Maximum Rewards Platinum Edition Visa Card Review

Good, flexible credit card rewards from a bank few people have heard of.

• People with fair to good credit who want a generous, flexible rewards card.

Credit Rating Required

• Fair and up (660+).

Pros

• No annual fee.
• Generous, flexible rewards program.
• Rewards values are clearly disclosed.
• No limit on points earned.
• No travel blackout dates.
• Reasonable APRs.

Cons

• High balance transfer fee (five percent).

Rewards

• 1.5 points per dollar on purchases redeemable for cash, gift cards, merchandise and travel.

APRs

• 13.99 to 19.99 percent, depending on your credit rating.
• Penalty APR: Up to 29.99 percent.

Fees

• No annual fee.
• Balance transfer fee: Five percent of balance.
• Late payment fee: Up to $35.
• Returned payment fee: Up to $25.

First National Bank of Omaha isn't nearly as well known as Capital One, Discover, J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank of America, but the rewards on this card are just as good if not better than the rewards offered by those bigger banks.

You earn 1.5 points per dollar on spending. Points can be redeemed for cash, gift cards, merchandise and airline tickets. Rewards are based on roughly one percent of spending, much more depending on what reward you choose.

For example, $25 cash back is worth 3,500 points, which would require you to spend $2,334. That works out to slightly more than a one percent rebate, well ahead of Discover. One hundred dollars in cash requires 11,000 points, or $7,333 in spending, which is nearly a 1.4 percent rebate. Gift cards are worth about the same.

Airline tickets are worth even more. For example, a ticket costing as much as $300 requires 24,000 points, or $16,000 of spending. That works out to a 1.9 percent rebate percentage.

Rewards and points values are nicely spelled out on the card's website. Not every bank gives you that.

APRs are also pretty reasonable: 13.99 percent for the best credits, up to 19.99 percent. The balance transfer rate is high, but you should never carry a balance on a rewards card anyway since the interest paid on those balances often negates the rewards earned.

The rewards on this card are just as good, if not better, than cards issued by some of the bigger, better known banks. Don't overlook this card or First National of Omaha.