BonusCeilingBest time to apply: credit card bonus history for popular cards (October 2026)
For 8 popular cards with the longest offer histories in our data, how today's sign-up bonus compares with every past offer we could source, and when each card last peaked. Offers checked October 19, 2026.
By Tyler Kelly · Updated
| Card | Current public offer | vs. record | Higher than today in our log | Biggest logged offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American ExpressAmerican Express Gold Card | As high as 100,000 points after $8,000 spend in 6 months (offer varies) | AT RECORD | 0 of 5 past offers | 100,000 points (Jul 2024-Jan 2025) |
| Capital OneCapital One Venture X | 75,000 miles after $4,000 spend in 3 months | 75% of record | 2 of 2 past offers | 100,000 miles (Nov 2025-Jan 5, 2026) |
| ChaseChase Ink Business Cash | $750 (75,000 points) after $6,000 spend in 3 months | Business 75% of record | 4 of 5 past offers | 100,000 points (Jun 15-Sep 17, 2026) |
| ChaseChase Sapphire Preferred | 75,000 points after $5,000 spend in 3 months | 75% of record | 6 of 7 past offers | 100,000 points (Jun-Aug 2026) |
| ChaseChase Sapphire Reserve | 100,000 points after $6,000 spend in 3 months | 67% of record | 2 of 7 past offers | 150,000 points (Apr-Jun 15, 2026) |
| American ExpressHilton Honors American Express Surpass | 130,000 points + Free Night Reward after $3,000 spend in 6 months | 65% of record | 3 of 5 past offers | 200,000 points (Sep 2021) |
| ChaseSouthwest Rapid Rewards Plus | 50,000 points after $1,000 spend in 3 months | 50% of record | 6 of 6 past offers | 100,000 points (Jul-Oct 2025) |
| American ExpressMarriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card | 85,000 points after $5,000 spend in 6 months | 49% of record | 4 of 4 past offers | 175,000 points (Mar 12-May 13, 2026) |
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to apply for a credit card?
When the card's bonus is at or near its own all-time high and your normal spending covers the minimum spend. Issuers don't publish offer schedules, so we look at each card's logged offer history instead of guessing.
Which of these cards is at its record right now?
As of October 19, 2026: American Express Gold Card. The table shows how far the others are from their record.
Which card has most often had a higher bonus than today?
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus: 6 of 6 past offers in our log were higher than today's 50,000 points.
How is this calculated?
From the dated offer history on each card page (mainly Doctor of Credit's offer log, cited per card). We compare each past headline bonus to today's; extras like credits are shown but not counted, and link-only or targeted offers are labeled.
See also: bonuses worth waiting on · bonuses that were higher earlier in 2026 · best bonuses, October 2026 · all bonuses