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If you’re a fan of Apple, you may be wondering if the tech giant’s branded credit card is a good fit for you. This titanium card designed by Apple is a card that lets you earn cash back on your purchases rather than earning miles or points like many other rewards cards. So does the Apple card deserve a place in your digital wallet?

For starters, it has no annual fee so you don’t have to worry about getting charged to carry this card. The card also doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees or even late fees, so you don’t have to worry too much about those either, though a late payment will cause you to accrue more interest and it will affect your credit score negatively so that’s something to avoid.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

• Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Airlines Credit Cards
• Best Hotel Credit Cards
• Best Business Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Overall in 2022

Pre-Approval Without a Credit Inquiry

You can usually see if you’re approved for this card in less than a minute without taking a ding on your credit score initially, which usually goes down by a few points with a hard inquiry. Apple’s card issuer will tell you what your credit limit and interest rate will be, but your credit score will not be impacted unless you accept the offer. Don’t worry though, because hard inquiries are usually removed within a few months.

Before you fill out an application for the Apple card, let’s go over the earning potential to see if it’s a good choice for your spending patterns. There are many generous credit card offers in the market, and many card issuers have rules about how many cards you can apply for in a specific period of time so you should keep that in mind if you plan to apply for other cards in the near future.

Bonus Earning Categories

You’ll earn 3% cash back on purchases at Apple stores, within the App Store and for Apple services. But most people don’t shop at the Apple store that often so unless you spend a lot on apps as well, this bonus category is limited.

You can also earn 3% cash back at select merchants when you use the Apple card with Apple Pay, which is the digital wallet on iPhones. Merchants include Uber and Uber Eats, Walgreens and Duane Reade drug stores, in-store T-Mobile, Nike (in US stores, on the website or through Nike apps), Exxon and Mobil gas stations, and Panera restaurants. All of these purchases must be made using Apple Pay to qualify for 3% cash back.

All other purchases made using the card through Apple Pay earn 2% cash back, and everything else purchased using the Apple card earns 1% cash back. Keep in mind that Apple Pay is not accepted everywhere in the US and is even more limited in acceptance overseas.

Who is the Apple Card For?

The Apple card is good for someone who buys Apple products. You may be planning to purchase a new iPhone or MacBook from the Apple store and if that’s your goal, you can get 3% cash back and you can even choose to pay in installments and avoid interest for a period of time.

It’s also good for iPhone users that use Apple Pay for contactless payments as this category earns 2-3% cash back depending on the merchant. The list of merchants that offer 3% are limited to those listed above, so unless you use those merchants regularly the Apple credit card may not be very rewarding.

If you don’t like waiting, then this card might be a good choice for you. You can apply for the card through Apple Pay on your iPhone, and if your application is successful you can start using the card through the app immediately.

Also, you won’t have to wait a month to get your rewards with the Apple card because cash back is applied every day so you don’t have to wait until the next billing cycle as you do with most other cash back cards. You do need to have an Apple Cash account to get the cash immediately, but if you don’t have one then it will be applied as a statement credit.

The Apple card also has a neat feature that lets you choose an amount to pay on your card and it will estimate the interest cost in real time, which may help with financial planning. You might pay off your card faster when you see the savings.

You do need to be 18 years or older and a US citizen or lawful resident. You also need to use two-factor authentication with your Apple ID and sign into iCloud with your Apple ID to be eligible for this card. You also may be required to use your driver’s license or state-issued ID to verify your identity 

Credit Score Range Typically Required

There is not a lot of information on what specific credit score is likely to be approved for this card because that information is largely crowd sourced, and because this Apple card was only introduced in 2019 so the amount of feedback from applicants is limited.

Apple primarily uses the FICO Score 9 which ranges from 300 to 850, and on their website it indicates that a score of 660 or more is considered “favorable” to obtain the Apple card.

This card is issued by Goldman Sachs, who will use your FICO and other credit scores, your credit report and the income you report on your application to make a decision. If you have a freeze on your credit report, be sure to lift that temporarily before you apply for the card.

What’s included in my credit score?

The most important factor in determining your credit score is payment history. It accounts for 35% of your score and it will help the lender determine the risk they are taking if they give you a line of credit.

The second most important factor is the amount you owe, which is also known as your debt-to-credit ratio. This is calculated by looking at how much of your available credit you are using, and this accounts for 30% of the score.

The length of credit history makes up 15% of your score. A longer credit history is preferable, but not critical for a good credit score. This part of the score includes the age of your oldest account, the age of your newest account and the average age of all your other accounts. It also looks at usage to see how long ago you used some accounts.

Your credit mix, which includes credit cards and different types of loans including mortgages, student loans and car financing, makes up 10% of your score. New credit accounts for the last 10% so this part of your score is lowered if you have opened a number of new credit accounts recently.

Income Level and Other Factors Considered

There is no specific income level required to be approved for the Apple Card, but you will be asked what your income is on the application and you’ll also be asked how much you pay for housing.

Credit card issuers have their own data that they can use to compare your income and obligations against current customers with a similar profile to help them determine your creditworthiness. 

The key thing they are trying to determine is your ability to pay off your debt, so if more than half your income is going toward housing and you have debt like student loans that you are paying off, then you may not be a good credit risk and will be declined.

If approved for the card, the initial credit limit is determined by looking at your income and the minimum payments due on your existing debt to determine your ability to pay off your new Apple card.

Odds of Approval

Even though Apple indicates that a score of 660 is favorable for approval, that is only considered a fair credit rating. If your score is in the good or excellent range you will have a much better chance of getting approved.

If your score is below 600, you likely won’t be approved. There are some other things that might cause you to be declined for the Apple card including being past due on payments recently, having a checking account closed for overdrafting your account, having a judgement against you from litigation, having property that’s been repossessed or having negative public records like a tax lien or bankruptcy filing,

If you’re heavily in debt and you don’t earn enough to meet your obligations that will also lead to a declined application. And if you’ve maxed out your credit lines in the last three months or you’ve opened a lot of new accounts recently those are also red flags.

Issuer Rules

One thing you don’t have to worry about are the rules that many credit card issuers have implemented in recent years to try and stop people from applying for too many cards to get sign-up bonuses. Chase for example has a 5/24 rule, where you can’t apply for more than five cards with any card issuers in two years or you will be automatically denied.

Also, because Wells Fargo does not issue as many credit cards as Chase, Citi or American Express you likely don’t have to worry about the Apple card issuer denying you because you already have too many credit cards or lines of credit with the bank.

Why the Apple Card May Not Be Right For You

Now that we’ve gone over all the reasons why you might want to apply for the Apple credit card, let’s talk about why this card may not be a good choice.

This card is not good for someone who is interested in a sign-up bonus as the card does not come with one. Many cash back cards offer a welcome offer of $200 like the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express even has a $300 welcome offer.

There is no 0% APR introductory offer, though you can use your card to pay for Apple products in monthly installments if you check out using that option. But if you buy your Apple device from another retailer you can’t pay off that purchase over time and avoid interest. 

If you’re thinking of getting the Apple card to pay for a new tech product, you might want to consider the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card for more flexibility on where you make the purchase. The Citi card comes with a 0% introductory APR for 15 months (variable APR of between 14.74% and 24.74% after that) and it includes a $200 sign-up bonus after you spend $750 in the first three months of having the card.

If you don’t own an iPhone 6 or later, then this is probably not the best card for you because bonus points are primarily earned when making purchases through Apple Pay and that does not work on older phones. And if you’re an Android user, this also won’t be a good card for you as you won’t have access to Apple digital wallet and will be limited to 1% cash back on purchases. 

There are plenty of other cash back cards that offer 1.5% or more in cash back on all purchases, so one of those cards might be more rewarding. The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card for example offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases and the Citi Double Cash credit card offers 1% cash back when you make the purchase and another 1% when you pay off the balance.

Final Thoughts

If you’re planning a big purchase from the Apple store, the Apple card may be a good choice. And if you use Apple Pay for most of your purchases, this card can be very rewarding especially if you order Ubers to get around and for meal deliveries or if you use the merchants that offer 3% cash back.

If you don’t plan to pay off your card when the statement comes due, then a 0% interest card will give you time to pay off your balance and save you money in the long run because paying interest on a credit card will totally negate any rewards you’ve earned.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

• Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Airlines Credit Cards
• Best Hotel Credit Cards
• Best Business Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Overall in 2022

Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

FoundersCard, founded in 2009, is a business that aims to give entrepreneurs the same travel benefits and networking opportunities as senior members of established corporations.

The idea is that the people working hard to make their businesses successful, entrepreneurs, deserve special treatment when they travel, network, and make purchases to grow their company.

The FoundersCard is an elite perks card that instantly grants cardholders VIP treatment with a number of airlines, hotels, and retailers—sometimes in the form of access and other times in the form of discounts.

There are over 50,000 FoundersCard members using their memberships to save money when promoting their small businesses and enjoying more than 650,000 benefit redemptions.

Find out how this program works and what membership benefits include here.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

• Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Airlines Credit Cards
• Best Hotel Credit Cards
• Best Business Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Overall in 2022

FoundersCard Explained

FoundersCard membership comes with a variety of perks for small business owners, especially those who travel. Because of the exclusive nature of this membership, FoundersCard doesn’t readily advertise the specifics of this card very well. But you don’t have to become a part of the club to understand what you’re getting yourself into.

What Is It

The FoundersCard is something like a good travel credit card combined with universal loyalty membership. You don’t use it to make purchases and it doesn’t affect your credit, but it can help you save money. This card is your ticket to elite status with a number of loyalty programs and gets you discounts codes, promotional rates, and VIP status with hundreds of businesses.

This is a private program for entrepreneurs and business owners, so many of the benefits are designed to help you save on business-related expenses such as travel and workplace solutions.

How to Get One

Anyone is eligible to apply for a FoundersCard, but membership isn’t guaranteed. FC lets in a limited number of people to keep its network private. The program is available to entrepreneurs around the world but some benefits may not be available globally. 

There is a limit of one active account per member. Users under the age of 21 are not eligible for FoundersCard membership.

You will need to provide credit card information during the application process both to pay the annual and initiation fee and to give you access to membership benefits that require billing information. The company will take a couple of days to review your application and get back to you about whether you’ve been accepted. As soon as your application is approved, you become part of the community and can start redeeming perks and benefits.

How Much Does It Cost

This card isn’t cheap. The annual fee for FoundersCard membership is $595 and the cost to join is $95. You might be able to get a discount on the membership fee if you receive a referral code when you apply to sign up, which could knock your fee down to $395.

While expensive, many members say they easily make the membership fee back in benefits redemption. This is especially true for those who already spend a considerable amount of money each year on travel costs and various business expenses (i.e. most business owners).

For example, one user claimed to save over $5,000 on her purchase of a new car just from FC membership. Another saved $600 in Stripe fees. If you really use the membership for all it’s worth, you can save a lot more than you spend on membership.

Keep an eye out for free trials. FoundersCard occasionally runs promotions that let you try membership for up to six months before paying.

FoundersCard Elite

If FoundersCard membership isn’t elite enough for you, you can apply for FOUNDERSCARD ELITE. Basically, this card gives you even more perks and comes with a heftier price tag. Elite members get more complimentary upgrades and benefits as well as an additional FC membership for a spouse or business associate at no cost. The secondary member will enjoy the benefits the primary member has redeemed.

The spouse or significant other does not need to qualify for membership or pay a separate annual fee, but they do need to have their own credit card on file in order to access the full membership benefits. If the primary member cancels their membership, then the significant other’s membership will also be automatically terminated. 

Benefits of the FoundersCard Membership Program

There are over 500 exclusive benefits in the FoundersCard membership program. These include travel discounts and elite status bumps, some of which are ideal for personal use and others which are designed more for business expenditures.

VIP Travel

Let’s start with VIP travel as a FoundersCard member. This is one of the top, most popular benefits of the membership.

Airlines

FoundersCard partners with many domestic and international airlines to give members not only elite loyalty status but also discounts on flight tickets. And while some airline benefits aren’t quite as straightforward as instant premier status or cheaper rates, there is a lot of potential to save on VIP travel.

FoundersCard partners with the following airlines:

• American Airlines
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific Airways
• Qantas
• Singapore Airlines
• Surf Air
• United Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• Wheels Up
• XO

If you are a loyalty member with any of these airlines, you might be in for a status upgrade.

Take a look at the flying benefits available currently below:

• American Airways: AAdvantage status challenge – instant Gold elite status and lowered qualification thresholds for higher tiers
• Virgin Atlantic: Instant Flying Club Silver status and lowered qualification thresholds for higher tiers
• Cathay Pacific Airways: Instant Marco Polo Silver status and fares discounted up to 15%
• British Airways: Fares discounted up to 10%
• Qantas: Fares discounted up to 25%
• United Airlines: Fares discounted up to 8%
• Singapore Airlines: Fares discounted up to 15%
• Wheels Up: Purchase a Wheels Up Connect Membership at a discounted rate of $1,995 (full price $2,995) or purchase a Wheels Up Core Membership for $17,500 and receive $9,000 in flight credit
• Surf Air: Receive preferred fare pricing (e.g. purchase a round trip flight for $350 off) and two complimentary round-trip guest flights when you purchase an All-You-Can-Fly membership (prices start at $1,950 a month)
• XO: Receive 3-month complimentary trial of XO RISE membership (priced at $595 per year)

Remember that these particular benefits are subject to change and FoundersCard may even decide to partner with different airlines. Still, these benefits should give you a pretty good idea of the kind of perks FoundersCard membership can get you.

[You may also like: How to get United Airlines Elite Premier Status in 2021.]

Car Rentals

If you often find yourself in rental cars, you can make your drives a bit more comfortable while saving money using your FC membership. Complimentary upgrades and rental discounts are always available.

Here are some of the discounts available to redeem now in the Ground Transportation category: 

• Hertz: Complimentary Elite status and up to 20% off rentals
• Avis Rent A Car: Complimentary Avis Preferred Plus membership status (President’s Club status for FC ELITE members) and up to 25% off rentals
• Sixt Rent a Car: Complimentary Platinum Sixt Card membership and up to 15% off rentals
• Silvercar by Audi: Save up to 20% off rentals
• EmpireCLS: Save up to 15% off all services globally
• Carey: Receive 15% off premium chauffeured limousine service
• Go Rentals: Save up to 20% on luxury car rentals

Whether you’re renting a reliable car for a business trip or looking to travel in style on a personal vacation, don’t forget to see what ground transportation benefits FoundersCard has to offer.

Other Premium Benefits and Services

Besides airline loyalty rewards, fare discounts, and car rental perks, there are usually several other travel benefits. For example, members are eligible to receive a discount of 15% off ongoing Heathrow VIP Concierge bookings and 20% off their first Heathrow VIP booking. 

There is also an air medical transport benefit, with members saving up to 45% on Medjet services for individuals or families. Members are saving $104 with this benefit on average.

And should you need help planning your trips, you can redeem a benefit for complimentary TripIt Pro membership for one year and a discounted rate of $39 for three years after.

FoundersCard Hotel Program

When you join FC, you can get complimentary elite status with select hotel loyalty programs. Here are the current upgrades available to members:

• Caesars Rewards: Complimentary Caesars Rewards Diamond status
• Hilton Honors: Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status
• Marriott Bonvoy: Platinum Elite challenge – members who stay 15 paid nights within the first 3 months of Marriott Bonvoy enrollment are bumped up to Platinum Elite status for one year
• Omni Select Guest: Complimentary Omni Select Guest Platinum status (FC ELITE members only)

Besides loyalty program status upgrades, members can receive discounted room rates at select hotels. FoundersCard partners with the following hotel chains:

• Park Hyatt
• Rosewood Hotel Group
• The Peninsula Hotels
• Omni Hotels & Resorts
• Belmond
• W Hotels
• The Standard
• Caesars Entertainment

Cardholders receive exclusive hotel rates when staying at these brands, complimentary upgrades in the form of upgrades and amenities, and are granted more cancellation flexibility than non-FC members. 

However, these perks don’t apply to every hotel within a given brand. Participating hotels and resorts are only located in San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, London, Tokyo, Miami, Paris, Chicago, Singapore, and Vancouver.

Here are a few examples of the hotel benefits available:

• The Standard High Line New York: 25% or more off room rates, upgrades when available, welcome amenity at check-in, and flexible cancellation
• NOBU Hotel at Caesars Las Vegas: 20% off standard room rates, 10% off suite rates, and complimentary Caesars Rewards Diamond status
• St Martins Lane Hotel London: 20% off best rates, complimentary Wi-Fi, and flexible cancellation
• Park Hyatt Tokyo: Discounted rates starting at JPY 42,000 for Park Rooms, JPY 47,000 for Park Deluxe Rooms, and JPY 102,000 for Park Suites; flexible cancellation and World of Hyatt points
• Hotel de Crillon Paris (a Rosewood Hotel): 15% off most room rates and flexible cancellation
• Chicago Athletic Association Hotel: Up to 25% off room rates, complimentary premium Wi-Fi, welcome amenity at check-in, upgrades when available, flexible cancellation, and World of Hyatt points

Important Considerations

Some discounts are not available for every type of room, but it depends on the property. Each hotel’s version of flexible cancellation is a little different too, so make sure you check with a hotel about the cancellation terms. Also, some hotels will have blackout dates, which you can see in the fine print of the benefits page for each hotel or resort. FoundersCard members do not, as a rule, get priority status over other guests when it comes to blackout dates.

Business Solutions

FoundersCard members can choose from a wide variety of business-related benefits from marketing discounts to service credits.

You can save a considerable amount of money in business and personal expenses using these discounts. There are too many to list them all, but we’ll highlight several of the business benefits available now:

• AT&T Wireless: Save up to 15% on monthly service charge for personal wireless plans including the AT&T 4GB Plan; save up to $10 per line, per month on the AT&T Unlimited Elite Plan
• Stripe: Receive up to $50K in fee-free payments up to $1,450 value on new and existing Stripe accounts ($20K for FC standard members and $50K for FC ELITE members)
• Salesforce Essentials: Save 50% off first year of subscription after free 14-day trial (savings up to $1,500 value)
• UPS: Save up to 47% on ground, air, and international shipping (can stack on other discounts)
• HubSpot: Save up to 30% on email marketing plans including HubSpot Pro and Enterprise
• Airtable: Receive $2,000 Airtable credit and access to Airtable for Startups perks and services
• Dell: Save up to 40% on most Dell products
• Lenovo: Save up to 60% on select Think and Lenovo products ($1,500 average savings)
• Google Workspace: Save 20% on Business Standard and Business Plus Google Workspace plans
• Dropbox: Save 40% on Dropbox Business or Dropbox Plus annual subscriptions
• Zoom: Save 20% off of list price on Zoom services (when you have a minimum of 10 Business licenses) and 10% on Zoom phone services, receive one complimentary Zoom Rooms license
• Slack: Save 30% on plan upgrades for the first 12 months including Free Plan to Standard or Plus Plan and Standard Plan to Plus Plan upgrades if your business has less than 200 employees OR receive access to Sales team for special pricing if your business has more than 200 employees
• Zendesk: Receive 6 free months of Zendesk Support and Sales SRM services
• Indeed: Receive $200 Sponsored Job credit for new accounts in select countries
• Skillshare: Save 30% on Skillshare Premium Annual Subscription (for up to 2 years) after complimentary trial period

These benefits can help you save money running your business and even cut personal costs you may incur networking, traveling, or otherwise investing in the growth of your business. The bulk of FoundersCard membership benefits are business-related.

Important Considerations

Keep in mind that some of these discounts only apply to new accounts and others apply whether you are a new or existing customer. Some discounts cannot be applied to certain service plans or may have minimum order requirements. 

Also, most benefits can only be redeemed once. Many benefits have specific duration requirements such as a minimum subscription of 1 year or a maximum subscription of 3 years as well.

Lifestyle Privileges

Finally, it’s time to talk about the lifestyle privileges that come with a FoundersCard membership. These include special pricing, discounts, and exclusive access to events and promotions. The categories are Experience & Access, Food & Wine, Health & Fitness, Holiday Favorites, and Premium Retail.

Again, there are far too many lifestyle benefits to name them all, so here are some of our favorites:

• Audi: Receive exclusive member pricing
• BMW: Save up to $3,000 on new BMWs, receive a $500 credit on the purchase of a new MINI, and save up to $11,000 on new BMW i3s
• Montblanc: Save up to 15% on every online purchase
• Adidas: Save up to 30% on every online purchase
• Harry & David: Save up to 20% on most orders
• Jonathan Adler: Save up to 20% on all online and in-store purchase
• Herman Miller: Save 15% on all online purchases and get access to a dedicated contact for customer service and support

Members also receive preferred pricing on a number of live performances including concerts, sporting events, theatre performances, and more.

How to Redeem Benefits

The benefits offered to FoundersCard members are not automatically applied to every account. You have to log in to your FoundersCard account to see current benefits and click onto the ones you want to apply.

Each benefit has its own page of details and fine print, so review this carefully to make sure that a benefit is available in your area, you understand the policies associated with privileges such as cancellation flexibility, and make a note of any expiration or blackout dates. Then, redeem the benefits you want by selecting “Redeem Now.” This will give you a promotional code that you can use when making purchases.

Available benefits are always changing, though some tend to renew each year. Benefits can become unavailable without notice, so get into the habit of checking a benefit each time you go to use it. There doesn’t seem to be a rhyme or reason to which benefits are pulled when.

FoundersCard Network

The FoundersCard community is an extensive network in and of itself. Because every member is a business founder, you will share a lot in common with other cardholders and can leverage your membership to make valuable connections. 

You can also promote your brand to other FC members by creating an exclusive benefit they can redeem with FoundersCard. The Community section of the FoundersCard platform features benefits created by businesses founded or run by other FC members. 

For example, CEO of Namecheap.com Richard K. is offering 20% off most Namecheap domain services for FC members; the CEO of Wine Access is giving members 20% off their first order and a 10% discount after that; and the founder of MOO Inc. is offering a discount of 20% to FC members on business cards and stationery.

Is It Worth It

If the question you’re now asking is “Is it worth it?” then our answer is that it depends. If your business is pretty small and you don’t find yourself traveling a lot or paying for luxury services and top-tier business solutions, then you might not make your annual membership fee back easily and this membership could just become another expense to pay. In this case, it might end up being stressful trying to make the membership worth it

But if the opposite is true—you fly, you stay at hotels, you invest in premier business solutions regularly, etc..—then you can probably justify the membership fee no problem and you’ll enjoy the discounts and VIP treatment the FoundersCard can give you.

Overall, we don’t recommend the FoundersCard to businesses that are struggling or not particularly active, to entrepreneurs that do little to no traveling, or to individuals who already have travel credit cards that give them loyalty status upgrades and discounts.

Our biggest piece of advice is to read the fine print on benefits being offered before committing to membership. You can do this by completing the first stage of application, which just requires an email address and some personal information. Once you’re in, check out the benefits available and try to find several that would be immediately useful to you. You don’t want to cough up $400+ for membership if you’re going to have to alter your lifestyle or business to get the discounts and perks.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you feel like you have a much clearer picture of this exclusive program, which tries very hard to keep its benefits a secret, after reading this article.

Will you be joining FoundersCard?

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

• Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Airlines Credit Cards
• Best Hotel Credit Cards
• Best Business Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Overall in 2022

Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

The American Express® Gold Card is a rewarding credit card that is one of the top charge cards in the Amex portfolio. The card has some great benefits and bonus point earning categories, and at $250 a year the annual fee is less than half the cost of a premium cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express or the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

The Amex Gold card is currently offering 60,000 American Express Membership Rewards points after you make $4,000 in purchases in the first six months of having the card. This metal card is an impressive card to hold, and you can currently get it in Rose Gold as well. You may also be eligible for a targeted 75,000 point bonus.

Six months is a nice long window to meet minimum spend, unlike many other cards that only give you three months to meet spend and earn a sign-up bonus. You need to spend just under $700 a month to meet the Amex Gold spend requirement, which is more manageable than spending double that to earn the bonus on the mid-tier Chase Sapphire Preferred card for example.

The Gold card also comes with some generous statement credits that can help you offset the annual fee including Uber and dining credits.

If you’re considering applying for this card, continue reading our guide below to see the typical credit score required, the type of consumer(s) that can instantly qualify and to fully understand your odds of approval.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

• Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Airlines Credit Cards
• Best Hotel Credit Cards
• Best Business Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Overall in 2022

Credit Score Range Typically Required

If you’re interested in getting the Amex Gold card, you might be wondering if you will be approved if you submit an application. Like any credit card, your credit score is an important factor. But there are other variables that Amex will consider when you apply.

You will need to have a good or excellent credit score to qualify for this card. And if your credit score is considered good, then it needs to be in the high end of that range. Many banks provide you with your credit score in their online portal, so check there or use an online service like Credit Karma to see your score.

You can also review your credit scores from the three credit bureaus which include Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Don’t be surprised if the scores are different at each agency. That’s because they all use slightly different scoring models.

What’s included in my credit score?

The credit scores from each credit reporting company should be in agreement on whether your score is poor, fair, good, very good or excellent/exceptional, as they all take the same data into consideration. Scores are based on payment history (35%), debt-to-credit ratio (30%), length of credit history (15%), credit mix (10%) and new credit (10%).

If the scores are too far away from each other though, check your credit history with the bureau who has the lower score to make sure there are no errors on your credit report that might be dragging your credit score down.

A very good FICO credit score is 740 or above, and if your score is in this range then you’ve got a very good shot at having a successful application and getting the Amex Gold card. But you can still get approved for this card if you have a score of 700, or even as low as 670. The lower your credit score is though, the better your credit history and income level needs to be to compensate.

Income Level Required 

American Express does not disclose the income requirement for successful applicants, but in addition to income, they will also ask you how much you pay for rent or mortgage each month and they will crunch the numbers to check your creditworthiness and determine if you are a good credit risk.

Amex will also look at other things like how long you’ve been at your job, the amount of debt you carry, the number of open credit card accounts and how many recent hard inquiries are on your credit report, so there are more things involved in their decision than just your credit score and income. 

Amex also uses its own internal data to determine your eligibility. They will gauge your ability to pay charges on the card based on what current Gold cardholders spend and how that matches your income and expenses.

You also need to be at least 18 and a US citizen or permanent resident, but this is not a card for people new to credit cards as you need to have credit history. It’s also favorable for applicants who have previously been approved for an American Express card.

Keep in mind that all the income you receive including alimony, child support and investment income can be included in what you report to American Express on your application, so be sure to include that in your calculations. You don’t have to disclose it on your application, but it will improve your odds of getting approved if your wages are not sufficient.

Odds of Approval

If your score is excellent and you have a high income, then you have an excellent chance of getting approved for this card. If you already have other cards or history with American Express that will count in your favor as well, but only if your cards are in good standing.

If your score is very good, and you only make $40,000 a year for example, you can still get approved if you have a clean credit history and low housing costs. If your credit score is hovering around 700 though, a higher income in the $50,000 or more range will boost your chances of getting approved.

But if you have a score over 800, income of $50,000 or more and a deep credit history with no issues, you will likely get instant approval. You may also want to consider the Amex Platinum card rather than the Amex Gold if your credit score and income are at these levels. You can get a rundown of the credit score required with the Amex Platinum card here.

If your income is lower, or if you have too much debt or a history of late payments, even just a few, you will likely be denied.

If you’re uncertain about your eligibility and want to avoid a ding on your credit score, you can check to see if you pre-qualify. You just enter some info including name and Social Security number and the site will show you Amex cards you will likely qualify for. But even if you don’t see the Gold card among your offers, you can still apply. An approval is much more likely though if Amex has pre-determined that you are a good candidate for the Gold card.

Who is the Amex Gold Card For?

The American Express Gold Card is a great fit for travelers because it has a lot of travel benefits, and you get the most value out of Membership Reward points when redeemed for travel. It also earns 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, which will help you earn rewards faster to reach your travel goal.

It’s also a good Membership Rewards earning card for foodies and almost anyone because it earns 4x points for dining, takeout and food delivery worldwide, and 4x on purchases at US supermarkets up to $25,000 per calendar year. That can add up to 100,000 points annually for buying groceries if you max out that bonus. 

While some other cards added food purchases as a temporary bonus category during the pandemic, the 4x earning on Amex Gold dining and groceries is not likely to change as it was in place before COVID. The Citi Prestige card is one of the few cards that offers a bigger bonus for dining at 5x points per dollar spent, but that card has a $495 annual fee. All other purchases made using the Gold card earn one point per dollar.

Travelers will benefit the most by holding the Amex Gold card though, because Membership Rewards are a valuable, flexible currency that can be used to book travel with Amex, or they can be transferred to airline or hotel programs for even greater potential value. If you don’t travel much, they can also be used for gift certificates or you can pay with points at popular sites like Amazon or Best Buy.

It’s also easier to get the Gold card than the Platinum Card, which is the top credit card available to the public from Amex. There is only one card that is more prestigious than the Platinum, and it is much more difficult to get and much more expensive to hold. It is the Centurion Card from American Express and by invitation only, so you won’t be invited to apply for that Black card unless you’re already an Amex cardholder and you make and spend a lot.

American Express Rules

There are a few other things that may cause you to get denied for the Amex Gold even if you have an excellent credit score and good income. Like other banks and credit card issuers, Amex has some rules to stop people from applying for too many credit cards.

It should be at least five days since you last applied for an Amex card. For example, if you applied for the Amex Platinum card and got an instant decision denying your application, wait a week before you apply for the Gold card. You also should not apply for more than two Amex cards in a 90-day period, even if your application was denied. 

American Express also has a rule that indicates you can only have five active Amex cards with a preset spending limit, including both personal and business cards. The Gold card however, does not have a preset spending limit so this rule won’t likely be an issue.

One last rule to keep in mind is that you can only get a welcome bonus one time for each of its products. That means if you previously got a sign-up bonus for the American Express Gold Card, or the American Express Premier Rewards Gold as it was known before it rebranded in 2018, then you are not eligible for another welcome bonus.

Is the Gold Card Worth the Annual Fee?

If you think your credit score, history and income are good enough to qualify, then you might be wondering if this card is worth the annual $250 fee. Let’s take a look at the value of the welcome bonus and the statement credits and benefits and that can offset the fee.

The 60,000 point bonus can vary in value depending on how you redeem the points, but it is worth $600 in travel booked through the Amex portal where points are worth a penny a piece. You can also transfer the points to a hotel loyalty or an airline rewards program, which usually offers the highest potential value.

Airline Transfer Partners 

Amex Membership Rewards transfer to16 airline programs that include carriers in the three major airline alliances at a ratio of 1:1 for most carriers, so the Amex Gold bonus could be turned into 60,000 miles.

Airline transfer partner programs include Aer Lingus AerClub, Aeromexico Club Premier, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Alitalia MilleMiglia, ANA Mileage Club, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways Avios, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Delta SkyMiles, El Al Matmid Frequent Flyer Club, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, HawaiianMiles, Iberia Plus, JetBlue TrueBlue, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Singapore KrisFlyer and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

There are many redemption possibilities with all these airline partners, but to give you an idea of the value of 60,00 miles, two round-trip domestic tickets on one of the legacy carriers cost an average of 50,000 miles. Or you can book a one-way business class ticket to Europe for about 60,000 points. The best way to get the most value per mile is usually by booking international travel in first or business class.

Hotel Transfer Partners

You can also transfer your Amex Membership Rewards points to three hotel programs including  Choice Privileges (1:1 ratio), Hilton Honors (1:2 ratio) and Marriott Bonvoy (1:1). These transfers don’t always represent the best value even when you get two points per MR in the Hilton program, but if you just need a few thousand more points for an award stay in one of the programs, then it’s nice to have this option. It can also make sense if a particular property has a great redemption rate for a certain property. 

To check the redemption value of airline and hotel bookings, just compare the cash price you would pay to determine the value of the points you would need to redeem to get the award ticket or night.

You can also use points for gift cards, cover charges on your statement or for other redemptions like Uber rides, but some of these don’t offer the best redemption value so you may get as little as half a penny per point. But even at that low-value redemption, those welcome points are worth at least $300.

Statement Credits

If you take advantage of statement credits available on the American Express Gold Card, you can get up to $240 annually, which covers the annual cost of the card. There is also an Uber Eats pass that is available for a limited time and is valued at $119.

The Amex Gold card comes with up to $120 in Uber Cash. When you add your Gold card to your Uber account, you get an automatic $10 credit every month that can be used for Uber rides in the US or Uber Eats. You’ll also earn 4x bonus points on all Uber food deliveries purchased using your Gold card.

Amex Gold also has an additional Uber benefit that is available to new cardholders who apply before the end of 2021. You’ll get 12 complimentary months of Uber Eats Pass once you enroll. The pass eliminates delivery fees and gives you a 5% discount on orders over $15.

The card also comes with a $120 annual dining credit. You can get up to a $10 monthly statement credit for Grubhub, Seamless, Boxed and other participating dining partners.  You have to enroll in this offer when you get the Gold card, and use it to pay for your purchase to get the credit each month.

Travel Benefits

The travel benefits that come with the card also add value if you use the benefits. If you book a hotel in the Hotel Collection with American Express Travel, you get a $100 credit that can be used at the hotel for things like dining or spa treatments. Qualifying activities vary by property.

If your baggage is damaged, lost or stolen while you’re on a plane, train, ship or bus on a ticket purchased using the Gold card, you have coverage up to $1,250 for carry-ons and up to $500 for checked baggage. There’s also trip delay insurance of up to $300 if your trip is delayed more than 12 hours because of a covered reason. It can be used twice a year for eligible expenses including meals, lodging and toiletries.

You’ll also have access to the Global Assist Hotline when you travel more than 100 miles from home. It is available around the clock for financial, legal, medical and other emergencies and can help you get cash in an emergency and assist with missing luggage in addition to other services.

The Gold card also comes with car rental loss and damage insurance. Pay for the rental using the card and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) at the counter when you pick up the car, but check with the card issuer when you make your booking to make sure the coverage applies to the location you are renting from and for the vehicle you are renting as there are some exclusions.

You also have access to personalized travel services to book your trip, and when you make purchases overseas there are no foreign transaction fees. 

Shopping and Entertainment

You can book American Express cardmember-only experiences with the Gold card including Broadway shows, concerts and sporting events. You will also have access to premium seating for select events with the Preferred Seating benefit.

You’ll also be eligible for Amex Offers which are discounts and/or bonus points earning opportunities when you shop at featured retailers online or in store.

Other Benefits

The American Express App also has local offers that you can take advantage of. And you can use the Send & Split feature to send money to other Venmo and PayPal users without being charged the standard credit card fee. 

Or you can split a dinner bill with a PayPal or Venmo user and get a credit back to your Gold card, and you’ll earn rewards on the bill paid. You do need to enroll to use this service. You can also add anyone over 13 as an authorized user and earn rewards on their purchases. 

Ways to Pay Your Card

You should be aware that the Amex Gold is a charge card, and while it doesn’t have a preset spending limit, your credit line is not limitless. If you are planning a big purchase, you might want to check with the issuer to make sure there is a big enough credit line and to ensure that the purchase is not flagged as fraud.

To avoid diluting the value of points earned, we recommend paying off your balance every month. But the Amex Gold charge card will allow you to pay the minimum amount due and use the Pay Over Time feature where you carry the balance with interest of 15.99% to 22.99% depending on your creditworthiness. 

There is also a Plan It feature that allows you to split large purchases into monthly payments with a fixed fee, though there is a limit on the amount you can carry as a balance or move to a plan.

Final Thoughts

Now is a great time to apply for the American Express Gold Card. Not only is travel opening up again after the pandemic, but you might be eligible for the targeted 75,000 point welcome bonus, and the popular Rose Gold card is also currently available.

If you are approved for the Gold card, make sure you channel enough spend to the card to get the welcome bonus. Don’t forget to use it for groceries, dining and food orders to earn the 4x bonus points on those categories, and use it for your travel bookings to get the 3x bonus. And remember to use the monthly dining and Uber statement credits to make sure you get the full value of Gold card membership.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

• Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Airlines Credit Cards
• Best Hotel Credit Cards
• Best Business Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Overall in 2022

Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

Frequent flyer programs designed to reward loyal airline passengers have been around for over 40 years. Hotel marketers noted the popularity back then and adopted similar marketing strategies. In the early days, these programs were simple. You earned miles for taking flights on a particular airline and earned points for stays at a hotel chain, and those miles or points were redeemed for a free flight or hotel stay with the airline or hotel you earned them with.

Today, these loyalty programs are more popular than ever, largely due to an abundance of credit cards that help travelers earn bonus points and miles by signing up for a credit card and using that card to make purchases to earn more miles and points. The reward programs have also gotten more complex with most having multiple partners, especially credit card issuers, so it’s important to know how it all works.

So how do you pick the right travel rewards credit card? A lot of people that are new to travel hacking make the mistake of signing up for every shiny new credit card that has an attractive offer. 

Before you apply for a card just because it is offering a huge sign-up bonus, read on to learn more about how loyalty programs and travel rewards credit cards work so you can choose a card wisely and actually earn a free trip rather than holding a bunch of miles and points that you might not be able to use.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

• Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Airlines Credit Cards
• Best Hotel Credit Cards
• Best Business Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Overall in 2022

Most Important Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Travel Credit Card

There are a lot of things to think about before you jump on a credit card offer that you see online or get in the mail. You need to consider which travel companies you actually use or could use, and what destinations they serve. You should also be familiar with how the rewards program works since all points and miles are not created equal. And you need to keep in mind that you may or may not be eligible for a particular card based on your credit score.

Why Your Credit Score is Important

Most lucrative travel credit cards require an excellent credit score to be approved. Scores generally range from 300 to 850 depending on the scoring model, but the two most popular ones are FICO and VantageScore and an excellent score is generally 720 or higher.

If you don’t know your credit score, start by requesting a credit report from Experian, Equifax or TransUnion. Or you can use a personal finance service like creditkarma.com, which will tell you your credit score. Many banks also provide your FICO credit score through their online portals.

Most credit card issuers will tell you what score is needed to get approved for a particular credit card, but if you don’t see it on the application that information can be found online through other resources.

Evaluating Sign-up Bonuses

Most card issuers these days attract new customers with a big sign-up bonus offer. Be careful about comparing one sign-up bonus to another though. A 100,000-point sign-up bonus offered by one travel card is not the same as that same number of points or miles from another card issuer. They can vary widely in value and usability depending on redemption possibilities.

You should be familiar with how you redeem your points and miles for a particular card, and how many miles or points it will take to earn free travel. It’s a good idea to set a goal for your travel redemption and determine how the sign-up bonus will help you achieve that goal. If you don’t have a particular destination in mind, check the issuer’s site or travel rewards program to give you an idea of how much travel those points or miles will get you.

Earning Points and Miles

With most co-branded travel cards you earn one point or mile per dollar spent on purchases. But many travel cards offer double or triple points on travel depending on the card. Cards also often have other bonus categories like supermarket or gas station purchases that can earn you up to 4x points. Some cards like Chase Freedom and Discover offer rotating bonus categories that offer 5x points. There are also fixed-point value cards like Barclaycard Arrival or Capital One Venture that can earn you up to 2x on all purchases.

To pick the right card and maximize your earning ability, evaluate your spending patterns and the bonus categories offered by the cards you are considering to find the best fit. You should also evaluate the value of the benefits and perks offered to cardholders to make your final decision, but bonus earning can really boost your miles or points balance and help you achieve your travel goal sooner so it’s definitely a big consideration.

Perks and Benefits

The benefits that come with travel rewards cards can be quite enticing. Some co-branded cards come with automatic elite status in the airline or hotel program. Other benefits can include lounge access, travel insurance for missed or delayed flights, and reimbursement or compensation for lost or delayed baggage.

The list of benefits can be quite long, but be sure to review and compare them if you are considering several cards. Benefits and the cost to hold the card can vary widely so make sure the card perks are ones that you will use before making a decision. Lounge access, for example, is not worth it if you don’t travel often or there are no lounges available in the airports you use. And a co-branded card that offers elite status may not be worth it if you only use that particular hotel or airline once a year.

Credit Card Fees

Fees are another big consideration when deciding which card to apply for. Many travel credit cards carry an annual fee because they offer many benefits and bonus earning opportunities. There are some cards that don’t have an annual fee, but they also don’t offer perks during your flight or hotel stay.

Annual fees

Fees generally range from $95 to $550 or more per year for a premium travel card, while some travel credit cards don’t have an annual fee. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. But if you are not using the extra benefits that come with those fees, then it’s not worth paying to keep the card in your wallet.

The annual fee is often waived the first year as an enticement to sign up, but not on all cards and not all the time, so be sure to check if there is a fee before hitting submit on your application. Also, most co-branded cards have benefits, so check on what you get before signing up to make sure it’s worth it.

If the fee is waived the first year, you can sign up and cancel after the year is up and reap the benefits while you hold it. Be sure to cancel the card before the fee hits or downgrade to another card in the same family to keep the credit line and some of the benefits. Some cards are worth holding as they offer a free hotel night on your anniversary, so keep this in mind when it’s time to pay the annual fee.

Foreign Transaction Fees

When you use your card for travel overseas, there are usually foreign transaction fees of about 3%. The good news with travel credit cards is that many of them waive the foreign transaction fee, but not all. If you travel beyond domestic borders those fess can add up, so this is another thing to be aware of.

Redemptions

When you are considering a new card, you should always check on the program’s redemption options to make sure the points and miles you’re earning give you good value on trade in. Also, while co-branded credit cards transfer the miles and points you earn each month to the program they are affiliated with, points in flexible redemption programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards have to be redeemed within the card issuer’s program so you need to be an active cardholder to do so.

Fixed-point value cards like Barclay Arrival and Capital One Venture cards that allow you to erase travel charges on your card by using points, also require you to be an active cardholder in order to do this so make sure you use those points before you decide to cancel the card.

Co-branded cards can only be redeemed for the airline or chain you have signed up with, but there are airline alliances that allow you to use your miles on multiple carriers, so keep that in mind when setting a travel goal. 

Availability is another issue. If you want to use the miles you earn to fly to a popular destination during spring break or the holidays, you may not be able to find an award seat or it may cost a lot more because of dynamic award pricing by the airlines. 

If you’re flexible with your award travel plans though, then award pricing might work in your favor as they often offer deals during non-peak travel periods and other times when they have excess inventory. 

If you’re not flexible with travel plans, then a flexible points program like Ultimate Rewards or Membership Rewards might be a better choice as you can buy travel through their portal using points. Fixed-point cards are also good if you’re not flexible, because there doesn’t need to be award availability to snag a seat, though you will likely pay a premium if it’s a peak travel period or popular destination.

Points can also be used for gift cards or merchandise, but this is generally not considered a good redemption value as the miles or points are usually worth a penny per point or even less.

Will Opening Multiple Travel Cards Hurt Your Credit?

There are a lot of misconceptions about how your credit score is impacted when it comes to opening a new credit card, so let’s talk about that.

You may have heard that a credit inquiry will cause your credit score to drop, and that opening too many credit cards will also have a negative effect. 

But if you use the card responsibly and don’t carry a balance by paying your card off every month, then you’ll see that applying for new lines of credit by opening up travel rewards cards can actually help your credit score.

A credit inquiry will usually lower your credit score by about five points, but that comes off your credit report within a few months so the impact is negligible. Also, the credit limit on the card will increase your overall credit availability and that will help boost your score.

Popular Travel Credit Cards

There is a huge variety of travel credit cards, so it’s important to know the differences before you apply for one. If you fly primarily on one airline because they serve a lot of destinations from your home base, or you stay at one particular hotel brand because of its geographic distribution, then a co-branded credit card might be the best choice.

But if you fly on multiple airlines and stay at different hotel chains, you might want a more flexible card like the popular Chase Sapphire or premium Chase Reserve card, which both earn Ultimate Rewards points that can be transferred to hotel and airline programs for redemption or that can be used to book travel through the bank’s booking site. American Express Membership Rewards works in a similar way, as does the Citi ThankYou program.

If you’re a beginner though and all of this is making your head spin, then a fixed-point rate card like Barclaycard Arrival or Capital One Venture might be a good place to start. The earning scheme is simple because everything earns 1.5 or 2x per dollar, and you trade your points in for a penny per dollar after you’ve made your purchase.

Hotel Rewards Credit Cards

Major hotel chains like Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott all offer multiple levels of personal cards and business cards as well. If you travel often and stay at brands within the same hotel chain, then getting one of these cards is a no-brainer because of the perks you’ll get and the bonus earning power.

Most hotel chains have multiple brands in their portfolio and they don’t always carry the chain’s name that you may be familiar with, so check the hotel chain’s website to see what properties are included.

Airline Rewards Credit Cards

Most major airlines like American, Delta and United also offer co-branded cards. If you fly the same airline most of the time, it’s a good idea to get the co-branded card affiliated with that carrier.

And similar to hotel chains that have multiple brands where the card will offer perks and earn bonus points, airlines belong to alliances that also allow you to earn and redeem miles with other carriers. There are three major alliances: Oneworld (includes American Airlines and 13 other carriers), SkyTeam (which includes Delta Air Lines and 18 other airlines) and Star Alliance (which includes United Airlines and 25 other carriers).

Also, keep in mind there are usually several different cards for each airline or hotel with different fees and benefits, and they can be offered by different banks with different payment processors like Visa and American Express so keep that in mind if you decide to get a co-branded card.

There are also popular cards like the Capital One Venture card that offer mileage earning abilities, but these are not real miles in an airline program. They are fixed-rate credit cards that let you trade in your “miles” at a penny on the dollar for airline fares and other travel.

How to Keep Your Credit Cards Safe and Accessible When You Travel

Once you’ve taken the plunge and gotten a travel rewards credit card or two, it’s time to channel your spending to those cards. Since many travel credit cards offer bonus points for travel spending as well as other perks on the road, it’s a good idea to take it with you. But it’s also a good idea to keep your card safe as you would at home.

All your credit cards don’t need to go on the trip with you, so choose which ones you need and be sure to bring the ones that offer perks during your flight or stay. Remember to let your card issuer know you are traveling so your travel charges don’t get flagged as fraud. This can lock your card and ruin your vacation, so it’s always a good idea to have an alternate card in case this happens. If you have multiple cards that have different bonus points categories, bring the ones that you think you’ll use on your trip.

Be sure to check the charges on your statement or the bank’s website if you are worried about excess or fraudulent charges. And it’s best to avoid having the restaurant you are dining at or the merchant you are purchasing from bill you in US dollars. You might be tempted to find out on the spot how much something costs in your own currency, but you’ll pay for that privilege as the exchange rate used is generally higher than your bank will charge. And if you have a card with no foreign transaction fees, then there is no fee for the currency conversion.

There are also wallets that have radio frequency identification (RFID) technology that will block your card from being read by scammers, though this kind of crime is not widely reported. And there are mobile payment apps like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal for contactless payments that allow you to keep your credit card safe in your wallet.

Final Thoughts

Once you have successfully applied for a credit card, the clock starts ticking on the 90-day window to meet minimum spend to get the sign-up bonus, so be sure to keep track of your spending to ensure you hit the minimum spending requirement to secure the points or miles you were promised when signing up.

If you don’t spend enough monthly to meet the minimum spend required, be realistic about what charges you can put on the card to get the bonus. Minimum spend can be anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 depending on the card.

Timing is one consideration when trying to meet minimum spend to earn the bonus. If your spend increases around the holidays, it’s a good idea to apply before you start your holiday shopping. Or time your application so it coincides with big purchases or bills like an annual insurance premium. Also, keep in mind that you can pay a utility bill in advance if you are falling short.

Don’t buy things you can’t afford. If you end up carrying a balance on your card, the interest charges will negate the value of rewards earned. But if you apply for the right card and use it strategically to maximize benefits and earning power, you can be taking a free flight or getting a free hotel stay within months depending on the size of the bonus and how much you spend on the card, which is one of the biggest reasons that travel rewards credit card are so popular these days.

Finally, don’t let your points or miles expire. You can use a service like awardwallet.com to track your reward program miles and points or keep track of them in a spreadsheet. Most loyalty program miles and points will expire in a year or two if you don’t fly or stay at the chain. But if you have a co-branded credit card and make a purchase that will reset your expiration date, which is another good reason to have a co-branded card.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

• Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Airlines Credit Cards
• Best Hotel Credit Cards
• Best Business Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Overall in 2022