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    2017’s AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card Review

    icon-user RewardExpert icon-comments Comments July 6, 2020

    Who Is the AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature Card Good For?

    If you have a AAA membership and you want to earn cash back on credit card purchases, you should consider getting the AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature from Bank of America. The card comes with a small sign-up bonus, generous bonus earning categories and no annual fee.  If you spend a lot on travel or at AAA, this card might be right for you.

    The best feature of the AAA card is its earning scheme. You’ll earn an impressive 3 points per dollar spent at AAA and on travel; 2 points at grocery stores, gas stations and drugstores; and 1 point for all other purchases. Double points for recurring expenses, like gas and groceries, can add up fast, making this card a potentially valuable addition to your wallet.

    Travel is generously defined by the card issuer. Not only do you get triple points for all travel booked through AAA, but purchases made directly from other travel agencies, airlines, car rental agencies, hotels, resorts, cruise lines, passenger railways and commuter trains also qualify.

    You must have a current triple AAA membership to qualify for this card. You can sign up for easy recurring payment of your membership dues with the AAA credit card and earn triple points. You’ll receive full AAA membership benefits, including AAA discounts, towing, roadside assistance and access to special AAA deals. AAA benefits can be quite valuable, particularly if you drive a lot.

    Sign-Up Bonus:

    The AAA credit card comes with a $50 statement credit after you spend $500 in the first three months.

    Points Earned:

    • 3 points per dollar for travel and AAA purchases
    • 2 points per dollar at gas stations, grocery stores and drugstores
    • 1 point per dollar on all other purchases

    What Do Your Points Get You?

    The AAA Visa Signature is a cash back card. There are no transfer partners. You can redeem the points you earn for statement credits at a fixed rate of 1 cent per point. While that’s a fairly standard rate for cashback cards, many rewards credit cards with transferable points offer more value. That’s because airline frequent flyer programs sometimes offer fantastic redemptions for award flights if you know how to find them.

    However, cashback cards like the AAA MasterCard are simple to use and very flexible. You don’t have to be an expert and you won’t have to worry about blackout dates or booking travel during off-peak times. In fact, you don’t even have to buy airfare. Simply get what you want and apply the statement credits toward your purchase.

    Usage Perks:

    • Generous earning scheme, including triple points for travel
    • No annual fee
    • Introductory 0% APR
    • No limit on points earned
    • No foreign transaction fees

    Usage Quirks:

    • No transfer partners
    • Points expire after five years, even with an active account
    • Card cancellation forfeits all unused points

    How Far Do Your Points Go?

    Even though this card’s 5,000-point sign-up bonus isn’t very impressive, it’s worth noting that it does not have an annual fee. If you’re already a AAA member, that $50 bonus is essentially free money.

    In addition, with this card’s generous earning categories you’re actually getting a much better return per dollar spent than the 1 cent redemption rate implies. Triple points for travel and AAA purchases translates to earning 3 cents per dollar, and double points for gas and groceries is 2 cents per dollar. Those are quite respectable redemption rates, even in the world of travel hackers.

    Additional Cardholder Benefits

    • Auto rental collision damage waiver
    • Warranty manager service
    • Travel and emergency assistance
    • Zero liability
    • Mobile and text banking

    Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

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