How Does LendingTree Get Paid?
LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
|
Advertising Disclosure
LendingTree is an advertising-supported comparison service. The site features products from our partners as well as institutions which are not advertising partners. While we make an effort to include the best deals available to the general public, we make no warranty that such information represents all available products. We are compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order).

Advertising Disclosure

LendingTree is an advertising-supported comparison service. The site features products from our partners as well as institutions which are not advertising partners. While we make an effort to include the best deals available to the general public, we make no warranty that such information represents all available products. We are compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order).
|
American Express Disclosure
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

American Express Disclosure

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card Review

Updated on:
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
LendingTree's Review

How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?

Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.
3.9
Bank of America<sup>®</sup> Premium Rewards<sup>®</sup> credit card
Sign-Up Bonus
60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Rewards Rate
2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases. 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Extra Perks
Get up to $100 in Airline Incidental Statement Credits annually and TSA PreCheck®/Global Entry Statement Credits of up to $100, every four years
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It was not reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through a credit card issuer partnership.

Who is the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card best for?

The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card is an amazing card if you have big deposits with Bank of America or Merrill Lynch via Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards® program as those cardholders get a boosted rewards rate. Plus, the card offers numerous traveler protections that are normally found on high-annual-fee travel rewards cards.

Depending on your level in Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards® program, you can earn up to 3.5 points per dollar spent on travel and dining purchases and 2.625 points per dollar spent on all other purchases. There isn’t another credit card that offers that level of rewards with an uncapped potential.

Plus, cardholders have the option of redeeming their rewards as deposits into a Bank of America checking or savings account, or as a credit to eligible Merrill Edge and Merrill Lynch accounts (including 529 accounts).

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card overview

    • Low $95 annual fee.
    • Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
    • Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. No limit to the points you can earn and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
    • If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means you could earn 2.5-3.5 points on travel and dining purchases and 1.87 - 2.62 points on all other purchases, for every $1 you spend.
    • Redeem for cash back as a statement credit, deposit into eligible Bank of America® accounts, credit to eligible Merrill® accounts, or gift cards or purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center.
    • Get up to $100 in Airline Incidental Statement Credits annually and TSA PreCheck®/Global Entry Statement Credits of up to $100, every four years.
    • Travel Insurance protections to assist with trip delays, cancellations and interruptions, baggage delays and lost luggage.
    • No foreign transaction fees.
    • This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
  • Recommended Credit
    Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion
  • 660 720 850
    Good / Excellent
  • Trip delay reimbursement
  • Trip cancellation/interruption
  • Baggage delay
  • Lost luggage reimbursement
  • Travel accident insurance
  • Travel and emergency assistance services
  • Emergency evacuation and transportation coverage
  • Purchase security
  • Return protection
  • Auto rental collision damage waiver
  • Roadside dispatch program
  • Free FICO® Score

Intro Purchase APR

XX.XX% - XX.XX% Variable APR

Regular Purchase APR

XX.XX% - XX.XX% Variable APR

Intro BT APR

XX.XX% - XX.XX% Variable APR

Regular BT APR

XX.XX% - XX.XX% Variable APR

Annual Fee

$95

Cash Advance Fee

See Terms

Foreign Transaction Fee

None

Balance Transfer Fee

4% of the amount of each transaction

Pros and cons of the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card

Pros

  • Sign-up bonus
  • Annual travel credits
  • Foreign transaction fee: None
  • Points earning bonus for Preferred Rewards members (those with Bank of America® deposit and/or Merrill® investment accounts)

Cons

  • Annual fee
  • No intro APR offers
  • Low rewards rate on purchases other than dining and travel for non-Preferred Rewards members

What we like about the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card

  • Statement credits

    Despite a $95 annual fee, the benefits of the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card more than cover it. You get up to a $100 yearly airline credit — automatically applied to your card statement — to cover things like seat upgrades, baggage fees, in-flight services and airline lounge fees. On top of that, you get up to $100 to cover enrollment fees for TSA Precheck or Global Entry every four years.

  • Sign-up bonus

    New cardholders can earn 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

  • Enhanced rewards

    Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards® members can also boost their points rewards, earning between a 25% to 75% bonus on every purchase. This translates up to 3.5 points per $1 on travel and dining purchases and up to 2.62 points per $1 on all other purchases.  And your points don’t expire.

  • Rewards redemption options

    Cardholders also get flexibility with how they redeem points. It can be cash back as a statement credit or deposited into eligible Bank of America® or Merrill Lynch® accounts, including checking, savings and 529 college savings plans. Cash back can also be redeemed for buy travel, including air, car rentals and hotels, through the Bank of America Travel Center or redeemed for gift cards.

  • Extensive travel benefits

    Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card cardholders are covered when it comes to travel mishaps, such as lost luggage, trip delays, medical emergencies and trip cancellations.

What to watch out for with the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card

  • Annual fee

    The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card comes with a $95 annual fee.

  • No loyalty program transfer partners

    You can’t transfer your points to airline or hotel loyalty programs. Instead, you’re moved to the Bank of America’s Travel Center website for purchases, although you do get more value for your points when booking on the site.

  • No intro APR offers

    The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card does not offer an intro APR deal for either purchases or balance transfers.  If you do choose to transfer a balance to the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card, you will incur a balance transfer fee of 4% of the amount of each transaction After, an APR of XX.XX% - XX.XX% Variable APR will apply.

Alternate rewards card to the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card

Compare it to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

| Disclosures
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
apply-now-icon Apply Now
on Capital One's secure site
Rates & Fees
N/A
19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)
$95
2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 5 Miles per
  • Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
  • Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
  • For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by third parties such as Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as certain terms, conditions, and exclusions apply
660 720 850
Good / Excellent

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

 

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a similar annual fee of $95. 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. You also earn 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Both cards allow you to use your points to fly any airline or stay at any hotel with no blackout dates. Your miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn. And both cards charge foreign exchange fees of none.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card also offers auto rental collision damage waivers, travel accident insurance, Visa Concierge service, and extended warranty protection on eligible items purchased with your card. But it doesn’t offer Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card benefits, like reimbursement for trip delay/cancellation/interruption or baggage delay and return protection when you’re dissatisfied with an item bought with the card.

*To see rates & fees for Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, please click here.

Is the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card right for you?

The trick to getting the best bang for the buck from the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card is to use it for travel and dining purchases to get the higher rewards rate. Leverage those points further by enrolling in Bank of America’s Premium Rewards program and get between a 25% and 75% point bonus.

Take full advantage of the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card’s $100 yearly airline credit and the $100 credit for TSA Precheck or Global Entry enrollment fees, either of which can cover the card’s $95 annual fee.

In terms of deciding whether this card is best for you, you should consider if you can meet the minimum spending requirement to get the bonus and where you generally spend money on day-to-day purchases.

If you have big travel aspirations and want a credit card with points you can redeem directly into airline miles, you may want to take a look at a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card ($95 annual fee), which will offer you many more options.

However, if you primarily travel in economy and have little flexibility with your dates, then a card that lets you use your points like cash for travel, the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card will do the trick.

apply-now-icon Apply Now
on Bank Of America's secure site

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by third parties such as Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as certain terms, conditions, and exclusions apply.

The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.