Excellent perks, lackluster redemptions: UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card review
Editor's Note
The UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card provides many benefits, including popular perks such as unlimited Priority Pass lounge guests and price protection, that most other cards have discontinued. However, earning rates are modest, and some cardholders may struggle to maximize redemptions. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
The information for the UBS Visa Infinite Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Before researching the card to write this review, I hadn't seen or heard much about the UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card. I expected that the card wouldn't have much going for it, but I was wrong. Aspects such as price protection and a Priority Pass membership with unlimited guest privileges make it stand out from the crowd.
This card certainly isn't a good fit for everyone, though.
Let's take a closer look at the UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card so you can determine whether it is a good addition to your wallet.
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Who is this card for?
The UBS Visa Infinite charges a $495 annual fee. But the card can be a good option for travelers who can get value from high-end, service-oriented benefits. After all, the UBS concierge can be a great resource. And when you book through the UBS concierge, you can get elite-like perks at select hotel brands. The card also offers some of the most comprehensive travel and shopping benefits that you'll find on a currently-available travel rewards card.
However, the UBS Visa Infinite's earning rates aren't particularly compelling, and the redemption process may be difficult to maximize. So, you'll likely want to pass on this card if you won't get significant value from its perks, if you're looking for a card with lucrative earning rates or want a card that earns transferable points.
Related: 7 premium travel cards that are worth the high annual fee
Welcome bonus
The UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card currently offers a welcome bonus of 25,000 points when you make $3,000 in eligible purchases during the first three months from card account approval. You must call UBS or contact your UBS Financial Advisor to apply for the card. Elevated welcome bonuses are sometimes available to UBS clients when they speak with their UBS financial adviser.
There are many ways to redeem your points, as we'll discuss below. Although you could redeem these 25,000 points for a $250 statement credit or one flight costing up to $350, you'll get the most value when you redeem 50,000 points for one flight costing up to $900. You can expect to redeem your rewards for between 1 cent and 1.8 cents per point, making the welcome bonus worth between $250 and $450.
If you're looking for a premium travel rewards card that's currently offering a higher welcome bonus, consider applying for a card like The Platinum Card® from American Express, Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
Related: The best card offers to sign up for this month
Main benefits and perks
UBS loaded its UBS Visa Infinite card with benefits and perks, including some benefits that most other issuers have slashed from their cards. For example, the UBS Visa Infinite still offers unlimited complimentary access to Priority Pass Select lounges for cardholders and an unlimited number of guests after you enroll.
Plus, the UBS Visa Infinite offers excellent shopping protections — including increasingly rare price protection and almost unheard of event ticket protection — when you make purchases with your card:
- Purchase security of up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year.
- Price protection of up to $500 per claim and $1,500 per year.
- Return protection of up to $300 per claim and $1,000 per year.
- Extended warranty service extends warranties of three years or less by up to one year (for up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year).
- Event ticket protection of up to $500 per event ticket, $2,000 per event and $5,000 per year.
The card comes with a $250 airline fee credit, which works similarly to the airline fee credit offered by select Amex cards. The UBS Visa Infinite's airline fee credit is for ancillary airline fees on one qualifying U.S. domestic airline that you've selected. Examples of eligible airline fees include "preferred seating upgrades, ticket change/cancellation fees, checked baggage fees, in-flight entertainment, onboard food and beverage charges, airport lounge fees and other airline travel fees." Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Cardholders also get access to various travel benefits and perks, including:
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit of up to $100 every four years.
- Access to book hotel stays with elite-like benefits through the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection.
- Access to additional elite-like perks, amenities and rates at Leading Hotels of the World, LVH Global, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Marriott International Luminous, Marriott International STARS, Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Relais & Chateaux, Shangri-La, Six Senses, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Waldorf Astoria and Conrad Hotel & Resorts properties when you book through the UBS Concierge.
- Trip delay reimbursement up to $500 per ticket to reimburse the cost of meals and lodging if a trip is delayed more than six hours.
- Baggage delay coverage up to $100 per day for three days (capped at $300 over 12 months).
- Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance up to $5,000.
- Lost luggage reimbursement up to $5,000.
- Primary coverage reimbursement for collision or damage, up to the value of most rental cars.
- Roadside assistance up to $50 per event (up to four events per year).
- Paid emergency medical evacuation and transportation coverage up to $100,000.
- Travel accident insurance up to $1,000,000.
- Rental car discounts with Avis, National, Silvercar, Enterprise and Alamo.
- Private aviation benefits with NetJets and Wheels Up.
Finally, cardholders also get access to these other perks:
- UBS Concierge to assist with coordinating travel planning, dining, entertainment, event ticket access and more.
- No additional fee for up to 24 authorized users.
- Use your card at any ATM and pay no cash advance or finance charges (if funds are available in a linked UBS resource management account), plus get unlimited ATM fee rebates on cash withdrawals in the U.S. (up to $10 per transaction).
- Access to the UBS Dining program.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Related: Everything you need to know about the Visa Infinite program's benefits
How to earn points
The UBS Visa Infinite earns 3 points per dollar spent on commercial air travel, 2 points per dollar spent on gas and groceries, and 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. Since points are generally redeemable for 1 to 1.8 cents each, you'll get an effective return of 3 to 5.4% on commercial air travel, 2 to 3.6% on gas and groceries and 1 to 1.8% on all other purchases.
There's no cap to the points you can earn. And points don't expire as long as your card is open.
Related: The best credit cards for booking flights
How to redeem points
There are many options for redeeming your points. However, you'll get the most value when you redeem 50,000 points for one flight costing up to $900 through UBS. You can redeem online through UBS Online Services or over the phone with the UBS Rewards Desk, but you'll want to redeem for a flight costing as close to $900 as possible without going over.
Although you can redeem for a ticket costing more than $900, you must pay the price difference using additional points at a rate of 5,000 points per $50. You can only make additional payments with points and you must do so in increments of 5,000 points. But, redeeming for a ticket well under $900 leaves potential value on the table.
Assuming you can find a flight bookable through UBS for just under $900, this means you can get up to 1.8 cents per point. Alternatively, you could redeem 25,000 points through the UBS Rewards Service Center for one flight costing up to $350 — but this would only give you up to 1.4 cents per point.
If you have trouble finding a flight just under $900 or just under $350, there are other redemption options. For example, you can pay with points for travel, gift cards and merchandise. But, these other options generally provide no more than one cent of value per point.
Related: How to decide whether to use cash or miles for airline tickets
How does the UBS Visa Infinite compare?
If you're considering the UBS Visa Infinite, you're likely comparing it against other premium travel cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card® from American Express. Here's a table comparing these cards.
| Feature | UBS Visa Infinite | Chase Sapphire Reserve | Amex Platinum Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 25,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months. | 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening. | 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the card in your first six months of card membership. Terms apply. |
| Annual fee | $495. | $550. | $695 (see rates & fees). |
| Annual travel credits | $250 airline fee credit. | $300 travel credit. | Up to $200 airline fee credit.
Up to $200 hotel credit. Up to $200 Uber credit. Up to $189 Clear credit. Enrollment is required for some credits. Terms apply. |
| Authorized user fee | $0 (for up to 24 authorized users). | $75 per authorized user. | $175 for up to three authorized user Platinum cards, then $175 per additional authorized user Platinum Card (no fee for authorized user Gold Cards, see rates & fees). Terms apply. |
| Earning rates | 3 points per dollar spent on commercial air travel.
2 points per dollar spent on gas and groceries. 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. | 10 points per dollar spent on hotels and car rentals when you purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards (excluding $300 travel credit).
10 points per dollar spent on Chase Dining purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards. 5 points per dollar spent on flights when you purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards (excluding $300 travel credit). 3 points per dollar spent on other travel and dining (excluding $300 travel credit). 1 point per dollar spent on everything else. | 5 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 of these purchases each calendar year).
5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel. 1 point per dollar spent on everything else. Terms apply. |
| Lounge access | Access to Priority Pass Select lounges with unlimited guests.
Up to $500 reimbursement for "dining and airport club credit" (when you spend $25,000 or more during either the current calendar year or prior calendar year). | Access to Priority Pass Select lounges with up to two guests. | Access to Amex's Global Lounge Collection, including Centurion Lounges and Priority Pass lounges.
Enrollment is required for some benefits. Terms apply. |
| Elite-like hotel benefits | Access to the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection.
Access to additional amenities at select luxury hotels when booked through UBS concierge. | Access to the Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection. | Access to Amex's Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection.
Marriott Gold status and Hilton Gold status. Enrollment is required for some benefits. Terms apply. |
| Other notable perks | Price protection and event ticket protection. | Redeem points for 1.5 cents each through the Chase travel portal or transfer to hotel and airline partners.
| Up to $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit each year.
Up to $155 Walmart+ credit each year. Plus Ups are excluded. Up to $240 digital entertainment credit each year. Up to $300 Equinox credit each year. Redeem points for up to 1 cent each through the Amex travel portal or transfer to hotel and airline partners. Enrollment is required for some benefits. Terms apply. |
Granted, the UBS Visa Infinite and Chase Sapphire Reserve are Visa Infinite cards. But Visa Infinite perks tend to vary across cards. Each of these cards will be the best fit for some cardholders, so you'll need to determine which card is best for you.
Related: Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which card is right for you?
Bottom line
Despite lackluster earning rates, the UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card provides valuable benefits that may justify its $495 annual fee. From comprehensive travel protections and premium travel benefits to price protection, many of the card's benefits can effectively offset the card's annual fee for certain cardholders.
You're most likely to get significant value from the card if you use the premium travel perks such as private aviation benefits, elite-like amenities at select hotel brands and a knowledgeable concierge.
Taking a hard look at how much you'd use the card's benefits should tell you whether it's worthwhile to add the UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card to your wallet.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, please click here.
