Top Credit Card Deals
The following is a list of what I feel are the five best credit card offers out there for families. I wouldn’t recommend a card I didn’t have, (or want to add to my collection in the near future) so rest assured that if it is in this list, I am a firm believer that it is a great value. I come to that determination based on the sign-up bonus, the benefits that go with the card, the minimum spending requirements, and the annual fee. Some of the cards on this page are affiliate links, and I do get a referral if you do decide to sign up. Some of them are not my links, they are just the best deals out there! I’ll continue to update this page as card offers become available or expire. I do sometimes post “unofficial” links for credit cards when those offers are better than the official offers I can promote directly. I do not take responsibility for the unofficial links, but I want to make sure you have all available choices and information available to decide which offers are best for you!
1. Chase Ink Bold Charge Card or Chase Ink Plus – 50,000 Ultimate Reward points after spending $5,000 in three months
The Ink Bold Charge Card is a business charge card, so you have to pay off the balance each month, and you need some sort of business to qualify. However, think globally about the word business. Do you sell things on eBay or Etsy? Do you do anything on your own to make some extra money? You will likely be asked some questions about your business, but the threshold for “business” doesn’t seem terribly high. The 50,000 point sign-up bonus is awarded after you spend $5,000 on the card in the first three months. This card also has no foreign transaction fee and awards 5x points per $1 on the first $50,000 spent annually at office supply stores, on cable and wireless service, and landline communications. It awards 2x points per $1 on the first $50,000 spent annually on gas and hotel expenses paid directly to the hotel. The Ink Plus is a newer card that is virtually identical to the Ink Bold except it is a credit card and not a charge card. The beauty is that you can get both cards (and both sign-up bonuses)!
The Ultimate Rewards earned with these card can be transferred on a 1:1 ration to United, British Airways, Hyatt, Korean Airlines, Marriott, Priority Club (Holiday Inn), and many other programs. You can also use them as “cash” to book travel. You also have access to the Ultimate Rewards mall with this card. If you had the old Ink Bold card that was released prior to November 28, 2011 that you can also get this “new” Ink Bold Charge Card and qualify again for the 50,000 point sign-up. Most people do have to call the reconsideration line to get approved for this card, but it is not that bad of a process in most cases. That phone number is 1-800-453-9719 and you can call as early as the same day you apply for the card.
2. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card – 40,000 bonus points after spending $3000 in three months
introductory fee $0 the first year then $95 in subsequent years
This card is my favorite personal card offer right now as it comes with 40,000 very flexible bonus points upon spending $3000 within the first three months. That minimum spending requirement sounds like a lot at first, but read this post to see how that is actually pretty easy for many families. This card also comes with a 7% bonus on all points earned at the end of the year (not including the sign-up bonus). These points are transferable to United, British Airways, Hyatt, Marriott, Priority Club (Holiday Inn), and many other programs. You can also use them as “cash” to book travel. The customer service that comes with this card is top-notch and your calls are answered by real people, not a computerized queue. This card charges no foreign transaction fee – that can be huge if you have any international purchases or travel. This card is in my wallet and actively being used. I also got my mom to sign up recently. You know if I recommend it to my mom, it must be good!
3. American Airlines AAdvantage Visa and American Express cards – 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in three months
- $0 annual fee waived the first year, then $85 annually
- 50,000 miles awarded after spending $3,000 in the first four months
- $150 statement credit after first purchase with American Airlines
- Two AAdmiral Club Passes
This is an “unofficial offer” for this card that is listed as having expired a year ago, yet there are many many success stories with the offer. I have found American Airlines to have some of the best domestic saver award space availability. So, not only do you get 50,000 bonus miles, but you will probably be able to put the points to good use with this program!
Since the “unofficial” offers for the 50,000 points are not clearly marked on the application page, it is best of you click on this link to learn more about how to successfully apply for this offer directly from Flyertalk. Read post #1 of the thread.
Here is a direct link to the offer
4. Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express – 25,000 points (10,000 after first purchase and 15,000 after spending $5,000 in six months)
- Starpoints® bonus: earn up to 25,000 bonus points: 10,000 after your first purchase and another 15,000 after you spend $5,000 within the first 6 months of Card membership
- That’s enough for a weekend getaway to a Category 4 Hotel like the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, or six free nights at a Category 2 Hotel
- Earn up to 5 Starpoints® for each dollar of eligible purchases at participating SPG hotels and resorts – that’s 2 Starpoints for using the Card in addition to the Starpoints you earn as an SPG member. Earn 1 Starpoint for all other purchases.
- Free Hotel Nights: redeem Starpoints at over 1,100 hotels in nearly 100 countries worldwide — with no blackout dates
- Free Flights: redeem Starpoints on over 350 airlines with SPG Flights — with no blackout dates
- Get 5,000 bonus Starpoints after you transfer 20,000 Starpoints to a frequent flyer program with more than 30 airlines
- No limits on the number of Starpoints you can earn
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65
- Terms and Restrictions apply.
Personal version:
Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
Business version:
Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express
5. The Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN – 50,000 Membership Reward points after spending $5,000 on the card in the first three months – LIMITED TIME
- Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $5,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card membership†.
- Earn points even faster to get more rewards for your business.
- 3X points on airfare purchased from airlines. 2X points at US gas stations.
- Up to $100,000 in each category per year, then 1 point.
- Terms and limitations apply.
- Reduce travel costs, show appreciation for employees and clients, and offset everyday expenses by using points to get something back and grow your business.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $175.
- †Apply online to qualify for this offer. See offer terms for details.
The Business Gold Rewards Card® from American Express OPEN
Other Good Credit Card Options:
I am having a hard time keeping my favorite credit cards down to just the “Top 5″, so here are some other good choices that might work well for your family.
One thing I recommend before applying for other offers is to check to see if you are targeted for a better offer via the Card Match Tool from creditcards.com. Sometimes there are superior offers available via that site.
British Airways Visa Signature Card - Earn 50,000 Avios after spending $1,000 on the card in the first three months
- You will get 50,000 bonus Avios after you make $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Plus pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad
- You will also get 2.5 Avios for every $1 spent on British Airways purchases and 1.25 Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases
- Every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you’ll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years
- Chip with Signature Technology allows you to use your card for chip based purchases in Europe & beyond, while still giving you the ability to use your card as you do today at home
- $95 annual fee
British Airways Visa Signature® Card
5. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card – 25,000 Points ($416 in Wanna Get Away Credit) after spending $2,000 in three months
$69 -$99 annual fee (depending on card selected)
These cards are phenomenal if you are interested in domestic travel and Southwest is convenient for you. Southwest isn’t fancy, but it gets you from point A to B and is actually usually pretty family friendly. The annual fee is not waived the first year and is $69 for the Plus card or $99 for the Premier card, but you do receive 3,000 points (worth $50 towards Wanna Get Away fares) or 6,000 points (worth $100) at each anniversary, so that offsets much of the annual fee. You must spend $2,000 on the card in the first three months to get the sign-up bonus. Southwest points are used at a fixed value towards Southwest flights, so the less expensive the flight the further your points can go. The best news is that there are no black-out dates or capacity restrictions with the Rapid Rewards program, so you can use points toward any available seats on any flight! Read this post to find out more about how Rapid Rewards points work. It is worth checking around in the Milesbuzz thread on Flyertalk to make sure a better offer hasn’t popped up.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Personal Card – 25,000 points after spending $1,000 in 3 months ($69 annual fee, but also comes with 3,000 annual bonus points)
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Business Card – 25,000 points after spending $1,000 in 3 months ($69 annual fee, but also comes with 3,000 annual bonus points)
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card – 25,000 points after spending $1,000 in 3 months ($99 annual fee, 6,000 annual bonus points)
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card – 25,000 points after spending $1,000 in 3 months ($99 annual fee, 6,000 annual bonus points
The American Express Platinum Card – Earn 25K Membership Rewards® points after you spend $2,000 during your first three months of Card membership
$450 annual fee
This card is great for frequent, or even fairly frequent travelers. It grants you a $200 airline fee allowance per year (bag fees, drinks on board, food on board, lounge access, and more) plus it gives you free enrollment in Priority Pass Select and Global Entry. It also earns Membership Rewards points. You will receive your 25,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on the card within the first three months. MR points are some of the most flexible points out there and they can be transferred to many airline and hotel programs – often with a nice bonus! The annual fee for this card is high at $450 per year, but the benefits do outweigh the costs for many families –at least for the first year.
- Earn 25K Membership Rewards® points after you spend $2,000 during your first three months of Card membership
- Premium travel benefits: access over 600 lounges worldwide when you enroll in Priority PassTM Select, no foreign transaction fees
- Receive up to $200 annually in a statement credit with the airline of your choice to use towards baggage fees, flight-change fees, in-flight food and beverage purchases and more
- 24/7 Platinum Card® Concierge service for assistance with reservations, travel, gifts, and more
- Entertainment benefits: get Advance Tickets before the public and access once in a lifetime events with By Invitation Only®
- Terms and restrictions apply
The Platinum Card® from American Express
There is also a Mercedes-Benz Platinum version of this card that does come with a slightly higher annual fee ($475) and some additional MB oriented benefits. This is worth considering since the 50,000 Membership Reward points sign-up bonus is currently better than the bonus for the regular Platinum card. It requires $1,000 spending on the card within the first three months.
The Mercedes Benz Platinum from American Express
The American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card – 25,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points after spending $2,000 in three months; earn 15K points after you spend $30,000 within one calendar year
- Earn More: earn 25K Membership Rewards® points after you spend $2K during your first three months of Card membership; earn 15K points after you spend $30,000 within one calendar year
- Earn Fast: 3X points for flights booked with airlines, 2X points at US gas stations and US supermarkets, 1X points on other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.
- Use points for gift cards for dining, entertainment, and to shop over 300 of some of your favorite brands
- Access to Benefits: Baggage Insurance Plan* when you travel, and shop with confidence with Extended Warranty* and Return Protection.*Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company
- Book two consecutive hotel nights through American Express Travel and receive $75 back at checkout. Restrictions may apply
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $175
- Terms and Restrictions Apply
American Express(R) Premier Rewards Gold Card
Chase Freedom – 10,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points/$100 cash after spending $500 in three months
No annual fee
This card is only average by itself, but if you have this card in combination with a card that earns Ultimate Rewards (Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Ink Bold), then the points earned on the Freedom can be used as Ultimate Rewards points. That makes this a great card because of the quarterly bonus categories that this card offers. Each quarter you can earn 5x points in certain categories up to the first $1,500 spent in those categories for that quarter. For 2013 the bonus categories are Q1: gas stations, drug stores, and Starbucks, Q2: restaurants and movie theaters, and Lowe’s Home Improvement stores Q3: gas stations, theme parks, and Kohls, Q4: Amazon.com and select department stores. You will receive $100 cash back (or 10,000 points if you have another card that earns Ultimate Rewards) after spending $500 on the card within the first three months.
Read this post to understand how the Chase Freedom, Chase Sapphire, and Chase checking can really work together to bring in maximum point earnings!
The United MileagePlus Explorer Card – 30,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in three months (5,000 additional miles for adding an authorized user)
- Start with 30,000 bonus miles after your spend $1,000 in the first 3 months
- Check your first bag for free – save up to $100 per roundtrip
- Earn double miles on United ticket purchases, and 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases
- Enjoy priority boarding privileges
- Visit the United Club with two one-time-use passes every year
- Use your miles for any seat, any time, on any United flight
- Your miles don’t expire as long as you’re a cardmember, with no limit to the number of miles you can earn
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95
United MileagePlus Explorer Card
Citi ThankYou Premier Card – 25,000 points after spending $2,000 in three months
$125 annual fee waived the first year.
This card is on my credit card “wish list” for now, but I think it is a great option for those who might have maxed out their Chase applications. You will earn 25,000 points after spending $2,000 within 3 months of account opening. This sign-up bonus is especially good for families looking to redeem their miles and points for domestic economy class travel. Since these points don’t transfer to frequent flyer programs (at least not yet), but rather are used at a fixed dollar amount towards resumptions, they aren’t ideal for those looking to save points for international or first class travel, but it is perfect for those looking to fly to see Grandma in Ohio or Mickey Mouse at Disney World (assuming you already live in the US).
There are two huge bonuses related to using points as cash.
#1 No “blackout dates” or hassle of looking for award seats, just book any ticket that is on sale through their booking engine (which seems to match Expedia) and use your points at a $0.0133 value when you redeem for airfare and $.01 value when redeeming for gift cards of other redemption options. So, your 60,000 sign-up bonus points are worth anywhere from $250 – $333 depending on how you plan to redeem them. Not a bad deal for a card with no annual fee for the first year.
#2. Your airline tickets booked using Citi ThankYou Points are treated as “cash” purchases by the airlines, so those tickets are eligible to earn both redeemable and elite qualifying miles. That is a huge win for everyone, but especially for those that are trying to earn elite status with a certain airline.
This card has no foreign transaction fee and at the end of each Citi ThankYou Card account membership year (your membership year begins the date you became a Citi ThankYou Cardmember), you will also earn an Anniversary Bonus calculated as a percentage of ThankYou Points earned from purchases during that membership year that ranges from 1% – 4% depending on how long you have been a cardmember
Hyatt Visa – Two Free Nights to Use at Any Hyatt Worldwide after spending $1,000 in three months
$75 annual fee – not waived the first year
If you are looking to visit a high price Hyatt (such as the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome, Park Hyatt Tokyo, the NYC properties, etc…) this card should get strong consideration as the two free nights you get upon sign-up could easily be worth $1,000 in those cases. The two free nights are awarded after spending $1,000 on the card in the first three months. If you have Hyatt Diamond status, then your two free nights are in a suite! If you have Platinum status with Hyatt then in addition to your two free nights in a regular room, you get two suite upgrades on paid reservations within the first year. If you don’t already have Platinum or Diamond status with Hyatt, you can ask Hyatt for a challenge at goldpassport@hyatt.com. You will need to already have elite status with another chain in order to get a challenge with Hyatt you will likely have to provide some proof of actual stays with other hotel chains.
The Hyatt Visa will give you Platinum status once you get the card, but you have to already hold elite status when you apply to get the additional suite perks that come from having Platinum and Diamond status with this card. Additionally, this card awards 3 points per dollar on all Hyatt charges, and 2 points per dollar on expenses at restaurants, car rentals, and charges paid directly to the airlines, and has no foreign transaction fees. Upon spending $20,000 in a calendar year, you’ll receive 2 stay and 5 night credits toward elite status. Upon spending $40,000 in a calendar year, you’ll receive an additional 3 stay and
5 night credits. You are also given a free night in a Category 1-4 hotel each year upon renewal. This card comes with chip and signature technology.
Hilton Reserve Card – Two Free Weekend Nights after spending $2,5000 in four months
$95 annual fee
- Sign-up bonus of two weekend night certificates after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first four months of card membership.
- An annual weekend night certificate good at more than 3,800 hotels and resorts within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio after $10,000 in annual purchases.
- Elite Hilton HHonors Gold status as long as you have the card, which offers special benefits including HHonors point bonuses, free high-speed wireless, free breakfast at properties where it isn’t already included, potential executive lounge access and more. Read more about Gold benefits here.
- Top Tier Hilton HHonors Diamond status if you spend $40,000 on the card in a calendar year.
- The weekend night certificates are valid for one (1) weekend night standard accommodation at category 1-7 hotels and select Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, subject to availability and excluding All-Inclusive or Hilton Grand Vacation properties. Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts that do not offer standard rooms are excluded. (that basically means the nights are valid at most hotels in the Hilton family, but there are a few exceptions)
- 10 HHonors Bonus points for each $1 spent on hotels stays within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands, in addition to base points normally earned for stays.
- 5 HHonors Bonus Points for every $1 spent on airlines and car rental purchases.
- 3 HHonors Bonus Points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Advanced chip technology (can be somewhat useful overseas).
- No foreign purchase transaction fees.
Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Reserve Card
Chase Fairmont Visa -Two Free Nights with Breakfast at Any Fairmont after spending $1,000 in three months
$95 annual fee
- Receive two free nights with free breakfast at any Fairmont worldwide after spending $1,000 within the first three months
- Free Fairmont Premier status that will get you things such as complimentary internet and space available upgrades
- No foreign transaction fee
- Receive one free night at any Fairmont on every card member anniversary after spending $12,000 within that year
US Airways MasterCard – 30,000 US Airways Dividend Miles after first purchase (40,000 with a balance transfer)
$89 annual fee
This is a pretty great card issued by Barclays Bank that comes with several benefits other than just the 30,000 miles that are awarded after the first purchase made using the card. First, it gives you a 5,000 mile discount when you book US Airways award tickets on US Airways operated flight. That is a great way to have your miles stretch even further! Second, it awards an annual Companion Discount Certificate that can be used to fly up to to additional persons on your itinerary for just $99 for each of the additional tickets. The initial ticket must cost at least $250, and the flight must be a flight operated by US Airways in the contiguous 48 states or from the US to Canada (subject to some black-out dates and restrictions). This card also comes with Preferred Check-in and Zone 2 boarding.
Historically, using this card has also counted as a hit in the US Airways Grand Slam. You get one free pass to the US Airways Club each year as well as a $75 discount if you purchase US Airways Club membership. I have this card and have no plans of getting rid of it anytime soon.
The US Airways Premier World MasterCard®
There is also an offer for 35,000 miles with the annual fee waived that is the better offer while it lasts – here is a link to that offer.
Club Carlson Credit Card Options
Club Carlson Premier Rewards Visa Signature
- 5 Club Carlson points per dollar on everyday spending
- 10 points per dollar on Club Carlson hotel spending
- 85,000 point signup bonus — 50,000 after first purchase and 35,000 more after $2500 spend within 90 days
- “Bonus Award Night” – your last night on an award redemption is free.
- Automatic Club Carlson Gold status
- 40,000 points annually for card renewal
- $75 annual fee
Club Carlson Rewards Visa Signature
- 3 points per dollar on most spending
- 6 points on Club Carlson hotel spending
- 60,000 point signup bonus — 50,000 after first purchase and 10,000 more after $1500 spend within 90 days
- “Bonus Award Night” – your last night on an award redemption is free.
- Automatic Club Carlson Silver status
- 25,000 points annually for card renewal
- $50 annual fee
Club Carlson Rewards Visa Card
- 1 points per dollar on most spending
- 3 points on Club Carlson hotel spending
- 30,000 point signup bonus after spending $1,000 on the card within 90 days
- “Bonus Award Night” – your last night on an award redemption is free.
- No annual fee
Club Carlson Business Rewards Visa
- 5 Club Carlson points per dollar on most spending
- 10 points per dollar on Club Carlson hotel spending
- 85,000 point signup bonus — 50,000 after first purchase and 35,000 more after $2500 spend within 90 days
- “Bonus Award Night” – your last night on an award redemption is free.
- Automatic Club Carlson Gold status
- 40,000 points annually for card renewal
- $60 annual fee
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Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.
