Navigating the world of travel rewards credit cards can be exciting, especially when considering options like the Truist Travel Card. Unlocking valuable rewards and travel perks requires understanding the specifics, particularly the restrictions and conditions that govern how you earn and redeem points. This guide breaks down the essential “Truist Travel Card Restrictions” to help you maximize your benefits and travel smarter.
Understanding How You Earn Miles: Eligible Purchases Breakdown
The Truist Travel Card offers a straightforward rewards program: earning miles on your everyday spending. However, it’s crucial to understand what qualifies as an “Eligible Purchase” to ensure you’re racking up those miles effectively.
You’ll earn:
- 1 Mile per $1 spent on general Eligible Purchases. This is your base earning rate for most transactions.
- 2 Miles per $1 spent on Eligible Purchases specifically for airline tickets, car rentals, and hotel lodging. This accelerated rate is designed to reward your travel spending directly.
It’s important to note that while purchases at hotels can earn the accelerated 2x miles rate if they are for lodging, ancillary spending within hotels, such as dining or activities, will only accrue the standard 1x mile per dollar. Similarly, for air travel, only the ticket purchase itself earns the higher rate; upgrades, baggage fees, and onboard amenities are considered general purchases earning 1x miles.
What Doesn’t Count as an Eligible Purchase? Key Exclusions
Not all transactions made with your Truist Travel Card will earn rewards. Truist explicitly lists several categories that are not considered Eligible Purchases. Being aware of these exclusions is vital to avoid disappointment and plan your spending strategically. These include:
- Cash Advances: Whether obtained from an ATM or any other method, cash advances do not earn miles.
- Quasi-Cash or Cash-Equivalent Items: This is a broad category encompassing items that are easily convertible to cash and are therefore excluded from rewards earning. Examples include:
- Wire transfers
- Cryptocurrency purchases
- Peer-to-peer payment platform transfers (e.g., Venmo, PayPal)
- Travelers’ checks
- Money orders
- Foreign currency
- Lottery tickets
- Gambling chips or wagers
- Convenience Checks: Checks drawn against your credit card account are not eligible for rewards.
- Stored Value Cards: Purchases of gift cards, prepaid cards, and similar stored value instruments do not qualify as Eligible Purchases.
- Purchase of Rewards Incentives: Using your rewards to purchase further rewards or incentives is not an eligible purchase.
- Credit Adjustments: Credit chargebacks, credit losses, delinquency assessments, fees, and charges are also excluded, as are any transactions deemed unauthorized by Truist.
Understanding these exclusions ensures you focus your Truist Travel Card spending on purchases that actually accumulate rewards miles, maximizing your travel benefits.
Airport Security Statement Credit: Streamlining Your Travel Experience
A valuable perk of the Truist Enjoy Travel Visa Credit Card is the Airport Security Statement Credit, designed to expedite your airport security experience. This benefit helps cover the application fees for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry®, but it comes with specific conditions.
Eligibility and Application Process
To utilize this benefit:
- You must be a U.S. Visa cardholder.
- You need to apply for either Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck® and pay the application fee using your Truist Enjoy Travel Visa Credit Card.
It’s crucial to understand that Truist and Visa have no control over the application, approval, or enrollment processes for these government programs. For complete details on each program, refer to the official websites: http://www.cbp.gov/global-entry/about for Global Entry® and https://www.tsa.gov/precheck for TSA PreCheck®.
Global Entry® is particularly advantageous as it includes TSA PreCheck® benefits when departing from U.S. airports. To activate TSA PreCheck® with Global Entry®, ensure you include your PASS ID (found on the back of your Global Entry® card) in your travel reservations.
Credit Frequency and Limitations
The Airport Security Statement Credit is available every four years.
- You can receive a maximum statement credit of $85 every four years to cover either a Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck® application fee.
- This four-year period is calculated from the date of your first qualifying transaction.
- The maximum of $85 is an aggregate limit across all your Truist cardholder accounts within each four-year period.
After paying the application fee with your Truist Travel Card, allow 6 to 8 weeks for the statement credit to be posted to your account. You are responsible for the initial payment until the credit is applied. To be eligible for the credit, your account must be open (or closed within the last 90 days) and in good standing (not in default) when the credit is processed.
Truist and Visa retain the right to modify or cancel this offer at any time without prior notice, so it’s always wise to check the current terms and conditions. For any questions regarding the airport security statement credit, you can contact the Truist Contact Center 24/7 at 844-4TRUIST (844-487-8478).
Loyalty Travel Bonus: Boosting Your Redemption Power
Truist offers a Loyalty Travel Bonus to cardholders who also have qualifying Truist checking, savings, or money market accounts. This bonus enhances the value of your miles when redeemed for travel rewards. The bonus percentage you receive depends on the type of Truist deposit account you hold and your combined account balances.
Bonus Tiers Based on Account Type and Balances
The Loyalty Travel Bonus is tiered, with higher bonuses available for premium checking accounts and higher balances.
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For Truist Personal Checking, Personal Savings, or Personal Money Market Accounts: You’ll receive a 10% Loyalty Travel Bonus. For example, redeeming 2,500 miles would effectively become 2,750 miles with the bonus.
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For Truist Dimension Checking or Signature Advantage Checking Accounts: You may receive a 25% or 50% Loyalty Travel Bonus, potentially replacing the 10% bonus.
- 50% Bonus: Requires combined eligible consumer balances of $100,000 or greater.
- 25% Bonus: For balances between $25,000 and $99,999.99.
- 10% Bonus: For balances less than $25,000.
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For Truist One Checking Accounts: You may receive a 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50% Loyalty Travel Bonus, also potentially replacing the standard 10% bonus.
- 50% Bonus: Balances of $100,000 or greater.
- 40% Bonus: Balances between $50,000 and $99,999.99.
- 30% Bonus: Balances between $25,000 and $49,999.99.
- 20% Bonus: Balances between $10,000 and $24,999.99.
- 10% Bonus: Balances less than $10,000.
If you hold both a Truist Dimension/Signature Advantage Checking account and a Truist One Checking account, Truist will automatically apply the higher Loyalty Travel Bonus percentage for your redemptions.
How the Bonus is Calculated and Applied
Truist assesses your deposit/investment relationship monthly, looking at the prior three calendar months to determine your Loyalty Travel Bonus percentage. The highest average monthly balance across your combined eligible accounts during these three months dictates your bonus for the subsequent months.
Your bonus percentage is determined as of the last day of the month preceding your redemption. While this determination usually takes place promptly, Truist reserves up to five business days to update your relationship status. Your assigned bonus percentage will remain in effect until the next monthly review, potentially increasing monthly but decreasing only once every three months. Loyalty Travel Bonuses are applied at the time of miles redemption for travel rewards. Bonus percentages are not retroactively applied to past redemptions.
Visa’s Zero Liability Policy: Protection Against Unauthorized Charges
The Truist Travel Card benefits from Visa’s Zero Liability Policy, offering a degree of protection against unauthorized transactions. However, it’s important to understand its limitations.
Visa’s Zero Liability Policy does not apply to certain commercial card transactions or transactions not processed by Visa. Cardholders are responsible for protecting their card and must promptly notify Truist of any unauthorized use. For detailed restrictions, limitations, and specifics, always refer to your Cardholder Agreement.
Conclusion: Travel Savvy with Truist Card Awareness
Understanding the “truist travel card restrictions” and benefits is key to maximizing the value of your Truist Enjoy Travel Visa Credit Card. By being mindful of eligible purchases, leveraging the airport security credit, and understanding the Loyalty Travel Bonus, you can travel more efficiently and reap the full rewards of your card membership. Always consult your Cardholder Agreement for the most comprehensive and up-to-date information regarding your card benefits and any applicable restrictions.
