Discover how quickly each bank credits points and miles to your account

There’s nothing quite like a welcome bonus on your travel credit card that brings you closer to your next award flight or hotel reservation. Yet, the wait for points or miles to reflect in your account after meeting the minimum spending requirement can be frustrating—especially when you’re eyeing a specific itinerary and worry about availability while your points are pending.

To add to the confusion, each bank varies in how quickly they post points or miles to your account.

Let’s explore the typical waiting times for rewards to post, categorized by issuer for both cobranded and transferable points cards.

Typically, you’ll accumulate points faster through programs such as Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards compared to traditional airline or hotel loyalty programs.

American Express

What is the timeframe for receiving a welcome bonus from American Express?

Officially, American Express states that welcome bonuses are posted within "8-12 weeks" after the minimum spending is met. However, in most instances, users report receiving their bonuses just a few days after meeting the spending criteria on both Membership Rewards cards and co-branded cards, so you won’t have to wait long.

Caution: American Express may deny a welcome bonus if it suspects that cardholders are "gaming" the system, typically by purchasing significant amounts of gift cards or cash equivalents shortly after obtaining their new Amex card. If your account is flagged for review, your bonus could take several months to appear.

What is the timeline for points and miles from American Express to be credited?

In our experience with everyday purchases, there seems to be no consistent pattern regarding when points from your spending are credited to your Amex Membership Rewards account. American Express states that points accumulate and post based on monthly transactions and are available once you meet the payment requirements for that card. You can check a detailed summary of points earned for each transaction (including pending points) by selecting "Points Summary" on the rewards page.

For co-branded cards, airline miles and hotel points from regular spending are credited on the statement closing date. Initially, the points enter a "pending" status for a month before being credited to your account with the next statement closure. For example, if your statement closes on January 30, you can expect points to be "pending" right away and available by the end of February. Failure to pay your credit card bill on time results in losing the points (or you can pay $35 to recover them). Additionally, changing your statement closing date may delay the arrival of your points for an extra billing cycle.

Bank of America

What is the expected time frame for a sign-up bonus from Bank of America to be credited?

Bank of America indicates that welcome bonuses are typically paid out within "8-12 weeks" after you fulfill the minimum spending requirement. However, in reality, points from Bank of America bonuses often appear soon after your statement closes, generally within two to three days. This applies to cash-back cards, those earning Bank of America Premium Rewards points, and co-branded credit cards.

What is the timeline for points and miles from Bank of America to be credited?

Rewards from everyday purchases typically appear as "pending" right away but will be accessible in the following billing cycle, after your statement closes. This rule applies to all types of cards.

Capital One

What is the timeframe for a sign-up bonus from Capital One to be credited?

Capital One states that it typically issues welcome bonuses "within two billing cycles" after you meet the required spending on your credit card. However, in practice, we often see bonus rewards credited to accounts the day after the statement closes or shortly thereafter.

What is the expected time for points and miles from Capital One to be credited?

From our experience, Capital One miles are usually posted to your account within days of the transaction. This means you could receive your rewards even before your statement closes. While cash-back rewards sometimes post early, they typically do so only after the statement has closed.

Chase

What is the timeframe for a sign-up bonus from Chase to be credited?

Chase advises that you should "please allow 6 to 8 weeks for bonus points to post to your account" after meeting the required spending. The bank waits to credit your welcome bonus until the statement closes that includes the end of your spending period.

However, based on our experience, we've noticed that Chase might postpone posting your bonus points if you meet the minimum spending requirement too close to the statement closing date. This can happen even if all the transactions necessary for the minimum spending are fully processed and reflected on your statement. Therefore, avoid pushing your spending to the last minute if you’re relying on those points.

What is the expected time frame for points and miles from Chase to be credited?

For cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, points typically appear in your account the day after your statement closes. For co-branded credit cards, such as those from United Airlines or Hyatt, you can expect to receive your points within two days after the statement closure.

Chase provides a straightforward way to monitor your Ultimate Rewards earnings. Every purchase is listed in the Ultimate Rewards Activity Dashboard, showing the category and points earned for each transaction. Additionally, there are metrics that detail how many points you’ve accrued from each category.

Pro tip: When you meet the minimum spend requirement on an Ultimate Rewards card, the bonus will appear in the "Points Earned on Next Statement" section of the Ultimate Rewards portal.

Citi

What is the expected timeline for a sign-up bonus from Citi to be credited?

Citi officially mentions that welcome bonuses are typically credited "8-10 weeks after you meet the purchase requirements." However, based on our experience, bonuses for both co-branded and Citi ThankYou cards often appear within just a couple of days following your statement closing.

What is the timeframe for points and miles from Citi to be credited?

Generally, the points you earn will post to your ThankYou Rewards account the day after your statement closes. Rewards from co-branded cards, such as the Citi AAdvantage cards, also tend to be credited shortly after your statement closes.

Citi categorizes your earnings by card and bonus category, making it simpler to verify your calculations.

Discover

What is the expected time frame for a sign-up bonus or referral bonus from Discover to be credited?

Discover cards generally do not provide a welcome bonus. However, cardholders receive all their earnings matched at the end of the first year. This bonus is credited within one or two billing cycles after your account anniversary.

Discover also offers a refer-a-friend promotion where both the referrer and the referred friend receive a statement credit of $50 to $100, depending on the card. This bonus is typically awarded "within the first three months" of opening a new account.

What is the expected time frame for points and miles from Discover to be credited?

Regarding the cash back and miles earned from Discover cards, the issuer states that these will be added to your account at the conclusion of each billing cycle.

Synchrony Bank

What is the timeline for a sign-up bonus from Synchrony to be credited?

Synchrony Bank issues the Cathay Pacific Visa® card along with credit cards for various retailers across the U.S. The bank indicates that bonuses will post "1-2 billing cycles after the net qualifying purchase(s) are completed." From our experience, Synchrony usually credits miles when your monthly statement closes.

The information for the Cathay Pacific Visa Card has been independently gathered by Dinogo. The details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

What is the expected timeframe for miles from Synchrony to be credited?

Miles earned from everyday spending on your card typically post one to two days after your statement closes. For example, if your statement closes on April 1, you can expect the miles to show up in your Asia Miles account by April 3.

U.S. Bank

What is the expected timeline for a sign-up bonus from U.S. Bank to be credited?

U.S. Bank recommends that you "allow 6-8 weeks for your bonus points to be credited to your account" after meeting the minimum spending requirement. However, in our experience, bonuses are often credited when your monthly statement closes.

What is the timeframe for miles from U.S. Bank to be credited?

Similar to the welcome bonus, points and cash back rewards should be credited after your statement closes. Therefore, expect to see your rewards within a day or two following the statement closure.

Wells Fargo

What is the expected timeframe for a sign-up bonus from Wells Fargo to be credited?

Wells Fargo states that welcome bonuses are "redeemable within 1-2 billing periods after they are earned." However, based on our experience, these bonuses usually appear within a few days following the closing date of the statement where you've completed your minimum spending requirements.

What is the timeline for miles from Wells Fargo to be credited?

Wells Fargo displays rewards as "pending" in your account until the day after your billing cycle concludes. For instance, if you earn rewards from a purchase on March 15 and your billing cycle ends on March 27, those rewards should be available on March 28. A notable exception is the Bilt Mastercard®, where Bilt Rewards Points are usually posted immediately.

Bottom Line

When planning your next credit card application, it’s crucial to understand when major credit card issuers distribute points for welcome bonuses and everyday spending.

If you need to secure a ticket quickly, consider choosing an Amex card, as their bonuses typically post promptly. However, if you have some flexibility or don’t need an immediate redemption, opt for the best travel credit card that aligns with your spending habits or bonus categories.