Best Western Credit Cards Relaunch With New Benefits
Earn a bonus, ongoing rewards, automatic elite status and other perks.
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Published · 1 min read
Written by
Senior Writer/Spokesperson 
Edited by
Managing Editor The Best Western credit cards — previously issued by the First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO), but closed to new applicants — are back with new benefits and a new issuer.
The Best Western Rewards® Visa Signature® Card and the Best Western Rewards® Premium Visa Signature® Card are now issued by First Bank & Trust and managed by financial technology company Mercury Financial.
Each card offers rewards on Best Western stays and other purchases. In addition, you'll get travel and cell phone protection, elite status and sign-up bonuses. However, the bonus offer amount you can qualify for may vary. You can check to see whether you’re preapproved for the cards without affecting your credit, and if so, you’ll see what bonus you’re eligible for.
How the cards compare
Annual fee
$0
$89
Sign-up bonus
Best Western Rewards® Visa Signature® Card
Bonus points offer of 10,000 to 40,000 points with qualifying spend. You’ll see your bonus points offer before you apply.
Best Western Rewards® Premium Visa Signature® Card
Bonus points offer of 20,000 to 80,000 points with qualifying spend. You’ll see your bonus points offer before you apply.
Rewards
Best Western Rewards® Visa Signature® Card
- 14 points per $1 on Best Western stays and purchases: 10 points as a Best Western Rewards member, 4 points for using the card. (The Best Western Rewards program is free to join.)
- 2 points per $1 on all other purchases.
Best Western Rewards® Premium Visa Signature® Card
- 20 points per $1 on Best Western stays and purchases: 10 points as a Best Western Rewards member, 10 points for using the card.
- 4 points per $1 at gas stations and grocery stores.
- 2 points per $1 on all other purchases.
Elite status
Best Western Rewards® Visa Signature® Card
Automatic Gold status, which includes:
- 10% bonus points per stay.
- Exclusive reservation line.
- No blackout dates.
Best Western Rewards® Premium Visa Signature® Card
Automatic Platinum status, which includes:
- 15% bonus points per stay.
- Exclusive reservation line.
- No blackout dates.
- Early check-in and late check-out.
Other benefits
Best Western Rewards® Visa Signature® Card
- Earn 10,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 in a year.
- Cell phone protection.
- Reimbursement for trip cancellations, interruptions and delays.
Best Western Rewards® Premium Visa Signature® Card
- Earn up to two free night awards: one after your cardmember anniversary, and another after your cardmember anniversary when you spend $10,000 that year.
- Cell phone protection.
- Reimbursement for trip cancellations, interruptions and delays.
NerdWallet values Best Western points at about 0 cents each. You can redeem Best Western points for hotel bookings, gift cards, airline miles and more. You must redeem at least 5,000 points, and point values can vary based on how you use them.
What changed?
In short, not much is different for the $0-annual-fee version of the Best Western credit card, beyond a slight bump in rewards for staying with Best Western. But it's a different story for the more expensive Best Western Rewards® Premium Visa Signature® Card, which did indeed get some notable and valuable improvements.
For one thing, that version of the card now earns extra rewards on gas and groceries, which previously earned only the card's base rate of 2x back. More importantly, the premium version also now offers a free anniversary night, as well as the chance to earn a second one — perks that can easily offset that card's annual fee.
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