The PenFed Pathfinder Rewards Visa Signature is one of the best travel cards. Although this card technically has an annual fee, it’s so easy to avoid, Pathfinder should be considered a no-fee card. It includes essential benefits plus a variety of credits to make the card a continuous net positive.
FEATURES AT A GLANCE
- No annual fee ($95 if you’re not a PenFed Honors Advantage Member)
- No foreign transaction fees
- 4x points on travel (3x if you’re not a PenFed Honors Advantage Member)
- 1.5x points on everything else
- $100 credit towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (once every 4 years)
SIGN UP BONUS
You can earn 50,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days of being a cardmember. The value of this bonus varies depending on how you redeem the points, but it’s worth a minimum of $425. If you find good redemption options (which is rare) the bonus can be worth up to $500. At $425, the sign-up bonus is a 14.17% RoS (Return on Spend), while at $500 it’s a 16.67% RoS.
OTHER BENEFITS OF THE PENFED PATHFINDER
- $100 annual domestic air ancillary travel statement credit
- Free basic-tier Priority Pass membership (normally $99)
- Visa Signature benefits
- This includes Baggage Delay Reimbursement, Lost Luggage Reimbursement, Purchase Security, Travel Accident Insurance, Trip Delay Reimbursement, Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection access, and the Visa Signature Concierge
RESTRICTIONS AND CREDIT SCORE
Recommended credit score: 670+
The main hurdle used to be getting PenFed Credit Union membership, but they opened to the public in recent years. To avoid credit card annual fees, you have to be a “PenFed Honors Advantage Member.” The requirements are simple – fulfill one of the below:
- Military member (active duty, reserve, honorably discharged, or retired)
- Have a PenFed Access America checking account (to avoid a $10 monthly fee, have monthly direct deposits of $500+, OR maintain a daily balance of $500+)
Anyone who applies for the Pathfinder should be an Honors Advantage member by default. It isn’t even a real barrier because of how easy it is. Deposit $500 and pass go. If you’re low on cash, you can even get the $500 from other credit card sign-up bonuses.
MAXIMIZING REWARDS WITH PENFED
PenFed says “Your points will vary in value based on redemptions but will always be valued at a minimum of $0.0085. Some point redemptions will be worth up to $0.01.” You may have to shop around for the best available deals. Keep in mind that points are unlimited and expire after 5 years, so it’s best to use them ASAP.
If you always get the 0.85 CPP (Cents Per Point) value, the sign-up bonus is worth $425, the card earns 3.4% cash back on travel expenses, and it earns 1.275% cash back on everything else. The maximum value will be $500 from the sign-up bonus, then 4% back on travel and 1.5% back on everything else.
“Travel” is a comprehensive category. Penfed includes: Airfare, Hotels, Campgrounds, Car Rentals, Cruises, Travel Agencies, Commuter Transportation, Passenger Railways, Taxi/Uber/Lyft, Bus Lines, Tour Operators, Tolls, etc. The only travel-related category they don’t mention is parking (street, lots, or garages). In general, it should be easy enough to maximize your travel rewards with the Pathfinder card. They even include “tourist attractions” (Merchant Category Code 7991) which should cover expenses at botanical gardens, museums, wineries, and some other places. (This doesn’t cover anything under a different category number. For example, amusements parks, zoos, aquariums, and golf courses are excluded.)
ALTERNATIVES TO THE PATHFINDER CARD
Almost any travel card could potentially work. You can read about the top no-fee travel cards by clicking here. Airline and hotel credit cards may also be more valuable. It depends on your personal preferences. In general, the Pathfinder is the best zero-fee travel card.
If you don’t mind an annual fee, it might be better to get a premium card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or American Express Platinum. The Venture X and Altitude Reserve are also good options. Luxury travel cards typically have decent trip insurance and other useful benefits. Annual fees can be offset with cash back and other perks.
For all non-travel expenses, the PenFed Power Rewards card earns 2% cash back on everything. A number of cards give similar rewards on everyday spending. This is better than the Pathfinder giving 1.5x points on “other” purchases.
CONCLUSION
The Pathfinder Rewards is a great no-fee card. It has a high sign-up bonus, decent earn rates, and solid long-term benefits. PenFed is practically paying people to have this card in their wallets. And since membership is no longer limited to those with government or military affiliations, there isn’t any reason to NOT consider PenFed cards.
The main downside is that luxury cards with high annual fees offer more benefits. Other than that, the Pathfinder Rewards card is probably the best general travel credit card available. For a $0 annual fee, and earn rate above 3%, it doesn’t get much better than this.
We rate the Pathfinder Rewards card 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Note: This review was last updated in March 2022. Details may have changed since then. Please do your own research where applicable, to ensure you’re getting the best deal. Or contact us directly to benefit from our personalized consulting services!