What’s The Difference Between Visa Traditional, Signature And Infinite?

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Not all Visa credit cards are created equal. Some are loaded with extra benefits, while others just cover the basics. The perks your card offers depend on whether your Visa card is part of the Traditional, Signature or Infinite line.

Here are the differences between Visa Signature vs. Infinite vs. Traditional credit cards, as well as how to make the most out of each.

What is a Visa credit card?

A Visa credit card is any card that uses the Visa network. You can tell if your card is a Visa card — and which variety — by looking for the Visa logo. This logo is printed on every Visa card, usually in its bottom or top right-hand corner.

Visa is one of the world’s largest processing networks, accepted in over 200 countries worldwide. As of December 2024, Visa boasted over 4.8 billion credit cards in use, which means that if you have one in your wallet, chances are you will have no problem spending money no matter where you are.

The company, though, doesn’t issue its own credit cards. Instead, you can apply for Visa cards from financial institutions, such as banks or credit unions.

Visa cards come in three varieties: Traditional, Signature and Infinite. But, while Visa is the one that decides which benefits are available for each card tier, it’s ultimately up to the card issuer to decide whether to include those available benefits for a given card. Issuers may also decide to offer additional benefits beyond those that are provided by Visa.

What’s the difference between Visa Traditional, Signature and Infinite?

The difference between Visa Traditional, Signature and Infinite lies in the benefits — everything from trip cancellation insurance and lost luggage reimbursements to discounts at high-end golf resorts and luxury hotels — that each tier of card provides.

Here’s the breakdown of each:

Visa Traditional benefits

The Traditional Visa card doesn’t come with many benefits, but it still has some helpful perks, such as:

• Cardholder Inquiry Service: You get access to 24/7 customer phone support via a toll-free number that comes with your card. Through this service, you can request your account balance, get information about your payment due dates, and ask any other customer-service-related questions.
• Emergency card replacement and emergency cash disbursement: If you’ve lost your card, you can call Visa at 1-800-847-2911. Visa will block your existing card and connect you with your financial institution or bank. It will also send you an emergency card replacement that should arrive in one to three business days. If losing your card leaves you short on funds, Visa can also send cash to a location near you within hours of your bank’s approval.
• Zero liability: This benefit protects you when someone makes unauthorized purchases with your card or account information. Your liability for unauthorized transactions is $0, meaning you’ll pay nothing for these fraudulent purchases.
• Roadside dispatch: Have trouble on the road? Call 1-800-847-2869 to contact Roadside Dispatch. The operator will ask where you are and what problem you are experiencing. The dispatcher will then arrange for a tow truck driver or locksmith to arrive at your location. You will have to pay a set rate for every service call.

Visa Signature benefits

Visa Signature cards include all the benefits that come with Traditional cards, plus some extras.

• Extended warranty protection: When you use your Visa Signature card for your purchases, extended warranty protection will extend the life of your U.S. manufacturer’s warranty of three years or less. For warranties that are less than one year, the term is doubled under this benefit. For warranties of one-to-three years, the warranty is extended an extra year.
• Auto rental collision damage waiver: You can receive auto insurance coverage for rental cars that are damaged because of collisions or theft through your Visa Signature card. To activate this coverage, you must decline your rental company’s own collision damage waiver. This perk, then, allows you to skip paying extra for insurance from your rental car company.
• Travel and emergency assistance services: When you are traveling, your Signature card will give you access to a multilingual call center available 24/7.

• Luxury Hotel Collection: You’ll qualify for complimentary breakfast, room upgrades and other perks when checking into hotels participating in Visa’s luxury collection.
• Rental car privileges: With your Signature card, you can earn 25 percent discounts on qualifying purchases with Avis and Budget.
• Sonoma wine country: Your Signature card qualifies you for discounts on wines through this program.
• Troon Rewards: With your Signature or Infinite card, you can join Troon Rewards to save on golf fees and merchandise at courses across the globe.
• Concierge services: With this perk, you’ll receive 24/7 personalized assistance for travel planning and dinner reservations. The concierge service can also help you buy tickets for entertainment and sporting events.
• Universal experiences: Your Signature or Infinite card qualifies you for special benefits and experiences at Universal Studios resorts.

Visa Infinite benefits

Visa Infinite cards come with the highest level of perks, including all the benefits that come with Traditional and Signature cards in addition to several extra services.

However, these cards often charge hefty annual fees. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a good example — it offers a wide range of perks but also charges a $795 annual fee. Here are the extra benefits you’ll get with an Infinite card:

• Return protection: You’ll qualify for this perk when you purchase an item costing up to $300 with your Infinite card. Visa will reimburse you for the cost of this item if you try to return it and the merchant selling it refuses to accept your return. You must initiate your return within 90 days.
• Purchase security: If an item you purchased with your Visa Infinite card is stolen or damaged within the first 90 days after you bought it, purchase security can replace, repair or reimburse the item. You can be reimbursed a maximum of $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year.
• Travel accident insurance: You can receive up to $500,000 of accidental death and dismemberment coverage when you purchase an airline ticket with your Infinite card. You can also receive this coverage when you use your card to purchase your ticket for other forms of travel, including train, bus or ferry.
• Trip cancellation/trip interruption: When you purchase your travel ticket with your Visa Infinite card and you must cancel or interrupt your trip, this benefit can help reimburse you for the nonrefundable cost of your fare. You can be reimbursed a maximum of $2,000 per trip.
• Trip delay reimbursement: When you buy your airline ticket with your Infinite card and your flight is delayed by more than six hours or requires an overnight stay, this benefit kicks in. Visa will reimburse you for expenses, such as food you bought during the delay or a hotel stay for an overnight delay. It will also cover transportation to your hotel and back to the airport. You’ll be reimbursed for a maximum of $500 per ticket.
• Extended warranty protection: This service works like the one available for Signature cardholders. The Infinite version, though, adds a year to any warranty of any life. If the original warranty was six months, extended warranty will increase it to 18 months. If the original warranty was two years, extended warranty would boost it to three.
• Lost luggage reimbursement: If you use your Infinite card to buy an airline or common carrier ticket, you can be reimbursed for lost checked or carry-on luggage and its contents. You can be reimbursed for a maximum of $3,000 per trip in most parts of the country. In New York, this maximum reimbursement is $2,000 per bag.
• Global Entry statement credit: You’ll receive a statement credit to cover the application fee for Global Entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that allows expedited clearance for low-risk travelers when they arrive in the United States.
• Visa Infinite car rental privileges: With your Infinite card, you’ll qualify for discounts with Avis, Hertz and National auto rentals.
• Priority Pass lounge access: This perk gives you access to more than 1,700 airport lounges around the globe.
• Airline incidentals statement credit: With your Infinite card, you’ll receive rebates for air travel-related fees such as accelerated security, checked-luggage charges and in-flight food.

Newly added Visa Signature and Visa Infinite benefits

As a Visa cardholder, you’ll also get access to a slate of Visa’s newest benefits, including:

• Sofar Sounds
  

  For lovers of the indie music scene, a Sofar Sounds membership grants access to exclusive presale events and discount tickets. With a Visa Infinite card you’ll get exclusive presale seven days ahead, plus a free ticket with each purchase of one or more tickets to a show during the presale window.

  All other Visa cards, including the Visa Signature ones, have the same benefit but with a limit of two free tickets per year.

• OpenTable
  

  Visa Infinite credit cardholders have access to OpenTable primetime reservations in select cities through the Visa Dining Collection. After adding an eligible card into the app, cardholders can book the most coveted time slots at award-winning restaurants. Restrictions may apply.

• Relais & Châteaux
  

  Relais & Châteaux is a luxury hotel brand that offers premium benefits to Visa Infinite cardholders at over 200 locations worldwide. Benefits include complimentary room upgrades, daily breakfast and a VIP welcome for all members of your party. To book a stay, reserve a room online or call the Visa Concierge phone number.

How to qualify for a Visa credit card

Qualifying for a Visa card depends on the exact card you want. Because Visa doesn’t issue cards, you’ll apply for a Visa card with an issuer or bank that will look at several factors when considering whether to approve you for a credit card — the most important of which is your credit score. The lower your score, the less likely you are to qualify for a Visa or any credit card.

Different issuers, though, require different scores for their Visa cards. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, a Visa Signature card, requires a good to excellent credit score, as does the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. A good FICO credit score is in the 670 to 739 range.

However, the Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit* is available to consumers who have poor credit or are rebuilding their credit score. A credit score of 300 to 670 could still allow you to qualify for this card.

The card issuer will also look at your existing debts and your monthly income. If your debts are too high and your income too low, the issuer might hesitate to approve you for its cards.

The best way to qualify for a Visa card includes:

• Paying all your bills on time each month
• Paying down any existing credit card debt
• Keeping your credit utilization below 30 percent

The bottom line

If benefits are important to you, you’ll want to explore Visa Signature or Infinite cards. And if you want the most perks? Visa Infinite cards are your best option.

Remember, though, these perks don’t come free. Visa Infinite cards often come with hefty annual fees. Make sure you’ll be using enough of the category’s benefits to make that annual fee worthwhile. You might even consider whether a different branded card, such as a Mastercard, is better for your wallet.

*The information about Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.