Cash back · American Express · No annual fee
Last verified 2026-09-09. Review issuer source
USAA Eagle Ascend is a no-annual-fee cash back card from USAA. Its best everyday rates are 2% on dining, 2% on gas stations, and 2% on grocery stores; everything else earns 1%.
On our reference budget of $24,600 a year it returns about $408, an effective 1.7% back.
Put the bonus categories on it and everything else on a flat 2% card. On its own the base rate drags the average down.
2% cash back on your top eligible spend category each month, including gas stations, groceries, dining and more., dining, home improvement and more.
2% cash back on your top eligible spend category each month, including gas stations, groceries, dining and more., dining, home improvement and more.
2% cash back on your top eligible spend category each month, including gas stations, groceries, dining and more., dining, home improvement and more.
2% cash back on your top eligible spend category each month, including gas stations, groceries, dining and more., dining, home improvement and more.
2% cash back on your top eligible spend category each month, including gas stations, groceries, dining and more., dining, home improvement and more.
2% cash back on your top eligible spend category each month, including gas stations, groceries, dining and more., dining, home improvement and more.
2% cash back on your top eligible spend category each month, including gas stations, groceries, dining and more., dining, home improvement and more.
2% cash back on your top eligible spend category each month, including gas stations, groceries, dining and more., dining, home improvement and more.
2% cash back on your top eligible spend category each month, including gas stations, groceries, dining and more., dining, home improvement and more.
No welcome bonus is stored for this catalog entry yet.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Coverage.
Benefit descriptions are the issuer’s and network’s own wording, trimmed for length. Limits and exclusions are in the guide to benefits.
| Card | Annual fee | Rewards earned | Net after fee | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA Eagle Ascend™This card · 2% on dining | None | $408 | +$408 | 457th of 1,291 |
| USAA Eagle Adapt™USAA's most-held other card · 3% on dining | None | $570 | +$570 | 17th of 1,291 |
| Savor RewardsThe strongest no-fee card on this budget · 3% on dining | None | $642 | +$642 | 4th of 1,291 |
| Robinhood Gold CardHighest net return on this budget · 3% on everything | $50 | $798 | +$748 | 1st of 1,291 |
Reference budget: groceries $6,000, dining and restaurants $3,600, gas and ev charging $2,400, travel and transit $3,000, online shopping $2,400, entertainment and streaming $1,200, everything else $6,000. Points are valued at 1¢ unless the program is worth less; statement credits, welcome bonuses, and perks are left out. Run it with your own spending.
