All purchases are eligible for 1.5% cash back with the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards credit card. The Visa card does not have a sign-up bonus but straightforward benefits. Some travel perks often reserved for cards with an annual fee are included with this one at no extra cost.

Advantages

• With a minimum amount of only $1, you may cash out your rebate. Before you may start redeeming your points from certain other cards, you need to earn at least $25.
• This card provides trip cancellation/interruption insurance, which is not typically included in any annual fee cash back credit cards.

Cons

• However, products offered by USAA are restricted to current or prospective USAA members. USAA provides services for military personnel and their families. USAA membership is available to anyone who is now serving or has served in the Guard or Reserves, as well as select veterans, cadets, and midshipmen.
• There is no sign-up incentive available with this credit card. There are many no-annual-fee cash back credit cards, and some even include incentives.

Reward Details

Each eligible purchase you make with your USAA Preferred Cash Rewards credit card will earn you cashback. You will continue to accrue awards indefinitely if your account is active. All purchases, excluding refunds, returns, or other changes that aren't payments, are considered qualifying purchases.

Earning cash back is not possible on the following purchases: balance transfers, gaming transactions, taxes, finance charges, fees, and the purchase of other cash equivalents.

How To Claim Your Rewards

There is no complicated procedure involved in cashing in your rewards. If you have a cash refund, you may get it in any amount that ends in a dollar, starting at only $1. Your USAA points can be deposited into your bank or savings account or applied as a credit to your monthly bill.

Making the Most of Your Benefits

Put all eligible purchases on the card and earn points faster; the card may be used everywhere Visa is accepted. There is no cap on the 1.5% cash back you may receive. Transferring rewards to a USAA bank or savings account is the best way to maximize their value.

If you use the points to pay down a balance, the number of qualified purchases on your monthly statement may be reduced. This card does not provide any extra rewards categories or flexible redemption possibilities, so the points you do earn will not be worth as much as they could be.

USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Benefits

• If your bag is lost or delayed for more than four hours, you can get up to $100 every day for up to three days to help you get by.
• If a covered loss causes you to cancel or stop your trip, you can get up to $1,500 back on your non-refundable passenger fee for your airline, cruise line, train, or another common carrier.

Cardholder Experience

In J.D. Power's 2021 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study, USAA ranked 886 out of 1000. Considering the one-of-a-kind character of USAA, the firm does not appear in any rankings. If rankings were done, however, it would have placed first with this score.

You may contact USAA's helpful customer support staff via their mobile app if you have any questions. Members can access 24/7 secure messaging and live chat support while signing into their accounts. This card might be helpful if you ever become a victim of identity theft.

Protection Mechanisms

When using the USAA website or USAA mobile app, you may quickly and conveniently put a hold on your card. No one else can use your card after it has been blocked, but any transactions already in process will go through.

However, any future automatic charges will be denied. If card loss, theft, or fraud occurs, a new card will be mailed to you the next business day. However, fees might be included. You may use your USAA card at chip and PIN terminals in other countries with no problems.

Our Verdict

The USAA Preferred Cash Rewards credit card has a small pool of potential users because it is offered only to current USAA members and those who meet the criteria to join and are accepted as USAA members.

However, there are benefits for those who qualify. It's a no-brainer perk that gives you 1.5% cash back forever as long as your account is active. However, cardholders may still take advantage of several perks often reserved for cards with such a cost.