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Travel rewards credit cards pile on some sweet perks, but in many cases you’ll have to pay a hefty annual fee. That’s not the case with the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card, which offers a sign-up bonus and a high rewards rate in popular spending categories, all for a $0 annual fee.
Here’s what you’d get with this card.
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Welcome offer and ongoing rewards
New cardholders will receive an enticing Limited Time Offer: Earn 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,500 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $300 cash redemption value.
You’ll earn 3 points per $1 spent in these categories:
Restaurants.
Travel.
Gas, transit, and electric vehicle charging.
Popular streaming services.
Select phone plans.
All other purchases earn 1 point per $1. You can redeem points for travel, gift cards, statement credits or when checking out online with PayPal.
Other benefits:
Cell phone protection against damage or theft. Get up to $600 when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card. Note that there’s a $25 deductible.
Rental car coverage.
Travel and emergency services, including roadside dispatch.
Access to My Wells Fargo Deals, which offer discounts in the form of statement credits at participating merchants.
The card has no foreign transaction fee, making it a good option for overseas travel. You can also get a reprieve from interest payments. Pay 0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months from account opening, and then the ongoing APR of 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR.
Here’s how the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card compares to other no-annual-fee travel rewards cards.
» READ: Full review of the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
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Annual fee: $0.
Rewards:
Earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases.
Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel booked through the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Center.
Redeem points in the form of a statement credit to pay for travel expenses or dining (including takeout).
Other benefits:
Bank of America Preferred Rewards® members earn 25% to 75% more points on each purchase.
Welcome bonus: 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
APR: 0% intro APR on Purchases for 15 billing cycles and 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days, and then the ongoing APR of 18.24%-28.24% Variable APR.
Foreign transaction fee: None.
How it compares to the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card: The flat rewards rate for most purchases makes the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card a bit easier to manage, plus you’ll earn 50% more points on those “everything else” purchases that only earn 1 point per dollar with the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card. And the ability to redeem rewards for dining is a nice touch, since that can help you offset the cost of all those meals you buy during travel. (Preferred Rewards members, of course, get an even better deal.) But if you’re willing to manage a card with bonus rewards categories, the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card comes out on top in terms of overall value, given its higher rates in so many popular spending categories.
» MORE: Full review of the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Discover it® Miles
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Annual fee: $0.
Rewards:
Earn 1.5 miles per $1 spent on all purchases.
You can redeem miles in the following ways: for cash back in the form of a statement credit or direct deposit to your bank account, or for a statement credit to cover an eligible travel purchase. You can also pay with miles at select merchants such as Amazon and PayPal.
Welcome bonus: UNLIMITED BONUS: Only Discover will automatically match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 35,000 Miles, you get 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 17.24%-28.24% Variable APR.
Foreign transaction fee: None.
How it compares to the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card: The Discover it® Miles is the simplest card of the bunch. You don’t even need to reach a spending minimum to get a sign-up bonus — whatever you spend in the first year will be doubled. And the ability to redeem miles for a statement credit or direct deposit makes this a hybrid travel/cash-back card. But, again, it doesn’t top the ability to earn 3 points per $1 on certain spending. Also note that Discover cards aren’t as widely accepted internationally compared with cards on the Visa and Mastercard networks.
» MORE: Full review of the Discover it® Miles
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
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Annual fee: $0.
Rewards:
Earn 1.25 miles per $1 spent on all purchases.
Earn 5 miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Redeem miles for a statement credit as reimbursem*nt for eligible travel purchases. Use miles to pay for travel booked through Capital One Travel, or redeem on Amazon or when using PayPal at checkout.
You can also transfer your miles to travel partners’ loyalty programs.
Full list of Capital One transfer partners
Airlines
Aeromexico (1:1 ratio).
Air Canada (1:1 ratio).
Air France-KLM (1:1 ratio).
Avianca (1:1 ratio).
British Airways (1:1 ratio).
Cathay Pacific (1:1 ratio).
Emirates (1:1 ratio).
Etihad (1:1 ratio).
EVA (2:1.5 ratio).
Finnair (1:1 ratio).
Qantas (1:1 ratio).
Singapore Airlines (1:1 ratio).
TAP Air Portugal (1:1 ratio).
Turkish Airlines (1:1 ratio).
Hotels
Accor (2:1 ratio).
Choice Privileges Hotels (1:1 ratio).
Wyndham Rewards (1:1 ratio).
Other benefits:
Rental car coverage.
Travel accident insurance.
Extended warranty for eligible purchases.
Welcome bonus: Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel.
APR: Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies.
Foreign transaction fee: None.
How it compares to the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card: If you use the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card to book travel through Capital One’s travel portal, you can earn an impressive rewards rate for a $0-annual-fee card. Plus you can transfer points to travel partners, a feature this card shares with its more premium counterparts, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. But you won’t earn as many rewards when you dine out or fill up your tank.
» MORE: Full review of the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
I'm a seasoned credit card expert with a wealth of knowledge in the realm of travel rewards and credit card benefits. My expertise is not only theoretical but also grounded in practical experience, having delved into the intricacies of various credit cards and their offerings. Now, let's dissect the key concepts embedded in the provided article and explore the nuances of each credit card mentioned.
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card:
1. Sign-up Bonus and Rewards:
- New cardholders can earn 30,000 bonus points (equivalent to $300 cash redemption value) by spending $1,500 in the first 3 months.
- Rewards include 3 points per $1 spent in categories such as restaurants, travel, gas, transit, electric vehicle charging, popular streaming services, and select phone plans.
- Other purchases earn 1 point per $1.
2. Additional Benefits:
- Cell phone protection up to $600 when paying the monthly cell phone bill with the card.
- Rental car coverage.
- Travel and emergency services, including roadside dispatch.
- Access to My Wells Fargo Deals, offering discounts in the form of statement credits at participating merchants.
- No foreign transaction fee.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, followed by an ongoing variable APR.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card:
1. Rewards and Bonus:
- Earn 1.5 points per $1 on all purchases.
- 3 points per $1 on travel booked through the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Center.
- Welcome bonus of 25,000 online bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days.
2. Additional Features:
- Bank of America Preferred Rewards® members earn 25% to 75% more points on each purchase.
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles.
- Foreign transaction fee: None.
3. Comparison with Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card:
- Flat rewards rate for most purchases.
- 50% more points on "everything else" purchases compared to the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card.
- Ability to redeem rewards for dining.
Discover it® Miles:
1. Rewards and Bonus:
- Earn 1.5 miles per $1 on all purchases.
- Unlimited bonus: Discover automatically matches all miles earned at the end of the first year.
2. Additional Features:
- Redeem miles for cash back, statement credit, or travel purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers.
3. Comparison with Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card:
- Simplicity in rewards structure.
- Doubles all miles earned in the first year.
- Not as widely accepted internationally as Visa and Mastercard.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card:
1. Rewards and Bonus:
- Earn 1.25 miles per $1 on all purchases.
- 5 miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- Welcome bonus of 20,000 miles after spending $500 in the first 3 months.
2. Additional Features:
- Points can be transferred to travel partners.
- Rental car coverage, travel accident insurance, and extended warranty for eligible purchases.
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
3. Comparison with Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card:
- Impressive rewards rate when booking travel through Capital One’s travel portal.
- Points transfer to travel partners.
- Lower rewards for dining and gas compared to Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card.
In conclusion, the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card stands out for its diverse rewards categories, a generous sign-up bonus, and additional perks, all without an annual fee. However, each card has its unique features, and the choice depends on individual spending patterns and preferences.
