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Discover it® Miles Review: A Travel Card With No-Hassle Rewards

Review Updated
Lyle Daly
Author: Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
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Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. His work with Motley Fool Money and The Motley Fool has appeared syndicated in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

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Fact Checked: Nathan Alderman
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While many travel credit cards have a learning curve, the Discover it® Miles is as easy as it gets. It earns unlimited 1.5X Miles on purchases, and redeeming them is a breeze. But it doesn't have much in the way of premium perks, so frequent travelers may want more. Figure out if this is the card for you in our full Discover it® Miles review.

Ratings Methodology

Discover it® Miles

Apply Now for Discover it® Miles

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Discover it® Miles
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
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Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Discover it® Miles

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular APR

18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase

1.5X miles

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer

Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

  • A straightforward, no annual fee travel rewards card built for occasional travelers. The unlimited Miles and welcome offer are standout perks.

    • Earn miles on purchases
    • Great sign-up bonus
    • No annual fee
    • No foreign transaction fee
    • Great intro APR
    • Limited ways to use miles
    • Lacks premium travel perks
    • No bonus categories
    • 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.
    • Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
    • No annual fee
    • Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
    • 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.49% - 27.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply. Rates as of December 12, 2024.
    • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
    • Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
    • Terms and conditions apply.

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 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 1.5 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. 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.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Full Discover it® Miles review

This credit card is a good fit for: Rewards enthusiasts who want a straightforward travel card that cuts common credit card fees.

Top perks

Let's take a look at what the Discover it® Miles credit card has to offer.

Unlimited 1.5X Miles per $1

The Discover it® Miles earns unlimited 1.5X Miles per $1 on purchases. You can redeem miles as cash back or apply them to travel purchases. They have a value of $0.01 per 1 mile no matter how you use them. For example, 10,000 Miles are worth $100.

Sign-up bonus

For new cardholders, Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 30,000 Miles in that first year, Discover will give you another 30,000. This is one of the more valuable sign-up bonuses for consumers who put all their spending on a single credit card.

SEE MORE: Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses

No annual fee

Many popular travel cards charge an annual fee. The Discover it® Miles isn't one of them.

MORE TOP PICKS: Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards

0% intro APR for 15 months

This Discover travel card has a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. After the intro period, the go-to 18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024. will apply, and there's a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.

You can use the intro APR to pay off costly expenses over time. Or, you can transfer over credit card debt and pay it down while avoiding interest charges. Make sure to complete your balance transfers by the date specified in the terms for this card. Also, do your best to pay off your full balance during the intro period to maximize your savings.

No foreign transaction fee

Like most travel credit cards, the Discover it® Miles doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee. The standard foreign transaction fee amount is 3% for many credit cards, so you should always have a credit card without this fee when you're traveling internationally.

Free FICO® Score

Discover makes it easy to monitor your credit score by including a free FICO® Score for every cardholder. This is accessible via Discover's app or online account management portal. Your FICO® Score is the one that most lenders use, so it's the best type of score to monitor.

What could be improved

The Discover it® Miles isn't without its downsides, and they're worth knowing about before you apply.

Limited ways to use miles

Many travel credit cards give you more options, such as transferring rewards to the card issuer's airline and hotel partners. Transferring rewards this way is often how people score high-value travel bookings.

Even though the Discover it® Miles is considered a travel card, you get the same value whether you redeem miles for travel or cash back. That makes it similar to cash back credit cards, which is important to realize. Continue browsing credit card reviews if you'd like a card with more redemption options.

Lacks premium travel perks

Unlike other travel cards, the Discover it® Miles doesn't offer much in the way of travel perks. You won't get free checked luggage, elite status at your hotel of choice, or airport lounge access. To be fair, these normally aren't features you get from no annual fee credit cards. But if you travel often, consider whether you could be better off paying an annual fee for a card with more features.

COMPARE OPTIONS: Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Travel insurance

Cards from other brands, notably Visa and Mastercard, typically come with a set of travel perks and benefits like rental car insurance and coverage for lost or damaged luggage. The Discover it® Miles lacks many of these extras.

Own a business? Check out Motley Fool Money's guide to the best business credit cards for travel.

Find the best credit card for your needs
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Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.

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Suggested credit score

The Discover it® Miles is intended for people with good to excellent credit, meaning a FICO® Score of at least 670. Your credit score isn't the only factor that matters when applying for a credit card, but it is one of the most important.

RELATED: How to Increase Your Credit Score

The Discover it® Miles credit card is right for you if:

You want easy-to-use credit card rewards and you don't spend that much. The Discover it® Miles has a solid earning rate and an excellent welcome offer. However, if you spend more than $1,500 per month or travel several times per year, you could get greater value from travel cards with more benefits.

MORE OPTIONS: Best Credit Cards

Our credit card methodology

At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • The minimum starting credit limit for Discover it® Miles is $500, but it's possible to get a much larger limit depending on your creditworthiness. Many cardholders have reported credit limits of $10,000 or more.

  • The Discover it® Miles works with all airlines. You can use miles as statement credits to reimburse travel purchases. Miles are also redeemable for cash back.