PenFed "free" 5% Fuel Cash Back Ending

ktmrfs wrote:


It's still on their website under the list of cards and still shows being available.

Also, our son applied for the platinum cash rewards 5% card for fuel purchases a few days ago and he was approved. so if it has gone away, it's been in the last few days.

here is a link from today https://www.penfed.org/Platinum-Cash-Rewards/

But according to that the 5% is only good thru Oct. unless I am reading it wrong.

So with the 3% / $25 annual fee you will have to charge ~ $850.00 on your card annually (and make sure you pay off the balance each month to avoid interest charges) to avoid the annual fee...

az99 wrote:
I said in the post the Visa Rewards Card. That was the only card I was referring to as they had many. I called and was told the 5% Cash Back card that some of you refer to is no longer available. If someone knows how to still get it, please post a link.

It's still on their website under the list of cards and still shows being available.

Also, our son applied for the platinum cash rewards 5% card for fuel purchases a few days ago and he was approved. so if it has gone away, it's been in the last few days.

here is a link from today https://www.penfed.org/Platinum-Cash-Rewards/

To be clear I have the PenFed Platinum Cash Rewards card and I'm not aware of any points for this card. Every month I get cash back subtracted from the total. az99 may have a different card but I haven't verified his input for my card.

Information that has been posted here will help us to decide on our future use of PenFed. In the meantime we have 4% and 5% Amex fuel cards with yearly cash back.

We also have a Capital One Visa card which we can use in the US and Canada with 1.5% cash back on all purchases and no transaction fees.

az99 wrote:

CA Traveler wrote:

Amex identifies the cash back purchases on their billing so you can avoid stations not coded for fuel. PenFed required length calls for them to look up this information. If chain x doesn't provide cash back then I want to avoid them.

The PenFed statement is very frustrating as there is no way to tell if or how much discount you got on any purchase. The amount of points on the statement are not even correct in relation to the items on the statement. You have to call and go over each item line by line. That was how I found out about their new reduced programs when I tried to redeem points.

Yep, that's usually what happens. Am not a fan of card that give points which can supposedly be redeemed later for gifts and goodies....always way to difficult to deal with them and they ALWAYS change their rules that's always the Catch 22 with them.

CA Traveler wrote:

Amex identifies the cash back purchases on their billing so you can avoid stations not coded for fuel. PenFed required length calls for them to look up this information. If chain x doesn't provide cash back then I want to avoid them.

The PenFed statement is very frustrating as there is no way to tell if or how much discount you got on any purchase. The amount of points on the statement are not even correct in relation to the items on the statement. You have to call and go over each item line by line. That was how I found out about their new reduced programs when I tried to redeem points.

I said in the post the Visa Rewards Card. That was the only card I was referring to as they had many. I called and was told the 5% Cash Back card that some of you refer to is no longer available. If someone knows how to still get it, please post a link.

ktmrfs wrote:

az99 wrote:
I posted about this a few weeks ago but a moderator moved it to some area no one reads. This IS a general RV issue as many of us use this card.

Are any of you aware that as of 8/16/13 Pen Fed has changed (without notice) their point redemption amounts. Now to get a $50 Visa reward card you are charged 5,900 points.That is an immediate loss of 18% of your points.

I just finished talking to a CS supervisor and voiced my extreme dissatisfaction at the new unannounced changes. She said they got no advance notice either. They will not even give you the points you earned prior to the change without the 18% loss.

So now you really get 4.1% on fuel and 2.1% on groceries and darn near nothing on other purchases.

This is just out and out deception of their customers. If they need to change the program, tell us 4% gas 2% groceries. Don't take an additional 18% for redemption and make it sound like your getting more points. Then add their new $1.00 charge for not doing your statement online.

I used to praise this company but this is JUST PLAIN WRONG!!!!

depends on which pen fed card you have. the gas card with pen fed STILL will give you a direct credit to your account each month of either 3% or 5% depending on which "plan" your now on prior to sending out your statement. No "discounting". And with my card I was given a notice of the change about 6 weeks ago and the changes don't take effect till near the end of October. IMHO plenty of advanced notice.

Not that I like the changes, but Pen Fed isn't the only or first company to start "dialing back" their rewards program. several of my other cards have done so this year as well. Some rather significantly.

I have the pen fed visa that gives me 5% cash back in a direct credit to my account each month. I received both an email and a letter explaining the change and the particulars. the 5% is a great deal in my mind as noted I can use any gas station and get the cash back so when I use Pilot I get a 3 cent reduction at the pump and 5% cash back from pen fed...good deal for me. so I opened a money market for $1000 and am good to go on retaining the 5% cash back. I am also a usaa member but they do not offer anything so attractive and their cash back comes at the end of the calendar year. IMHO the penfed deal is actually the best around.

az99 wrote:
I posted about this a few weeks ago but a moderator moved it to some area no one reads. This IS a general RV issue as many of us use this card.

Are any of you aware that as of 8/16/13 Pen Fed has changed (without notice) their point redemption amounts. Now to get a $50 Visa reward card you are charged 5,900 points.That is an immediate loss of 18% of your points.

I just finished talking to a CS supervisor and voiced my extreme dissatisfaction at the new unannounced changes. She said they got no advance notice either. They will not even give you the points you earned prior to the change without the 18% loss.

So now you really get 4.1% on fuel and 2.1% on groceries and darn near nothing on other purchases.

This is just out and out deception of their customers. If they need to change the program, tell us 4% gas 2% groceries. Don't take an additional 18% for redemption and make it sound like your getting more points. Then add their new $1.00 charge for not doing your statement online.

I used to praise this company but this is JUST PLAIN WRONG!!!!

depends on which pen fed card you have. the gas card with pen fed STILL will give you a direct credit to your account each month of either 3% or 5% depending on which "plan" your now on prior to sending out your statement. No "discounting". And with my card I was given a notice of the change about 6 weeks ago and the changes don't take effect till near the end of October. IMHO plenty of advanced notice.

Not that I like the changes, but Pen Fed isn't the only or first company to start "dialing back" their rewards program. several of my other cards have done so this year as well. Some rather significantly.

You can also do a Money Market CD with them for $1000.
6 month pays .3% and 1 year pays .5%
that will move you into a status that eliminates the $25 yearly fee and keeps the 5% on gas purchases.


wife says we're good. the above applies to us...
this time she got my full attention...