Best Credit Card Intro Bonuses of 2026 Experian

If you’re unsure which credit card to choose, use Bankrate’s free CardMatch tool to help you decide. So, if you do decide to add one to your account, make sure it’s someone you trust to use the credit card responsibly. That way, both of your shopping trips, gas purchases and everyday transactions can go toward your new credit card’s minimum spending requirement. Not only will your gift benefit the people who need it most, but it’ll help you meet your credit card minimum spending requirement. If you plan on using your credit card to travel, buying points or miles could be a good way to hit your minimum spending requirement and prepare for your next big trip.

New cardholders can earn 10% cash back on up to $1,000 in purchases made during the first 60 days, for a maximum bonus of $100. If you’re looking for your first card or want to focus on a long-term option, check out our list of the best credit cards in Canada. Some credit cards have an annual fee you’ll pay when you first receive the card and at each cardholder anniversary. Before applying for a card that offers a welcome bonus, make a plan for how you’re going to cover the minimum spending requirement. If you’re interested in making the most out of your credit card rewards, it’s important to choose a card that offers a lucrative welcome bonus. The variance on clearing a 50x-wagered welcome bonus burns too many hours for too little expected return, and the 14-day window creates time pressure that discourages disciplined play.

We did not include any points earned from spending in the welcome bonus period, nor did we add any perks or benefits in the first year like free subscription services. For instance, even though the Air Miles credit cards offer good value on paper, it’s not a program that I actively collect these days. This helps prevent cardholders from applying for credit cards they don’t plan to use. If I were a new player planning to make veilig gokken met Curaçao-licentie one deposit, play heavily in week one, and then disappear, I’d flip it — welcome bonus is better for that profile. A player who mixes slots and table games fares poorly with the welcome bonus because table games contribute slowly to the 50x wagering.

Best for flexible flight rewards — RBC Avion Visa Infinite

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• A credit card intro bonus typically comes in the form of cash back, points or miles.

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• Table-heavy or mixed playCashbackWelcome bonus clearing is more painful on low-contribution games.
• The caveat is that most welcome bonuses require new cardholders to put a certain amount of purchases on their credit card within a set time frame — often three to six months.
• If you don’t put enough money on your credit card by the deadline, you won’t earn your welcome bonus.
• A €100 first deposit produces a €120 bonus, €6000 in turnover requirement, and 14 days to clear.
• That’s a significant amount of slot play — around 3000 to 6000 spins at typical unit sizes.

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• The card carries an annual fee of $120, which gives it a first year value of $588.

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$1,100 in value sounds like a lot, but with an annual fee of $120, you’re losing 11% of it to an annual fee. Cards with larger bonuses and richer perks often charge annual fees. And remember, it’s always important to read up on the different point values for each program to ensure you’re getting the best return for your rewards. The card is designed with Marriott Bonvoy stays in mind, and it includes other perks like a free night’s stay, Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite Status and 15 Elite Night credits. The perks are the main driver of the high annual fee, so if you can make the most out of all of the perks, you may find long-term value in getting it.

Best for newcomers — Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +*

In addition to this, opening new accounts decreases the average age of your credit, whereas leaving accounts open over time increases the age of your credit. New credit card applications show up on your credit report, and having a large number of inquiries in a short period of time can make you look unreliable to lenders. Second, opening and closing credit cards frequently can have a negative impact on your credit. No, it’s typically not a good idea to cancel your credit card once you earn the intro bonus. While it is possible to open multiple credit cards to get multiple intro bonuses, applying for credit too frequently has a negative impact on your credit. The easiest credit card intro bonuses to earn are from credit cards with low spending requirements.

Ready to get started?

If you use credit cards to earn rewards (as you should), you’ll quickly notice that focusing on welcome bonuses is the way to go. Earn 70,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $2,500 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. Because these rules vary and individual offers may include additional terms, it’s important to check the details on any offer before applying.

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Offers not available to any previous cardholders of a Scotiabank personal credit card in the past 2 years. Offer applies to newly approved card accounts only, and eligibility is lost if you have opened, transferred, or cancelled another card of the same type within the last 12 months. Offers not available to current or former cardholders who reinstate a closed account or open a new account for the same card during the offer period. Current or former cardholders of the same card will not be eligible for the welcome bonus offer.

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Limitations on Opening New Credit Cards

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But they often come with specific requirements, timelines and rules that can feel complicated to understand, especially if you’re new to the world of credit cards. New accounts can also reduce the average age of your credit history. Several applications in a short period can temporarily lower your score because each may create a hard inquiry.

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Welcome Bonus — Headline vs Cleared Value

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Once you meet the spending requirement, your welcome bonus will typically post within one to two billing cycles. If you’re short by $1 or miss it by a few days, you’ll usually forfeit the bonus. From there, weigh that value against the card’s annual fee and whether you can comfortably meet the spending requirement. For example, if a card offers 60,000 points and TPG values those points at 1.5 cents each, the bonus would be worth $900. By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. A credit card welcome offer is a limited-time incentive offered by issuers to new cardholders.

Many people meet the minimum spending for a welcome bonus by timing their application with a big expense. You don’t want to wind up paying more than you budgeted for because a friend or relative won’t pay you back. Another great way to cover the minimum spending requirement on a credit card is by picking up the tab for a group. Once you’ve hit your minimum spending requirement, you can go back to dividing your purchases between your cards and taking advantage of each card’s top-earning rewards category. The easiest way to cover the minimum spending requirement on a new credit card is to use your new card for all of your purchases. If you need to spend $3,000 to earn the welcome bonus for a card with a $95 annual fee, be sure to spend the full $3,000 and not just $2,905.