The Common Rewards bank card, issued by the First Nationwide Financial institution of Omaha (FNBO), earns rewards you need to use throughout your subsequent journey to Common Studios theme parks and sights like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Sadly, the cardboard’s not all magic.
Certain, cardholders can earn a sign-up bonus and obtain unique perks and reductions at Common parks. However the rewards are rigid, and the redemption course of is clunkier than a poorly oiled Transformer. Most Minions would do higher with a common rewards bank card.
Listed here are 5 issues to know in regards to the Common Rewards card.
Who would not wish to be rewarded?
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1. There are 2 variations of the cardboard, each with mediocre rewards
The Common Rewards Credit score Card is available in two varieties:
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The Common Rewards Plus Visa Signature Card has a $99 annual charge and earns 4% again in rewards on qualifying Common purchases; 2% again in rewards on journey, gasoline and eating purchases; and 1% again in rewards on all the things else.
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The Common Rewards Visa Signature Card has a $0 annual charge and earns 2% again in rewards on qualifying Common purchases and 1% again in rewards on all the things else.
Whereas incomes elevated rewards on Common purchases could also be good for superfans, general these are underwhelming reward charges — particularly for the $99-annual-fee model, as you will discover any variety of no-annual-fee bank cards that earn 2% again on all purchases, not simply in just a few classes. It is also price retaining in thoughts that with both Common card, you are incomes reward factors, not money again. These factors are price a stable 1 cent every (100 factors = $1 in rewards), however your redemption choices can be severely restricted. Extra on that later.
For individuals with glorious credit score (FICO scores of a minimum of 720), the Capital One Savor Money Rewards Credit score Card could be a better option. For an annual charge of $95, you will earn an infinite 4% money again on leisure (together with theme parks), eating and streaming providers; 3% money again at grocery shops; and 1% money again on all different purchases. New cardholders also can seize a giant sign-up bonus: Earn a one-time $300 money bonus when you spend $3,000 on purchases inside 3 months from account opening. And because it’s true money again you are incomes, you may spend it on something you want.
2. Redemption could have you exhausted earlier than you hit the park
Redeeming your Common bank card rewards is a horror straight out of “Stranger Issues.” Contemplate the work it requires:
Do some math, ugh
For starters, there’s a $25 minimal redemption quantity, and reward factors need to be redeemed in $25 increments — so that you’re very prone to end up caught with “orphan factors” which you can’t do something with as a result of they do not meet these thresholds.
And it will get worse from there.
Request a bodily pay as you go card, double ugh
To redeem your reward factors, you’ll need to request a bodily Common FUNds Visa Pay as you go Card, both by the FNBO web site or by calling the 800 quantity on the again of your bank card. That is a extremely uncommon and inconvenient step — however wait, there’s extra.
The pay as you go card you will get is not reloadable, so that you’ll must request a brand new card for every redemption.
Await the mail to reach, sigh
Pay as you go playing cards can be utilized at choose Common areas and for flights and resort stays booked instantly with airways and lodges — however you will wish to maintain off on heading instantly for the Common Studios entrance gate. That is as a result of it will possibly take as much as 10 days to obtain a pay as you go card within the mail, in keeping with FNBO.
Juggle expiration dates and phrases, OMG are we there but?
Any unredeemed rewards will expire on or after the third anniversary from the date on which they have been awarded. Pay as you go playing cards themselves are legitimate for as much as 24 months, and whereas the funds in your card by no means expire, a charge might apply to entry these funds after 24 months. Oh, and the pay as you go card can solely be used to buy park tickets on-line in case your steadiness on it covers the total value of the tickets. The one strategy to break up a cost utilizing the pay as you go card is thru buying tickets in-person on the park, utilizing the pay as you go card at choose retailers throughout the park or by buying a trip bundle on-line by Common Parks and Resorts.
These sorts of hurdles are sufficient to suck the enjoyable out of any theme park, and it is greater than anybody ought to need to cope with in a rewards card.
A much less limiting possibility could be the Chase Freedom Limitless®. You’ll earn 5% money again on journey bought by Chase Final Rewards®, 3% again at eating places and drugstores and 1.5% again on all the things else. You will have a number of redemption choices, rewards by no means expire and there’s no minimal redemption quantity. New cardholders additionally qualify for the next introductory provide: Earn an extra 1.5% money again on all the things you purchase (on as much as $20,000 spent within the first yr) – price as much as $300 money again!
3. You will get some park perks
With the $99-annual-fee card, yearly you spend $6,000 on it you’ll obtain a park move to Common Islands of Journey, Common Studios Florida or Common Studios Hollywood. That profit could possibly be worthwhile when you’re dedicated to utilizing the cardboard regularly sufficient to earn it, particularly since you will keep away from the arduous redemption course of above.
Each variations of the Common bank card additionally get you 10% off merchandise, meals and beverage purchases at choose areas all through Common theme parks and Common CityWalk in Orlando and Hollywood.
Each variations additionally permit Common die-hards to point out off their fandom every time they swipe their card. Cardholders can select from certainly one of three card designs: a Minion from “Despicable Me,” a dinosaur from “Jurassic Park” or an ordinary Common brand.
🤓Nerdy Tip
The $99-annual-fee model of the Common bank card additionally advertises that in-park lounge entry is “coming quickly.” That profit would permit holders of the dearer card to entry the Visa lounge at Common Studios Hollywood and Common Studios Florida.
4. There is a modest sign-up bonus …
Each variations of the Common bank card let new prospects qualify for an introductory bonus. As of this writing, the $99-annual-fee model earns a $100 assertion credit score after spending $100 throughout the first billing cycle, whereas the $0-annual-fee model earns a $50 assertion credit score after spending $100 within the first billing cycle.
Whereas these are comparatively simple spending thresholds to hit, you are able to do higher than these bonuses.
The occasion, the $0-annual-fee Wells Fargo Autographâ„ Card lets new cardholders seize the next introductory bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus factors once you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months – that is a $200 money redemption worth. You’ll additionally earn 3 factors per $1 spent on eating places, journey, gasoline stations, transit, streaming providers and cellphone plans, plus 1 level per $1 spent on all the things else.
And when you’re keen to pay an annual charge much like what the Common Rewards Plus Visa Signature Card costs? In that case, you will discover sign-up bonuses price a whole bunch of {dollars} extra.
5. … And a poor 0% APR provide
Each the no-annual-fee and the $99-annual-fee types of the Common Rewards Credit score Card allow you to finance your trip with a 0% APR provide for six months on eligible purchases over $1,000 made instantly with Common. Eligible purchases embody annual passes, park tickets, trip packages and extra.
However there are higher choices when you’re making an attempt to finance a Common trip. The Wells Fargo Energetic Money® Card lets new cardholders qualify for a 0% intro APR on Purchases for 15 months and 0% intro APR on Steadiness Transfers 15 months from account opening on qualifying steadiness transfers, after which the continued APR of 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR. There’s no minimal transaction quantity to qualify for particular financing, neither is the provide restricted to purchases solely with Common. You’ll additionally earn an infinite 2% money again every time you utilize the cardboard.
Info associated to the Capital One Savor Money Rewards Credit score Card has been collected by FinanceGrabber and has not been reviewed or offered by the issuer or supplier of this services or products.