| Low Interest Rating: | 2.1 / 5 |
| Rates, Fees, Penalties: | 1.5 |
| Rewards: | 4.9 |
| Features: | 4.0 |
| Customer Experience | 4.8 |
In a Nutshell:
The Visa Signature Flagship Rewards card features a good rewards program and very reasonable rates and fees, as well as a low ongoing APR.
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Other Notable Features: No foreign transaction fee, 24/7 concierge service, lost baggage insurance, travel accident insurance, auto rental insurance, discounted roadside assistance, upgrades on hotels, resorts and cruise lines, $100 statement credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck every 4 years
| Rewards Rating: | 3.9 / 5 |
| Rewards Value: | 3.9 |
| Annual Percentage Rate: | 4.3 |
| Rewards Flexibility: | 3.9 |
| Features: | 2.0 |
| Customer Experience | 4.8 |
In a Nutshell:
Navy Federal Credit Union’s Flagship Rewards card offers triple points for travel purchases and twice the points for every other purchase, making it an ideal pick for cardholders who want to rack up points without a lot of effort.
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Other Notable Features: No foreign transaction fee, 24/7 concierge service, lost baggage insurance, travel accident insurance, auto rental insurance, discounted roadside assistance, upgrades on hotels, resorts and cruise lines, $100 statement credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck every 4 years
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Navy Federal Credit Union has launched an updated version of its Flagship Rewards card and the news is good: NFCU has boosted its already stellar earning rate by tacking on a triple-point bonus on travel purchases.
For cardholders who can qualify for NFCU membership (active and retired military service members and their families), the new Flagship card is a great bargain for a premium travel rewards card, offering a high earning rate and pretty good travel perks for a reasonable annual fee.
Triple points on travel
One of the best new features of the Navy Federal Credit Union Visa Signature Flagship Rewards card* is its increased earning rate. The card previously offered 2 points per dollar on all your purchases. The updated card offers 3 points per dollar on travel purchases — including airline tickets, hotel stays and car rentals — and 2 points per dollar on everything else. In other words, your earning rate with the Flagship Rewards Card is now better than 2%, which is great news if you prefer a single, go-to card for all your purchases.
Sign-up bonus
The Flagship Rewards card typically does not offer a sign-up bonus, but it now comes with a 30,000 bonus points if you spend $3,000 or more within 90 days for new members (worth $300). This bonus is effective until Feb. 28, 2022 for those who apply to a new account.
It’s a far cry from the bonus this card offered in Spring 2020 (50,000 points if you spent $4,000 within 90 days of opening your account, worth $500).
Average redemption value
The downside is that the points are roughly worth 1 cent per point, which is about average for a rewards card, but less than what many competitors’ program points are worth. Many annual-fee cards offer fewer opportunities for acquiring points, but the value of their rewards points is often more generous – particularly on travel purchases, such as airfare. Because of the card’s lower redemption value, cardholders will need considerably more points to earn a free flight.
Restrictions on redemption
Cardholders will also have to wait until they reach 10,000 points before they can use their points for travel. This is a setback for those who aren’t big spenders, since it means they may have to wait up to a year or more before they can redeem points. Redeeming credit card points for travel is also a little more complicated, since blackout dates for some types of reservations may limit when you can take a trip.
Cardholders do have a wide variety of redemption options to choose from, however, including hotel, cruise, car and airline travel, cash back, gift cards, merchandise and even an annual fee credit.
On the plus side, NFCU has increased the value of points for cash back and gift card redemptions with its revamp of the Flagship card. Points are now worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed for cash back and gift cards, which means that in case you can’t collect enough points for a travel redemption you now have the flexibility to cash them out at a good value.
Good travel perks
The Visa Signature Flagship Rewards card also comes with a decent selection of travel perks, such as no foreign transaction fees, up to $3,000 of lost-baggage insurance, travel accident insurance, travel and emergency assistance, 24-hour concierge services, rental car collision-damage waiver, towing and locksmith referral services and luxury travel discounts. Also, the you’ll receive a statement credit every four years to cover your application for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Relatively inexpensive
Despite its shortcomings, the Navy Federal Credit Union Visa Signature Flagship Rewards card is a good value for the money, particularly for cardholders with excellent credit. Starting at 9.99%, the APR is low for a rewards card, and the card’s annual fee of $49 per year is also relatively affordable.
Why get the Navy Federal Credit Union Visa Signature Flagship Rewards card?
- You’re a Navy Federal Credit Union member.
- You want a hassle-free rewards card that makes it easy to earn points.
- You don’t want to bother with bonus categories or restrictions on your rewards spending.
- You use your card for most purchases and so can earn a substantial amount with your spending.
How to use the Navy Federal Credit Union Visa Signature Flagship Rewards card:
- Use this as your primary method of payment to earn a high rewards rate on all your purchases.
- Or, if you carry a number of rewards credit cards, use this one to pay for travel expenses and expenses that aren’t included in your other cards’ bonus categories.
- Check for blackout dates before you plan a rewards-funded trip. Blackout dates may apply to a variety of travel expenses, including car rentals and hotel stays.
*All information about the Navy Federal Credit Union Visa Signature Flagship Rewards card has been collected independently by CreditCards.com and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.
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