Whenever I ask readers for suggestions on what credit cards to review the Total Rewards Visa card comes up, so I thought I’d finally write a review about it. The card itself is issued by Comenity Bank and according to reader Ted E the shopping cart trick still works to get this card without a hard pull.
Contents
Card Basics
- No annual fee
- Sign up bonus of 10,000 reward credits after $750 in spend within the first 90 days of account opening. Broken down as:
- 5,000 credits after $250 in spend
- Additional 5,000 credits after another $500 in spend
- Card earns at the following rates:
- 5x credits per $1 spent at Total Rewards resorts and casinos and on sport, concert, and show tickets through TR Live Events
- 2x credits per $1 spent on airlines, gas and groceries
- 1x credits per $1 spent everywhere else
- Choose one:
- Two free buffet passes Total Rewards destination
- Two tickets to High Roller in Las Vegas
- One night stay at Total Rewards destination
- Two show tickets at Total Rewards destination
- Receive Platinum status after your first purchase, keep Platinum  in subsequent year by spending $5,000 in the current calendar year
- Credits don’t expire as long as you earn at least 1 credit per six month period
Card Benefits
Let’s take a look at each of the card benefits in a little bit more detail.
Platinum Status
You’ll receive platinum tier status after your first purchase (although it does say it takes up to thirty days for this to process). If you spend $5,000 in the current calendar year you’ll receive Platinum status again the following calendar year. Platinum is Total Rewards second tier and usually it requires 5,000 Tier credits. Diamond & Seven Stars are both higher Tiers than Platinum. You can view the full benefits of Platinum and the other tiers by clicking here. Below is a few of the main features:
- Get exclusive pre-sale access for select shows
- Receive 15% discounts at  participating casino gift shops & spas
- Gift up to 5,000 Reward Credits to a friend (limit of two transfers per year)
- Preferred pricing at participating Total Rewards restaurants
Complimentary Trip To Atlantis In The Bahamas
You’re able to book one complimentary trip to Atlantis in the Bahamas if you have Platinum, Diamond or Seven Stars tier status.
Platinum members get the following trip:
- Complimentary 2-night stay in the Beach Tower
- Up to 2 additional nights at a Special Casino Rate
- Atlantis Casino Experience Pass*
- Access to Aquaventure, a one-of-a-kind 141-acre waterscape with 20 swimming areas and 11 pools
Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Offer must be booked by January 31, 2017 and is valid for travel through February 28, 2017
- Offer is not valid November 22-26, 2016 and December 26-January 2, 2017 and additional blackout dates may apply
- Airfare, meals, taxes, resort fees and gratuities are not included unless specified
- Offer cannot be combined with other offers
Hat tip to reader Mickey D
Choose One
You’re allowed to pick one of four benefits, these must be used within six months of the card being issued, cannot be transferred and must be used by primary cardholder. All of them are limited by availability and black out dates (can’t find any mention of what these are). Your choices and restrictions are:
- Two free buffet passes Total Rewards destination
- Excludes any taxes, both passes must be redeemed at same time. Upgrade fee applies to the Bacchanal® Buffet at Caesars Palace.Excludes the Buffet of Buffets®. Buffet passes can be picked up at any Total Rewards Center in Las Vegas. Harrah’s Philadelphia, ThistleDown Racino, Horseshoe Baltimore and Caesars Windsor are excluded from this offer.
- Two tickets to High Roller in Las Vegas.
- Valid only for the High Roller in Las Vegas. Both individual High Roller ride tickets must be redeemed at the same time. Rides must be taken between the hours of noon and 6 p.m
- One night stay at Total Rewards destination
- Valid for one night, Sunday – Thursday and excludes Caesars Windsor. Full list of available properties here. Must be 21 years or older (19 or older in Canada) rooms are also subject to a $9.95-$29 Resort fee
- Two show tickets at Total Rewards destination
- The following shows and venues are excluded from this offer: The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, Absinthe at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, Circus Maximus Theater at Caesars Palace Atlantic City, The Axis Theater at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, The Summer Concert Series at Harvey’s Lake Tahoe, and residencies at Drai’s. Excludes shows at Caesars Windsor. List of excluded shows and venues is subject to change. A list of available shows can be found at caesars.com/trvisashows. Tickets cannot be resold
Rewards
Redeeming Rewards
When you redeem your Total Rewards credits into free play, the rate you receive is dependent on what tier you’re in.
- Gold: 200 Rewards Credits = $1 (0.5¢)
- Platinum: 200 Rewards Credits = $1 (0.5¢
- Diamond: 175 Rewards Credits = $1 (0.57¢)
- Seven Stars: 125 Rewards Credits = $1 (0.8¢)
This means with this card at most these points will be worth 0.5¢ per point for free play. You can also redeem for the following at 100 Rewards Credits = $1 regardless of your rewards tier.
- Hotel
- Dining
- WSOP
- Show Tickets
- Shopping
- Spa Golf
How Much Are Points Worth?
As you can see from above points are worth 0.5¢ if your redeeming for free play (and free play if you have gold or platinum status) and 1¢ per point if redeeming for anything else.
Earning Rewards
As we mentioned before this card earns at the following rates:
- 5x credits per $1 spent at Total Rewards resorts and casinos and on sport, concert, and show tickets through TR Live Events
- 2x credits per $1 spent on airlines, gas and groceries
- 1x credits per $1 spent everywhere else
This basically means the card earns 5%/2%/1% cash back (although it isn’t as good as cash back due to the fact that you have to redeem at TR places).
There are far better options than 1% cash back everywhere. There are also better options for airline, gas and grocery store purchases. 5% is probably the best you’ll get for things in that category, but how much are you really going to spend in those categories?
Targeted Spending Bonuses
Not all cardholders will have received these, but just gives you an idea of what to possibly expect:
Our Verdict
Honestly this card is a lot better than I first thought, especially if you can make use of the two free nights at the Atlantis resort . Best case scenario you’d be getting $100 in TR credit and three free nights. Another upside is that you should be able to get it by using the shopping cart trick without a hard pull. Just keep in mind that hard pulls are not everything, this card would still count towards the Chase 5/24 rule for example and would still lower your average age of accounts.
Let me know if I’m missing anything about this card and if you think it’s a good option or not in the comments below.
The card benefits are changing alot as of 4-1-22. This will need to be updated.
Now called Caesars Entertainment
Caesar’s merged with Eldorado
They have many more properties
Make sure your credits and Rewards are posted
Just saw movie Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021) at Caesars Entertainment IMAX in atlantic city: Musical highly recommended
Dancing is great
Modern theme of murder suicide which happens everyday in the USA
MUST SEE MOVIE
This is one of THE worst banks you could ever deal with. They are underhanded and unprofessional. My card was issued with a modest limit. In the first month, I paid SIX payments before the FIRST payment was ever do. You would think they would reward you, instead, they pulled my card and cancelled it. You’d be much better applying for a Capital One card. They obviously know the worth of a valued card holder. Comenity has no clue !! STAY AWAY !!
This article/page needs a refresh. It’s now the “Caesar’s Rewards Visa.” Most of the benefits mentioned. But I personally did not see anything about free nights or Atlantis or anything like that as of 5-15-20.
Will you get automatic Platinum status if you spend over $5000 in subsequent years, or is that only true for the first year you have the card?
I got this card after taking the Chinese bus from Chinatown to Ceasar in Atlantic City. I got it many years ago. I am not a gambler. They have outlet stores nearby, called Tanger (Starbucks, Columbia Jackets factory outlet etc.) . I like going into the ocean…walking on the beach. They are close to New Jersey transit Bus Terminal and NJ Transit Rail Road station. I have stayed many times at Atlantic City and mostly at non casino hotels. I avoid the gambling floors. I do not want to promote gambling. I went to the IMAX theater at Atlantic City.
Hello. I have no clue how to get this card. Whether by SCT or an online application. Where would one go to try to the SCT? When you go to Comenity’s site for the Visa it tells you that you have to be a Total Reward member. But even after signing up and getting a membership number it still doesn’t accept your application. Round and round and round you go on their website. It’s insanity.
Since Atlantis is a Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel, could I book the two free nights awarded by this Card, and then attach my Marriott rewards number at check in for my status benefits?
This room runs about 35,000 Marriott rewards points per night, so to get it free and still get a suite upgrade or recognition on free nights would be great.
I regret I don’t have an answer for you, but that’s a great question! Please report back if you find out. Thanks.
Now that the benefit is listed as a free three night stay bookable until Jan 31 2019, on a no annual fee card, it is too good to pass up.
I will sign up for the card and try to get this booked over the summer. I already verified that Marriott elites are eligible for all status based perks as usual, when booked through the usual channels. I just don’t know if I can apply my rewards # to the reservation when booked via the Total Rewards Concierge.
Either way, I know it’s a few months out, but afterwards I will report back with how it pans out.
Stay away from the Total Rewards Visa Card backed by Comenity Bank!!
I had a card with them for 5 years that had a $15,000 available credit. I never made a late payment – never even had a late payment on any account with any credit/bill during the past 10 years.
I carried a balance of more than $10,000 for the past couple years due to now-ex-wife spending. I was preparing to go on a trip and paid the balance off to use the card. Without any warning or communication, Comenity immediately changed my available credit to $1000.
I am now unable to take the family vacation I had planned because of Comenity. I called in and the primary operator connected me to a “Total Rewards Supervisor” who basically indicated that any change in my account activity and/or or monthly automatically – my account details could be altered and that he receives a few calls like mine every week.
DO NOT TRUST COMENTIY TO TREAT YOU FAIRLY OR OPENLY COMMUNICATE THEIR INTENTIONS. THEY ARE THE SCUM OF THE EARTH and I will take every possible opportunity to persuade every person that I know (personally and professionally) to stop doing business with Comenity. And I will take every free moment I have – where any person or organization has frustrated me – and I will use that time/energy to continue my crusade to deliver a financial impact to Comenity Bank – and Caesars has not only lost a credit card client – but a customer as well. By partnering with Comenity Caesars shares the guilt and I will include them in my crusade. I assure both organizations that I will cost them income and/or profits that are magnitudes greater than any amounts they have earned from me in the past as a client and I will not stop this crusade until I feel confident that together they have been impacted 100x the amount they impacted me today ($15,000,000).
This isn’t the correct forum for that type of problem
Is the 2-night complimentary stay still valid? I checked the Total Rewards card application site and makes no mention of this benefit….just the lousy buffet pass for ONE!
lol, also a 2 buffet pass offered before is now only 1
Indeed. Some serious downgrading of benefits. If one can get Platinum/Diamond status by matching to Wyndham, it’s hard to see why this card would be a compelling value.