Review of The USAA Rewards Visa Signature® and American Express® Cards
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This is a review of two very similar reward credit cards from USAA: the USAA Rewards™ Visa Signature® and the USAA Rewards™ American Express® card.
USAA cards are only available to members of the military, active or honorably discharged, as well as certain members of their family. Click here for details on USAA eligibility.
As members of the USAA, cardholders get access to very good rates and benefits that are seldom seen outside of the most exclusive credit cards. These two cards have the same potential rates and benefits, but differ a bit in their rewards.
Read on to learn more about them and see if one might be right for you.
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The Rewards
As you can see, the American Express card has an extra reward category that the Visa doesn’t.
Rewards Visa Signature
- 1 point per dollar on all purchases
- 2,500 bonus points when you make your first purchase
Rewards American Express
- 2 points per dollar on gas and grocery purchases
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
- 2,500 bonus points when you make your first purchase
The Benefits
These cards share the same fairly comprehensive set of benefits.
In some cases the benefit will be serviced by the card’s particular network (Visa or American Express) and in those cases the details may differ slightly. Check your Guide to Benefits to learn exactly what your card offers.
Perks
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Concierge Service
Call to get personal help with all sorts of tasks, like travel planning, making restaurant reservations, finding hard-to-find items, and finding convenient services nearby, wherever you may happen to be.
Military Benefits
You may or may not qualify for some of these benefits; click here to learn more and see if you qualify.
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Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
The SCRA provides help to active-duty service members, and includes benefits like protection for life insurance policies and reduced interest rates on debts incurred before beginning active duty. USAA will provide an interest rate of 4% for pre-existing USAA credit card debt and loans, and a rate of 6% for other debts like credit cards, mortgages, auto loans, and others.
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Deployment Discount
Members of the military who are deployed or deploying can have the interest rate on their USAA card reduced to 4% for current balances, new purchases, and cash advances.
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Permanent Change of Station (PCS)
Active-duty members with permanent change of station can have the interest rate on their USAA card reduced to 4% for current balances, new purchases, and cash advances.
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Qualifying Campaign Level
Members who receive a qualifying campaign medal can receive a rebate for all of the interest incurred during their campaign. The qualifying campaign medals include the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
Shopping Protections
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Price Protection
If you find an item you bought being advertised for a lower price within 120 days of the purchase, you could be reimbursed for the price difference (up to $250 per claim, up to 4 claims per year).
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Extended Warranty
Doubles the manufacturer’s original warranty, up to a maximum of 2 years for most items.
Travel Protections
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Travel Assistance Services
Available when traveling 100 miles or more from home, provides help like information on travel requirements, locating documents or lost items, or arranging emergency money transfers.
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Worldwide Automatic Travel Accident, Baggage Delay and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
Provides insurance in case of a tragic accident, funds to reimburse purchases if your bags are delayed, and reimbursement if your trip is interrupted for eligible reasons.
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Rental Car Insurance
Provides coverage against damage and theft of rental vehicles, as long as the rental company’s own insurance is declined.
Security Benefits
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Identity Theft Resolution Services
If you become a victim of identity theft, this service provides help with contacting the credit bureaus, getting a new credit card, and going through the proper legal proceedings.
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Identity Fraud Expense Reimbursement
You won’t be held liable for unauthorized charges as a result of identity fraud.
The Costs & Fees
| Card | Annual Fee | Regular APR | Regular Balance Transfer APR | Cash Advance APR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rewards Visa Signature | $0 | 12.15%–28.15% Variable | 12.15%–28.15% Variable | 12.15%–28.15% Variable |
| Rewards American Express | $0 | 12.15%–28.15% Variable | 12.15%–28.15% Variable | 12.15%–28.15% Variable |
| Card | Balance Transfer Fee | Cash Advance Fee | Foreign Transaction Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rewards Visa Signature | See Terms | See Terms | None |
| Rewards American Express | 3%, $200 maximum | 3%, $200 maximum | None |
| Card | Penalty APR | Late Fee | Returned Payment Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rewards Visa Signature | See Terms | Up to $35 | Up to $35 |
| Rewards American Express | None | Up to $35 | Up to $35 |
The Bottom Line
The USAA Rewards™ Visa Signature® and the USAA Rewards™ American Express® are good cards for military members, offering rates you probably won’t be able to get anywhere else. When choosing between the two, you only need to consider if you’ll use that extra rewards category on the Amex card because the other terms are identical.
The rates for these cards are quite solid. You can get a very low APR if you have a good credit rating, and there’s no annual fee or penalty APR to worry about.
Want to apply for or learn more about one of these cards? Just click the card’s name below.
These two cards don’t offer very high rewards, however. If you’re looking for some USAA cards with better rewards, check out the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus Credit Cards.
How do you like your USAA credit card? Leave your own review of the Visa or American Express version!
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