Adam McCann, Financial Writer
@adam_mcan
The best time of year for credit card offers is the fourth quarter of the year, October through December. During most years in the past decade, the average credit card bonus has been highest in the fourth quarter, and the second half of the year has historically been better than the first half. One reason why this could be the case is that the end of the year includes the holiday shopping season, so credit card companies want to entice people to spend more by offering lucrative initial bonuses, as well as introductory 0% APRs.
It's worth noting, though, that the general trend for credit card offers is to increase over time. For example, the average cash back credit card bonus increased by 266% between the fourth quarter of 2011 and the fourth quarter of 2021. That’s good news for people who like to take advantage of a great credit card deal each year.
Finally, remember that good credit card offers – whether for regular rewards, initial bonuses, 0% introductory APRs or supplemental perks – can appear at any time of the year. Issuers may be more likely to debut their best offers during the fourth quarter of the year, but many offers stick around for months or even years after they’re introduced.
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