by BestCards Team | Last updated on October 27th, 2023
Good Sam Rewards Visa® Credit Card
Good Sam Rewards Visa® Credit Card
Good Sam Rewards Visa® Credit Card
- 22.24%, 28.24%, or 33.24% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
- 26.99% Balance Transfer APR
- 34.24% variable based on the Prime Rate Cash Advance APR
At a Glance
The Good Sam Rewards Visa® credit card is perfect for those who love the great outdoors. Earn up to 3X points for shopping at Good Sam, Gander Outdoors, and Camping World; 3X points at private campgrounds & gas stations; and 1X point for everything else with no annual fee.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- 2,000 bonus points for your first purchase
- Double points on purchases outside of Good Sam brands for the first 90 days (up to $1,000)
- 5X points per $1 at Good Sam, Camping World, and Gander Outdoor
- 3X points per $1 at private campgrounds and gas stations
- 1X points per $1 for everything else
- No annual fee
- Regular Purchase APR: 22.24%, 28.24%, or 33.24% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Balance Transfer APR: 26.99%
- Balance Transfer Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of the balance transfer, whichever is greater
- Cash Advance APR: 34.24% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 3% of the transaction amount in U.S. dollars
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $41
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $41
- You spend at least $300 every 3 years on RV/Camper goods and services
- You will spend $1000 within the first 90 days of opening the card
- You want a card with no annual fee
- You want rewards for gas stations
Good Sam Rewards Visa Review
Hitting the road and ‘getting away from it all’ is easier than ever when you use the Good Sam Rewards Visa® Credit Card. The card from Comenity Bank and Recreational Vehicle RV) club, Good Sam, is chock-full of camper-friendly benefits; Good Sam cardholders will earn impressive returns on their camp and outdoor needs.
Applying for the Good Sam Visa Also Applies to the Good Sam Store Card
Like many retail credit cards from Comenity, the Good Sam Visa credit card is really two card applications in one. When you apply for a Good Sam Visa, you also apply for the closed-loop, store card version – the Good Sam Rewards Credit Card. So, what’s the difference?
There are three main differences between the two card products:
- First, the Good Sam Rewards Credit Card is a closed-loop store card. This term means that the non-Visa version of the Good Sam RV credit card only works for purchases at Good Sam brands, including Good Sam, Camping World, Trailer Life, and Gander Mountain stores, either online or in-store. In contrast, the Good Sam Visa is useable anywhere Visa is accepted worldwide.
- Second, because of the near-global acceptability of Visa, the Good Sam Visa earns additional rewards on purchases outside of Good Sam brands.
- Finally, because the Good Sam Credit Card is a store card, it has lower credit requirements versus the Good Sam Visa. This feature makes the store card version a great option for those looking to improve their credit but struggling to access unsecured credit.
How to Earn and Redeem Rewards
The Good Sam credit card program offers its best rewards with the RV and camping giant. Cardholders will earn the following points on eligible purchases:
- 5X points at Good Sam, Gander Outdoors, and Camping World
- 3X points at private campgrounds and gas stations
- 1X points everywhere else
As previously mentioned, the store card version does not earn the 2X rewards at campgrounds or gas stations, nor the 1X everywhere else.
The minimum redemption amount is 1,500 points for a $10 rewards certificate. The strong earning potential of the Good Sam Rewards credit card means that reward certificates could be earned regularly, which is a plus but is tainted by the below-average value of each individual point (one-sixth of a cent). To earn a reward, you would have to spend:
- $300 in the primary rewards category
- $500 in the 2X points category
- A flat $1,500 elsewhere
Points expire every three years, and reward certificates expire every three months – a very short shelf life, so be sure to keep an eye on your points.
Camping and RV Credit Card Comparison
Here’s how the Good Sam Visa stacks up with two other popular camping and outdoor credit cards:
Good Sam Rewards Visa® |
Bass Pro Shops® CLUB Card |
Credit One Bank Wander Card |
|
Annual fee | None | None | See Terms |
Rewards | Earn 5X points per $1 at Good Sam, Camping World, and Gander Outdoor, 3X on private campgrounds and gas stations, and 1X on everything else | Earn 2% back in CLUB Points on all Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s purchases, and 1% back on everything else | Earn 3X points on eligible recreational & amusement park purchases (including national parks & sporting events), 2X points on eligible restaurant & lodging purchases (including campgrounds), and 1X on everything else |
Additional perks | Double points on purchases outside of Good Sam brands for the first 90 days (up to $1,000) | Special APR for all Bass Pro Shops purchases | $80 statement credit for the purchase of a qualifying National Park Pass |
Additional Perks for Cardholders
Most cardholder perks are offered during the first months of card ownership. Surprisingly, the bulk of the new cardmember perks are geared towards non-camping related purchases:
- $10 off your first purchase at the time of approval
- 2,000 bonus points the first time that you use your card
- Double points on all outside purchases for the first 90 days (up to 2,000 points)
So, there’s no need to hold off applying for the Good Sam credit card until you have a big camping trip (although you’ll want to have something in mind to use that $10 approval coupon on) – there aren’t any time-sensitive savings or special financing offers that you’ll risk missing out on. Because of the double-point bonus, limit your outside spending to $1,000 – your purchases will probably be more lucrative with your usual lineup of rewards cards.
Other Card Features
Other notable features of the Good Sam Visa Credit Card include:
- Six months of special financing on in-store purchases over $299 at the Camping World and Good Sam family of brands
- Monthly reporting to the major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion)
- 3% foreign transaction fee on international purchases
Cardholders also enjoy essential fraud and purchase protections from the Visa Platinum payment network. This network provides the following:
Zero Fraud Liability | Cardholder Inquiry Services | Emergency Card Replacement |
Roadside Dispatch and Auto Collision Damage Waiver | Lost/Stolen Card Reporting | ID Navigator from Norton |
Comenity (Bread Financial) Ratings
What’s it like living with Bread Financial (Comenity Bank) as a credit card lender? Here is a selection of reviews and ratings for Comenity:
BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
2.5/5 |
N/A |
1/5 |
Should You Apply for the Good Sam Rewards Visa?
Overall, you’ll surely be a happy camper with the Good Sam Rewards Visa® credit card if you use your RV or camper at least once a year. Since this card has no annual fee, no minimum amount of travel is needed to make this card worth it.
Although this card could easily add value to the frequent camper’s wallet, it’s not versatile enough for use as your main rewards card. Keep this one aside until it’s time to buy an RV, repair your RV, or stock your RV with gear and goodies for your upcoming adventure. If you don’t already have a gas rewards card, this one will serve you well – but plenty of more lucrative gas cards are out there.
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