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The USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card is a travel rewards card issued by USAA, which is a financial services firm that offers products and services to military members, veterans and eligible family members. Not only is this card the first travel-specific credit card from this issuer, but it's also the first credit card from USAA to charge an annual fee.
Right now, new cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of account opening, and get a one-time statement credit of $95 after making any purchase within 90 days of account opening. This initial credit offsets the $95 annual fee during your first year of card ownership.
USAA Eagle Navigator Visa Signature Credit Card Review
Quite a few features help the USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card stand out, including its included travel benefits and travel insurance protections and exceptional rewards rate for everyday spending. Note, however, that the high APR on this card makes it a poor option for carrying a balance — especially when you compare it to other top USAA credit cards that feature $0 annual fees and introductory APR offers.
Also keep in mind that your options for redeeming points will be more limited with this card than with other top rewards credit cards. You can't transfer points to travel partners; the best-value option is simply to redeem points for travel directly through USAA.
As USAA serves military members and their families, not everyone will be eligible for this card. If you don't qualify, consider the picks on our list of the best travel credit cards — there are plenty of excellent options.
$95
N/A
19.65% - 27.90% variable
Earn 30,000 bonus points
Good, Excellent
- Simple rewards structure
- Good annual bonus
- Statement credit to use towards the TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry® fee
- Limited to current or former military and eligible family members
- Must be a USAA® member, or become a member, to apply. USAA proudly offers membership to current and former military, as well as their spouses and dependents.
- Intro Offer: Earn 30,000 bonus points ($300 travel value) after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of account opening.
- 3X points on travel purchases - triple your points on tolls, rideshares, hotels, vacation rentals, flights and more.
- 2X points on everyday purchases - double your points on groceries, gas, dining, bills and more.
- Earn a one-time $95 statement credit when you make your first purchase within 90 days of account opening.
- Earn 10,000 bonus points every year - applies after you complete eligible hotel or car booking. That's equal to a $100 travel value.
- Up to $120 credit towards TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry® fee every four years.
- Enjoy valuable travel benefits and protection, including Auto Rental Coverage, Travel Accident Coverage, Trip Interruption Coverage, Baggage Delay Reimbursement, Purchase Security and Cell Phone Protection.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Points never expire for the life of the account and there are no spend caps on point earning.
- Redeem points your way, on your schedule.
- A fee of 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, cash advance and convenience check applies.
- 19.65% to 27.90% variable regular APR.
- $95 annual fee.
- See Rates and Fees for details.
- Terms and Restrictions apply. See the Guide to Benefits and Reward Terms and Conditions on USAA’s website for details.
USAA Eagle Navigator Visa Card Rewards
It's not surprising that the USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card offers more rewards on travel-related purchases than on regular spending. That said, rewards are redeemable for several flexible options in addition to travel purchases.
Earning Rewards
The USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card keeps rewards relatively simple by offering:
- 3x points on travel including air, hotel, car and vacation rentals, rideshare, tolls, and more
- 2x points on other purchases
Note that, when it comes to earning rewards for travel through this card, quite a few purchases qualify and they don't have to be made through USAA. The fine print on the card says the following purchases can qualify for 3x points per dollar spent: "Airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, vacation rentals, cruise lines, travel agencies, third party travel websites (including the USAA Rewards Center), car rental agencies, taxis, rideshares, limousines, buses, ferries, boat rentals, parking lots, parking meters and garages, tolls and bridge fees, passenger trains, campgrounds, recreational trailer parks, motorhome and recreational vehicle rentals, truck and trailer rentals."
Redeeming Rewards
You can redeem rewards from the USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card for the following options:
- Travel booked through USAA
- Merchandise
- Gift cards
- Statement credits
- Electronic deposits for eligible USAA accounts
- Charitable contributions
When it comes to redeeming rewards, a major downside of this card is the fact that points are only redeemable through the card issuer. This may not be a big deal if you plan to redeem your points for flexible options like gift cards or statement credits, but it makes rewards points considerably less flexible among those who want to redeem their points for travel.
Also be aware that reward values can vary depending on the redemption made. For example, points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for travel, yet the value will be only 0.7 cents per point for cash back. This means you can redeem 10,000 points for $100 in travel but you'll only get $70 in rewards value if you redeem for statement credits.
USAA Eagle Navigator Card Benefits and Features
The USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card comes with a handful of benefits that make it more valuable for consumers, especially considering its $95 annual fee.
Welcome Bonus
Right now, there is a welcome bonus of 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of account opening, worth $300 if redeemed for travel through USAA or $210 if redeemed as cash back.
One-Time Statement Credit
As of October 2024, cardholders can get a one-time statement credit of $95 after making any purchase within 90 days of account opening. The transaction must post to the credit card account within the 90-day window.
Annual Points Bonus for Booking Travel
This card gives you an annual bonus of 10,000 points when you book a hotel or car rental through the USAA Rewards Center.
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
This coverage is good for eligible car rentals worldwide for up to 31 consecutive days. You can decline insurance offered through a rental car company but still get protection through this benefit (when you pay with this card).
Baggage Delay Coverage
Get coverage worth up to $100 per day for up to three days when your bags are delayed and you paid for travel with a common carrier with your card.
Cell Phone Protection
This coverage is worth up to $500 when you pay your cell phone bill with your credit card.
Concierge Services
Get complimentary concierge services when you need help with travel arrangements, concert tickets, and more.
Extended Warranties
Get an additional year of warranty coverage on items purchased that come with a manufacturer's warranty of three years or less.
Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
Get a credit worth up to $120 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® membership every four years.
Purchase Protection
Get coverage against damage or theft for eligible items for 90 days from the purchase date. Coverage is worth up to $1,000 per claim and up to $10,000 per cardholder.
Travel Accident Insurance
This coverage applies to loss of life or limb and is worth up to $500,000 depending on the loss.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
Get coverage for eligible trip cancellations and interruptions worth up to $1,500 per person when eligible travel is charged to the card.
USAA Eagle Navigator Card Annual Fee and Other Costs
The USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card has an annual fee of $95. The card also has other common fees and charges found on most credit cards.
$95
N/A
19.65% - 27.90% variable
Earn 30,000 bonus points
Good, Excellent
- Simple rewards structure
- Good annual bonus
- Statement credit to use towards the TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry® fee
- Limited to current or former military and eligible family members
- Must be a USAA® member, or become a member, to apply. USAA proudly offers membership to current and former military, as well as their spouses and dependents.
- Intro Offer: Earn 30,000 bonus points ($300 travel value) after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of account opening.
- 3X points on travel purchases - triple your points on tolls, rideshares, hotels, vacation rentals, flights and more.
- 2X points on everyday purchases - double your points on groceries, gas, dining, bills and more.
- Earn a one-time $95 statement credit when you make your first purchase within 90 days of account opening.
- Earn 10,000 bonus points every year - applies after you complete eligible hotel or car booking. That's equal to a $100 travel value.
- Up to $120 credit towards TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry® fee every four years.
- Enjoy valuable travel benefits and protection, including Auto Rental Coverage, Travel Accident Coverage, Trip Interruption Coverage, Baggage Delay Reimbursement, Purchase Security and Cell Phone Protection.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Points never expire for the life of the account and there are no spend caps on point earning.
- Redeem points your way, on your schedule.
- A fee of 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, cash advance and convenience check applies.
- 19.65% to 27.90% variable regular APR.
- $95 annual fee.
- See Rates and Fees for details.
- Terms and Restrictions apply. See the Guide to Benefits and Reward Terms and Conditions on USAA’s website for details.
USAA Eagle Navigator Card Comparison
Even if you're a military member or veteran who wants to use products from USAA, you should still look at cards from other issuers. Not only can the rewards value be higher for some purchases, but rewards may also come with more flexibility overall — especially when it comes to travel.
Consider how the USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card compares to the following card options:
USAA Eagle Navigator vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also charges a $95 annual fee, yet it has a unique rewards rate and more valuable rewards overall. First off, this card starts new members off with 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening and get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year, whereas the USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card offers 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of account opening. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also earns 5x points on travel booked through Chase, 3x points on dining, online grocery purchases and select streaming services, 2x points on other travel, and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
Cardholders get benefits like 25% more value for points when redeeming for travel through Chase, a $50 annual hotel benefit, and ample travel insurance protections. More importantly, Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for flexible options like cash back, statement credits, merchandise, gift cards, travel through Chase or 1:1 point transfers to Chase airline and hotel partners.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Review
USAA Eagle Navigator vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card also charges a $95 annual fee (rates and fees), yet it starts new cardholders off with 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Regular purchases earn a flat rate of 2x miles, and cardholders get 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One.
Like the USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers a fee credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® membership. Cardholders get to redeem their miles for flexible options, however, including statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, travel through Capital One Travel, or point transfers to Capital One airline and hotel partners.
This means that, just like with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, miles earned with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card are considerably more flexible when redeemed for travel and other options.
Capital One Venture Rewards Card Review
USAA Eagle Navigator Card Frequently Asked Questions
The points you earn from the USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card won't expire as long as your account is open and in good standing.
Point values vary based on how you redeem. For example, 10,000 points earned with the USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card are worth $100 in travel or $70 in cash back.
The USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card is a good option for international travel since it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees on overseas purchases. This is also a Visa credit card, which means it benefits from high acceptance rates among merchants around the world.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed the USAA Eagle Navigator Card
When reviewing the USAA Eagle Navigator® Credit Card, we evaluated the card's merits against the five key categories referenced in how we rate credit cards.
These five important categories include a card's welcome bonus offer (20%), annual fee (20%), rewards rates (20%), using rewards (20%) and benefits (20%). Note that we compare a given credit card to other similar cards, so we wouldn't expect the same perks on a no-annual-fee credit card and a premium credit card.
