Have you heard of the San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU) Visa® Signature credit card? As a leading credit union in Southern California, SDCCU offers its members top-notch banking products, including this premium travel rewards credit card packed with valuable perks.
If you live or work in San Diego, Orange, or Riverside Counties, read on to learn why the SDCCU Visa Signature should be at the top of your wallet.
An Overview to SDCCU
First things first, let’s look at SDCCU itself. Established in 1938 as the San Diego County Employees Credit Union, SDCCU has grown over the decades into one of the premier credit unions in SoCal.
With over 380,000 members across 43 branches, SDCCU offers excellent customer service and a full suite of banking products. From auto loans to mortgages, SDCCU aims to meet all its members’ financial needs under one roof.
And as a credit union, SDCCU is a not-for-profit organization owned by its members. Profits get returned back to members in the form of better rates and lower fees. Talk about member-centric!
Who’s Eligible to Join SDCCU?
SDCCU has an open membership policy. If you live, work, worship, or attend school in San Diego, Riverside, or Orange Counties, you’re eligible to join.
The credit union also partners with select employer groups and associations to extend membership to their employees and members. So be sure to check with your HR department or professional organization to see if you qualify for SDCCU membership that way.
The bottom line is that over 2 million Southern Californians are eligible in some shape or form!
Why Choose the SDCCU Visa Signature Card?
Earn Unlimited Double Points
The SDCCU Visa Signature features a generous, uncapped double points earnings rate on all purchases. Simply use your card for everyday spending to rack up rewards quickly.
Most travel rewards cards restrict bonus earn rates to just travel and dining. But with the SDCCU Visa Signature, everything earns double—no Category caps!
Strong Sign-Up Bonus
New SDCCU Visa Signature cardmembers can earn 10,000 bonus points by spending $3,000 within 90 days of account opening.
Valued at $100 cash back, it’s one of the highest publicly available welcome offers around.
Pair that with double points earnings, and you could accumulate 20,000+ points after meeting minimum spend requirements. Not too shabby!
Annual Fee Waived the First Year
Although this card has a $89 annual fee, SDCCU waives it for the first 12 months.
Make sure to call customer service after your first year to check for retention offers. Many SDCCU members report getting their annual fees waived long-term.
How to Redeem SDCCU Rewards Points
Let’s take a closer look at how SDCCU’s rewards program works when it comes time to use those hard-earned points!
Cash Back into Your Account
For sheer simplicity, convert points to cash at a valuation of $0.01 per point and deposit it straight into your SDCCU savings or checking account.
With no minimums or blackout dates, it’s a reliable standby redemption option.
Pay Down Your Loan Balances
If you have any outstanding auto, mortgage, or personal loans with SDCCU, redeem points to chip away at your loan principal.
Each point knocks $0.02 off your loan balance, making this one of the most lucrative ways to maximize the value of your points.
Book Travel on the SDCCU Rewards Portal
SDCCU’s travel booking portal offers competitive pricing on flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and vacation packages. Points here can offset your travel costs at a rate of $0.0125 per point.
While less flexible than transferring points to various airline and hotel partners, the SDCCU travel center is very user-friendly. And available inventory is generally quite extensive.
Gift Cards and Merchandise
Finally, trade points for gift cards to select retailers or browse SDCCU’s online merchandise store.
Gift card options do cap rewards value at around 0.7-1 cent per point, making this the least lucrative redemption pathway. But if you’ve got spare points and want to pick up a few retailer gift cards for yourself or to give as gifts, it’s not a bad option!
SDCCU Visa Signature Benefits
Beyond rewards earnings, let’s examine some of the other perks and protections packed into the SDCCU Visa Signature card.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
A major pain point for many travel rewards cards is getting slammed with costly 3% foreign transaction fees on international purchases.
However, the SDCCU Visa Signature card has no foreign transaction fees. This makes it an excellent payment card option for overseas trips or simply shopping on foreign eCommerce sites.
Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Perks
As a Visa Signature card, enjoy complimentary VIP status at over 900 Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection locations worldwide. Benefits include room upgrades, free breakfast, late checkout, free Wi-Fi, and more!
Secondary Auto Rental Coverage
When booking travel with your SDCCU Visa Signature card, you get secondary auto rental insurance coverage at no extra cost. This acts as a backup layer of protection that kicks in after your auto policy.
Purchase Assurance
On most credit cards, you’re out of luck if an item gets stolen or damaged shortly after buying.
But with SDCCU Purchase Assurance, you get 120 days of coverage up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year. Just file a claim and get reimbursed for the purchase amount.
Extended Warranty Protection
Similarly, SDCCU offers an Extended Warranty benefit that doubles the manufacturer’s original warranty timeline for up to one additional year.
And Much More
Other cardholder benefits include price protection, return protection, 24/7 concierge, and exclusive Signature Luxury discounts. Truly first-rate premium perks and protections!
Fees, APRs, Credit Needed
Before applying, let’s outline some crucial fine print items to be aware of:
- APRs: SDCCU offers four tiers of variable APRs from 12.99% to 22.99% based on creditworthiness. Rates apply to purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances.
- Fees: There is a $89 annual fee not waived the first year. Also, expect balance transfer fees and cash advance fees. No foreign transaction fees are a major perk!
- Credit Needed: This card recommends good to fair credit for approval consideration. But even with excellent credit, only SDCCU members meeting income requirements and other factors will qualify.
How to Apply for the SDCCU Visa Signature Card?
Convinced this is the premium travel card for you? Here are the quick steps for getting approved and earning points fast with your sparkling new SDCCU Visa Signature!
Step 1: Become an SDCCU Member
Start by joining SDCCU if you aren’t already a member. Bring proof of address and valid ID to your nearest branch.
Or there may be quicker ways to qualify, like through an employer partnership or association membership if applicable.
Step 2: Check Card Eligibility Requirements
Next, use SDCCU’s prequalification page to see what credit cards you may already be approved for. This takes just seconds without impacting your credit score.
If the Signature card comes back as prequalified, great! If not, try calling their lending department and politely ask a rep to review if you meet all eligibility criteria.
Be ready to supply verification for any requested statements of income, monthly obligations, home ownership status, etc.
Step 3: Apply and Get Approved
Finally, once confirmed you meet all requirements, go ahead and formally apply online or at your nearest SDCCU branch.
The application itself only takes 15 minutes. You’ll need personal information like your income, employment details, monthly housing payments, and government-issued ID.
Double-check all information entered is accurate before submitting. Otherwise, delays may occur in verifying application details.
After submitting, you should receive instant confirmation of approval or requests for additional verification if needed.
If approved, your digital credit card is usable immediately in mobile wallets for purchases while waiting for the physical card to arrive by mail within 5-7 business days.
Then once that shiny new SDCCU Visa Signature card is in hand, activate it online or by phone. Register your account for online banking access too while you’re at it.
Finally, don’t forget to hit the ground running to earn points. Start working towards that lucrative 10,000-point sign-up bonus and enjoy double points per $1 on everything you spend.
Before you know it, you’ll have enough rewards for a dream vacation to use at the travel redemption portal or as cash back into your SDCCU savings account.
So what are you waiting for? Apply today to unlock premium travel perks with the exceptional SDCCU Visa Signature card.
Tips to Login into Your SDCCU Visa Signature Account
Managing your SDCCU credit card is simple with 24/7 online access to your account. Here’s a quick primer on logging in:
Step 1) Visit SDCCU Online Banking
Head to sdccu.com and click “Log In” in the top right. This takes you to their online banking portal login page.
Step 2) Enter Credentials
Next, enter your account number and personal password. Make sure your caps lock is off and the numbers are input correctly.
Step 3) Access Credit Card Account
Once logged in, click on “Credit Cards” on the left sidebar menu. This pulls up detailed information on your SDCCU Visa Signature including balance, available credit, recent activity, statements, and more all in one place!
From the online portal, you can also set travel notifications, dispute charges, manage payees, update preferences, and other self-service card management tasks 24/7.
Handy when overseas and account access is needed ASAP. SDCCU also offers a full-featured mobile banking app for on-the-go card oversight.
Making SDCCU Credit Card Payments
Payment Due Date
As a standard Visa credit card, SDCCU Visa Signature payments are due on the same day each month. This is listed on statements as your payment due date – typically around the 22nd-25th of every month. Just pay at least the minimum amount by 11:59 pm PT on that stated due date.
Of course, paying in full is recommended to avoid interest charges! But unlike other lenders, SDCCU is quite reasonable about due dates if issues ever arise.
Ways to Make Payments
SDCCU offers multiple ways to pay your credit card bill:
- Auto Bill Pay – Set up recurring monthly payments from an SDCCU checking or savings account
- Online Banking – Schedule one-time or recurring payments from external bank accounts
- Mail a Check – Send via postal mail to the SDCCU PO Box printed on your statement
- Branch Payment – Visit any SDCCU branch with cash, check, or money order.
Plus, SDCCU never charges convenience fees for payments made by debit card, account transfer, or at a branch. Very consumer-friendly!
So in summary, the SDCCU Visa Signature makes efficient account management a breeze while offering multiple zero-fee ways to pay your bill.
How it Compares to Other Premium Travel Cards
Stacking up against competitors like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum, how does the SDCCU Visa Signature fare?
With double points on everyday purchases instead of just travel/dining, free companion tickets after renewal, and cheaper annual fees, SDCCU can certainly go toe-to-toe with these other heavy hitters!
As an exclusive credit union product, it offers exceptional value unavailable from major banks. Plus, all profits get returned to members with better savings rates and fewer fees.
Throw in Visa Signature elite status and premium perks also packed in, and this exceptional travel card holds its own.
The only downside is points don’t directly transfer to airline/hotel partners. However the SDCCU travel portal offers strong redemption rates regardless.