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finder.com’s rating: 4.4 / 5.0
★★★★★
50,000
Points as welcome offer
Up to 4x
Points
$95
Annual fee
14.99% to 17.99%
Purchase APR (variable)
Annual fee | $95 |
---|---|
Welcome Offer | 50,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days |
Rewards | 3x points on travel or 4x points if you’re a PenFed Honors Advantage member and 1.5x points on all other purchases |
Purchase APR | 14.99% to 17.99% variable |
Balance transfer APR | 0% intro for the first 12 months (then 17.99% variable) |
Recommended minimum credit score | 670 |
Issuer | Visa |
Review by
Kliment Dukovski is a credit cards writer. He's written over 600 articles to help readers find and compare the best credit cards. Kliment has also written on money transfers, home loans and more. Previously, he ghostwrote guides and articles on foreign exchange, stock market trading and cryptocurrencies.
The PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card is a rare gem among travel rewards cards. With this card, you get some of the premium travel rewards that high-end travel cards offer, such as a $100 Global Entry TSA PreCheck application credit and an annual $100 airline travel credit — all with a $95 annual fee.
And if you think $95 annually is expensive for the card, PenFed will waive it for you if you are an Honors Advantage member. To get the membership, you need to be a member of the military or be an Access America account holder in PenFed. Another rewarding benefit for Honors Advantage members is the 4x points on all travel purchases, which matches the rewards rate of premium travel cards that cost north of $400. Non-members get to earn 3x points, which is decent.
The great thing about the travel purchases category is that includes more than just airfare and accommodations. Commuter transportation, taxi, Uber, Lyft, bus lines and tolls all count toward travel purchases, helping you to earn even more points on everyday expenses. You can then redeem your points for flight tickets, gift cards and merchandise.
To apply for the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card, you must be:
To complete the application, you’ll provide information that includes:
You can get the card with a credit score in the low 600s. However, it’s best to apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher to qualify for the lowest APR and a higher credit limit.
PenFed typically pulls your credit report from Equifax as part of its approval process.
Because PenFed automates conditional credit card approval online, you may get a decision on your application within minutes. If there are issues with your application, it may take a few days to a few weeks to hear back.
On approval, your card should arrive by mail within 10 business days.
To become a PenFed Honors Advantage member and earn more points on travel purchases, you need to either:
As of February 2021, the Better Business Bureau rates Pentagon Federal Credit Union an A+, though it’s not yet accredited. Customers on BBB’s site have left 79 reviews at the time of writing, resulting in a composite score of 1.19 out of 5 stars. Most user complaints cite long wait times on customer support numbers. Other than that, they consider this a solid travel rewards card.
The PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card is an exceptional travel rewards card that lets you earn points for long-distance travel and everyday commuting by taxi, Uber, bus and more. And the best thing: With the PenFed Honors Advantage membership, it costs you nothing to own the card.
Your spending may not exactly align with what this card has to offer, however. Compare your credit card options to find out with different features or categories more relevant to your spending.
Images: PenFed.org
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