Hello everyone,
I was wondering if anyone has the PenFed Pathfinder card. I was curious of the ease of booking travel through their portal, and if the points are even worth it.
I currently have a PenFed PCR, 5k with 2% CB, so was thinking of taking a single hard pull for both the PCR CLI and app for the Pathfinder.
We have a vacation coming up (with the cash to pay it off immediately) and was wondering if the Pathfinder, if approved, was a good choice to use.
Here's where I'm at with EQ, per myFico:
- CH7, filled 3/2021, discharged 6/2021
- EQ9 - 678 (should go up after utilization reports 0%??)
- Utilization - 68% reporting, all paid to $0, will report new utilization first of April
- Mission Lane - $1,100 CL ($59 AF)
- Mercury - $2,100 CL
- CapOne Quicksilver - $300 CL
- Kohls - $700 CL
- PenFed PCR - $5,000 CL
- Discover - $2,600 CL
- Inquiries - 1
- 6/24, 0/12 when app in April (including Kohls charge card)
- Credit History - 9 years
- Late Payments - 4, latest 2017, student loans (all paid off). None others.
- 2 car loans
I'm also looking at Venture/VentureOne and will take any advice on the Pathfinder or any card I can get a SUB and use for regular use for travel points.
I appreciate everyone's help.
I have the Pathfinder, though it is pretty new to me. I just looked up an upcoming hotel stay - it is $534 total through their portal vs $529 direct, thus the portal price (in this case) works out to be almost exactly .85 cents per point. This is the same value as most of the gift cards carry, with a few being on sale for 1 cent per point.
I am sure others with more personal experience can chime in as far as travel value, as apparently greater value can be had, but this is how I look at the Pathfinder: If I absolutely over-analyze it, keeping $500 in their Access America checking account results in an opportunity cost loss of $16.25 per year (based on earning .15% vs my uncapped HYSA earning 3.4%). So for a $16.25 yearly opportunity cost loss, the $95 annual fee is waived, it earns 4X instead of 3X on travel (meaning 3.4% minimum return), and we get a $100 airline ancillary credit. Since we are not loyal to any airline, that $100 is easily used on checked bags - 2023's credit is already used.
What I'm getting at: Pathfinder can be a solid card even if it is not used often, especially if you are willing to park $500 (or do direct deposits) and can use the $100 airline ancillary credit. Even if we only use the card for checked bags, we are ahead ~$85 per year. Very few cards offer such potential return on almost no spend.
Capital One will be more flexible - you can use their portal or you can utilize transfer partners. This is speaking very generally, but Capital One / Chase / Citi / Amex are more known for reward points. Which one would be the best will vary for everybody. Not trying to talk you out of Pathfinder at all - if you acquire it and end up not seeing sufficient value or flexibility from the points, it can still be worth keeping even if you move onto another points system for most of your spend.
If you're looking at Capital One, it is likely at least worth looking at Venture X. P2 got one a few months ago and we already found a good use of the $300 annual travel credit, lucking out by finding a booking that was actually a little bit less through the portal than going direct. But it comes down to how much you travel - if you do one trip per year, you may not luck out in finding a good use for this credit. But if you do a few trips, then chances are at least one will be a decent price through the portal. Couple this with the 10k points on card anniversary and other perks, for us at least it is well worth the annual fee.
APR 
P2 Chopping Block 
@okurosetta thank you for the explanation and thought process regarding the Pathfinder card, i'm interested in eventually applying fir it since i'm already a member with PENFED and also hace the access america account, rendering the card a no annual fee one.
i do have a question regarding the $100 airline ancillary credit, can i use that credit to pay for the airport loung visits? i understand the card gives you a Complimentary Priority Pass Airport Lounge Annual Membership but each visit is about $30 bucks, was wondering if i could use that credit for it.
thanks again!
@jibc1978 wrote:@okurosetta thank you for the explanation and thought process regarding the Pathfinder card, i'm interested in eventually applying fir it since i'm already a member with PENFED and also hace the access america account, rendering the card a no annual fee one.
i do have a question regarding the $100 airline ancillary credit, can i use that credit to pay for the airport loung visits? i understand the card gives you a Complimentary Priority Pass Airport Lounge Annual Membership but each visit is about $30 bucks, was wondering if i could use that credit for it.
thanks again!
There is a very helpful PDF available on the PenFed website: https://www.penfed.org/content/dam/penfed/general/pdf/creditcardpdfs/Visa/penfed-pathfinder-travel-c...
According to the above terms, the credit will only cover a charge made through an eligible airline. So a lounge pass would be covered if you were taking (as an example, but not limited to) a United flight and wanted to pay to access United Club, as it would be billed by United, one of the eligible airlines. But it would not be covered if you want to access a Priority Pass lounge, as it would not be billed by one of the eligible airlines.
Here is a copy + paste from the above linked PDF (my emphasis added):
"To receive statement credits of up to $100 per calendar year toward incidental air travel fees, the fees must be charged on the eligible card account by select U.S. domestic airlines. Currently, such U.S. domestic airlines include: Alaskan Air, American Air, Delta Air, Frontier Air, Hawaiian Air, JetBlue, Southwest Air, United Air, and Virgin America."
"Incidental air travel fees include charges from the airline such as baggage fees, flight-change fees, in-flight food and beverage purchases, airport lounge day-passes, pet-kennel fee, and phone reservation fees."