Apply here for a limited time offer on the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card and earn 100,000 bonus points. Offer ends 10/31/18.
These are some of the best rewards Credit Cards availableWhether you’re new to the world of travel rewards or simply looking to top up one of your balances, credit card welcome bonuses are the fastest way to get you there. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of seeing a massive bonus post to your account and realizing how much of the world you’ll get to explore with it.
If you’ve been thinking about adding a new card to your wallet, now is the perfect time. We’re currently seeing 100,000-point bonuses — and in some cases even more — on some of the best cards on the market. But don’t be fooled — not every 100,000-point offer is worth the same amount. Here’s a rundown of the currently available 100,000-point and higher offers, and which ones should top your list.
| Card | Annual Fee | Bonus (value based on TPG’s valuations) | Notable Perks |
| British Airways Visa Signature Card | $95 | 100,000 points
$1,500 |
Travel Together Ticket after spending $30,000 in a year |
| Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card | $95 | 100,000 points
$1,500 |
Companion Ticket after spending $30,000 in a year (economy only) |
| Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card | $450 | 100,000 points
$900 |
$300 annual Marriott/SPG statement credit, 6x points at SPG and Marriott properties, complimentary Gold Elite status, free night award after account anniversary. Terms apply. |
| Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express | $95 (waived the first year) | 100,000 points
$900 |
6x points at SPG and Marriott properties, complimentary Silver Elite status, free night award after account anniversary. Terms apply. |
| Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express | $450 | 150,000 points
$900 |
$250 airline credit, $250 Hilton resort credit, $100 property credit on eligible stays of 2 or more nights at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad hotels. Terms apply. |
| Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card | $95 | 125,000 points
$750
|
One free weekend night after spending $15,000 in a year, Diamond status after spending $40,000 in a year. Terms apply. |
| Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | $95 | 125,000 points
$750 |
One free weekend night after spending $15,000 in a year, second free weekend night after spending $60,000 in a year, Diamond status after spending $40,000 in a year. Terms apply. |
| IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card | $89 | 100,000 points
$600 |
10x points at IHG hotels, fourth night free on award stays, anniversary free night, complimentary Platinum Elite status |
The British Airways Visa Signature Card has returned with its tiered 100,000-point bonus. You’ll earn the entire bonus in three parts…
Earn 50,000 Avios after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months Earn an additional 25,000 Avios after spending a total of $10,000 in the first 12 months Earn another 25,000 Avios after spending a total of $20,000 in the first 12 monthsThe last two tiers of this bonus count all your purchases for the year, so after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, you only need another $7,000 to unlock the second tier. When you factor in the spending you have to do to earn the bonus, you’ll walk away with a grand total of 120,000 Avios, which is enough to take some pretty impressive trips.
Co-branded airline credit cards usually don’t come with that many bells and whistles, but the British Airways Visa has one impressive perk worth trying to take advantage of: the Travel Together Ticket. You’ll earn this pass after spending $30,000 in a calendar year, and unlike other companion fares, this one is valid on award tickets instead of cash bookings. Just pay taxes and fees — which to be fair, can be quite high on British Airways — and your friend can travel in the same cabin as you (pending availability).
Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card
The Avios program is unique in that multiple airlines — British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus — all participate in some form of it. Even better, you can combine Avios between these different programs depending on which airline you want to book with. So if 120,000 Avios isn’t enough for the trip you’re planning, you can also sign up for the new Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card, which is offering the exact same tiered 100,000-point sign-up bonus. The new Iberia Visa Signature Card is also offering a similar bonus of up to 75,000 Avios if you complete the first two spending tiers ($3,000 in the first 3 months and $10,000 total in the first 12 months). Just note that you shouldn’t necessarily apply for the British Airways Visa, Aer Lingus card and Iberia card all together in short order, as you could be shut down by Chase for that sort of activity.
Because of the incredible value that can be found in the British Airways distance based award chart, TPG values Avios at 1.5 cents each, making this 100,000-point bonus worth a nice $1,500. Also, none of these cards appear to be subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.
Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card
The one new premium card to come out of the Marriott/SPG merger is this high-end offering from Amex, and fittingly, it launched with a 100,000-point limited-time bonus, attainable after you spend $5,000 in the first three months. Offer ends 10/31/18.
There’s a $450 annual fee, but the card offers generous perks, including $300 in credits toward Marriott and SPG purchases each cardmember year, complimentary Gold elite status, a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee waiver, a Priority Pass membership and an annual free night award for properties that cost up to 50,000 points. Starting in 2019, the card will also offer 15 elite night credits toward status.
Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express
The official switchover to the new unified Marriott program occurred on August 18, and we’ve seen plenty of related changes to the chain’s many credit cards — including to the existing Starwood Preferred Guest Amex cards. Both the personal and business versions of the cards are offering elevated welcome bonuses, but the business flavor is the higher of the two (100,000 points vs. 75,000 points). You’ll earn the 100,000 points after you spend $5,000 in the first three months. Offer ends 10/31/18.
This card’s $95 annual fee is waived the first year, and there are no foreign transaction fees. Benefits include a free award night good for a stay that costs up to 35,000 points per night (awarded after your account anniversary), complimentary Silver Elite status and 15 elite night credits toward status starting in 2019.
Hilton Honors Aspire Card From American Express
While Hilton points are the least valuable currency on this list at only 0.6 cents apiece, there are currently three Hilton cards all offering welcome bonuses above and beyond 100,000 points. The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express has the highest bonus of the three — you’ll earn 150,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $4,000 in 3 months.
The Aspire is a value-packed premium card with a hefty $450 annual fee to match. But in exchange for that fee, you’ll automatically receive top-tier Hilton Diamond status, one free weekend night when you open your card and another every year when you renew. Cardmembers get a full Priority Pass membership with guesting privileges and a number of statement credits to offset the high fee: a $250 annual airline credit, a $250 Hilton resort credit at participating hotels, and a $100 property credit on eligible stays of two nights or more at Conrad and Waldorf Astoria hotels.
Hilton Amex Ascend and Hilton Amex Business
If a $450 annual fee sounds a little too rich for you, you can consider one of Hilton’s two mid-tier credit cards instead, both of which have significantly lower $95 annual fees. The Hilton Honors Ascend Card from American Express and the Hilton Honors Business Card from American Express are each offering 125,000-point welcome bonuses, and since they’re different credit card products, you’re able to get both if you want. For the Ascend card, you’ll need to spend $2,000 in three months to earn the bonus, while the Business card requires $3,000 in spend in the first three months.
When it comes to features, these two cards are very similar. Both will get you complimentary Hilton Gold status and the ability to upgrade to Diamond by spending $40,000 in a year, plus a free weekend night certificate good at practically any Hilton property for spending $15,000 in a year, and 10 free Priority Pass visits annually. The Business card has one extra feature that can be useful for high spenders — the ability to earn a second free weekend night with $60,000 in total spend on the card in a calendar year.
If you’re having trouble deciding between one of the mid-tier Hilton cards and the premium Aspire card, make sure to check out our guide comparing “Hilton Ascend vs. Hilton Aspire: Which Card Is Right for You?”
IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
Earn 10x points on IHG hotel stays with the IHG Rewards Club Premier Card. Featured image courtesy of InterContinental New York Times Square.
This card launched with an 80,000-point bonus, but it’s since been boosted to 100,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. While this isn’t the best option for everyday spending, it’s a great card for IHG stays, both because you’ll earn 10x points on spending and because you’ll get a fourth night free on award stays.
There’s an $89 annual fee, and no foreign transaction fees. In addition to earning 10x points on IHG stays, you’ll earn 2x points at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. As a cardmember, you’ll get complimentary Platinum Elite status, and you also get a free night at properties that cost up to 40,000 points per night (awarded each year after your card anniversary).
Bottom LineThese cards offering 100,000-point bonuses (and more) could definitely be worth considering if you’re looking to boost your rewards balance in a specific airline or hotel loyalty program.
And if none of the cards above tickle your fancy, you can see if any additional 100,000-point offers are available to you via the CardMatch tool (which are subject to change at anytime). We’ve seen targeted offers such as 100,000 points for the personal Platinum Card® from American Express, through CardMatch, so it’s definitely worth looking at what card offers are available to you through the tool.
Featured image of the Hilton Conrad Maldives courtesy of the hotel.
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