Discover it Miles Review - Earn Triple Miles For The First Year With No Annual Fee
Rating as of Jan. 2, 2019 based on a review of services January 18, 2023.
- Good/
- Excellent
Discover will match all of the miles you’ve earned the first year, which means if you earned 35,000 miles, get ready to earn another 35,000 miles on your anniversary date. There’s no annual fee and Discover will even include your FICO Credit Score.
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Every dollar spent earns 1.5 rewards miles
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Discover will match the miles you earn the first year
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No annual fee and free FICO Credit Score
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Update – This offer is now EXPIRED.
Simple rewards, no annual fee, and award-winning customer service make this new miles credit card worth your consideration. Read more in our complete review of Discover it® Miles.
There’s a new miles rewards credit card on the market that offers a competitive choice for consumers with good credit who want to earn a better-than-average rewards rate without an annual fee.
Discover it® Miles rewards you with 1.5 miles per every eligible dollar spent with no limits and no annual fee.
That’s a better rewards rate than many points and cashback cards that only offer 1 percent back while the few cards paying double miles charge an annual fee.
Here’s our full review of Discover it® Miles:
Why Discover?
When it comes to credit cards, Discover Card does things differently in a very good way.
Most Discover cards have no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and never charge a penalty interest rate.
More importantly, Discover continues to win both raving fans and industry awards for its outstanding customer service that’s 100 percent U.S.-based (we’ll touch more on that later).
In addition, many Discover cards will now match all of the rewards you earn during your first year as a cardmember.
This offer creates interesting possibilities with the Discover it® Miles, which already features 1.5 miles per dollar spent (and, again, has $0 annual fee). As we explain here, this might give the Discover it® Miles the very best credit card sign-up bonus available right now and certainly the best sign-up bonus among cards with $0 annual fee.
Great customer service
We’ve recommended Discover cards for cash back and/or balance transfers for years. In an industry that is often plagued with a reputation for lousy customer service, Discover has been a notable exception. Discover offers 100 percent U.S.-based customer service and wins frequent awards for best credit card customer satisfaction.
Straightforward rewards
In the past, many miles credit cards offered the chance to earn free vacations, but redeeming the miles were a pain: You know, restrictions on when and where you could use the miles (blackout dates, etc.)
Although it was possible to stretch miles further if you were willing to travel to weird places at weird times, many people found the rewards weren’t good for much at all.
You won’t have that problem with the Discover it® Miles, as miles be redeemed directly for statement credits on travel-related purchases (airline tickets, hotels, rental cars—even commuter expenses and cab fares). You can also choose to redeem the miles for cash back.
With this credit card: 100 miles equals $1, plain and simple. So when you earn 10,000 miles, for example, that’s $100 you can put towards travel or redeem for cash.
Earn 3x miles your first year
The Discover it® Miles, includes an offer that will match all the rewards you’ve earned during your first year as a cardmember. The rewards match happens automatically after your first year, so long as your account remains open and in good standing.
With the Discover it® Miles, this means three miles per dollar spent in the first year, which opens up some remarkable opportunities.
If you’re a big spender you might earn 35,000 miles the first year.
With the first-year bonus, you would earn an additional 35,000 miles for 70,000 total, worth $700 in statement credits towards travel purchases. This makes this card one of the highest-value credit card signup bonuses available now.
Other perks
0 percent intro APR
Discover it® Miles offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 14 months. After that, the standard APR of 13.49% - 24.49% Variable applies.
Free FICO® Credit Scores
Discover offers all cardmembers their free FICO® Credit Scores on monthly statements, online or on their mobile app.
Security features
If your card is lost or stolen, Discover provides free overnight shipping of a replacement card to any U.S. street address. Plus, you’re never responsible for unauthorized purchases.
They also offer FreezeIt℠ which lets you prevent new purchases right from your smart phone. This is perfect if you find your card has gone missing.
Discover advantages
It’s remarkable to earn 3x rewards in your first year as travel statement credits or cash back.
Another big advantage to the Discover it® Miles is that you don’t have to spend a certain amount in the first three months to claim your bonus, as is true with most competing sign-up bonuses—all of your spending over the first year counts.
Apart from all the amazing things we hear about the Discover card’s customer service, we also like all of the benefits this card offers, and it’s low fees.
Discover disadvantages
If there’s one problem with the rewards match offer, it’s that you have to wait a whole year to receive your match.
I marked my calendar months in advance, and was (eventually) thrilled to receive hundreds of dollars in cash back deposited right into my bank account.
The other issue with the Discover card is that, while accepted almost everywhere in the U.S., Discover cards are not widely accepted in all countries.
You can use it in most countries, and the list is growing.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Valuable Rewards on All Purchases — Earn 1.5x miles on all purchases, with no limits.
- Earn Flexible Rewards — Miles can be redeemed for travel statement credits or cash back
- Match Your Cash Back — Discover will match the miles you earn during your first year.
- Low Fees — This card has no annual fee.
Cons
- Few Purchase Protection Benefits — Discover no longer offers benefits such as purchase protection, return guarantee, extended product warranty, and price protection.
- Little Travel Protections — Discover no longer offers travel benefits such as auto rental insurance, flight accident insurance.
- Not Accepted Everywhere — The Discover card isn't accepted in some countries.
Who is Discover it® Miles for?
This card is an ideal choice for somebody looking to upgrade their primary rewards credit card.
The no-annual fee 1.5x rewards rate beats many standard rewards cards on the market—and since you have the choice of redeeming the miles for travel or cash—the card offers flexibility.
The card is especially attractive if you’ll be making a lot of purchases in the upcoming year and can take advantage of either the nice introductory APR offer and/or the first-year double rewards bonus.
Discover it® Miles vs. competitors
We want to lay out the relevant information for you as clearly as possible, so here’s a table showing the Discover it® Miles against one of its top competitors: The Citi Premier® Card.
Discover it® Miles | Citi Premier® Card |
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|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $0 | $95 |
| Regular APR | 13.49% - 24.49% Variable | 20.49% - 28.49% (Variable) |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | None | 0% |
| Credit Needed | Good/Excellent | Good/Excellent |
| Unique Features | All miles matched end of first year, unlimited 1.5x Miles | An impressive 3x points (per $1 spent) at gas stations, restaurants, and supermarkets. As well as 3x points (per $1 spent) on hotels and airfare. 1x points (per $1 spent) are earned on all other purchases. |
Will I be approved for Discover it® Miles?
All Discover credit cards require excellent credit to be approved. We estimate that means you should have at least a 700 credit score to consider applying—although a certain score does not guarantee approval. You can check your credit score for free here.
Summary
Discover wants you to give its cards a try, and it’s willing to offer you generous rewards to do so. While other travel rewards cards feature large sign-up bonuses if you spend a certain amount on the card in the first three months, the Discover it® Miles will match your rewards in your first year.
Combine this offer with Discover’s reputation for outstanding customer service, and you have a very strong product that stands out in an extremely competitive market.
Read more:
- Discover it® Cash Back Review
- Compare More Discover Cards