Brightstar Credit Union Introduces Visa Extras, An Innovative New Cardholder Rewards Program For Consumers

New Incentive Program Offers Consumers Broad Range of Rewards for Qualifying Purchases Made with Visa Payment Cards

Sunrise, FL  – BrightStar Credit Union is now offering Visa Extras, a new incentive rewards program that gives cardholders the opportunity to earn points for purchases made with a Visa payment card.  Visa Extras awards consumers with points for every dollar they spend on qualifying purchases with their enrolled Visa debit or credit cards and offers a broad range of rewards choices from easily obtainable everyday-type rewards to larger, higher value rewards.

BrightStar Credit Union Visa Extras extends rewards-earning opportunities to consumers who may not currently be participating in a rewards program.  Visa estimates that rewards programs are available on only about 30 percent of payment cards in the U.S., making Visa Extras a compelling offering for BrightStar Credit Union customers.  The program is specifically designed to reward cardholders for everyday purchases made with their Visa payment cards, such as food, clothing and gasoline.  Cardholders may also be able to combine points earned from multiple BrightStar Credit Union Visa payment cards, making it easy and convenient to earn larger rewards for their purchases.

With Visa Extras, cardholders earn points wherever their Visa credit or debit cards are accepted at millions of merchant locations worldwide by simply signing the sales draft for purchases made with their enrolled Visa payment card.  Internet purchases, phone or mail orders, and bill payment transactions also qualify for Visa Extras points.

BrightStar Credit Union Visa Extras is great for consumers because it rewards every level of spending and provides a range of awards to suit various tastes and interests,” said Sam Chesser, VP of Marketing.  “Through Visa Extras, BrightStar Credit Union is filling an unmet need for consumers who want an easy, convenient incentive program that provides rewards for purchases made with their Visa payment card.”

“Today’s consumers want the opportunity to get something back for everyday purchases, like groceries and clothing, and many consumers prefer paying for these items with debit or credit cards that provide rewards, rather than cash or checks, which don’t provide any incentives,” said Elizabeth Buse, executive vice president, Visa USA.  “With Visa Extras, cardholders don’t need to change their behavior to take advantage of earning rewards, because they can earn points on the common purchases they make every day.”

Cardholders can redeem Visa Extras points for more than 80 rewards available from a variety of top merchants including Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, BP Amoco, Gap, Blockbuster, Marriott, Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy’s.  Assuming they have earned sufficient points, cardholders can redeem points frequently for lower value rewards, such as a $5 retail certificate at a Visa Extras rewards partner merchant, or save their points to redeem less frequently for higher value rewards to be used to purchase fine merchandise or a hotel stay.  BrightStar Visa Extras also showcases Visa’s premiere alliances and offers cardholders with a chance to win distinctive experiences such as a Broadway VIP weekend in New York City or a trip to the Super Bowl.

BrightStar Visa Extras is currently available for cardholder enrollment by calling (800) 960-8472 or visiting www.visa.com/extras. 

BrightStar Credit Union is a non-profit, member-owned cooperative with more than 38,000 members in south Florida.  BrightStar offers a variety of services, such as free online  banking and billpay, savings and checking accounts, direct deposit and Visa check cards, IRAs, Money Market Accounts and Certificates, auto, boat, motorcycle, RV, personal loans and credit cards, home equity and mortgage loans, and investments and insurance. For more information, visit www.bscu.org.

About Visa USA
Visa is the world’s leading payment brand and largest consumer payment system, enabling banks to provide their consumer and merchant customers with a wide variety of payment alternatives.  Nearly 21,000 financial institutions worldwide rely on Visa’s processing system, VisaNet, to facilitate $2.5 trillion in annual transaction volume with virtually 100 percent reliability.  Consumers in more than 150 countries carry more than one billion Visa-branded cards, accepted at millions of locations worldwide.  Within the U.S., nearly 14,000 financial institutions issue more than 386 million Visa cards, accounting for $1 trillion in annual transaction volume.  Visa offers a trusted, reliable and convenient way to access and mobilize financial resources – anytime, anywhere, anyway.  For more information about Visa, please visit www.visa.com for additional information.

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