What is the accepted credit score range for most cards?

Web pages of all PenFed Credit Union credit cards state that you need good or excellent credit to qualify. This means you need a FICO score of at least 670. PenFed does not have any cards for people with average or poor credit.

How many cards can you own?

PenFed does not have any published rules surrounding how many credit cards you may own. However, you might be subject to a maximum combined credit limit.

How many times can you apply?

PenFed's post on strategies that may help you qualify for a credit card suggests that you should wait for at least three to six months between applications.

How many times can you get approved?

As long as you qualify for the PedFed Credit Union card you wish to get, you may expect to get approved.

How many times can you claim the welcome bonus?

PenFed Credit Union does not place any published limitations on how many times you may claim welcome bonuses. However, it states that each account is eligible for one welcome bonus at account opening. This applies to statement credits and bonus points alike

PenFed Credit Union Credit Card Reviews, Rules & Opinions

There are a few different types of PenFed Credit Union cards to choose from, and we’ve highlighted the best based on factors such as rewards and APRs. We also give you insight into what credit score you need to qualify.

Advertising & Editorial DisclosureLast Updated: 1/29/2023

Reviewed By

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

PenFed Credit Union currently has four credit cards on offer. All these cards are for individuals and not businesses. When it comes to rewards cards, you get to choose between cash back and points. PenFed Credit Union has a low APR card on offer, too. However, it does not have secured credit cards or cards for students.

If you plan to apply for a PenFed Credit Union credit card, bear in mind that you need good or excellent creditworthiness to qualify.

>>MORE: PENFED MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS: HOW TO BECOME A PENFED MEMBER

ON THIS PAGE:

Different Card Offerings From PenFed Credit Union
Rules for Applying, Acceptance & Welcome Bonuses
Other Considerations for PenFed Credit Union
Overall Opinion of PenFed Credit Union & Card Offerings

Featured Credit Cards Offered by PenFed Credit Union

The different PenFed Credit Union cards on offer include a cash back card, two rewards cards with points and a low-APR card. One of its cards qualifies as a travel rewards card. Depending on the card you get, you may stand to earn a spend-based welcome bonus. PenFed does not provide cards for businesses or students. It does not have any co-branded cards.

Qualifying for a PenFed Credit Union credit card requires that you have good or excellent credit. What this basically means is you need a FICO score of 670 or higher.

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The Best PenFed Credit Union Credit Cards in 2023

Our experts arrive at a revised list of the best PenFed Credit Union credit cards each month after checking for changes in the list of existing cards and looking for any new cards that PenFed might have launched. When they compare PenFed Credit Union cards, they consider factors such as rewards, welcome bonuses, annual fees, APRs and added perks.

Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card
A great no annual fee gas rewards card
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $0Annual Fee
- 5xRewards Rate on Gas
- 3xRewards Rate on Groceries
- 12 monthsBalance Transfer Duration
We recommend the no annual fee Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card to individuals who wish to earn high reward rates on gas purchases. This card offers 5X points per dollar on gas purchases paid at the pump and EV charging stations. You get 3X points at restaurants, supermarkets (including most Walmart and Target locations), and TV, radio, cable, and streaming services. All other purchases earn 1X points.
New cardholders may earn 15,000 bonus points if they spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 90 days. You may use this card to transfer debt from other credit cards by using its 0% APR offer on balance transfers for 12 months. However, a 3% balance transfer fee applies.
This card is perfect for international use as it comes with no foreign transaction fees. Cardholders get access to PenFed Member and Visa Signature discounts.
Pros
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fees
High rewards for gas and grocery purchases

Cons
High APR
Need excellent credit score to qualify
Mediocre rewards structure for general categories
0% intro APR for balance transfers for 12 months, then a variable APR of 17.99%
15,000 Bonus Points for spending $1,500 in first 90 days
No annual fee
5X points on gas purchases and 3X points on other bonus categories
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply

Gold Visa® Card
A good low-APR balance transfer card with no annual fees
- 13.49% – 17.99% VariableAPR
- $0Annual Fee
- 0% Intro APR, then 17.99% APR thereafterBalance Transfer Offer
- 3%Balance Transfer Fee
We recommend the Gold Visa® Card to people looking for a no-annual-fee card with an intro APR offer on balance transfers. This card’s 0% APR on balance transfers stays in place for the first 15 months. However, you need to pay a balance transfer fee.
You pay no foreign transaction fees when you use this card outside the U.S. Your PenFed membership gives you access to discounts across various categories such as retail, home and auto.
Pros
No annual fees
0% APR on balance transfers for 15 months
No foreign transaction fees

Cons
Balance transfer fee of 3%
High APR applies on outstanding balances after the promo period
Penalty APR might apply in case of late/returned payments
No annual and foreign transaction fees
No cash advance fees
Intro 0% APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then a variable APR of 13.49% to 17.99%
3% balance transfer fee
Competitive standard APRs
Member discounts through partner merchants
Fraud monitoring
$0 liability policy
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply
Compare this credit card with other top-rated credit cards at CardRatings.com.

Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card
A good no annual fee balance transfer card with cash back
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $0Annual Fee
- 1.5% – 2% Cash BackRewards Rate
- 12 monthsBalance Transfer Duration
We think the Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card might work well for people who don’t want to pay annual fees and wish to earn cash back. If you’re a PenFed Honors Advantage member, you earn 2% cash back on all purchases. It changes to 1.5% for non-members. If you spend $1,500 in the first 90 days, you receive a $100 bonus statement credit.
You get to redeem the cash back you earn as statement credit, as a deposit into your into your PenFed Checking or Share account or as a scheduled monthly deposit into an account you hold with any other bank or credit union.
This card’s a 0% APR offer on balance transfers stays in place for 12 months. However, you need to pay a 3% balance transfer fee. Using this card outside of the U.S. is perfect given that it does not charge foreign transaction fees. It comes with no cash advance fees.
Pros
No annual fees
No foreign transaction fees
Bonus statement credit
Up to 2% flat cash back rewards rate
Balance transfer promo offer

Cons
Purchase variable APR of 17.99%
Credit union membership required
Balance transfer fee
No annual fees
2% cash back for PenFed Honors Advantage Members
1.5% cash back for non-members
$100 bonus offer statement credit on $1,500 spent within the first 90 days
0% balance transfer promo APR for 12 months, although a 3% fee applies on each transfer
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply

Rules for Applying, Acceptance & Welcome Bonuses

If you wish to apply for a PenFed Credit Union credit card, start by determining if you might qualify based on your existing credit score. You might also benefit by knowing how many cards you can get and how its welcome bonuses work.

Other Considerations About PenFed Credit Union

Looking beyond PenFed Credit Union card benefits and checking how PenFed rates as a credit card issuer might help you arrive at a more well-informed decision

Feature
Description
Customer Service & Satisfaction
PenFed Credit Union scores 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot after having received over 650 reviews. Most credit cardholders have favorable things to say about the application process, interest rates and customer service. Its Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating stands at A+.
You may contact a PenFed Credit Union representative over the phone, via email and through its social media accounts. It also provides international toll-free numbers for the UK, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Germany and Japan.
Mobile Apps & Online Services
If you have a PenFed credit card, you may manage your account via its online banking system or app. PenFed provides apps for devices that run on iOS and Android.
The PenFed app on the Apple App Store scores 4.2 out of 5. It scores 4.5 out of 5 on the Google Play store.
Security & Credit Monitoring Services
All PenFed credit cards come with 24/7 fraud monitoring, a zero liability policy, emergency card replacement and lost/stolen card reporting.
Loyalty Programs & Other Issuer Perks
The PenFed Honors Advantage program lets members earn points faster. For instance, PenFed Honors Advantage members who use the Pathfinder Rewards Visa Signature Card get to earn 4x points on all travel categories, as opposed to 3x points for non-members. In addition, members don’t have to pay the $95 annual fee.
To become a PenFed Honors Advantage member, you must be on active military duty, on reserve, honorably discharged or retired. Alternatively, you might also qualify if you have an active PenFed checking account.
PenFed members may also look forward to discounts on a variety of personal, retail, home, auto, and financial products/services through its partner merchants.
Authorized Users
PenFed lets you add authorized users to your credit card account. It does not have any documented requirements surrounding the minimum age of authorized users.
Purchase Protection
The Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card, the PedFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card and the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card come with purchase security.
Co-Branding & Partnerships
PenFed does not have any co-branded credit cards on offer. Some of its existing partner merchants through which it offers member discounts include National Car Rentals, Alamo Car Rentals, CFS, H&R Block, Travelers, Tracfone, Math Mastery, Crutchfield Electronics and Alpha Industries.
Other Products Offered
Besides the different PenFed Credit Union cards on offer, PenFed also offers checking accounts, savings accounts, a money market account, money market certificates, IRA savings accounts and certificates, auto loans, home loans, student loans, personal loans and personal lines of credit.

Overall Opinion of PenFed Credit Union & Their Credit Card Offerings

Even though PenFed Credit Union does not have many credit cards on offer, there is a possibility of finding one that works well for you. This is because PenFed’s credit cards are designed to suit different needs. In some cases, you might benefit by having more than one type of PenFed Credit Union card.

You wish to pay a low APR on purchases.
If you plan to carry a balance and are looking for a low APR on purchases, the PenFed Credit Union Gold Visa Card might work well for you, especially if you qualify for its lowest published APR. This card also comes with an introductory 0% APR offer on balance transfers for 12 months.
You want a travel card.
While the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card comes with a $95 annual fee, this fee is waived for existing Honors Advantage members. This card comes with a sizable welcome bonus, high reward rates on travel purchases, $100 domestic air ancillary travel statement credit each year, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck statement credit, Priority Pass airport lounge membership and no foreign transaction fees.
You wish to transfer high-interest credit card debt.
If you’re looking to transfer debt from a high-interest credit card to a new card, you might benefit by getting any PenFed Credit Union card. All four cards come with an introductory 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 12 months. If approved for a balance transfer, you’ll need to pay a 3% fee
You want to earn high cash back or reward points.
The Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card offers 2% cash back on all purchases for PenFed Honors Advantage members and 1.5% cash back for all other cardholders. This is fairly good for a no-annual-fee card. The Platinum Rewards Visa Signature Card comes with 5x points per dollar on gas purchases paid at pumps and EV charging stations; 3x points at supermarkets (including most Walmart and Target locations), at restaurants and for TV, cable, streaming and radio services; and 1x points on all other purchases. This card does not charge any annual fees either.

EXPERT OPINION

"Many people assume that they are not eligible to join a credit union. Unlike some other credit unions, membership in PenFed is open to everyone and you can become a member starting with just $5. Credit unions like PenFed tend to offer better benefits and lower fees than traditional banks, so you may benefit from expanding your relationship beyond applying for a credit card."

- Lee Huffman, credit card expert at BaldThoughts.com

Still not sure about this issuer? Consider these options.

If you’re unsure about selecting a PenFed Credit Union card, you may consider looking at what other top card issuers have to offer. You might also benefit by narrowing your search based on specific features/benefits such as welcome bonuses, 0% APR offers, no annual fees and no foreign transaction fees.

Learn More About Credit Cards in General

sources

PenFed. "10 Essential Strategies to Help You Qualify for a Credit Card." Accessed February 28, 2022.
PenFed. "Contact Us - General Contacts." Accessed February 28, 2022.
Trustpilot. "PenFed Credit Union." Accessed February 28, 2022.
Better Business Bureau. "Business Profile - PenFed Credit Union." Accessed February 28, 2022.
Google Play. "PenFed Credit Union." Accessed February 28, 2022.
App Store. "PenFed Credit Union." Accessed February 28, 2022.
PenFed. "PenFed Honors Advantage." Accessed February 28, 2022.
PenFed. "Member Discounts." Accessed February 28, 2022.

*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
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