Afar partners with CreditCards.com and may receive a commission from card issuers. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Compensation may impact how an offer is presented. Our coverage is independent and objective, and has not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are entirely those of the Afar editorial team.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
August is here and so are some of the best credit offers of the entire year. First up, the stellar, low-fee Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is sweetening its sign-up deal for a limited time: Get a 75,000-mile introductory bonus after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. That’s a $750 value for a card that carries a $99 annual fee.
In addition, its big sister, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, continues to be a top option, courting new cardholders with a 75,000-mile welcome bonus after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months and providing benefits competitive with premium Chase and American Express cards. (Plus, it grants double miles on every purchase.)
Another best-ever option this month comes courtesy of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card. Until September 4, earn 140,000 Bonus Points (after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.) The hotel nights are valued at up to 60,000 points each, for a total bonus of up to 300,000 points, the highest this card has ever seen—by far. What’s more, this card’s annual fee is only $99, but it comes with the type of benefits usually associated with cards with higher annual fees. Think: five points per dollar spent on travel and dining, up to a $120 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck starting October 1, 2024, and Platinum Elite status within the IHG portfolio. There are many enticing offers now. Here are our six best credit card picks to consider right now and why.
1. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Best for: A highlight of the Capital One Venture portfolio, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers just enough travel perks for the casual traveler and has a low annual fee.
Why now? The card is currently offering a huge bonus for a low-fee card.
Welcome offer: With the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 within three months from account opening.
Annual fee: $95
Earn points: Earn five miles per dollar spent on hotels, vacational rentals, and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel web portal and two miles per dollar spent on everything else.
Credits: Up to $120 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years
Key perks: Get two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges in 2024, plus access to the Lifestyle Collection when booking on Capital One Travel (granting cardholders benefits at boutique hotels worldwide).
2. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Best for: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is best for those who want an excellent travel credit card that pays for itself through credits, benefits, lounge access, and a rewarding earnings structure—while also offering flexibility in miles redemption.
Why now? Capital One is going all-in on travel for its Venture X cardholders, rolling out its own collection of airport lounges for cardholders, its Premier Collection (offering special perks at hundreds of top hotels globally), and its Lifestyle Collection (granting cardholders benefits at boutique hotels worldwide).
Welcome offer: With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Annual fee: $395
Earn points: Earn 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar spent on flights booked through Capital One Travel. All other purchases earn 2 miles per dollar spent.
Credits: When booking through Capital One Travel, receive $300 in credits each calendar year. Get a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit once every four years (up to $120). Receive 10,000 bonus miles annually after your account anniversary.
Key perks: Access Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, and Plaza Premium lounges at airports. The card is also smart for those who plan to add cardholders to their accounts. Up to four can be added at no cost. Priority Pass lounge membership and access to Capital One and Plaza Premium airport lounges extend to each of these additional cardholders at no extra cost. As far as redemptions go, miles transfer to 16 airline and hotel partners.
3. IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Best for: The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is best for IHG loyalists (or even those who occasionally stay at properties within the IHG portfolio) who can take advantage of the card’s great perks and earnings potential.
Welcome offer: Earn 140,000 after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months.
Annual fee: $99
Earn points: Earn 26 points per dollar (yes, you read that correctly) on purchases made at IHG hotels and resorts, and earn 5 points per dollar on all non-IHG travel, dining, and gas. Get 3 points per dollar on everything else.
Credits: Once every four years, you’ll also receive a credit for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck or Nexus application fee (worth up to $100). Thanks to a partnership with United Airlines, get up to $50 United TravelBank Cash each calendar year when you link your United Mileage Plus and IHG Rewards accounts. Receive your fourth night free, when booking four consecutive nights with points.
Key perks: You’ll automatically gain Platinum Elite status, which usually requires either 40 nights each year or earning 60,000 qualifying points at IHG properties. Top perks of Platinum Elite status include late checkout, complimentary room upgrades (when space is available), complimentary Wi-Fi, and 60 percent bonus points on hotel purchases. Also earn an Anniversary Free Night certificate every year of card membership, valued at 40,000 points. For hotels costing more than 40,000 points per night, cardholders can top off the certificate by pulling from their existing points balance.
4. IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Best for: The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card is best for those who want to amass IHG hotel points for future stays through a limited-time offer but simply don’t want to carry another card with an annual fee.
Welcome offer: arn 80,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months.
Annual fee: $0
Earn points: Earn 17 points per dollar on purchases made at IHG hotels and resorts. Earn 3 points per dollar on utilities, internet, cable, phone, and select streaming services purchases, dining, and gas stations. Earn 2 points per dollar on everything else.
Credits: None
Key perks: With the card, you’ll automatically gain Silver Elite status, which usually requires 10 nights each year. Perks of this status include complimentary Wi-Fi at IHG hotels and resorts and 20 percent bonus points on hotel and resort purchases.
5. Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
Best for: The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card is best for those who want to achieve Companion Pass status, allowing pass holders to fly Southwest with a companion for free (besides mandatory taxes). Earning a Companion Pass typically requires 135,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year.
Why now? This Southwest business card bonus could land you a valuable Southwest Companion Pass for the rest of 2024 and all of 2025. With the current bonus, you’ll get 80,000 qualifying bonus points after meeting the spend requirements of $3,000. However, all need to be banked in the same calendar year to get the Companion Pass.
Welcome offer: With the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card, earn 80,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening and an additional 60,000 points when you spend $15,000 in nine months.
Annual fee: $99
Earn points: Earn three points per dollar spent on purchases with Southwest and two points on Southwest hotel and car rental partners, local transit, and commuting purchases (including rideshares). Get one point per dollar on everything else.
Credits: Up to $500 in reimbursed transfer fees per year for transfers of Rapid Rewards points to other Rapid Rewards members
Key perks: Two EarlyBird Check-Ins per year and an account anniversary bonus of 6,000 points annually. Earn 1,500 tier qualifying points (TQP) toward A-list status for every $10,000 spent—with no limit on the amount of TQP you can earn.
6. American Express® Gold Card
Best for: The American Express Gold Card is a smart choice for those who spend a lot at restaurants and supermarkets, thanks to excellent earnings rates on food and travel.
Why now? The American Express Gold Card is one of the brand’s most popular cards and has maintained the same welcome offer for years—but now it’s being given a small boost with a late-July 2024 relaunch.
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after $6,000 in purchases during the initial six months, plus receive 20 percent back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first six months of card membership, up to $100 back. Terms apply.
Annual fee: $325 (see rates and fees)
Earn points: Earn four points per dollar spent on restaurants worldwide, plus on takeout and delivery in the United States (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then one point per dollar), and at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then one point per dollar). Earn three points per dollar spent on airfare booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, two points per dollar spent on travel (excluding airfare) on amextravel.com, and one point per dollar on everything else.
Credits: Cardholders receive up to $120 Uber Cash annually, automatically added as $10 in monthly credits to their Uber account when linked to the Gold Card. You must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber app, and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex benefit may only be used in the United States. There’s also a dining credit for up to $120, awarded as $10 in statement credits monthly when paying with the card at Grubhub, the Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. (Enrollment required.) In addition, it’s also possible to achieve up to a $100 experience credit if booking a two-night stay or more at the Hotel Collection through American Express Travel.
Key perks: AmEx points are transferable to 17 airline partners—3 domestic and 14 international—and 3 hotel partners. The Gold card also comes with several implicit travel insurances when you charge your trips to the card, including premium car rental protection (theft or damage plus excess medical costs if you are injured in an accident) and baggage insurance (for lost, stolen, or damaged baggage).
While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they are subject to change at any time, and may have changed or may no longer be available. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
