Credit One Bank® Wander® American Express® Card Learn More On Credit One’s secure site Rewards 10X points on eligible hotels and rental car rentals booked using the Credit One Bank travel partner; 5X points on eligible travel including flights, dining and gas purchases; 1X points on all other purchases
Welcome bonus No current offer
Annual fee $95
Intro APR N/A
Regular APR 29.49% Variable
Balance transfer fee N/A
Foreign transaction fee None
Credit needed Fair to Good credit See rates and fees. Terms apply. Pros Great return on travel purchases
Available to those with average credit Cons High APR
No welcome bonus Learn More View More
Welcome bonus
Unlike many travel credit cards, the Credit One Bank Wander American Express Card does not have a welcome bonus.
Benefits and perks
The Credit One Bank Wander American Express Card is geared toward people who love to travel but may not have the highest credit scores. In addition to building your credit history, you can enjoy several added benefits: Return protection: If you try to return an eligible item within 90 days of the purchase date and are rejected by a merchant’s return policy, Amex will refund you the full purchase price, up to $300 per item, up to $1,000 annually.
If you try to return an eligible item within 90 days of the purchase date and are rejected by a merchant’s return policy, Amex will refund you the full purchase price, up to $300 per item, up to $1,000 annually. Extended warranty: Tacks on up to one additional year of coverage for eligible manufacturers’ warranties of 12 months or less.
Tacks on up to one additional year of coverage for eligible manufacturers’ warranties of 12 months or less. Retail protection: If an eligible item is damaged or stolen within 90 days of purchase, you could be covered for up to $1,000 per loss and a total of $50,000 per cardholder account per 12-month period.
If an eligible item is damaged or stolen within 90 days of purchase, you could be covered for up to $1,000 per loss and a total of $50,000 per cardholder account per 12-month period. Travel accident insurance: Provides up to $150,000 in accidental death or dismemberment insurance while traveling when the entire fare was charged to your card.
Provides up to $150,000 in accidental death or dismemberment insurance while traveling when the entire fare was charged to your card. Car rental loss and damage insurance: Up to $50,000 in secondary car rental coverage to protect against damage or theft.
Up to $50,000 in secondary car rental coverage to protect against damage or theft. Exclusive rental car perks: You can receive up to 15% off rental car rates at SIXT, Hertz, and Avis.
You can receive up to 15% off rental car rates at SIXT, Hertz, and Avis. Automatic credit line increases: You may be eligible for credit line increases based on your overall credit performance.
You may be eligible for credit line increases based on your overall credit performance. Free Experian IdentityWorks membership: Experian IdentityWorks can help you monitor and protect your credit score, and alert you of suspicious activity.
Experian IdentityWorks can help you monitor and protect your credit score, and alert you of suspicious activity. Amex Offers: Receive discounts at participating merchants, such as restaurants, clothing stores and hotels, when you meet spending requirements and other terms. Offers vary by location and change frequently. Enrollment required. Pro tip: Return protection is typically only available with premium credit cards with higher annual fees, so it’s a great perk to have. The free Experian IdentityWorks membership is valued at $120 annually, so this perk can go a long way in helping to offset the card’s annual fee. In addition to credit monitoring, you’ll get dark web internet surveillance alerts, social security number trace alerts, up to $500,000 in identity theft insurance and more.
Experian IdentityWorks℠ Learn More On Experian’s secure site Cost Basic: Free; Premium: 7-day trial, after $24.99 per month; Family: 7-day trial, after $34.99 per month
Credit bureaus monitored 1-bureau credit monitoring, alerts and reports: Experian, with Basic plan only and 3-bureau credit monitoring, alerts and reports: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion®, with Premium and Family plans only
Credit scoring model used FICO® Score 8, with all plans
Dark web scan Yes, with all plans
Identity theft insurance Yes, up to $1 million with all plans Terms apply. *Identity Theft Insurance underwritten by insurance company subsidiaries or affiliates of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). The description herein is a summary and intended for informational purposes only and does not include all terms, conditions and exclusions of the policies described. Please refer to the actual policies for terms, conditions, and exclusions of coverage. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions.
Rewards
Earning The Credit One Bank Wander American Express Card earns Wander Rewards at the following rates: 10X points on eligible hotel and car rental purchases booked through the Credit One Bank travel partner (5X when you book and 5X when you complete the booking)
5X points on eligible travel
5X points on diningcredi
5X points on gas
1X points on all other purchases Terms apply. While you need to book through the Credit One Bank travel partner site to earn the elevated return on hotels and car rentals, earning 5X points on all other travel is incredible and outshines most other travel rewards cards. Plus, 5X points is one of the highest returns you’ll find for dining and gas purchases. Redeeming Wander Rewards can be redeemed for cash-back, travel, gift cards and merchandise. Each Wander Rewards point is worth one cent when redeemed for statement credits. Redemptions for statement credits must be done in 1,000-point increments, which equals $10. So, at a minimum, you’re essentially earning 1% to 10% cash back on your purchases with this card. Other redemption values are less clear-cut and are calculated at the time of redemption. This can make it more difficult to plan certain redemptions in advance, but if you treat this as a cash-back card and always redeem for statement credits, this shouldn’t affect you. It’s also worth noting that if you want to redeem for travel, you must do so through Credit One Bank’s travel portal. For greater flexibility, you’ll want to redeem your rewards for cashback and then use that cash to book your travel directly with the airlines or hotels.
Rates and fees
The Credit One Bank Wander American Express Card has a $95 annual fee and a 29.49% variable APR on purchases. The card charges no foreign transaction fees, making it a good choice for traveling internationally, and late or returned payment fees of up to $39.
Alternatives to the Credit One Wander Card
The Credit One Bank Wander American Express Card is a great travel card for those building their credit score. The card has a strong rewards program and a modest annual fee, but no welcome bonus. We analyzed three other options to see how they compare. Credit One Wander Card vs. Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Discover it® Secured Credit Card Learn More On Discover’s secure site Rewards Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Welcome bonus Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
Annual fee $0
Intro APR N/A on purchases
Regular APR 27.74% Variable
Balance transfer fee 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
Foreign transaction fee None
Credit needed New / Rebuilding
*See rates and fees, terms apply. Read our Discover it® Secured Credit Card review.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card could be a good fit if you’re looking for a credit card that can help you build credit while still earning rewards. The card gets an edge for not having an annual fee, but unlike the Wander Card, the Discover it Secured credit card is a secured card, which means you’ll need a security deposit to open the card. Starting with your seventh month of card membership, Discover will automatically review your account to see if you are eligible for an upgrade to an unsecured card. It earns 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Plus, as a welcome bonus, Discover will match the cash back you earn during the first year with no minimum spending requirement or cap on the match. As with the Wander Card, it has no foreign transaction fees. Learn more: Discover it® Secured card Credit One Wander Card vs. Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card Learn More Rewards 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply); 3% cash back on dining and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®); 3% cash back on popular streaming services and entertainment; 1% cash back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus Earn a $50 cash bonus when you spend $100 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Annual fee $0
Promo APR None
Regular APR 19.74% – 29.74% variable
Balance transfer fee 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fee None
Credit needed Fair Terms apply.
Self Credit Builder Account Learn More Annual Percentage Rate (APR) 15.51% to 15.92
Loan purpose Building credit history
Loan amounts Payment options ranging from 25$ to 150$ a month.
Terms 24 months
Credit needed Poor or no credit
Origination fee N/A
Early payoff penalty Early withdrawal fee of less than $1, depending on the size of your Credit Builder Account, if your account closes early without being paid off in full
Late fee Late fee of up to 5% of the monthly payment amount if you don’t make the full monthly payment on your Credit Builder Account within 15 days of the payment due date Terms apply.
If your goal is simply to improve your credit, the Self Credit Builder Account may be able to help. It isn’t a credit card but rather a loan that’s held in a certificate of deposit (CD). You make monthly payments toward this loan, which are reported to the three major credit bureaus, and once you’ve paid off the loan you get your money back minus any interest or fees. This is a great way for those with poor no credit at all to access tools that can help them build up their finances. Learn more: Self Credit Builder Account
Is the Credit One Bank Wander American Express Card right for you?
The Credit One Bank Wander American Express Card is a great option for those who love to travel but might not qualify for some of the more popular rewards cards. While it doesn’t have a welcome bonus, it offers top-notch reward rates on many common spending categories, including travel, dining and gas. Its $95 annual fee is in line with many popular travel credit cards, but there are less rewarding no-fee alternatives if you prefer to minimize your out-of-pocket costs.
Pros Generous earning rates: This card’s earning rate for travel, dining and gas purchases rivals some of the top rewards cards.
This card’s earning rate for travel, dining and gas purchases rivals some of the top rewards cards. Available with average credit: The Credit One Bank Wander card is open to those with less-than-perfect credit scores.
The Credit One Bank Wander card is open to those with less-than-perfect credit scores. Return protection: It’s unusual for a card with a low annual fee to offer this benefit, let alone to people with fair credit.
Cons Annual fee: The $95 annual fee could be a barrier to entry for some.
The $95 annual fee could be a barrier to entry for some. Lack of welcome bonus: Many other travel cards offer new cardholders a welcome bonus.
Many other travel cards offer new cardholders a welcome bonus. Restrictive travel portal: To spend your Wander rewards on travel, you must book through the Credit One Bank portal.
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FAQs What is the starting credit limit for the Credit One Bank Wander card? The minimum line of credit for the Wander card is $500 with future increases based on your overall credit performance. What credit score do you need for the Credit One Bank Wander Card? The Credit One Wander Card is designed for people with fair to average credit, which is typically a FICO score of at least 580.
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For the rates and fees for the Discover it Secured Card, click here
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.

