Alaska Airlines Atmos Promos ($25/$50, 15% Off, Free Miles, Targeted)

Posted on August 26, 2025 // 1 Comment

(Sorry for the server issues, I’m not sure why the bots are attacking me!)

Alaska Airlines is putting out a bunch of different promotions for its new Atmos Rewards program, which is the new name for what replaces both Alaska MileagePlan and HawaiianMiles. Each of these has some restrictions.

Join Atmos Rewards with new account, get $25 or $50 off a new ticket purchase. (Hat tip to DoC.)

  • $50 off for California and Hawaii residents only. – “*This offer is valid for new Atmos™ Rewards signups by residents of California and Hawaii. Eligible new members who join Atmos Rewards via this offer page between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 will receive a discount code valid for $50 off a new ticket purchase on Alaska Airlines. Discount code will be deposited into the new member account within 72 hours of enrollment.”
  • $25 off for all other US residents (not HI/CA). – “*This offer is valid for new Atmos™ Rewards signups by U.S. residents, not valid for State of Alaska, California or Hawaii residents. Eligible new members who join Atmos Rewards via this offer page between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 will receive a discount code valid for $25 off a new ticket purchase on Alaska Airlines. Discount code will be deposited into the new member account within 72 hours of enrollment.”

Sign up for promotional texts, get 15% off flight discount. (May be targeted but worth a shot, as you can always text STOP later, Hat tip TyC of SD.)

  • Text FLY to 252752 by end of 8/27 for a 15% off code. Sign up for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines promotional text messages before Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PT, we’ll send you a discount code for 15% off a flight. Your code will be delivered via SMS on Thursday, August 28, 2025

Your 15% off* discount code is just a text away
Consider this the best welcome gift: When you sign up for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines promotional text messages before Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PT, we’ll send you a discount code for 15% off a flight. Your code will be delivered via SMS on Thursday, August 28, 2025.

It’s simple: Text FLY to 252752 to opt in today, and be first in line for exclusive deals like this.

*Restrictions apply. Discount code provides 15% off published coach base fares available at alaskaair.com. Discount does not apply to taxes, fees, or surcharges. First Class fares and select Economy Class fare types are excluded. Valid only on flights operated by Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines within North America, excluding service to or from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska (SCC). Discount is limited to published fare routings and subject to market availability; certain origin or destination cities may not be eligible. Flight schedules vary and service may not operate daily. Offer does not apply to codeshare flights. Blackout dates and additional travel restrictions may apply.

Free miles for living near select West Coast soccer/football clubs. Live within a 75-mile radius of one of these teams’ market and get 100 free Atmos points for each goal scored at a home game. You must register at the proper link. Ex. 13 home games x 2.66 average in 2024 = 35 goals = 3,500 points, not bad. (Hat tip Upgraded Points.)

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Review: 85,000 Bonus Points + $99 Companion Fare

Posted on August 25, 2025 // 3 Comments

The Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature Card is the one of the new refreshed Alaska Airlines cards in the new combined Alaska–Hawaiian ecosystem. Formerly the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card, and still issued by Bank of America. Here are the current highlights:

  • 85,000 Atmos points + $99 Companion Fare (must pay taxes & fees from $23) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 120 days of opening your account. This is a special improved inflight offer, and you can use promo code 108021 if needed.
  • Annual $99 Companion Fare. Get a $99 Companion Fare (must pay taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. Valid on all Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flights within North America booked on AlaskaAir.com.
  • First checked bag free on Alaska & Hawaiian (primary + up to 6 guests on same reservation). Any cardholder who purchases Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines airfare with their card, and up to 6 additional guests traveling on the same reservation, may check their first bag free.
  • Preferred boarding. Enjoy priority boarding on Alaska now (Hawaiian boarding benefits rolling out this fall).
  • 20% back on all Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines inflight purchases. Eligible in-flight purchases include food, drinks, and Wi-Fi.
  • Earning structure. 3X points on eligible Alaska Airlines & Hawaiian Airlines purchases; 2X points on everyday categories like gas/EV charging, local transit & rideshare, cable and select streaming services; 1X everywhere else.
  • Bank of America relationship boost. 10% bonus on points from purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® or Merrill® account.
  • Status via card spending. Throughout 2025, earn one status point for every $3 spent on purchases, up to 30,000 status points total.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $95 annual fee.

Bottom line. The Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® offers a unique set of perks for Alaska Airlines customers (along with Hawaiian Airlines in many cases), including free checked bags for more than just the primary cardholder and the “famous” $99 Companion Fare is still here as well.

I don’t receive any commission for this offer. I will be adding this offer to my ongoing list of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Hawaiian Airlines MasterCard Review: 80,000 Bonus Miles + Two Free Checked Bags

Posted on August 25, 2025 // Leave a Comment

The Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard is still going to be around after the Hawaiian/Alaska merger, although as of 10/1 Hawaiian miles will be converted to Atmos points. This card offers special perks on Hawaiian Airlines, which will still run as a separately-named airline after the merger. Here are the highlights.

The best offer available on this card is often the one they announced in-flight. The application asked for a six-digit promo code, but if you don’t have one from a flight, reportedly it is your flight number. I just tried “001234” and it worked fine, and I’ve even used “000000” when the application page accepted it and got the bonus. A recent code from a flight that a reader sent in was 014929.

  • 80,000 bonus miles. 80,000 bonus HawaiianMiles after spending $2,500 on purchases within the first 90 days.
  • One-Time 50% Off Companion Discount for roundtrip coach travel between Hawaii and North America on Hawaiian Airlines.
  • $100 annual companion ticket discount each year for roundtrip travel between Hawaii and North America on Hawaiian Airlines.
  • Two free checked bags (primary cardholder only) on Hawaiian Airlines or Alaska Airlines flights booked directly with this card. Now includes sports equipment. Worth up to $140 roundtrip.
  • 3X miles for every $1 spent on purchases made directly from Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines.
  • 2X miles per $1 spent on gas, dining, and grocery store purchases, and 1X mile per $1 spent on every other purchase.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $99 annual fee.

Bottom line. The Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard offers a unique set of perks for regular customers of Hawaiian Airlines, including free checked bags and companion ticket discounts.

I don’t receive any commission for this offer. I will be adding this offer to my ongoing list of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Air Canada x Chase Sapphire Reserve 5,000 Point Flight Reward Certificate

Posted on August 14, 2025 // Leave a Comment

Air Canada is offering Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders a free 5,000 Point Flight Reward Certificate, which reduces the costs of your award flight redemption by 5,000 points. You must be enrolled in Aeroplan, register on the site by 8/18, and they will send it to you within 14 days. The certificate expires a year after delivery into your account.

I don’t know if I’ll use it, but I registered as it lasts an entire year. (I’m assuming that Air Canada strike will be resolved soon enough.) Another potential valuable perk if you recently picked up the Chase Sapphire Reserve again as I did, along with all its other perks. I’m still working my way through them all, turning off my old subscriptions and starting them back up as paid by Chase. By the way, that 100k+$500 offer is supposed to “end soon”.

The fine print:

‡ To be eligible for this offer your Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card account must be open and not in default and your Aeroplan account must be in good standing at the time of registration and fulfillment. Only members who register between August 5th at 12:01:01 AM EST and 23:59:59 PM EST on August 18th are considered eligible for this offer. Register for the offer by entering your First Name, Last Name, Aeroplan Number, and the last 4 digits of your Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card and click “Register Now”. The offer is only available to the primary cardmember of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card account and only one 5,000-point flight reward certificate can be earned per Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card account. The First Name and Last Name of your Aeroplan account must match the First Name and Last Name of your Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card account. Flight reward certificates have no cash value and cannot be exchanged or refunded. For the purposes of this offer, the expiry date of the Flight reward certificate is 365 days after the day that the flight reward certificate is deposited into your Aeroplan account. The flight reward certificate can take up to 14 days to be deposited into your Aeroplan account from the time of registration. For the purposes of this offer, only one Flight Reward Certificate can be earned per Aeroplan account. Chase is not responsible for the provision of, or failure to provide, the stated offer.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Pet Deals: Amazon $30 Credit w/ $100+, Chewy $30 Gift Card w/ $100+ Purchase

Posted on August 13, 2025 // 6 Comments

Competing pet offers are back. Chewy and Amazon tend to have their pet sales at the same time. Keep in mind that each retailer has a different list of “eligible” items, so hopefully the brand you use is on at least one of their lists.

  • Amazon: $30 credit when you spend $100 on eligible pet items. Must be “sold by Amazon.com”. Over 1,000 qualifying items. Limit one usage per customer. Promotional credit will be automatically added to your account 30 days after shipment. Promotional credit expires at 11:59 p.m. (PT) on December 16, 2025.
  • Free $30 Gift Card w/ $100 purchase at Chewy. Use promo code STOCKUP. Limit 1 use per order, limit 3 orders per customer. Free eGift card added at checkout with qualifying purchase and automatically added to your Chewy account after your order ships. (Arrives faster than the Amazon credit.) Valid through 8/17/25.

You may wish to try to stack your Chewy purchase with a cashback shopping portal. Many offer new customers bonuses if you make a qualifying purchase, including Swagbucks ($10 bonus), MyPoints ($2 bonus), Rakuten (formerly eBates) ($30 bonus currently, varies), TopCashBack (varies, but often has the highest cashback %), and BeFrugal ($10 bonus). So you could sign-up and stack this deal to trigger the bonus. I have cashed out of all of these in the past.

Here’s a picture of our 4th-most expensive kid:

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

JetBlue Plus Card Review: Up to 80,000 Bonus Points (First Year Annual Fee Waived)

Posted on August 12, 2025 // 13 Comments

Limited-time 80k offer with first year annual fee waiver. The JetBlue Plus Mastercard is a rewards credit card that earns TrueBlue points for purchases and includes special perks for JetBlue customers. Right now, there is an increased offer above the common prior 50k and 60k offer levels, which also includes a first-year annual fee waiver. This is a limited-time inflight offer, where you can enter a 5-digit promo code to credit the flight crew. I have read that the code is 6+Flight number (ex. Flight 214 is 60214), but it seems that any 5-digit code will work. I’ve used 00000 on a similar Barclaycard app and it worked fine. Here are the highlights:

  • Up to 80,000 total TrueBlue points. 60,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first 90 days and earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 within the first year.
  • First checked bag is free for the primary cardmember and up to 3 companions when you use your JetBlue Plus Card on JetBlue-operated flights.
  • 6X points on JetBlue purchases, 2 points per $1 at restaurants and grocery stores and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
  • No blackout dates on JetBlue-operated flights & redeem for any seat, any time on JetBlue flights. Points required for an Award Flight will vary based on the published base fare at the time of booking.
  • Annual $100 statement credit after you purchase a JetBlue Vacations package of $100 or more.
  • Points awarded in your TrueBlue account don’t expire.
  • Earn and share points together with Family Pooling.
  • 50% savings on eligible inflight purchases including cocktails, food and movies.
  • Points Payback option allows you to redeem points for a statement credit – up to $1,000 per year.
  • Get 10% of your points back every time you redeem to use toward your next redemption.
  • 5,000 TrueBlue bonus points annually after your account anniversary.
  • $0 intro annual fee for the first year, after that, $99.

First checked bags on JetBlue usually cost at least $35 each-way, per person (technically $35 if prepaid or $45 if paid at the airport). The free checked bag perk applies to you and up to 3 travel companions on the same reservation when (1) the ticket is purchased with your JetBlue Plus card, (2) the primary cardmember’s TrueBlue member number must be entered at the time of booking. That works out great for a family traveling together. If you buy higher fare classes, a certain number of complimentary bags may already be included.

How does redeeming TrueBlue points work? TrueBlue works on a revenue-based system, where the points required depends on the current cash cost of the flight (with no blackout dates). If they sell it for cash, you can book it with points. This is different than traditional chart-based systems that charge a fixed point balance but imposes blackout dates and limited seat availability.

TrueBlue points are best redeemed for JetBlue flights. There are some other options like newspaper or magazine subscriptions, but I won’t cover them here.

TrueBlue points can be estimated at 1 points = 1.3 cents. Ex. 30,000 points would cover roughly $390 in JetBlue airfare. The exact value may vary, but 1.3 cents is a conservative average of what I found across Blue, Blue Plus, and Blue Flex fares. You can test it out yourself by pricing out the same flight on JetBlue.com using points or cash (you don’t need to sign-in or have an account). Here is an example of a randomly-chosen Blue flight from New York City (JFK) to Orlando (MCO). The roundtrip flight costs $250.20 cash total:

Or the exact same roundtrip flight costs 15,800 TrueBlue points + $11.20 in taxes/fees:

That means the 15,800 points offset $239 in cash, or a value of 1.51 cents per TrueBlue point. But again, 1.3 is a conservative average estimate.

This means 2X points back on restaurants and groceries can be estimated as 2.6% back in the form of TrueBlue airfare. The 3X points back on Jetlue-operated flights can be 3.9% back in the form of TrueBlue airfare. The 6X points back with the Plus card on JetBlue-operated flights can be 7.8% back in the form of TrueBlue airfare.

Upon the renewal of your $99 annual fee, you get another 5,000 TrueBlue points ($65 of airfare value at 1.3 cents/point). If you can take advantage of the free checked bag perk, there is definitely ongoing value for regular JetBlue fliers. I haven’t investigated the $100 off a JetBlue Vacations package, but it could be worth a look.

As a minimum baseline value, you can redeem up to 100,000 TrueBlue points per year at 1 cent a point for a flat statement credit. So 30,000 points = $300, and so on. You always get more value redeeming for a JetBlue flight, but I know some people may just want to cash out.

Bottom line. The JetBlue Plus card from Barclaycard offers several perks for regular JetBlue customers such as a free first checked bag for you and up to 3 companions. There is also a nice sign-up bonus for new applicants.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

There is also a JetBlue Business card that currently offers up to 80,000 bonus points. Also see: Top 10 Best Business Card Offers.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Best Interest Rates Survey: Bank Accounts, Treasury Bills, Money Markets, ETFs – August 2025

Posted on August 10, 2025 // 3 Comments

Here’s my monthly survey of the best interest rates on cash as of August 2025, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Banks and brokerages love taking advantage of our idle cash, and you can often earning more money while keeping the same level of safety by moving to another FDIC-insured bank or NCUA-insured credit union. Check out my Ultimate Rate-Chaser Calculator to see how much extra interest you could earn from switching. Rates listed are available to everyone nationwide. Rates checked as of 8/10/2025.

TL;DR: Savings account interest rates are mostly stable (maybe a tiny bit lower on average) with one at 5% APY but most struggling to stay above 4.00% APY. Short-term T-Bill rates at around 4.3%. Top 5-year CD rates are ~4.25% APY, while 5-year Treasury rate is ~3.8%.

High-yield savings accounts*
Since the huge megabanks still pay essentially no interest, everyone should at least have a separate, no-fee online savings account to piggy-back onto your existing checking account. The interest rates on savings accounts can drop at any time, so I list the top rates as well as competitive rates from banks with a history of competitive rates and solid user experience. Some banks will bait you with a temporary top rate and then lower the rates in the hopes that you are too lazy to leave.

  • The top saving rate at the moment: HUSTL Financial at 5.00% APY (no min), a division of Vantage West Credit Union, member NCUA (and thus not a fintech). No direct experience with this one; wonder how long it will last? The “good/excellent” savings rate zone appears to be roughly 4% and above. CIT Platinum Savings is now at 4.00% APY with $5,000+ balance. There are many banks in between.
  • SoFi Bank is at 3.80% APY + up to $325 new account bonus with direct deposit. You must maintain a direct deposit of any amount (even $1) each month for the higher APY. SoFi has historically competitive rates and full banking features. See details at $25 + $300 SoFi Money new account and deposit bonus.
  • Here is a limited survey of high-yield savings accounts. They aren’t the top rates, but a group that have historically kept it relatively competitive such that I like to track their history. I’d call this the “okay/good” zone of 3.50%+.

Short-term guaranteed rates (1 year and under)
A common question is what to do with a big pile of cash that you’re waiting to deploy shortly (plan to buy a house soon, just sold your house, just sold your business, legal settlement, inheritance). My usual advice is to keep things simple and take your time. If not a savings account, then put it in a flexible short-term CD under the FDIC limits until you have a plan.

  • No Penalty CDs offer a fixed interest rate that can never go down, but you can still take out your money (once) without any fees if you want to use it elsewhere. Marcus has a 13-month No Penalty CD at 4.15% APY ($500 minimum deposit). Farmer’s Insurance FCU has a 9-month No Penalty CD at 4.25% APY ($1,000 minimum deposit). USA USALLIANCE Financial CU has a 11-month No Penalty CD at 4.20% APY ($500 minimum deposit).
  • Eagle Bank has a 12-month certificate at 4.40% APY ($1,000 min). Early withdrawal penalty is 90 days of interest.

Money market mutual funds
Many brokerage firms that pay out very little interest on their default cash sweep funds (and keep the difference for themselves). Note: Money market mutual funds are highly-regulated, but ultimately not FDIC-insured, so I would still stick with highly reputable firms.

  • Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX) is the default sweep option for Vanguard brokerage accounts, which has an SEC yield of 4.22% (changes daily, but also works out to a compound yield of 4.30%, which is better for comparing against APY). Odds are this is much higher than your own broker’s default cash sweep interest rate.
  • Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund (VUSXX) is an alternative money market fund which you must manually purchase, but the interest will be mostly (100% for 2024 tax year) exempt from state and local income taxes because it comes from qualifying US government obligations. Current SEC yield of 4.24% (compound yield of 4.32%).

Treasury Bills and Ultra-short Treasury ETFs
Another option is to buy individual Treasury bills which come in a variety of maturities from 4-weeks to 52-weeks and are fully backed by the US government. You can also invest in ETFs that hold a rotating basket of short-term Treasury Bills for you, while charging a small management fee for doing so. T-bill interest is exempt from state and local income taxes, which can make a significant difference in your effective yield.

  • You can build your own T-Bill ladder at TreasuryDirect.gov or via a brokerage account with a bond desk like Vanguard and Fidelity. Here are the current Treasury Bill rates. As of 8/8/25, a new 4-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 4.36% annualized interest and a 52-week T-Bill had the equivalent of 3.92% annualized interest.
  • The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) has a 4.24% SEC yield (0.09% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 years. SPDR Bloomberg Barclays 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) has a 4.16% SEC yield (0.136% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.15 years. The new Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) has a 4.21% SEC yield (0.07% expense ratio) and effective duration of 0.10 years.

US Savings Bonds
Series I Savings Bonds offer rates that are linked to inflation and backed by the US government. You must hold them for at least a year. If you redeem them within 5 years there is a penalty of the last 3 months of interest. The annual purchase limit for electronic I bonds is $10,000 per Social Security Number, available online at TreasuryDirect.gov.

  • “I Bonds” bought between May 2025 and October 2025 will earn a 3.98% rate for the first six months. The rate of the subsequent 6-month period will be based on inflation again. More on Savings Bonds here.
  • In mid-October 2025, the CPI will be announced and you will have a short period where you will have a very close estimate of the rate for the next 12 months. I will post another update at that time.

Rewards checking accounts
These unique checking accounts pay above-average interest rates, but with unique risks. You have to jump through certain hoops which usually involve 10+ debit card purchases each cycle, a certain number of ACH/direct deposits, and/or a certain number of logins per month. If you make a mistake (or they judge that you did) you risk earning zero interest for that month. Some folks don’t mind the extra work and attention required, while others would rather not bother. Rates can also drop suddenly, leaving a “bait-and-switch” feeling.

  • OnPath Federal Credit Union (my review) pays 7.00% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and login to online or mobile banking once per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization. You can also get a $100 Visa Reward card when you open a new account and make qualifying transactions.
  • Genisys Credit Union pays 6.75% APY on up to $7,500 if you make 10 debit card purchases of $5+ each per statement cycle, and opt into online statements. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
  • La Capitol Federal Credit Union pays 5.75% APY on up to $10,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases of at least $5 each per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization, Louisiana Association for Personal Financial Achievement ($20).
  • First Southern Bank pays 5.50% APY on up to $25,000 if you make at least 15 debit card purchases, 1 ACH credit or payment transaction, and enroll in online statements.
  • Credit Union of New Jersey pays 6.00% APY on up to $25,000 if you make 12 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit, online bill payment, or automatic payment (ACH) per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via $5 membership fee to join partner organization.
  • Andrews Federal Credit Union pays 5.50% APY (down from 6%) on up to $25,000 if you make 15 debit card purchases, opt into online statements, and make at least 1 direct deposit or ACH transaction per statement cycle. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization.
  • Find a locally-restricted rewards checking account at DepositAccounts.

Certificates of deposit (greater than 1 year)
CDs offer higher rates, but come with an early withdrawal penalty. By finding a bank CD with a reasonable early withdrawal penalty, you can enjoy higher rates but maintain access in a true emergency. Alternatively, consider building a CD ladder of different maturity lengths (ex. 1/2/3/4/5-years) such that you have access to part of the ladder each year, but your blended interest rate is higher than a savings account. When one CD matures, use that money to buy another 5-year CD to keep the ladder going. Some CDs also offer “add-ons” where you can deposit more funds if rates drop.

  • Mountain America Credit Union (MACU) has a 5-year certificate at 4.25% APY ($500 minimum), 4-year at 4.20% APY, 3-year at 4.15% APY, 2-year at 4.00% APY, and 1-year at 4.15% APY. Early withdrawal penalty for the 4-year and 5-year is 365 days of interest. Anyone can join this credit union via partner organization American Consumer Council for a one-time $5 fee (or try promo code “consumer”).
  • Lafayette Federal Credit Union (LFCU) has a 5/4/3/2/1-year certificates at 4.28% APY ($500 min). Slightly higher rates with jumbo $100,000+ balances. Note that the early withdrawal penalty for the 5-year is a relatively large 600 days of interest. Anyone nationwide can join LFCU by joining the Home Ownership Financial Literacy Council (HOFLC) for a one-time $10 fee.
  • You can buy certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. You may need an account to see the rates. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance and easy laddering, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. Right now, I see a 5-year non-callable brokered CD at 3.95% APY (callable: no, call protection: yes). Be warned that both Vanguard and Fidelity will list higher rates from callable CDs, which importantly means they can (and will!) call back your CD if rates drop significantly later.

Longer-term Instruments
I’d use these with caution due to increased interest rate risk (tbh, I don’t use them at all), but I still track them to see the rest of the current yield curve.

  • Willing to lock up your money for 10 years? You can buy long-term certificates of deposit via the bond desks of Vanguard and Fidelity. These “brokered CDs” offer FDIC insurance, but they don’t come with predictable early withdrawal penalties. You might find something that pays more than your other brokerage cash and Treasury options. Right now, I see a 10-year CDs at 3.85% (non-callable) vs. 4.27% for a 10-year Treasury. Watch out for higher rates from callable CDs where they can call your CD back if interest rates drop.

All rates were checked as of 8/10/25.

* I no longer recommend fintech companies due to the possibility of loss due to poor recordkeeping and lack of government regulation. (Ex. Evergreen Wealth at 5% APY is a fintech.)

Photo by insung yoon on Unsplash

Filed Under: Banking, Deals & Offers, Investing // Tagged:

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Review: 6% Cash Back at US Supermarkets ($6,000/Year), Enhanced $120 Disney Streaming Credit

Posted on August 7, 2025 // 28 Comments

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Updated with improved $120 Disney Streaming Credit (now up to $10 per month with no minimum or bundle required). The card_name is one of my longtime keeper cards even with an annual fee. The headline feature is 6% cash back at US stand-alone supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), but I also use it for 6% cash back on all my streaming subscriptions. If you spend $100 a week at supermarkets, that alone will earn you over $300 a year in rewards. The welcome offer is also currently very generous. The highlights:

  • Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
  • 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be reg_apr,reg_apr_type.
  • 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1% after that).
  • 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
  • 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations.
  • 3% cash back on eligible transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more.
  • 1% cash back on other purchases.
  • Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
  • $120 Disney Streaming Credit. Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred(R) Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at disneyplus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
  • Apply with confidence. Know if you’re approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you’re approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
  • $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
  • See Rates and Fees

Max out your benefit by buying gift cards at US supermarkets. I use this card to buy gift cards at eligible supermarkets to use up the annual limit and get 6% back. My local Safeway has an entire wall of options, but I usually go with Amazon, Apple, or Starbucks (gifts). You can easily confirm that your purchase still gets 6% cash back on your account online:

Supermarkets details. “US stand-alone supermarkets” means that superstores, convenience stores and warehouse clubs are not considered supermarkets. This means no Super Wal-Mart, no Super Target, no Costco. Examples of merchants that do count (and this is not a complete list!) are (source):

ALDI
FreshDirect
Gelson’s
Hy-Vee
Kings Food Markets
Meijer
ShopRite
Smart & Final
Stop & Shop
Trader Joe’s
Vons
Whole Foods
Winn-Dixie

Gasoline details. “US stand-alone gas stations” means that superstores, supermarkets, and warehouse clubs that sell gasoline are not considered gas stations. This means no Target, no Costco, no Sam’s Club. Examples of merchants that count (again not a complete list!) are Exxon, Mobil, Hess, Shell, Gulf, Murphy USA, Murphy Express.

US Streaming Subscriptions details. These are all included at 6% cash back:

Amazon Music Unlimited
AMC+
Apple Music
Apple TV+
Audible
Britbox
DirecTV Stream (formerly known as AT&T TV or AT&T TV NOW)
Discovery+
Disney+
ESPN+
Fubo TV
HBO Max
Hulu
iHeartRadio
Kindle Unlimited
Luminary
MGM+
MLB.TV
NBA League Pass
Netflix
Pandora
Paramount+
Peacock
Prime Video
Sling TV
SiriusXM Streaming and Satellite
Spotify
Starz
TIDAL Music
YouTube Music Premium
YouTube Premium
YouTube TV

Disney Streaming credit details (worth up to $120 a year). Now, with the enhanced $120 Disney Streaming Credit, you can earn up to $10 back per month as a statement credit when you use your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card to purchase a subscription, or bundle subscription, on DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites, now with no minimum purchase requirement. Subscription is subject to auto-renewal.

If you already have this card, you can enroll in this offer here.

Annual fee. There is a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95, but with the improved Disney Streaming credit that works with no minimums from Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN+, that can already more than completely offsets any future annual fee on its own. We already pay for Disney+ with no ads, so we already max out the $120 in annual credits.

The 6% cash back category can also quickly help this card earn its keep. The max cap of $6,000 annually works out to a steady averaged rate of $500 a month, which at 6% back would net you $360 cash back in a year vs. $60 at 1% cash back. Heck, simply hitting the $100 mark in a single trip at the supermarket is far too easy these days.

Alternatively, the card_name offers 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%) and other perks but with no annual fee. Terms apply. (See Rates and Fees)

Cash back is officially given in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit, gift cards, and merchandise. You can also use it to offset your Amazon.com purchases at checkout. I usually just stick with statements credit to directly pay down my monthly bill.

Bottom line. The card_name has the key feature of 6% cash back at US supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year). You can now also get 6% cash back on Netflix/Spotify/HBO Now as well as 3% cash back at US gas stations and transit (Uber/Lyft/train). This has been a “keeper” card for me for many years now. I treat it like one of my 5% cash back cards, except there are no rotating categories or activations to worry about. They also just improved their Disney Streaming credit to be worth up to $10/month ($120 annually), which I also utilize.

Rates and Fees for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express :Rates and Fees for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Rates and Fees for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Rates and Fees for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General //

Random Tip: Amazon Items Under $1

Posted on August 5, 2025 // Leave a Comment

Did you know that if you search for “items under $1” on Amazon, you’ll get… a bunch of random stuff not under $1… but also many items indeed $1 and under? If you click on the checkbox to the top left, you can list only Prime-eligible items. As long as you buy things in separate orders but close together, they’ll usually ship together with Prime but each purchase will process separately on your credit card. These can be useful for:

  • Rewards checking accounts that require a minimum 10 or 15 transactions per month.
  • Any situation where you need multiple, separate purchases, like some bank bonuses or certain debit or credit card rewards programs.
  • Cheap items to reach the upper tier of Subscribe & Save 10%/15% savings when you get to 5+ items.
  • Sometimes you just find decent deals on stuff you need.

(Note: If you are reading this in an email/RSS reader, unfortunately I am not allowed to include any Amazon affiliate links in e-mails, so they have been removed. Please click here to view the links.)

A few examples for items under $1 (prices may change after posting):

Filed Under: Deals & Offers //

US Bank Smartly Credit Card Review: More Negative Changes September 2025

Posted on August 3, 2025 // 40 Comments

Update August 2025: Previously-grandfathered “V1” cardholders should have received both paper and e-mail notifications of new changes that are to be effective 9/15/25. The e-mail subject will be “Important information about your U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature Card”. There appears to be two possible sets of new requirements.

The more restrictive version basically changes you to the current version available to new applicants, which requires all qualifying balances to be held in a checking account earning essentially zero interest. There are also new excluded categories like tuition and estimated tax payments.

Updated rewards earning
You will continue to earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase with no caps.¹

The way in which you earn a Smartly Earning Bonus will be updated as follows:
Earn up to an additional 2% cash back on your first $10,000 in eligible Net Purchases each billing cycle when paired with a U.S. Bank Smartly® Savings account plus qualifying balances in U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking and/or Safe Debit account(s).¹
– Earn a total of 2.5% cash back with a qualifying balance between $10,000 and $49,999.
– Earn a total of 3% cash back with a qualifying balance between $50,000 and $99,999.
– Earn a total of 4% cash back with a qualifying balance of $100,000 or more.

Not all purchases are eligible to earn the Smartly Earning Bonus. Purchases classified in the categories listed below may be excluded from earning the Smartly Earning bonus:
– Education/school, gift cards, insurance, or tax
– Business-to-business transactions (i.e. advertising services, construction material suppliers, etc.)
– Transactions using third-party bill payment services

These purchases will earn the base 2% cash back and are not calculated as part of the $10,000 billing cycle cap.

The less restrictive version is mostly the same, with the very important difference being that your qualifying balances can still be held in an investment account. Thanks to reader Playc.

Updated rewards earning
You will continue to earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase with no caps.¹

The way in which you earn a Smartly Earning Bonus will be updated as follows:
Earn up to an additional 2% cash back on your first $10,000 in eligible Net Purchases each billing cycle when paired with a U.S. Bank Smartly® Savings account and average daily combined qualifying balances in U.S. Bank deposit, trust or investment accounts.¹
– Earn a total of 2.5% cash back with a qualifying balance between $5,000 and $49,999.
– Earn a total of 3% cash back with a qualifying balance between $50,000 and $99,999.
– Earn a total of 4% cash back with a qualifying balance of $100,000 or more.

Not all purchases are eligible to earn the Smartly Earning Bonus. Purchases classified in the categories listed below may be excluded from earning the Smartly Earning bonus:
– Education/school, gift cards, insurance, or tax
– Business-to-business transactions (i.e. advertising services, construction material suppliers, etc.)
– Transactions using third-party bill payment services

These purchases will earn the base 2% cash back and are not calculated as part of the $10,000 billing cycle cap.

Unfortunately, I got the more restrictive version. That means they will have completely changed their advertised and promised features less than 6 months from getting this card. As a result, I will be closing my Smartly Checking, Smartly Savings, Smartly credit card, and US Bank brokerage account. Not a good look for a place that wants to be taken seriously as one of the major nationwide banks. Unreliability is not something most banks want to be known for.

Update 4/15/25: The rumors were true and have taken effect as of 4/15/25. If you have not applied yet, I wouldn’t bother. Given the spending cap and bonus category exclusions, in nearly all cases, the potential lost interest on the required cash deposits (earning no interest) will be higher than any additional potential cash back rewards earned. I consider this now basically a 2% cash back card.

Update 4/8/25: The same Reddit user has posted follow-up details, and they appear to confirm the details of the initial rumor. Please refer to the newest Reddit post, screenshot #1, screenshot #2, and screenshot #3. They appear legitimate in my opinion.

For existing cardholders, no changes have been announced. Everything is the same, for now. No $10k/month spending cap. Balance tiers are the same. Investment account balances still count. No new bonus category exclusions. Hope the grandfathering of loyal customers lasts, as we went through a good amount of trouble moving over significant assets.

For new cardholders that apply after April 14th, this card is no longer attractive above the base 2% cash back. They will require the qualifying deposits to be held in the Smartly Checking or Safe Debit accounts, which earn zero or essentially zero interest. Balances held in a brokerage account no longer qualify. Even balances held in their own Smartly Savings account (currently up to 3.50% APY) no longer qualify. Given the spending cap and bonus category exclusions, in nearly all cases, the potential lost interest on this cash will be higher than the additional potential cash back rewards earned. Goodbye, Smartly, we hardly knew ye.

Update 4/7/25: The rumors have gotten more supporting evidence. Reddit user Zanutrees posted this screenshot from an internal US Bank e-mail that appears to be legitimate. The two most critical quotes:

  • “A revised U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature® Card is launching soon and will be available for application in branches starting April 14! Resources to help you prepare for the launch of the revised card will become available on Card Central tomorrow, April 8.“
  • “It is important to note that existing Bank Smartly cardmembers as well as any clients who applied prior to April 14 will receive the original Bank Smartly Card features and benefits; the revised card features and benefits will only affect clients who apply for the card on or after April 14.“

Overall, the two actionable responses are the same as below (apply ASAP or never). We just got more support behind the 4/14 deadline and the fact that they will be offering grandfathering (for an unspecified amount of time).

Update 4/2/25: Doctor of Credit reports a Reddit rumor that the US Bank Smartly credit card will be undergoing some major negative changes as of 4/14/25. This includes:

  • Base is still 2% cash back on unlimited amounts. Bonus cash back (up to another 2% for a total of 4%) is capped to $10,000 in purchases per statement cycle.
  • Bonus cash back now excludes: Educational/school, gift cards, insurance, taxes, business to business transactions, and 3rd party bill payments.
  • For new cardmembers after April 14th, only checking account balances count now towards the $10k/$50k/$100k deposit requirements. Critically, savings account balances and investment balances do not count after 4/14 for new cardmembers. Existing customers will be grandfathered in for now.

Again, the above is a rumor. However, I do believe the following are true:

  • There is basically no way that this card can continue to exist without some sort of added restrictions. 4% with no cap simply does not math out, as I guarantee that some people are paying $100,000 in college or private school tuitions, $300,000+ in tax bills on this card, and who knows how many business transactions between “friendly” parties…
  • US Bank has a history of first rolling out a consumer-friendly product, and then later pulling it from the market or changing the features.
  • US Bank also has a history of grandfathering in existing customers of those products and continuing to offer them some/all of the old features.

Therefore, I see two possible actionable responses:

  1. Giving up on this Smartly card and not applying at all, and possibly avoiding the US Bank ecosystem altogether. It’s hard to work with unreliable people. If these changes take place, after 4/14 the lost interest on $100,000 in cash will outweigh the extra 2% by a good margin.
  2. Working extra fast right now in order to open up your US Bank Smartly savings account (this seems to be the easiest to open), then Smartly checking w/ bonus, then the US Bank self-directed brokerage account, fund it with $100,000, and apply for the Smartly credit card all as soon as possible, definitely before the rumored 4/14 deadline. Take advantage of the fact that they probably have to grandfather in these current terms at least for a year or so, otherwise in theory they would be bait-and-switching and might get in trouble.

Since my last update, I opened a new US Bank brokerage account, moved over $101,000 in cash, and then invested it all into the SGOV ETF that holds Treasury Bills. (I could have moved over stock ETFs instead, but I had the cash available.) I then applied for the Smartly credit card and was approved with a $25,000 limit despite my previous lack of “pre-approval”. I was hoping that reaching their top rewards tier first would encourage them to approve my new card, and maybe it helped. I’m okay with accepting the rumored changes as long as they grandfather me in on the brokerage balances; it could have been worse. What do you think?

I just took a quick look at the application page. Everything still looks the same as before as of today. I did take some screenshots in case there are subtle changes later.

Update 11/11/24: Applications for this card are now open. No sign-up bonus. It let me check if I was “pre-approved” with a soft pull (had to unfreeze TransUnion for it to work), but I was not pre-approved. That might be because I recently applied for the Altitude Reserve (now-discontinued) after setting up a Smartly Checking and Savings account to get “in” with them but was getting impatient (was denied for US Bank credit cards in the past without a banking relationship due to my geographic area). Will have to sit this one out for now, but plan to try again later if they don’t pull it quickly.

Original pre-review post:

US Bank recently announced the US Bank Smartly Visa Signature Card, a new rewards credit card that offers up to 4% cash back on all purchases, if you have enough qualifying balances with them. This is the newest entrant to relationship banking, where banks offers you extra perks for combining multiple account types with them like savings accounts and investment/retirement accounts.

The card is not open to applications yet, but you can get on an e-mail waitlist. Here are the details of how that “up to 4% cash back” breaks down according to this US Bank press release and CNBC article.

Base rewards of 2% cash back on all purchases, with no limit. Technically, this card earns 2 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases. In order get 2% cash back, you must redeem those points into an eligible U.S. Bank checking or savings account.

Bonus rewards of 0.5%, 1% or 2% cash back based on your qualifying combined balances at US Bank. You must also have an open Bank Smartly Savings account. Your qualifying combined balances with U.S. Bank include “open consumer checking account(s), money market savings account(s), savings account(s), CDs and/or IRAs, U.S. Bancorp Investments and personal trust account(s).” Business accounts, commercial accounts, and the Trustee only (IFI) client relationship do not qualify.

  • $5,000 – $49,999.99 earns 2.5% total cash back. Total of 2.5 Points per $1 (a base of 2 Points plus the Smartly Earning Bonus of 0.5 Points),
  • $50,000 – $99,999.99 earns 3% total cash back. Total of 3 Points per $1 (a base of 2 Points plus the Smartly Earning Bonus of 1 Point).
  • $100,000+ earns 4% total cash back. Total of 4 Points per $1 (a base of 2 Points plus the Smartly Earning Bonus of 2 Points).

Other bits: CNBC article reports no annual fee. Points will expire if there is no reward, purchase, or balance activity on your account for 12 consecutive statement cycles. Bank Smartly Credit Card and Bank Smartly Savings available in all 50 states.

Bank Smartly savings account. Let’s take a closer look at the Bank Smartly Savings account, which also earns difference rates based on both your balance inside the Smartly savings account itself AND your qualifying combined balances at US Bank. Here’s their current interest rate grid, updated as of 9/3/2024.

Importantly, these rates can change at any time. But right now, if you have at least $25k in Smartly and $25k in combined qualifying combined balances across US Bank, you can get the current top rate of 4.10% APY.

There is also a $5 monthly maintenance fee, which is waived if you have a Bank Smartly® Checking account (or Safe Debit account which also costs $4.95 a month). The Bank Smartly® Checking account itself has a $6.95 monthly fee, waived with $1,500+ average account balance, qualifying U.S. Bank consumer credit card, or combined monthly direct deposits totaling $1,000+.

Therefore, technically if you get this credit card, that would make the Bank Smartly Checking account free, which in turn would make the Bank Smartly Savings account free. Right now there is also a $450 bonus for new Bank Smartly Checking customers with a direct deposit requirement.

Rough opportunity costs with depositing cash at Bank Smartly Savings. Let’s try some rough theoretical numbers. Let’s say you actually have $100,000 in cash lying around, but you could get ~5.10% APY elsewhere and so you would be giving up ~1% APY to park your money at US Bank instead. If you held all of it at Bank Smartly Savings to qualify for the 4% cash back on the credit card, you’d be giving up $1,000 in taxable interest each year ($100,000 x 1%).

In exchange, you are getting 2% extra cash back over your existing, flat 2% cash back card. Cash back rewards are generally considered non-taxable as they are a rebate on your purchase. If you assume a marginal tax rate of 0% (this is just a guess), then you’d need $50,000 in annual purchases ($4,166 a month) at 2% extra cash back to break even with the hit from the lower interest. If you assume a marginal tax rate of 22%, then you’d need a little less: $39,000 in annual purchases ($3,350 a month) at 2% extra cash back to break even with the hit from the lower interest.

US Bank self-directed investments accounts! As with the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program, an alternative way to satisfy the balance requirements with minimal opportunity costs is to transfer over existing assets into a self-directed US Bank brokerage account. For example, you could transfer over $100,000 in index ETFs inside an IRA or taxable brokerage account. This would appear to fully satisfy the requirements as a “U.S. Bancorp Investments” account. This way, US Bank also gets a stronger foothold in the world of wealth management, as all the banks seem to want these days.

Be careful though, as US Bank’s self-directed brokerage account has a slightly higher fee schedule than much of the competition. Stock trades are $4.95 each, although you get 100 free trades per calendar year if you have both a Bank Smartly Checking account and paperless statements. There is a $50 annual account fee and a separate $50 annual IRA fee; these are waived if you have $250,000 in combined statement household balances.

My quick take. If all of these details actually hold through launch, they would be a potential improvement over the best current situation of 2.62% cash back on all purchases via the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program (also requires $100k in assets held at BofA) and a BofA cash back credit card. (The Robinhood 3% credit card is still “coming soon”.) But will it last? Even the BofA 2.62% has remained something of an outlier, but my hunch is that it has encouraged enough of people to keep a ton of cash at BofA earning zero interest so that BofA is still happy overall. Given that this new US Bank program actually offers a decent interest rate and an even higher cash back rate, I am concerned about its longevity. On the other hand, maybe this is US Bank’s big push to become a major player on the national level of Bank of America or Chase.

I’d have to open a lot of new accounts to go for this one. Savings account, brokerage account, credit card, move over assets, all for a bonus that is based on my credit card spend so will trickle in slowly. (None of these have a big upfront bonus.) Given the amount of shady stuff US Bank will probably have to deal with when paying 4% cash back, I’d also have to trust that it will last long enough to be worth the effort.

US Bank has a history of making cards and then pulling them from the market, but sometimes they also let the grandfathered users keep the old perk system. Hmm…

Filed Under: Banking, Credit Cards, Deals & Offers //

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card Review: 125,000 Points Limited-Time Offer

Posted on August 1, 2025 // 2 Comments

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New limited-time offer, at all-time high values. The card_name is the re-branded business credit card of the Marriott Bonvoy program. This card offers unique perks for Marriott customers, along with a generous new customer incentive. Here are the highlights:

  • Limited-time offer: Earn 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $8,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms apply. Offer ends 10/22/2025.
  • New award night top-off option: Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 15,000 points of your own. For example, the 50k Award can be used to book a hotel at 65,000 points level if you spend 15,000 points of your own. This opens up the number of potential hotels available in expensive areas.
  • Room rate discount: 7% discount on eligible Marriott Bonvoy hotel bookings as a benefit of being both a Marriott Bonvoy(R) member & a Marriott Bonvoy Business(R) American Express(R) Card Member when you book directly with Marriott through an eligible channel for a participating property under the Amex Business Card Rate.
  • 6X points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy(R) program.
  • 4X points at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
  • 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
  • Receive a Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60k in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R). Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with this card.
  • Elite Night Credits: Receive credit for 15 nights towards the next level of Marriott Bonvoy Elite status, each calendar year.
  • Annual fee is $125.
  • See Rates and Fees

Keep in mind the following terms and conditions:

Welcome offer not available to applicants who (i) have or have had the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Rewards® Business Credit Card from Chase in the last 30 days, (ii) have acquired the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Credit Card from Chase or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase in the last 90 days, or (iii) received a new Card Member bonus offer in the last 24 months on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase.

This is more specific than before, note the different 30-day, 90-day, and 24-month waiting periods that may now include consumer cards. American Express usually gives you a pop-up warning during the application process if you are ineligible based on their records. This is why you should be looking to get the best possible bonus (like a limited-time offer) when you do apply.

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that they can apply for business credit cards, even if they are not a corporation or LLC. The business type is called a sole proprietorship, and these days many people are full-time or part-time consultants, freelancers, eBay/Amazon/Etsy sellers, Uber/Lyft drivers, or other one-person business owners. This is the simplest business entity, but it is fully legit and recognized by the IRS. On a business credit card application, you should use your own legal name as the business name, and your Social Security Number as the Tax ID.

NEW: Certificates can be combined with up to 15,000 points for nicer hotels. Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 15,000 points of your own. In other words, if your certificate is worth 35,000 points, the maximum hotel value you can redeem for is 50,000 points after adding 15,000 points of your own. if your certificate is worth 50,000 points, the maximum hotel value you can redeem for is 65,000 points after adding 15,000 points of your own.

You can use the Marriott free night search tool to price out some sample hotels for yourself. Also, here are details on the Free Night Award Top Off option.

What is a reasonable estimate for the value of a Marriott Bonvoy point? Based on multiple real-world searches of redeemable properties, I choose to use a conservative estimate of 0.70 cents per Bonvoy point. That means 50,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $350 redeemable value, and 100,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $700 redeemable hotel night value. However, I almost always get closer to 1 cent per point value when I actually choose to redeem. Remember to compare the full price of the hotel price with all taxes, as that is what you would have to pay instead of just points.

What can I book with 65,000 points? Based on a few quick searches (log in and try to book with points), the following premium hotels can potentially be booked for 65,000 points or less. (* Marriott no longer publishes a fixed point award chart):

  • The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, Big Island, Hawaii
  • The Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
  • The Ritz-Carlton, Bali
  • Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa
  • JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa
  • Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld®
  • Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
  • The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

35k Free Night Award (Anniversary). At your card anniversary, you will receive a Free Night Award that is good for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. This excludes the very top properties, but for regular travelers it will be very easy to get your $95 or even $125 value. Many W Hotels, Westin, and even some Ritz-Carltons worldwide are included. Here are some sample hotels that may qualify under the 35,000 point limit (* Marriott no longer publishes a fixed point award chart):

  • Sheraton Kona Resort (Big Island, Hawaii)
  • Courtyard Waikiki Beach (Honolulu, Oahu)
  • Sheraton Kauai Resort (Kauai, Hawaii)
  • W Atlanta
  • New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge
  • Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
  • W Chicago
  • The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, China
  • The S. Regis Bangkok, Thailand

You can expand this even further if you use the top-off option and look for hotels at up to 50,000 Bonvoy points.

Bottom line. The card_name is the co-branded business card between Marriott hotels and American Express. You also get a Free Night Award at card anniversary, which can be worth much more than the annual fee. Check out the current welcome offer, which can be redeemed for multiple free nights at hotels around the world.

Also see: Top 10 Best Small Business Card Bonus Offers.

(See Rates and Fees)

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General //

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card Review: 100,000 Bonus Points Offer

Posted on August 1, 2025 // 8 Comments

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The card_name is the premium co-branded rewards card for Marriott hotels. This card has a hefty annual fee, but a closer look reveals it’s not as bad as it looks initially due to perks like flexible dining credits, airport lounge access, and elite status. Here are the highlights:

  • 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant(R) American Express(R) Card at restaurants worldwide.
  • Automatic Marriott Bonvoy(R) Platinum Elite Status.. With Marriott Bonvoy(R) Platinum Elite Status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when the stay is booked with a Qualifying Rate at hotels that participate in Marriott Bonvoy, subject to availability upon check-in.
  • Priority Pass(TM) Select airport lounge membership, with an unlimited number of visits to over 1,200 airport lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location. Enrollment required.
  • 6X Marriott Bonvoy(R) points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
  • 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines.
  • 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
  • Up to 21X Marriott Bonvoy(R) points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Earn 6X points with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant(R) American Express(R) Card. Earn up to 10X points from Marriott Bonvoy for being a Marriott Bonvoy member. Earn up to 5X points from Marriott Bonvoy with the 50% Bonus Points on Stays, a benefit available with your complimentary Platinum Elite status.
  • $100 Marriott Bonvoy(R) Property Credit: Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton(R) or St. Regis(R) when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy(R) points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R), such as Le Metropolitan, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Paris. Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant(R) American Express(R) Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Brilliant Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
  • With Cell Phone Protection*, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month’s wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. *Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
  • 25 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $650 Annual Fee.
  • See Rates and Fees

Keep in mind the following:

You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card or the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card or previous versions of these Cards. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.

Welcome offer not available to applicants who (i) have or have had The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card from JPMorgan or the J.P. Morgan Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card in the last 30 days, (ii) have acquired the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase in the last 90 days, or (iii) received a new Card Member bonus or upgrade offer for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase in the last 24 months.

This is why you should be looking to get the best possible bonus (like a limited-time offer) if you do apply.

$300 Dining Statement Credit. As long as you make $25 in restaurant purchases on this card each month, they $300 in annual dining statement credits should be easily obtainable. This knocks down the scary $650 annual fee down to effectively $350 net. My first read of this perk was that you had to spend it at a Marriott hotel restaurant, but in fact you can make the purchase at any restaurant worldwide.

You can receive up to $300 in statement credits issued to your Card Account for eligible purchases charged to your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide. Purchases by both the Basic Card Member and Additional Card Members on an eligible Card Account are eligible for statement credits. Each Card Account is eligible for up to $25 in statement credits per month, for a total of up to $300 per calendar year in statement credits across all Cards on the Account.

Priority Pass Select. Includes access at over 1,200 airport lounges for the cardholder plus two guests free. Enrollment required. I’m not sure how I’d value this perk, but I’ve definitely enjoyed it in the past.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card Members must enroll in the Priority Pass Select program through the benefits section of their americanexpress.com account or by calling the number on the back of their Card to receive the benefit. Priority Pass is an independent airport lounge access program. At any visit to a Priority Pass Select lounge that admits guests, you may bring in two guests for no charge.

What is a reasonable estimate for the value of a Marriott Bonvoy point? As of April 2022, Marriott no longer has a fixed hotel category chart for booking points. You can still use these points at either long-time Marriott brands (Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Springhill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites) or former Starwood brands (Westin, Sheraton, The Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton, W Hotels, St. Regis, Le Méridien, Aloft), but now it is “dynamic” awards where the points required are more linked to the actual cash cost than before.

Based on multiple real-world searches of redeemable properties, I choose to use a conservative estimate of 0.70 cents per Bonvoy point. That means 95,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $665 redeemable value, and 150,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $1,050 redeemable hotel night value. Remember to compare the full price of the hotel price with all taxes, as that is what you would have to pay instead of just points. With the flexibility of points, you could book a week stay at a modest hotel or a couple nights at a luxury resort.

You can use the Marriott free night search tool to price out some sample hotels for yourself.

Free Night Award (85K) with Card Renewal. At your card anniversary (when you pay the annual fee), you will receive a Free Night Award that is good for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. This is a much better perk than the other 35K and 50K free night awards out there. It’s definitely not hard to get $350 of value out of this award. Here are some sample hotels that I have tried to book in the past that came in at or under 85,000 points for selected dates:

  • The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Hawaii
  • JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa
  • Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris
  • The St. Regis Deer Valley
  • The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, Washington, DC
  • The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch, Colorado.
  • The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui (Thailand)
  • The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (Big Island, Hawaii)
  • The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
  • Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui

NEW: Certificates can be combined with up to 15,000 points for nicer hotels. Marriott now allows you to supplement your free night certificates with up to 15,000 points of your own. In other words, if your certificate is worth 85,000 points, the maximum hotel value you can redeem for is 100,000 points after adding 15,000 points of your own. Here are details on the Free Night Award Top Off option.

Bonvoy Points can also be transferred to airline miles with a bonus. You can convert your Bonvoy points to miles at 39 participating airlines. The standard ratio with most programs is 3:1 (60,000 Bonvoy: 20,000 airlines) miles. Most programs will add on a bonus 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points you transfer to frequent flyer miles (does not apply to American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, Delta SkyMiles and Korean Air SKYPASS.) If you’re a United MileagePlus® member, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points you transfer. More information here.

Finally, Marriott points are also convertible to gift cards, but it takes 60,000 points to redeem for a $200 gift card for Marriott or retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, or Nordstrom. That ratio isn’t all that great, so you’ll definitely get the most value via hotel night redemptions or airline miles transfer.

Bottom line. The card_name is the premium co-branded card between Marriott hotels and American Express. There is a long list of perks, including a flexible dining credit on restaurant purchases and a valuable free night award each card anniversary. As with all hotel cards, the value is dependent on your unique travel preferences.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

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Filed Under: Credit Cards, Deals & Offers, General //
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