Special Connections® Premium
How we calculate effective rate →
The Special Connections® Premium from Commerce Bank earns up to 1.5% effective value on dining in Madeen's catalog snapshot. It has no annual fee. New applicants may see: Get a $150 Cash Back when you spend $1,000 on purchases within your first 3 months after account opening..
- Top category
- Dining
- Effective value
- 1.5%
- Annual fee
- $0
Best for dining-heavy spend when you want to avoid an annual fee; confirm issuer terms before applying. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 1.5% back. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.
What does the Special Connections Premium earn in each category?
Dining is the strongest category at 1.5% effective value (1.5% back). That dining rate ranks higher than about 35% of the 2,850 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how Special Connections Premium compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend.
Dining is the strongest category at 1.5% effective value (1.5% back). That dining rate ranks higher than about 35% of the 2,850 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how Special Connections Premium compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend.
| Category | Earn rate | Effective value |
|---|---|---|
| Dining Restaurants, cafes, takeout | 1.5% back | 1.5% Top category |
| Grocery Supermarkets and grocery stores | 1.5% back | 1.5% |
| Gas Gas stations and fuel | 1.5% back | 1.5% |
| Travel Flights, hotels, transit | 1.5% back | 1.5% |
| Other General everyday spend | 1.5% back | 1.5% |
Madeen values cash back at about 1 cents each. Madeen compares every card using this cash-equivalent estimate while still showing the raw earn rate for context.
Who should get the Special Connections Premium?
The Special Connections Premium fits spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 1.5% back. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 1.5% back. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.
Special Connections Premium fits spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 1.5% back. Madeen ranks its dining effective rate higher than about 35% of the catalog in that category. Compare it against cards you already carry with Madeen — no bank login required.
Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 1.5% back. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.
Foreign transaction fees make it weaker for international spend. Mostly a flat base earn card without strong category bonuses.
Best for dining-heavy spend when you want to avoid an annual fee; confirm issuer terms before applying.
Pros
- Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 1.5% effective (1.5% back).
- No annual fee in our catalog snapshot.
- Welcome bonus may add value if you can meet spend requirements.
Cons
- Charges $1 foreign transaction fees.
What is the Special Connections Premium welcome bonus?
In Madeen's catalog snapshot, the Special Connections Premium welcome offer is Get a $150 Cash Back when you spend $1,000 on purchases within your first 3 months after account opening.. Minimum spend, eligibility, and offer windows are set by the issuer and can change — confirm on the issuer application page before applying.
- Offer
- $150
- Terms (catalog snapshot)
- Get a $150 Cash Back when you spend $1,000 on purchases within your first 3 months after account opening.
- Minimum spend
- $1,000
- Window
- 3Months
Does the Special Connections Premium have an annual fee?
The Special Connections Premium has an annual fee of $0 and a foreign transaction fee of $1. Confirm current fees on the issuer page before applying.
- Annual fee
- $0
- Foreign transaction fee
- $1
What benefits come with the Special Connections Premium?
The Special Connections Premium includes Booking.com, Cell Phone Protection Visa® Benefit, Dovly Uplift™ in our snapshot. Perks and benefits can change; verify coverage on the issuer site before you rely on them.
Sofar Sounds
$240/yrEnjoy a free ticket per show with the purchase of one or more tickets, plus you can access 7-day Visa Exclusive Presale opportunities.
Global Entry Statement Credit
$120/yrApply for Global Entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program and use your Visa Signature card to pay the application fee (currently $120) to receive a $120 statement credit.
OpenTable
$120/yrEligible Visa cardholders can enjoy special events access to the hottest dining events on OpenTable. Restrictions apply.
Priority Pass airport lounge access
$99/yrEnjoy access to over 1,700 airport lounges and experiences around the globe.
Cell Phone Protection Visa® Benefit
$25/yrHave peace of mind with complimentary, built-in Cell Phone Protection - up to $200 per claim.
Visa Signature® Concierge
$10/yrFrom entertainment and sports to travel, fine dining and wine events, indulge in all the benefits your Special Connections® Premium credit card has to offer. Available 24 hours a day, Visa® Signature Concierge is at your service.
Golf Benefits from Troon Rewards®
$10/yrEnjoy automatic Silver Status when you sign up for Troon Rewards®, for 10% savings on golf fees, merchandise and lessons at over 150 golf courses across the United States and the world.
Roadside Dispatch®
$10/yrThis is a pay-per-use roadside assistance program available 24x7. Roadside Dispatch will ask for your location, find out what the problem is, and will remain on the phone with you while arranging a dispatch to a reliable tow operator or locksmith. You pay a set price per service call.
Stay connected in over 175 countries
$10/yrEligible Visa cardholders can now use the GigSky app to access complimentary or discounted global mobile data, in 175+ countries and destinations worldwide as well as on over 200 of the world’s top cruise ships.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
$10/yrWhen you are traveling or working anywhere in the world, your covered Visa card gets you access to a multilingual call center 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help get the assistance you need. As a covered cardholder, you, your spouse and dependent children under 22 years of age who are traveling with can call a dedicated toll-free number in the United States, or call collect when traveling abroad.
Universal Destinations & Experiences
$10/yrGet exciting benefits at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort when you pay with your Visa Signature® or Visa Infinite® card.
Visa Signature Concierge
$10/yrGet assistance with travel planning, entertainment tickets and more.
Related encyclopedia topics
Common questions about the Special Connections Premium
Does the Special Connections Premium have an annual fee?
The Special Connections Premium carries an annual fee of $0 in Madeen's catalog snapshot. Issuer terms can change, so confirm the current fee on the issuer's site before you apply. Madeen does not predict approval or prequalification.
What category earns the most with the Special Connections Premium?
Dining is the strongest Madeen category for the Special Connections Premium at about 1.5% effective value, based on our catalog snapshot and standard point valuations. Other categories are listed in the effective-rate table on this page.
Does the Special Connections Premium charge foreign transaction fees?
The Special Connections Premium charges a foreign transaction fee of $1 in our catalog snapshot. Check issuer terms before international spend because rates and fee waivers can change.
What is the Special Connections Premium welcome bonus?
The Special Connections Premium welcome offer in our snapshot: Get a $150 Cash Back when you spend $1,000 on purchases within your first 3 months after account opening.. Minimum spend, eligibility, and offer windows are set by the issuer and can change.
What credit score do you need for the Special Connections Premium?
Madeen's catalog lists a typical credit range of Excellent for the Special Connections Premium. Issuers decide approval using their own criteria; Madeen does not predict approval odds or prequalification.
How do you redeem rewards on the Special Connections Premium?
Rewards on the Special Connections Premium post as cash back. Redemption value depends on how you use cash back (statement credit, travel, transfers, or issuer portals). Madeen shows effective cash-equivalent rates using standard valuations.
How does the Special Connections Premium compare to similar cards?
Compare the Special Connections Premium against Commerce Bank World Elite Mastercard (3% on Dining, $95 fee); Special Connections (3% on Dining, $0 fee); Georgia Tech Rewards Mastercard (2% on Dining, $0 fee). Madeen ranks effective value by category and annual fee using the same catalog snapshot dated 2026-05-01.
| Card | Top category | Effective value | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
Special Connections Premium This card | Dining | 1.5% | $0 |
Commerce Bank | Dining | 3% | $95 |
Commerce Bank | Dining | 3% | $0 |
Commerce Bank | Dining | 2% | $0 |
Commerce Bank | Dining | 1.5% | $0 |
Store-specific guides
Madeen publishes merchant guides that rank cards for specific stores and services. Browse guides for dining spend to see which cards win at checkout.
Related Madeen guides
Related cards
Issuer links
Madeen may earn compensation from some apply links. Compensation may affect which offers are available, but it does not control recommendations for cards you have already added to your wallet. Affiliate disclosure
See how this card ranks in your wallet
Madeen compares the cards you already carry for dining, groceries, gas, travel, and everyday purchases — free, no bank login required.
Madeen compares cards you add to your wallet using published catalog rules — no bank login required. Issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility; Madeen does not issue cards, make approval decisions, or provide financial advice. Madeen may earn compensation from apply links. Affiliate disclosure