PNC Credit Cards Review

(December 2024)

S'witty Kiwi Editors
December 13, 2024

Our Verdict

PNC Bank offers a variety of financial services, including personal and business banking, wealth management, investment services, and more. If you want to learn about all their services in detail, visit their website. Additionally, PNC Bank is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, and operates in 21 states in the United States of America, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, and more. To contact PNC Bank customer service, dial 1-888-762-2265 or visit their website at www.pnc.com to learn more about its services and access online banking. Be aware that PNC Bank offers personal and business credit cards, which you can learn about on their website along with access to online banking and more.

Pros

Offers a wide range of financial services, including personal banking, business banking, wealth management, and investment services.
Has a strong presence in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Southeast regions of the United States with branches in 21 states.
Provides online and mobile banking options for convenient account management.
Offers a variety of credit cards with rewards programs and sign-up bonuses.
Offers a free checking account option with no monthly maintenance fee.

Cons

Limited branch coverage in certain states, especially in the West Coast and New England regions.
Higher fees for certain services, such as overdraft fees and out-of-network ATM fees.
Mixed customer reviews of its customer service quality.
Limited availability of certain financial products and services compared to larger national banks.
Requires minimum balances on some accounts to avoid fees.

Who This Product Is Best For

Consider PNC Bank’s personal credit cards if you:

Are looking for a wide range of options to choose from, including cards with generous rewards programs and sign-up bonuses.
Want to avoid annual fees or get the waived fee for the first year on many cards.
Want to access free credit score information and take advantage of security features on PNC Bank’s personal credit cards.
Are interested in taking advantage of promotional APRs that may be available on some cards.

Who This Product Isn't Right For

Consider other options if you are looking for a personal credit card and:

Want a credit card with no annual fee
Need a credit card for travel rewards and perks
Prefer a credit card with a simple rewards program and redemption options
Have a poor credit score and need a credit card with a low interest rate

PNC personal credit cards may not be the best fit for you in these cases.

What This Product Offers

Take a look at the personal credit cards offered by PNC Bank:

PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card: Consider the PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card for cash back on all purchases and a sign-up bonus.

PNC Points Visa Credit Card: Choose the PNC Points Visa Credit Card for points on all purchases that can be redeemed for merchandise, gift cards, or travel rewards.

PNC Premier Traveler Visa Signature Credit Card: If you’re a frequent traveler, the PNC Premier Traveler Visa Signature Credit Card may be the best option for you, as it earns points that you can redeem for travel rewards.

PNC Flex Visa Credit Card: The PNC Flex Visa Credit Card offers flexible payment options and the choice to earn either cash back or points on purchases.

PNC Visa Secured Credit Card: If you have no credit or poor credit, you can still get a card with the PNC Visa Secured Credit Card by putting down a security deposit.

Product Details

PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card:

Earn cash back on all purchases, with bonus cash back for purchases in select categories
Enjoy a sign-up bonus after meeting spending requirements
No annual fee
Introductory 0% APR for the first 12 billing cycles on balance transfers
Regular APR ranges from 13.74% to 23.74%, based on creditworthiness
Security features, such as zero liability fraud protection and 24/7 fraud monitoring
Access to contactless payment technology
Cardholder benefits, including extended warranty coverage, travel accident insurance, and more.

Visit the PNC Bank website to learn more and apply for the PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card.

PNC Points Visa Credit Card:

Earn points on every purchase with no limit on how much you can earn.
Redeem points for merchandise, gift cards, or travel rewards through the PNC Points website.
Get 5,000 sign-up bonus points after making a qualifying purchase within the first three billing cycles.
Enjoy 0% introductory APR for the first 12 billing cycles on balance transfers and purchases made within the first three billing cycles (after that, variable APR will apply).
No annual fee.
Use the card with confidence with fraud protection, zero liability, and optional overdraft protection.

PNC Premier Traveler Visa Signature Credit Card:

Rewards: Earn two miles for every dollar spent on purchases, with no limit on the miles you can earn.
Sign-up Bonus: Receive 30,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three billing cycles after opening the account.
Travel Benefits: Get access to exclusive travel benefits such as travel insurance, concierge services, and discounts on car rentals, hotels, and more.
Annual Fee: The card has an annual fee of $85, but this fee is waived for the first year.
Foreign Transaction Fee: The card charges no foreign transaction fees.
APR: The variable APR for purchases and balance transfers ranges from 15.99% to 24.99%, depending on creditworthiness.
Minimum Payment: The minimum payment is either $25 or 1% of the balance plus interest and fees, whichever is greater.

Keep in mind that PNC premier traveler visa signature credit card also includes perks like zero liability protection for unauthorized purchases, fraud monitoring, and online account management.

PNC Flex Visa Credit Card:

Earn 4% cash back or 4 points per $1 spent on gas purchases.
Earn 3% cash back or 3 points per $1 spent on dining purchases.
Earn 2% cash back or 2 points per $1 spent on groceries and 1% cash back or 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Redeem your cash back or points for statement credits, travel, merchandise, gift cards, or charitable donations
You can also earn a 50% bonus on your base points or cash back when you make at least $2,000 in qualifying purchases during the billing cycle.
Enjoy a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles after account opening.
Benefit from no annual fee.
Have access to fraud protection and other security features.

PNC Visa Secured Credit Card:

Earning rewards: Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all purchases.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 30,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 billing cycles.
Redeem earned miles for travel-related purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and more.
Annual fee: $85 per year.
No foreign transaction fees for purchases made outside of the United States.
Enjoy benefits such as airport lounge access, travel accident insurance, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
Receive a credit for TSA(Transportation Security Administration) PreCheck or Global Entry application fee, as well as travel and purchase protections.

Where This Product Stands Out

Variety of options: Explore PNC Bank’s selection of personal credit cards to find one that best fits your needs and preferences.

Cash back and rewards: Take advantage of PNC Bank’s cash back and rewards programs to earn rewards on your purchases.

Low interest rates: Choose a PNC Bank personal credit card with a low interest rate to save money on interest charges.

Flexible payment options: Opt for a PNC Bank personal credit card with flexible payment options to make payments that fit your schedule and budget.

Travel rewards: If you’re a frequent traveler, consider PNC Bank’s Premier Traveler Visa Signature Credit Card for travel rewards.

Secured credit card: If you have no credit or poor credit, PNC Bank offers a secured credit card option that can help you build your credit score.

Where This Product Falls Short

Limited geographic coverage: Keep in mind that PNC Bank has a limited number of branches and is only available in certain states, so it may not be as convenient if you don’t live in one of those areas.

Fewer rewards options: While PNC Bank offers several personal credit cards, some of the personal credit cards have limited rewards programs compared to other credit cards on the market. So, make sure to review the rewards offered by each card before making a decision.

Higher interest rates: PNC Bank credit cards may have higher interest rates compared to other credit cards. So, if you carry a balance from month to month, you may end up paying more interest charges over time.

Limited benefits: Some PNC Bank credit cards may have limited benefits compared to other credit cards on the market, such as travel insurance, purchase protection, or extended warranty coverage. So, make sure to review the benefits offered by each card before making a decision.

How to Qualify for This Product

To qualify for a PNC Bank personal credit card, you must have a good credit score, typically 690 or higher. You should also have a consistent income to prove you can make the monthly payments. Additionally, PNC Bank will look at your credit history, debt-to-income ratio, and other factors to determine if you meet its creditworthiness standards. It is also important to have a stable job and residency history. To apply, you will need to fill out an application and provide personal and financial information. PNC Bank may also conduct a hard credit check during the application process.

How to Apply for This Product

PNC does not provide public information on its personal credit cards application procedures. The recommended approach is to contact a PNC banker directly to obtain comprehensive details about credit card options available at the bank.

To apply for a PNC Bank personal credit card, follow these steps:

Visit the PNC Bank website and select the credit card option that best fits your needs.
Click the “Apply Now” button to start your application.
Fill out the application form with your personal and financial information, including your name, address, income, and employment information.
Submit your application and wait for a decision.

Alternatively, you can visit a PNC Bank branch in person to apply for a personal credit card or call PNC Bank’s customer service number to apply over the phone. To complete your application, you need to provide acceptable forms of identification, such as a driver’s license or passport, and may need to provide proof of income and other financial information.

Alternatives to This Product

Consider these alternative banks for personal credit cards:

Chase Bank

Look into Chase Bank for personal credit cards if you want a bank with a large national presence and a wide range of credit card options. Chase offers rewards credit cards, cash back credit cards, travel credit cards, and more.

American Express

Choose American Express for personal credit cards if you want exclusive rewards and benefits. American Express offers rewards credit cards, cash back credit cards, and travel credit cards, among others.

Citi Bank

Consider Citi Bank for personal credit cards if you want flexible credit card options and a wide range of reward programs. Citi offers cash back credit cards, travel credit cards, balance transfer credit cards, and more.

Customer Reviews

On Trustpilot, PNC Bank has received an overall rating of 1.3 out of 5 stars based on feedback from 715 customers. According to the reviews, many customers are unhappy with the bank’s customer service, unexpected charges, and incidents of fraud. While a small number of positive reviews exist, the majority of the feedback suggests that PNC Bank should focus on improving its customer service and transparency.

Methodology

We reviewed *this product* based on 20 data points in the categories of credit card details, credit card rewards, eligibility and accessibility, customer experience and the application process. We rated *this product* based on the weighting assigned to each category:

Credit card details: 35%
Credit card rewards: 25%
Customer experience: 20%
Eligibility and accessibility: 10%
Application process: 10%

Within each major category, we also considered several characteristics, including available credit cards, rewards and applicable fees. We also looked at minimum credit scores and time in business requirements and the geographic availability of the lender. Finally, we evaluated *this product* customer support tools, borrower perks and features that simplify the borrowing process—like online applications, prequalification options and mobile apps.