AAA Member Rewards Visa card Review: Solid Rewards Rate on AAA and Travel Purchases

If you're looking for a no annual fee rewards card that will allow you to earn rewards in various spending categories, the AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card may be an option to consider. New cardmembers can take advantage of a big sign-up bonus offer after meeting the minimum spend requirements.

While non-members can use this card, AAA members may find this credit card particularly useful as this card earns high rewards on travel purchases and AAA purchases. Find out more about this credit card's benefits in our AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card full review.

This credit card is a good fit for: Frequent travelers and consumers who regularly utilize AAA services and want to earn rewards without paying an annual fee.

Top perks

The AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card has some notable perks:

No annual fee

The AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card has no annual fee. Getting a credit card with no annual fee is an excellent way to minimize added costs when using a credit card.

Not required to be an AAA member

You won't need to be an AAA member to qualify for the AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card. While this is the case, AAA members may get more value out of the card.

$200 statement credit bonus offer

New cardmembers can take advantage of a $200 statement credit bonus offer. To qualify for this bonus, you'll need to spend at least $1,000 within 90 days of account opening. This bonus offer is comparable to many other rewards cards.

Read more: Best Sign-Up Bonus Credit Cards

Earn up to 3 points per $1

When making purchases with the AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card, you can earn in various ways. Here's a breakdown of how you can earn based on the types of transactions that you make with your card:

• Earn 3 points per $1 on eligible AAA purchases and travel purchases
• Earn 2 points per $1 on eligible gas, grocery, wholesale club, and drugstore purchases
• Earn 1 point per $1 on other purchases

The earning rate on AAA and travel purchases is notable and comparable with many travel rewards credit cards. Plus, some rewards cards exclude wholesale club purchases from earning, and this card doesn't.

No cap on earnings

Some rewards credit cards have a cap on the rewards you can earn. There are no earning caps with the AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card. Your earning potential is unlimited.

$500,000 travel accident coverage

When charging entire travel packages to your AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card, you'll automatically be eligible for up to $500,000 in common carrier travel accident coverage. This benefit is valid for foreign and domestic travel.

Auto rental collision damage waiver

The AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card includes an auto rental collision damage waiver for damage to covered rental cars due to collision or theft. You'll need to charge the entire car rental with this card and decline the collision damage waiver coverage offered by the rental car company. Coverage is available for most rental vehicles up to the car's actual cash value. When in your country of residence, this coverage is supplemental to your regular car insurance.

Points are worth more when redeeming for AAA vouchers

While you have the option to redeem points for cash back, travel, and gift cards, you can also redeem points for AAA vouchers. Points are only worth $0.01 when redeemed for cash back. Other redemption options vary in value, but points are worth up to 40% more when redeemed for AAA vouchers.

How much extra value will vary based on how many points you're redeeming:

• 5,000 to 19,999 points: 20% more value
• 20,000 to 49,999 points: 25% more value
• 50,000 or more points: 40% more value

For example: 50,000 points redeemed for cash back will get you $500. In comparison, 50,000 points redeemed for AAA vouchers will get you $700 in vouchers.

No foreign transaction fees

No foreign transaction fees are charged when using the AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card for international transactions. Cards with this fee usually charge 3% per foreign transaction. Having no foreign transaction fees charged is beneficial if you plan to use your card when traveling overseas.

Intro 0% APR on balance transfers

The AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card has an introductory 0% APR on balance transfers available during the first 12 statement periods. You must make balance transfers within the first 60 days of account ownership.

If you have existing credit card debt that you want to tackle, this 0% APR offer can provide an opportunity to pay it off without incurring additional interest charges. A 3% balance transfer fee will apply to each balance transfer with a minimum fee of $10.

Read more: Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards

What could be improved

The AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card has some areas that could be improved upon:

Not available to all

The AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card may not be available to all. That's because AAA programs are regional, and credit card offerings vary by region.

Minimum redemption amounts

When redeeming points for awards, there are minimum redemption amounts in place. This varies based on the redemption of your choosing. You'll need a minimum of 2,500 points for air travel, 3,500 points for gift cards, and 5,000 points for cash and AAA rewards vouchers.

Rewards expire

You should know that AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card points expire. They expire five years after the month they were earned. While they don't expire quickly, this is worth noting if you plan to keep this credit card for many years.

No intro 0% APR on purchases

The introductory 0% APR rate is only available on balance transfers. There is no introductory 0% APR rate available for purchases.

Learn more: Best Rewards Credit Cards

If you want to apply for the AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card, we suggest having a FICO® Score of 670 or higher. This credit card is intended for consumers with good credit. Other factors are also assessed when determining approval, such as income and current debt. It's possible to be approved with a lower credit score, or be denied with a higher score.

If you utilize AAA services, and want to earn rewards on AAA and travel spending, the AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card may be a good option for you. If the following statements apply, then you should consider applying for the AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card:

• You want a credit card without an annual fee.
• You can afford the minimum spend to earn the $200 bonus offer.
• You plan to use the card to make travel, AAA, dining, gas, grocery, drug store, and wholesale club purchases.
• You like the idea of included travel accident coverage.
• You like the idea of included auto collision damage waiver coverage.
• You can benefit from redeeming points for AAA vouchers.

But if you don't plan to make these kinds of purchases with the card, don't utilize AAA services, or want more flexibility when redeeming your rewards, the AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature® Card may not be the right card for you. Other travel rewards or cash back credit cards may make more sense for your spending habits and goals. Simply check out our full credit card reviews list.

Our credit card methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.