When a card's bonus rate stops
46 bonus rates here stop at a spending cap and drop to the card's base rate for the rest of the period. In five 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: American Express Gold Card earns the most up to about $4,475 a month; above that, Citi Strata Premier does.
- Restaurants & Bars: American Express Gold Card earns the most up to about $4,175 a month; above that, American Express Business Gold Card 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 $675 a month; above that, American Express Blue Business Plus does.
- Entertainment: U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature earns the most up to about $900 a month; above that, Wells Fargo Attune does.
Rewards earned on that category alone, before fees; rotating categories not credited.
| Card | Bonus | CapThe most spending the bonus rate applies to. Past it, the card pays its base rate. | Reached at, per monthThe monthly spending on this category at which the cap runs out. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Freedom Groceries, Gas, Dining and 15 more, switched on |
5x | Up to $1,500 per quarter, then the base rate | $500 |
| 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 |
| Bilt Obsidian Card Groceries, switched on |
3x | Up to $25,000 per year, then the base rate | $2,083 |
| Chase Rapid Rewards Premier Groceries and Dining |
2x | Up to $8,000 per year, then the base rate | $667 |
| Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Groceries, Dining and Delivery |
4x | Up to $15,000 per year, then the base rate | $1,250 |
| American Express Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Dining, Delivery and Groceries |
4x | Up to $15,000 per year, then the base rate | $1,250 |
| Truist Enjoy Cash Gas and EV |
3% | Up to $1,000 per month, then the base rate | $1,000 |
| Truist Enjoy Cash Groceries, Utilities, Phone and one more |
2% | Up to $1,000 per month, then the base rate | $1,000 |
| U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Gas and EV |
4% | Up to $1,000 per quarter, then the base rate | $333 |
| Chase Instacart Mastercard Grocery del. |
5% | Up to $6,000 per year, then the base rate | $500 |
| Chase Ink Business Preferred Flights, Hotels, Rentals and five more |
3x | Up to $150,000 per year, then the base rate | $12,500 |
| Chase Ink Business Cash Office and Phone |
5x | Up to $25,000 per year, then the base rate | $2,083 |
| Chase Ink Business Cash Gas and Dining |
2x | Up to $25,000 per year, then the base rate | $2,083 |
| Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Gas and Dining |
2x | Up to $8,000 per year, then the base rate | $667 |
| American Express Business Gold Card Dining, Gas, Transit and three more, switched on |
4x | Up to $150,000 per year, then the base rate | $12,500 |
| American Express Business Platinum Card Home imp. |
2x | Up to $2,000,000 per year, then the base rate | $166,667 |
| American Express Blue Business Cash Dining, Delivery, Groceries and 30 more |
2% | Up to $50,000 per year, then the base rate | $4,167 |
| American Express Hilton Honors Business Card Dining, Delivery, Groceries and 30 more |
5x | Up to $100,000 per year, then the base rate | $8,333 |
| American Express Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card Transit and Rideshare |
1.5x | Up to $100,000 per year, then the base rate | $8,333 |
| American Express Amex EveryDay Preferred Groceries |
3x | Up to $6,000 per year, then the base rate | $500 |
| American Express Amex EveryDay Groceries |
2x | Up to $6,000 per year, then the base rate | $500 |
| Citi Costco Anywhere Visa Business Gas and EV |
5% | Up to $7,000 per year, then the base rate | $583 |
| Citi Costco Anywhere Visa Business Gas and EV |
4% | Up to $7,000 per year, then the base rate | $583 |
| U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect Visa Signature Flights, Hotels, Car rental and two more |
4% | Up to $150,000 per year, then the base rate | $12,500 |
| Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Gas, EV, Office and five more, switched on |
3% | Up to $50,000 per year, then the base rate | $4,167 |
| Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Dining |
2% | Up to $50,000 per year, then the base rate | $4,167 |
"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.