National Bank of Arizona Reserve Credit Card

National Bank of Arizona Reserve Credit Card Review

The National Bank of Arizona Reserve Card is an ultra-premium travel rewards card that offers just enough to match up favorably to the Platinum Card from AMEX or the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

A Hefty Signup Bonus

The National Bank of Arizona Reserve offers an excellent signup bonus for new accounts. That bonus is 50,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first 90 days. Fifty-thousand points also equal $500 cash back. Earning the 50,000 points isn’t a particularly difficult task. Speeding $5,000 in three months won’t be difficult for anyone that doesn’t balk at the $450 annual fee, after all. Indeed, that $5,000 target breaks down to around $1,600 per month. And, given the everyday earning potential of the card, that isn’t too bad.

Earn Triple Points on Travel and Dining Worldwide

The NB | AZ Reserve Card more than holds its own with other ultra-luxurious credit cards, earning an impressive 3X points on worldwide dining and travel purchases. That 3x points are equal to 3% cash back Receiving 3X points on global dining and travel puts the NB | AZ Reserve Visa on par with the Chase Sapphire Reserve. This, however, is even though the NBAZ card is $100 cheaper than the Chase card. Sapphire’s annual fee is $550. The Arizona National Bank Reserve Card? $450, with an extra $50 per additional user. Other ultra-premium offerings fail to overshadow the NB | AZ Card. The HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard earns 3X points on global travel, but only 2X on dining; the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve gets 3X on mobile wallets and travel; and the Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X points on hotels and flights. The AMEX Card, however, only earns that 5X on travel bookings directly through AMEXTravel.com.

Double Points on All Other Purchases

The 3X (or 3% back) on travel and dining are great, but the 2X points on all other purchases are the NB | AZ Reserve Card’s most impressive feature. This double-points base earning is higher than almost anything that comes with other luxury travel cards. The only other comparable cards are those that come with other Zions Bancorp banks, such as California Bank & Trust.

How to Redeem Rewards

The AmaZing Rewards Program is the rewards program of NB | AZ and all other Zions Bancorp banks. Points are worth $0.01 per point – the rate points are redeemable for statement credits. The precise value of points, however, depends on the cash equivalent of a reward when redeeming points. The AmaZing Rewards Program is the major weakness of the NB | AZ premium credit cards. The program simply doesn’t offer the same value that comes from other programs, including Chase Ultimate Rewards. That program offers exceptional value for Sapphire Cardholders. Those individuals receive a 50% boost on points. Even better, Chase points are among the most valuable in the rewards game. In this regard, the Sapphire Reserve outperforms the NBAZ Reserve. The Reserve also lags behind the Platinum Card here. That said, the NB | AZ Reserve Card still offers impressive value.

Annual Travel Statement Credits

The Reserve offers a statement credit for additional travel costs of $250 each year. The credit is applicable towards spending in the following categories:

• Airlines
• Airport Terminals
• Card Rentals
• Cruise Lines
• Global Entry/ TSA Pre-Check
• Inflight Wi-Fi
• Travel Agencies

As with other travel credits, the $250 applies towards the first $250 in spending in one of these categories each year. It’s therefore essential to plan spending carefully come New Years’. The best value comes with TSA Pre-Check, as it offers four years of coverage for $100. This leaves $150 for the first year and the full $250 for the proceeding three years. Other credit options include excess baggage fees, Wi-Fi in the terminal, and more.

Priority Pass Select Membership

The Reserve Card also comes with a complimentary membership in Priority Pass Select for up to four users on the same account. Keep in mind, however, that each additional user incurs a $50 fee from NB | AZ. Priority Pass gives holders access to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide. That’s the good part. The bad part? The NB | AZ Reserve Card allows only five complimentary visits, per user, per year. All other visits come at a rate of $27, which, while a discount, is costlier than “free.” Both the Platinum Card and Sapphire Reserve come with unlimited lounge access. These card salsas charge an annual fee of $100 more than the NB | AZ Card. If, however, free lounge access is essential, those may offer better value. Otherwise, five visits per year is an acceptable number for the casual traveler.

Introductory Interest-Free Period on Balance Transfers

The NB | AZ Reserve Credit Card comes with 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first six months. This interest-free period isn’t impressive with run-of-the-mill travel cards, but with a luxury card, it really is a nice perk. The six-month, 0% intro APR period allows cardholders to pay down existing balances. The regular APR after that is low enough to minimize additional interest. The typical purchase and balance transfer APR with the NB | AZ Card is nearly 2% lower than the rate with the Sapphire Reserve from Chase.

Should You Apply for the National Bank of Arizona Reserve Card?

The National Bank of Arizona Reserve Credit Card’s 3X points on travel and dining make it a force with which to reckon. Even better, the dining and travel categories are global – and not limited to the U.S. The 2X points on every other purchase, however, is the major appeal of the card. This premium rate is more than what is available from most other luxury travel cards. The NB | AZ Reserve has few drawbacks, but the most glaring are its rewards program, the lounge perks, and the lacking travel credits. Five lounge visits and the lack of additional statement credits found with other cards, like the Sapphire Reserve or AMEX Platinum are frustrating. Those cards, however, cost $100 more per year. Ultimately, the National Bank of Arizona Reserve Visa Card is a great option to consider if you live in Arizona and want a luxury card that works effortlessly almost everywhere. If luxury is your only worry, however, there might be better options elsewhere, with the Platinum Card or the UBS Visa Infinite, for example.