Discover Open Road Card - Cash Back Highway!
Anyone who is constantly on the road understands the true value of a credit card and so do the people at Discover. One of their latest additions is the Discover Open Road Card, which rewards frequent travelers with low interest, cash-back on select purchases and comprehensive tools to keep you safe and secure while on the road. This perk-laced credit card will keep you worry-free and with no worries to be had while traveling, you can focus on your surroundings and the task at hand.
The Discover Open Road Card provides an array of different advantages to those who often travel. For starters, you have 0% APR for 14 months, making it easy to pay your bills at your leisure while avoiding those dreaded interest charges. Other benefits include earning double cash-back on gas and restaurants and 1% cash-back on all other purchases, which adds up over time for anyone who spends the majority of their working day on the road. Whether or not this card is right for you will depend on how often you find yourself traveling to different locations. In this review, we will outline the perks and downsides to this card so that you can make the best decision.
What We Love about the Discover Open Road Card
Free gift card - Instantly after making your first purchase, you will receive a $150 gift card for restaurant.com. This card can be used at over 15,000 different restaurants throughout the United States.
$0 annual fee - Enjoy the freedom from annual fees with the Discover Open Road Card. There is $0 annual fee at sign-up or at any point afterward, giving you extra cash to spend on other items.
0% interest for 14 months - For the first 14 months, enjoy 0% APR on all purchases, regardless of where or how much. After the 14 months period ends, your interest rate will adjust and fall between 10.99% - 20.99% variable depending on your credit score.
Same goes for balance transfers - For 14 months, enjoy 0% APR on all balance transfers made to the Discover Open Road Card. The cost of doing a balance transfer is just 3% but can be done so for free when initially receiving your card.
Double cash-back at gas stations and restaurants - You will receive double cash-back on the first $250 of purchases made each month for gas and food. After the first $250, you will receive 1%.
1% on everything else - When shopping for all of the other items that you may need while on the road, enjoy 1% cash-back.
Higher cash-back bonuses at select retailers - You can receive anywhere from 5-20% cash-back when shopping through one of the 200+ retailers approved by Discover and featured in their on-line shopping mall.
No expiration on your rewards - As long as you use your card at least once every 18 months and make your payments on time, your rewards will forever remain accessible whenever you need them.
Cash-back in all forms - Depending on your needs, you can select either a gift certificate (which doubles in value when redeemed for a select gift card from certain retailers), cash deposited to your bank account or credit supplied to the Discover Open Road Card.
Travel accident insurance - When you book your reservations or airfare with the Discover Open Road Card, you automatically receive travel insurance that covers you in the event an accident occurs. You can have peace of mind when on vacation with up to $500,000 of coverage.
No liability for fraudulent purchases - If your card is lost or stolen and fraudulent purchases are made using it, you will not be held liable for any of the damages. Discover`s 24/7 customer support is always standing by to help you in the event the unimaginable happens.
What`s Not So Great about the Discover Open Road Card
In order to cash in your rewards, you have to hit a certain threshold. For gift cards, you must have at least $20 in your cash-back account to receive one.
Finding out that you only get 1% cash-back on everyday items AFTER spending $3,000 in a given year is a definite downside. Prior to spending $3,000 in a year on your Discover Open Road Card, you will only receive cash-back at a rate of 0.25% ($7 per $3,000 spent).
Finally, if you make a late payment or have a payment returned, you may be assigned a "penalty" status during which time your APR will increase up to up to 25.99%, making paying down newly-accrued balances more difficult.
Our Verdict
While the Discover Open Road Card may not be for everyone, it is a great solution for the busy businessman who constantly eats and lives on the road and needs a solid card that provides not only access to hotels, gas and food but also security benefits and rewards for using it. With the aforementioned information outlined in this review, you now can make a decision as to whether this card is the best travel solution for you.
