Review: USAlliance Financial Visa Signature

The USAlliance Financial Visa Signature card is a general-use no-fee credit card. It isn’t that popular since most people haven’t heard of the USAlliance Credit Union, but it’s a high earner worth looking into. Its simple cash back structure is attractive for both maximalists and minimalists. It’s loaded with Visa Signature perks as well.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

• No annual fee
• 1% foreign transaction fee
• 3x points on everything (until 12/31/22, then 2x points on everything as of 1/1/23)

SIGN UP BONUS

This card doesn’t have a sign-up bonus.

The 3% cash back on everything could be considered a lengthy welcome bonus, since it’s a temporary feature. This puts the card on similar footing to the Discover It Miles. Discover is a little less useful in the long term, since it earns 1.5x points instead of 2x points. The other difference is foreign transaction fees (Discover doesn’t have any).

OTHER BENEFITS OF THE USALLIANCE CARD

• Visa Signature benefits including:
  • 24/7 Concierge plus Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
  • Cell Phone Protection ($50 deductible, $250 maximum coverage per claim)
  • Personal Identity Theft Protection (reimbursement up to $15,000)
  • Price Protection (reimbursement up to $250 within 60 days of purchase)
  • Purchase Security (up to $500 per claim within 90 days of purchase)
  • Return Protection (up to $250 per claim)
  • Roadside Dispatch (standard Visa $70 pre-negotiated rate)
  • Travel Accident Insurance (up to $500,000)
  • Trip Cancellation / Interruption Insurance (coverage amount not listed)
  • Zero Liability

Full details are listed in their benefits guide.

RESTRICTIONS AND CREDIT SCORE

Recommended credit score: 700+

Credit union membership is required. It shouldn’t be too difficult though, since the NY-based USAlliance has 14 branches, plus 5,900+ shared co-op branches.

One website reported that “USAlliance says its promo is limited to the first 3,000 new cardholders who sign up (along with all of its existing cardholders).” The temporary 3% cash back rate might even be limited beyond what’s already suggested. YMMV.

MAXIMIZING REWARDS WITH USALLIANCE

Points can be redeemed for statement credit at $0.01 per point. The USAlliance card simply earns 3% cash back on all purchases, regardless of category classification. There isn’t anything to track or update.

Two downsides to their point system:

1. Cash redemption must be in increments of 2,500 points / $25 (At 2% back, you get 2,500 points for every $1,250 you spend; at 3% back, it’s instead every $834 in spending.)
2. Points expire after 3 years, so it’s best to use them ASAP. This isn’t a sock-drawer card if you want ongoing cash back.

ALTERNATIVES TO THE USALLIANCE CARD

For a general-use card, any of the best everyday cards will work. You’ll want to earn at least 2% cash back on all purchases, preferably without annual fees.

CONCLUSION

As a card for everyday spending, USAlliance has one of the best options. Unfortunately, the 3% cash back isn’t permanent, and there’s a small foreign transaction fee. For most people, however, that isn’t a dealbreaker. Earning 2% cash back on everything without an annual fee is always a solid deal. The Visa Signature benefits are also fantastic for a no-fee card.

3% cards are exceptionally rare because they’re unprofitable for most banks. They can’t give customers more cash back than the bank earns in interchange fees. It isn’t surprising that USAlliance won’t keep the 3% earn rate. They may consider bringing it back. Either way, 2% is fine for most people, even if USAlliance won’t have the best-of-the-best everyday card.

We rate the Alliance card 4 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 for personalized consulting services!