Special Connections®
Commerce Bank and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Commerce Bank. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.
How we calculate effective rate →
The Special Connections® from Commerce Bank earns up to 3% effective value on dining in Madeen's catalog snapshot. It has no annual fee.
- Top category
- Dining
- Effective value
- 3%
- 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 3% back.
What does the Special Connections earn in each category?
Dining is the strongest category at 3% effective value (3% back). That dining rate ranks higher than about 81% of the 2,850 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how Special Connections compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend. Catalog spend signals highlight coffee at 3x among the top bonus categories.
Dining is the strongest category at 3% effective value (3% back). That dining rate ranks higher than about 81% of the 2,850 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how Special Connections compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend.
| Category | Earn rate | Effective value |
|---|---|---|
| Dining Restaurants, cafes, takeout | 3% back | 3% Top category |
| Grocery Supermarkets and grocery stores | 2% back | 2% |
| Gas Gas stations and fuel | 2% back | 2% |
| Travel Flights, hotels, transit | 1% back | 1% |
| Other General everyday spend | 1% back | 1% |
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.
What are the Special Connections reward caps and conditions?
The Special Connections has 3 notable cap or condition rule(s) in Madeen's catalog, including activation windows, spend limits, and category exclusions. Review each bullet below before assuming unlimited earn rates.
- 3% Cash Back at Restaurants
- 2% Cash Back at Gas Stations
- 2% Cash Back at Grocery Stores
Who should get the Special Connections?
The Special Connections fits spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3% back. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3% back.
Special Connections fits spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3% back. Madeen ranks its dining effective rate higher than about 81% 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 3% back.
Foreign transaction fees make it weaker for international spend.
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 3% effective (3% back).
- That dining rate ranks higher than about 81% of cards we track in the category.
- No annual fee in our catalog snapshot.
Cons
- Charges $1 foreign transaction fees.
- Multiple caps, activations, or exclusions may limit headline earn rates.
Does the Special Connections have an annual fee?
The Special Connections 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?
The Special Connections 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.
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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.
Cell Phone Protection Visa® Benefit
$200/yrHave peace of mind with complimentary, built-in Cell Phone Protection - up to $200 per claim.
Visa Signature Concierge
$150/yrGet assistance with travel planning, entertainment tickets and more.
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.
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.
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 Luxury Hotel Collection
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Related encyclopedia topics
Common questions about the Special Connections
Where do cardholders spend most with the Special Connections?
Madeen's RewardsCC catalog snapshot shows the strongest bonus categories on coffee (3x), fast food (3x), other food and drink (3x) for the Special Connections. These are anonymized issuer category signals, not individual cardholder transactions. Route everyday spend through categories that match your habits, then compare effective rates with Madeen at checkout.
Does the Special Connections have an annual fee?
The Special Connections 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?
Dining is the strongest Madeen category for the Special Connections at about 3% 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 charge foreign transaction fees?
The Special Connections 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 credit score do you need for the Special Connections?
Madeen's catalog lists a typical credit range of Good for the Special Connections. Issuers decide approval using their own criteria; Madeen does not predict approval odds or prequalification.
How do you redeem rewards on the Special Connections?
Rewards on the Special Connections 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 compare to similar cards?
Compare the Special Connections against Commerce Bank World Elite Mastercard (3% on Dining, $95 fee); Georgia Tech Rewards Mastercard (2% on Dining, $0 fee); Special Connections Premium (1.5% 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 This card | Dining | 3% | $0 |
Commerce Bank | Dining | 3% | $95 |
Commerce Bank | Dining | 2% | $0 |
Commerce Bank | Dining | 1.5% | $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.
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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.
Commerce Bank and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Commerce Bank. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.
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. Apply links are temporarily hidden on madeen.app. Affiliate disclosure