Points Earning Strategies, Points Redeeming

April 21, 2025

How to Evaluate Elevated Credit Card Welcome Bonuses Without Derailing Your Points Strategy

Episode Description

A limited time elevated credit card bonus offer sounds amazing—so should you go for it?

In this episode, I break down how to evaluate elevated credit card welcome bonuses so you can make a smart, strategic decision. Using the current Chase Sapphire Preferred offer as a real-world example, I walk through the three questions you need to ask before jumping on any limited-time offer:

✔ Are you even eligible?
✔ How will this card fit into your overall points and travel goals?
✔ What’s the opportunity cost of applying right now?

Whether you’re new to points or deep in the game, this episode will help you avoid shiny bonus syndrome and make elevated offers work for you—not the other way around.

Turn your expenses into points and save tens of thousands of dollars a year on your wishlist travel. Don’t miss out! Click here to know more about my comprehensive online program, Points Made Easy.

What You’ll Learn from this Episode

  • What makes the current 100K Chase Sapphire Preferred offer so unique
  • The Chase 5/24 and 48-month rules that impact eligibility
  • Why bonus timing matters just as much as bonus value
  • How to weigh short- and long-term opportunity costs
  • When a best-ever offer might not be the best move for you
  • Why strategic card timing protects your points goals down the road

Featured on the Show:

Click here to download full episode transcript


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Point Me to First Class is the show for professionals and business owners with higher-than-average personal or business expenses, who want to learn to leverage these expenses into credit card points they can spend on travel.

Each week, I share valuable tips, tools, and strategies to help you uplevel your skills earning and redeeming credit card points, so you can expand your travel and expand your experiences.

Start having first-class travel experiences without the first-class price tag.

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