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Review: Langley FCU Signature Cash Back Visa

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The Langley FCU Signature Cash Back Visa credit card is an obscure Visa Signature with rotating categories. You can choose one option to earn 5% cash back for one month. This is a little more complicated than most other cards, but has the potential to earn high cash back rates. Langley FCU is a Virginia-based credit union which should be open to everyone.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • 1% foreign transaction fee
  • 5% cash back on a rotating category of your choice (changes monthly; $2,000 spending limit)
  • 3% cash back on gas (if not chosen as the 5% category)
  • 2% cash back on groceries and wholesale clubs (if not chosen as the 5% category)
  • 1% cash back on everything else

Select categories for 2024:

  • January: Groceries, Select Airlines, Drugstores
  • February: Dining, Gas and EV Charging, Department Stores
  • March: Groceries, Drugstores, Home Improvement
  • April: Dining, Gas and EV Charging, Home Depot and Lowe’s
  • May: Target, Gas and EV Charging, Streaming Services

Select categories for 2023:

  • March: Groceries, Drugstores, or Home Improvement
  • April: Wholesale Clubs, Dining, or Gas
  • May: Wholesale Clubs, Dining, or Home Improvement
  • June: Gas, Grocery, or Wholesale Clubs
  • July: Gas, EV, Rideshare, Dining, or Amusement Parks & Aquariums
  • August: Streaming Services, Internet & Cable, School Supplies, or Gas
  • September: Streaming Services, Internet & Cable, Grocery, or Department Stores
  • October: Streaming Services, Internet & Cable, Home Improvement, or Gas
  • November: Streaming Services, Internet & Cable, Groceries & Wholesale Clubs, or Electronic Stores
  • December: Streaming Services, Internet & Cable, Groceries & Wholesale Clubs, or Department Stores

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Review: U.S. Bank Altitude Connect

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect is a travel-focused Visa Signature credit card with a low annual fee. It earns a relatively high cash back rate on travel and gas expenses. It’s also good for streaming-related expenses. However, most people will be better off with the Altitude Go (no fee) or Altitude Reserve (high fee).

Update, March 2024: U.S. Bank announced that a number of changes are coming to this card on September 9th, 2024. Changes include: removing the $95 annual fee, lowering the value of points by 20% when not redeemed for travel, removing cell phone insurance, and removing the $30 annual streaming credit. The card will still earn 4x points on travel and gas, which actually makes things interesting despite the negative changes. The Altitude Connect will become roughly equivalent to the best no-fee travel card, the Penfed Pathfinder Rewards, if not better (since it keeps Priority Pass and Global Entry). We’ll update our review of the Altitude Connect when its changes take effect, and re-evaluate its value.

Our review from 2022 remains below:

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • $95 annual fee (waived for the first year, and will be eliminated on 9/9/24)
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 5x points on hotels and car rentals (booked through U.S. Bank)
  • 4x points on all other travel
  • 4x points on gas (and electric vehicle charging stations) (will become limited to your first $1,000 each quarter)
  • 2x points on grocery (including delivery)
  • 2x points on dining
  • 2x points on streaming
  • 1x points on everything else
  • $30 annual streaming credit
  • $100 credit towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (once every 4 years)

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Review: Penfed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The Penfed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature credit card is primarily for gas and electric vehicle charging. It can be alright for other categories, but isn’t the best option outside of gas. If you want to maximize your cash back, other credit cards are needed to supplement the Platinum Rewards. Its sign-up bonus is also lower than some competing cards.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 5x points on gas and/or electric vehicle charging
  • 3x points on groceries (may include Target and Walmart)
  • 3x points on restaurants/dining
  • 3x points on TV, radio, cable, and streaming services
  • 1x points on everything else

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Review: Chase Sapphire Preferred

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The Chase Sapphire Preferred (CSP) Visa Signature is a mid-tier credit card which earns cash back on multiple categories. It was refreshed around early 2022 to add new perks and ways to earn more points. CSP has a low annual fee and may appear more attractive than the Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR). It does however share some features with no-fee cards like the Chase Freedom Flex, making the value uncertain.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • $95 annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (flights, hotels, car rentals)
  • 3x points on dining/restaurants, including delivery and takeout
  • 3x points on select streaming
  • 3x points on online grocery purchases
  • 2x points on travel
  • 1x points on everything else
  • $50 annual hotel credit

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Review: Bank of America Premium Rewards

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The Bank of America Premium Rewards Visa Signature is a mid-tier travel-focused credit card. It’s a fair option for casual travelers since the card can pay for itself. However, it’s best if you’re enrolled in the Preferred Rewards program. Anyone who isn’t in that program may be better served with other credit cards.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • $95 annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 2x points on travel
  • 2x points on dining
  • 1.5x points on everything else
  • $100 annual airline incidental credit
  • $100 credit towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (once every 4 years)

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Review: PNC Cash Rewards

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The PNC Cash Rewards Visa is a general credit card for gas and restaurant purchases. It isn’t significantly better than competitors, but it’s better than some. There’s an annual spending limit for bonus categories, so most people will prefer a card for unlimited rewards, even if the limit is high.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • 3% foreign transaction fee
  • 4% cash back on gas
  • 3% cash back on restaurants
  • 2% cash back on groceries
  • 1% cash back on everything else

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Review: City National Bank Crystal Visa Infinite

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The City National Bank (CNB) Crystal Visa Infinite is a high-end luxury card for travelers. It competes with other Visa Infinite cards, but the long-term value is less clear for CNB. What was once a card with rare benefits is now one of several choices. Comparable cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve could be better for most people. However, the Crystal card isn’t without its merits.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • $400 annual fee (sometimes waived the first year)
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 3x points on most travel (airline, hotel, taxi, rideshare, limousine, rental car, train, bus)
  • 3x points on dining (restaurants, fast food, takeout)
  • 1x points on everything else
  • $100 credit towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (once every 4 years)
  • Metal card

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Review: Huntington Voice

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The Huntington Voice Mastercard is an uncommon credit card which lets people choose a category for earning 3% cash back. This can be changed each quarter, and if you don’t change the category, then it remains the same until you decide to change it. The Voice card is similar to the more popular Bank of America Customized Cash Back Rewards. It does have some key differences, which we’ll explore in this review. The versatility of choosing one’s own category can be extremely useful. Especially with almost a dozen options at hand.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 3x points on a chosen category ($2,000 quarterly spending limit)
  • 1x points on everything else

3% eligible categories:

  1. Gas
  2. Travel and Entertainment
  3. Restaurants
  4. Discount and Warehouse Stores
  5. Grocery
  6. Utilities and Office Supply Stores
  7. Electronics, Computer, and Camera Stores
  8. Department Apparel, and Sporting Goods
  9. Auto Part and Service Stores
  10. Home Improvement Stores

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Review: M1 Finance Owner’s Rewards

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The M1 Finance Owner’s Rewards Visa Signature credit card is a potentially high earner with small hoops to jump through. It earns a lot of cash back in a lot of categories, although the value will vary from person to person. In November 2022, they made some changes which we’ll take into account below.

M1 Finance is a “super app” which combines investing with a checking account and other perks. They aim to be a bank-within-an-app which can potentially replace a traditional banking relationship. This credit card is their latest shot at the traditional financial system.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee (previously waived with M1+ membership – after a free trial, it’s $125 per year)
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 10% cash back with 11 companies (must have M1+ membership to unlock this)
  • 5% cash back with 36 other companies (must have M1+ membership to unlock this)
  • 2.5% cash back with 32 other companies (must have M1+ membership to unlock this)
  • 1.5% cash back on everything else (applies to all categories if not part of M1+)
  • Metal card

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Review: Venmo Visa

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The Venmo Visa card is an interesting take on the typical 3/2/1 credit card structure. You automatically earn 3% cash back on your eligible top spend category, and 2% on the next highest. The category resets each month, so you can always get 3% cash back wherever you spend the most money. With 8 categories to earn from, most people can effectively use this credit card.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 3% cash back on your top spending category for each month
  • 2% cash back on your second-highest spending category for each month
  • 1% cash back on everything else

Eligible spending categories:

  1. Transportation
    • “Ground transportation such as rental cars, taxicabs, ride share merchants, limousines, bus lines and passenger railways. This category also includes tolls, parking meters and parking garage fees.”
  2. Travel
    • “Airlines, hotels, motels and resorts. This category may include bed and breakfast establishments, resorts, cabins, cottages, hostels, timeshares, short-term property rentals less than 30 days in length, and local inns.“
  3. Grocery (including wholesale clubs)
  4. Entertainment
    • “Movie theaters, theatrical and concert promoters, video rental and game stores, books and newsstands, amusement parks, music stores, and toy and hobby stores.”
  5. Dining and Nightlife (restaurants and bars)
  6. Bills and Utilities
    • “Telecommunications, internet service providers, ongoing delivery of television/radio/streaming content on a subscription or fee basis, subscription products or services (such as magazine/newspaper subscriptions), electric or gas power, water supply, and refuse disposal or other utility services.”
  7. Health and Beauty
    • “Drug stores and pharmacies… and cosmetic stores that sell beauty products. This category also includes sports and recreation facilities that require membership such as health clubs, tennis, golf and swimming clubs.”
  8. Gas

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