When a card's bonus rate stops
21 bonus rates here stop at a spending cap and drop to the card's base rate for the rest of the period. In ten categories that changes which card earns the most once spending passes the cap.
The short version
- Find the cap on each bonus you use and divide it by its period to get a monthly figure.
- If you spend past it, carry a second card for the rest of that category.
- A cap shared across categories fills faster than any one of them alone.
- Past the cap, a flat-rate card usually beats the capped card's base rate.
Where the winner changes
- Groceries: Citi Custom Cash earns the most up to about $525 a month; above that, American Express Gold Card does.
- Groceries: American Express Gold Card earns the most up to about $4,475 a month; above that, Citi Strata does.
- Restaurants & Bars: Citi Custom Cash earns the most up to about $525 a month; above that, American Express Gold Card does.
- Gas Stations: Citi Custom Cash earns the most up to about $750 a month; above that, Chase Sapphire Preferred does.
- Streaming: Citi Custom Cash earns the most up to about $750 a month; above that, American Express Blue Cash Preferred does.
- Hotels: Citi Custom Cash earns the most up to about $525 a month; above that, Chase Sapphire Reserve does.
- Phone & Internet: U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature earns the most up to about $775 a month; above that, Wells Fargo Autograph does.
- Utilities: U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature earns the most up to about $900 a month; above that, American Express Blue Business Plus does.
- Drugstores: Citi Custom Cash earns the most up to about $750 a month; above that, Chase Freedom Flex does.
- Entertainment: Citi Custom Cash earns the most up to about $1,000 a month; above that, Citi Strata does.
- Rideshare & Taxis: Citi Custom Cash earns the most up to about $750 a month; above that, American Express Classic Green Card does.
Rewards earned on that category alone, before fees; rotating categories not credited.
| Card | Bonus | Cap | Reached at, per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Freedom Flex Groceries, Gas, Dining and 15 more · switched on |
5x | Up to $1,500 per quarter, then the base rate | $500 |
| American Express Gold Card Dining and Delivery |
4x | Up to $50,000 per year, then the base rate | $4,167 |
| American Express Gold Card Groceries |
4x | Up to $25,000 per year, then the base rate | $2,083 |
| American Express Platinum Card Flights |
5x | Up to $500,000 per year, then the base rate | $41,667 |
| American Express Blue Cash Preferred Groceries |
6% | Up to $6,000 per year, then the base rate | $500 |
| American Express Blue Cash Everyday Groceries |
3% | Up to $6,000 per year, then the base rate | $500 |
| American Express Blue Cash Everyday Online |
3% | Up to $6,000 per year, then the base rate | $500 |
| American Express Blue Cash Everyday Gas |
3% | Up to $6,000 per year, then the base rate | $500 |
| American Express Blue Business Plus Dining, Delivery, Groceries and 30 more |
2x | Up to $50,000 per year, then the base rate | $4,167 |
| Citi Custom Cash Dining, Groceries, Gas and 12 more · switched on |
5x | Up to $500 per billing cycle, then the base rate | $500 |
| Discover it Cash Back Groceries, Gas, Dining and ten more · switched on |
5% | Up to $1,500 per quarter, then the base rate | $500 |
| Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Gas, Online, Dining and nine more · switched on |
3% | Up to $2,500 per quarter, then the base rate | $833 |
| Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Groceries and Wholesale |
2% | Up to $2,500 per quarter, then the base rate | $833 |
| Citi Costco Anywhere Visa Gas and EV |
5% | Up to $7,000 per year, then the base rate | $583 |
| Citi Costco Anywhere Visa Gas and EV |
4% | Up to $7,000 per year, then the base rate | $583 |
| Chase Rapid Rewards Priority Groceries |
2x | Up to $8,000 per year, then the base rate | $667 |
| Chase Bonvoy Boundless Groceries, Gas, Dining and one more |
3x | Up to $6,000 per year, then the base rate | $500 |
| U.S. Bank Altitude Go Dining and Delivery |
4% | Up to $2,000 per quarter, then the base rate | $667 |
| U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Dining, Delivery, Utilities and ten more · switched on |
5% | Up to $2,000 per quarter, then the base rate | $667 |
| Discover it Chrome Gas and Dining |
2% | Up to $1,000 per quarter, then the base rate | $333 |
| Sam's Club Mastercard Gas |
5% | Up to $6,000 per year, then the base rate | $500 |
"Reached at" spreads the cap evenly over its period. A cap shared by several categories is reached by their combined spending, sooner than any one of them suggests.
Related
Point values: published industry valuations, most recently read 2026-09. We track The Points Guy, Upgraded Points, NerdWallet, Frequent Miler and AwardWallet. Every figure on this page is recomputed from that data when the site is built, so it cannot quietly disagree with what Cardful tells you at a checkout.
It counts toward the cap for you.
Cardful shows each bonus's cap next to the rate at the checkout, so the second card comes out at the right time.