Getting ahead with travel credit cards and points and miles is all about timing. You want to get the right card when it's offering its biggest bonus, of course … but more importantly, you want to time it so that you can easily and responsibly spend the money necessary to earn all those points or miles.
With Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and the holiday shopping season around the corner, the timing is ripe to open a new credit card before the onslaught of holiday shopping or booking trips for 2025.
Let's be clear, though: Credit cards are serious business. Consumer debt is a serious problem in this country, and this isn't an excuse to rack up charges for holiday spending you can't afford just to earn points and miles. If you can't afford to pay off the card immediately, don't do it.
But if you can be financially responsible with a new line of credit and pay off all that holiday spending in full, here's why now may be the best time to open a new travel card.
Get Your Card Soon & Spend Responsibly
Applying for a new travel rewards card soon should give you enough time to get the card in your hands for all your holiday shopping.
Most new cards take about a week (or less) to arrive – though some will give you an instant digital card number upon approval. Either way, that timing is crucial: The easiest way to earn a boatload of points and miles is by earning an initial welcome bonus. The spending requirements vary wildly from card to card, from just $500 in spending over the first three months to as much as $15,000 or more in a three to six-month span.
Keep in mind: The clock is ticking. The three-to-six-month timeline to meet a minimum spending requirement starts from the moment you're approved – not from the day you receive your card.
But not every card puts you in a time crunch. In fact, one of the best offers out there right now doesn't have a minimum spending requirement at all.
Here are some of the best offers available this holiday season.
The Best Cards to Get Right Now
Earn 75K Miles with a Capital One Venture Card
We're big fans of both the *capital one venture card* and the *venture x*. Both cards offer a bonus of 75,000 Capital One Miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months of card membership. No matter which version you choose, that's a great offer as those miles are worth a minimum of $750 towards travel – or much more by using Capital One transfer partners.
With an annual fee of $395, the Venture X Card won't be for everyone – but once you get over the initial sticker shock, it begins to look like a bargain. When you factor in the card's annual $300 Capital One Travel credit, 10,000-mile anniversary bonus, airport lounge access, and more, it's almost like Capital One is paying you to have it.
Plus, it earns unlimited 2x miles everywhere, making it a great choice for your holiday spending.
Related reading: Capital One Venture vs Venture X: Which Card is Best for You?
Learn more about the *venture x*.
Earn 60K Points With the Chase Sapphire Preferred®
The *chase sapphire preferred* comes with a valuable, welcome bonus offer: bonus_miles_full
While 60,000 points might seem small compared to the Capital One Venture cards' bigger 75,000-mile bonus, these are actually really comparable offers.
Since the Chase points you earn with the Sapphire Preferred can easily be redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at a rate of 1.25 cents per point, this bonus is worth a minimum of $750 towards travel. But you can likely get even more value than that by transferring the points to one of Chase's travel partners for an award booking.
Beyond the big bonus, the Sapphire Preferred is one of the most rewarding cards on the market for both your travel and everyday spending. And with a modest $95 annual fee, this is a card that you'll want to keep in your wallet all year round.
Learn more about the *chase sapphire preferred*
Earn an Extra 1.5% Cashback With the Chase Freedom Unlimited
The *freedom unlimited* is currently offering an additional 1.5% cash back on up to $20,000 of spending during your first year of card membership.
Since the card earns at least 1.5% cash back (or 1.5x Ultimate Rewards) on all non-bonus spending, you'll actually be earning a bare minimum of 3% cash back (or 3x Ultimate Rewards) with the extra 1.5% offer.
If you already have a *chase sapphire preferred* or *chase sapphire reserve* the cash back you earn from the Freedom Unlimited can instantly be converted into Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
It's one of the best offers available right now, especially when you consider that the card has no annual fee.
Learn more about the *freedom unlimited*.
Earn up to 100K Points with the Amex Gold Card
Last but not least, one of our favorite cards is the *amex gold*. Here's the current offer: bonus_miles_full
But by using a personal referral link, you could instead get up to a 100,000-point bonus for the same $6,000 spending requirement in the first six months.
The trick to finding that better offer? You'll need to open the personal referral link above in an incognito or private web browser.
Beyond that big upfront bonus, this card is one of the absolute best for your everyday spending in the long term:
- The American Express Gold card earns an unlimited 4x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at any and all restaurants (up to $50,000 annually, then 1x)
- It also earns 4x points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 annually, then 1x)
Read more: A Full Review of the American Express Gold Card
Earn Points and Miles Now for a 2025 Getaway
If you are planning on spending the money regardless, spending towards a sign-up bonus offer will help soften the blow.
Holiday shopping is also a great time to lean into online shopping portals to earn some additional cashback or points on each purchase. You can use a site like cashbackmonitor.com to find the best deal wherever you are about to make a purchase. And if you’ve got a card that earns American Express Membership Rewards points, you can even earn Amex points instead of cashback by shopping via Rakuten.
The best part: This goes beyond your Christmas spending. With a three to six-month window, you'd have until at least February 2025 to meet the spending requirement and earn the bonus. Have six months? That gets you all the way until May 2025.
Just remember that the timer starts from the day you're approved, not the day you get your card.
But it's not just about timing your application right. It comes down to which card you pick, too. The key to getting ahead with points and miles is opening the right credit card when it's offering a bigger bonus. These bonuses are constantly changing, and that can make it hard to ensure you're striking when the iron is hot. That's why we track the best credit card bonuses available each month.
So where can all those points and miles take you?
Follow this method: Set your goal for where you want to go, then work backward. Not all points and miles will be a great option for the destination you have in mind.
For example, if Europe is on your list, earning Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points won't do you much good. Southwest doesn't fly to Europe. Figure out the points and miles you might need, find the right card to earn them, and then use your holiday spending on a card to help you get there.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points are nearly unbeatable as they offer a ton of flexibility when it comes time to book your travels. Not only can you use the points to book flight deals through the Chase travel portal, but you can also send them directly to Chase transfer partners to maximize their value.
Read more: The Best Credit Card Points to Earn This Year to Fuel Your Travels
Bottom Line
Now is the time to open a new card for your holiday shopping. But be strategic about it. Just know that this isn't a hall pass to spend money in the name of earning a bunch of points and miles.
But if you can be responsible with it, the holiday shopping season is a great excuse to open a new card and earn a huge bonus for the spending you were already planning to do.
