These Credit Cards Are Adjusting to the “New Normal” with Great Bonus Offers

As much as we are all tired of hearing it, the phrase that “these are unprecedented times” still is one of the best ways to convey the days we are living in. For businesses, they need to adjust to it or face going out of business. With credit card companies, they won’t go out of business but they do see the necessity of adjusting to meet the customer’s current use situation if they want to stay viable as a “top” card.

Credit Cards Offering Bigger Bonuses on Grocery Stores, Streaming Services, and More

These credit cards are doing just that. And, my guess is that they will not be the last so I will add the new credit cards that join these ranks when that happens. In the meantime, if you have stuck one of your travel cards in the drawer for now, you may want to check this list to see if you can start racking up valuable points or miles with your new “normal” shopping routines.

American Express Cards

STREAMING AND WIRELESS

• Platinum Consumer Card Members will receive up to $320 in statement credits when they use their Platinum Card on select streaming and wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers (up to $20 per month on each, from May through December 2020).
• Business Platinum Card Members will receive up to $320 in statement credits on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and U.S. purchases for shipping (up to $20 per month on each, from May through December 2020).
• Green Consumer Card Members will receive up to $80 in statement credits when they use their Green Card to pay for wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers (up to $10 per month, from May through December 2020).

American Express also wants to remind their cardholders that some of the cards already offer some of these kinds of bonuses:

• Blue Cash Preferred Card Members receive 6% cash back on U.S. streaming subscriptions.
• Amazon Business and Amazon Business Prime Card Members receive 2% back on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers.
• Lowe’s Business Rewards Card Members earn 3X points on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers.

STAY-AT-HOME DINING AND ESSENTIALS

• Delta SkyMiles Reserve, Platinum, Gold and Blue Consumer Card Members will now earn 4X miles at U.S. supermarkets (May through July 2020).
• Marriott Bonvoy and Brilliant Consumer Card Members will now earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $7,500 in eligible purchases (May through July 2020).
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Consumer Card Members’ eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery, will now qualify toward the $300 Marriott Bonvoy Statement Credit benefit (June through August 2020).
• Hilton Surpass and Aspire Consumer Card Members will now earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points at U.S. supermarkets (May through July 2020). Bonus Points earned through eligible purchases on all Hilton American Express Cards, that post to the Card Member’s Hilton Honors account between May 1 through December 31, 2020 will be considered Base Points and will count towards Elite tier qualification and Lifetime Diamond Status.
• Hilton Aspire Consumer Card Members’ eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery, will now qualify toward the $250 Hilton resort credit benefit (June through August 2020).

The following cards already have bonuses built in for some of these uses:

• Platinum Consumer Card Members receive $15 in Uber credits every month, plus a $20 bonus in December, which can be used to order food delivery on Uber Eats.
• Gold Consumer Card Members earn 4X Membership Rewards on U.S. supermarket (up to $25,000 per calendar year) and 4X Membership Rewards on restaurant purchases worldwide, including takeout and delivery via Grubhub/Seamless, Uber Eats, DoorDash, Caviar, Postmates and more. Plus their $10/month dining credit can be used on Grubhub/Seamless and more.
• Green Consumer Card Members earn 3X Membership Rewards on restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery.
• Blue Cash Preferred Card Members receive 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
• Blue Cash Everyday Card Members receive 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
• Hilton Honors, Hilton Surpass and Hilton Aspire Consumer Card Members earn 5X, 6X or 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points, respectively at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
• Amex EveryDay® Card Members earn 2X Membership Rewards on U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1X).
• Amex EveryDay® Preferred Card Members earn 3X Membership Rewards on U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1X).
• Amazon Business Card Members receive 3% back on U.S. purchases at Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com and at Whole Foods Market and 2% back at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
• Amazon Business Prime Card Members receive 5% back on U.S. purchases at Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com and at Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership and 2% back at U.S. restaurants including takeout and delivery.
• Lowe’s Business Rewards Card Members earn 3X points at restaurants including takeout and delivery.
• Delta SkyMiles Platinum, Gold and Blue Consumer Card Members and Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card Members earn 2X miles on restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
• Hilton Honors Business Card Members earn 6X points at US restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
• Marriott Bonvoy Business Card Members earn 4X points at US restaurants, including takeout and delivery.

REMOTE WORK ESSENTIALS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

People are working from home now more than ever and if you have a small business card, you may want to use it for some of your expenses.

• Business Platinum Card Members will receive up to $200 in additional statement credits for U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies, for a total of up to $400 in statement credits in 2020 when added to the existing Shop Dell with Business Platinum benefit ($100 in additional statement credits from May 1 through June 30, 2020 and up to $100 in additional statement credits between July 1 and December 31, 2020).
  • In addition, they will receive up to $320 in statement credits on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and U.S. purchases for shipping (up to $20 per month on each, from May through December 2020)

And, don’t forget about these cards that already offer bonuses that can be helpful for home office solutions:

• Business Gold Card Members earn 4X Membership Rewards points automatically on the two categories where they spent the most in each month from a set list, including U.S. purchases for shipping, technology, advertising in select media, and at restaurants including delivery and takeout.
• Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card Members earn 2X miles on eligible U.S. shipping purchases and on U.S. purchases for advertising in select media.
• Marriott Bonvoy Business Card Members earn 4X Marriott Bonvoy points on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
• Hilton Honors Business Card Members earn 6X Hilton Honors points on wireless telephone services purchases directly from U.S. service providers and U.S. purchases for shipping.
• Blue Business Plus Card Members earn 2X Membership Rewards points on purchases (up to $50,000 per calendar year).
• Blue Business Cash Card Members receive 2% cash back on purchases (up to $50,000 per calendar year).
• Lowe’s Business Rewards Card Members earn 3X points at office supply stores in the U.S. and on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers.

Chase Cards

Chase is taking the approach that many customers are hitting the grocery stores harder than normal. As a result, they are offering bonus points/cash back for shopping at grocery stores until June 30. Each of these bonuses is capped at $1,500 per month in spending. Keep in mind that the Chase Freedom has grocery stores as one of their 5% categories for this quarter but you are limited to $1,500 in spending for the whole quarter.

POINT CARDS

• Chase Sapphire Preferred 3 points per $1
• Chase Sapphire Reserve 5 points per $1
• Chase Disney 3% cash back

AIRLINE CARDS

• Chase United Club, Infinite Club & Presidential Plus cards 5 miles per $1
• Chase United Explorer 3 miles per $1
• Chase United MileagePlus 3 miles per $1
• Chase British Airways 3 points per $1
• Chase Aer Lingus 3 points per $1
• Chase Iberia 3 points per $1
• Chase Southwest Plus 3 points per $1
• Chase Southwest Premier 3 points per $1
• Chase Southwest Priority 3 points per $1

HOTEL CARDS

• Chase World of Hyatt & Hyatt 3 points per $1
• Chase IHG Premier 3 points per $1
• Chase IHG Club Select 3 points per $1
• Chase Marriott cards 6 points per $1

HT to DoC for the cards

Citi

Citi is going in a different direction with a great way to use the $250 travel credit that exists on the Citi Prestige card. If you currently have one open, from now until December 31, all spending at restaurants or grocery stores will draw from that $250 travel credit. This means that you are going to get some “free” groceries if you have not used that credit on travel yet.