Question Of The Week: How Long Until The Credit Card Bonus Shows Up?
Our question of the week asks “how long does it take for my credit card points to show up?” This question looks at expected timeframes for the points from your new card welcome offer to hit your account. There are a few factors that can speed this up, so we’ll look at these to figure out how long until your credit card bonus points should show up.
The Question
Our question of the week comes from Talha in our Facebook group:
Talha’s question is specifically about the Platinum Card from American Express. We’ll look at this specifically and also consider other cards and other banks, as well.
Factors To Consider
There are 2 important factors to consider regarding how long it takes for your credit card bonus / welcome offer to show up in your account. Those are what type of points / miles you’re earning and your relationship with the bank.
Bank Points vs Third Party
Is your card earning points from that bank’s program? Or are you earning something else (we’ll call this “third party”?) In Talha’s question, she is earning the points from the bank–American Express Membership Rewards. When you are earning points from the bank’s internal program, these are easier for the bank to manage. Expect these to post sooner.
If you are earning “third party” rewards, such as a credit card earning miles with American Airlines or hotel points with Marriott, the bank doesn’t own this program. These can take longer to post.
Existing Relationship
Another factor to consider is your existing relationship with the bank. How long have you been with them? Have you earned this type of reward before? If they already have your account set up, that helps. If this is the first time earning rewards in this program, verification and checking everything works correctly can slow the process down.
Putting It Together
If we put those factors together, here’s what Talha (or anyone else) can readily expect for how long credit card bonus points take to show up:
- American Express Membership Rewards – typically within a day or 2 after you finish spending requirements. If this is your first welcome offer with them, it can be 5-7 days. Unlike other programs, Amex doesn’t make you wait until the statement closes and they send you the bill.
- Barclays Arrival+ – my points posted within 48 hours of meeting the minimum spending requirement. That was 2 years ago, and reports are mixed. However, it can post before the statement closing date.
- Everything Else – pretty much everything else falls into the “wait until your statement” category. If your statement closes on the 10th of the month, look for your points / miles to show up a day or 2 after that. This applies to all third-party rewards programs, regardless of bank. It also applies to internal programs from banks who aren’t Amex & Barclays (Chase, Citi, Capital One, etc.)
There are obviously exceptions, but remember that exceptions don’t make the rule. By and large, you can expect to receive third-party points and miles about 48 hours after statement closing. Most internal programs to a bank should post the day after the statement. The fastest is Amex, which tends to post Membership Rewards bonuses to your account the day after you meet the spending requirements, even if the statement hasn’t closed yet.
Final Thoughts
It can feel like an eternity waiting for your points and miles to post. That’s especially true if you’re trying to book a trip and need these to show up for immediate use. Knowing the factors involved can help you understand how long it takes for the credit card bonus to show up–whether that’s from a new card, a spending bonus, or a retention offer. Then, you can plan accordingly.
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