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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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Giving Tuesday: The 7 best credit cards to maximize your charitable donation
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
Emily Thompson specializes in beginner content as a credit cards editor. She taps into her prior experience as a high school English teacher to help others demystify credit scores and unlock experiences that credit card rewards can make possible.
also contributed to this story
December 2, 2024 • 19 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
Giving Tuesday is an opportune time to donate, as many charities offer matching contributions and you can earn rewards on donations.
Several rewards cards provide notable returns when used for charitable giving, with some offering enhanced value for large donations or through linked loyalty programs.
You can also donate points or miles directly through select airline and hotel loyalty programs, often via dedicated charity platforms.
Processing fees typically reduce the amount received by charities when donations are made via credit card.
What to consider
Rewards rates and redemption values vary depending on the card, donation amount and whether you link to a loyalty program.
Some cards offer elevated rewards for large single donations, while others provide seasonal bonus categories for select charities.
Credit card processing fees generally range from 2% to 4%, so consider donating extra if you want the charity to receive your intended amount.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of top rewards cards for charitable donations, including which options maximize value for different donation strategies.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Giving Tuesday is a great time to donate since many of your favorite charities may have a sponsor or donor willing to match your amount. As an added bonus, you can earn cash back, points or miles with each charitable donation you make.
Here are some of the best credit cards and points programs to use when donating to charity this year.
Find out your offer and see if you're eligible for as high as 300,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.
2 points per dollar (3%) on donations of at least $5,000 (up to $2 million in combined spending each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)
1 point per dollar (2%) on donations of less than $5,000
$895 (see rates and fees)
Chase Freedom Flex
Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months from account opening.
5% cash back (10.25% with a linked Ultimate Rewards account) on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate; select charities are included in Q4 of 2024
None
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business Plus is a great choice for small-business owners, as it has no annual fee and earns 2 points per dollar on all purchases up to $50,000 per year (then 1 point per dollar thereafter). TPG's November 2024 valuations peg Membership Rewards points at two cents each, which is a 4% return on the first $50,000 annually.
THE POINTS GUY
Welcome offer: Earn 15,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card in the first three months of card membership.
Rewards rate: 2 points per dollar on the first $50,000 spent in purchases each year (4%), then 1 point per dollar after that (2%).
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Apply here: The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express
Citi Double Cash Card
The Citi Double Cash Card (see rates and fees) is a no-annual-fee everyday spending card that awards 1% cash back when you make a purchase and another 1% back when you pay that charge off for a total 2% return.
Welcome bonus: Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.
Rewards rate: 5% total cash back on select bookings made through the Citi Travel portal through December 31, 2025, with an additional 3% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions on top of the card's regular earning rate (9% return based on TPG's November 2024 valuations; 2% cash back — 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay — on everything, but rewards can be transferred to a linked ThankYou account (3.6% return).
If you have a premium Ultimate Rewards card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees), you can convert the rewards earned by your Chase Freedom Unlimited into Ultimate Rewards points.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a great companion to any premium Ultimate Rewards cards because it boosts your nonbonus category earning — including charitable donations — from 1 point per dollar to 1.5.
Welcome bonus: Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Rewards rates: Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining at restaurants, 3% at drugstores and 1.5% on other eligible purchases.
Benefits:
Purchase protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft, up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account
Extended warranty extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases, including donations. TPG's November 2024 valuations peg Capital One miles at a value of 1.85 cents each, and unlike some of the other cards described in this guide, you don’t need to have another card in your wallet to unlock the ability to transfer your rewards to travel partners.
If you’re interested in 2 miles per dollar on everything but want a more premium card, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a great choice. For a $395 annual fee, you get a high welcome bonus, added bonus categories and several perks, including a $300 credit when booked through Capital One Travel, anniversary miles bonus, rental car status and more.
THE POINTS GUY
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Rewards rates: 2 Capital One miles per dollar spent on everything (3.7% return based on TPG's November 2024 valuations).
Benefits:
No foreign transaction fees
Auto rental collision damage waiver when you use your card to rent an eligible vehicle*
Learn more: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card
The Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card earns 1.5 points per dollar spent on non-bonus categories, such as charitable donations. However, you can earn up to a 75% bonus on the points earned on this card based on your status level within the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program.
Gold level requires $20,000 in assets and awards a 25% rewards bonus
Platinum level requires $50,000 in assets and awards a 50% rewards bonus
Platinum Honors level requires $100,000 in assets and awards a 75% rewards bonus
Diamond level requires $1,000,000 in assets and awards a 75% rewards bonus
At the Platinum Honors and Diamond tier, that’s a 75% bonus on the regular 1.5 point-per-dollar ratio for a total of around 2.6 cents in rewards per dollar.
THE POINTS GUY
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Rewards rates: 2 points for every dollar spent on travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points for every dollar spent on other purchases and 1.5 points per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Apply here: Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card
The Business Platinum Card from American Express
If you're feeling generous and looking to donate $5,000 or more, The Business Platinum Card from American Express offers 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar for all purchases over $5,000 annually (up to $2 million of these purchases, then 1 point per dollar). Just make sure that wherever you make your donation, the entire amount is charged as one transaction and not split into two or more payments — such as a monthly giving schedule — because you’ll only get the multiplier on charges over $5,000 made as a single purchase.
THE POINTS GUY
Welcome offer: Find out your offer and see if you're eligible for as high as 300,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 on purchases in the first three months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Rewards rates: 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com (10% return based on TPG's November 2024 valuations), 2 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year (3% return based on TPG valuations) and 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases (2% return).
Up to $200 airline fee credit for incidental fees charged to your card by one qualifying airline you select (enrollment required)
35% airline bonus on any class flight with your selected qualifying airline, with American Express Travel using Amex Pay with Points (up to 1 million points back per calendar year; will only apply to the airline that a cardmember selects for their annual up to $200 airline fee statement credit, regardless of fare class)
Up to $150 in statement credits on U.S. purchases made directly at Dell and an additional up to $1,000 statement credit after spending $5,000 or more with Dell per calendar year (enrollment required)
Up to $250 Adobe statement credit after spending $600 or more on U.S. purchases made directly with Adobe per calendar year (enrollment required)
Up to $120 in statement credits per year for telephone service purchases in the U.S., given in monthly installments of up to $10 (enrollment required)
Up to $209 in annual statement credits for Clear+ (subject to auto-renewal)
Statement credit for one Global Entry application fee every four years ($120) or one TSA PreCheck application fee every 4.5 years (up to $85)
Apply here: The Business Platinum Card from American Express
Chase Freedom Flex
The Chase Freedom Flex is a strong earner for the last quarter of 2024. Select charities are included in the card's list of rotating 5% cash-back bonus categories on up to $1,500 in combined purchases through Dec. 31. You must activate these categories to unlock the bonus-earning potential.
THE POINTS GUY
Welcome offer: Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Rewards rates: Earn 5% back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in quarterly rotating bonus categories, including select charities in Q4 2024, when you activate; 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services; 3% on drugstore purchases; 1% on all other purchases.
Benefits:
Cellphone protection offers up to $800 per claim and $1,000 annually (maximum of two claims in a 12-month period with a $50 deductible per claim) against covered theft or damage when you pay your cellphone bill with the card
Purchase protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft, up to $500 per claim
Extended warranty extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less
When it comes to donating your hard-earned points, there are several opportunities out there. Here, we’ll spotlight a few programs that make it easy to redeem toward thousands of fundraisers or nonprofits.
You can earn Membership Rewards points by holding an Amex card. Here are some of our best Amex card options. Likewise, Hilton Honors points can be earned not only with stays at a Hilton property but also by applying for a Hilton credit card.
HILTON/POINTWORTHY
United allows you to donate miles through Miles on a Mission to a number of different charities and campaigns, including the American Red Cross, Global Glimpse and Make a Wish.
While we typically prefer to accrue points and miles and use them to travel, donating a small number of miles or points can be a great way to keep your points and miles from expiring. Of course, if you have a large stash of points and want to do good without spending cash, then using points can make sense, too.
What to know about Chase's Pay Yourself Back feature
With Chase Pay Yourself Back, you can redeem your Ultimate Rewards points earned with its credit cards at a redemption level similar to booking travel.
From now through Dec. 31, you can use points earned from your Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Freedom Flex, Chase Freedom Unlimited, Ink Business Preferred, Ink Business Premier® Credit Card (see rates and fees), Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (see rates and fees), or Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (see rates and fees) to pay yourself back after requesting a credit on your purchases with select charities.
MASKOT/GETTY IMAGES
The redemption comes at a value of up to 2 cents per point, depending on the card and the specific redemption (see your rewards program agreement for full details).
This is more generous than the rate you'd receive from other issuers, though still below TPG's November 2024 valuation of Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents apiece. However, whether or not this is the best use of your own Ultimate Rewards points comes down to your person spending habits and travel goals.
Should I apply for a new card before making a large donation?
If you’re considering making a large donation, you may want to apply for a new credit card before making the donation.
WESTEND61/GETTY IMAGES
By doing so, you can make significant progress toward the spending required to obtain the card’s welcome bonus. If you don’t want to apply for a new card, consider whether you have a card with a threshold spending bonus to meet.
For most cards and merchants, these fees are between 2% and 4% of the amount charged. That means that if you donate $1,000 to a charity, the charity will likely only get $960 to $980 of your donation once the bank levies various card processing fees.
NARISARA NAMI/GETTY IMAGES
If you want a set amount to reach your charity of choice, you may want to give a little extra to cover the credit card charges. (You could also just donate using a debit card, check or cash, but then you won’t earn any rewards on the donation.)
If you’re using a credit card to make charitable donations this season, be sure to use a credit card that maximizes your earnings. And if you want to use rewards instead of earning them, you can take advantage of several rewards program partnerships to do just that. No matter the route you choose, credit cards can make your Giving Tuesday even sweeter.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
For rates and fees of the Blue Business Plus Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum Card, click here.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
