Bank of America's doubled welcome offer on the Unlimited Cash Rewards card, 3% cash back on every purchase for the first 12 months, has ended. The current offer, per Bank of America's Unlimited Cash Rewards page, is a $250 online cash rewards bonus after at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening, with unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases and no annual fee. What follows is the doubled offer as it ran.
What the Offer Looks Like in 2026
The full package, current as of April 2026:
- 3% cash back on every purchase for the first 12 billing cycles
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after $1,000 in spend in the first 90 days
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles (3% balance transfer fee, then a variable APR)
- $0 annual fee, with a 3% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, per Bank of America's card terms
- Reverts to 1.5% flat after month 12
If you spend $2,500 a month on the card during year one, that 3% rate puts $900 in your account versus $450 on a 1.5% flat card. After the welcome bonus lands, you're at $1,100 in year-one rewards before any Preferred Rewards multiplier.
Who This Is Actually For
This is Kay's pick if you fall into one of two camps. First: you don't want to think about categories. The Citi Custom Cash (closed to new applicants since May 28, 2026, per Citi) earns 5% on a top category, but it caps at $500 of spend per month and rotates by your behavior. The Unlimited Cash Rewards earns 3% on everything for a year with no thinking required. Second: you already bank with BofA. Preferred Rewards adds a 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% boost on every dollar of cash back, depending on your combined balance tier. A Platinum Honors member ($100K+ in qualifying balances) earns an effective 6% cash back on everything during the promotional year. That number is not a typo.
Where the card loses: international travel (the no-FX-fee status changed in 2025, so verify on the application disclosure), and any single category where a specialized 5% or 6% card outperforms the flat 3%. If you spend $800 a month at U.S. supermarkets, the Blue Cash Preferred still wins on groceries even during this promotion.
What to Do
The 3% offer has ended, so check Bank of America's Unlimited Cash Rewards page for the current offer before you apply. If you bank with Bank of America, check whether you qualify for BofA Rewards, which adds a rewards bonus on credit card purchases. After month 12, decide whether to keep the card as a 1.5% backup or pair it with the Premium Rewards card for travel categories.
Updated October 7, 2026: offer ended.
