PenFed Defender: 5x Gas, 3x Grocery/Dining

PenFed Defender

Card earns the following rates:

• 5X points at the pump and EV charging
• 3X points at grocery stores, restaurants, and streaming services
• 3X points at sporting goods stores
• 3X points at military commissaries and exchange stores
• 1X points on all other purchases

PenFed Joining Requirements

Anybody can become a member of PenFed by making a small one off donation to either to Voices for America’s Troops ($15) or the National Military Family Association ($20). You can also join for free if you’re military or work for the United States government, a full list of free options can be found here.

Our Verdict

We need to get the full details, but thus far it looks similar to the PenFed Platinum card. The Defender card adds the 3x dining, streaming, sporting, and military, but the basic set up of 5x gas and 3x grocery is the same on both. 

Again, points are worth .85 cents, so it’s really 4.25% on gas and 2.25% on grocery/dining and .85% everywhere else. (Also worth noting that the gas category is limited to pump-only transactions.)

Hat tip to MEAB