Update 7/17/22: Annual fee has been reduced to $95 from $249.
Fairwinds Credit Union offers an interesting credit card called the FAIRWINDS Preferred Visa Signature. Let’s take a look at this card in this quick review. Unfortunately this card is restricted to those who live, work or operate a business in Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Osceola, Polk, Brevard, Lake, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, or Sarasota counties.
Card Basics
- Annual fee of $95 (extra $75 for additional cardholders)
- Sign up bonus of 60,000 bonus after $5,000 in spend withint he first three months
- 50% more value on travel redemptions
- Card earns at the following rates:
- 5x points on travel
- 3x points on dining
- 2x points on all other purchases
How Much Are Points Worth
You can redeem points for gift cards at a rate of 11,000 points = $100 gift card (0.9¢ per point) or through the CURewards portal and get 50% more value (e.g 60,000 points = $900 in travel). It looks like these are CURewards points, so I’m not sure if you can use them for other travel like other cards (some options discussed here) and if so, do you still get the 50% bonus?
Our Verdict
Card is potentially very interesting, at minimum it earns 2x points on all purchases and points are worth 1.5¢ each for travel. If you can redeem for some of the other travel portals and still get the 50% discount then it’s even more useful. That being said the card does have a $249 annual fee and that isn’t really offset by any airline/travel credits or lounge access. Might be worth grabbing for the first year if you’re a heavy spender, but for most people not worth considering.
Hat tip to tom0963
Not worth it. Fairwinds is the actual worst. I had been a member since 2005 and have carried their credit since then. I even worked for them for a year while I was in college at UCF.
Despite having a perfect 17 year relationship with this CU I was denied for the card due to “excessive DTI” (I have a mortgage and car payment, PIF every month, 820 credit score, and high earner). Fairwinds offered to transition my old card to the new product, but wouldn’t give me the sign up bonus.
I closed all my accounts and my membership with them over it. They are a terrible CU.
DP: I wouldn’t bother with this one if you’ve opened more than 5 accounts in the past 24 months. I applied and they requested my ID, paystubs, and a few other things. Ended up denying my application for an “excessive amount of new accounts in the past 24 months”. Think I have 5 new cards in the past 24 months. Hard pull.
Should probably look into applying for this given Midflorida dropped their CB to 2%
The annual fee is down to $95 now; AU still $75. More viable for a lot more people than it used to be. As far as I read, all other details are the same.
William Charles
They told me today this card is only for residents of Florida. Their other cards can be approved for OOS.
I don’t know why I assumed that because I could get a bank account with them that this card would be possible.
trying to figure out if i can fund a cc with a fairwinds account guess i’ll have to be the dp i want to see
Joining fariwinds results in hardpull or soft?
No idea sorry
No Hard Pull, I joined last year
I’d like to know too!
Hard pull on Equifax
to join Fairwinds or when you apply for a card???… I didn’t get hard pulled for joining last year
Fairwinds Membership Options
-requires purchasing Membership Share ($5 min)
https://app.loanspq.com/xa/xpressApp.aspx?enc=Kw21Wblm1yxpjJabdoZaD0RPyGl-FkJEml8YAY8Ju17CzdNLT3j-9qD0mcOePvAc7TQIH7Ns9l6lqChAChGwW-DW36r2LR7394Rq-_ZNhIEOmxm1IEFHVhCZDaByrHZ1
The wording is technically incorrect. The card isn’t limited to those living in those counties but new membership in the credit union is unless you are a UCF alum or LionNation member. I have been a member of Fairwinds for many years but no longer live in Florida, however I can still get the card. UCF students, faculty, staff and alumni are also eligible to join regardless of where they reside. UCF has the largest enrollment of any university in the country at over 65,000 students so there are many alumni all across the U.S. You can also join Fairwinds if you are a member of the Orlando City Soccer Club LionNation which you can join for free.
How do you prove you were at UCF before?
Show them the tattoo.