Card-linked offers are merchant deals that attach to a card you already carry. You add the offer, pay the merchant with that card, and a credit shows up later. Five big issuers run a version of this: Amex, Chase, Capital One, Citi and Bank of America. The idea is the same everywhere, but each program has its own place to look, its own clock, and its own ways to void a credit.
This guide walks through where to find each one, how to add an offer, and the rules that matter before you spend. It's about the programs, not today's merchants, because the offers change constantly.
Amex Offers
Amex Offers are statement credits and rewards for spending with participating merchants. Log in to your American Express account online or in the Amex App and open the Amex Offers section. In the app, tap the Offers icon and the Amex Offers and Benefits tab, then tap the plus sign. Online, click Add to Card.
An offer can be added to only one eligible card. If it shows up on several of yours, you pick the card, and you have to pay with that same enrolled card. Purchases must be in U.S. dollars and meet the offer's terms. Amex says to allow 90 days after the offer's expiration date for the credit to post, provided it receives the transaction details from the merchant.
Our Amex Offers guide covers stacking, and how Amex Offers work for travel picks the right card for a flight or hotel offer.
Chase Offers
Chase Offers are merchant deals that earn cash back, and no coupons or codes are involved. Sign in to your Chase account and browse the offers in the Chase Mobile app or on chase.com. Choose an offer and add it to your card.
To redeem, use an eligible card with the offer. The reward arrives as a statement credit within 30 business days. Chase notes that the merchants and offers shown on its page are illustrative and that actual offers vary, so what you see depends on your account.
Capital One Offers
Capital One Offers is a shopping program where payouts can come as statement credits, miles or cash back. Sign in online or in the Capital One Mobile app, open an offer, and read the merchant, categories, rates and qualifications on its page. If you have more than one Capital One account, choose which one receives the rewards before you shop.
The online rules are strict. Shop in the same browser session you opened from Offers and complete the purchase within 24 hours of opening the tile; the payout is based on the eligible purchase amount, which leaves out taxes, shipping, fees and third-party add-ons. For in-store offers, activate the offer and pay with the same Capital One card, and the payout may include taxes, shipping or fees. Capital One says you'll typically get the payout in about 45 days.
Returning or canceling any part of a purchase may make the entire purchase ineligible, and using another coupon, cash back or promotional site after selecting an offer and before you buy will invalidate it. Our Capital One Offers guide has the payout math, and the Belk offer shows an in-store example.
Citi Merchant Offers
Citi Merchant Offers give statement credits on select purchases with eligible Citi cards. You add the offer to your card first, then buy with the enrolled card. A purchase made before you add the offer doesn't count.
Citi targets these offers card by card, so two of your Citi cards can show different lists. Most are good for one use, some can't be combined with other offers, and each has its own deadline. Some require you to pay the merchant directly, so read the terms before you add one.
Bank of America BankAmeriDeals
Bank of America's deals program, BankAmeriDeals, offers cash back, coupons, promo codes and discounts at participating merchants. You need an eligible Bank of America debit or credit card, and you must be enrolled in Online Banking or Mobile Banking. Deals appear in either one.
Most card-linked deals need to be activated before you spend, though some are activated automatically. Daily Essentials deals, a location-based type, must be used within four hours of activation, and you can have only five of those activated at a time. Rewards are usually credited to an eligible deposit or credit account within 60 days, and affiliate offers can take up to 75 days after the transaction posts. For Shop Now deals, which you reach through a link, an ad blocker on your browser can keep a reward from being issued.
The Rules That Repeat
The five programs differ on timing and on where the offer lives, but four habits carry across them:
- Add first. Add or activate the offer before you pay, not after.
- Same card. Pay with the card that holds the offer, not another card on the account.
- Keep the purchase. A return or cancellation can void the credit.
- Read the terms. Minimums, online or in-store limits, and deadlines are set offer by offer.
Which to Check First
Open the offers section of each card you hold before a purchase you were already planning. Add only the offers that fit that purchase, and skip the ones that would make you spend more. For ways to combine these with portals and cash back apps, see our guide to stacking credit card rewards.
