Each month, I recap the best credit card offers currently available. There are a lot of credit cards out there offering generous signup bonuses. Some bonuses are better than others. Hopefully, this post will give you some ideas if you’re looking for your next credit card.
It’s important to note that this post is not intended to be an exhaustive list of credit cards and there may be cards that I haven’t listed that are better for you. If you want personalized advice for your situation, consider filling out my free credit card consultation form and I’ll get back to you with specific advice for your situation.
Before you get started, be sure you understand the Chase 5/24 Rule. This is an important rule that will impact your long-term strategy when it comes to credit card rewards. Also, if you have a side hustle or anything that can qualify as a business, consider taking advantage of business credit cards. These are a great way to earn even more points and miles.
With all that said, here are some of the current best credit card offers for October 2024:
Chase Ink Unlimited
The Chase Ink Unlimited is offering $900 cash back after spending $6,000 within the first three months. This is the number one card I recommend at the moment given the high signup bonus. This card is a business credit card, so you’ll need to have a business to qualify for it, but everyone should have something in their life that qualifies as a business, even if they don’t realize it.
Remember that the $900 signup bonus is actually in the form of 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. This is great because if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Chase Ink Preferred, you can transfer these points to transfer partners and get even more value.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is offering 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in 3 months, plus a $300 travel credit in the first year.
If you’re thinking about getting the Chase Sapphire Preferred, don’t forget the 5/24 rule and the One Sapphire rule.
The 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth $750 if redeemed in the Chase travel portal, but can be worth more if transferred to travel partners. Note that the card does come with a $95 annual fee that is not waived in the first year, but the annual fee is easily justified by the signup bonus. After a year, you can product change your card to a Chase Sapphire Reserve, assuming you want the benefits that come with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, or if you don’t need the card, product change to a no-fee card like the Chase Freedom or Chase Freedom Unlimited.
This is probably the best personal card offer right now from Chase, so I’d grab if you’re eligible for it.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is offering 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in 3 months. This makes it one of the top cards I recommend for most people. The card comes with a $300 travel credit that works for almost anything related to travel, including things like parking fees and public transit fares, so the $300 travel credit is as good as cash for almost everyone.
Importantly, it’s possible to double-dip the travel credit if you decide the card isn’t a long-term option for you. That means in the first year, you can always end up with a $50 net gain simply from using the travel credits.
If you are considering the Chase Sapphire Reserve, be aware of a few rules. The first is the Chase 5/24 rule, which states that you are not eligible for a new Chase credit card if you’ve opened five (5) or more credit cards in the past 24 months from any bank. This only includes cards that appear on your credit report, so most business cards won’t count toward your 5/24 number. I have an in-depth post that explains how the Chase 5/24 Rule works that you can read here.
The second rule you need to know is the Chase One Sapphire Rule. Chase only allows you to earn the bonus on one Sapphire branded card every 48 months. Thus, if you’ve earned the bonus on either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve in the last 48 months, you won’t be eligible for this bonus.
If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me a message.
Anna says
Thank you for your posts. Very informative. Looking into Raisin.
How often do you open cards to have a 3 million balance?! How many points do you use in a year would you say?
Jason says
Looks like the Southwest offer has changed. I’m seeing 40,000 points and there’s an annual fee, even for the Plus card.
Financial Panther says
Oh yeah, that offer ended earlier this month. Need to update the post.
If you’re looking for Southwest Companion Pass, then I’d recommend getting the Southwest biz cards right now.
Dora says
Hi! Love your card bonus updates. I got a great Ink bonus using your link. 🙂 Can you get a Sapphire Preferred card bonus if you currently have an active Reserve card?
Financial Panther says
You’d need to downgrade the Chase Sapphire Reserve to a Chase Freedom or Freedom Unlimited, then open the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
But remember, you can only get the Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus if you haven’t gotten a bonus on either the Chase Sapphire Prefered or Chase Sapphire Reserve in the past 48 months. So once every 4 years.