Credit Compound Research
The State of Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses
By Alex Compton · Updated
We track every public credit card welcome offer and value it at our own cents-per-point rates, not the marketing number. That lets us answer a question the issuers would rather you did not ask: are sign-up bonuses actually getting better? Across 166 cards we have data for both today and October 2025, the average welcome bonus is now worth $688 versus $633 a year ago, a +8.8% move. The headline is quieter than the story underneath it.
The Averages Hide a Widening Gap
A near-flat average is not a calm market. Premium travel and business cards pushed to record offers over the last year while several flagships were quietly cut. The spread between the best and worst moves is far larger than the 8.8% headline suggests.
| Biggest Increases | Then | Now | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Business Platinum Card from American Express | $3,000 | $6,000 | +$3,000 |
| American Express Business Gold Card | $2,000 | $4,000 | +$2,000 |
| Mastercard Black Card | $0 | $1,125 | +$1,125 |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex | $1,438 | $2,300 | +$862 |
| Capital One Spark Cash Plus | $1,200 | $2,000 | +$800 |
| World of Hyatt Credit Card | $510 | $1,020 | +$510 |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Amex | $632 | $1,035 | +$402 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless | $800 | $1,200 | +$400 |
| Biggest Cuts | Then | Now | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card | $1,480 | $800 | −$680 |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex | $1,150 | $575 | −$575 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card | $1,148 | $675 | −$473 |
| Capital One Venture | $1,800 | $1,350 | −$450 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier | $1,148 | $743 | −$405 |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Card | $845 | $520 | −$325 |
| Citi Strata Premier | $1,350 | $1,080 | −$270 |
| Choice Privileges Select Mastercard | $810 | $540 | −$270 |
Where the Richest Bonuses Live
Average welcome-bonus value by primary card category, across every public offer we track.
| Category | Cards | Avg Bonus Value |
|---|---|---|
| business | 22 | $1,525 |
| travel | 46 | $806 |
| airline | 34 | $773 |
| hotel | 13 | $759 |
| no annual fee | 4 | $197 |
| cash back | 45 | $165 |
| starter | 3 | $42 |
See it live
This study updates as offers move. For the current record-setters, see the All-Time-High Bonus Tracker, or browse every offer ranked by real value.
Methodology: sample is every public, currently-available U.S. card we track with at least one prior offer on file (174cards). Bonus value equals bonus size times our published cents-per-point valuation for that rewards currency; cash bonuses are valued at face. Year-over-year figures compare today's offer to the most recent offer on file dated October 2025 or earlier, limited to the 166cards with data in both periods. Category averages use each card's primary category and exclude categories with fewer than three cards. Data is continuously updated; figures reflect the latest tracked offers as of 2026-10-12. Free to cite with attribution to Credit Compound.