Getting ahead with travel credit cards is all about timing: Opening a card when the welcome bonus is at its highest is what it's all about. If you're in the market for a new travel credit card, this is the place to start.
Just as we do every month, we've assembled a list of the best currently available credit card offers for September 2025 – and everything you need to know if you are thinking about taking advantage.
But remember: Credit cards are serious business. You should never apply for a credit card if you're already in debt, and never charge more to a credit card than you can afford to pay off immediately. However many points and miles you can earn, they're not worth it.
Not sure which card is best for you? Check out CardPilot, our brand-new tool designed to help beginners and experts alike choose the right card to fuel their travels!
- 1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- 2. American Express® Gold Card
- 3. The Platinum Card® from American Express
- 4. Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
- 5. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- 6. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- 7. 80K Miles, $99 Annual Fee Waived in Year 1
- 8. The Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Card
- 9. The Suite of Delta SkyMiles® American Express Cards
- 10. No Annual Fee Chase Ink Business Cards
1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Current Offer
We've long considered the *chase sapphire preferred* to be one of the best cards for anyone just getting started with points and miles … and that still hasn't changed.
Its current sign-up bonus is a big reason why: You can currently earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in your first three months from account opening.
Annual Fee: $95
Learn more about the *csp*
Why This Offer Makes the List
So, what can 75,000 points get you? In two words: A lot.
Those points are worth a minimum of $750 toward flights, hotels, and other travel expenses booked through Chase Travel℠. They can also be redeemed for $750 in cash straight to your bank account … or for a number of third-party gift cards.
But you can probably do even better by leveraging Chase's transfer partners and sending those points to airlines like Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Avios – or even a top-notch hotel partner like Hyatt – instead.
The value of the Chase Sapphire Preferred goes well beyond its initial welcome bonus, though. When you use the card for purchases, you'll earn 3x points on dining and online grocery orders, 2x on travel (even more through Chase Travel), and 1x on all other purchases. Add in the card's annual $50 hotel credit for bookings made through Chase Travel, and it's clear why this card is such a favorite among beginners and experts alike.
Not to mention, The Sapphire Preferred seems ripe for an annual fee hike. Grab it now and lock in at least one year at the current $95 annual fee price point.
2. American Express® Gold Card
Current Offer
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Annual Fee: $325 (see rates & fees)
Learn more about the *amex gold*
Why This Offer Makes the List
The *amex gold card* is one of our favorite travel rewards cards, period.
With the new offer on the Amex Gold, you can now earn as high as 100,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first six months. After you submit your application – but before you accept the card (if you are approved) and your credit score is pulled – Amex will let you know the exact welcome offer you are eligible for.
The Gold Card earns 4x points for every dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 annually, then 1x) and 4x points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 annually, then 1x), making it arguably the best card to use for all your food purchases.
You'll also get up to $120 in dining credits each year (doled out in $10 monthly increments) to spend at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, or Five Guys, up to $84 in Dunkin' Credit each year (up to $7 per month), up to $100 in Resy Credit per year (up to $50 semi-annually), and $120 annually in Uber Cash ($10 per month) to use on both Uber and Uber Eats in the U.S. All of these credits are use-them-or-lose-them benefits, any unused amount won't roll over from month-to-month.
Maximizing these credits alone will cover all your $325 annual fee and then some. These credits and bonus categories are a big reason why we feel the card is easily worth the $325 annual fee.
Read our full review of the American Express Gold Card.
3. The Platinum Card® from American Express
Current Offer
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Annual Fee: $695 (see rates & fees)
Learn more about *amex platinum*.
Why This Offer Makes the List
With the new “as high as” offer on *amex platinum* you might be eligible for a big welcome offer! Exactly what bonus offer you're eligible for will vary, but you can now earn as high as 175,000 points after spending $8,000 in the first six months. After you submit your application – but before you accept the card (if you are approved) and your credit score is pulled – Amex will let you know the exact welcome offer you are eligible for.
There's a reason why *amex platinum* comes with such a high price tag … and it's likely going even higher this later this month. But with a huge welcome offer bonus and unbeatable travel perks, now might be the absolute best time to get this card before the price goes up.
And while that big annual fee may be hard to stomach, you can still come out way ahead in your first year, thanks in part to the huge welcome offer.
Just know that if you don't already have an American Express Membership Rewards-earning card, it may be better to start at the bottom and work your way up. With recent changes to application rules, going straight to Amex's best card could cost you additional new card welcome offers down the road.
Related Reading: Is Now the Best Time to Apply for The Platinum Card® from American Express?
4. Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
Current Offer
After nearly a decade, the *chase sapphire reserve* got a refresh back in June and a big new offer to go with it.
Here is what's currently at stake: bonus_miles_full
Annual Fee: $795
Learn more about the *chase sapphire reserve*.
Why This Offer Makes the List
This bonus is worth a minimum of $1,250 towards flights, hotels, and other travel expenses booked through Chase Travel℠. But once again, you can probably do even better by leveraging Chase's transfer partners instead.
The card's new, higher annual fee unlocks a slew of premium travel benefits, starting with an easy-to-use $300 annual travel credit that effectively cuts the annual fee down to $495. You also get access to Chase's growing list of Sapphire Lounges, an annual $500 hotel credit through Chase's “The Edit℠” portfolio of properties, an annual $300 Chase Dining credit at “Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables” restaurants, up to a $120 credit for NEXUS, Global Entry, or TSA PreCheck®, top-notch travel insurance, and much more.
This is the type of card you get for the big bonus offer and keep around year after year for the ongoing travel perks and offsetting statement credits.
5. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Current Offer
The *capital one venture x* is currently offering 75,000 Capital One Miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months. Considering you earn at least 2x miles for every dollar you spend on the Venture X Card, you'll have at least 83,000 miles (worth at least $830 towards travel) right off the bat.
Annual Fee: $395
Learn more about the *capital one venture x*
Why This Offer Makes the List
The Venture X is a souped-up version of the ever-popular *capital one venture card* that's chock full of extra benefits like access to Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass lounges. It also includes an annual $300 Capital One Travel credit, a statement credit of up to $120 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, great travel and rental car protections, and more.
Sure, the card's $395 annual fee may immediately turn off some travelers, but in practice, the card is actually far cheaper. Consider this: You get an automatic $300 credit towards travel booked through the Capital One Travel portal each year – and then, starting in year two, you get a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus (worth a minimum of $100).
Are you the kind of person who plans to spend $400 a year or more on travel? If so, do the math, and you’ll see your real out-of-pocket cost isn't much. And it's an even better deal when you add in all the other perks and welcome bonus, which you can use to cover nearly any travel purchase.
Read More: Capital One Venture X Card Review: Get 75K Miles, Lounge Access & More
6. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Current Offer
Right now, you can earn bonus_miles_full.
Annual Fee: $95
Learn more about the *capital one venture card*
Why This Offer Makes the List
Considering Capital One miles can be used to cover nearly any travel purchase at a rate of 1 cent per mile, the current 75,000-mile bonus is worth a minimum of $750 towards travel.
While you won't get all the perks that come with the premium *venture x* (more on that card next), you also won't be on the hook for a $395 annual fee each year. And you'll be earning the same unlimited 2x miles on every purchase, just like the Venture X. This means it'll be easy to keep racking up miles well after you earn the big bonus.
The Venture Card includes a statement credit of up to $120 every four years to cover the cost of a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership – making it one of the most cost-effective ways to get this benefit from a credit card.
With a big offer like this, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better card for someone just getting started with points and miles.
Read More: All About the Capital One Venture Card
7. 80K Miles, $99 Annual Fee Waived in Year 1
Current Offer
You can currently earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,500 in the first four months on this card.
Which card, exactly? We can’t say here thanks to some silly bank rules, but it's the biggest bonus we've ever seen on this card, making it worth your attention. It is also set to end on Sept. 30, 2025.
If you’re looking for an easy way to score 80,000 high-value miles, this is it. The offer won’t last forever … and once it’s gone, who knows when (or if) we’ll see it again? There's also another card that earns 50,000 of these same miles after making just one purchase and paying the card's $99 annual fee – but it will only be available through the end of the month!
Annual Fee: $0 annual fee in year one and then $99 each year after that.
Learn more about this great new offer.
8. The Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Card
Current Offer
For a limited time, new cardholders can earn 100,000 Atmos Rewards points and a new 25,000-point Global Companion Award after spending $6,000 in the first 90 days.
Annual Fee: $395
All information about the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Card has been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been verified by the issuer.
Learn More about the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Card (for full disclosure, this is not an affiliate link).
Why This Offer Makes the List
Alaska Airlines ushered in a new loyalty program in August with the launch of Atmos Rewards, the combined loyalty program born out of the Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines merger. But the biggest headline for many travelers might be the credit card that launched alongside it.
The new Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Card – Alaska’s most premium card yet – doesn’t just come with a massive welcome bonus offer. It also unlocks a unique Global Companion Award, automatic flight delay credits, and a faster path to status benefits that no other U.S. airline card currently offers. Not to mention, the card earns 3x points per dollar spent on foreign purchases – making this the new best option for any spending you do abroad.
Read More: A Full Review of the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Card
9. The Suite of Delta SkyMiles® American Express Cards
From the *delta skymiles gold* to the top-tier *delta skymiles reserve*, American Express has a SkyMiles credit card for nearly every type of Delta flyer.
And if you're just adding one of these cards for the first time, you're in luck: Through Oct. 29, 2025, Delta and Amex are offering up to 125,000 SkyMiles after spending $6,000 in the first six months of card membership with these new limited-time offers.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Current Offer
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Annual Fee: $0 introductory annual fee – then $150 each year after that (see rates & fees)
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Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Current Offer
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Annual Fee: $350 (see rates & fees)
Learn more about the card_name
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Current Offer
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Annual Fee: $650 (see rates & fees)
Learn more about the card_name
Why These Offers Make the List
While many travelers are quick to write Delta SkyMiles off as worthless, we wholeheartedly disagree. A recent surge of SkyMiles flash sales and even discounted Delta One seats are proof that there's still plenty of value in redeeming Sky Miles – you just have to know where to look.
But the real value in holding a Delta credit card goes beyond the initial welcome offer. With benefits like free checked bags, a more powerful annual companion certificate, and Delta Sky Club® access, these cards are worth a permanent spot in the wallets of many Delta loyalists.
Throwing in up to 125,000 SkyMiles is just a bonus. Plus, those miles will go further with the automatic 15% discount on award tickets you get with Delta's TakeOff 15 benefit on each of these cards.
10. No Annual Fee Chase Ink Business Cards
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Current Offer
With the *chase ink cash*, it's broken up into two tiers: You can earn $350 (or 35,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 (or 40,000 points) after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.
Annual Fee: $0
Learn more about the *Ink Cash*.
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Current Offer
With the *chase ink unlimited* you can earn $750 (or 75,000 points) after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Annual Fee: $0
Learn more about the *chase ink unlimited*.
Why These Offers Make the List
The *Ink Cash* and the *Ink Unlimited* are two no-annual fee cash back business cards that pack a huge punch.
Small business owners who already have a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points like the *chase sapphire preferred*, or even the *chase sapphire reserve* should give these two Ink Business cards a long, hard look. With one of those cards in your wallet, the cash back these cards earn can be turned into Ultimate Rewards points, making the rewards much more valuable – especially if your ultimate goal is travel.
Wondering if you are eligible to open a small business credit card to earn more travel rewards? You might be surprised by the answer. And trust us, it’s less intimidating than you may think.
If you're unsure which one to pick, Chase doesn’t restrict you from having all three, so you might not have to choose. But while they offer some of the same benefits, there are other key differences to be aware of as well.
Read More: Chase Ink Cash vs Ink Unlimited: Which Offers the Best Return for Your Business?
Bottom Line
September is yet another big month in terms of elevated credit card offers. While there are plenty of cards and bonuses to choose from, we think these are the best travel rewards card offers currently available.
Be sure to check our Top Credit Cards Page, as offers are always changing.
I had the JetBlue Plus Barclay card and was denied the Aviator… but they said the reason was how many accounts opened in the last 24 months (though they couldn’t give me a number of how many was too many!) and how much credit I have (but they couldn’t move any of my $10k credit line from the JetBlue card to get me approved). Disappointing as I had been waiting for this attractive bonus on the Aviator card, and I have very good credit with not a ridiculous amount of accounts open (maybe 10-12 over the last 5 years and half of those in the last 2 years).
Hey do you know if you already have a Barclay card with Jet blue can you still qualify for an aviator Red card?
Also My husband had an aviator card and canceled it in Jan ’22 and I was a signer on it, can I apply for my own and get the sign on bonus? Its not clear in the terms.
Thanks,
Wendy
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