Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards Review

Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards Review Summary

Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards is the 12th best credit card rewards program, according to WalletHub's latest comparison, receiving 83 points out of a possible 100. The NFCU Rewards program features several credit cards with rewards points, such as the Navy Federal Credit Union GO REWARDS® Credit Card. It also has one cash back card, the Navy Federal Credit Union cashRewards Credit Card.

Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards points are generally worth 1 cent apiece. There are plenty of redemption options, from statement credits to travel to gift cards.

Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards Review Scorecard

#19 for Earning Policies
#14 for Redemption Policies
#1 for Rewards Value per Point
#1 for Eligibility & Transparency

Best Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards Credit Cards

Summary: Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards Scores by Review Category

How to Earn Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards

Category Rating: 77% (23/30)

You will earn at least one rewards point or 1% cash back in return for every dollar you spend with a Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards credit card. Choosing the right credit card and using it strategically can enable you to earn even more points, and there’s no limit on how many points you can earn.

Noteworthy Features:

• No expiration: Most NFCU rewards never expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. The sole exception is the Navy Federal Credit Union nRewards® Secured Credit Card, which has rewards that expire 4 years after they are earned.

• Extra rewards at certain merchants: Cardholders can earn up to 15X points or 15% back per dollar spent when using a Navy Federal Credit Card to shop at Blue Nile®, FTD®, VRBO® and other retailers through Member Deals.
  

Earning Restrictions: There are currently no notable earning restrictions with the NFCU Rewards credit cards that offer points. On the cash back card, cardholders earn a bit less cash back (1.5% vs. 1.75%) if they don’t have an NFCU bank account set up for direct deposit of pay from an employer or government benefits.

How to Redeem Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards

Category Rating: 50% (10/20)

The Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards program gives you a number of redemption options, including cash back, travel, gift cards and merchandise. All Navy Federal Credit Union redemption methods offer the same value for your rewards. Therefore, the best redemption method depends on your individual spending habits and what you want to get in exchange for your rewards. Below, you can learn more about the different redemption options.

Travel

You can book new travel through NFCU’s booking tool in your online account.

Cash Back

Cash back redemption can take the form of a statement credit or a direct deposit to your savings account.

Gift Cards

You can spend your rewards to get gift cards of various denominations from popular retailers.

Merchandise

The NFCU Rewards program allows you to use your rewards to purchase various items online.

Redemption Restrictions to Watch Out For:

• Limited options on cash back card: The Navy Federal Credit Union cashRewards Credit Card only allows you to redeem for a statement credit or bank deposit. With this card, $1 in cash back rewards = a $1 statement credit or deposit.

• Secured card restrictions: The Navy Federal Credit Union nRewards® Secured Credit Card does not allow cardholders to redeem their rewards for travel.

No transfer partners: Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards does not offer the ability to transfer points to the loyalty programs of any merchants.

Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards Value per point

Category Rating: 100% (30/30)

NFCU Rewards points are worth 1 cent each. Cards that participate in the rewards program also offer different amounts of points for different types of purchases. Depending on the card, you may earn 1 point to 3 points / $1.

With the Navy Federal Credit Union cashRewards Credit Card, $1 in rewards = $1 in cash back. You will earn 1.75% back on all purchases if you have an NFCU account with direct deposit set up, or 1.5% back if you don’t.

 

Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards Eligibility & Transparency

Category Rating: 100% (20/20)

All Navy Federal Credit Union credit cards are in the credit union’s rewards program. Most cards have full NFCU Rewards rights, meaning all major redemption options are available to them. Cards with partial rights have certain redemption options excluded.

Popular Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards Credit Cards

For more information, check out our editors’ latest picks for the best Navy Federal Credit Union credit cards by category.

5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards

Following these tips could mean the difference between earning a free family vacation and only getting enough for a one-way flight:

1. Pick the Right Card & Use it Wisely 
   Some NFCU cards offer bonus rewards if you spend a certain amount within a few months of account opening. Others reward you more for purchases in certain spending categories. And some combine the two. Your job is to find a card that complements your particular needs.
   

2. Redeem regularly
   The whole point of earning credit card rewards is to enjoy the savings they provide. If you just leave your NFCU rewards sitting in your account unused, they won’t do you much good.
   

3. Pay your bill on time every month
   Your NFCU rewards won’t expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing (with the exception of the secured card, where they expire after 4 years). In other words, you have nothing to worry about if you pay your monthly bills on time.
   

4. Pay your bill in full every month
   Paying interest at a credit card’s regular APR will end up costing you more than rewards save you. Paying in full monthly allows you to avoid interest charges.
   

5. Redeem before closing your account
   You will lose any NFCU rewards left unredeemed when you close your account.

 

NFCU Rewards vs. Chase Ultimate Rewards vs. PenFed Rewards Program

Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards Review Methodology

This review of Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards is based on the same methodology as WalletHub’s annual study on the Best Credit Card Rewards Programs. Editor’s ratings reflect the sum of each program’s scores across the study’s four major categories, adjusted to a 5-point scale to create a representative distribution of ratings. The four major categories considered were: Earning Policies, Redemption Policies, Rewards Value per $1 Spent and Eligibility & Transparency.

WalletHub calculated NFCU Rewards point values by comparing the dollar value of redemption items against the number of points needed for each.