AARP Essential Rewards

Earn a one-time $100 cash back bonus early in your card membership. Spend $500 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening to qualify. The bonus is credited after you hit the spending threshold.

Pay at the pump or inside any qualifying gas station or drugstore and earn 3% cash back. Note that purchases at Target and Walmart are excluded from this category, even if you're buying gas or pharmacy items there.

Eligible medical spending — such as visits to doctors, dentists, chiropractors, and purchases like glasses or hearing aids — earns 2% cash back. Pay your medical bills directly with the card at qualifying providers to earn at this rate.

Any purchase that doesn't qualify as gas, drugstore, or medical earns 1% cash back automatically. There's no activation or category tracking required — the rate applies to all other eligible spending by default.

You're never on the hook for unauthorized charges made on your account. If fraud is detected, report it and the disputed amount is covered in full. No minimum threshold applies.

Get a 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 15 months after opening your account. To qualify, transfers must be made within 45 days of account opening. After the intro period, a variable APR of 20.24%–29.99% applies, and a balance transfer fee is charged.

This card charges a fee on purchases made outside the U.S. or processed in a foreign currency. If you travel internationally or shop on overseas websites, that extra cost will be added to each transaction, so you may want to use a different card abroad.

Check your FICO® Credit Score for free anytime through your online account. Scores are updated regularly so you can track changes over time. No impact to your credit for checking.