If you open a credit card in December, you can get a head start on summer travel.
Opening a new travel credit at the end of the year can help make your spring break or summer vacation more affordable. Here’s how the timing works in your favor. “You’ll typically receive your sign-up bonus within a few months of opening the card, which is right around February or March if you open in December,” Hammel explains. “This gives you a fresh pile of points just in time to make plans for late spring or summer travel. You’ll have time to research redemptions, book award flights and hotels, and plan the details of your trip without rushing,” she says.
The “triple dip” only works if you open a credit card at the end of the year.
Many travel credit cards offer benefits that are renewed annually from the date you opened your account. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred gives cardholders a $50 statement credit for hotel bookings during the first 365 days they hold the card. If the cardholder keeps the card for another year, they receive another $50 credit on the anniversary of the date they first opened the card.
However, some premium travel credit cards offer benefits each calendar year. These benefits renew on January 1st of each year, regardless of when the cardholder opened their card. For these cards, timing your application just right can pay off.
Many premium credit cards have hefty annual fees that can reach a jaw-dropping $895. That number puts these cards out of reach for many travelers. As a result, they may miss out on the substantial travel benefits these cards offer, including comprehensive travel insurance and elite hotel status. However, if a savvy traveler opens one of these cards at the right time, they may be able to “triple dip” and use some of the card’s annual benefits three times. This move can bring the annual fee down to a reasonable level or eliminate it entirely.
The annual benefits offered by premium travel cards vary. For example, American Express Platinum cards offer a $200 airline fee credit each calendar year and hundreds of dollars in hotel credits that renew on January 1st. The Citi Strata Elite has an annual $200 “splurge credit” for purchases at several companies, including Best Buy, American Airlines, and Live Nation, as well as a $300 annual hotel credit per calendar year. The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a generous StubHub credit that resets on January 1st.
If you open a travel credit card in mid-December 2025, you may be able to use these calendar-year credits in 2025, 2026, and in early 2027 before the card’s annual fee hits. This timing is important because once the annual fee posts, cardholders can decide whether to keep the card or close it. Even if cardholders choose to cancel the credit card and not pay the annual fee again, they are still entitled to use the card’s benefits as long as their account remains active. There is a narrow window each year to take advantage of the triple dip, but it is possible if you time your application correctly.
Before you attempt the triple dip, be sure to read the fine print and make sure you will use the card’s benefits.
December may be the best time to get a sign-up bonus.
Many travel cards offer generous sign-up bonuses for new cardholders who spend a set amount within the first few months of opening the card. Most sign-up bonuses provide enough points or miles for a round-trip domestic airline ticket, a one-way ticket to Europe, or a few nights in a hotel.
These bonuses may be even more generous at the end of the year. That’s because credit card companies know consumers are spending more and paying more attention to their finances, explains Katie Hammel, a travel expert and Director of Content for point.me, a search engine for booking award flights.
Moreover, holiday spending often makes it easier to earn a sign-up bonus, Hammel says. “Between gifts, travel expenses, holiday dinners, and year-end shopping, many people naturally spend more during this season,” she explains. “Instead of struggling to meet a spending requirement, typically three to five thousand dollars in three months, you’ll likely hit it organically while buying things you were planning to purchase anyway,” Hammel says.
If you are worried you won’t get your card in time for holiday spending, ask the card issuer to expedite shipping. Immediate access to digital cards may also be available.
By opening a card in December, you can use travel benefits for holiday travel.
The holidays are a popular time to travel. Many travel credit cards offer perks like lounge access through a complimentary Priority Pass membership, credits for Clear and Global Entry to help you speed through security, elite hotel status that can help you score room upgrades and late check-out, and excellent travel insurance at no extra cost. Holiday travel can be stressful and hectic. Using these credit card benefits can make it a little nicer.
If you open a credit card in December, you can get a head start on summer travel.
Opening a new travel credit at the end of the year can help make your spring break or summer vacation more affordable. Here’s how the timing works in your favor. “You’ll typically receive your sign-up bonus within a few months of opening the card, which is right around February or March if you open in December,” Hammel explains. “This gives you a fresh pile of points just in time to make plans for late spring or summer travel. You’ll have time to research redemptions, book award flights and hotels, and plan the details of your trip without rushing,” she says.
Opening a credit card in December can help you keep your New Year’s resolution.
Getting a new credit card may not help you hit the gym daily or be more productive at work. However, “many people make New Year’s resolutions to travel more,” Hammel says. “Opening your card now turns that resolution into a concrete action plan with rewards to back it up,” she explains. In addition to having a good stash of points or miles from your sign-up bonus, you can keep yourself motivated by using your travel credit card for regular purchases to keep earning. Watching your points and miles grow can help keep you on track to plan your dream trip.