December always sneaks up on me the same way. One minute I’m sipping pumpkin-spice everything, the next I’m staring at a credit-card statement that looks like a small mortgage payment. Gifts, flights, hosting, charitable donations – it all adds up faster than you can say “eggnog.”
This year, though, I decided to flip the script. Instead of dreading the January bills, I let my holiday spending work for me. And honestly? Some of the biggest credit-card welcome bonuses of 2025 are dropping right now, perfectly timed for people who have a few thousand dollars of perfectly legitimate seasonal expenses coming up.
Think about it: you were going to spend the money anyway. Why not route it through a new card that hands you hundreds (or thousands) of dollars back?
Why the Holidays Are Secretly the Best Time for Big Bonuses
Card issuers know exactly what’s happening in December. They see the spending data. They know we’re buying plane tickets, booking hotels for family visits, splurging on gifts, and throwing parties. So they roll out some of their richest limited-time offers of the entire year, hoping to snag new customers during peak spending season.
In my experience, the sweet spot is usually early December – plenty of time to hit the required spend before statements close, but late enough that the offers haven’t been pulled yet. Miss this window and you might wait until spring for anything this juicy again.
The Instant-Win Play: $250 Up Front with Almost Zero Effort
If the idea of tracking points or planning redemptions makes your head spin, I get it. Sometimes you just want cold, hard cash (or the gift-card equivalent) dropped in your lap the moment you’re approved.
Right now one major online retailer is offering an enhanced welcome gift that lands in your account literally seconds after approval – no spending requirement, no waiting for a statement to close. We’re talking $250 instantly loaded onto a gift card you can use anywhere they sell, which for most of us covers a massive chunk of holiday shopping.
I’ve had readers tell me they paid for every single gift on their list with this one move and still had money left over. Pair it with the card’s everyday 5% back at the same retailer and Whole Foods, and you’re basically getting paid to finish your shopping.
“I applied on a Tuesday night, got approved instantly, and had the $250 gift card in my account before I finished my coffee. Paid for my kids’ big gifts that same week – felt like free money.”
The Flexible Traveler’s Dream: $750 (or More) in Any Travel You Want
If travel is on your 2026 horizon – maybe a big summer trip you’ve been dreaming about – the current crop of 75,000–100,000+ mile bonuses can be absolute game-changers.
One standout mid-tier travel card (annual fee under $100) is sitting at 75,000 miles after $4,000 spend. That’s a completely doable number when you factor in flights home for Christmas, hotel stays, and gifts. Redeem through their portal and it’s a straight $750 off any airline or hotel. Or transfer to partners and potentially squeeze out $1,200–$1,500 in value if you know the sweet spots.
- Booked directly? $750 flat value – no blackout dates, no hassle.
- Transfer to airline partners? Often 1.5–2+ cents per mile on international business class.
- 90-day window to erase travel charges means you can book now and “pay” later with miles that haven’t even posted yet.
And because several issuers now offer instant card numbers upon approval, you can start charging flights and hotels the same day – perfect when award seats are disappearing fast for peak holiday travel.
The Big Swing: 100,000–125,000 Point Premium Card Bonuses
Look, I’m not going to sugar-coat it – premium cards with $500–$800 annual fees aren’t for everyone. But if you travel even a couple times a year and eat at restaurants regularly, the math has never been better than it is this December.
Right now several flagship cards have temporarily boosted offers north of 100,000 points, some as high as 125,000 after $6,000 spend. That spending threshold sounds scary until you realize December naturally pushes many households well past that between travel, gifts, and entertaining.
Here’s what those bonuses actually buy in the real world:
| Card Bonus | Rough Real-World Value | Key Perks That Pay the Fee |
| 125,000 Ultimate Rewards | $1,875+ via transfer partners | $300 travel credit, lounge access, 50% more value in portal |
| 100,000+ Membership Rewards | $1,800–$2,200 international premium cabins | Up to $200 airline credit, Centurion lounges, hotel elite status |
| 100,000 Citi points | $1,600+ on certain routes | $300 hotel credit, strong restaurant earning |
In my opinion, the single smartest move this month is pairing normal holiday spend with one of these elevated offers. You’re not manufacturing spend – you’re just redirecting money you already budgeted.
How to Hit the Spending Requirement Without Going Broke
People always ask me, “Won’t I just overspend to chase the bonus?” And the honest answer is: only if you let yourself. Here’s the system that’s worked for hundreds of readers (and me) over the years:
- Write down every planned December expense – flights, hotels, gifts, donations, parties.
- Add up anything you can ethically prepay (insurance premiums, property taxes, 2026 tuition deposits, etc.).
- Route every dollar possible through the new card.
- If you’re still short, buy gift cards for stores you’ll definitely use in 2026 (Costco, Visa prepaid, airlines, etc.).
Done responsibly, you’ll hit the minimum spend with money that was leaving your account anyway. The bonus becomes pure profit.
The Offers That Caught My Eye This Week
I’ve been tracking these promotions daily, and here are the ones still live as of December 5 that I think are legitimately worth considering:
- Instant $250 gift card upon approval – perfect for online holiday shopping
- 75,000 miles = $750 statement credit on travel (90-day redemption window)
- Limited-time 125,000-point premium card offer with full lounge access
- 100,000-point hotel/airline flexible currency with $300 annual hotel credit
- Elevated cash-back card offering effectively 7–10% on common holiday categories
Some of these will almost certainly disappear before New Year’s. Others might get extended, but I never bet on that.
At the end of the day, the holidays will cost what they cost. The only question is whether you let that spending vanish into thin air… or whether you turn it into a couple of free flights, a fully funded summer vacation, or straight cash in your pocket.
I know which one I’m choosing this year.
If you’ve been thinking about picking up a new card anyway, December 2025 might just be the single best month all year to do it. Just make sure you pay the statement in full – the bonus only feels free when you don’t pay interest.
Happy holidays – and happy (responsible) spending.
