When Will My Credit Card Sign-Up Bonus Reach My Account?
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
TPG reader Aaman sent me a message on Facebook to ask about credit card sign-up bonuses:
"I recently got the Sapphire Preferred Card and met the spending requirement for the sign-up bonus. Do I have to wait until the end of the promotional period (three months) to receive that bonus in my account?"
In an ideal world, credit card sign-up bonuses would be deposited into your account immediately after you meet the spending requirements. After all, the sooner you have those points and miles in hand, the sooner you can redeem them. Unfortunately, the mechanics of travel rewards aren't quite that efficient and there is some delay, but it's generally not as long as what's advertised.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card currently offers a bonus of 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of cardmembership. In the offer details, Chase specifies that you should allow six to eight weeks after qualifying for bonus points to post to your account. You could interpret that to mean you won't get your bonus until the end of the promotional period, but in practice you should almost never have to wait that long.
Once you've met the spending requirements, you'll generally receive the bonus within a few business days of when that card statement closes. Chase indicates a longer wait time because, in some cases, qualifying purchases don't appear on your account until the next statement. For example, if you reach the threshold on March 12 and your statement closes on March 14, that spending might end up on your April statement, which means the bonus won't be sent to your account until after April 14.
This timeline applies to most travel rewards cards — I'm not aware of any that make you wait until the end of the promotional period to earn your bonus, though I have seen some retention bonuses structured that way. Programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards tend to process bonuses slightly faster since your loyalty account is managed by the card issuer. You can expect to wait a few extra days for sign-up bonuses that go to a third party (like an airline or hotel affiliate).
If you're on a tight schedule to earn rewards for an upcoming redemption, I recommend completing your qualifying transactions at least one week before your statement closes so you don't end up waiting an extra month. If your bonus does get pushed back, you can try asking for those points to be sent to your account early once all the qualifying purchases have actually cleared. Depending on how far over the threshold you are, you may find an agent willing to help.
Check out these posts for more information on meeting spending requirements and earning sign-up bonuses:
- When Must I Meet the Spend Threshold for a Sign-Up Bonus?
- How Not Spending Enough on a Travel Rewards Card Could Cost You
- Ten Commandments for Travel Rewards Credit Cards
If you have any other questions, please tweet me @thepointsguy, message me on Facebook or send me an email at info@thepointsguy.com.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 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.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.