Advertiser Disclosure
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. The offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Bankrate.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and the likelihood of applicants' credit approval, also impact how and where products appear on this site. Bankrate.com does not include the entire universe of available financial or credit offers.
Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.
The ideal card for people new to the world of travel benefits
India Davis
Written by
Reena Thomas, Ph.D.
Edited by
Emily Sherman
Reviewed by
/ 12 min
The Bankrate promise
At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict,this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for.
The Bankrate promise
Founded in 1976, Bankrate has a long track record of helping people make smart financial choices. We’ve maintained this reputation for over four decades by demystifying the financial decision-making process and giving people confidence in which actions to take next.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. All of our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts, who ensure everything we publish is objective, accurate and trustworthy.
Our banking reporters and editors focus on the points consumers care about most — the best banks, latest rates, different types of accounts, money-saving tips and more — so you can feel confident as you’re managing your money.
Editorial integrity
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions.
Key Principles
We value your trust. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers.
Editorial Independence
Bankrate’s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU — the reader. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. So, whether you’re reading an article or a review, you can trust that you’re getting credible and dependable information.
How we make money
You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey.
Bankrate follows a stricteditorial policy, so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers.
We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories, except where prohibited by law for our mortgage, home equity and other home lending products. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range, can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.
Snapshot
4.1
Bankrate rating
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rating: 4.1 stars out of 5
Bottom line
The Discover it® Miles card is a flexible no-annual-fee travel card that offers a number of benefits that can help make traveling less expensive. However, frequent travelers seeking premium perks may not receive a ton of long-term value.
Recommended credit score:(670 - 850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
on
Discover
's secure site
Intro offer
Unlimited Bonus: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
Discover Match®
Rewards rate
Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.
1.5X
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
4.1
Bankrate Score
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rewards value
2.0 / 5
APR
5.0 / 5
Rewards flexibility
5.0 / 5
Features
2.0 / 5
Why you'll like this: Discover’s first-year rewards match could carry more value than the bonuses you’ll find on even the best no-annual-fee travel cards.
Add up to 3 cards to compare
Compare
Remove a card to add another to compare
Remove a card to add another to compare
On This Page
On This Page
- Current offer details
- Pros and cons
- Reasons to get this card
- Reasons to skip this card
- Discover it® Miles vs. other travel cards
- Best cards to pair with the Discover it® Miles
- Who is the Discover it® Miles right for?
- Is this card worth getting?
- How we rated this card
- Frequently asked questions
Discover it® Miles overview
The Discover it® Miles credit card stands apart from every other Discover card as the only travel card in the issuer’s portfolio. Yet, it still works remarkably similar to its cash back siblings. Rather than using your miles to book travel, you can redeem them for statement credits that can cover various travel purchases.
While the Discover it® Miles is a solid low-cost travel card option, its 1:1 value for all redemption options, including cash back, is what gives it a competitive edge over rival cards. If you want a backup plan for your rewards for when your future travel plans are uncertain, this card’s rewards program would be perfect for you.
However, frequent travelers may find that the Discover it® Miles’ streamlined structure can’t make up for the card’s lackluster travel perks.
Rewards
- Unlimited 1.5X miles on all purchases
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysisWelcome offer
- Discover Match®: All miles earned at the end of the first year are matched.
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis0% intro APR offer
- 0 percent intro APR on purchases for 15 months
- 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months
- 18.24 percent to 28.24 percent variable ongoing APR
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysisRates and fees
- $0 annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- No penalty APR
- No first late payment fee (none the first time you pay late; after that, up to $41).
Expert Appraisal: Exceptional
See our expert analysisOther cardholder perks
- Online privacy protection
- Miles never expire as long as account is in good standing
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysis
Discover it® Miles pros and cons
Pros
Because there is no annual fee, there's no cost to carry this card.
It offers unlimited, flat-rate miles and remarkable redemption flexibility for travel purchases.
You have the option to redeem miles for cash back at a 1:1 rate, so none of the reward’s value is lost.
Cons
You can’t transfer its reward miles to airline frequent-flier programs, which limits your travel redemption options.
The Discover credit card network has fewer international acceptance partners and perks compared to Visa and Mastercard.
The card lacks some travel benefits found on other no-annual-fee travel cards, like trip interruption insurance.
Why you might want the Discover it® Miles
While the best perks might come on cards with high annual fees, some competitive no-annual-fee cards like the Discover it® Miles carry a great deal of value beyond rewards earned through card spending.
Welcome offer: Limitless earning potential
Instead of a traditional sign-up bonus, Discover will match all the miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. So cardholders who spend highly in their first year could potentially get more value out of this offer than with a traditional sign-up bonus.
For instance, spending just over $13,000 by the end of your first year with your Discover it® Miles card would earn you about 20,000 bonus miles, worth at least $200 in rewards. Discover would match those miles, giving you a total of 40,000 miles in your first year, worth $400 in travel.
Rewards rates: Slow but steady earning rate
Given that the Discover it® Miles is a no-annual-fee travel card, its 1.5X bonus mile rate could be hard to beat if you’re sticking to flat-rate rewards. One of Discover it® Miles’ closest rivals is the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (See Rates & Fees), since it doesn’t have an annual fee, but it only earns a flat 1.25X miles. Although other flat-rate rewards cards earn at slightly higher rates, the Discover it® Miles stacks up pretty well as a middle-of-the-road option.
Rates & fees: Card’s versatility comes with minimal cost
There's no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, no penalty APR and no first late payment fee (none the first time you pay late; after that, up to $41). You’ll also be able to keep interest at bay with a 15-month 0 percent intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, which can be great if you’re planning a big trip you need extra time to pay off.
You won’t have to worry about the ongoing APR much either since the lower end is below the current average interest rate — clocking in at 18.24 percent to 28.24 percent variable. This is a great deal considering comparable cards sometimes have these charges or higher rates.
Why you might want a different travel credit card
Unfortunately, the Discover it® Miles card’s versatility comes without much added benefits. Discover uses its own credit card network, so you won’t receive basic perks — like rental car damage insurance or travel and purchase protections — typically available to Visa and Mastercard members.
Perks: Slim beyond security features
Many of the Discover it® Miles’ benefits focus on card security. Discover it® Miles allows cardholders to opt into free online privacy protection. Approximately every 90 days, Discover searches 10 of the most popular people search sites for your personal information and submits opt-out requests on your behalf.
You're also protected if you ever lose your Discover it® Miles card. Freeze it® is a feature available within the Discover mobile app or online account. With Freeze it, you can lock your card account instantly with an on/off switch. No one is able to use your card unless you turn it back on, rendering it useless if stolen.
However, coveted travel perks like lost baggage or trip delay insurance won't be found on this card.
Redemption: Consistent but not flexible
Rather than using your miles to book travel accommodations such as flights, hotels, vacation packages or rental cars, you use miles to reimburse yourself for travel purchases via statement credits.
According to Bankrate's latest valuations, Discover miles are worth roughly 1.0 cents apiece across all redemption options, including cash back. This is a great perk since it’s rare to find a travel card that lets you opt for non-travel redemptions without sacrificing point value. However, the Discover it® Miles card may not measure up to other cards that let you transfer points to partnering airlines or hotels to achieve a boosted point value (depending on the issuer and travel partner). The maximum point value you can expect with travel redemptions through Discover is 1.0 cents per mile.
How the Discover it® Miles card compares to other travel cards
The Discover it® Miles card is hard to beat when it comes to versatile and competitive flat-rate miles. However, even though it's accessible to newcomers with a good to excellent credit score (a FICO score of 670 or higher), this card’s major drawback is its lack of cardholder benefits. Other travel cards bring more value to the table, like travel and shopping protections, annual credits or upgrades that make traveling a bit smoother.
Annual fee
$0
Intro offer
Discover Match®
Unlimited Bonus: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
Rewards rate
1.5X
Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.
Recommended Credit Score
Good to Excellent(670–850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Bankrate Score
on Bank of America's secure site
Annual fee
$0
Intro offer
25,000 points
25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
Rewards rate
1.5X
Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
Recommended Credit Score
Good to Excellent(670–850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Bankrate Score
on Chase's secure site
Annual fee
$95
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Rewards rate
1x - 5x
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. 2x on all other travel purchases. 1x on all other purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
Good to Excellent(670–850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Best cards to pair with the Discover it® Miles
The Discover it® Miles card is a great option, but other cards may offer ways to earn more rewards in specific spending categories or offer more flexible redemptions and better benefits. Pairing several cards together gives you more flexibility and allows you to enjoy the perks of each card.
Who is the Discover it® Miles right for?
This may not be the best card for experienced travelers, but for those starting out or who don’t travel often, this can be a great fit.
Bankrate’s Take — Is the Discover it® Miles card worth it?
If you are considering getting your first travel card, then the Discover it® Miles card has the basics to get you started in the rewards scene. Its low rates and fees plus its 1:1 cash back redemption rate make it easy for people to learn the ropes of travel rewards without annual fees or a complicated rewards structure. However, its lack of travel perks might make it a no-go for jet setters and frequent flyers who prefer luxury travel.
How we rated this card
150+
cards rated
50+
rewards programs valued
1800
data points analyzed
40+
perks evaluated
We rate credit cards using a proprietary card scoring system that ranks each card’s estimated average rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more against those of other cards in its primary category.
Each card feature is assigned a weighting based on how important it is to people looking for a card in a given category. These features are then scored based on how they rank relative to the features on other cards in the category. Based on these calculations, each card receives an overall rating of 1-5 stars (with 5 being the highest possible score and 1 being the lowest).
We analyzed over 150 of the most popular rewards and cash back cards to determine where each stacked up based on their value, cost, benefits and more. Here are some of the key factors that influenced this card’s overall score and how the score influenced our review:
Frequently asked questions
Compare the best rewards credit cards
Written by
India Davis
Editor, Credit Cards
Read more from India
India Davis is an editor specializing in credit cards and updates. She believes in putting the reader first and carrying out a brand’s voice to its fullest potential. She has lived and worked in three different countries and hopes to explore more of the world post-pandemic.
Edited by Reena Thomas, Ph.D.
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
Up next
Read moreRewards
