Thursday, May 5, 2011

Discover Open Road Gas Credit Card

Discover credit cards always gets less attention than rival offering from Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. At the same time, those who actually have a Discover card are intensely loyal to the company's way of doing business: since J.D. Power began studying credit card customer satisfaction, Discover has ranked second every year, bested only by American Express. By offering low interest rates and fees coupled with a high rewards payout, it is easy to see why Discover has become the card of choice for so many people who also hold other cards. The Discover Open Road Card is a perfect example of this philosophy in practice.

Discover Open Road Card Features
To start with, the Discover Open Road Card excels at the basic level of offering low fees and interest rates. There is no annual fee and their introductory offer is 0% APR on both purchases and balance transfers for a full year.  Next, card holders can expect a variable interest rate of 11.99% – 19.99 APR (as of today), depending on their credit worthiness.

When it comes to rewards, members receive cash back so that they are not subject to the whims of airline award availability or reductions in the value of credit card points. The first $250 per month on purchases made at gas stations and restaurants earn a full 2% cash back. Card holders also receive .25% cash back on their first $3,000 in annual spending. All subsequent purchases will receive 1% cash back.

The Discover Open Road Card also offers a range of cash back opportunities when you make purchases from major retailers through their online portal, ShopDiscover.  The discounts range from 5%-20% at retailers such as Best Buy, Macy's, Zappos, and Bloomingdales. The Discover Open Road card has a 2% foreign transaction fee on all charges processed outside of the United States. This is in the middle of the road for today's credit cards. While some cards charge no foreign transaction fees, most others still charge as much as 3%.

Who Is the Open Road Card Best For
The Discover Open Road card, with its generous discounts at gas stations and restaurants, is clearly targeted at those who are more interested in driving than flying.  By offering 0% APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers, they are making a remarkable offer for those who need carry a balance sometimes.

By backing up these favorable terms with a competitive reward, they are able to appeal to those who don't really plan on paying off their balances immediately.  Finally, Discover is offering a $75 Restaurant.com gift certificate a sign up bonus to new customers. These certificates give you $75 off of any meal of $150 or more at select restaurants. This is a great way to save serious money on a big night out.