Breaking Points: Credit Card News

Amazon is offering targeted discounts for both Amex Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou cardholders when using a small number of points toward an eligible purchase. Both offers vary, with some cardholders receiving up to 40% off and others receiving only 15% off, with the requirements for the number of points you must redeem also varying. Click here to see which offers you're targeted for and activate them. Offers vary by account, so if you have both Amex and Citi cards connected to your Amazon accounts, check both before making a purchase. We don't normally recommend using either currency to pay for Amazon purchases because of the poor redemption value, so use only the minimum number of points required to trigger your discount and pay the remainder with your card. Both promotions are scheduled to run through December 31, 2026, or until their respective redemption limits are reached.

Citi ThankYou Rewards is offering up to a 35% transfer bonus to Qatar Airways Privilege Club through October 31, 2026. This isn't like your standard transfer bonus, as the bonus Avios are awarded to your Qatar Airways Privileged Club account by November 30th, 2026, so you can't use this if you plan on booking immediately. The transfer bonus is also tiered, meaning the more you transfer, the bigger bonus you receive. Transfer up to 49,999 Citi points to receive a 15% bonus; up to 99,999 points to receive a 25% bonus; and 100,000+ points to receive a 35% bonus. The standard transfer ratio is 1:1 for Citi premium cards and 1:0.7 for no-annual-fee cards, so with a 15% bonus, you’ll receive 1,150 Qatar Avios for every 1,000 Citi ThankYou Rewards points transferred with a premium card, or 805 Qatar Avios with a no-annual-fee card; with a 25% bonus, you’ll receive 1,250 or 875 Avios, respectively; and with a 35% bonus, you’ll receive 1,350 or 945 Avios, respectively. Offer expires October 31, 2026.

Rakuten is offering its best referral bonus we've ever seen through December 31, 2026. When you refer someone new to Rakuten and they spend at least $50 through the portal within 90 days, both of you can earn $50, 5,000 Amex Membership Rewards points, or 5,000 Bilt points, depending on your Rakuten earning preference. New Rakuten accounts default to cash back, but you can switch to Membership Rewards or Bilt points. One important thing to be aware of regarding Bilt is that the full 5,000 Bilt-point bonus is only available if you have Bilt elite status. Base-level members transfer at a 2:1 ratio, so the same $50 bonus would become 2,500 Bilt points instead. The referral offer is available through December 31, although Rakuten can modify or end it early.

The Amex Business Gold Card has updated its $240 annual flexible business credit. As of October 1, 2026, FedEx is no longer eligible, but UPS has been added in its place. Cardholders still receive up to $20 per month in statement credits, now valid for U.S. purchases at Grubhub, office supply stores, and shipments made through UPS.com. If you were using the credit for FedEx, you'll need to switch to UPS or one of the other eligible categories going forward.

Chase and IHG have overhauled the IHG One Rewards credit card lineup, refreshing all three existing cards while also introducing a new premium card, the IHG One Rewards Premier Select Card. The changes include new and updated benefits, higher anniversary free night certificates on the Premier and Business cards, changes to earning rates, and higher annual fees. All four cards also have elevated welcome offers through November 18, 2026. The IHG One Rewards Card is offering 125,000 points after spending $2,000 in three months, up from its standard 80,000-point offer. The IHG One Rewards Premier Card is offering 180,000 points after spending $3,000 in three months, up from its standard 140,000 points with the same spending requirement. The new IHG One Rewards Premier Select Card is offering 200,000 points after spending $5,000 in three months, while the IHG One Rewards Business Card is offering 190,000 points after spending $5,000 in three months, compared with its standard 140,000 points after $4,000 in spending. Existing cardholders get access to most of the new benefits immediately, while some changes phase in later. We’ve updated each card page with the full details, including the new benefits, earning rates, annual fees, and welcome offers, along with adding a new page for the new IHG One Rewards Premier Select.