PenFed Pathfinder Rewards Visa Signature Card
- Best for: PenFed Honors Advantage members who fly a few times a year and put plenty of travel and dining on the card
- What Sets It Apart: Up to $100 a year back on airline fees; $120 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck credit every 4 years; 4 points per dollar on travel for Honors Advantage members
- Cost: $95 annual fee; 17.99% variable interest rate (APR); no foreign transaction fee; 3% balance transfer fee
- Features: 3 points per dollar on travel, 2 on dining, and 1.5 on everything else; 50,000 bonus points after $3,000 in purchases in 90 days; Priority Pass Select membership; no interest for a year on balances moved from other cards within 60 days of opening
- Pros: Airline fee credit can cover the annual fee; anyone can apply; no foreign transaction fee
- Cons: Points worth 0.85 to 1 cent each, with no cash back; $35 per person for each Priority Pass visit; points expire after 5 years
Get the PenFed Pathfinder Rewards card if you fly a few times a year and qualify for Honors Advantage through military service or an eligible PenFed checking account. You’ll earn 4 points per dollar on travel, and its $100 yearly airline fee credit, used in full, covers the $95 annual fee. If you rarely pay airline fees, skip it.
You don’t need to belong to PenFed, a credit union, before you apply, since you join afterward by opening a savings account with at least $5. The Pathfinder is its travel card, with points on every purchase, two travel credits, and a Priority Pass lounge membership.
Key Features
- $95 annual fee for every cardholder, a 17.99% variable interest rate, and no foreign transaction fee
- 3 points per dollar on travel, 2 on dining, and 1.5 on everything else
- 4 on travel and 3 on dining with Honors Advantage, which takes military service or a PenFed checking account (Free Checking also needs a $500 daily balance or $500 in monthly direct deposits)
- Up to $100 a calendar year credited back for airline fees at Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, and United
- Credit for the Global Entry ($120) or TSA PreCheck ($85) application fee every four years
Pros
- 50,000 bonus points after $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days, worth $425 to $500 at PenFed’s point values
- A $100 airline fee credit that, used in full, more than covers the $95 annual fee
- A travel category that includes rideshares, transit, and tolls as well as flights and hotels
Cons
- Points worth 0.85 cent to 1 cent each, never more, in PenFed’s catalog of travel, gift cards, and merchandise, with no cash back
- A $35 charge per person, guest included, for each Priority Pass lounge visit
- Airline credit covers fees like checked bags and in-flight Wi-Fi, not tickets
- Only 1.5 points per dollar on gas and groceries, the spending PenFed’s no-fee Platinum Rewards card is built for
- Points expire after five years, and at once if you close the account
Apply if you have Honors Advantage, will use the airline credit, and put plenty of travel and dining on the card. If most of your spending is everyday purchases, a no-fee card paying 2% on everything beats the Pathfinder’s 1.5 points per dollar, worth about 1.3% to 1.5% back.
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