I often tell people that the hardest way to earn airline miles is to step onto an airplane. Even on the carriers that still offer you miles based on the distance you travel, you’ll only earn about 500 miles per hour you spend on an airplane. And you’ll have to spend an entire night in a hotel just to earn a few thousand points in their loyalty program.

In contrast, it takes just a few minutes to sign-up for a credit card that can offer you 50,000 to 100,000 points or miles as a sign-up bonus. 50,000 miles is a competitive offer from an airline card, or one that offers points that can be transferred to airline miles. However, the best offers will be in the 60,000 to 100,000 mile range.  With hotel points, a strong offer is one with enough points for at least two free nights in a mid-range hotel. But because hotel points are generally less valuable than airline miles, expect to receive 80,000 to 100,000 points from the best of these offers.

To receive these rewards, you’ll typically have to meet a minimum spending requirement, often $3,000 to $5,000 within three months of account opening. However, some of the most generous offers will have even larger spending requirements. Also, most cards will have an annual fee, although some are waived the first year.

Once you’ve paid an annual fee and received your sign-up bonus, the last thing you’ll want to do is cancel your card. Instead, try it out for a year and see how you like its rewards, benefits and customer service. At the end of your first year, you’ll have all the information you need to decide if it’s worth keeping or not.

10 Major Credit Card Bonuses for December 2018

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Welcome offer: Earn 125,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Annual fee: $95
Comment: This card offers you 12x points at hotels & resorts in Hilton portfolio, and 6x points on select business & travel purchases including US gas stations, wireless telephone services, US shipping, US restaurants, rental cars booked directly with select car rental companies and flights booked through Amex Travel. You get 3x points everywhere else, plus complimentary Gold status and a Weekend Night Award after you spend $15,000 in eligible purchases on your card account during a calendar year.

Barclaycard Arrival Plus® World Elite Mastercard®
Welcome offer: New applicants can earn 70,000 bonus miles, worth $700 in travel statement credits, after spending $5,000 on new purchases within 90 days of account opening.
Annual fee: $89, waived the first year.
Comment: This card is back with one of the most generous welcome offers seen on a card like this, along with a waived annual fee the first year. It offers double miles on all purchases, and you receive a 5% of your redeemed miles back.

The Business Platinum® Card from American Express
Welcome offer: Earn up to 75,000 Membership Rewards points. Earn 50,000 points after you spend $10,000, and another 25,000 after spending an additional $10,000 within your three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $450
Comment: This is an attractive introductory bonus, but it’s also has a very high minimum spending requirement. Still this can be an attractive offer for small businesses owners looking to jump start their rewards balances. The annual fee is expensive, but it comes with enough perks, benefits and travel fee reimbursements to justify it.

CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®
Welcome offer: 70,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first four months of account opening.
Annual fee: $99, waived the first year.
Comment: This card now offers double miles on purchases at telecommunications merchants, car rental merchants, cable and satellite providers,  and at gas stations, as well as for American Airlines purchases. You also receive a free checked bag on domestic American Airlines itineraries, preferred boarding and discounts on in-flight food and beverages.

The Platinum Card® from American Express
Welcome offer: 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $5,000 within the first three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $550.
Comment: While the card's annual fee is among the very highest, it also comes bundled with an annual air travel fee statement credit of up to $200, up to $200 in annual Uber credit and up to $100 in credit towards the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application. This card now offers up to $100 in credit towards Saks Fifth Avenue purchases on your card, enrollment is required. You also earn 5x points per $1 for flights booked through the airlines or with AmEx Travel and prepaid hotels booked with Amextravel.com.

Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card
Welcome offer:  Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on eligible purchases within three months of account opening. You also get a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
Annual fee: $95.
Comment: This card offers 12x points at Hilton portfolio hotels & resorts, 6x points at US restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations and 3x points on all other purchases. You also receive Gold status.

Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 within three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $95, waived the first year.
Comment: This card offers 6x points at over 6,700 participating SPG® and Marriott Rewards® properties, giving them an enormous footprint. You also earn 4x points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, and on U.S. purchases for shipping, with 2x points for all other purchases. You get a free night stay each year after your card anniversary (redemption level at or under 35,000 points), Marriott Silver status, and Gold status when you spend $30,000 on purchases in a calendar year (Note: effective January 1, 2019, the spend threshold will increase to $35,000).

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
Welcome offer: 50,000 points after spending $3,000 within the first 90 days of account opening.
Annual fee: $95.
Comment: This card’s sign-up bonus is worth $500 and it offers 2x points on all travel and dining purchases, and 1.5x elsewhere. It also includes up to $200 in combined airline incidental and airport expedited screening statement credits, and no foreign transaction fees.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
Welcome offer:  40,000 points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening, and another 20,000 after spending $12,000 in your first year.
Annual fee: $149.
Comment: This card comes with $75 in Southwest travel credit each year, plus four upgraded boardings per year when available.

United Explorer Card
Welcome offer: 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 within the first three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $95, waived the first year
Comment: Benefits include a free checked bag, up to $100 Global Entry or PreCheck fee credit and two one-time United Club passes each year for your anniversary. But perhaps best of all, MileagePlus cardmembers enjoy expanded availability of economy class Saver Awards.

Intro image by Hamik via Shutterstock