New welcome offer: 60,000 points
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card See Details
Earn 60,000 bonus points (worth $750 toward travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards®) after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
8 wacky credit card rewards
Credit card points can fund your next vacation or add some much-needed cash to your wallet. But these days, issuers also will let you put rewards toward other unconventional gifts, like autographed sports memorabilia.
These interesting redemption options are meant to attract and retain the most valuable credit card holders.
Bankrate dug up 8 of the more unique items and experiences issuers are offering with their credit card rewards programs and how much a customer must spend to get them.
Keep in mind, the following calculations look at the maximum you would have to charge, based on the card’s lowest points earning potential (typically 1 point per dollar on straight purchases).
You can, however, reach rewards thresholds faster by utilizing bonus categories (which may offer 3 points per dollar), buying items from your issuer’s online shopping portal or securing a lucrative sign-on bonus.
RATE SEARCH: Let Bankrate help you find the best rewards credit card today.
Drone and a 2-hour pilot lesson
© Dmitry Kalinovsky/Shutterstock.com
Approximately 250,000 rewards points
How much you have to charge: $250,000 at most on the American Express Gold Card.
Cooler scooter
Thomas Northcut/Getty Images
115,600 ThankYou rewards points
How much you have to charge: $115,600 at most on the Citi ThankYou Preferred Card.
17-shelf stainless steel wine cellar
© hxdbzxy/Shutterstock.com
369,707 rewards points
How much you have to charge: $369,707 at most on the Wells Fargo Rewards Visa Card.
Blackjack and card-counting lesson from a professional player
© Serg Shalimoff/Shutterstock.com
Approximately 900,000 rewards points
How much you have to charge: $900,000 at most on the American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card.
RATE SEARCH: Let Bankrate help you find the best rewards credit card today.
Kiddo Octopus Jump ‘N’ Slide Fun House
© Brocreative/Shutterstock.com
67,700 ThankYou points
How much you have to charge: $67,700 at most on the Citi ThankYou Preferred Card.
Bahamas shark-diving experience
© Amanda Nicholls/Shutterstock.com
Approximately 4,580,000
How much you have to charge: $4,580,000 at most on the American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card.
Spider-Man first edition cover poster signed by Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee
Mario Tama/Getty images
51,427 points rewards points
How much you have to charge: $51,427 at most on the Wells Fargo Rewards Visa Card.
7-day Indonesian yacht cruise for 12
© soft_light/Shutterstock.com
Approximately 19 million rewards points
How much you have to charge: $19 million at most on the American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card.
RATE SEARCH: Ready to rack up some crazy credit card rewards? Let Bankrate help you find the best rewards credit card today.
