Rating: 5 Stars
Bottom Line:
Premium Travel With UBS
Card Details
| Regular APR: | 16.99% (Variable) |
| Intro APR (Purchases): | None |
| Intro APR (Balance transfers): | 0% for 12 billing cycles for transfers in first 90 days |
| Rewards Rate: | Earn 3x points for commercial air travel 2x points for gas and groceries 1 point for all other eligible purchases |
| Credit Needed: | (740 – 850) Excellent |
| Annual Fee: | $495 |
| Card Brand: | Visa |
*See online credit card application for details on the terms and conditions.
Offer Highlights
- Click APPLY NOW to apply online
- $250 credit for any qualifying air travel expenses
- Access to 1,000+ airport lounges with a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership and up to $500 credit for Any Airport Club
- Points are easy to use, with less points required compared to many other rewards programs when booked with the UBS rewards team or on the UBS Rewards website (i.e. book one $900 flight for 50,000 points and save up to 40,000 points)
- 24/7 access to UBS Concierge and access to the Concierge website via the rewards and benefits tab on UBS Online Services
- Unlimited ATM fee rebates in the U.S., up to $10 per transaction
- Up to a $700 service credit at Villas of Distinction properties
- VIP amenities at select Ritz-Carlton properties, Fairmont and Park Hyatt properties
- Primary collision and theft insurance coverage on rental cars
- Complimentary Gogo inflight Wi-Fi on 12 flight segments per year
Is UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card worth it?
UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card is a solid card for premium travelers. The easiest way to apply for this card is to be a UBS customer and request it through your advisor. However, there have been reports from consumers that you can call and request it as well.
Cardholders earn 3x points for commercial air travel. Note that air travel through online sites other than the airlines? own sites may not qualify. If you’re familiar with Visa Signature, you will find similarities with Visa Infinite cards. While the benefits in Visa Signature are generally practical in nature, you will get all of these benefits plus primary auto rental collision damage waiver, meaning it pays out before your own insurance, as well as a number of premium benefits with Visa Infinite.
For example, with access to the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection being granted by both Visa Signature and Visa Infinite, with Visa Infinite you get an additional premium benefit: your choice of a $75 Food & Beverage credit on top of the $25 credit you already get, or a $100 spa, golf, or room rate credit. You also get Priority Pass membership with 6 complimentary visits and 40% off on rentals at SilverCar by Audi when you pay with your card.
UBS Visa Infinite has a number of luxury perks like this, but if you’re just after the rewards rate, you might consider a competitor card like American Express Platinum, or understandably Chase Sapphire Reserve, which offers a valuable rewards program but also comes with Visa Infinite benefits. Both Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards points have a value about equal to UBS when redeemed for travel and can be earned at almost the same rate.
However, if you spend a lot on airfare and hotels, Amex Platinum, for a $550 annual fee, is a great choice, because it earns 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, getting you about a 5% rewards rate, which is in most cases the highest rate you will see.
On the other hand, Chase Sapphire Reserve has a lower $450 annual fee and is generally known to have better airline transfer partners than either Amex Platinum or UBS Visa Infinite, and Sapphire Reserve earns 3 points per dollar on travel and dining, plus a 50% bonus when redeemed on Chase Ultimate Rewards, earning you a 4.5% rewards rate.
That said, you may be exclusively interested in UBS Visa Infinite, whether it is because you are an existing UBS customer or because you were recommended the card by a friend. One nice perk is UBS Visa Infinite’s lack of ATM fees. UBS is able to rebate ATM fees in cases where the transaction fee surcharge is submitted to UBS by the ATM operator and/or network used. They’re also willing to work with you over the phone if you have a problem getting the rebate, but you do need to make sure your UBS credit card is linked to a Resource Management Account or Business Services Account to reclaim the fee.
Getting the most out of UBS Visa Infinite also will require understanding point values when redeeming points for airfare. You can redeem 25,000 rewards points for one ticket up to $350 on any commercial airline. Or you can redeem 50,000 rewards points for one ticket up to $900. That rewards rate is 1.4 cents per point for the $350 ticket and 1.8 cents per point for the $900 ticket. If your flight costs a little more than $350 or $900, you must redeem more points at a rate of 5,000 points for each additional $50 in ticket value, bringing your rewards rate down closer to 1%, or one cent per point. In other words, if you can redeem points for $350 or $900, you will get the most value out of your points, with $900 redemptions being the most valuable.
For private flyers, there are exclusive Wheels Up and NetJets benefit options. If you are in airports often and have spent $50,000 or greater during either the current calendar year-to-date or the prior calendar year, you may enjoy the $500 statement credit valid for airport club day passes or an annual club fee. If you don’t meet that spend threshold, you will need to use the 6 complimentary Priority Pass passes also included.
There are other options in the premium travel card niche like Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve, but if you want Visa Infinite benefits and like UBS, UBS Visa Infinite is a solid card for you.
Pros
- $250 credit for any qualifying air travel expenses
- Earn 3x points for commercial air travel
- 2x points for gas and groceries
Cons
- $495 annual fee
Why 5 Stars?
Regular APR
5 Stars
Intro APR
5 Stars
Fees
4 Stars
Perks
5 Stars
Overall
5 Stars
Fees
| Foreign Transaction Fee | None |
| Balance Transfer Fee | Either $2 – $10 or 2% – 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater |
| Cash Advance Fee | Either $2 – $10 or 2% – 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater. |
| Penalty APR | 29.99% |
Benefits
| $0 Fraud Liability |
| Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver |
| Extended Warranty Program |
| Lost Luggage Reimbursement |
| Purchase Protection |
| Roadside Assistance |
| Travel Accident Insurance |
| Travel Assistance |
Editorial Note: This content is not provided by the issuer. Any opinion, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the author?s alone, and may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the issuer.
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