Best Credit Card Welcome Offers [July 2025]
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EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE:
Opinions expressed here are the 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.
The content listed on this page is accurate as of its posting date; however some offers mentioned may have expired.
February 2025 is brought us on a 3-night tropical jungle vacay at the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort in Costa Rica! Standard rooms at this hotel go for over $1000 a night, but thanks to points we spent a literal ZERO dollars for this stay.
Fireworks aren’t the only thing popping off this July. 🧨👀
The best travel card offers of July 2025 are here—and they’re bringing the heat— and if you’re considering an elevated offer with an expiration date, get it before it’s gone! 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♂️💨
PRO TIP: Remember you can always support our small biz for FREE by applying to these (or any other cards) using our “Best Credit Cards” page in the menu bar! 🫶
🏆 Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
🌟 Chase Sapphire Reserve®
🌟 “As High As” Offers from American Express
🌟 Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
🏅 Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
🏅 Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
🥂 Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
🏅 Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
🏅 Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
New & Elevated Welcome Offers
🏆 New Increased Offer: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
INCREASED OFFER: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
We’ve said it once and we’ve said it again: this is our all-time favorite card for points and miles beginners. If you don’t have the Chase Sapphire in your wallet yet, it’s a MUST.
Why We Love It: With the reasonable annual fee, strong welcome bonus, insanely valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards®, travel protections, and great category bonuses - it’s one of the first cards you need to build your strategic points and miles wallet.
Since this card earns flexible points, you’re getting the flexibility and serious value to be able to book with MULTIPLE airline or hotel partners, even if you don’t yet have an idea of how you’ll redeem the points just yet. (Making it ideal for beginners just starting out in points & miles travel! 🙌)
PLUS— by holding the Chase Sapphire, you’ll have ability to move the points from your “cash back” cards to your Sapphire, giving you the ability to transfer to over a dozen transfer partners!
👉 Click here to read our Ultimate Guide to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
All information about Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Parks on Recreation. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
🌟 New Offer: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
REFRESHED CARD: Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the premium older sibling of the Sapphire family, with luxe benefits and lounge access galore. And now it’s newly relaunched with a refreshed bonus and a crazy amount of travel perks that make this a serious player in the high-end card game.
Why We Love It: The annual fee is steep, but the benefits of this card are fantastic. You’ll get Priority Pass lounge access, 3× on travel and dining, and an annual $300 travel credit. If you’re a frequent traveler and want flexibility + perks, this card hits the sweet spot.
PRO TIP: With the current elevated welcome offer, you’re looking at a $500 Chase Travel℠ credit, which makes the fee wayyyyy easier to justify for the first year.
And if you’re anything like me, you use this information 👆 to tell your husband, “Well, after the travel credit the annual fee is only $295!” (It also helps if you bat your eyelashes.)
All information about Chase Sapphire Reserve® has been collected independently by Parks on Recreation. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
🌟 New: “As High As” from American Express
1️⃣ American Express® Gold Card
NEW OFFER: You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact! If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Why We Love It: This card is a foodie’s dream—and a grocery store MVP. 🏆 You’ll earn 4x points at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25k/year at supermarkets), which just so happen to be our two biggest spending categories. If your household lives off coffee runs, dinner dates, and Costco hauls, this card basically pays you back in points.
Other reasons to love it?
$120 Uber Cash annually for rides or Uber Eats ($10/monthly credit)
$120 dining credit at places like Grubhub, Cheesecake Factory, or Five Guys (also $10/monthly credit)
Points transfer to top travel partners like Delta, Air France/KLM, Marriott, and more
2️⃣ The Platinum Card® from American Express
NEW OFFER: You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Again, you’re working with the same scenario: Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact! If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Why We Love It: If luxury is your love language, the AmEx Platinum is basically fluent. You’ll get top-tier perks like Centurion Lounge access, 5x points on flights, and elite status with Hilton and Marriott, making every step of your travel day feel a little more first class—even if you're flying economy. 💅✨
Add in hundreds of dollars in credits—Uber, Saks Fifth Avenue, CLEAR®, digital entertainment, and more—and this card easily offsets its hefty annual fee if you’re the type who loves to travel well and up for keeping track of all your annual credits!.
And let’s not forget that welcome offer. Up to 175,000 AmEx Membership Rewards® points is an enormous head start. Transfer those points to partners like Air Canada, ANA, or Emirates, and you could be sipping champagne in international business class for next to nothing out of pocket.
If you’re planning to open multiple AmEx cards, order matters. American Express now restricts you from earning a welcome bonus on a “lower tier” card if you’ve already had a higher one in the same family. That means:
- Platinum first? No bonus on Gold or Green later.
- Gold first? No bonus on Green.
- Want all 3? Apply in this order: Green → Gold → Platinum.
That said, most points & miles travelers (us included!) are totally fine skipping the Green, since the bonus barely justifies the annual fee. But if you’re a completionist, make sure you go in the right order!
🌟 New Card: Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
NEW OFFER: 200,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points after you spend $30,000 in the first 6 months
We’ll be the first to admit: this card is NOT for everybody. Most likely ourselves included… although we definitely have been wracking our brains which family members & friends we could rope into helping us meeting the minimum spend. 😂 #shameless
This is a SERIOUS amount of our favorite credit card points, and this card has the perks to match.
Why We Love It: For high-spending entrepreneurs, this card is a powerhouse. Despite the hefty annual fee, if you travel frequently, this is a great card to consider with such a crazy high welcome offer.
Now, drumroll 🥁 for this rendition of “girl math”: Once you consider the $300 annual Chase Travel℠ credit AND the $500 Annual "The Edit" by Chase Travel℠ credit, it effectively brings the annual fee to a $0 balance. See what we did there? 👀
Plus, you’ll earn 3× points on social media and search engine ads (hello, online biz owners), enjoy Priority Pass Select lounge access, travel insurance, and up to a $120 fee credit towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, just to name a few of the many more benefits.
Everyday MVPs
Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
The Venture card is like the Chase Sapphire’s best friend, making for the best dynamic duo in your wallet.
Why We Love It: The Venture card has a hefty welcome bonus and over a dozen transfer partners, making it well worth its annual fee while you’re getting double the miles with every swipe. It’s the perfect “no brainer” card for people who don’t want to worry about category bonuses, but still want to be getting more than 1x on purchases.
👉 Click here to read our Ultimate Guide to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
WAIT! Before you scroll past because of the words “business card”— you probably qualify for a business credit card and don’t even know it! If you have a side hustle that earns additional income, then you have a business.
Why We Love It: Getting a *boatload* of Chase Ultimate Rewards for a $95 annual fee is unreal. This welcome bonus is currently the highest of all the Ultimate Rewards cards!
Those points are worth a minimum of $900 when redeemed in Chase Travel℠ but the points could be worth even more when you transfer to travel partners like Southwest, United, Hyatt, Marriott and more!
One of the best things about this card is that you can pool all of your points with those earned from your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve, making for a seamless integration of points earned.
All information about Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Parks on Recreation. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
🥂 Our Favorite for Lounge Access (until 2026): Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
75,000 Capital One® Miles after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months.
To say we’re obsessed with the Venture X card, is probably an understatement.
Why We Love It: It’s an “ultra-premium card”, but without the same hefty annual fee as its competitors (eh-hemmm, looking at you AmEx Plat. 👀).
The benefits of this card include an annual $300 travel credit, Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check credit, an additional 10,000 Capital One® Miles on your card’s anniversary, AND our favorite: complimentary Priority Pass membership! 🥂 Helloooooo, airport lounges!
Starting February 1, 2026, Capital One is making changes to Priority Pass lounge access. Authorized users will no longer get complimentary access unless you pay a $125 annual fee per user. Guest access will cost $45 per adult (or $35 at Priority Pass lounges), unless you spend $75,000+ in a calendar year on the card. 🥲
An upsetting change, but many (us, included!) find the value of this card still makes it a keeper!
We’ve found Capital One (and Chase!) are the most beginner-friendly points to start with, making this card a great choice year-round for those desiring lounge access. And if you’re planning on spending at least $300 in travel expenses over the next year, this card practically pays for itself.
Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Don’t let “cash back” deter you, as this bonus is awarded in the form of Ultimate Rewards!
Why We Love It: Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card earns the exact same Chase Ultimate Rewards points as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. It comes with a substantial bonus— a record high for this card! Ink Unlimited is a business card, but you don’t need to own a “traditional business” to qualify for the card.
Those points are worth a minimum of $900 when redeemed in Chase Travel℠ but the points could be worth even more when you transfer to travel partners.
👉 Click here to read our Ultimate Guide to the Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
All information about Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card has been collected independently by Parks on Recreation. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.
Even though this is advertised as a “cash back” card, the welcome bonus is awarded in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards, so if you have another Chase Ultimate Rewards card you can combine these points to be used for travel!
Why We Love It: Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card earns the exact same Chase Ultimate Rewards points as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Getting this welcome bonus became even EASIER with the additional 3 months added to extend the welcome bonus time line. These points are worth a minimum of $750 when redeemed in Chase Travel℠ but they could be worth even more when you transfer to travel partners!
All information about Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card has been collected independently by Parks on Recreation. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
🏨 Elevated Offers on Hotel Cards
There’s a lot of ground to cover, so let’s do it— rapid fire style! 🔥
The World of Hyatt Credit Card — elevated offer ends 8/28/2025!
Welcome Bonus: This is a two-tiered signup bonus with the first bonus being 2 Free Award Nights at any Category 1-4 Hyatt property earned after spending $4,000 on the card within the first 3 months. The second bonus offer is an extra 25,000 points when you spend $12,000 in the first 6 months from account opening.
Perks: Free night each year at a Category 1–4 property, plus another free night after $15,000 spend annually
Why We Love It: The dual free nights give a powerful kickstart, and the ongoing anniversary night and status credits turn it into a high-value Hyatt staple. Hyatt is our FAVORITE hotel brand for award stays (and our most-used transfer partner for our Chase points!) so holding this card is a no-brainer!
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card — elevated offer ends 7/23/2025!
Welcome Bonus: Earn 120,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening — highest-ever offer on this card
Perks: No annual fee, automatic Silver elite status, and a free fourth night on reward stays of three consecutive nights
Why We Love It: This is the best no-fee hotel card on the market right now. The generous welcome offer (~$600 value), combined with Silver status and the 4th-night-free perk, makes it a no-brainer—even if you only stay at IHG hotels occasionally.
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card — elevated offer ends 7/23/2025!
Welcome Bonus: Earn 5 Free Nights after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Perks: Anniversary free night (up to 40K), Silver status, and the 4th-night-free benefit on award stays
Why We Love It: That five-night boost is rare and combined with award perks, this card is an IHG dream for long-stay fans.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card — elevated offer ends 8/13/2025!
Welcome Bonus: 175,000 Hilton points after $6,000 spend in 6 months
Annual Perks: Diamond status, $250 resort credit, $200 airline fee credit, Priority Pass membership
Why We Love It: For travelers who love Hilton’s portfolio, this card delivers luxury-tier perks and credits that easily outweigh the $550 fee.
Our Tips for These Offers
Spend Strategically: Most bonuses require $4–8 k in 3–6 months. We are ALWAYS preaching “always be earning”!! Once you figure out what your everyday spending looks like for your household budget, choose a card with a minimum spend that aligns.
Got a big trip or large planned purchase? Then you can choose a card with a minimum spend slightly higher than normal! As always: be sure you can pay off in full and on time!!
Match Card to Goal: We recommend beginners start with flexible cards in their wallets for maximum value and flexibility with how you use your points. Add co-branded options once you have a stash of flexible points at the ready to go for status/perks with an airline or hotel.
Watch the Fine Print: “As High As” offers vary by applicant and may influence credit score. If you choose to check out the Amex “as high as” feature, be sure the welcome bonus you’re being offered is worth the minimum spend!
Should You Get These?
💡 Yes, if: you’re currently NOT working on a minimum spend, need a new high-value welcome bonus to add to your points stash, and can meet the minimum spend on the new card of your choosing.
⚠️ Hold off, if: you’re currently working on a minimum spend and adding a new card would put stress on your budget or you’re over 5/24 and specifically trying to open a new Chase card.
Bottom Line
July 2025 brings seriously strong offers: a 75k Sapphire Preferred, a mega 200k business variant, and a top-tier Amex “As High As” Platinum—all amazing options for points and miles travelers!
Just remember: align your card choices with budgeted spending ability, travel goals, and fee tolerance.
Thank you SO MUCH for using our links when you apply — head to Best Offers page to see all these offers (and more!) in one place.
NEXT MONTH: We’re stoked to bring you along with us to Paris & Madrid (STOKED is an understatement 🤩) so be sure to follow us on Instagram to get some ✨travel inspo✨ on how YOU can use your credit card points for incredible bucket list vacations for pennies on the dollar!
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.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the 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.