Jun 14, 2014, 11:24 am
Last edit by: MDtR-Chicago
This thread is for discussion of the PenFed Premium Travel Rewards Amex Card, described here: https://www.penfed.org/PenFed-Premium-Travel-Rewards-American-Express-Card/
No annual fee
Earn 5 points on airfare purchases
Earn 1 point on all other purchases
20,000 bonus points when you spend $2,500 within the first 3 months of opening the Card account
There are several similarly named PenFed cards. Please see the chart at the top of the
Master Thread: PenFed Family of Cards + Chip & PIN Questions to make sure you post in the correct thread!
No annual fee
Earn 5 points on airfare purchases
Earn 1 point on all other purchases
20,000 bonus points when you spend $2,500 within the first 3 months of opening the Card account
There are several similarly named PenFed cards. Please see the chart at the top of the
Master Thread: PenFed Family of Cards + Chip & PIN Questions to make sure you post in the correct thread!
PenFed Premium Travel Rewards AmEx [5x/3x/1x, $0 fee, 20K bonus]
Sep 12, 2010, 8:16 pm
#47
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: UA 1K, DL Platinum, BA Gold
Posts: 181
Is the foreign transaction fee no longer waived with this card? I just saw a posting on Nerd Wallet that states they now charge a 2% fee with this card. It was posted on August 30. However, when calling PenFed, they still state that there is no foreign transaction.
Have any of you current cardholders heard anything? I just applied for the card today, but if they no longer waive the foreign transaction fees, I may have to reevaluate.
Have any of you current cardholders heard anything? I just applied for the card today, but if they no longer waive the foreign transaction fees, I may have to reevaluate.
Sep 13, 2010, 9:15 am
#48
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Programs: DL PM, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,367
Is the foreign transaction fee no longer waived with this card? I just saw a posting on Nerd Wallet that states they now charge a 2% fee with this card. It was posted on August 30. However, when calling PenFed, they still state that there is no foreign transaction.
Have any of you current cardholders heard anything? I just applied for the card today, but if they no longer waive the foreign transaction fees, I may have to reevaluate.
Have any of you current cardholders heard anything? I just applied for the card today, but if they no longer waive the foreign transaction fees, I may have to reevaluate.
Sep 19, 2010, 10:06 pm
#49
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, PC Platinum, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 321
Has anyone tried booking the $1000+ (more like 5-6K) ticket and then calling the airline directly and canceling or taking a lower fare ticket and taking the voucher for the rest of the money? I guess it will the same as the Thank you points
Sep 20, 2010, 11:51 am
#50
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: PBI
Programs: DL 2.8 MM/PM, AA MM/GLD, Marriott LT Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,746
There is a new promotion offering 2 points on all other purchases with this card:
https://www.penfed.org/productsAndRa...Cards/amex.asp
https://www.penfed.org/productsAndRa...Cards/amex.asp
Oct 11, 2010, 10:22 pm
#52
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: JFK
Posts: 255
They don't give details when you get the card either, there is no explanation of benefits, they printed out 30 pages for me and mailed it. I don't have it handy now, but I vaguely remember it wasn't much of a benefit, you can call and check. I was interested in the overseas medical evacuation benefit, it seems not bad comparable to what you might buy when you travel, but there is no medical coverage component to this.
Oct 12, 2010, 11:28 am
#53
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL, HH, SPG, AMEX
Posts: 61
Oct 13, 2010, 3:19 am
#54
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Worldwide
Programs: Amex Plat, BMI Silver
Posts: 401
Roadside Assistance and Car Rental Insurance Coverage.
As a Cardmember, our roadside assistance covers you in your own car or any car you drive virtually anywhere in the world. Charge a rental car to the Card and you also receive automatic coverage for damage to due collision or theft.
Roadside Assistance services are provided by AXA Assistance USA. Certain conditions and restrictions apply. For complete program details on Roadside Assistance services please refer to your Benefits Guide.
Oct 13, 2010, 12:43 pm
#55
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: YYZ
Programs: AA LT Plat, AC 25K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,137
On the website:
Roadside Assistance and Car Rental Insurance Coverage.
As a Cardmember, our roadside assistance covers you in your own car or any car you drive virtually anywhere in the world. Charge a rental car to the Card and you also receive automatic coverage for damage to due collision or theft.
Roadside Assistance services are provided by AXA Assistance USA. Certain conditions and restrictions apply. For complete program details on Roadside Assistance services please refer to your Benefits Guide.
Roadside Assistance and Car Rental Insurance Coverage.
As a Cardmember, our roadside assistance covers you in your own car or any car you drive virtually anywhere in the world. Charge a rental car to the Card and you also receive automatic coverage for damage to due collision or theft.
Roadside Assistance services are provided by AXA Assistance USA. Certain conditions and restrictions apply. For complete program details on Roadside Assistance services please refer to your Benefits Guide.
Oct 19, 2010, 12:29 am
#56
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Varies :-)
Programs: AS; AA; UA; DL; VS; BA; Nat'l Emer. Exec.; AGR
Posts: 2,250
Does PenFed require employer name to apply for their card? A family member who is ex-military might be my way into PenFed, but I don't want to go through becoming a member and then not be able to get a card. Citi just asks for household income.
Oct 20, 2010, 3:58 pm
#57
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2
Something that might be key for me in considering this card is whether I can get the 5% return on business-travel (not, alas, class) airfare purchases made via my employer's travel agency (Egencia, basically the corporate version of Expedia). I didn't see anything explicit about this on their website, one way or the other.
Oct 20, 2010, 6:18 pm
#58
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southern California
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, HH Gold, SPG Gold, National EC Executive, AA Platinum
Posts: 606
Joining PenFed - easy
I joined this week for $5. I applied and self-qualified through Option #6 American Red Cross.
https://www.penfed.org/howToJoin/overview.asp
(You are eligible to become a member of Pentagon Federal if you are an employee or volunteer of the American Red Cross.) Since I donate blood, I figure that qualifies me as a volunteer of the American Red Cross.
There is no verification process nor did I have to supply or was I asked for any Red Cross volunteer number, etc.
https://www.penfed.org/howToJoin/overview.asp
(You are eligible to become a member of Pentagon Federal if you are an employee or volunteer of the American Red Cross.) Since I donate blood, I figure that qualifies me as a volunteer of the American Red Cross.
There is no verification process nor did I have to supply or was I asked for any Red Cross volunteer number, etc.
Oct 27, 2010, 3:26 pm
#59
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: SFO, OAK
Programs: AA, BA, WN CP, CO, AK, LH, DL, UA, VS, SPG, IHG, Hyatt, Hilton, Carlson, Fairmont Lifetime Plat
Posts: 106
30K bonus point opportunity for current card holders
If you currently hold the PenFed Travel Amex, watch your email for an opportunity to get 30K bonus points with $650 spend between 11/1/10 and 12/31/10. The email points out that I haven't been using the card much (since my initial spend for the bonus back in April when I first got the card).
Nov 16, 2010, 5:23 pm
#60
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: SFO, OAK
Programs: AA, BA, WN CP, CO, AK, LH, DL, UA, VS, SPG, IHG, Hyatt, Hilton, Carlson, Fairmont Lifetime Plat
Posts: 106
If you currently hold the PenFed Travel Amex, watch your email for an opportunity to get 30K bonus points with $650 spend between 11/1/10 and 12/31/10. The email points out that I haven't been using the card much (since my initial spend for the bonus back in April when I first got the card).