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One “shock-and-awe” tactic used by credit card companies is welcome bonuses involving hundreds of thousands of points or miles, but are these offers actually worth it?
It can be easy to get distracted by cards offering thousands of dollars in redemption value, but there are a lot of important questions to ask yourself before applying: Can you afford to spend enough to hit the welcome bonus? Does the card offer longer-term value? And are you earning a new currency, or adding to one you already have?
CNBC Select takes a look at some of the different types of large welcome bonuses available and which, if any, could be a good fit for you.
Types of welcome bonuses
- Cash back: Cash back credit cards typically offer a lump sum of cash back rewards after you hit your spending goal for the welcome bonus. Cash back is generally best for people looking to keep their finances simple and who want straightforward redemption options, like a direct deposit or statement credit.
- Hotel night stays: While less common than the first two types of welcome bonuses, hotel credit cards often reward a certain number of “free nights” in addition to (or in lieu of) a rewards-based bonus. Rewards nights generally allow for a complimentary stay in a room up to a specified value.
Welcome bonuses typically require you to hit a specific amount of spending over a certain time period, so make sure that both of those aspects are factored into your decision.
Which large welcome bonuses are worth it?
For those who don’t have a favorite airline or simply enjoy traveling, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) is currently offering a 125,000-point welcome bonus after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
These points can be worth even more thanks to Chase’s Point Boost feature, which can increase your rewards value by up to 2 cents apiece on select travel booked through Chase. That means this welcome bonus could be worth up to $2,500, which is enough to offset the card’s high $795 annual fee for over three years — not accounting for the various statement credits and perks that the Sapphire Reserve offers.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests.
- Up to $300 in annual travel credit each account anniversary year
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase’s travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Top-tier travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase TravelSM, including The EditSM and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $250 annually
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is useful if you’re working toward higher levels of Marriott status because of its bonus elite night credits and the elite credit you can earn from spending with the card.
- Annual free night award every year after your account anniversary
- 15 elite night credits each calendar year and you can earn additional elite night credits through spending
- Valuable welcome bonus
- Complicated application restrictions
- Bonus rewards on grocery, dining and gas purchases have an annual limit
Rewards
- Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
- 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 spent
- Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card
Balance transfer fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card aims to brings premium restaurant rewards and travel benefits to users, including an annual hotel benefit of $300.
- High rewards rate on travel
- 6X on restaurants
- Can transfer points to American Airlines at a 1:1 rate
- Up to $200 annual splurge credit
- High annual fee
- Limited rewards categories
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- For a limited time, earn 100,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
- Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time
- Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Balance transfer fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
If you’re a small business owner who anticipates growing your business this year, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express could be a good fit. Currently, you can earn an elevated welcome offer of 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.
American Express Membership Rewards® is a strong rewards currency on its own, but the Amex Business Platinum also features a 35% airline bonus when you Pay With Points to book select flights. If you use Membership Rewards to pay for all or part of an eligible flight booked through Amex Travel with your selected qualifying airline, you can get 35% of your points back (up to 1,000,000 points back per calendar year). If you book this way, your points are worth 1.54 cents each, making the bonus worth up to $3,080.
Another nice aspect of the card is that it earns Membership Rewards® points on a variety of business-focused categories and 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com.
The Business Platinum Card from American Express is a premium business card loaded with statement credit offers for business services and travel that help justify its steep annual fee.
- Access to 1,550 airport lounges, including Priority Pass (Enrollment required) and Amex Centurion lounges
- Hotel and rental car elite status perks
- Earns flexible rewards you can transfer to 20+ airline and hotel loyalty programs (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned; Benefits may be subject to auto-renewal)
- High annual fee
- Limited bonus spending categories
- Some statement credit offers are earned in small increments or only apply to purchases from a single brand
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Elevated Welcome Offer: Earn 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,550 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card company on the market as of 07/2025.
- See how you can unlock over $3,500 in business and travel value annually after meeting qualifying spend thresholds on the Business Platinum Card. Terms apply.
- Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually for up to a total of $600 in statement credits per calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using the Business Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- No Preset Spending Limit: The spending limit on the Business Platinum Card is flexible, so unlike a traditional credit card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment and credit history.
- Make the Business Platinum Card® work even harder for you. Hilton For Business members get up to $200 back per calendar year when you make an eligible purchase at Hilton properties across the globe. Benefit enrollment required.
- Fly like a pro with a $200 Airline Fee Credit. Select one qualifying airline to receive up to $200 back per year on baggage fees and other incidentals.
- Use the Business Platinum Card and get up to $209 back per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal).
- Maximize your time away with Fine Hotels + Resorts through Amex Travel™.
- Enroll and get up to $150 in statement credits on U.S purchases directly with Dell Technologies on the Business Platinum Card and an additional $1,000 statement credit after you spend $5,000 or more on that same Card per calendar year.
- Enroll and get a $250 statement credit after you spend $600 or more on U.S. purchases directly with Adobe per calendar year on the Business Platinum Card.
- Get up to $90 in statement credits quarterly for purchases with Indeed on the Business Platinum Card. That’s up to $360 back per year. Enrollment required.
- Get up to $10 in statement credits per month for wireless telephone service purchases made directly with a wireless provider in the U.S. on the Business Platinum Card. That’s up to $120 back per year. Enrollment required.
- 2X points on purchases at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more, up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
- 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com
- 1X points on other eligible purchases
- $895 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
When should you apply for a card with a large bonus?
While the exact time you sign up for a credit card bonus is highly personal, there are a few things to be aware of when you’re considering applying.
One thing that’s fairly easy to do is to check the history of this welcome offer. How is it compared to the card’s best-ever bonus? If it’s substantially lower when you check, consider waiting, especially if you’re not in urgent need of a new card.
You should also consider how many new cards you’ve opened recently. Not only do applications affect your credit score, but some issuers will reject you if you’ve opened too many cards in the recent past.
When aiming to complete a welcome offer, you may need to spend a bit more than you usually would, so take stock of your finances to see if it’s feasible or consider timing the bonus with a large upcoming purchase. It’s never worth going into debt for a lump sum of points.
It’s also important to consider if you’re applying for other financial products that require a credit check, such as a mortgage loan, as hard pulls can temporarily lower your credit score.
FAQs
Which credit card has the biggest welcome bonus?
The biggest welcome bonus is hard to estimate, as some bonuses come in the form of cash back, points, miles or hotel nights, for example. In terms of points or miles, two of the largest welcome bonuses currently available are offered by the American Express Platinum Card® and Amex Business Platinum.
Should I get a cash back or travel rewards welcome bonus?
Your choice between a cash back credit card and travel credit card bonus comes down to how much time and effort you’re willing to put into earning and redeeming. Cash back rewards are typically more simple to redeem, but travel rewards have a higher value ceiling.
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For rates and fees of the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.