers.

Read  <a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/alaska-airlines-credit-card-a-great-deal-for-bank-of-america-customers" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="alaskaair.com"" target="_self"> our article detailing the Alaska Airlines credit card  for more details.

Best Cash Back Card Bonus: $250 from Amex Blue Cash Preferred

<a href="https://oc.brcclx.com/t?lid=26689024" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" target="_blank"> Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express  

Annual fee:  $95, waived the first year. 

Intro bonus:  $250 back if you spend $3,000 in the first six months.

This intro bonus is high when compared to other cash back cards, most of which offer $0 to $200 as a welcome offer.

Many consumers could benefit from this card's exceptional 6% cash back on up to $6,000 of supermarket spending annually. (Big-box stores such as Walmart and Costco are excluded.)

The card also offers 6% back on select streaming subscriptions, 3% at gas stations and on transit (such as ride-sharing services and tolls), and 1% on other spending. Redeem cash back for statement credits.

The Card has a 2.7% foreign transaction fee, so select another <a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/605269/the-best-travel-rewards-credit-cards" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" target="_self">credit card for travel abroad. See <a href="https://oc.brcclx.com/t?lid=26689061" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">rates and fees. 

Interest rate: Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.24% to 29.99%. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%. See rates and fees. Terms apply.

For more on this and other general travel cards, read <a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/605269/the-best-travel-rewards-credit-cards" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"" data-link-merchant="kiplinger.com"" data-link-merchant="oc.brcclx.com"">Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards.

Other sign-up bonus offers

• Hilton Honors Increases Bonus Offer: Now Worth $1,130  ($930 bonus + $200 annual credit)
• Wyndham Bonus Offer: 13 Nights Free  (worth up to $900)
• Jet Blue Credit Card Offer Worth over $780
• Capital One Venture Rewards Launches $750 Bonus Offer
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Launches $750 Bonus Offer
• Best Airline Credit Card Bonuses with a Free Ticket
• Southwest Credit Cards Launch $750 Bonus Deal
• Earn Delta SkyMiles Worth up to $720

Rewards Cards Dos and Don'ts

As with any  rewards credit card , be sure to weigh these benefits against fees — a $150 annual fee in this case — and make sure you understand how to use the card effectively. That said, $150 may be more than offset by those maxing out the benefits. 

In addition, while reward credit cards are great if you use them wisely,  always pay them off in full and on time each month  to avoid interest, which can dwarf any rewards you earn. Don't change your spending habits to earn extra points. That's a slippery slope that can lead to overspending.

If this is your first foray into credit cards, or you just want a refresher, make sure you know  how to choose a credit card . And ensure you are familiar with what counts as a  good credit score . 

All information about the Platinum Card from American Express and the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express has been collected independently by Kiplinger. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.    As an independent publication dedicated to helping you make the most of your money, the article above is our view of the best deals and is not the opinion of any entity mentioned such as a card issuer, hotel, airline etc. Similarly, the content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of those entities.

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Ellen writes and edits personal finance stories, especially on credit cards and related products. She also covers the nexus between sustainability and personal finance. She was a manager and sustainability analyst at Calvert Investments for 15 years, focusing on climate change and consumer staples. She served on the sustainability councils of several Fortune 500 companies and led corporate engagements. Before joining Calvert, Ellen was a program officer for Winrock International, managing loans to alternative energy projects in Latin America. She earned a master’s from the U.C. Berkeley in international relations and Latin America. 

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