The American Eagle credit card issued by Synchrony isn’t exactly a standout among store credit cards.
It shares the $0 annual fee, the high APR, and the low sign-up bonus of many other store cards. This card’s rewards structure is unique, but if you value simplicity, it may not be a smart choice. Since many American Eagle customers are teenagers and young people who are still learning how to use credit cards, the complicated terms and conditions aren’t appropriate.
However, other credit cards, notably general-purpose rewards credit cards, make it easier to accumulate rewards and provide more flexibility when redeeming them.
Here are five facts regarding the American Eagle credit card that you should know.
1. The American Eagle Credit Card Comes In Two Different Forms
American Eagle offers two credit cards, both of which are called Real Rewards and both of which are eligible for American Eagle’s customer loyalty program.
The American Eagle/Aerie Credit Card with Real Rewards. This card can only be used at Aerie, Offline by Aerie, American Eagle Factory, and other AEO sites. American Eagle’s and Aerie’s co-branded Real Rewards Visa Card. You can use this card anywhere that accepts Visa.
Spending at locations other than American Eagle or its subsidiaries will earn you 5 points for every $1 spent with your American Eagle Visa card. However, while making purchases through American Eagle, the structure of rewards gets more complicated.
2. Your Loyalty Level Determines Your Reward Percentage
Because of its intertwining with the Real Rewards loyalty program, the American Eagle credit card’s rewards structure can be confusing to newcomers.
You can earn points in the American Eagle Real Rewards program regardless of whether you have a credit card associated with the program or not. However, Real Rewards has three different membership levels, and as you progress through them, you’ll unlock additional benefits and earn more points. New American Eagle credit cardholders start at Level 2 of 3, accelerating the rate at which they can accumulate rewards. Their credit card and the Real Rewards program each contribute 50% of their points.
3. Earn Points When You Buy American Eagle Jeans
Purchasing jeans makes life more satisfying, but also more complicated. When you use your American Eagle credit card to buy American Eagle jeans, your rewards rate will be doubled. (This is what AE calls “four times the credit card’s base rate,” which is 15 points for every dollar spent.)
That works up to 60 points for Level 2 cardholders and 80 points for Level 3 cardholders for every dollar spent on AE jeans. Imagine you went to American Eagle and spent $100 total on a pair of jeans ($50) and a shirt ($25). The pants would be worth 3,000 points to Level 2 cardholders, and the shirt would be worth 750 points. Those with a Level 3 card would receive 4,000 points for the jeans and 1,000 points for the top.
4. Point Values Are Low, And Redemption Isn’t Flexible
The good news is that you can rack up a tonne of points on your American Eagle purchases, but that’s about it. First off, you’ll need at least 1,250 Real Rewards points to earn a “$5 Off Reward” that may be used at American Eagle and some of their other sub-brands. As a result, each point is worth only four-tenths of a cent, which is significantly less than the typical value of one cent per point.
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Second, those rewards are only available in $5 increments up to a maximum of $60 per transaction. A discount of $60, or “$60 Off Reward,” would require 15,000 points. As a result, you can’t cash in points whenever you like, and you also can’t “bank” them for later purchase of more than $60.
Finally, both points and the rewards that are issued automatically have expiration dates. Rewards are valid for 60 days from the date of issuance, and points expire if you don’t make a purchase within a “375-day rolling term.”
The terms are not customer-friendly.
5. Some Cardholder Benefits Can Be Used To Save Money
The perks of an American Eagle credit card include:
- 30%-off coupon when you open and use the American Eagle credit card. (Cannot be combined with any other coupon or a discount code.)
- “Pick your own sale” day.
- Exclusive access to sales.
- A birthday coupon.
- Free shipping and returns when you use the American Eagle card to purchase.
- Ability to choose from one of three card designs.
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