Full Review

The Comerica Visa® Real Rewards Card is a basic-yet-effective rewards card that will serve Comerica banking customers well with everyday use. The card charges no annual fee and earns a respectable flat rate of points with every purchase.

How to Earn Points

The Comerica Visa® Real Rewards Card earns 1.5X points on every net dollar spent. This flat rate places the card on par with other rewards cards, such as the Discover It Miles and the BankUnited Visa Real Rewards. In fact, the card earns the precise amount as all other Real Rewards Visa Cards.

The 1.5X points the card earns also puts it in the same company as a few popular cash back cards, as the 1.5X points also equal 1.5% cash back. Cards that fall into this category include the Chase Freedom Unlimited, the American Express Cash Magnet, the BB&T Vantage, and the Commerce Bank Special Connections (among many others).

The 1.5X on tap with the Comerica Visa® Real Rewards isn't going to set any records, but for those who want a reliable, everyday card that earns unlimited points, it is an offer worth considering.

Introductory Bonus Points Offer

The Visa Real Rewards Card comes with the same 2,500-point bonus offer that comes with the Detroit Tigers Visa® Real Rewards Card, also from Comerica Bank. New accounts earn an additional 2,500 points when they use their new card to make a first purchase. The 2,500 points have an approximate cash value of $25. This $25 reward is even better with the lack of minimum spending requirements to receive it: just make a purchase, and it's yours.

How to Redeem Points

Points in the Elan Rewards Program apply towards the usual redemption options members expect from a rewards program. Award options include gift cards and merchandise from leading brands and merchants, plus travel savings. Travel savings take the form of bookings on airfare, hotels, and rental cars, plus other similar options.

Points also apply to cash back rewards. Cash back rewards come as statement credits to the Comerica card account, or as a direct deposit to any Comerica Bank debit, savings, or wealth management account.

While some Comerica Rewards Cards have limits on the minimum number of points necessary before redeeming, there are no such restrictions with the Comerica Visa Real Rewards Card. Points are also valid for five years, which is another nice feature.

No Interest for the First Six Months

The Comerica Visa® Real Rewards comes with 0% intro APR for the first six months on purchases and balance transfers. The zero interest on balance transfers only applies for transfers conducted within the first 186 days of opening an account. If that sounds like an odd number, think of it as half a year.

The addition of these interest-free intro periods makes the Visa Real Rewards a decent option for those who want to finance a large purchase over six months – especially given that the card earns 1.5X points on every purchase.

The 0% intro APR also helps new cardholders who have smaller existing credit card balances they want to pay down. Those with bigger balances, however, may want to consider other options, as the six months may not be enough to pay down enough of the balance.

A Competitive Typical APR

Once the introductory APR periods end, the typical APR with the card is competitive, but not exceptional. Those with excellent credit scores can expect an APR of around 15% to 16%, which is comparable with other rewards cards, though not special enough to cause any spike in applications. This APR, however, falls nicely in line with the national average, meaning while the card isn't ideal for carrying a balance, it won’t punish those who do as much as some other offers elsewhere.

Other Card Features

As the Comerica Visa Real Rewards Card is a Visa® Signature product, the card benefits from the usual Visa protections and benefits. Cardholders can expect Visa’s Zero Fraud Liability protection and emergency card replacement should they lose their card or are the victim of fraud on their account.

Cardholders also have access to travel perks, such as Auto Rental Collison Damage Waiver for additional rental insurance, plus Visa'Roadside Dispatch. This service offers pay-per-use roadside assistance should a cardmember break down on the side of the road (or anywhere else).