The Big Bonus Roundup: Sapphire, IHG, Marriott, and Amex
Several big welcome bonuses are live at the same time.
That does not mean you should grab all of them.
It means this is a good week to check your eligibility, your 5/24 count, and your real spending capacity.
The best offer is not always the biggest number.
The best offer is the one you can earn without forcing bad spend.
The Short Version
If you only skim one section, make it this one.
Best flexible-points offer: Chase Sapphire Reserve at 150,000 Ultimate Rewards points.
Best hotel-points pile: IHG Premier at up to 185,000 IHG points.
Best Marriott headline: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant at 200,000 Marriott points.
Best Amex wild card: Amex Platinum offers up to 175,000 Membership Rewards points.
Best everyday Amex angle: Amex Gold offers up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points.
My take: prioritize flexible currencies first.
Hotel points can be useful.
Flexible points are easier to turn into great trips.
🔗 Check your own point values → Points Valuation
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve: 150,000 Points
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is the cleanest headline offer right now.
Current offer:
150,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points
After $6,000 spend in 3 months
$795 annual fee
$300 annual travel credit
This is a huge bonus.
At 1.5 cents per point, 150,000 Ultimate Rewards points are worth about $2,250.
Chase advertises even higher value through Chase Travel.
I would still value the points based on how you actually redeem.
Why it matters: Ultimate Rewards transfer to Hyatt, United, Air Canada, Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic, Southwest, Marriott, IHG, and more.
Hyatt is the big reason this offer works.
One strong Hyatt redemption can make this bonus feel much larger than the cash math suggests.
Who should care:
You are under Chase 5/24
You can spend $6,000 organically
You do not currently hold a Sapphire card
You have not earned a Sapphire bonus in the past 48 months
You can use the $300 travel credit naturally
Who should skip:
You hate coupon-book cards
You cannot use the travel credit
You would stretch to hit the spend
You already have Sapphire eligibility issues
This is probably the strongest offer in the batch.
But the annual fee is real.
Run the math before you apply.
🔗 Run the fee math → Fee Breakeven
2. IHG Premier: Up To 185,000 Points
The IHG Premier offer is big, but the structure matters.
Current offer:
150,000 IHG points after $3,000 spend in 3 months
Additional 35,000 IHG points after $6,000 total spend in 6 months
Up to 185,000 total IHG points
$99 annual fee
This is a strong hotel-card bonus.
IHG points are not as valuable as Chase points.
But 185,000 points can still cover real travel.
Why it matters: The Premier card also has keeper-card benefits.
The key one is the anniversary free night certificate.
It can justify the annual fee if you use it well.
Also important: IHG's 4th night free benefit is a card perk on award bookings.
That can stretch points if you book four-night stays.
Who should care:
You stay at IHG properties
You can use the annual free night
You want a hotel card with a reasonable fee
You can hit $6,000 spend without drama
Who should skip:
You rarely stay at IHG
You only want luxury redemptions
You would value IHG points like Chase or Amex points
My take: this is good if you already like IHG.
It is less compelling if you are just chasing the largest number.
3. IHG Traveler: Up To 125,000 Points
The no-annual-fee IHG Traveler also has an elevated offer.
Current offer:
Up to 125,000 IHG points
No annual fee
Lower long-term perk value than the Premier
This is the budget version.
That can be good.
But no annual fee does not automatically mean better.
The Premier's anniversary night can make the $99 fee worth paying.
Who should care:
You want IHG points with no annual fee
You are fee-sensitive
You do not need the Premier's stronger perks
Who should skip:
You can use an anniversary free night
You want the 4th night free award benefit
You value long-term keeper-card benefits
My take: most travelers should compare this against the Premier.
The Premier is probably stronger for anyone who can use the perks.
4. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant: 200,000 Points
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant has the biggest Marriott points offer.
Current offer:
200,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
After $6,000 spend in 6 months
Offer expected to end May 13, 2026
Premium annual fee card
This is a large Marriott balance.
But Marriott points are not fixed-value gold.
Dynamic pricing means expensive hotels can require a lot of points.
Sometimes a shocking number of points.
Why it matters: Brilliant can make sense if you value premium Marriott perks.
But the annual fee is high enough that the card needs a real use case.
Do not apply just because 200,000 looks large.
Who should care:
You stay at Marriott often
You can use the annual statement credits
You value Marriott status perks
You have a specific redemption in mind
Who should skip:
You are not loyal to Marriott
You do not want another premium annual fee
You assume 200,000 points equals multiple luxury nights
Marriott can be great.
It can also eat points fast.
Check actual hotels before applying.
5. Marriott Bevy: 175,000 Points
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy also has an elevated offer.
Current offer:
175,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
After $5,000 spend in 6 months
Offer expected to end May 13, 2026
Mid-tier annual fee card
This is a lot of Marriott points with a lower fee than Brilliant.
But Bevy is awkward.
It does not have the same premium benefits as Brilliant.
It also does not have the clean low-fee keeper-card appeal of some other hotel cards.
Who should care:
You want Marriott points
You want lower spend than Brilliant
You do not need Brilliant's premium perks
Who should skip:
You want a simple keeper card
You want flexible points instead
You are not sure how you will redeem Marriott points
My take: Bevy is worth checking.
But I would not make it your first move unless Marriott is already part of your travel plan.
The Amex Wild Cards: Platinum And Gold
Amex has high targeted or variable offers floating around.
The two big ones:
Amex Platinum: up to 175,000 Membership Rewards points
Amex Gold: up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points
These are not always the same for everyone.
Amex often shows different offers by browser, referral, CardMatch-style tools, or applicant.
Do not assume you will see the top number.
Why it matters: Membership Rewards transfer to many strong airline partners.
That can be excellent for international flights.
It is less useful if you want simple domestic hotel redemptions.
Gold vs. Platinum:
Gold is usually easier to justify for food-heavy spend.
Platinum is more of a perks-and-lounge card.
Platinum can be valuable.
It can also become a coupon spreadsheet with a metal card attached.
That is fun for exactly one type of person.
You know who you are.
How I Would Prioritize These
Here is the simple order.
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve 150k
Flexible points win.
This is the best overall offer if you are eligible.
2. Amex Platinum or Gold at the top offer
Only if you can pull the elevated version.
Do not settle for a weak offer if better ones are common.
3. IHG Premier 185k
Strong if you can use IHG points and the anniversary night.
4. Marriott Brilliant 200k
Strong for Marriott loyalists.
Not as universal as the headline suggests.
5. Marriott Bevy 175k or IHG Traveler 125k
Useful in the right setup.
Not automatic first picks.
Two Rules Before Applying
First, do not break 5/24 for a weaker offer.
Chase approvals get harder once you are over 5/24.
That makes the Sapphire and IHG decisions more strategic.
Second, do not chase spend you cannot hit naturally.
A welcome bonus is only a win if the spend is real.
If you buy things you do not need, the bank won.
Not you.
Bottom Line
This is a unusually strong week for signup bonuses.
The Sapphire Reserve 150k offer is the cleanest standout.
IHG Premier is strong for hotel-card people.
Marriott's elevated Amex offers are worth checking before May 13.
Amex Platinum and Gold are worth checking if you can pull the top targeted offers.
But do not let big numbers make the decision for you.
Check eligibility.
Check the annual fee.
Check the real redemption value.
Then apply only if the math works.
— Austin 🤌