You Choose For Me: Navy Federal Platinum Or nRewards Card

[stan_the_man]

Here's the deal. I have a USA Fed CC that's converting to a Navy Federal CC and I'm looking to crowdsource my card decision. The USA Fed card currently has a $15k limit.

How I'm going to use the card:

• This card is going to serve as my primarily non-Amex network card and will normall by my #3 card behind my Amex Blue and Premier Rewards Gold cards.
• Rewards are worthless to me for this card because I will likely take years before I reach the minimum threadhold based on my expected monthly spending ($100/month)
• While I don't ever expect to carry a balance, I should qualify for the lowest-available interest rate Navy Federal offers on either card and that card should become my lowest interest rate card (current lowest APR is 13.15%)
• I don't expect to make any balance transfers

Here's my current cards:

• Amex Blue - $12k limit
• Amex HHonors - $12.2k limit
• Amex Cash Rewards - $2k limit
• Amex Premier Rewards Gold (converting to Zync after first year)
• Macy's Amex - $10k limit
• Chase United Mileage Plus Visa (no annual fee but it has reduced rewards) - $13.1k limit
• HSBC GM Card Mastercard - $300 limit

Full details on Navy Federal's cards can be found here:

https://www.navyfederal.org/products-services/cards/creditcards/creditcards.php

Feel free to ask me any questions. Also, both cards are available as a Visa- or Mastercard-network card. Which network should I choose?

For background, my decision is basically an extention of this thread four months later (after that thread, I app'd USA Fed to get into Navy Federal, and app'd and received two new Amex cards to add DW as an AU and give her two new clean 10+ year old trade lines).

[Anonymous]

I'll say that the NFCU Platinum seems made for you. It should net you the lowest APR available, no annual fees, extended warranty coverage & access to NFCUs concierge service. Given the amount of $$$ that you plan to spend annually, I think you can comfortably forgo a rewards card. And, you'll get the extended warranty coverage with either the Visa or Mastercard.

I've got two nRewards cards (1 Visa & 1 MC) that I like alot. The Visa is one of my "go to" cards, and I've been using the Mastercard as a means of getting more bang for my medical buck. I use this one for all medical expenses & get reimbursed from my Flexible Spending Account (instead of using my flexible spending account MC). I PIF so the rewards really are free on necessary expenses. If you've got some recurring expenses that you can stick on the card, you might come out better with the nRewards card. Otherwise, I'd stick with the Platinum.

[DaveinSC]

Stan,

I'm in the same boat that you're in..my 15K USAFCU Visa will convert over to what I suppose will be a NFCU NRewards card...I haven't seen anything about a platinum card option, though I know that they're available from NFCU.   In a letter I received from NFCU, I read that my current interest rate from USAFCU will transfer over to my NFCU credit card.  That's a current rate of 9.75%.  You stated; "I should qualify for the lowest-available interest rate Navy Federal offers on either card and that card should become my lowest interest rate card (current lowest APR is 13.15%)". Does that mean that your current personal CC lowest rate is 13.15%, or that you believe that NFCU's lowest rate is 13.15%?  Just curious.

[stan_the_man]

My current lowest interest rate is 13.15% from Chase. I have no clue what the USA Fed interest rate is.

Stan

[JMN]

I think the Navy Federal Visa Platinum would be best for you. I have both the Visa Platinum and Visa nRewards from them, and enjoy both, but if you're not going to be spending a lot and want a lower interest rate, the Visa Platinum would be best for you.

I got an APR of like 7.99% or something on it, and it was my first $20k+ card.

[Anonymous]

I joined Navy simply so I could grab one of these.  I have no need for another straight 1% cash back card.  You can get those anywhere, but where else can you get something that looks this nice...other than NASA and Lockheed?  They're on my list as well.  

[MarineVietVet]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I joined Navy simply so I could grab one of these.  I have no need for another straight 1% cash back card.  You can get those anywhere, but where else can you get something that looks this nice...other than NASA and Lockheed?  They're on my list as well.  

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I do like that picture!

Semper Fi

[JMN]

I've got this one:

And then I've got the standard nRewards Visa design for the rewards card.

[Datx]

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@JMN wrote:

I've got this one:

And then I've got the standard nRewards Visa design for the rewards card.

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This would be the one I would've picked if I qualified for a NFCU Plat card. Same background in the MC version since I already have their nRewards Visa and would want one of each.