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If you’re planning a trip in the not-too-distant future, you might be dreading the high cost of airfare. However, one way to address the high cost of flying these days is with a welcome bonus from a travel credit card. Welcome bonuses reward you with points that you can use on things like hotels and airline tickets, usually after you spend a certain amount.
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Travel cards often offer some of the best welcome bonuses, allowing you to greatly reduce the cost of your trip. These cards sometimes have high fees as well, but their generous benefits can more than make up for the fee for the right person. Just remember to pay off the card, as interest charges can wipe out the discount you get with these welcome bonuses. Here are five of the best current deals out there.
The American Express Platinum card recently increased its bonus, offering a welcome offer of 80,000 points. With so many bonus points, this card’s welcome bonus alone could be enough to offset its hefty fee.
But it also has other benefits, like $200 in annual hotels and $240 in entertainment credits. It also gives you $200 Uber Cash and a $200 airfare credit. Rounding out your credits is a $140 Walmart+ credit. Finally, it gives you access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which has more than 1,400 lounges in 650 cities.
If you don’t mind an annual fee but don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars a year on one, the Citi Premier is a solid choice. Your bonus 80,000 Thank You Points can be redeemed for dining, shopping, gas or travel. You can also redeem it for a statement credit or $800 in gift cards.
This card earns 3x points at restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, and on air travel and hotel reservations. All other purchases earn 1x points. Overall, it offers great benefits for an entry-level premium card, plus a generous welcome bonus.
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Capital One Venture Rewards
The Capital One Venture Rewards is another entry-level premium credit card with a $95 annual fee. Their current welcome bonus is 75,000 bonus points that you can redeem at Capital One Travel.
One cool feature that Capital One has is that it allows you to use miles to get cash back on previous travel purchases made elsewhere. This card also earns unlimited 2x points on all purchases, so it’s good for everyday spending. You can also earn 5 points on travel booked through Capital One Travel.
Barclays JetBlue Plus Card
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welcome bonus: 80,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in the first 90 days
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Annual fee: $99
With an annual fee of $99, the Barclays JetBlue Plus Card is another travel card with a low annual fee. Despite being among the premium tier, its minimum spend is just $1,000, much lower than the other cards on this list, and it still offers an 80,000-point welcome bonus.
It has other nice perks like 6x points on eligible JetBlue purchases and 2x points on grocery and restaurant purchases. Another bonus is 5,000 bonus points every year on your birthday. Finally, it will give you 10% of your points as a bonus after redeeming for travel on an award flight operated by JetBlue.
Chase
The Chase United Quest card has a welcome bonus of 80,000 bonus points, although its minimum spend of $5,000 is very high. However, their annual fee of $250 is reasonable. After all, you have a $125 annual purchase credit from United and it gives you two 5,000-mile anniversary award flight credits.
Other benefits include 3x points on United Airlines purchases, 2x points on all other travel and 2x points on select restaurants and streaming services. It will also give your first and second checked bag free, for savings of up to $320 per trip.
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All information about the FDIC Member American Express Platinum Card was independently collected by GOBankingRates. American Express Platinum is not available through GOBankingRates.
Information related to Chase United Quest was collected by GOBankingRates and the issuer of this product/card has not been reviewed or provided. Product details may vary. Check the issuer’s website for updated information. GOBankingRates does not receive a commission for this product.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Best Travel Card Welcome Bonus Deals Right Now
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