Here are the best elevated credit card offers for June 2023 – The Points Guy

July 1, 2023 NewScore 360

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

With summer now upon us, now may be a great time to evaluate your credit card portfolio. Credit card sign-up bonuses and welcome offers are the quickest and easiest way to rake in lots of points and miles, so we regularly update the roundup of our favorite current offers in our best credit cards guide.

But to help you keep up with an ever-changing list of bonuses, we’ve also compiled a list of the best card offers currently available — especially the ones that are worth an extra look right now because they are at all-time highs or may end soon.

Since many issuers have restrictions on how often you can earn a bonus on a card, it’s important to time your application for when there’s a good offer. Also, higher bonuses don’t always stick around for long, so if you’re considering one of these offers, you’ll want to hop on it sooner rather than later.

Finally, if you’re not ready to jump on a higher-end card, consider these great starter cards or even one with a 0% introductory annual percentage rate (APR) offer.

The best credit card offers for July 2023

Card	Sign-up bonus/welcome offer	Welcome offer value*	Annual fee
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express	120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership	$2,400	$695 (see rates and fees)
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card	100,000 points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership	$2,000	$95
The Platinum Card® from American Express	80,000 points after you spend $6,000 in the first six months, though you may be able to get a higher bonus through the CardMatch tool (terms apply)	$1,600	$695 (see rates and fees)
American Express® Green Card	60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in their first six months of card membership. Also, get 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in your first six months to earn up to $200 back.	$1,400 ($1,200 in points plus up to $200 in cash back)	$150 (see rates and fees)
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees)	75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening	$1,388	$395 (see rates and fees)
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees)	75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening	$1,388	$95 (see rates and fees)
Chase Sapphire Reserve	60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening	$1,200	$550
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card	60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening	$1,200	$95
American Express® Gold Card	60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first six months of card membership, though you may be able to get a higher bonus through the CardMatch tool (terms apply)	$1,200	$250 (see rates and fees)
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card, and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card	60,000 bonus points plus a 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening	$900	$69 (Plus), $99 (Premier) and $149 (Priority)
United Club Infinite Card	80,000 bonus miles and 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Offer ends Aug. 9.	$880	$525
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card	130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points and a free night reward after spending $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months of cardmembership. Offer ends July 9.	$780	$95 (see rates and fees)

* Welcome offer value is determined using TPG valuations and is not provided by nor reviewed by the issuer.

The Business Platinum Card from American Express

THE POINTS GUY

This business card stands out not only for its 120,000-point welcome offer but thanks to added travel perks that can easily cover the card’s $695 annual fee (see rates and fees). Cardholders enjoy automatic Gold status in both the Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programs, along with access to a wide variety of airport lounges — including Amex Centurion, Priority Pass and Delta Sky Club (when traveling on same-day Delta flights). Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Cardholders also enjoy 5 points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked at American Express Travel, along with 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year).

On top of that, the card comes with up to $200 in annual airline fee statement credits and a 35% points rebate for flights booked through Amex Travel in first or business class on any airline (up to 1 million points back per calendar year), or in any class on the U.S. airline of your choice each year. Non-travel benefits include up to $400 in annual statement credits toward U.S. Dell purchases, up to $360 in credits toward Indeed, up to $150 toward select Adobe purchases and up to $120 toward wireless telephone services.

Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Read our review of the American Express Business Platinum Card for more information.

Official application link: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express with 120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership.

Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Then there’s the Ink Business Preferred. According to TPG’s valuations, this card’s welcome bonus alone is worth $2,000 since you can take advantage of Chase’s excellent collection of airline and hotel transfer partners. Points redeemed through the Chase travel portal are worth 1.25 cents each, which isn’t bad, either.

Another factor in this card’s favor? Its tremendous earning rates. You’ll earn 3 points per dollar across the following categories on up to $150,000 in combined purchases (1 point per dollar thereafter):

Travel
Shipping purchases
Internet, cable and phone services
Advertising on social media sites and search engines

Depending on which categories you spend in, you could earn a whopping 450,000 bonus points per year if you maxed out that $150,000 cap.

Among the Ink Business Preferred’s unsung benefits are cellphone protection, primary rental car coverage (when renting for business purposes) and other travel and purchase protections. You can also add employee cards to your account for free.

Read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card for more information.

Official application link: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card with 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first three months of account opening.

The Platinum Card from American Express

Often referred to as the king of the premium travel rewards cards, the Amex Platinum offers a slew of benefits — along with a $695 annual fee (see rates and fees). Cardholders enjoy perks such as automatic Gold status with both Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy plus access to a wide range of airport lounges, including Amex Centurion, Priority Pass and Delta Sky Club (on same-day Delta flights). On top of that, you’ll get up to $200 in annual airline fee statement credits, an up-to-$200 hotel statement credit to use toward prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings (the latter of which requires a minimum two-night stay) via Amex Travel, and an up-to-$189 Clear Plus membership statement credit — along with numerous other perks. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Non-travel benefits include an up-to-$240 digital entertainment statement credit (split into monthly $20 credits) for Audible, The New York Times, SiriusXM, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal and services under the Disney umbrella — including Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu.

Cardholders also receive an up-to-$155 Walmart+ credit (subject to auto-renewal; Plus Ups are excluded), an up-to-$300 SoulCycle bike credit and an up-to-$300 Equinox statement credit for eligible Equinox memberships (now available as an annual benefit rather than monthly credits). You also receive Uber VIP status and up to $200 in annual Uber Cash (split into monthly $15 credits for U.S. rides and Uber Eats orders plus a $20 bonus in December).

Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Finally, cardholders will enjoy enhanced earning rates on many travel purchases:

5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year)
5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel
1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases

And while the current welcome offer provides solid value, be sure to check the CardMatch Tool to see if you can receive an even higher one (offers are targeted and subject to change at any time).

Read our review of the American Express Platinum Card for more information.

Official application link: The Platinum Card® from American Express with 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.

The American Express Green Card

The American Express Green Card provides a compelling offering in the mid-tier travel category. With 3 points per dollar on broader travel, restaurants and transit as well as annual statement credits for Clear and LoungeBuddy that more than cover its annual fee, the Green from Amex is a card that modern travelers should consider.

The earning rates and benefits of the American Express Green Card will be most attractive to young professionals and millennials (or millennials at heart) who travel for work, pleasure or both. The card earns 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on travel, restaurants and transit, so you’ll want to consider this card if a large chunk of your budget goes toward these categories.

The Amex Green also offers annual up to $189 Clear Plus and up to $100 LoungeBuddy statement credits that can more than offset the $150 annual fee (see rates and fees) while making your time in the airport more efficient and relaxing. If you can utilize these statement credits, the card can easily be a worthwhile addition to your purse or wallet.

Read our review of the Amex Green for more information.

Official application link: Amex Green with 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership. Also, get 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in your first six months to earn up to $200 back.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Venture X card is Capital One’s premium rewards card and offers great earning rates and incredible perks.

Aside from a hefty welcome bonus of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months – worth about $1,388 according to our valuations thanks to Capital One’s excellent airline and hotel transfer partners – the card gives members up to $300 back in statement credits annually for bookings made through Capital One Travel and 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary, starting on their first anniversary (worth $100 toward travel, or $185 by our valuations).

As for earning rates, the Venture X racks up 10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked via Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked via Capital One Travel, and an unlimited 2 miles per dollar on everything else.

Frequent travelers will also enjoy taking advantage of access to Capital One’s developing network of airport lounges as well as the ability to enroll for Priority Pass membership for entry into more than 1,300 lounge locations worldwide (though this no longer includes participating restaurants). It also added the ability to access Plaza Premium lounges worldwide in 2022 and launched The Premier Collection in 2023, giving cardmembers on-property perks at a curated set of luxury hotels.

Read our review of the Capital One Venture X card for more information.

Official application link: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card with 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Venture Rewards packs a pretty good punch for a mid-tier credit card. It earns a flat 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases worldwide, but you can earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel. The miles you earn with this card can be transferred to Capital One’s 17 airline and three hotel partners or redeemed through the Capital One Travel portal.

The card stands out for offering an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years; many other cards that offer this benefit have annual fees of $400 or more. This TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credit alone is worth up to $100. When making everyday purchases, you may also get Warranty Manager Service which can be used for extended warranty protection. The Venture Rewards card doesn’t impose foreign transaction fees, so you can use the card overseas without accumulating extra charges.

Read our review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Card for more information.

Official application link: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card with 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

This is one of the best premium credit cards available.

It earns a whopping 10 points per dollar on Lyft (through March 2025), Chase Dining booked through Ultimate Rewards, and hotel and car rental purchases through the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal. Cardholders also earn 5 points per dollar on airline travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal, 3 points per dollar on travel (after using the $300 travel credit) and dining, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Chase defines travel and dining quite broadly, including everything from parking fees to Airbnb stays and food delivery orders. Perks of the card include a $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass membership, a $5 monthly DoorDash in-app credit (through December 2024), a complimentary DashPass membership and an impressive array of travel protections.

Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve for more information.

Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve with 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

If you can’t justify a high annual fee or want a solid card with an appealing set of perks, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is an ideal fit. It earns 5 points per dollar on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 3 points per dollar on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out; 3 points per dollar on select streaming services; 3 points per dollar on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs); 2 points per dollar on all other travel; and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

The points you earn with this card can be transferred to Chase’s airline and hotel partners or redeemed for 1.25 cents each through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Benefits include a $50 annual credit on hotel stays purchased through Ultimate Rewards, at least 12 months of DashPass membership (when activated by Dec. 31, 2024), primary rental car coverage, up to $500 in trip delay reimbursement if you’re delayed more than 12 hours or overnight, up to $10,000 in trip cancellation and interruption insurance and up to $100 per day for up to five days in baggage delay reimbursement if your bag is delayed more than six hours.

Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred for more information.

Official application link: Chase Sapphire Preferred with 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

American Express® Gold Card

The Amex Gold card is a favorite of many TPG staffers thanks (in large part) to its terrific earning rates:

4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.)
4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year (1 point per dollar after that)
3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel
1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases

The card also offers up to $120 in annual credit for Uber rides and Uber Eats purchases and up to $120 in statement credits for select dining purchases (enrollment is required for select benefits) — all for a manageable annual fee of $250 (see rates and fees)

And while it’s not providing a limited-time bonus for new cardmembers, you can often find elevated welcome offers through the CardMatch tool. The card currently features a public welcome offer of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. However, some new customers can earn a 75,000-point or even 90,000-point welcome offer via the CardMatch tool after meeting the same minimum spending requirements. Note that these elevated offers are targeted and subject to change at any time.

Alternatively, you can refer a friend through the Amex referral program — and when your friend applies for a new account by June 7, you can earn an additional +5 rewards per dollar (as either points or cash back, depending on the card) on eligible U.S. supermarket purchases for three months after they’re approved (starting from the first date the referred friend’s account is opened), on up to $25,000.

Additionally, new applicants for the Amex Gold through a referral link will be eligible for an up to $200 statement credit after reaching minimum spending requirements, on top of that card’s usual welcome offer.

Read our review of the American Express Gold Card for more information.

Official application link: American Express® Gold Card with 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first six months of card membership.

Southwest personal cards

All three personal of Southwest’s personal credit cards — the Rapid Rewards Plus, Rapid Rewards Premier and Rapid Rewards Priority — are currently sporting identical welcome offers: 60,000 bonus points plus a 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This is the first time Southwest has offered a promo code as part of a sign-up bonus on a credit card.

The code will appear directly in your Southwest.com account within eight weeks of meeting the spending requirement. It can be used — only once — on a single one-way or round-trip Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime and Business Select fare, and is available for use until October 31, 2024.

Given it is a single-use promo code, it would be best to save this for a more expensive ticket. You’ll get the biggest savings when using the code for round-trip travel and/or during peak travel periods like the summer or the holidays.

Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus

Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier

Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority

United Club Infinite Card

The United Club Infinite Card is the ideal card for United lounge access — bar none.

The United Club Infinite Card’s $525 annual fee sounds high until you factor in the United Club membership included with the card. Membership normally costs $650 per year for non-elite members.

In addition, one of the primary disadvantages of many airline credit cards is a low return on spending, even on branded purchases, as most airline cards only offer 2 or 3 points per dollar on airline purchases. But the United Club Infinite Card sets a new standard with an impressive 4 points per dollar on United purchases.

If you spend thousands of dollars on United flights each year, the United Club Infinite Card is worth considering.

Read our review of the United Club Infinite for more information.

Official application link: United Club Infinite with 80,000 bonus miles and 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Offer ends Aug. 9

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card provides solid earnings at Hilton properties and automatic Hilton Gold elite status, which offers complimentary breakfast, increased earnings and space-available upgrades when you stay at Hilton properties.

Hilton Honors Gold status is one of the best mid-tier hotel loyalty statuses you can obtain. As a Hilton Gold elite member, you’ll get complimentary breakfast, space-available room upgrades and improved earnings when staying at Hilton brands. Luckily, you can easily earn and maintain Hilton Gold status since it is an automatic perk of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card.

The Hilton Surpass card is an ideal choice for those who stay at Hilton properties often and want a cobranded credit card with a modest annual fee and valuable perks.

Read our full review of the Hilton Surpass for more information.

Official application link: Hilton Surpass with 130,000 bonus points and a free night reward after spending $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first three months of cardmembership. Offer ends July 19.

*Bonus offer value is based on TPG valuations and not provided by issuers.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Amex Green card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex Surpass, click here.

Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox and Eric Rosen.

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