The Old Navy Credit Cards & Rewards Program – Everything You Need To Know

BY 

Erin Miller

- October 31, 2018

1. Credit Cards  / 
2. Strategies & Guides

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Old Navy is known for affordable, yet stylish clothing fit for the whole family. There always seems to be a sale, and it’s rare you won’t find a coupon, promo, or special offer to knock a few more bucks off your purchase.

If you’re shopping at Old Navy, you probably love the savings, so can you benefit from their store-branded credit card? Could it save you even more?

This in-depth review covers each of the Old Navy credit cards including the similarities and differences, fees and drawbacks, rewards program, application process, and a whole lot more.

We also cover why you might want to consider an alternative card, especially to avoid the high APR rates of these 4 Old Navy cards.

The Old Navy Credit Cards At A Glance

All 4 cards above are rewards-based co-branded credit cards offered by Old Navy (via Gap Inc) and issued by Synchrony Bank.

As you can see in the table above, there are 2 main types of Old Navy Credit Cards:

• Basic Old Navy cards
• Navyist “status” cards

Old Navy and Old Navy Visa®

These are the base-level credit cards for Old Navy.

The Old Navy Credit Card

This is your basic store-branded credit card, which usually means it can only be utilized for the store it’s branded with: in this case, Old Navy.

Where this differs slightly from other store-branded credit cards is that Old Navy is part of the Gap Family of Brands (Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta), so your card can be used at these stores as well. 

The main benefits of the Old Navy Credit Card include:

5️⃣ Earn 5 points per dollar spent across Gap Family Brands
🙌 20% off first purchase
👛 Special Events, Discounts, & Promos
🛍 Bonus Point Shopping Days
💰 60-day 10% Savings Pass

The Old Navy Visa® Card

This is your basic step up from a store-branded credit card. The Visa® distinction means this card can be used anywhere Visa is accepted.

Old Navy Visa cardholders enjoy the same main benefits as Old Navy Credit cardholders (above), PLUS:

💳 1 point per dollar spent anywhere Visa is accepted
🔥 Special Visa Cardholder Offers/Promos

Navyist and Navyist Visa® Cards

These cards are Old Navy’s status cards. You can’t apply for these cards outright. Cardholder must achieve the following to earn Navyist status:

• Earn 5,000 reward points (excluding bonus points and returns) within a calendar year
• Make the minimum payment by the due date after reaching the 5,000 points
• Keep their account in good standing

The terms and conditions of this program state that upgrades to Navyist status will be processed within 90 to 120 days after the customer qualifies.

The rewards member must re-qualify each calendar year to maintain Navyist status.

The Navyist Card

All Navyist cardholders receive benefits on top of those mentioned above for basic cardholders. That means:

5️⃣ Earn 5 points per dollar spent across Gap Family Brands
🙌 20% off first purchase
👛 Special Events, Discounts, & Promos
🛍 Bonus Point Shopping Days
💰 60-day 10% Savings Pass

PLUS:

✨ 20% Bonus Points Each Quarter
📦 Free 3 to 5 Business Day Shipping Across Gap Family Brands

AND:

✂️ Free Basic Alterations on Banana Republic Purchases
☎️ A Dedicated Navyist Cardholder Hotline

As with the basic Old Navy Card, the Navyist Card can only be utilized at Old Navy and the additional Gap Family stores (Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta).

The Navyist Visa® Card

This is the upgraded version of the Old Navy Visa®. So like that card, it can be used for purchases anywhere Visa is accepted. 

In addition to the perks above, the Navyist Visa® includes:

💳 1 point per dollar spent anywhere Visa is accepted
🔥 Special Visa Cardholder Offers/Promos

Hot Tip: Old Navy’s fine print tells us that to receive the 3 to 5 business day shipping, you must enter the code NAVYIST at check-out. 

Old Navy (Gap Family) Rewards: In Depth

Earning Points

In general, the rewards program is pretty simple.

Regardless of which of these 4 cards you have, you’ll earn 5 points for every $1 spent across the Gap Family of brands. These points can be earned in-store or online.

The Gap Family includes:

• Gap
• Gap Body
• babyGap
• Gap Kids
• Gap Maternity
• Gap Outlet
• Gap Factory Store
• Banana Republic
• Banana Republic Factory
• Old Navy
• Old Navy Outlet
• Athleta

As we mentioned above, if you’re an Old Navy Visa® or Navyist Visa® cardholder, you also earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases (wherever Visa is accepted).

Additionally, if you’re a Navyist cardholder, you’ll earn 20% bonus points each quarter, applied to your account once the quarter is complete.

Once a Rewards member earns 500 points, a $5 Reward will be issued, which can be used at any of the Gap Family stores. These rewards are generally issued to the member’s account at the end of each billing cycle.

There is no limit to the number of points a member can earn. However, the max reward that will be issued in any one billing cycle is $250.

It’s important to note that any points that are less than the number required for the lowest reward denomination (<500) will be applied toward the rewards for the next billing cycle.

Let’s take a look at an example from the reward program’s terms and conditions:

“For example: If you earn 2,700 Points on your Gap Account, you will receive a $25 Reward and 200 Points will carry forward in your Rewards balance for your next billing cycle; if you earn 5,000 Points on your Banana Republic Account, you will receive a $50 Reward; and if you earn 1,500 Points on your Old Navy Account, you will receive a $15 Reward.”

Hot Tip: Cardholders can now utilize their mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay) for in-store purchases. 

Using Your Rewards

Each reward issued has its own expiration date, so be sure to check for that and make your purchases within the reward window.

The program states members can redeem up to 3 rewards in a single transaction in store, but up to 5 rewards if shopping online or purchasing over the phone.

What about stacking? Your rewards can be combined with one other promotional offer. Another nice perk is that rewards CAN be applied towards items on sale at any store location.

If there is any residual amount owed on your purchase after redeeming your rewards, the rewards member MUST use a Gap Inc. credit card to cover the residual amount. For example, your Old Navy Credit Card you used to earn your points.

Managing Your Rewards

You can find more information on viewing and managing your rewards account in the Login and Online Account Management section below.

Additional Visa Card Benefits

In addition to all of the perks above. Being a Visa cardholder entitles the rewards member to a few additional benefits.

🔐 Chip and signature technology
🚫 Zero fraud liability
📞 Cardholder inquiry service
 Lost or stolen card reporting
 Emergency card replacement and cash disbursement
 Auto rental collision damage waiver
 Roadside dispatch® (a pay per use system)

Fees and Drawbacks of the Old Navy Cards

Every credit card has its related fees and drawbacks, and the Old Navy Credit Cards are no exception.

Fees

If there’s one thing to be said for avoiding unnecessary fees and penalties, it’s: BE A RESPONSIBLE CARDHOLDER.

What does this mean? Being a responsible cardholder means paying off your balance in full, each month, on time. 

If for some reason you can’t achieve this, pay as much as you possibly can and at the very least, the minimum payment.

This will ensure you either don’t carry a balance or carry the smallest balance possible to keep added fees and penalties low.

Why? Because the purchase APR for this card is a monster. It’s much higher than many of the alternative rewards credit cards you’ll see below and this percentage can get you into trouble very quickly if you carry a hefty balance.

Additional Drawbacks

Obviously, a major drawback of the Old Navy and Navyist basic cards is that they can only be utilized at Old Navy (and the Gap Family of stores).

Additionally, the rewards you earn can only be utilized at Old Navy (and the Gap Family of stores).

If you’re an avid Old Navy shopper, this isn’t likely to be an issue. However, if you want to diversify how you spend your rewards (i.e. earn rewards to spend them on whatever you want, whenever you want), you won’t find those options here.

Alternative Rewards Credit Cards (Recommended)

If you’re interested in any of Old Navy’s credit cards, then earning cash-back is likely to be your main motivation here.

There are certainly other cards out there (see below) that could be more beneficial. For example, the Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 1.5% cash-back across all purchases, on top of a generous $150 sign up bonus (which can be used anywhere).

Put another way; you’d need to spend $3,000 at Old Navy to earn 15,000 points ($150).

Credit Card	Benefits & Info
Chase Freedom Unlimited®	Earn $150 bonus Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase - it's automatic. 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases & balance transfers, then a variable APR of 17.24% - 25.99%. Annual Fee: $0

This card also has a 0% intro APR for the 1st 18 months, which means you could transfer any existing balances that you have across other cards and potentially save a lot of money in interest payments. Remember the Old Navy cards have unbelievably high APRs.

If you pair the Chase Freedom Unlimited® with a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, then you could even convert that cash-back into Chase Ultimate Rewards, and use those points for incredible flights and hotel stays.

Applying for the Old Navy Cards

Individuals wanting to apply for an Old Navy Credit card can do so in two ways:

• Online
• In-store

Hot Tip: Applicants do not get to choose whether they are applying for the basic version of the Old Navy Card or the Visa version of the card. One application is submitted, and the card you’re approved for depends on your creditworthiness at the creditor’s discretion. 

In general, most credit card review sites are in agreement that individuals with fair credit are likely to be approved for the Old Navy Card, while individuals with good credit will likely be approved for the Old Navy Visa®.

*Remember, the Navyist cards cannot be applied for, the upgrade in status must be achieved by points earned in a calendar year.

Some applicants may be approved instantly for this card. However, some applications may require a review period. The review period is usually about 7 to 10 days. In some cases, we’ve even heard reports that individuals were initially declined online, yet received a follow-up phone call to review information and were then approved. Follow-up approvals are pretty rare, but it can happen.

Login and Online- / App-Based Account Management

Online Management

Synchrony Bank provides a platform for Old Navy Cardholders to manage their account online.

If it is your first time utilizing the platform, you will need to register for an account. If you’ve already registered, log in with your username and password.

Within the platform, users have the following options:

• View account activity
• View billing statements
• Make a payment*
• Set up paperless statements (bonus points!)
• Set up alerts
• And more

Hot Tip: As an eco-friendly perk, if a user signs up for e-billing (paperless statements), they will receive 500 bonus rewards points. This bonus is a one-time offer that will be issued within 2 billing cycles after signing up. 

*You can’t pay your Old Navy credit card bill in store. Individuals can pay online, by mail, or by phone.

App Management

Alternatively (and likely more enticing for many), is the Old Navy mobile app (Apple), where cardholders can manage their account.

It has great ratings in the iTunes app store: 4.8 stars from almost 100K reviews.

This app provides users with the ability to manage all aspects of the Old Navy rewards program through the wallet tab of the app.

This includes:

• Managing your Old Navy Credit Card
  • Viewing statements
  • Setting up alerts
  • Paying bills
  • And more
• Managing points and rewards
  • Tracking progress
  • Linking cards
  • And more

Unfortunately, at this time the Android app doesn’t seem to have an option to pay your balance, but it DOES look like you can manage your rewards.

Final Thoughts

All in all, if you’re an Old Navy (or Gap Family) lover, you’re likely to benefit from this credit card if you can maintain a responsible payment strategy. This is especially true if you can achieve Navyist status.

Be sure to pay off your card on time every month to avoid the massive APR, and be sure to utilize your hard-earned rewards before they expire.

If you vary your clothes shopping among different stores outside the Gap Family brand, this likely isn’t the best card for you.

The Old Navy cards also aren’t for you if you don’t spend a lot on clothing and most of your expenses are geared more toward groceries, gas, dining, and travel.

Lastly, if you’re interested in working on your points and miles game, this card has ZERO travel-based reward options. You’ll definitely want to look into other avenues to accrue these types of rewards.