The
Priceline Credit Card is a good credit card to consider if your credit score is
700 or higher and you regularly book travel accommodations on Priceline. The card is worth getting for its Priceline rewards and
$0 annual fee. It’s pretty good for gas and restaurant purchases, too.
6 Key Things to Know About the Priceline Credit Card
Valuable initial bonus there for the taking
New cardholders get
15,000 points after spending $500 within the first 90 days. It’s not the biggest bonus around, but it’s easy to get and it can make travel more affordable.
Great Priceline rewards
You will earn
5 points / $1 spent on most Priceline.com purchases made with this card. Those points are worth 1 penny each when you redeem toward a Priceline purchase. That means your Priceline earning rate could be as high as 5%.
Gas stations and restaurant purchases will earn you 2 points / $1 spent, or up to 2% back. All other purchases will get you only
1 point / $1 spent, which is about average for a rewards card, so it’s clear the Priceline Card works best as a Priceline, gas and dining specialist.
There are some exceptions
Not all Priceline.com purchases are equally rewarding for Priceline Visa cardholders. Among the items that are not eligible for the 5-points-per-$1 earning rate are cruise bookings, “Pay When You Stay” hotel bookings and non-Name Your Own Price® car reservations. That might not end up being a big deal, but you should definitely keep it in mind.
Not great for financing
Although the Priceline Rewards Visa Card does offer
0% for 15 months interest on balance transfers, it also has a
5% (min $5) balance-transfer fee and a high regular APR. So it can’t compare to the
market's best offers.
The card’s high regular APR also applies to balances from purchases that you carry from month to month. You need to pay your bill in full monthly to avoid interest charges and ensure this card is worthwhile.
No annual fee
If you’re going to open a credit card just for purchases from a single retailer, app or website, you probably don’t want to pay a fee, as it would be harder to get your money’s worth with limited spending. So, in that sense, it’s good that the Priceline Credit Card doesn’t have an annual fee.
Still, it’s worth noting that some of the
best travel rewards credit cards do charge fees. They just give you more than enough extra rewards – across all purchases – to make up for it.
Must be a brand-loyal frequent traveler with good credit
The Priceline Rewards Visa Credit Card really doesn’t make sense for anyone without a busy travel itinerary. And it won’t help you very much if you can’t commit to booking your travel on Priceline. You simply wouldn’t be able to earn enough or redeem frequently enough for it to be worthwhile.
In addition, the Priceline Credit Card requires good or excellent credit for approval. That means you need a credit score of
700 or higher to have good odds of being approved. You can
check your credit score for free here on WalletHub to see where you stand before applying.
Bottom Line: Is the Priceline Credit Card Worth It?
The Priceline Credit Card isn’t for everyone, but it is worthwhile if your spending habits match up with its bonus reward categories and you don’t plan to use it for financing. To maximize the value of this card, you have to commit to booking travel through Priceline, as you’ll earn rewards at the highest rate and get the best deal when redeeming what you earn. You also need to pay your bill in full by the due date each month, as that will prevent expensive interest charges from ruining your trip to savings land.
Note: This review is not provided, commissioned or endorsed by any issuer. Opinions and ratings are our own.
