There are lots of causes the top of the yr is a superb time to open a brand new premium rewards credit card. And it isn’t simply because these playing cards provide perks that may assist you to make the very best of often hectic vacation journey. Some additionally present assertion credit that reset on the finish of the calendar yr, whereas others provide limited-time bonuses or promotions for vacation purchases or journey.
Moreover, elevated spending across the holidays — for presents, holidays and even vacation dinners and decorations — will help you meet the spending necessities for a big welcome bonus.
Listed here are just a few causes you may wish to open a brand new premium card earlier than the top of the yr — and tips on how to maximize the cardboard’s advantages in case you do.
Associated: The best premium credit cards: A side-by-side comparison
Double-dip on end-of-year spending credit
Many premium bank cards have perks that reset each calendar year. In case you open a brand new bank card in November or December, you may be capable of double-dip on financial savings inside a brief interval by profiting from your card’s advantages on the finish of 2025 after which once more at the start of 2026. Examples embody:
- As much as $100 in annual assertion credit towards Saks Fifth Avenue purchases with American Express Platinum Card®. (This perk requires advance enrollment and gives as much as $50 in credit per half-year.)
- As much as $150 in assertion credit on U.S. purchases made immediately with Dell and an extra as much as $1,000 in assertion credit after spending $5,000 or extra every calendar yr with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (enrollment is required upfront).
Associated: Don’t let credits go to waste: Your end-of-year credit card checklist
Another examples of annual travel credits you may be capable of double-dip with utilizing this technique embody:
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These credit assist offset the Platinum and Enterprise Platinum’s excessive $895 annual charge (see charges and costs for Platinum and Business Platinum).
Associated: Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum shopping credits reset soon — why you should use them now
Leverage alternatives to make use of your factors and miles
Whether or not it’s the welcome bonus or the earnings out of your on a regular basis spending, there’s by no means been a greater time to make use of your hard-earned rewards for a visit of a lifetime.
An instance that simply involves thoughts is utilizing Atmos Rewards factors to guide short-haul flights on American Airlines. These flights could possibly be costly in case you had been to pay money in the course of the holidays, and utilizing your Atmos Rewards factors to offset the price of your loved ones get-together can unlock just a few hundred {dollars} out of your end-of-year finances.
For some redemption inspiration, try the next:
Furthermore, you’ll be capable of use factors out of your new card to cowl your family members’ journey into subsequent yr. Journey isn’t low-cost, and offsetting these bills with factors and miles is a superb cause so as to add a premium bank card to your pockets.
Present perks to others for the vacations
Premium bank cards provide beneficial advantages you’ll be able to present to others. Contemplate these when deciding on presents for family and friends in the course of the holidays.
For instance, you can also make qualifying purchases from Saks Fifth Avenue with your Amex Platinum Card or from Dell using your Amex Business Platinum Card. Because you obtain assertion credit for qualifying purchases (after enrolling for the profit), these presents could haven’t any out-of-pocket prices to you.
You might additionally present lounge access to a traveler in your life. This might come from including a liked one to your Amex Platinum Card or Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees), for instance. Simply keep in mind that you’re answerable for all spending by licensed customers in your account, so set expectations and spending limits earlier than you add them to your account.
Observe that most loyalty programs let you book travel for others along with your factors or miles. In case you’re searching for a present for somebody who has the whole lot, reserving them a flight or resort keep along with your rewards may give them the journey of a lifetime whereas additionally saving you cash.
For extra concepts, see our information to credit card perks you can gift for the holidays.
Associated: Credit cards with the greatest value for authorized users
Earn a beneficiant welcome provide
Let’s finish with what is likely to be the largest cause to use for a bank card: welcome presents. The flexibility to earn a windfall of factors or miles rapidly is at all times interesting, and your vacation buying will help you meet the spending necessities for these bonuses.
The Capital One Venture X Business has a welcome provide that earns as much as 400,000 bonus miles. Earn 200,000 miles after you spend $30,000 within the first three months from account opening, and an extra 200,000 miles after spending $150,000 within the first six months of account opening. Primarily based on TPG’s December 2025 valuations, this provide is value as much as $7,400.
There’s additionally the present provide on the aforementioned Amex Business Platinum: Earn 200,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first three months of card membership.
Primarily based on our December 2025 valuations, that welcome provide is value $4,000, however it may be value much more in case you redeem your factors for business-class airfare or last-minute journeys.
These welcome presents and extra will assist you to begin the brand new yr on the best monetary foot.
Backside line
The top of the yr is a superb time to contemplate including a premium credit card to your pockets. Between the elevated bonuses we lined above and the power to double-dip on spending credit, you can deal with your self this vacation season by making use of for a premium bank card and reaping its many advantages. And in case you’re actually within the vacation spirit, you’ll be able to share a few of these advantages with vacationers in your buying checklist.
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum Card, click on here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card, click on here.
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