Target Circle Week: 10% off Target gift cards on 4/13. Here’s how to maximize this discount.

Update 7/6/24: Lots of people are hitting this article due to the upcoming Target Circle Week. We just published our article on how you can maximize Circle week and get up to 15% in total discounts and cash back at Target. You might also be interested in our list of the best credit cards for Target.

Target has announced its periodic 10% off Target gift cards promotion as part of Target Circle Week. If you are a Target shopper, this is great way to lock in a 10% discount on items you buy at Target. And using the right credit card can get you an effective 15.4% discount at Target.

Here’s how to maximize this deal.

You must be a Target Circle member.

In recent years, Target has made becoming a Target Circle member a requirement to get the 10% gift card discount. This is most likely to enforce per-customer limits on gift card purchases. Joining Target Circle is easy and free. Here’s the link to Target’s website where you can sign up.

Limit of $500 and one purchase.

In the past, Target has enforced a $500 limit on promotional gift card purchases per person. This year, they not only enforce a limit of $500 per person, but they enforce a one purchase limit. So, if you want to maximize this deal, be sure to purchase a single $500 gift card. You won’t be able to get a a 10% discount on multiple Target gift cards.

You won’t get your 5% Target RedCard discount on the gift cards

Target RedCards don’t get a 5% discount on purchases of Target gift cards. If you’re hoping to stack the RedCard discount with the gift card promotion to get a total of 15% off your future Target purchases, you’re out of luck. Instead, you should use one of our best credit cards to use at Target to earn rewards on your gift card

How to maximize rewards on your Target gift card purchase

Because you won’t earn a 5% discount on Target gift cards using the Target RedCard, it’s best to use another card to purchase these gift cards in order to maximize rewards. Here’s how we typically maximize rewards on the purchase of Target gift cards.

Use the purchase to earn a welcome bonus on a card

If you plan on spending a large amount on Target gift cards to lock in a 10% discount, it can be a great opportunity to use that spending toward a welcome bonus. Check out our lists of the best cash back welcome bonuses and the best easy cash back welcome bonuses for some ideas. (There are plenty of welcome bonus offers for airline and hotel programs in the menus as the top of the page as well.)

Be sure to check the terms and conditions of your welcome bonus before using a gift card purchase to meet spending requirements. American Express typically forbids you from using a gift card to meet a welcome bonus minimum spending requirement.

Use the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card for 6% cash back

The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card offers 6% cash back on two retailers you choose, on up to $1,500 in combined eligible purchases. If you choose Target, and you combine the 6% cash back you’ll earn on the card with your 10% discount on Target gift cards, you’ll get an effective 15.4% discount at Target. A solid option.

Use a 5% rotating category card if Target is a quarterly category. (Unfortunately, it’s not this time.)

Unfortunately Target isn’t currently a quarterly rotating category on any of the popular 5% rotating category cards, so it’s not possible to earn 5% on your gift card purchase with these cards. Target runs the 10% off Target gift cards promotion with some frequency, so it’s a good idea to keep these cards in your wallet for those purchases.

• The Discover it® Cash Back card offered Target as part of the Discover rotating bonus categories in October-December of 2023.
• The Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Flex℠ cards offered Target as part of the Chase Freedom quarterly bonus categories in January-March of 2023.

Use the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express if you’re buying cards online to get 3% cash back

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express offers 3% cash back on up to $6,000 of purchases at U.S. online retailers, then 1%. In previous years, you could buy Target gift cards for a 10% discount online. That should stack with the Blue Cash Everyday® Card cash back to get you an effective discount at Target of 12.7%.

Use a 2% cash back card

Several banks offer credit cards that offer 2% cash back on all purchases. Using one of these cards to purchase your Target gift cards at 10% off can be an easy way to eke out a little bit more cash back at Target.

Warning: Don’t use the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card with a mobile wallet in-store

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card offers 3 points per dollar on purchases made using mobile wallets. These points are redeemable for cash back or travel rewards, giving you up to 4.5% back on your mobile wallet purchases toward travel.

Although it might be tempting to use the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card in-store to purchase Target gift cards at a 10% discount, don’t do it! U.S. Bank’s terms specifically exclude purchases of gift cards from its increased rewards with mobile wallet purchases. And the bank has shut down peoples’ accounts in the past after even one gift card purchase.

Bottom line

Target periodically runs a promotion that gives you a 10% discount on Target gift cards and this promotion is set to run again on April 13, 2024. Purchasing a Target gift card during this promotion can be a great way to lock in a huge discount on your future Target purchases.

Frequently asked questions