In This Article
While some cards have permanent bonus categories, others change from time to time. This has been especially true this past year. We hope this guide will make choosing the best card to make a purchase just a little bit easier for you.
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There could be many reasons why you might not be working on earning a credit card welcome bonus right now. Maybe you’re trying to get your recently opened card count below 5/24 or you’re letting your credit report cool off a little bit before opening new cards.
Whatever the reason, you still want to take advantage of travel credit card bonus categories. That’s why we’ve compiled the best bonus category options currently available in the market on a quarterly basis for cards you might have in your wallet.
While some cards have permanent bonus categories, others change every few months. We hope this guide will make choosing the best card for your everyday purchases just a little bit easier for you
Groceries
For the third quarter of 2022, there are quite a few options to earn points at elevated rates on supermarket purchases. You can earn tons of rewards to make the rising cost of groceries sting less.
The following cards offer bonus points or increased cash back on grocery purchases:
- Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card: 5% cash back at Whole Foods
- Amex EveryDay Credit Card: 2X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on the first $6,000 spent per year, then 1X thereafter
- American Express® Gold Card (see rates and fees): 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on the first $25,000 spent per year, then 1X thereafter
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (see rates & fees): 3% cash back on groceries on the first $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets per year, then 1% thereafter
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (see rates and fees): 6% cash back on groceries on the first $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets per year, then 1% thereafter
- Citi Custom Cash℠ Card: 5% cash back on the first $500 in your top category spend each month, 1% cash back thereaft
- Citi Premier® Card: 3X ThankYou Points at supermarkets
A fan-favorite American Express® Gold Card is still one of the best cards to earn flexible rewards on grocery purchases in the United States. The Citi Premier Card earns bonus points on supermarkets all over the world, so consider this card when shopping overseas.
The Citi Custom Cash Card offers the opportunity to earn up to 5% cash back on your first $500 spent at grocery stores, so long as it’s your top category of the month. Given groceries are often one of the biggest line items in a family’s budget, it can be easy to maximize the grocery store category with this card every month.
Flights
Travel is returning in full swing, which may have you thinking of booking a flight in the near future. Whenever you’re not redeeming credit-card rewards for a flight, make sure to earn the most points possible on any cash tickets you’re purchasing.
The best cards offering bonus points for flights from July through September 2022 include:
- American Express® Gold Card: 3X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines and with Amex Travel
- American Express® Green Card (see rates and fees): 3X Membership Rewards points on travel
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards via the Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 5X Ultimate Rewards points on airfare purchased through Ultimate Rewards Travel portal and 2X on all other travel purchases
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 5X Ultimate Rewards points on airfare purchased through Ultimate Rewards Travel portal and 3X on all other travel purchases (after the first $300 spent on travel per year)
- Citi Premier Card: 3X ThankYou Points on airline purchases
- Citi Prestige Card: 5X ThankYou Points on airline purchases
- The Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees): 5X Membership Rewards on flights booked directly with an airline or via Amex Travel
- U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: 4X points per dollar spent on travel
Although both the Amex Platinum and the Citi Prestige Card earn 5X points on flights, the Amex Platinum is a preferred option here because it provides trip delay insurance.
The Amex Gold and the Amex Green could be good choices here as well as they earn 4X and 3X Membership Rewards points on airfare, respectively.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is a bit of an underdog, but it still should be on your radar. Unlike its big brother, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card, it earns 4X points on all travel regardless if it’s booked through a travel portal or not. Keep in mind, the U.S. Bank doesn’t have any transfer partners, so you’ll be limited to redeeming points directly through their travel portal.
Both of the Chase Sapphire cards, both Chase Freedom cards as well as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offer travelers 5X points per dollar spent on airfare booked via their respective travel portals, but keep in mind that booking directly with an airline might save you some headache down the road.
The Citi Premier Card awards 3X ThankYou Points per dollar spent on airfare but doesn’t provide any travel protections, such as trip cancellation or interruption insurance, trip delay, baggage delay or baggage loss.
Hotels
Although there are exceptions, we recommend focusing on earning transferable points when booking hotels. Here are your best options with Amex, Capital One, Chase and Citi:
- American Express® Green Card: 3X Membership Rewards points on travel
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Card: 10X miles on hotels booked through Capital One Travel
- Capital One Venture Credit Card: 5X miles on hotels booked through Capital One Travel
- Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards on hotels booked via the Ultimate Rewards travel portal
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 5X Ultimate Rewards points on travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards or 2X points on travel
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 10X Ultimate Rewards points on hotels booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards portal (after the first $300 spent on travel per year)
- Citi Premier Card: 3X ThankYou Points on hotel purchases
- Citi Prestige Card: 3X ThankYou Points on hotel purchases
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: 3X Ultimate Rewards on travel
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: 5X Membership Rewards on prepaid hotels booked via Amex Travel
If you’re looking to pay cash for your hotel stay, consider using the Citi Prestige Card (not available to new applicants). You can get your fourth night free on a paid hotel stay booked through Citi ThankYou Rewards up to two times per year.
The Citi Premier Card holders receive a $100 annual statement credit after booking a single stay totaling at least $500 through the ThankYou Rewards portal.
Those who have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can save $50 per year when booking a hotel stay in the Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® might entice you with 10X points per dollar spent on hotels booked through their respective travel portals. However, keep in mind that chain hotels don’t honor elite status benefits, and you likely won’t earn credit for the stay, either.
Same idea applies to portal bookings made with the Freedom Unlimited, the Freedom Flex card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. You’ll earn 5X points on these hotel bookings, but your elite status won’t be recognized.
You can also earn 5X points on hotel stays with the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card. You’ll earn 5X points on hotels booked through the Altitude Reserve Center with your card, but there are no transfer partners with U.S. Bank. In general, you should prioritize the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card or one of either the Chase Freedom Unlimited or the Chase Freedom Flex over the Altitude Reserve.
Cruises
Setting sail? Use a card that earns bonus rewards in the travel category. Co-branded cruise cards aren’t typically the best options. Instead, use one of a boatload of credit cards that earns flexible points.
- American Express® Green Card: 3X Membership Rewards points on travel
- Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards on purchases made in the Ultimate Rewards travel portal
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 5X Ultimate Rewards points on travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards or 2X points on travel
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 3X Ultimate Rewards on travel
- Citi Prestige Card: 3X ThankYou Points on cruise lines
- Ink Business Preferred® credit card: 3X Ultimate Rewards on travel
- U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: 4X points per dollar spent on travel
Rental Cars
When renting a car, you should consider more than just the total number of points you’d earn. Some cards offer rental car insurance when you book with them, but they may not offer the most points.
For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® provide primary insurance coverage while many of its peers offer either secondary coverage or no coverage at all.
- American Express Green® Card: 3X Membership Rewards points on travel
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Card: 10X miles on car rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Capital One Venture Credit Card: 5X miles on car rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards via the Chase travel portal
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 5X Ultimate Rewards points on travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards or 2X points on travel
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 10X Ultimate Rewards points on car rentals reserved through Chase Ultimate Rewards or 3X Ultimate Rewards points on travel
- Ink Business Preferred® credit card: 3X Ultimate Rewards points on travel
- U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: 4X points per dollar spent on travel
- U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card: 5X points on car rentals via the Altitude Rewards Center
Restaurants
Dining, including delivery and takeout, is one of the most popular travel credit card bonus categories. The extra points add up quickly whether you grab a hot beverage at a neighborhood coffee shop in the morning, go out with coworkers for lunch or wine and dine in the evening.
- American Express Gold® Card: 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide
- American Express Green® Card: 3X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: 4% cash back on dining
- Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex: 3% cash back/3X Ultimate Rewards at restaurants
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 3X Ultimate Rewards points on dining
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 10X Ultimate Rewards points on prepaid reservations with Chase Dining and 3X points on all other dining purchases
- Citi Custom Cash Card: 5% back on the first $500 in your top category spend each month, 1% cash back thereafter
- Citi Premier Card: 3X ThankYou Points at restaurants
- Citi Prestige Card: 5X ThankYou Points at restaurants
- Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: 3% cash back at restaurants
- Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card: 5% cash back at restaurants
Ride-Hailing Services
Ride-booking can be tricky. Some banks consider these services as travel while others don’t. Other cards have bonuses for specific ride-hailing companies.
- American Express® Green Card: 3X Membership Rewards on travel
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 3% cash back on transit
- Chase Freedom, Chase Freedom Flex, Chase Freedom Unlimited: 5% cash back on Lyft rides (through March 2025), 1X on others ride-hailing services
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 5X Ultimate Rewards on Lyft rides and 2X on others ride-hailing services
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 10X Ultimate Rewards on Lyft rides, 3X on other ride-hailing services
- Ink Business Preferred® or Ink Business® Plus: 5X Ultimate Rewards points on Lyft rides and 1X on other ride-hailing services
- Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited: 5% cash back on Lyft rides and 1% on other ride-hailing services
- Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card: 3X points on transit
Although The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card don’t earn bonus points with ride-hailing services, they offer a monthly Uber Cash credit of $15 and $10, respectively (enrollment required), so don’t forget to link these cards with your Uber account.
Food Delivery
For food delivery, some cards offer unique credits in addition to bonus points. Balancing your earnings and credits to offset the costs is the best way to save and earn.
- American Express® Gold Card: 4X Membership Rewards
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: 4% cash back on dining
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: 3% cash back on dining
- Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex: 3% cash back/3X Ultimate Rewards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 3X Ultimate Rewards points on dining
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 3X Ultimate Rewards points on dining
- Citi Premier Card: 3X ThankYou Points on DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats
- Citi Prestige Card: 5X ThankYou Points on DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats
- Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card: 3X points on ordering in and eating out
The Amex Gold Card offers a $10 monthly credit that you can use with Grubhub and a $10 monthly Uber Cash credit (enrollment required), which can be used toward Uber Eats orders as well.
The Amex Platinum Card members receive a $15 monthly Uber Cash credit (enrollment required). The credits with either card don’t roll over to the next month, so be sure to place an order before it expires.
Gas Stations
With gas prices being sky-high and summer road trips on the horizon, this will be a huge category for many this quarter. Try to get as many points or as much cash back as possible when filling up the tank to offset the high cost of fuel.
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 3% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations
- Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Flex: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards at gas stations
- Citi Custom Cash Card: 5% back on the first $500 in your top category spend each month, 1% cash back thereafter
- Citi Premier Card: 3X ThankYou Points at gas stations
- Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi: 4% cash back on gas, including at Costco (on up to the first $7,000 per year, then 1%)
- Ink Business Cash® credit card: 2% cash back/2X Ultimate Rewards at gas stations (on the first $25,000 per year)
- U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: 4X points at gas stations
- Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card: 3X points at gas stations
Mobile Pay
Mobile pay is becoming increasingly attractive, especially now that people are trying to reduce physical contact at shops, restaurants and coffee shops. As the acceptance of mobile pay services increases, so does its popularity as a bonus category.
- U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card: 3X points on Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, LG Pay
- Apple Card: 3% on Apple Pay transactions at Apple, Duane Reade, Exxon and Mobil gas stations, Nike, Panera Bread, T-Mobile, Uber, Uber Eats and Walgreens, and 2% back on all other Apple Pay transactions
- Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card: 1.8% cashback on mobile payments for the first year with your card
Although the Apple Card and Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa Card are technically two of the best options for mobile pay, we don’t generally recommend them. Many cards will earn bonus points on their respective categories even if you pay with mobile pay. So if you’re dining out, look to use the best restaurant card instead of the Apple Card or the Cash Wise Visa.
Entertainment
Entertainment can be a broad category, but there are a couple of cards available this quarter that specify all entertainment as a bonus category.
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: 4% cash back on entertainment
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: 3% cash back on entertainment
- Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Flex: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards at movie theaters and on select live entertainment
- Citi Custom Cash Card: 5% back on the first $500 in your top category spend each month, 1% cash back thereafter
Streaming Services
For many people, streaming services have replaced traditional cable and satellite TV. Although it may be a hassle to change all your billing information, using one of the following cards will get you the most back on streaming services this quarter.
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 6% cash back on streaming
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: 4% cash back on popular streaming services
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: 3% cash back on popular streaming services
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 3X Ultimate Rewards points on select streaming services
- Citi Custom Cash Card: 5% cash back on the first $500 in your top category spend each month, 1% cash back thereafter
- U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card: 5% cash back on streaming as long as it’s one of your top two category choices (on the first $2,000 each quarter)
- Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card: 3X points on streaming services
Quarterly Bonus Categories (July through September 2022)
Some of our favorite rewards cards include bonus categories that change quarterly. Below are two of our favorite rotating category credit cards and their quarterly bonuses for July through September.
- Chase Freedom (not available to new applicants) and Chase Freedom Flex: 5% cash back/5X Ultimate Rewards points at gas stations, car rental agencies, movie theaters and on select live entertainment (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter)
- Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card: 5% cash back at restaurants and PayPal (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter)
Offer activation is required for both cards, so don’t forget to click the magic “Activate” button to get the bonus rewards.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of great cards out there for every bonus category this quarter. Missing a category you’d like to see included in the future? Let us know in the comments and we’ll be sure to include it next quarter.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
New to the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best card to start with.
With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
Cards in This Article
100,000
Membership Rewards® Points
after you spend $6,000 on purchases in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
60,000
Membership Rewards® Points
after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months. Terms apply.
80,000
Citi ThankYou Points
after making $4,000 in purchases with your card within the first 3 months of account opening.
130,000
Hilton Honors Bonus Points
after you make $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
An Extra 1.5%
cash back
on everything you buy, up to the first $20,000 spent, in the first year
100,000
Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening
No current offer. All information about The American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by 10xTravel. The American Express® Green Card is no longer available through 10xTravel.
60,000
Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points
after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.
$300
Cash Back
after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months
20,000
Go Far Rewards Points
after you spend $1,000 in 3 months
$350
Statement Credit
after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
75,000
Venture Miles
after you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.