Name: Best Credit Cards for Black Friday
Item: Best Credit Cards for Black Friday
Author: Sarah Li Cain

If you’re looking to get the most value out of your shopping on Black Friday, you can look for specific Black Friday credit card deals that may be announced prior to the premier shopping event of the year. But you can also consider certain types of credit cards that you may already have that will help you get the most card earnings and rewards with every purchase you make.

The biggest perk to using your credit cards on Black Friday? You’ll be spending money in any case, so you may as well take advantage of their rewards to earn points and cash-back you can apply toward items like free travel, merchandise and gift cards. And if you do sign up for a new credit card, choose one with a lucrative welcome bonus, so your Black Friday purchases can go toward those minimum spending thresholds.

Since credit card companies sometimes announce specific credit card deals leading up to Black Friday, we’ve updated this post with some specific offers.

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday Credit Card Offers

Here are some limited-time credit card offers to consider during the Black Friday holiday shopping bonanza:

Discover/Amazon Launchpad: Qualifying Discover cardholders can receive up to 20% back on eligible items when shopping through the Discover Store on Amazon. You can also save up to 5% cash back on up to $1,500 of purchases through Amazon, Target and Walmart.com if you enroll by Dec. 31, 2019 in rotating bonus categories

Best credit cards for Black Friday

Before opening a new credit card, make sure you’re going to get long-term value out of it. That’s especially important if you’re going to pay an annual fee, because you want the total value of the card’s perks to offset that recurring cost. Many of the credit cards below don’t charge an annual fee, so if you wanted to open them primarily to take advantage of their welcome bonuses and then stop using them after Black Friday, you certainly could — as long as you pay off their balances.

Here are the some of the best credit cards for Black Friday shopping:

Best retailer card: Amazon Prime Rewards Signature Visa
Best for cash back bonus: Chase Freedom
Best for financing large purchases: Wells Fargo Platinum card
Best for cash back purchases: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Best for welcome bonuses: Citi Double Cash Card

Should I sign up for a store credit card on Black Friday?

Whether or not you should sign up for a store credit card on Black Friday depends on where you tend to shop. If you prefer to shop around retailers for the best deals, a store credit card may not be the best option. That’s because store credit cards reward their cardmembers for being loyal to the brand — you’ll earn more points or miles that way.

But if you know you tend to shop at the same stores and will redeem your rewards with them regardless of the time of year, or if the card offers deep discounts during the holiday season, then signing up for their store credit card might be a good idea.

Once you’ve signed up for a credit card, keep an eye out for special offers from your issuer that may be announced leading up to Black Friday. For example, Chase typically offers extra cash back from participating major retailers for a specific period of time. It might also be worth signing up for email alerts for current promotions leading up to Black Friday.

When the holiday season is over, try not to close the card immediately after redeeming your rewards. Even if you have no intention of keeping it, doing so could negatively impact your credit score. Make sure you keep the card open for the foreseeable future and put small purchases on it every once in a while to keep it active.

Reasons to get a new credit card for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

A major reason to sign up for a new credit card for Black Friday or Cyber Monday is the opportunity to quickly earn a card’s welcome bonus, which may be especially enticing if you are saving up for upcoming travel or airfare.

Plus, certain credit cards offer valuable consumer protections, such as:

Price protection: You’ll be reimbursed for the difference in price if an item sells for less than you purchased it for within a specific time frame (just in case that Black Friday deal isn’t such a deal after all).
Purchase protection: You’ll be reimbursed if your item is damaged or stolen within a certain time frame.
Fraud protection: With cyber thieves rampant (especially around the holidays), you’ll be protected if your information is stolen and someone uses your card information for fraudulent transactions.
Extended warranty: You could receive up to an additional year’s warranty over and above the manufacturer’s warranty certain items like electronics.
Other warranties: Some credit cards offer warranties on items like cell phones in the even they are lost or stolen.

Keep in mind specific terms and conditions for individual credit cards will vary, so always read the fine print.

What are the best credit cards for Cyber Monday?

The best credit cards for Cyber Monday are similar to the ones you’ll want to get for Black Friday. You do, however, want to get one that offers a substantial sign up bonus if you intend to spend more money than you may already have during Black Friday. Most of these cards are not for brand-specific stores, so it may not matter if you’re loyal to one or not.