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Even though 2023 is winding down, some of the best credit card offers of the year still remain. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is enticing new members with a 75,000-mile welcome bonus while continuing to up the ante on its benefits, making it highly competitive with premium Chase and American Express cards. In addition, the perk-heavy United℠ Explorer Card has upped its introductory offer to 60,000 miles (while waiving the annual fee the first year), and Hilton Honors is offering mega-bonuses on its Surpass and no-fee cobranded credit cards into 2024. Here, the seven best cards to consider applying for this December and why.
1. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Best for: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is best for those who want an excellent travel credit card that pays for itself through credits, benefits, lounge access, and a rewarding earnings structure while also offering flexibility in redeeming points.
Why now? Capital One is going all-in on travel for its Venture X cardholders, rolling out its own collection of airport lounges for cardholders, its Premier Collection (offering special perks at hundreds of top hotels globally), and its Lifestyle Collection (granting cardholders benefits at boutique hotels worldwide).
Welcome offer: With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Annual fee: $395 (For those who dislike paying annual fees, check out the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which carries only a $95 annual fee.)
Earn points: Earn 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar spent on flights booked through Capital One Travel. All other purchases earn 2 miles per dollar spent.
Credits: When booking through Capital One Travel, receive $300 in credits each calendar year. Get a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit once every four years (up to $100). Receive 10,000 bonus miles annually after your account anniversary.
Key perks: Access Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, and Plaza Premium lounges at airports. The card is also smart for those who plan to add cardholders to their accounts. Up to four can be added at no cost. Priority Pass lounge membership and access to Capital One and Plaza Premium airport lounges extends to each of these additional cardholders at no extra cost. As far as redemptions go, miles transfer to 16 airline and hotel partners.
2. Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Best for: The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card is best for those who want extra perks at Hilton properties, plus the chance to quickly earn and burn hotel points in 2024 (without paying a large annual fee).
Why now? The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card is currently offering one of its largest bonuses ever. The card also has earnings multipliers in select key categories, making it easy to rack up points quickly through spending.
Welcome offer: The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card is offering 170,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $3,000 in the first six months of card membership (terms apply).
Annual fee: $150 (See rates and fees.)
Earn points: Earn 12 points per dollar at properties in the Hilton portfolio, 6 points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, 4 points per dollar on U.S. online retail purchases, and 3 points per dollar spent on everything else.
Credits: Get up to $200 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases after you use your card (distributed as $50 quarterly in each calendar year).
Key perks: Score Hilton Honors Gold Status automatically with card membership. Benefits of Gold Status include the following at stays within the Hilton umbrella: space-available room upgrades, complimentary Wi-Fi, and daily on-property food and beverage credits. (The amount of that food and beverage credit varies by brand, but for luxury brands like Waldorf Astoria it runs an impressive $50 per room per day, assuming two guests per room.) Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year, which can be used for a standard room at any property, even one that runs an expensive 150,000 points per night.
3. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Best for: The mid-tier card of the Capital One Venture portfolio, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers just enough travel perks for the casual traveler, has a low annual fee, and currently flaunts an impressive introductory bonus.
Why now? The card is currently offering a huge bonus for a low-fee card. Cardholders also get two entries annually at Capital One’s growing collection of airport lounges or Plaza Premium lounges, plus access to Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection (granting cardholders benefits at boutique hotels worldwide).
Welcome offer: With the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 within three months from account opening.
Annual fee: $95
Earn points: Earn five miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and two miles per dollar spent on everything else.
Credits: Up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years
Key perks: Get two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges, plus access to the Lifestyle Collection when booking on Capital One Travel.
4. Hilton Honors American Express Card
Best for: The Hilton Honors American Express Card is best for those who stay overnight in hotels just a few nights per year but want to get some big benefits.
Why now? The Hilton Honors American Express Card is currently offering one of its largest bonuses ever.
Welcome offer: With the Hilton Honors American Express Card, earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $2,000 in eligible purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership (terms apply).
Annual fee: $0 (see rates and fees)
Earn points: The card earns seven points per dollar on eligible Hilton purchases, five points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, and three points per dollar on other eligible purchases. So, no matter what you charge to the card, you’ll earn a minimum of three points per dollar spent.
Key perks: Cardholders receive automatic first-rung Hilton Honors Silver status. While all Hilton Honors members can get the likes of free Wi-Fi nowadays, Silver status brings added benefits like a 20 percent points-earning bonus on stays, free bottled water, and the ability to participate in Hilton Honor’s “Fifth Night Free” program, in which your fifth night is of no cost when booking four nights with points. Plus, the card comes with no foreign transaction fees for when cardholders travel abroad.
5. United℠ Explorer Card
Best for: The United Explorer Card is best for those who fly United often enough to want free baggage but not often enough that they’d consider themselves a United loyalist.
Why now? The previous United Explorer introductory offer during 2023 was 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in the first three months.
Welcome offer: Earn up to 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.
Annual fee: There is no annual fee the first year, then it’s $95.
Earn points: The card earns two miles per dollar on United purchases, as well as on hotels and dining, including eligible delivery services. Earn one mile per dollar on everything else.
Credits: Get a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus credit (worth up to $100) once every four years. Get 25 percent back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi on United-operated flights.
Key perks: Visit the United Club with two, one-time passes each year. The primary cardholder will each receive their first standard checked bag free.
This article was updated on December 9, 2023. While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they are subject to change at any time, and may have changed or may no longer be available.
