The 9 Best Credit Card Offers for Travelers in August 2022

Getting ahead with travel credit cards is all about timing: Getting a card when the welcome bonus is at its highest is what it's all about. And if you're in the market for a new travel credit card right now, you're in luck.

Several banks are out with some eye-popping bonuses of points and miles on their best travel cards – in some cases, among the biggest we've ever seen. Some of these offers are for a limited time and won't last much longer, so it could pay to act fast.

We've assembled a list of the absolute best credit card offers for August 2022 that are currently available – and everything you need to know if you are thinking about taking advantage.

Just 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.

For more information on the best current offers, make sure to head to our Top Credit Cards Page.

1. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Current Offer

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is currently offering 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of card membership. These points are worth a minimum of $750 for future travel.

Annual Fee: $95

Click Here to Learn More About the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. 

Why This Offer Makes the List

The record-setting 100,000-point offer on the Chase Sapphire Preferred from last fall is gone, which is a shame. But we probably won't see an offer like that ever again.

And even though the 80,000 point offer we saw this spring is now gone, getting 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points is still a very solid offer. In fact, it's the best offer available right now. And the Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best places to get started with points and miles.

Those 60,000 points can be used to book at least $750 in travel through the Chase Travel Portal – or $750 towards an Airbnb stay via the Pay Yourself Back feature – as every point is worth 1.25 cents apiece. But you can easily get double that (or more) by using Chase transfer partners like United, Singapore Airlines, Southwest Airlines, or Hyatt. Not bad for a card with an annual fee of only $95, right?

There are some restrictions you'll need to be aware of. First and foremost, there's the Chase 5/24 rule. If you have been approved for five or more cards from any bank (not just Chase) in a 24-month period, you will automatically be declined for any new Chase card. Additionally, if you have earned a bonus on either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve in the past 48 months (four years), you will not be eligible.

Read more: Are You Eligible for the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

2. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Current Offer

The brand new Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is currently offering 75,000 Venture Miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months. Considering you earn 2x for every dollar you spend on the Venture X Card, you'll earn a total of at least 83,000 Venture Miles right off the bat.

Annual Fee: $395

Click Here to learn more about the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Why This Offer Makes the List

Because it's one of the most exciting new travel credit cards to hit the market in years – if ever.

Capital One first unveiled the card in early November 2021. It's a souped-up version of the ever-popular Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card that's chock full of extra benefits: Access to Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium lounges,  a $300 annual travel credit, a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, great travel and rental car insurance protection, and more.

And all that comes with a price tag of just $395 a year. While that may seem steep, that automatically makes this card a compelling alternative to premium competitors like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or the Platinum Card® from American Express, which cost as much as $695 per year.

While a $395 annual fee may still immediately turn off many travelers, it's a mirage – it’s actually far cheaper. Consider the fact that you get an automatic $300 credit a year towards travel booked through the Capital One Travel portal. Then, starting in year two, you get a 10,000-point bonus every year: and these points are worth a minimum of $100.

Are you the kind of person who plans to spend $300 a year or more on travel? If so, do the math and you’ll see that in reality, you’re paying $95 a year for this card – or much less when you add in the other perks and welcome bonus.

It's hard to think of any other travel credit card with a better value proposition right now than this one.

3. Citi Premier® Card

Current Offer

The Citi Premier® Card is currently offering 80,000 Citi ThankYou points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of card membership. These points are worth a minimum of $800 for future travel. This is a limited-time offer!

Annual Fee: $95

Click Here to learn more about the Citi Premier® Card.

Why This Offer Makes the List

This new limited-time offer matches the biggest offer we have ever seen on the Citi Premier Card. It's up from the standard offer of 60,000 points for the same spending requirement, but it's only available for a limited time.

In the world of credit card points, we generally consider Citi points behind the likes of Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Venture Miles, and Amex Membership Rewards points. Above all, it's important to start with Chase credit cards. 

But if you've already opened a few travel credit cards and know the ins and outs of credit card transfer partnerships, this record-tying bonus could easily vault the Citi Premier to the #1 position.

Combined with some of the lucrative and unique ways to use Citi ThankYou points, this big bonus should officially put the Premier card on your radar if you’re in the market for a new travel card. Beyond the big welcome bonus, it’s one of the only travel rewards credit cards that offers a category spending bonus at gas stations, which might help take some of the sting out of the soaring prices at the pump.

Read more: New! Earn 80K Bonus Points on the Citi Premier Card

4. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Current Offer

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is currently offering 75,000 Venture Miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months. Considering you earn 2x for every dollar you spend on the Venture X Card, you'll earn a total of at least 83,000 Venture Miles right off the bat.

Annual Fee: $95

Click Here to learn more about the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Why This Offer Makes the List

In June, Capital One increased the welcome offer bonus on the standard Venture Card from 60,000 miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months to 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months. That now puts it on par with the more expensive Venture X card listed above at a much smaller annual fee price point.

You won't get all the perks you'll get with the Venture X card, but you won't pay $395 out of pocket each year either. So if it is just the miles you're after, this could make a compelling alternative.

Read More: Bigger Bonus: Earn 75k Bonus Miles With the Capital One Venture Card

5. The Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Current Offer

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is currently offering 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of card membership. These points are worth a minimum of $900 for future travel.

Annual Fee: $550

Click Here to Learn More About the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. 

Why This Offer Makes the List

Chase recently increased the welcome offer bonus on the Chase Sapphire Reserve from 50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of card membership to 60,000 points for the same spending requirement. And because these points are worth 1.5 cents each when used through the Chase Travel Portal, that bonus is worth a minimum of $900.

It matches the biggest bonus we've seen on the card – excluding the 100,000-point offer when it launched back in 2016 – which is likely to never return.

Those 60,000 points can be used to book at least $900 in travel through the Chase Travel Portal – or $900 towards an Airbnb stay via the Pay Yourself Back feature – as every point is worth 1.5 cents apiece. But you can easily get double that (or more) by using Chase transfer partners like United, Singapore Airlines, Southwest Airlines, or Hyatt.

There are some restrictions you'll need to be aware of. First and foremost, there's the Chase 5/24 rule. If you have been approved for five or more cards from any bank (not just Chase) in a 24-month period, you will automatically be declined for any new Chase card. Additionally, if you have earned a bonus on either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve in the past 48 months (four years), you will not be eligible.

Read More: A Full Review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Now With A Bigger Bonus

6. The Chase Freedom Flex℠

Current Offer

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is currently offering $200 cashback (or 20,000 Ultimate Rewards Points) after spending only $500 in the first three months of card membership.

Annual Fee: $0

Click Here to Learn More About the Chase Freedom Flex Card. 

Why This Offer Makes the List

Chase introduced the Chase Freedom Flex Card in 2020 as a replacement to the popular Freedom Card, which is no longer available for new applications. It's easily one of the best no annual fee credit cards, period. And it gets even better if you hold a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

That's because you can transfer the cashback you earn into valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. And since the earning rates on the Freedom Flex are better on certain categories than the Sapphire Cards, it is a better option for much of your everyday spending.

You'll earn 5% cashback (5x URs) on up to $1,500 each quarter on a list of rotating bonus categories. You'll also earn 5% back on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, and 3% back on dining at drugstores. Starting in July, you can earn 5% back (or 5x Ultimate Rewards points) at gas stations, car rental agencies, movie theaters, and select live entertainment.

Again, if you already have a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve card, this card is a natural next step.

Read our full review of the Chase Freedom Flex Card. 

7. The Co-Branded American Airlines Cards

Current Offer

The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® allows you to earn 60,000 bonus miles after making your first purchase in the first 90 days. Buy a cup of coffee, a pack of gum, or anything and you’ll earn the 60,000 miles.

Annual Fee: $99

Apply Here (for full disclosure this is not an affiliate link).

And then there’s the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard. This card is currently out with a limited-time welcome offer bonus to earn 50,000 AAdvantage Miles after spending $2,500 within the three months of card membership. And the card’s $99 annual fee is even waived for the first year of card membership.

Annual Fee: $99 (waived for the first year)

Apply Here (for full disclosure this is not an affiliate link).

Why This Offer Makes the List

These are some of the easiest miles you will ever earn. Make one purchase on the Barclays Card, and you've got 60,000 American Airlines miles. You can then add the Ciit card and earn another 50,000 miles after spending $2,500 in the first three months of card membership.

Put these two cards together. Pay one $99 annual fee (on the Aviator Red Card), and spend just $3,500 on the other (the Citi Platinum Select World Elite card) in the first four months. Bam: You’ve got 110,000 American Airlines miles.

Read more: How to Quickly Earn 110K American Airlines Miles (And Why You Should)

8. The American Express® Gold Card

Current Offer

Earn at least 60,000 American Express Membership Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first six months of card membership. You'll also get six months to meet the spending requirements, which is twice as long as most card offers.

Be sure to check if you're eligible for an even better 75,000-point offer via CardMatch!

Annual Fee: $250 (see rates & fees)

Click Here to Learn More About the American Express Gold Card. 

Why This Offer Makes the List

The American Express® Gold Card is one of our favorite travel rewards credit cards. Here's what you need to know: The real value of the Gold card goes far beyond that initial bonus – though a 60,000- to 75,000-point bonus or more sure doesn't hurt.

That's because the Gold Card earns 4x points for every dollar you spend at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 annually then 1x) and 4x points per dollar spent at restaurants, making it arguably the best card to use at grocery stores and restaurants.

You'll also get up to $120 in dining credits each year and up to $120 annually in credits to use at both Uber or Uber Eats. Maximize these two credits alone and that will cover $240 of your $250 annual fee. These credits and bonus categories are a big part of the reason we feel the card is easily worth the $250 annual fee.

The Rose Gold version of the card is back – and back for good. New cardholders can choose between the traditional Gold finish and Rose Gold when applying for the card. Already have a Gold Card and want to go Rose? Just message American Express and ask for a replacement.

Read our full review of the American Express Gold Card. 

9. The Platinum Card® from American Express

Current Offer

There is currently a targeted offer available through creditcards.com's CardMatch tool to earn 150,000 American Express Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of card membership.

Even if you aren't eligible for the 150,000-point offer, you can get a 125,000-point bonus (plus earn a whopping 10x points per dollar spent on the first $25,000 spent at restaurants in six months) by applying for the Platinum Card through Resy!

At the very least, you'll earn at least 100,000 American Express points after spending $6,000 within the first six months.

Annual Fee: $695 (see rates & fees)

Click Here to learn more about the Platinum Card from American Express.

See if you're eligible for the 150,000-point offer via CardMatch. 

Why This Offer Makes the List

The Platinum Card® from American Express got a big refresh last year, bringing new benefits and a bigger annual fee.

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 record welcome bonus currently available. That takes the cake for the best offer we have ever seen on the Platinum Card … and it's not even close.

Based on past evidence, it seems that those who have never held an American Express card have the best chance to pull up the targeted CardMatch offer for 150,000 points. That said, this offer won’t be available for all users.

Check out some of the best ways to use your bonus from the Amex Platinum card.

Bottom Line

August is a big month in terms of elevated credit card offers … but many of these may be ending soon! These are some of the best that are currently available. And make sure to check our Top Credit Cards Page, as offers are always changing.