American Express recently rolled out a new limited time offer on the no annual fee Hilton Honors Card from American Express, which is valid for a limited time. This is Hilton’s starter co-branded credit card, and it’s currently offering a welcome bonus of 75,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $1,000 within the first three months.
The welcome bonus offered 50,000 Honors points in the past upon completing minimum spend, so this bonus is a 50% increase compared to before. Past increased bonuses had a higher spend requirement to earn the bonus. Since you have no annual fee to pay with this card it’s a no-brainer for a free stay at Hilton.
Click Here to Apply for the 75K Bonus on the No Annual Fee Hilton Honors Card From American Express.
This Hilton Honors AMEX Card offers:
7x Honors points for spend directly with Hilton, 5x points for spend at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, and 3x points for all other eligible purchases
Hilton Honors Silver status for as long as you have the card; Hilton Honors Silver members receive a fifth night free on award redemptions, so you’d receive that by virtue of having this card
Hilton Honors Gold status when you spend at least $20,000 on the card in a calendar year
No foreign transaction fees
Rental Car Protection option
Having this card gives you access to Amex Offers, which can save you money with many retailers. I save hundreds a year on this benefit. They normally offer Hilton Hotel offers such as “stay at the Hampton Inn spend $150 get $35 back.”
99% of merchants in the U.S. who accept credit cards now take American Express. Just a fact here if you are wondering if AMEX is accepted as widely as VISA or Mastercard. The most recent Nilson Report found that 10.6 million U.S. merchant locations accepted American Express at the end of 2025.
If you have a big family to feed you most likely spend tons of money at the grocery store. You can add up coupons all day long but this card will save you the most. A 6% discount on groceries is basically what you are getting with this cash back card at grocery stores. The card has an annual fee but it pays for itself with the generous cash back and the $250 bonus.
Earn $250 after spending $1,000 in first 3 months.
Earn 6% cash back at US supermarkets; 3% cash back at US gas station and select US department stores; 1% cash back on other purchases.
With this credit card, you can get access to Amex Offers, which often offers very good discounts at some stores. In the past we have seen offers like: Spend $15 or more and get $5 back at Walmart; Spend $75 or more and get $25 back on Amazon
This is also a great card to have to buy Christmas Gift Cards for the stores that you visit frequently (such as Shell, Amazon, Uber, etc) or Visa Gift Cards in supermarkets, use your Blue Cash Preferred to buy them and you can get 6% cash back (up to $6000 per year)! If you use the card this way than you can make anything 6% back.
Disadvantages
$95 annual fee but the bonus pays for this.
Only first $6,000 purchases per Annual Reward Year (12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one that includes January 1st) at US supermarkets can earn 6% cash back, after that you can only earn 1%.
According to American Express; Target, Walmart, and Costco do not count as supermarkets, and you can only get 1x when shopping there.
This credit card is on the American Express Network, not Visa or MasterCard, so some small stores may not accept it.
Bottom Line
This is a great card for those who do lots of grocery shopping. Personally, I used the card for the bonus and plan to downgrade to the non-annual fee card when the annual fee comes due. AMEX actually prorates the annual fee for those that apply before the end of the year so you can cancel in January and keep most of the $250 bonus. Pretty simple stuff to make some easy money and get 6% back on buying Christmas gift cards for relatives.
After you apply you may check with the AmEx reconsideration backdoor number: 877-399-3083.
Chase just announced a new limited-time offers for its Southwest consumer credit cards, allowing cardholders to earn the #1 rated airline’s amazing Companion Pass plus 30,000 bonus points when they meet a minimum spending requirement.
If you frequently travel with a plus-one, the Companion Pass allows you to add them to any Southwest flight for just the cost of taxes and fees.
How to Qualify for the New Southwest Companion Pass Offer
Credit card issuers often offer increased sign-up bonuses for a limited time, and this one is no different. To qualify, you’ll need to do the following.
Visit the offer page: The offer is currently not available when you visit the card landing pages on Chase’s website, so be sure to use one of the above links to apply.
Apply by the offer deadline: The limited-time offer won’t be around for more than a few weeks, so be sure to apply as soon as possible if you’re interested.
Meet the spending requirement: You’ll need to spend $4,000 in the first three months. Keep in mind that the clock starts when you open your account, not when you receive the card.
Once you meet the spending requirement, you’ll earn a Companion Pass, which will be valid through February 28, 2025, along with 30,000 Rapid Rewards points.
The Southwest Companion Pass could be your ticket to amazing family adventures. It lets you bring a kiddo (or any companion!) for free (just pay taxes and fees) on any Southwest flight you book. Sounds awesome, right? Remember that each Southwest credit card has its own benefits, so compare them to find the one that suits your family’s travel style.
Do your research, weigh the pros and cons, and then jet set to incredible memories with your loved ones!
Also keep in mind they do these amazing special offer via Chase Offers such as below 10% back at Panera and 10% on Jersey Mike’s and Walmart:
Lowe’s is offering a Free Holiday Ornament to MyLowe’s Rewards Members. Reserve now for pickup 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov 8th or Saturday, Nov 9th. Save more on hardware and department store purchases with these rewards credit cards.
Free 1-pint flower at Lowe’s
Head over to Lowe’s for a Free 1-pint flower on May 14. On Sunday, April 30 at midnight eastern you can RSVP for a Free Mother’s Day Flower Giveaway at Lowe’s stores on May 14 at 10AM. Mark your calendars.
The Chase Freedom Flex Card is easily one of the best no annual fee cards out there, as it offers 5x points in rotating quarterly categories, for up to $1,500 of spending per quarter. Most people use this as a cashback card, meaning the 5x points really translates into 5% cashback in these categories.
$200 Bonus when you make a purchase for spending $500 in the first 3 months
5% cash back on Lyft rides
5% cash back on Amazon, Hotels, & Restaurants starting in April 2024! 5% back on GAS is coming back for another quarter but for now Discover offers 5% back.
1.5% cash back on all other purchases
0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers
No annual fee
No minimum to redeem for cash back
Standard offer on both has typically been $150/$500, so this is a small boost. There are occasionally targeted or branch offers of $300 for either of the cards.
Casey’s Gas Rewards – Play a game to win each day savings on snacks and gas!
What’s included with Chase Freedom Flex Q4 2024 bonus categories?
There’s often some confusion about what purchases qualify with the bonus categories, so let me recap Chase’s definitions.
Here’s what’s included with the gas station bonus category:
Merchants in the gas stations category sell automotive gasoline that can be paid for either at the pump or inside the station and may or may not sell other goods or services at their location. Merchants that do not specialize in selling automotive gasoline are not included in this category; for example, truck stops, boat marinas, oil and propane distributors, and home heating companies.
Here’s what’s included in the car rental agencies bonus category:
Merchants in the car rental agencies category rent vehicles for the purpose of driver and passenger transportation. Car rentals not booked directly with the car rental agency will not qualify; for example, car rentals purchased through travel agencies, discount travel sites, vacation clubs, tour operators, or as part of a package offered by merchants such as cruise lines and railways. Merchants that provide RV rentals or vehicle rentals for the purpose of hauling are not included in this category. Qualifying car rental agency purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards® will only earn a total of 5%.
Here’s what’s included in the movie theaters bonus category:
Merchants in the movie theaters category show motion pictures to an audience, including at drive-in theaters. Theaters that provide live entertainment and merchants that sell and rent movies or provide movie subscription or streaming services are not included in this category. Purchases other than your tickets will not be included in the category unless they classify as a movie theater; for example, in theatre dining, food and beverage, or merchandise purchases.
Here’s what’s included with the select live entertainment bonus category:
Merchants in the Select Live Entertainment category sell tickets for in-person entertainment such as major sporting events, zoos and aquariums, concerts, theatrical productions, museums, tourist attractions and exhibits, amusement parks, circuses, carnivals, bands, and entertainers. Ticket agencies selling on behalf of the entertainment venue are included. Some merchants that sell tickets for in-person entertainment are not included in this category; for example, movie theaters, bowling alleys, horse racing tracks, casinos, and dance hall/clubs. Purchasing from a hotel/concierge is not included nor excursions or purchases as part of a travel package.
My take on Chase Freedom Flex Q3 2024 bonus categories
Everyone has different spending patterns, though I can’t say I’m terribly excited about the Q3 2022 bonus categories:
Gas is a legitimate expense for many, so it’s great to be able to earn 5x points on that
I wouldn’t put a rental car purchase on the Chase Freedom, since I’d want to use a card offering primary rental car coverage
Both the movie theater and select live entertainment bonus categories are pretty niche, and personally don’t have much appeal for me
Of course we’re not all going to love all these bonus categories equally, but for me Q3 will be a tough one to maximize.
Bottom line
The Chase Freedom Flex is one of the best no annual fee cards out there, thanks largely to the ability to earn 5x points in rotating quarterly categories. Registration has just opened for the Q3 2024 bonus categories, and as of July 1 you’ll start to be able to earn 5x points on the first $1,500 spent with gas stations, car rental agencies, movie theaters, and select live entertainment. This is a great opportunity for maximizing your spending.
The Capital One Venture X Credit Card is Capital One’s new ultra-premium credit card. We haven’t been this excited about a travel credit card in years. This card compares to the Chase Sapphire Card that won the media by storm several years ago. It was one of the hottest credit cards that have also talked about never a huge fan of the Sapphire card but this card is so generous in rewards and benefits everyone needs it to travel in 2024.
Capital One Venture X Review
The $395 annual fee Capital One Venture X is Capital One’s premium travel rewards credit card, competing with cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve. The Venture X offers a huge welcome bonus, a minimum of 2x Venture miles on all purchases, a $300 travel credit and 10,000 bonus miles annually, and unlimited access to Capital One Lounges, along with a Priority Pass membership, for both the primary cardmember and authorized users. As mentioned above, the card has a $395 annual fee, but that $300 credit alone should easily offset more than 75% of that fee, which is awesome. So while the card’s annual fee might seem high on the surface, it shouldn’t really be costing anyone all that much to hold onto.
The Capital One Venture X is offering an excellent welcome bonus where you’ll earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months.
Capital One miles are valued around 1.7 cents each, so to me the 75,000 Venture miles are worth around $1,275. When it comes to transfer partners you can basically transfer it to many airlines and hotels and get free stays making the value even more depending on how last-minute your travel and what it means to you.
The Capital One Venture X has a $395 annual fee, and there is no cost to add up to four authorized users (which is a major perk, given the benefits that authorized users receive). For anyone who travels with any frequency, the annual fee should more than pay for itself, thanks to the ongoing perks, particularly the $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 anniversary bonus miles.
Capital One Venture X Cashback is 2x miles everywhere & more
The Capital One Venture X rewards structure builds on the basics of the Capital One Venture, but is even better. The card offers:
10x Venture miles on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
5x Venture miles on flights booked via Capital One Travel
2x Venture miles on all other purchases
The card has no foreign transaction fees, making this ideal for purchases abroad
Most noteworthy is the return on everyday spending, as the card offers 2x Venture miles per dollar spent. Capital One miles are extremely valuable, and can either be redeemed for one cent each toward the cost of a travel purchase, or can be transferred to Capital One’s travel partners at a ratio of up to 1:1. Earning two airline miles per dollar spent is amazing.
Normally ’m opposed to booking travel through credit card portals, but Capital One Travel is well done and has some unique features, including savings on flights, 24/7 alert technology with price changes, a best price guarantee on hotels, and more.
Capital One Venture X perks: $300 travel credit, 10K bonus miles, & more
This is where the Venture X shines. As mentioned above, the Capital One Venture X has a $395 annual fee, but the card offers two major annual benefits:
$300 in statement credits every cardmember year for bookings made through Capital One Travel; this can be applied toward any type of travel booked through Capital One Travel, including flights, hotels, rental cars, etc.
10,000 bonus Venture miles on the account anniversary every year; there’s no spending requirement to unlock this, and it’s worth a minimum of $100 toward a travel purchase, or could get you up to 10,000 airline miles (which I value at $170)
Between those two benefits alone, that’s $470 worth of value annually for a $395 annual fee card. And that doesn’t even account for the other perks (including airport lounge access), which I’ll cover below.
Furthermore, there are some more Capital One Venture X perks & benefits that are worth being aware of:
The Capital One Venture X offers a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit once every four years
The Capital One Venture X offers Hertz President’s Circle status for the primary cardmember and authorized users, offering perks like being able to skip the counter, guaranteed upgrades, free additional drivers, and more
The Capital One Venture X is a Visa Infinite Card, and therefore offers other rental car perks as well, including National Emerald Club Executive status, and savings with Avis and Silvercar
Capital One Venture X lounge access: Capital One Lounges & Priority Pass
Capital One’s first airport lounge is now open at DFW! Capital One Venture X cardholders have unlimited access, Venture and Spark cardholders get two free passes a year, and the lounge is open to all travelers for $65.
Capital One is opening up airport lounges, and the Venture X Card has some very nice lounge access perks:
The Capital One Venture X offers unlimited access to Capital One Lounges, with the ability to bring two guests; the first lounge opened at DFW Airport (Dallas, Texas), and is simply incredible, with Peloton bikes, grab & go food, cold brew on tap, and more
The Capital One Venture X offers a Priority Pass membership (including credits at Priority Pass restaurants), with the ability to bring two guests
The Denver and Washington D.C. Mega-Lounges just opened in the past few weeks!
You can add up to four authorized users to the Capital One Venture X at no cost, and they also get the same lounge access benefits, including access to Capital One Lounges, as well as a Priority Pass membership.
Capital One Venture X purchase protection: car rentals, travel, and cell phones
One thing that a lot of people look for in premium credit cards is great purchase protection. Many of these things we have lost from card issuers such as Citi Prestige. The Capital One Venture X is a Visa Infinite Card, and as a result it offers some valuable peace of mind:
For car rentals, the Venture X offers primary rental car coverage; just decline the collision damage waiver offered by the car rental company, and pay for the full price of the rental with your card
For cell phones, the Venture X offers cell phone protection; just pay your monthly bill with the card, and you’ll be protected for up to $800 if your phone is stolen or damaged, minus a $50 deductible
For flights, the Venture X offers trip delay reimbursement; pay for your airline ticket with the card, and if you’re delayed by more than six hours or have an overnight stay, you can be reimbursed up to $500 for reasonable expenses incurred because of the delay
For luggage, the Venture X offers lost luggage reimbursement; pay for your airline ticket with the card, and if your bag is lost, you can be reimbursed up to $3,000 per trip
Make sure to consult the cardmember agreement for all the terms, since there are always some restrictions associated with this coverage. But this is incredibly well rounded coverage, and what I look for in a premium card.
Getting approved for the Capital One Venture X
Capital One can be hard when it comes to getting approved for cards for some but we have seen a lot of people are having luck with approvals for the Capital One Venture X,. A few things to note:
Yes, you are eligible for the Capital One Venture X (including the bonus) even if you have the Capital One Venture, but you need to apply outright; product changing doesn’t qualify for the bonus
If you’re added as an authorized user on the Capital One Venture X (or any other Capital One card), you are eligible to apply for the card yourself in the future, and receive the bonus
Capital One doesn’t seem to have any consistent rules when it comes to getting approved, at least not like Amex and Chase; people with all kinds of credit profiles are reporting approvals
Capital One pulls your credit from all three bureaus when you apply,
Why the Capital One Venture X is worth it
The Capital One Venture X is jaw-droppingly generous, and that’s not even accounting for the card’s welcome bonus. The card has a $395 annual fee, which is lower than the fee on other premium credit cards. But the card shouldn’t be costing anyone nearly that much, between the $300 annual Capital One Travel credit, and the 10,000 anniversary bonus Venture miles. To me you’re coming out ahead without even using the card for everyday spending. Many are dropping the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the American Express Platinum for this card that has more in value and less than half the expense of the annual fees.
That doesn’t even factor in that the card has huge value beyond that — the Capital One Venture X offers an industry-leading 2x miles per dollar spent, and most significantly, offers access to Capital One Lounges, plus a Priority Pass membership, for both the primary cardmember and the (free) authorized users. You can actually dine at restaurants with this card and you cannot with American Express Platinum’s Priority Pass benefits.
Capital One Venture X FAQs
What lounge access does the Venture X offer?
The Venture X offers a Priority Pass membership, getting you access to 1,300+ lounges around the world, with the ability to take up to two guests. On top of that, you can access Capital One Lounges, also with two guests. These perks apply both to the primary cardmember and authorized users.
Can you access Priority Pass restaurants with the Venture X?
The Priority Pass membership offered by the Venture X gets you access to all Priority Pass locations, including restaurants. In other words, Capital One doesn’t have the same restrictions as Amex does about visiting Priority Pass restaurants, which is great. You won’t get this with AMEX Cards.
What credit score do you need to be approved for the Venture X?
There’s not a specific credit score you need to be approved for the Venture X, though the card is generally intended for those with good to excellent credit. Capital One has fairly few consistent rules about approvals otherwise, and reports suggest that a lot of people are successfully being approved for the card.
What is the highest & lowest credit limit for the Venture X?
Since the Venture X is a Visa Signature, the minimum credit limit on the card will be $10,000, if you’re approved. Meanwhile the highest credit limit I’ve heard of for this card is $30,000 (though if anyone has received a higher credit limit, please let me know).
When does the Venture X welcome bonus end?
The Venture X is offering a bonus of 75,000 miles after meeting minimum spend requirements. I have no indication of if/when this bonus will change.
Is the Venture X card made of metal?
Yep, the Capital One Venture X is indeed made of metal.
How can you redeem the Venture X $300 travel credit?
The Venture X $300 travel credit is issued each anniversary year (including the first year), and can be used toward any purchase in the Capital One Travel portal. This includes purchasing flights, hotels, rental cars, etc. For most people this should be more or less good as cash toward travel.
How does the Venture X 10K anniversary bonus miles work?
The Venture X offers an automatic 10,000 bonus Venture miles on the account anniversary every year. This couldn’t be more straightforward, as the miles will automatically post to your account. You can redeem them whenever you’d like, however you’d like. 10,000 Venture miles could get you $100 worth of travel, or alternatively could get you up to 10,000 bonus miles with one of Capital One’s airline partners.
Is the Venture X a Mastercard or Visa?
The Venture X is a Visa Infinite Card, which is Visa’s most premium type of credit card.
Bottom line
Capital One premium credit card, the Capital One Venture X, everything we have been looking for in a travel card with an exception of booking travel through their site for the additional points. This $395 annual fee card offers a ton of value and a no-brainer. On the most basic level, you’ll receive a $300 annual Capital One Travel credit plus 10,000 bonus miles annually, which should cover the annual fee. On top of that you earn at least 2x miles per dollar spent, plus you get access to Capital One Lounges and a Priority Pass membership, for both the primary cardmember and any (free) authorized users.
Calling all cookie lovers! This National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day (Sunday, August 4), DoubleTree by Hilton is giving away free cookies to everyone – guests and non-guests alike. Just stop by any of their U.S. hotels to grab your complimentary cookie, either the original or the allergy-friendly version. Normally only Hilton Honors guests get this treat when they check-in for a stay.
DoubleTree’s chocolate chip cookie is a symbol of their warm hospitality, and they’ve been delighting guests with it since 1986. Over 20 million of these delicious cookies are enjoyed worldwide every year, and now you have a chance to try one for free. If you like freebie cookies you will also love these other treats this week from local restaurants.
And if you can’t make it to a DoubleTree hotel, don’t worry. You can still enjoy their famous cookies at home by using their official recipe.
So mark your calendars for National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day and get ready to experience DoubleTree’s signature warm welcome!
If you dine or pick up food at McAlister’s, Cinnabon, or Schlotzsky’s you can get an easy 10% off instantly in the app or when you check out at the counter. These fast-food restaurant chains are offering this as part of many AARP discount s. There are several other restaurants that offer AARP discounts but these stick out because they are ones you may pick up food from more often or are most likely to use. We also found it was really easy to link the accounts to the AARP number and you just press the discount button to apply it each time instead of having to print out a coupon or beg the person at the counter to get the ten percent savings.
You can get this offer by signing up for AARP membership which you can get at any age. I actually made money from signing up for my membership because I paid with a Chase Credit card that had it with $6 back with Chase Offers plus I clicked a link with TopCashBack (you can also use Swagbucks or Rakuten network) for an additional $12 back. The membership link for AARP I clicked on said it was only $12 to sign up the first year so I basically made $6 back from signing up even though I paid $12 on the credit card.
McAlister’s Deli Rewards member will receive 10% off future orders just for linking your AARP membership to your McAlister’s Rewards account. This also applies to Cinnamon rolls or anything you order at Cinnabon locations.
As a Schlotzsky’s Rewards member you can also easily link your AARP membership you get 10% off your future Schlotzsky’s orders!
At Schlotzsky’s you also get a birthday bonus and free chips and a drink along with the 10% off each day! Plus the BOGO Pizza!
To use this offer online, you must be logged into Schlotzsky’s Rewards.
Click “Log In”, then search for locations in your area.
At your chosen location, select “Offers”
Then select “Apply” on the chosen offer.
It’s as simple as that to save on the foods and sweets you crave the most. If you haven’t read about the BOGO pizza day make sure to get this promo that will stack with this 10% off at Schlotzsky’s. They have really tasty pizza better than Domino’s or many other pizza chains if you ask us. We make it a date night each week for the buy one, get one free pizza.
Amazon announced their 10th Prime Day coming on July 16th and 17th. Deals will begin at 12:01 am PDT on the 16th and continue throughout the 16th and 17th.
. Not only should you be able to snag a ton of deals during this 48 hour event, typically, there are many ways to stack your savings. In past years, this included using your Amazon credit card, earning Amazon credits and applying just a single credit card point — I am sure we will see these opportunities start to pop up over the next few weeks.
Additionally, Amazon has already announced some pre-saving Prime Deals which you can jump on now and not have to wait until July.
What is Amazon Prime Day Amazon Prime Day is a yearly two-day event where you’ll see different daily or flash discounts on many popular items. Many offers continuously pop up and while some deals will last all day, many will quickly sell out.
To take advantage of many of the discounts you’ll need to be an Amazon Prime member. If you don’t have a Prime Membership, you can sign up for a free trial which will give you 30 days of free prime access. After the free trial expires, you’ll be charged $139 for the year or $14.99 per month — you’re choice (or you can cancel before the free trial expires).
Early access Amazon Prime Day Amazon is starting Prime Day early with early access to many of their own Amazon devices. This is similar to what we’ve seen in the past and typically the pricing stays the same. However, if pricing by chance drops, you can always re-purchase at the lower price and return your previous purchase within the return window (typically 30 days).
You can shop all of the Amazon device deals here, but some of the better ones include:
If you’re looking to signup for Prime to get in on Prime Day, here are some options (let us know if anything is missing):
Get free Amazon Prime trial for 30 days. Interestingly, readers let us know that Amazon will sometimes let you get the free trial even if you previously had a trial at one point on the same account. You can also try adding a large item to cart and going to checkout, see if they pop up with another free Prime trial offer for you.
A yearly subscription costs $139. Instead of using our links (found in this post), we recommend going through a shopping portal to get a bonus when you signup. Swagbucks is offering a $15 Amazon gift card. Topcashback is offering the same.
Amazon Shop With Points & Card Link Deals
(Direct Amazon link) Amazon: Get 40%/$60 Discount When Using 1 American Express Membership Rewards Point
(Direct Amazon link) Amazon: Use 1 Chase Ultimate Rewards Point & Get 50% Off (Max $60 Discount)
(Direct Amazon link) Amazon: Get 30% off Amazon when Using 1 Discover Point
(Direct Amazon link) Amazon: Add Discover Card And Get $20 with promo code 23DISCOVERPD
(Direct Amazon Link) Amazon: Add Citi Card & Get $15 Off (Promo Code CITICARD15)
(Direct Amazon Link) Amazon: Get 40% Off Amazon when Using 1 U.S. Bank Point (Max $15 Savings)
