Update 11/16/23: $200 signup bonus is still around. The double cashback offer has expired.
The Offer
- PNC has increased the signup bonus on the Cash Rewards Visa card to $200 after $1,000 spend (previously $100) within the first three billing cycles. You can see that offer on PNC here.
Additionally, there is an in-branch offer which will offer double cashback during the first year. PNC will automatically post any earned double cash back to your account one year after opening.Offer is valid 9/6/23 – 11/6/23You can try calling into a banker at a PNC branch to see if they can process the branch offer over the phone, just make to get confirmation that it’s for the double cash back offer.
You can see an image of the offer on this website.
Card Details
- No annual fee
- Sign up bonus of $100 after $1,000 in purchases
- Card earns at the following rates ($8,000 annual cap on the 2%/3%/4% categories):
- 4% cash back on gas purchases
- 3% cash back on dining purchases
- 2% cash back on grocery purchases
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Introductory 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles following account opening when the balance is transferred within the first 90 days following account opening
- You can redeem for cash back when you have $25 or more in your account
- Applications restricted to the following states:Â AL, DC, DE. FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MD, MI, MO, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, VA, WI, WV
Our Verdict
The $200 signup bonus can be done online, and for the hassle of going in branch you’ll hopefully be able to get this offer with the double cashback. If someone can max out the $8,000 on gas, that would get you an extra $320 in cashback (that’s in additional to the generous 4% regular earn rate on gas).
PNC branches are around in many states, listed above. I can see this being a nice deal for someone who can max out the gas category, and possibly even for the other categories. Some people might also consider signing up for the online offer to get the $200 signup bonus. The ongoing rate of of 4% on gas is pretty nice too, irrespective of any signup bonus.
Hat tip to 14lopeza
I’ll update
Thank you so much for confirming this point.
Just called a local branch here in TX, and the rep said that this offer is active at all PNC branches (This branch used to be a BBVA before the acquistion.), so I’m guessing the state list in the post is just a carryover list from where there only used to be PNC branches. Rep also confirmed that I could apply over the phone if I wished.
CC:
Chritom
Thanks so much!
Applied over the phone and approved with a $10k limit. 4/24 before application. Pulled only EX, 822 FICO 8 according to Experian’s website. 0/3, 1/6, 1/12 on hard inquiries.
PNC sent me a physical letter of the report and score they pulled. It was Experian, but the score on the letter was 810.
I might be blind, but can you point to where it’s indicating it’s restricted to the states mentioned in this post? I live in Texas and there are plenty of PNCs around here after they did their takeover of BBVA.
“Double cash posts at end of first year”. That’s a deal breaker for me, in these inflationary times. What will your cash be worth in another year? Almost the same as the Costco card; spend all year, get your refund next Feb. I’ll take my US Bank card, which gives me cash immediately. no waiting.
Does anyone know if PNC publishes its MCC category list? I would like to confirm if it considers 5541 as a gas station.
I am confused between this card and Ink Cash. I have an upcoming expenditure where I need to spend about 10k on gas-related purchases over the next 4-5 months. Doing simple math on the two cards (please correct me), PNC, with this offer, is expected to return 200+320+320+20=860, whereas, for INK, it’s 90k+100. Which one should I go for? I already have Ink Unltd. though, and I am at 3/24 considering Chase. Are there any other ways to maximize one or the other returns?
you should do both, depending on how long that would keep you at 5/24, but that assumes you’ve already considered other cards out there with overall higher signup bonuses that you could be putting that $10k towards, including business ones
Ink Cash is vastly superior if it’s available to you. Gas is 2x on CIC, so your bonus is actually 90k+20k of UR, which are much more valuable than cash. Even if you just cash out at 1cpp, that is $1,100, but you can trivially get 1.25-1.5cpp and can get more than that. Also, CIC keeps you at your current x/24 for the next Ink card.
Thanks, Glenn and David. I am 740 at 20% utilization. For Chase, it’s 45% on personal and 100% on Ink Unltd. (All are bank transfers at 0%). Do you think I have any chance of CIC getting approved? In fact any of the two cards? lol
So, I went ahead and applied for CIC and got approved. However, they gave me a low limit, which is understandable given my current credit report.
Live in So Cali and there’s only one branch in LA county. It’s at least 60 miles round trip from my house. Was told I must go in branch and cannot apply by phone.
Thanks Chuck, just fyi should maybe add that the $1,000 spend has to be in first three billing cycles.
With my 13 year old card reader account I satisfy all these deals within the first 3 minutes after activation.
What is a “card reader account”? How does it allow you to meet the spending requirements “3 minutes after activation”m
Made an appointment for next week in branch. Going to try both the Virtual Wallet checking bonus and this. Been denied online for the virtual wallet twice this year, so this CC offer gives me a reason to now try in branch.
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Applied went to manual review and got the message a decision will be sent via email. Checked email few minutes later and was approved.
What’s your recent applications looking like?
7 apps. Approved for everything