Complete List Of Credit Card Annual Spending Bonuses

Many U.S.-based airlines allow credit cardholders an opportunity to work toward elite status. Some—like Frontier and JetBlue—will even let you earn top-tier status from credit card spending alone. Meanwhile, legacy U.S. airlines only allow cardholders to earn progress toward status.

American Airlines

• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®*: Through February 29, 2024, earn 10,000 additional Loyalty Points after earning 50,000 Loyalty Points, or after spending $40,000 in purchases that post to the cardmember’s account. Get an additional 10,000 Loyalty Points after earning 90,000 Loyalty Points in that same qualifying year.
  • Starting on March 1, 2024 the Primary credit cardmember will earn 10,000 additional Loyalty Points after earning 50,000 Loyalty Points each qualifying year, and an additional 10,000 Loyalty Points after earning 90,000 Loyalty Points.
• AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®*: Earn up to 15,000 additional Loyalty Point Rewards by earning 5,000 points each time your purchases total $20,000, $40,000, and $50,000 in the 12-month qualification period. Note that this card is not currently open to new applicants.

Delta

• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart. Also, earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving elevated Medallion Status for next Medallion Year. Terms apply.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Earn 1 MQD per $20 in purchases made with the card. Terms apply.

United

• United℠ Explorer Card, United℠ Business Card and United Club℠ Business card*: Earn 25 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) for every $500 in net card spending in a calendar year, up to a maximum of 1,000 PQP.
• United Quest℠ Card: Earn 25 PQP for every $500 in net card spending in a calendar year, up to a maximum of 6,000 PQP.
• United Club℠ Infinite Card: Earn 25 PQP for every $500 in net card spending in a calendar year, up to a maximum of 10,000 PQ.

Many United credit cards that are no longer available to new applicants also have the ability to earn PQP from spending.

Southwest

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card*, Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 1,500 tier qualifying points for each $5,000 in purchases, with no limit on the amount of TQP you can earn.

Other Airlines

• Frontier Airlines World Mastercard®*: Earn toward Elite Status by earning 1 Qualifying Mile with every dollar spent on purchases.
• JetBlue Plus Card* and JetBlue Business Card*: Earn Mosaic elite status for spending $50,000 or more on purchases each calendar year.
• Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard®*: Earn 25 tier points per $2,500 in purchases, up to a maximum of 50 per month.

In addition to shortcuts to elite status, many airline credit cards offer the opportunity to earn travel vouchers or bonus miles through spending.

American Airlines

• AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver Mastercard®*: Earn a Companion Certificate good for two guests for $99 per person (plus taxes and fees) after spending $20,000 on purchases in a cardmember year. The Companion Certificate is only valid on domestic flights. Note that this card is not currently accepting new applications.
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®*: Earn a Companion Certificate good for one guest at $99 (plus taxes and fees) after spending $20,000 on purchases in a cardmember year and your account remains open for 45 days after your account anniversary date. The Companion Certificate is only valid on domestic economy flights.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®*: Earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount for spending $20,000 in purchases in a cardmember year and renewing your card.
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®*: Earn a Companion Certificate good for one guest for $99 (plus taxes and fees) for spending $30,000 in a cardmember year. The Companion Certificate is only valid on domestic flights.
• AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®*: Each year on your cardmember anniversary earn a 5% mileage bonus based on your total eligible purchases made the prior year. Terms apply. Earn a Companion Certificate good for one guest for $99 (plus taxes and fees) for spending $30,000 in a cardmember year. The Companion Certificate is only valid on domestic flights. Note that this card is not currently open to new applicants.

Other U.S. Airlines

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Earn a $200 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 in eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year. Terms apply.
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Earn a $200 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 in eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year. Terms apply.
• United Quest℠ Card: Starting with your first anniversary, you’ll get 5,000 miles back after you take a United award flight booked with your miles, up to two times a year.
• All Southwest co-branded credit cards: Earn a Companion Pass® by earning 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. Spending on co-branded credit cards counts as eligible points, so you can spend $135,000 in a calendar year to earn a Companion Pass through spending alone.
• Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card: Get Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary year after you spend $6,000 or more within the prior anniversary year.
• Alaska Airlines Visa® Business Credit Card*: Get Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) on your account anniversary each year after you spend $6,000 or more within the anniversary year.
• Frontier Airlines World Mastercard®*: Earn a $100 Flight Voucher for spending $2,500 on purchases with your card during a cardmember year.
• Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Business Mastercard®*: Receive a one-time 50% off companion discount for roundtrip coach travel between Hawaii and North America on Hawaiian Airlines. And earn up to 40,000 annual bonus miles: 20,000 bonus miles if you spend $50,000-$99,999 in annual purchases or 40,000 bonus miles if you spend $100,000 or more in annual purchases.
• Free Spirit® Travel More World Elite Mastercard®*: Earn a $100 Companion Flight Voucher each anniversary after making at least $5,000 in purchases within the prior anniversary year.

International Airlines

• Aeroplan® Credit Card: Get 500 bonus points for every $2,000 you spend in a calendar month, up to 1,500 points.
• Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card: Every calendar year you make purchases of $30,000 on your Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card, you’ll receive an economy companion ticket good for 12 months.
• British Airways Visa Signature® Card: Earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years for spending $30,000 in a calendar year. Taxes, fees and carrier surcharges apply.
• Iberia Visa Signature® Card: Earn a discount voucher of $1,000 to use toward two tickets on the same flight for each year you make purchases of $30,000 on your card.

If you’re looking for a shortcut to hotel elite status, you’re in luck. In addition to hotel credit cards that grant hotel elite status for holding the card, here are the cards that will let you spend your way to hotel elite status.

Hilton

• Hilton Honors American Express Card: Get Hilton Honors™ Silver status for holding the card and Hilton Honors™ Gold status after spending $20,000 in a calendar year. Terms apply.
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: The Surpass Card comes with complimentary Hilton Honors™ Gold status. Get Hilton Honors™ Diamond after spending $40,000 in a calendar year. Terms apply.
• The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: The Hilton Business Card comes with complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status. Get Hilton Honors Diamond after spending $40,000 in a calendar year. Terms apply.

Hyatt

• The World of Hyatt Credit Card: Earn five qualifying night credits every year and an additional two qualifying night credits for every $5,000 spent on the card. There is no limit on the number of elite night credits you can earn.
• World of Hyatt Business Credit Card: Earn five qualifying night credits for every $10,000 spent in a calendar year. There is no limit on the number of elite night credits you can earn.

Marriott

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card*: The Bonvoy Boundless comes with complimentary Silver Elite status. Earn Gold Elite status after spending $35,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year.

IHG

• IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card: Earn complimentary Gold Elite status after you spend $20,000 on purchases each calendar year.

Featured Partner Offers

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

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On American Express's Website

Rates & Fees/ Terms Apply

Welcome Bonus

Earn 85,000 bonus points

Annual Fee

$250

Credit Score

Good,Excellent

Regular APR

20.99%-29.99% Variable

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card

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On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website

Welcome Bonus

Up to 60,000 Bonus Points

Annual Fee

$95

Credit Score

Excellent, Good

Regular APR

21.49% - 28.49% variable

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

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On American Express's Website

Rates & Fees/ Terms Apply

Welcome Bonus

Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points

Annual Fee

$650

Credit Score

Good,Excellent

Regular APR

20.99%-29.99% Variable

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

There are plenty of hotel credit cards that offer an award night certificate just for having the card and paying the annual fee. However, there is just a handful that offers the chance to spend toward another free night certificate.

Hilton

• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Earn a reward night certificate after spending $15,000 in a calendar year. Terms apply.
• Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express*: The Aspire Card comes with an annual night reward on your card anniversary. Earn another reward night certificate after spending $60,000 in a calendar year.

Hyatt

• The World of Hyatt Credit Card: The World of Hyatt Card comes with an annual night award at a category 1 to 4 Hyatt hotel or resort. Earn another certificate at a category 1 to 4 hotel or resort after spending $15,000 in a calendar year.

Marriott

• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Earn one free night every year after your card account anniversary at properties that cost up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Earn another free night award after spending $60,000 in purchases in a calendar year. Terms apply.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card: Earn one free night award worth up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year. Terms apply.

Most of the large hotel brand credit cards offer elite status or free nights for spending. However, a few hotel brands also offer a spending path to earning bonus points.

• Best Western Rewards® Premium Mastercard*: Earn 40,000 points when you spend $5,000 every 12 billing cycles.
• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card: Earn 10,000 bonus IHG One Rewards points and a $100 statement credit after spending $20,000 on purchases in a calendar year.
• Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card*: Earn 7,500 bonus points each anniversary year if you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn one Earned Choice Award after spending $60,000 in a calendar year. Options include five Suite Night Awards, a free night award worth up to 85,000 points or $1,000 off a bed from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques. Terms apply.
• World of Hyatt Business Credit Card: Spend $50,000 in a calendar year and get 10% of your redeemed points back for the rest of the year, up to 200,000 points redeemed.

Obviously, these bonuses all sound great—but the prospect of spending $10,000 or more in a year may sound daunting. A few strategies can help you hit the spending thresholds required:

• Use your credit card whenever possible: If you own a card that offers a bonus for meeting spending thresholds, use it to pay for purchases instead of using cash, debit or other payment methods. To earn a credit card bonus, you’ll specifically want to consolidate all your spending on a single, designated card until you hit the required amount.
• Sync your budget with the right credit card: If you have large purchases you were budgeting for anyway, be sure to pay for them with a credit card that offers a spending bonus. You may want to consider timing carefully, to ensure the purchase falls in the year you need it for a credit card bonus.
• Prepay upcoming expenses: If you have wiggle room in your budget, consider paying upcoming expenses in advance so that they fall in a calendar year while you’re working toward a credit card bonus. Insurance premiums, cell phone bills and hotel reservations, for example, can often be paid in advance.
• Track your progress: Most importantly, keep track of your spending toward a bonus target. If you’re short by even $1, you won’t earn the rewards bonanza you were striving for.

In nearly all instances, once you hit the spending requirement for a credit card bonus, your incentive will be issued automatically. Bonus miles are typically added to your account after your statement closes, while certificates may be emailed to you separately.

Once you get your credit card bonus, look over the terms and conditions carefully to ensure you can redeem it properly. Take note of expiration dates so that you’re able to redeem your bonus rewards before the deadline.

As you can see, there are plenty of credit cards that offer the chance to earn a wide variety of perks for reaching a spending threshold. Whether it’s elite status, a free night, a flight voucher or bonus points, you have plenty of options for maximizing your spending.

To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Hilton Honors American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card please visit this page.