Navy Federal More Rewards American Express Card Review

Navy Federal Credit Union gave cardholders something to be excited about in September 2019 with an upgrade to its Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card. The card now offers . Plus, the annual fee is $0.

“The combination of 3X points on groceries, dining and gas and transit makes this a pretty compelling card,” said Matt Schulz, chief industry analyst at CompareCards. “It also helps that the card has no annual fee and a lower-than-usual APR.”

So is this card right for you? Read on for a full breakdown.

In this article:

• Where the Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card stands out
• Additional Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card benefits
• Where the Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card falls short
• Compare it with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• The bottom line

Where the Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card stands out

Generous rewards. Earn 3X points per $1 spent for supermarkets, gas, transit, restaurants and food delivery, and 1 point per $1 spent on everything else. The rate on dining is upgraded from what it used to be, and transit as a rewards category is new. Transit includes purchases at tolls, parking garages, ride-sharing apps, taxis, metro and more.

“For our members, getting to work often means a lot more than filling your gas tank,” said Justin Zeidman, manager of credit card products at Navy Federal Credit Union.

The card has a broad definition of dining as well, including delivery and Uber Eats orders, Zeidman said.

You can redeem points for cash, travel, gift cards and merchandise. Points are generally worth 1 cent each.

Low APR. The regular purchase APR is 9.65% to 18.00% variable. This is significantly lower than many other rewards cards. Plus, the Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card has an introductory rate on purchases — 0.99% intro APR for six months on purchases, then a 9.65% to 18.00% variable APR applies.

No foreign transaction fee. This card’s foreign transaction fee is $0, so you don’t have to worry about racking up extra charges on each purchase if you use it outside the U.S.

Additional Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card benefits

This card has several perks, including:

• The ability to freeze and unfreeze your card.
• Access to your FICO score.
• Flight discounts.
• Up to 25% off car rentals, plus car rental loss and damage insurance.
• Roadside assistance.
• Entertainment access.
• Global Dining Program.

Where the Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card falls short

This card isn’t available to everyone. You have to be a Navy Federal Credit Union member in order to apply. The credit union serves current and retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces, their families and household members, Department of Defense personnel and more.

But don’t write this card off just because of the membership requirement — it might be easier for you to qualify for Navy Federal membership than you think.

“We estimate 150 million people in the U.S. could qualify,” Zeidman said.

Compare it with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

If you’re looking for cash back rewards on grocery store purchases, fuel and transit, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a competitive choice. It charges a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee, but depending on how much you spend each year, the annual fee could be worth it for the generous rewards.

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is on par with the Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card when it comes to the rewards rates for fuel and transit. Where it pulls ahead is supermarket spending, where the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express rewards rate is twice as high as the Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card.

Once you’ve spent about $1,584 in the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express’s 6% categories, you’ve recouped the amount of the annual fee in cash back. Anything after that is money in your pocket.

However, if you aren’t a big spender at the grocery store, you might prefer the Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card. It offers a rewards rate on fuel and transit that’s just as good as the other card, and thanks to its $0 annual fee, you’re earning net cash back right from the start.

	Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card	Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Annual fee	$0	$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95
Regular purchase APR	9.65% to 18.00% variable	13.99%-23.99% Variable
Rewards	3X points per $1 spent for supermarkets, gas, transit, restaurants and food delivery, and 1 point per $1 spent on everything else	6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more), 1% Cash Back on other purchases. Terms apply. Cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit.
Welcome Offer	20,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 within 90 days of account opening	$150 back after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Foreign Transaction Fee	$0	2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

To see rates & fees for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please click here.

The bottom line

For those who qualify for Navy Federal Credit Union membership, the Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card is an attractive rewards card. It offers a generous rewards rate in several useful categories, as well as a range of options for redeeming points.

If you don’t qualify for membership with the credit union, don’t despair. It’s possible to find other cards which offer great rewards in the same categories as the Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card — though you might not find all the categories represented on one card. For more options, check out our guide on the best rewards credit cards available.