How to Get Discover Credit Card Bonuses and Rewards

3 min read

Last Updated: September 18, 2024

Table of contents

How does Discover Card work?

Get more in your first year with Discover Cashback Match and Discover Match®

How to apply for a Discover card

Key Takeaways

Discover won’t require you to spend thousands of dollars to qualify for a reward.
We’ll automatically match all the cash back or Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.¹
Discover has no annual fee on every credit card.

Picture this: just by tackling your regular shopping routine, you effortlessly unlock rewards and bonuses. Credit card rewards and bonus offers are a great way to earn cash back on what you spend. With a Discover^® credit card, you can score cash back and more—just by spending on things that already make your daily life worthwhile. Compare these bonus options that come with a new Discover^® credit card.

How does Discover Card work?

Tired of seeing card offers that require big spending for rewards? Discover believes you deserve better—no need to spend thousands of dollars before earning your rewards. Credit card cash bonus offers are within reach. The first thing to know is that every Discover card is a rewards card.

The first thing to know is that with Discover, there’s no annual fee on any card. That’s not a reward; it’s the bottom line of how Discover thinks every card should work. Now, let’s look at how you can earn a true Discover card bonus.

Discover it^® Cash Back Credit Card and Discover it^® Student Cash Back Card

With a Discover it^® Cash Back Credit Card, cardmembers earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

You can check the quarterly bonus categories on the Cashback Bonus^® calendar.

We’ve even designed a version with students in mind. The Discover it^® Student Cash Back Card gives students the same rewards listed above, but there’s no credit score required to apply.²

Discover it^® Chrome Gas & Restaurant Credit Card and Discover It^® Student Chrome

Next, we thought about our cardmembers who are into dining out and/or put a lot of miles on their vehicle. The Discover it^® Chrome Gas & Restaurant Credit Card lets you earn 2% Cashback Bonus^® at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.³

And, you guessed it, there’s a Discover It^® Student Chrome as well—with all of the same benefits listed above.

Discover It^® Miles Credit Card

We created the Discover it^® Miles card with great rewards for anyone who loves to travel. Cardmembers earn Miles on all purchases and redeem Miles for travel or cash.⁴ You earn 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase with your travel card and your Miles never expire.⁵

NHL^® Discover It^® Credit Card

We love the idea of letting you earn rewards while supporting the team you love. Putting the official credit card of the NHL^® in your wallet allows fans to earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

You can check the quarterly bonus categories on the Cashback Bonus^® calendar.

Get more in your first year with Discover Cashback Match and Discover Match^®

Get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year, automatically. There is no limit to how much we’ll match.¹ This isn’t a reward in the true sense, because every cardmember receives this in their first year with Discover. You’ll continue to earn rewards on your card purchases after your first year.

Depending on the Discover credit card you choose, you’ll receive one of two matches at the end of your first year: Cashback Match for cash back credit cards or Discover Match^® for the Discover travel card. Both programs share a common match structure:

You’re automatically enrolled upon account opening.
Unlimited Cashback Match. We’ll automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There is no limit to how much we’ll match.¹
There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards.
You’ll receive the rewards match within two billing periods at the end of your first year.
Your account must remain open to get the matched amount.
Your rewards never expire,⁵ including the rewards from the match.

Did you know?

Some Discover cards offer a low intro APR balance transfer rate. With these offers, you can transfer a balance to the card, meaning you can save on interest when you transfer higher-interest debt. After your intro balance transfer rate expires, your card will automatically revert to a variable APR.

Learn More

How to apply for a Discover card

It's easy to apply for a Discover credit card. You can apply for a Discover credit card online or over the phone.

Before filling out and submitting an application, you may want to use the Discover pre-approval tool. Checking to see if you’re pre-approved is fast, easy and won’t impact your credit score.⁶

The Discover pre-approval tool uses a soft inquiry (a type of credit check that doesn’t impact your credit score) when determining if you qualify for a pre-approved offer. If you’re pre-approved, you can see the APR offers for each card and decide which one will be the best credit card for you.

When you submit a final credit card application, Discover will generally check your credit history, credit score, and other information to see if you qualify for the card. This is what's called a hard inquiry. The hard inquiry will go on your credit report and your credit score may change.

While Discover cards share most benefits, you'll want to review the APR and bonus reward offers to maximize your purchase power. You can complete and submit the application after comparing the options and finding the best fit for you.

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