Having a good travel rewards credit card is important if you’re a frequent traveler. It can save you money and earn you valuable cash, points, or miles. The TD First Class℠ Visa Signature® Credit Card fits that bill. It comes with high rewards earning potential for travel and dining purchases, along with a host of travel perks.
But with all its earning potential, the TD First Class Visa is not perfect for everyone and there are limits on how you can redeem your TD miles. Savvy travelers may find other travel rewards cards provide a better overall rewards program.
Keep reading this TD First Class Visa Signature Credit Card review to get a closer look at this card and whether it's worth adding to your wallet.
Who should get the TD First Class Visa Signature Credit Card?
The TD First Class℠ Visa Signature® Credit Card is best for frequent travelers and those who regularly dine out. Other travel rewards programs may offer more value, but it’s possible to earn enough rewards to fund incredible trips using TD miles. If all that sounds like you, this travel rewards credit card earns valuable cashback rewards that fit your lifestyle.
The TD First Class Visa also has an intro APR of 0% for 12 billing cycles on balance transfers (then 18.49% (variable)). If you want to use a balance transfer to pay off credit card debt, then you could transfer it to this card and have a good amount of time to pay that debt down without paying any interest.
The TD First Class Visa card isn’t the best choice if you rarely travel or don’t spend at least $3,000 annually combined on travel and dining. That’s because this card carries an $89 (waived first year) annual fee. You’ll need to spend at least $3,000 just to make back the annual fee in rewards. If you don’t think you’ll spend that much, then picking from the best travel credit cards with no annual fee might make more sense for you.
Card basics
Card type | Travel |
Card issuer | TD Bank |
Annual fee | $89 (waived first year) |
Welcome bonus | Earn 25,000 bonus miles for spending $3,000 within the first 6 billing cycles |
Reward rate | Earn 3X miles on travel and dining purchases, and 1X on all other purchases |
Recommended credit score | Excellent |
Intro APR | 0% for 12 billing cycles on balance transfers, then 18.49% (variable) |
Foreign transaction fee | $0 |
Why we like the TD First Class℠ Visa Signature® Credit Card: benefits and perks
- Easy welcome offer: Cardmembers earn Earn 25,000 bonus miles for spending $3,000 within the first 6 billing cycles.
- Intro APR: Use a balance transfer to refinance your existing credit card debt and enjoy 12 billing cycles of introductory 0% APR on balance transfers (then 18.49% (variable) APR). A balance transfer fee of $5 or 3%, whichever is greater will apply.
- No foreign transaction fees: Make purchases anywhere in the world without worrying about extra fees as the TD First Class℠ Visa Signature® Credit Card charges $0 foreign transaction fees.
- Rental car coverage: When you rent a car using your TD First Class℠ Visa Signature® Credit Card, you’re protected with auto rental coverage so you can choose to opt out of the insurance that the rental company offers.
What we don't like about the TD First Class℠ Visa Signature® Credit Card: drawbacks
- Annual fee: This card’s annual fee is waived the first year, but the TD First Class card does have an annual fee in subsequent years. If you don’t dine out or do a lot of travel, having to pay the annual fee could cancel out most of your rewards earnings.
- Statement credit redemptions: You have to call the TD Rewards Center if you want statement credits for travel or dining purchases made on the card. Also, only redemptions of 25,000 miles or more will receive 100% of the value for travel or dining purchases. Redemptions under the 25,000 minimum will receive only 50% value. So if you had 20,000 miles, you would receive a $100 statement credit.
- No travel partners: TD miles don’t transfer to other rewards programs, such as airline or hotel loyalty programs. This makes the TD rewards program less flexible and potentially less valuable than programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards.
Earning & redeeming TD Rewards
Potential earnings in years one and two
Here's a look at how your points can add up with the TD First Class Visa Signature Credit Card. To calculate these values, we used a point valuation of $0.01 (or 1 cent per point). This is the standard redemption value stated by TD Bank for cash back, travel, or gift cards.
Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.
Year one earnings: $378.50
Year two earnings: $164.50
These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes a look at points earned via spending and the sign-up bonus while also accounting for the annual fee.
Best ways to earn
Your best bet for building up TD miles is through travel and dining purchases, which both earn you 3X miles per dollar spent. You earn only 1X miles per dollar on all other purchases. According to TD Bank, travel spending includes airline tickets, hotel accommodations, car rentals, tolls, travel agencies, and cruises.
You’ll also want to take advantage of this card’s promotional welcome offer. You can earn Earn 25,000 bonus miles for spending $3,000 within the first 6 billing cycles after account opening.
Categories | Rewards rate |
Travel and dining purchases | 3X |
All other purchases | 1X |
Maximizing your redemptions
The ways you can redeem the rewards you earn with the TD First Class℠ Visa Signature® Credit Card include statement credits, gift cards, and merchandise. TD miles are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for statement credits and gift cards but may have a lower value when redeemed for merchandise.
If you would like to redeem your rewards for travel or dining purchases, just use your card for those expenses, then call the TD Rewards Center at 1-877-468-3178 within 180 days of the charge. A representative will verify the charges and issue you a statement credit on your next monthly billing statement. Unfortunately, there are no online or automatic options for redeeming your rewards.
Another downside with TD miles is that you may not always receive full value if you need to cash out your rewards. Only redemptions of 25,000 miles or more receive full value. If you, for example, tried to redeem 10,000 miles, you would only receive a $50 statement credit, 50% of the value.
TD First Class Visa Signature Credit Card FAQ
How do I check my TD First Class℠ Visa Signature® Credit Card points?
Your monthly credit card billing statement will contain a recap of your TD miles. There is no online rewards portal for the TD First Class℠ Visa Signature® Credit Card.
How much are my TD Rewards worth?
TD miles are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for statement credits or gift cards. Miles may be worth less when redeemed for merchandise.
Can you redeem TD Rewards points for cash?
No, TD miles can’t be redeemed for cash, such as a deposit to your bank account or as a check you receive by mail. TD miles can only be redeemed for statement credits, gift cards, and merchandise.
How often does TD Bank increase your credit limit?
TD Bank may increase your credit limit from time to time at their discretion. You can also request a credit limit increase by calling TD Bank customer service at (877) 468-3178 or you can submit a request by mail to P.O. Box 84037, Columbus, Georgia, 31908-4037. In general, your credit limit and any potential increases are determined based on your creditworthiness and varies from individual to individual.
How fast can I get a TD credit card?
Customers can apply for a TD credit card online. Once approved, your TD credit card should arrive within seven to 10 business days.
Other cards to consider
If you’re looking for a more versatile travel rewards credit card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great card to consider. Not only can you earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, but those miles can be transferred to over 15 different Capital One transfer partners, including airlines and hotels. Frequent travelers will also like that this card has $0 foreign transaction fees, and you can get up to a $100 statement credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
One of the most popular travel rewards credit cards available is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It features an incredible 60,000-point sign-up offer after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months after account opening. 60,000 points are worth $750 in travel when redeemed through the Chase travel portal. You can also transfer those rewards to a variety of airline and hotel partner programs and potentially get even more value from them.