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If you’re in the market for a new travel rewards credit card, depending on your loyalty programs of choice, now could be an ideal time to sign up. Why? For the next few days, at least, a handful of co-branded cards are available with the highest publicly available sign-up bonuses we’ve ever seen.
That’s not to say we haven’t seen the same exact offers before in some cases; for the Delta Amex cards, for example, we saw the same bonuses earlier this summer. But they’re back at the elevated level, which means now’s a great chance to apply for either.
1. Hilton Honors Surpass Card from American Express
Ahead of becoming the Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card in January 2018, the Hilton Surpass Amex is offering a higher-than-ever sign-up bonus of up to 125,000 points. You’ll earn 100,000 Hilton Honors points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months, plus another 25,000 points after you spend an additional $1,000 in your first six months.
Based on TPG’s latest valuations, 125,000 Hilton Honors points are worth $750. What’s more, you don’t have to spend a super-steep amount to earn this bonus; we’re looking at just $4,000 total in the first six months (though note the first $3,000 has to be spent in the first three months from cardmembership). This offer is available exclusively through The Points Guy from now until January 17, 2018.
2. Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express
This co-branded Delta Amex card is now offering its frequently recurring sign-up bonus of up to 60,000 SkyMiles. Like with the Hilton Surpass card, to earn this full bonus you need to meet two tiers of spending requirements. In this case, it’s $2,000 in the first three months to earn 50,000 SkyMiles, plus another $1,000 in the first six months to earn an additional 10,000 SkyMiles. You can also earn a $50 statement credit if you make a Delta purchase on the card in the first three months. This offer is only available until Wednesday, November 8, after which it will likely go down to the standard sign-up bonus of 30,000 miles after spending $1,000 in the first three months.
60,000 Delta miles are worth $720 based on TPG’s valuations. While the airline no longer publishes an award chart, 60,000 miles should be enough for a round-trip transcontinental flight (such as from New York to Los Angeles) or a round-trip flight to Europe in the main cabin.
The Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card has a $95 annual fee that’s waived the first year, and no foreign transaction fees. It earns 2x miles on Delta purchases and 1 mile per dollar on everything else, and as a cardholder you get a first bag checked free and priority boarding on Delta flights, among other benefits. The Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card from American Express is offering this same sign-up bonus of up to 60,000 miles through November 8.
3. Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express
This more premium Delta Amex card is also offering its best sign-up bonus until Wednesday, November 8: Earn 70,000 SkyMiles plus 10,000 MQMs after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. You’ll also earn a $100 statement credit when you make a Delta purchase in the first three months.
Again, since Delta doesn’t publish award charts, your mileage will literally vary when it comes to what redemptions you could unlock with this 70k offer. However, based on a search for travel in early December, you could book a one-way flight to Aruba in Delta One and still have 15,000 miles left over.
In addition to earning redeemable miles, the Platinum Delta Amex Card‘s bonus includes 10,000 MQMs (Medallion Qualification Miles) toward elite status. You can also earn additional MQMs by meeting two spending thresholds on the card: $25,000 (for 10,000 MQMs and 10,000 bonus miles) and $50,000 (for another 10,000 each of MQMs and bonus miles) in a calendar year.
This card has a $195 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. You’ll earn 2x miles on Delta purchases and 1 mile per dollar on everything else, and you’ll get a free checked bag on Delta flights and an annual companion certificate for domestic round-trip main cabin travel each year upon the renewal of your card. Note that the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card from American Express is also offering 70,000 miles and 10,000 MQMs through November 8, though it has a higher minimum spending requirement of $4,000.
4. United MileagePlus Club Card
For a long stretch of time, this card wasn’t even offering a sign-up bonus at all, but it’s currently available with 50,000 miles after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. Based on TPG’s valuations, 50,000 United miles are worth $750, and with that sum you could book a round-trip domestic saver award in business class, or a round-trip economy saver award to Hawaii.
The United MileagePlus Club Card comes with a $450 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. While that’s definitely steep, you do get a full United Club lounge membership, which itself is worth at least $450 per year. Other benefits include 2x miles on United purchases and 1.5x miles on everything else, Premier Access travel services at the airport, first and second bags checked free on United flights and complimentary Hyatt Discoverist status.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking to boost your account balances with Delta, Hyatt or United, now could be a great time to add one or more of these cards to your wallet, since you’ll be getting the best offers we’ve seen to date with all of them. However, keep in mind the end dates for these offers: While we don’t know when the United Club Card‘s 50k offer will end, the two Delta Amex cards’ bonuses are only available through Wednesday, November 8, and the Hilton Honors Surpass Amex with up to 125,000 points is available somewhat longer: through January 17, 2018.
Source: thepointsguy.com