The USAA Eagle Navigator Visa Signature began a trial rollout in September 2023 before being officially launched later. It’s a travel-centric card which doubles as an everyday card. It can earn at least 2% cash back on every purchase, and it’s not difficult to offset the small annual fee. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, however.
FEATURES AT A GLANCE
- $95 annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- 3x points on travel
- 2x points on everything else
- $100 credit towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (once every 4 years)
SIGN UP BONUS
As of early 2024, you can earn 30,000 bonus points after spending at least $3,000 in your first 3 months of card membership. Targeted offers with a higher bonus (up to 50k points) have reportedly been mailed out to select customers.
OTHER BENEFITS OF THE USAA EAGLE NAVIGATOR CARD
- Visa Signature benefits, including:
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption Coverage ($1,500 per person)
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver Coverage (Secondary)
- Travel Accident Insurance ($500,000)
- Baggage Delay Reimbursement Coverage (up to $300)
- Travel and Emergency Assistance plus 24/7 Visa Signature Concierge
- Cell Phone Protection (up to $500 per claim, $50 deductible)
- Purchase Security (90 days (up to $1,000 per claim)
- Extended Warranty Protection (up to 1 additional year)
- 10,000 annual bonus points after booking hotel or car travel through the USAA booking portal (per calendar year)
Note: All USAA Visa Signature credit cards have the same benefits.
RESTRICTIONS AND CREDIT SCORE
Recommended credit score: 670+
The most difficult part of joining USAA is being eligible to join. You must be serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, or be a veteran (honorable discharge), or be a pre-commissioned officer, or be the spouse or child of someone eligible to have USAA membership. See their website for more details.
MAXIMIZING REWARDS WITH THE USAA EAGLE NAVIGATOR CARD
Points are worth $0.01 each (1 cpp) when redeemed for travel, or $0.007 (0.7 cpp) when redeemed for cash. Therefore you’ll want to always redeem your points for travel. Otherwise your card will earn just 2.1% cash back on travel and 1.4% cash back on everything else. Travel can be booked with points, cash, or any combination of the two. Minimum redemption levels may apply. USAA also notes that “Depending on the other Points earning USAA Accounts you may have, these values may be higher.”
The card is effectively fee-free if you spend at least $100 per calendar year booking at least one hotel stay or car rental through USAA’s travel portal. Not including flights as eligible in the 10,000 bonus is unusual, but it’s still a fairly easy way to offset the $95 annual fee.
Points are unlimited and don’t expire as long as your account is open.
USAA’s website says “The Travel category includes… airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, vacation rentals, cruise lines, travel agencies, third party travel websites (including the USAA Rewards Center), car rental agencies, taxis, rideshares, limousines, buses, ferries, boat rentals, parking lots, parking meters and garages, tolls and bridge fees, passenger trains, campgrounds, recreational trailer parks, motor home and recreational vehicle rentals, truck and trailer rentals.”
ALTERNATIVES TO THE USAA EAGLE NAVIGATOR
The closest alternative is the NFCU Flagship Rewards card, or SoFi Mastercard. Both offer 3x points on travel and 2x points on everything else. The downside of the Flagship is a $49 annual fee that’s harder to offset than USAA’s, and the downside of the SoFi card is that the 3x points on travel is only for travel booked through their website (other in-person or online transactions don’t qualify)
The Citi Premier and Bank of America Premium Rewards are also fairly similar.
For those who don’t mind a higher annual fee, the Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve can provide greater value. The Venture X is particularly easy to use, since it effectively becomes fee-free if you spend at least $400 per year on travel—which is often the cost of a single flight or hotel stay. It has better perks and points-earning capabilities.
For those who don’t want any annual fee, dozens of cards offer at least 2% cash back on everything. Many travel cards are also fee-free, including the Penfed Pathfinder Rewards and Wells Fargo Autograph.
CONCLUSION
The USAA Eagle Navigator card is fine, but just fine. There isn’t much reason to pick it over another card or a combination of 2+ cards. It’s best when it’s someone’s sole card, although frequent travelers can get a better deal elsewhere.
The best no-fee alternative is probably to combine PenFed Power Cash Rewards with PenFed Pathfinder Rewards. You’ll earn up to 4% cash back on travel, 2% on everything else, plus up to $300 in credits/benefits, all without annual fees.
We rate the USAA Eagle Navigator card 3 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐
Note: This review was last updated in May 2024. 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!