Chris was a reporter at The Points Guy, where he covered the intersection of credit card rewards and travel. At TPG, he wrote a broad array of stories ranging from in-depth features and reports to trending travel news as it related to loyalty, card benefits and consumer behavior.
March 07, 2022 9 min read
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As a Visa credit cardholder, you're entitled to everyday card perks and benefits. Visa buckets these benefits into three tiers, depending on what specific card you have and who the card issuer is. The benefits fall into one of the following categories: Visa Traditional, Visa Signature, or Visa Infinite – each with more perks than the last.
Let's dive into exactly what Visa Signature is and how those benefits can impact you.
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Visa Signature is in the middle of the benefits lineup and includes many common cards in the Visa network.
There are several ways to determine if you have a Visa Signature card. First, many cards simply have it in their name (i.e. Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card or the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature). Another way to find out if you have a Visa Signature is by simply looking at it. Most cards have the "Visa Signature" label located somewhere on the physical card. This includes one of the most common Visa Signature cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (it's on the back, in case you were wondering).
The information for the Amazon Prime Rewards and Chase Freedom cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Also, all Visa Signature cards will have a minimum credit limit of $5,000. Keep in mind that with this stipulation, it could mean the same exact card can be both a lower-tier Visa Traditional card and a more benefit-generous Visa Signature card.
For instance, If you're approved for a card like such as the Chase Freedom (no longer open to new applicants) with a credit limit below $5,000, you'll be given Traditional card benefits. However, if your limit is above this threshold, then you'll receive Signature benefits.
Daily Newsletter Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s expertsThe Visa Signature benefits span a wide range, from extra travel and purchase protections to deals and concierge access. Please note that select cards may have different benefits than what is listed here, so please check with your issuer to find exactly what perks they are offering under Visa Signature.
Below is the minimum that Visa Signature-branded cards offer:
In response to the changing nature of consumer habits during the pandemic, Visa added some additional benefits for cardholders:
These cards also offer a number of existing perks to cardholders — though you'll want to check with the bank that issues your specific card to make sure you know the full extent of your benefits.
Travel and emergency assistance services: These include an array of benefits should you need help regarding a trip or emergency situation. These include things such as pre-trip assistance with visas and immunization, emergency transportation assistance, prescription assistance, emergency translation service, legal aid and much more. This perk just covers finding the resource — any actual service rendered would incur a fee. Within the U.S., you can call 1-800-992-6029 to get started. If you're outside the United States, call collect at 1-804-673-1675.
Roadside dispatch: This perk is a pay-per-use roadside assistance program that you can access 24/7 for a set price per service call.
Emergency card replacement: If your card is lost or stolen, Visa will work with your issuing bank to expedite the shipment of a replacement card (generally within 24-72 hours).
Visa Offers and perks: There are many retail partners and benefits that are available to Visa Signature cardholders. These include:
Although Visa Signature cards come with a number of standard benefits (as listed above), some cards may come with even more. This depends on the issuer of the card in question. For instance, the Chase Sapphire Preferred also comes with the following perks:
Other Visa Signature cards can offer even more benefits and perks, so again, it's critical to check with your issuing bank for a full breakdown.
Visa Infinite includes all the benefits you'll get from Visa Signature and Visa Traditional — and then some. Visa Infinite cards are at the top of Visa's lineup with higher annual fees and more lucrative extras. One of the most popular Visa Infinite cards is the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
You'll be guaranteed to receive the following (at a minimum) for Visa Infinite cards:
You might notice that the Chase Sapphire Preferred and other Visa Signature cards already have many of these Infinite benefits. This is because the card issuer (e.g. Chase or Bank of America) may even more generous than Visa when it comes to perks.
While it's good to know what the baseline Visa Signature benefits are, it's worth noting that there are many cards that have unique perks that are not part of one of the Visa tiers. That's because it is entirely up to the card issuer (such as Chase cards, Capital One cards, etc.) to determine which benefits you'll actually receive.
Visa is a card network, not an issuer, meaning it only functions to determine swipe fees and to build out a payment infrastructure so merchants can accept their cards. Having these benefits helps to create some consistency across a card portfolio, but it's really up to the bank to decide what those benefits will be. That's why you should always check your card's fine print in addition to this list here.
It pays to know what benefits are out there for the specific card you have in hand — or a card that you're considering applying for. However, because Visa benefits vary between cards based on the issuer's preferences, do a little more digging to find out what other perks are available. Pick a card that offers your preferred combination of fees and rewards.
Of course, TPG can help you with that endeavor. Here are several categories of the best cards that you may be interested in:
Additional reporting by Benét J. Wilson.
Featured image by (Photo by Idealphotographer/Shutterstock)Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
