Best suited for credit union members who want to earn rewards on travel purchases, the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card offers an attractive welcome bonus and $100 in domestic travel credits each year. Cardholders can also earn points on everyday purchases. With the promotional 0% APR on balance transfers, you can consolidate your debt and pay it down with this card. The $95 annual fee, which PenFed waives for existing PenFed Honors Advantage Members, is still worth paying if you travel frequently.
MoneyGeek’s Take
PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card Review
Updated: September 10, 2024
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PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
On Issuer's Site
Rewards Rate
Earn 4 points per dollar on all travel categories ...APR
17.99% variableAnnual Fee
$95Recommended Credit
670-850 (Good to Excellent)Moneygeek.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
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PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card Overview
With the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card, you’ll earn 3X points per dollar spent on travel, which includes airfare, hotel stays, car rental and more. You’ll also earn 1.5X points on all other purchases. If you’re a PenFed Honors Advantage Member, your rewards increase to 4X points on travel purchases.
Want to know how to redeem points with the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card? Possibilities include:
Quick Take
- 4X points on all travel categories for PenFed Honors Advantage members
- 3X on all travel categories for non-members
- 1.5X points on all other purchases
- Earn 50,000 welcome bonus points after spending $3,000 within the first 90 days
- Consolidate debt with a 0% balance transfer promo offer
Important Card Details
Understanding the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card’s associated fees can help you determine if it’s right for your budget and needs.
The table below lists the most important fees, interest rates and associated charges that apply to this card. We’ll also break down what goes into the APR rates you’ll receive upon applying for this card.
Balance Transfer APR
The Pathfinder Rewards Visa Signature Card comes with a promotional balance transfer offer of 0% APR for the first 12 months. After that, a non-variable 17.99% APR applies for all unpaid balances and new balance transfers.
This means that any outstanding credit card balances you transfer to this card before the deadline won’t accrue interest for a year. This feature could help you consolidate debt and save money while paying it off. However, you’ll have to pay a 3% fee for each balance transfer.
Late Fees
Making late payments on this card incurs variable charges depending on the remaining balance. A late payment fee of $20 applies to balances less than $1,000, $25 to balances up to $2,000 and $28 if your balance is greater than $2,000.
Purchase APR
For purchases, this card’s APR is 17.99%. APR is determined by your creditworthiness when you open your account and is subject to change based on the market prime rate.
Additional Benefits
The PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card offers many other features and benefits, which include:
How the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card Compares To Other Cards
The PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card is a credit union travel rewards card with valuable rewards rates and perks. MoneyGeek compares it with a similar travel credit card, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
How the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card Compares
PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
- Requires: Good to excellent credit score
- Annual Fee: $95
- Regular APR: 17.99% variable
- Rewards Rate: 3X points on travel purchases; 1.5X points on other purchases
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
- Redemption Options: Gift certificate, travel and shopping with partner merchants
- Best For: PenFed Honors Advantage Members who want to earn points on travel purchases.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Recommended Credit: Good to excellent credit score
- Annual Fee: $95
- Regular APR: 20.99% – 25.99% variable
- Rewards Rate: 1X points across all categories
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
- Redemption Options: Gift certificate, cash back and Chase Ultimate Rewards Store.
- Best For: Business owners who want to earn rewards on office supplies purchases.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average credit score needed to get approved for the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card?
You need a good to excellent credit score to qualify for this card.
Does the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card report to all three credit bureaus?
Yes, PenFed reports to all three credit bureaus.
Is the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card application process lengthy? Can you prequalify?
The application process can be lengthy for non-credit union members who want this card, as they will first need to apply for a credit union savings or checking account.
What information is needed to apply for the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card?
To apply for this card, you need to provide personal information. This includes your name, date of birth, Social Security number, address and phone number, as well as relevant financial information, like your annual income.
Does PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card have good customer service or satisfaction?
Does the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card have a mobile app or the option to pay or manage your account online?
Yes. Click-to-pay technology and digital wallet are some of the features available with this card which lets you shop online.
Does the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card raise credit limits automatically or charge for limit increases?
PenFed regularly reviews its customers’ account history and offers an automatic credit limit increase. Requesting a credit limit increase could result in a temporary dip in your credit score.
Does the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card offer the option to freeze your credit/account or have other security features?
Does PenFed Credit Union offer other credit cards besides the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card?
PenFed also offers the Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card, which lets PenFed members earn 2X cash back on a variety of purchases.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
*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.
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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.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.