15,040 grads of the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course already know why
The Platinum Card® from American Express is my #1 recommended card
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The Platinum Card® from American Express waives the annual fee to $0 for active duty military, Guard and Reserve on 30+ day active orders, and military spouses of active duty troops.
Learn how to apply for the card_name card on our partner's secure site
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site
- $695 annual fee.* See more details about military protections for you and your spouse
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership
- Earn 5x points on airfare booked directly with airline or on amextravel.com up to $500,000 per calendar year
- Earn 5x points on prepaid hotels at amextravel.com
- $200 Annual Hotel Credit: Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. Note that The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- $200 Uber Cash: Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on Uber Eats and rides every year. Only available to the basic card member, Terms Apply
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at 1 qualifying airline
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
- This is a MAJOR time saver–$100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®! Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection® lets you visit more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting. You can love the lounge life with more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax.
- Up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit, enrollment required
- No foreign transaction fees
- The Platinum Card® from American Express – learn how to apply
- Read my full review of the Amex Platinum card for military, terms apply
As a military veteran, I've enjoyed over a decade of American Express membership. When active duty troops ask me, “What is the best credit card for military servicemembers?” it's easy to point to The Platinum Card® from American Express.
The Amex Platinum military benefits make this card my top recommended card for active duty, Guard, Reservists, and military spouses. Amex does not charge an annual fee on this card if you are a covered borrower of the Military Lending Act.
In this post:
Amex Platinum Military Benefits
American Express automatically waives the annual fee on all of their personal cards to $0 for “covered borrowers” of the Military Lending Act. Covered borrowers, as defined in the law, include:
- Active duty members in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard
- National Guardsmen, Air National Guardsmen, or military Reservists on Title 10, Title 32, or other active duty orders for 30 days or longer
- Military spouses of any of the above
Once again, if you are active duty, a Guard or Reservist on 30+ day plus active orders, or a military spouse, you can all open your own, individual card accounts with American Express and pay no annual fees.
You can get all the benefits of the cards without the fees.
To confirm that you will receive MLA fee waivers when you apply for your American Express card, you can check your MLA eligibility in the MLA database.
I recommend checking the MLA database before applying for your first card, even if you've been active duty or a military spouse for a while. Sometimes Social Security Numbers are missing or DEERS is inaccurate. You must be listed as eligible for MLA benefits in the MLA database or you will have a difficult time proving eligibility to American Express.
Cards eligible for the American Express MLA fee waiver include:
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- American Express® Gold Card
- American Express® Green Card*
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card*
American Express, like all US credit card companies, complies with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and Military Lending Act.
The date you open your American Express card or account determines which Act you may be entitled to relief under.
| Account Opened While On Active Duty Orders | Account Opened Before Active Duty Orders |
| Military Lending Act | Servicemembers Civil Relief Act |
Read this article for more information on the American Express military fee waiver.
If you want to get the full free military credit cards course, you can sign up at the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course. Over 15,500 graduates of the course prove that it works.
I served over 12 years on active duty in the Air Force flying jets all over the world. Carrying my Amex Platinum was a no-brainer thanks to the benefits and support American Express gives to all US military servicemembers.
I recorded a podcast episode on the Amex Platinum military benefits with my friend and co-host Jamie. You can listen to it below, on Spotify, or on Apple Podcasts.
How I Learned About These Benefits
Story time: I went TDY (temporary duty) to France in 2013 to carry French troops down to Mali to fight Boko Haram. One of the C-17 loadmasters I was travelling with, a Tech Sergeant, mentioned that he had the American Express Platinum card that comes with a $695 annual fee.
“How is that possible?” I asked.
“Simple,” he responded, “I get special Amex military protections on the card.”
To learn more about what these protections include, checkout my in depth American Express benefits page.
My eyes were opened! It seemed like all the secrets of the universe we're revealed. This E-6 had access to great airport lounges in Amsterdam while we were travelling commercial on TDY.
While I paid $15 for an airport sandwich, he was enjoying free food and drink courtesy of his American Express card in the airport lounge.
My loadmaster friend also told me about the other Amex Platinum benefits, such as airline fee reimbursement and the welcome bonus offer.
I thought the rewards program sounded good and the benefits were great, but I couldn't justify that insanely high annual fee. $695 a year was WAY too much money for a young Air Force lieutenant!
Amex Platinum Military Spouses
The Amex Platinum card is also my #1 recommended card for military spouses. Again, learn why I recommend this card for military spouses in the American Express military article.
I've been an American Express Card Member for over 15 years, since 2007. Amex offers legendary support for the military with amazing customer service and credit and charge card products. My wife and I opened over 15 American Express cards while I was active duty.
My military spouse wife had several Amex cards when I was active duty and kept most of them after I separated from active duty.
Her cards included The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, the American Express Hilton Honors Aspire card, and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.
We enjoyed all the benefits of Card Membership, including lounge access, airline fee credits, Uber credits, and much more. This is a great deal for military servicemembers and their spouses!
American Express Platinum Card Military Benefits
Another story time: So there I was… On a deployment exercise, sitting at a bar on a military base near Gulfport, Louisiana. Behind the bar was a wooden, multi-tiered stand to keep cards of open tabs.
Of the 2 dozen cards behind the bar, over half were Amex Platinum cards. It was comical!
You could see all the Amex Platinum cards shining in their metallic glory in this low-rent bar in backwater Louisiana.
But it makes total sense – Why wouldn't a military member apply for the Amex Platinum card when it has such a substantial welcome bonus offer and excellent annual benefits?
The Amex Platinum card comes with dozens of benefits, some that recur every year and some that you can only earn with minimum spend or by enrolling for the offer on americanexpress.com. Let's review them here:
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site
- $695 annual fee.* See more details about military protections for you and your spouse
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership
- Earn 5x points on airfare booked directly with airline or on amextravel.com up to $500,000 per calendar year
- Earn 5x points on prepaid hotels at amextravel.com
- $200 Annual Hotel Credit: Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. Note that The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- $200 Uber Cash: Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on Uber Eats and rides every year. Only available to the basic card member, Terms Apply
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at 1 qualifying airline
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
- This is a MAJOR time saver–$100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®! Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection® lets you visit more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting. You can love the lounge life with more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax.
- Up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit, enrollment required
- No foreign transaction fees
- The Platinum Card® from American Express – learn how to apply
- Read my full review of the Amex Platinum card for military, terms apply
Welcome Bonus Offer
The Amex Platinum card offers a 80,000 Amex Membership Reward (MR) point welcome bonus when you spend $8,000 in the first 6 months of card membership. That's only $1,333 of spending per month required.
80,000 points can be cashed out through the American Express Platinum Card® for Schwab card at 1.1 cents per point, making 80,000 Amex worth $880 cash.
You can also redeem MR points for Amazon credit, but only at .7 cents per point, making 80k points worth $560.
However, if you really want to make your 80,000 Amex points go far, you should transfer them to a travel partner, like an airline or hotel. You can earn much more than 1-2 cents per point.
Amex Travel partners include:
Aer Lingus, AeroMexico, Air Canada, Alitalia, All Nipon Airways (ANA), Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles), Avianca, British Airways, Delta, El Al, Emirates, Etihad, Flying Blue (Air France / KLM), Iberia, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Choice Hotels, Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy
Amex Travel Partners
As an example, I recently cashed in 240,000 Amex MR points for $27,000 first class flight from Hawaii to Tokyo, Japan. That's 11 cents per point! 11 cents per point means 80,000 Amex MR points would be worth $8,800!
$27,000 ANA First class tickets…
…or 240,000 AMEX MR points and $485 cash!
Even at a conservative 2 cents per point, the 80,000 Amex Plat welcome bonus is worth $1600!
Amex Platinum Annual Fee
The annual fee on the Amex Platinum is usually $695 per year. However, military servicemembers and spouses qualify for special Amex military protections, explained in detail in my American Express military benefits article.
Make sure you read that article before applying for an Amex Platinum card, as you may qualify for special military protections on your card!
$200 Uber Credit
Every month, like clockwork, I get a $15 credit in my Uber account, just for keeping my no annual fee Amex Platinum card around.
If you have more than one Platinum card or your spouse has a Platinum card, you can stack the credits as well. In December American Express Platinum card hands out $35 in Uber credit.
When I lived in the United Arab Emirates for 2 years and could not use the credit, I sent UberEats to family and friends back home. Don't let those credits go to waste! The credits do not carry over month to month.
$200 Annual Hotel Credit
The Amex Platinum card come with up to $200 per year in hotel credits. You must book a prepaid hotel in the Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection through the AmexTravel.com portal. Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts can be a one night stay. The Hotel Collection requires a two night minimum stay. You will receive the credit on your statement in a few days after making the purchase.
$240 Annual Digital Entertainment Credit
You can earn up to $240 per year in digital entertainment credits. The credit paid is paid as a $20 monthly statement credit on eligible subscriptions or purchases on any of these services:
- The Wall Street Journal
- Peacock
- SiriusXM
- The New York Times
- Disney+ (added April 6, 2022)
- The Disney Bundle (added April 6, 2022)
- ESPN+ (added April 6, 2022)
- Hulu (added April 6, 2022)
I use mine for Hulu and The New York Times crossword.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site
$200 Airline Fee Credit
You pick an airline of your choice every year on the American Express website. You can spend $200 on incidentals or fees on that airline and get the reimbursement posted to your credit card statement.
$100 Global Entry Credit or TSA PreCheck
Since all military personnel already have TSA Pre-Check with their DOD ID numbers (the number on the back of your CAC), it makes sense to apply for the Global Entry program. With the Platinum card, your $100 sign up fee is reimbursed.
Global Entry gives you fast track access to the US when returning from overseas. This can be really nice when coming back to the US from OCONUS. The last thing you want after an economy class flight is to wait in a long line for Customs and Immigration.
Airport Lounge Access – American Express Centurion Lounge & Priority Pass Lounges
The Centurion Lounges offered by American Express have some of the best food and drink available in lounges in the US. You can get into all of them for free with your Platinum card.
The Platinum Card® from American Express also gives you complimentary membership in the Priority Pass program, giving you access to an additional 1200+ airport lounges around the world.
When you're travelling internationally or domestically, it's really nice to not have to worry about food, where you're going to charge your phone, or if the bathrooms are going to be nice. Lounge access takes you far from the madding crowds and gives you a little bit of peace in your travels.
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite + Hilton Gold Status
The hotel elite status you get automatically just for having a Platinum card make this card a no-brainer. As a military servicemember, chances are pretty good that you travel for work or fun. Here are my top recommended hotel credit cards for military.
There is almost always an Marriott or Hilton property near your TDY location or your vacation spot. Since SPG and Marriott just merged you should have no problem cashing in on this benefit.
You will earn extra points when you stay at these properties because of your status and you might get freebies like breakfast, room upgrades, or other perks.
To get even better Marriott and Hilton Elite status, check out the no annual fee Marriott credit cards for military and automatic Diamond status (the highest offered) on the Hilton credit cards for military.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
The best luxury travel cards offer no foreign transaction fees. Most of the cards in my wallet have no foreign transaction fees. If you are stationed OCONUS or travel a lot OCONUS, you need to make sure you always have a no foreign transaction fee card in your wallet.
It just doesn't make sense to pay foreign transaction fees, especially when you get an great travel rewards card like the Amex Platinum Card with a waived annual fee. Do the math and don't pay extra when you do not have to!
Saks Fifth Avenue Statement Credit
Enroll via your Amex Platinum card account and enjoy up to a $50 credit between January and June and then again July to December. I never used to shop at Saks Fifth Avenue but now I do every year twice a year to maximize my credit!
I've gotten some really nice underwear, socks, and cashmere sweaters from Saks with my credit. You'll be surprised how much you use it! The Amex Platinum Saks credit only take a few days to post to your account.
Final Thoughts on the Amex Platinum Military
American Express offers a unique opportunity to US servicemembers to earn a ton of Membership Rewards points, Marriott Bonvoy points, Hilton Honors points, and Delta Skymiles.
You could earn hundreds of thousands or even millions of points through regular spending, welcome bonuses, and referral bonuses with your Amex cards.
Military servicemembers and spouses can learn more about American Express protections for you and your spouse.
These travel and cash back Amex cards can open up business class and first class air travel opportunities and free hotel and resort stays that would cost you thousands if you paid cash.
After you learn how to apply for the Amex Platinum Card for military, sign up for my 100% free, 5 day course on how to maximize your military travel credit card benefits!
You can also check out the best military credit cards and Chase credit cards that waive annual fees for military.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site
Amex Platinum Military Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Usually the Platinum Card for American Express requires good to excellent credit. That means at least 700 points out of a maximum 850 FICO score. You can check your credit score for free with Credit Karma or Credit Sesame.
Yes, the Amex Platinum card is made out of metal and will even rust if left in water. The card makes a satisfying “thunk” sound when you throw it down. You'll want to pick up the bill for your friends just to drop it on the table!
Yes, the Amex Platinum card is free for active duty and military spouses thanks to the Military Lending Act. Guard and Reservists on 30 day or longer orders are also eligible for fee waivers.
If you are active duty, Guard or Reservist on 30 day orders, or a military spouse, your annual fees on the Amex Platinum card will be automatically waived if you are listed in the MLA database.
American Express uses the MLA and SCRA database to check military status. You may also be able to submit orders proving you are on active duty.
Best Cards for Military
Read the best credit cards for military article or see the list below.
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- American Express® Gold Card
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card*
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
*All information about American Express Hilton Honors Aspire Card has been collected independently by MilitaryMoneyManual.com
Hi Spencer,
Is there something similar available for retirees?
Only if you opened the cards while on active duty. Check out my what to do with credit cards when you retire from the military article.
Hello Spencer,
Is it possible to just apply for Amex Platinum, even when I have Amex Platinum? My goal is not to upgrade from my gold/green, instead why not just apply directly for platinum. Same questions for other Amex credit card such as Hilton, can I just apply for new Hilton aspire when I have Hilton aspire already? Don’t want to wait for one year, and upgrade. I think I’m in pop up jail where I don’t get sign up bonus offers.
Thank you
Yes, it is possible to do direct applications for any Amex card, even if you already hold one. You don’t have to wait a year to upgrade, you can just follow the Amex application guidelines (usually only 2 cards every 90 days) and directly apply. You usually won’t receive welcome bonuses if you already have the card.
Can mil spouses apply for their own card, as in not an authorized user but their own separate account, and have the fees waived?
Yes. More details on military spouse Amex fee waivers here.
So I just upgraded my amex green to a platinum even my wife and I each have 2 amex platinums already? Does Amex apply an annual fee to the service member on any extra vanilla platinum cards beyond the first
If you are listed as eligible in the SCRA or MLA database, you pay no annual fees on any of your Amex cards. No matter how many Amex Platinums you have. I have 7.
Spencer, I’m currently overseas and most places don’t take the American Express in Europe (My experience). Do you recommend any cards that I should apply for until I make it back to the USA in the next few years?
Chase Sapphire Reserve
$550 annual fee waived, no foreign transaction fees (great for Europe), Visa so widely accepted globally, $300 annual travel credit, and more
Thank you for the tip and what you do for fellow service members!
Happy New Year Spencer, quick question for you.
I have an AMEX platinum/gold and CSR (all active for less than 1 year). My wife is an authorized user on all three. Should she get a platinum and upgrade her gold? Should I get one more Chase card to finish off my 5/24, then go back to AMEX and work on cobranded cards? How do you suggest we proceed with our credit card strategy and do authorized user slots take up 5/24? In order to reach the minimum spending on these cards would you agree it makes sense to do only one new card at a time between my wife and I? Thank you for tall the great advice!
Yes, she should get a Platinum and if she wants a second Platinum, she should upgrade her Amex Gold card and then apply for another Amex Gold card to keep 4x Membership Reward points going on US supermarkets and restaurants.
I would get one more Chase card and then go back to Amex while you are over 5/24.
Authorized user slots shouldn’t take up 5/24 spots. I usually only did 1 card at a time between me and my wife to ensure we could hit the spending minimums to earn welcome bonuses.
Hey Spencer,
Do you have an upgrade guide to getting more and more platinum cards? I currently have the regular Amex Platinum Card, and I recently product changed a Gold Card -> Platinum and a Green Card -> Platinum. Thus, I currently have (3) Amex Platinum cards. Do you have a guide on which cards should I get next so I can do more product changes?
Schwab Amex Platinum next.
Then just do direct applications for more Amex Platinums or open new Amex Green and Amex Gold accounts and upgrade them.
Hello Spencer!
I’ve been following your post and reading but I’m not too sure if I missed it somewhere. Amex allows up to 5 credit cards, excluding charge cards (Amex platinum, gold etc). I already have Amex Marriott brilliant, Hilton aspire, Amex platinum, Amex Charles Schwab, Amex gold, Amex green. My plan is to upgrade gold and green after 1 year to platinum.
My question is once I upgrade gold, can I apply for gold again?
My end goal is to have 4 Amex platinum, and one gold as charge cards. I’m still deciding which one to apply as credit cards. Based on your post, I’m definitely looking for Amex delta sky reserve even tho latest change, kinda turned down lots of people. I should also apply for Hilton surpass as well for upgrade purpose to Hilton aspire. I somehow don’t qualify for welcome offers when I apply for Hilton surpass and Amex delta reserve. I think my 5 credit cards will end up looking Marriott Brilliant, Hilton Aspire (3x), and delta reserve. Let me know if you have answer to question please! Thank you.
Yes, once you upgrade Amex Gold to Amex Platinum, you can re-apply and re-open an Amex Gold again. You probably will not be eligible to earn the welcome bonus again.
I would recommend 3 Amex Hilton Aspire cards and 2 Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliants. That’s 5 free nights annually. The Amex Delta Reserve card is a bit useless unless you fly Delta at least once a year or you are Atlanta based. Or maybe if you have a big redemption coming up that you need Delta Skymiles for.
Thank you for reply! I delinked my gold card from my main Amex account so that I can upgrade to Amex platinum in a month. Only reason why I was considering delta reserve was to receive free annual companion certificate since I’m stationed in Hawaii for next few years. When you say 3 Hilton aspire credit cards, is that means I have to have 3 different username and password on Amex app?
I’m still waiting for welcome bonus to show up before I apply for Hilton surpass and Hilton honors. Or is it not possible since I received the bonus for Hilton aspire already?
You might be eligible for the Hilton welcome bonuses on the lower tier cards. Amex has been adding “family lanuage” recently, saying that if you have the higher tier card, you can’t get the welcome bonus on the lower tier cards. So for example, if you have the Hilton Aspire, you won’t be eligible for a welcome bonus on the lower tier Surpass. You could always open a Surpass and upgrade to another Aspire and skip the welcome bonus. The annual free night makes that worth it. The Amex application will warn you before they check your credit if you are eligible for the welcome bonus or not.
No, you won’t need 3 separate Amex logins. You can have all 3 Hilton Aspire cards on your main account. You might need to move them to your “upgrade” account More on upgrading Hilton cards here. And creating multiple Amex logins here.
I understand now. Do you have any Amex business cards or chase business cards that you recommend? I have rental property so I might be good using sole proprietor option. I might not be able to spend a big amount for welcome offer but as long as annual fee is waived, I’m all for it. Should I apply for same, Hilton, platinum, delta?
Hello! I’m the wife of an active military duty member. I have had my amex platinum card since before we were married. I tried to request for the anuual fee to be waived, however they say that I am not eligible. Have you encountered this?
Yes, if you opened the account before you were eligible for Military Lending Act benefits, you have 2 options:
If you choose to close the account, I would open an Amex Gold card or Amex Green card to preserve your Amex membership rewards points and not lose them.
Also you could open a MLA annual fee waived Schwab Amex Platinum and preserve your points there.
Note that usually you are only eligible for an Amex welcome bonus every 7 years, so you will probably not be eligible for another Amex Platinum welcome bonus, but you can open a new Amex Platinum account and get your fees waived under MLA, which I think is worth it.
Can I get the welcome offer for the Charles Schwab PLAT if I obtained the vanilla PLAT (with its original welcome offer) back in 2018? I got the early notice of not being eligible for the welcome bonus and canx my application before doing the hard pull.
Yes you can. Sounds like you’re in the Amex jail. Wait a bit a reapply to earn the bonus.
Thank you Spencer.
Hi Spencer,
I love your site and the wealth of knowledge you are passing along to fellow service members. Have you ever inquired about/received a retention offer on any Amex cards in which the annual fee was already waived?
Yes, I have received retention offers on my Amex cards even with the annual fee waived. I have never asked for one though. The fee waiver is enough of a retention offer for me.
However, I do know some of my friends who have asked for an received retention offers. It just seems like an awkward request if you’re already getting the annual fees waived…
I am a military reservist who is assigned 45 days active duty tour per year while the rest is reserve. I got my platinum card 4 months earlier than my active duty tour begins. Will I either qualify for SCRA to bypass the annual fee, or will I be able to be reimbursed via MLA once my active duty begins? Thank you very much.
Because the account was established when you were not activated, you will need to apply for SCRA benefits with Amex.
Check the SCRA database to confirm you are in it before applying for SCRA benefits. Usually you will be a few days after your orders start.
How about authorized users? Does the fee for the additional AU get waived too?
Yes. But if you’re a military spouse or on active duty yourself, you should open your own card, not just add an additional user. The benefits are much greater having your own account, you can earn a welcome bonus, and you will get your annual fees waived if your correctly listed in the MLA database.
Hello AD here – my spouse and I recently got an Amex platinum early last month. Is it possible to apply for the Amex platinum again to have multiple ones or is it only possible through upgrading the gold and green cards?
I would recommend upgrading the Gold and Green before doing direct applications again. Also, give it a little bit of time between applications, maybe 3 months minimum.
Thinking about applying.. currently active duty. Once i retire is the annual fee not waived anymore?
Here’s what to do with your MLA annual fee waived credit cards when you retire.
Sorry íf this was already asked, can my spouse and family benefit from my AMEX card, meaning can they use the airport lounges with me or does my spouse need to have her own AMEX card as well?
Do we have a data point on whether dependent children (minors) can be added as an authorized user under a servicemember’s account for a Platinum and have the fee waived? I assumed that since the servicemember’s account had already been reviewed and had fees waived that adding an AU would also be waived, but reps cannot confirm that for us.
Yes, military dependent children can be added and authorized user fees are waived when the primary user is military or military spouses. In fact any authorized user is annual fee waived when the primary user is in the MLA Database. You could add friends or family with no military connection.
The reps never know anything about military benefits. It’s not worth calling.
Will an authorized user amex plat rewards stack with yours? For example if my has an amex plat on her own account, but i enroll her in one on my account as an AU, will her AU card have the benefits i.e another $15 uber credit?
No, there are no stacked benefits for authorized users. For instance, no Uber credit, airline fee credit, etc. That’s why I recommended that each spouse opens up their own account.
Adding on to this question…
Can the military member add 4 authorized users (not direct relatives) and still have the authorized fee waived for all 4? There are currently 2 authorized users on the account. If yes, can I do this online to add the two, or do I need to call on the phone? I could not get an answer from customer service.
Yes, as long as the primary account holder is in the MLA database, all authorized user fees are waived. Even if they are not direct relatives (not sure why this would be relevant). You can add online.
Hello Spencer,
I know your website is a financial website and my comment is more off topic but I was wondering if you can share some more in depth information/personal experience or explain some of the benefits of AMEX(or other cards), like specifically the Centurion & Priority Pass Lounge Access? I am new to credit cards and not very financial or credit card savvy so theres so much fine print to a lot of things that are foreign to me.
You share stories about your friend, and you and your wife using this benefit but Im thinking all of you individually have an AMEX card and no kids (I have 5 kids and a stay at home wife who doesn’t have a great chance of getting premium credit cards) so I was trying to understand the fine print on how many people can use these lounges and I see you can bring in 2 guests free and will be charged X amount of dollars after that for more. However it could also change depending on where you go and then I saw this:
>>>>Effective February 1, 2023, Platinum Card Members, Business Platinum Card Members and Additional Platinum Card Members on the account will be charged a $50 fee for each guest (or $30 for children aged 2 through 17, with proof of age). To receive Complimentary Guest Access at these locations after January 31, 2023, the total eligible purchases on the Platinum Account must equal or exceed $75,000 between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 and in each calendar year thereafter. Guest access policies may vary internationally by location and are subject to change.<<<>>>Primary Cardmembers and Authorized Users are granted complimentary access to the Priority Pass lounges and are allowed a maximum of two accompanying guests each. For any additional guests, your card will be charged $27 per guest, per visit.<<<<
I apologize for the very long comment and I appreciate you getting this far reading it. Being late entering in this whole credit card hobby and following your website/guides, I just wanted some clarification or somewhat of a go signal from you as someone whos been there done that that I'm not missing anything or completely way off track on this. Aside from the obvious reward points that I can grasp, seeing all the other benefits listed looks really appealing but not being able to fully take advantage (or understand lol) of them is kinda sad. Thanks for your time!
Max
thanks for the great article. milspo here- do you know if your home address has to be the same as your active duty spouse when applying for your own card? i’m already an authorized card holder under my husband’s account, but after reading this blog post I want to open my own account to maximize the benefits!
Hey Raquel, your home address does NOT need to be the same as your active duty spouse. The system only checks if your Social Security Number is eligible for MLA benefits in the MLA database.
If you haven’t had your own annual fee waived credit card account before, I recommend confirming your Military Lending Act eligibility in the MLA database.
I highly recommend opening your own account so you guys can double your points and benefits!
Hey Spencer, thanks for the great posts. I’ve shared with my friends. Question: can I get another 100k point welcome bonus for a second AMEX platinum card? I already have a standard one. If yes, which one is your recommended choice as of Aug 2022. If no, can I get the welcome bonus on a gold card and upgrade to a Delta, or Bonvoy platinum? Thanks
Yes you can. I recommend the Charles Schwab Amex Platinum card. Probably the best of the other flavors. Usually 60,000 welcome bonus points after minimum spend.
My husband is currently in Air Force Reserve. I am a civilian. He will be on active duty order next year for 6months. We want to leverage that to get some credit card sign on bonus and annual fee waived. We are looking at Amex Delta Reserve and CSR for both of us. Since we can not suffice all the welcome bonus spending requirements fir 4 credit cards in just 6months, I am wondering if we can start getting the credit cards and pay the annual fee now, and once he is on active duty next year, we will apply for SCRA to refund the annual fee. Can we do that? It seems you do have some data points with past 10-year annual fee waived for the service member. Does it work for civilian spouse as well? Thank you.
I have members that are reservist that do their 15 days of annual training a year and most of the time up to 30. Most of these days are broken up but total up to 30 days a year. I heard that still applies vs the 30 consecutive days. Have you heard this before?
I have not heard this but it makes sense if you can show cumulative active duty orders for 30 days in a year.
I am National Guard but have been on Title 32 orders since 2016. I have Amex Delta Reserve and Chase Sapphire with fees waived. I usually would just go in and update my orders under the SCRA link on their websites. With that being said, I checked both the MLA site and the SCRA site and my name is reported back as no active duty/nothing on file. I’m concerned because I want my husband to apply for a card (Amex Plat) and want to make sure the fee will be waived. However, my name is not populating. Have you seen that happen? Is it an issue?
Did you check his name in the database? You could try opening the account and submitting your orders. Worst case scenario you pay the annual fee for one year and then close the account, but I think if you have the active duty orders they should waive it since you are Guard. Much easier though if you and him show up in the database.
Did you confirm in DEERs? You should be able to log in through your mil connect to update.
I currently have three authorized users on my platinum and would like to add two more. They have not charged me any authorized user fees at this point. Will adding a fourth and fifth result in $175 fee (x2 if I add both of them)?
There should not be any additional authorized user fees charged if you’re a covered borrower under MLA.
Hi Spencer,
The fee is only for active duty, right? I retired in 2017 from the ARMY. But, I can check with them (AMEX) for the benefit when I was on active duty right?
Very Respectfully,
Erick
You would have needed to open the account while on active duty. Did you do that?
Spencer,
Have you heard of Amex not honoring MLA for accounts opened before October 3, 2017? I’ve been active duty since May 2008, and Amex is insistent that any accounts opened after that date and before October 2017 aren’t eligible. I work with a bunch of other active duty folks in similar situations who have their Amex Platinum annual fees waived, no problem, but mine is not. I’m wondering if they all got lucky? Thanks!
Have you applied for SCRA benefits?
I have. Amex says that because my Platinum account was opened after May 2008, I am not eligible for that either. When I opened the account, it was eligible for SCRA, but Amex later started charging me the annual fee. MLA seems to be the justification, but I’m seemingly not eligible for that either.
I have. When I opened the account (before Oct 2017) it was eligible for SCRA, but now they’re saying that because it was opened after I became active duty, my Platinum account is not eligible for SCRA. I’ve spoken to six different people at Amex who seem to know nothing about SCRA or MLA, but from what I can figure, once MLA was enacted, SCRA rules changed. Now I seem to be eligible for neither.
Closing and reopening the account would probably be the easiest way to fix this. Just make sure you have a Amex Gold or Green card to “store” your Amex Membership Rewards points on.
Thanks Spencer!
Hi Spencer, does AMEX waive the fee for their Platinum Business card?
No they do not. Only on personal cards, not business cards as of January 2020.
Spencer,
Have you had any experience with the Morgan Stanley American Express Card?
Specifically is the 695 annual engagement bonus paid as a credit to your card or deposited as cash in the Morgan Stanley account. Was thinking about opening an account but do not want to keep 25k tied up in the Morgan Stanley Account. However if it is a “cash deposit” the fees will be counteracted with the engagement bonus.
David
I have been a reservist since mid 2020 and was recently on a 45 day ADT when I learned of the AMEX fee benefits. I applied when I returned 2 days after my ADT was completed. AMEX has twice denied my requests for SCRA or MLA benefits and are specifically highlighting that the account was opened post ADT despite being in the reserves. Any advice on my situation? The only reason I opened the account was due to the fees potentially being waved and cant see myself using all the benefits to make a $695 yearly fee worth it.
Thanks!
You need to apply for SCRA or MLA benefits while your active duty orders are in effect. If you wait until after your active duty period there are no benefits. Unfortunately I don’t think you have any recourse with Amex on this one.
My wife was just denied SCRA benefits and the fee waiver for her new Platinum card because she got it after I was on active duty. Every one of our cards has the fee waiver and each one was obtained while I was active. Not prior. I am worried that if she argues this point, we will lose the waivers for the other cards. Any thoughts? I am still on AD.
BC, a couple of questions.
1. Has she been charged the annual fee?
2. Is she a covered borrower? Check the covered borrower section of this article.
3. Did you read my article on SCRA denials? If she’s in the MLA database and you opened the account after you entered active duty, you do NOT need to apply for SCRA benefits.
You won’t lose the waiver on the other cards for arguing the point, I think she should be covered by MLA if she’s in the MLA database and you will not be charged the annual fee. Let me know!
Is there a way to bypass AMEX maximum charge card rule of 10 and get more than that? I am seeing reports of people claiming to have more.
Yes I have seen data points of this as well. I would just try it! Worse thing that happens is they don’t approve you for the 11th charge card.
AMEX is not waiving the annual fee for business cards under the Military Lending Act. As of January 2020, AMEX is enforcing the distinction between new business card accounts that were opened prior to military service under the SCRA and those accounts opened after military service under the MLA. AMEX declined to waive the annual fee for my recently opened business AMEX card because AMEX is only applying the MLA to personal credit cards and loans.
Correct, I have updated all of my posts and material to reflect this recent change. If you opened an AMEX business card before January 2020, it was fee waived under SCRA and still is. Now with the new AMEX MLA policy, AMEX business card annual fees are not waived. This is in line with Chase’s MLA policy.
Question for the crowd, iv seen that it has been asked, wonder what the outcome was. Im going on active orders very soon, looking to get the platinum for the obvious benefits. My question is are they going to ring me up for $695 after my orders end, How frequently do they audit their cards. When i retire in 4 yrs am i going to begin paying, or is this a one and done deal showing proof of orders. I know most cant specifically state what they will and will not do, but has anyone had this card on active order and have since gone off and kept the card waiver free. and if so for how long. Thanks
Just wanted to say My spouses fees were not waived, stating it was some state law. We applied when I came on to active duty in Florida.
Did you add yourself an authorized user to his/her accounts?
I’m active duty, and my wife is not in the military. Can she apply for her own Amex and still get the annual fee waived?
Yes see here for more details: https://militarymoneymanual.com/credit-cards-military-spouses/
Question regarding reservists: 30+ days, roger got it. Any DPs on whether the entire AF will be waived or just a prorated amount to cover the time on AD orders? Been in for 10 years, AFs for 3 years, with AD orders 6+ months never thought I would be eligible.
Thanks!
Waived for at least the whole year if not longer, not pro-rated.
Great thanks! Have you known them to go retroactive and refund past fees? At least one story on your page mentions it. Thanks!
Yes, lot’s of data points that they go back to your account opening and waive all fees charged you if you have 30+ day active duty orders. Let us know how your experience goes, this site thrives on good data from servicemembers of all activation levels!
Thank you for all of this information that you have put together. What happens to all of your cards when you retire from Active Duty? Will they begin charging you the $5,800+ a year of fees or will you cancel all of your cards?
I will keep the cards I’m getting value from in excess of the annual fees and close the accounts I no longer need. I will probably keep at least 1 type of card open, for example a Marriott, Hilton, AMEX Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Hyatt, IHG, AMEX Gold. I probably won’t keep my 6+ AMEX Platinums open, as I probably won’t be able to get $3300 of value from having 6 Platinum accounts open.
Thank you so much for posting this info. I am a military spouse and have a Delta Amex, I added my hubby (active duty Army) when we got married as an additional card holder. I applied thru the online process and was approved in less than 30 days. We love our Amex, but this makes the deal a little sweeter!
Hello,
So I am with Air Nation Guard and I will be in title 10 active duty status for 6 months. If I apply for AMEX platinum would my fee be waived? If so, once my orders are finished would I get charged with the fees?
Yes, during your Title 10 service you are eligible for SCRA benefits. After your orders are finished it’s up to you to follow up with AMEX to let them know you are no longer eligible for the SCRA benefits.
It is amazing you have all these AMEX cards. I am definitely following your suit. I have a few questions.
I found out you can have 5 AMEX cards after I did my own research. I know Platinum, Gold, and Green cards are charge cards so they don’t count but how did you end up with more than 5 AMEX cards. Also, you have 2 separate platinum card accounts? (including one from the upgrade)?
The second question is whether you have looked at cards from different issuers besides Chase and AMEX. It appears Citi Prestige and US Bank Altitude Reserve also waive the annual fees and they do have annual travel credits. I am not sure about Capital Venture card. Have you considered those already or do you already own them?
Thanks in advance.
Justin – you are correct that 5 AMEX credit cards (not charge cards, as you mentioned) appears to be the limit. I have not exceeded this limit, as I only have Hilton Aspire, Hilton Honors card, 2 Marriott Bonvoy Brilliants, and a Bonvoy Business. The Delta Reserve card listed above is on my wife’s account.
Yes, I have multiple Platinum cards due to upgrades and co-branded cards like the Ameriprise and Schwab Platinums.
Correct – Citi Prestige is waiving my annual fee and US Bank Altitude Reserve also reportedly waives annual fees but I have yet to look at it yet. I have a Capital One Venture Military article here.
I see. So co-branded platinum cards like Ameriprise and Schwab are also considered as charge cards?
It depends on the co-branded card. Some are marketed as charge cards, some as credit cards. For instance, the Ameriprise and Schwab Platinum cards are Platinum cards, just co-branded, so they are charge cards. The AMEX Bonvoy Brilliant and AMEX Hilton Honors Aspire cards are co-branded cards but they are credit cards. It depends on the co-brand and the underlying product.
Can anyone (active duty) w/the US Bank Altitude Reserve confirm USBank waives annual fee. Plz provide date credit card account open and the process for the community. Thanks
Both my (AD mil) and spouse’s US Bank Altitude Reserve have annual fees waived automatically since we were both identified as “Covered Borrowers” during applications… Both applied/approved in 2018 with subsequent annual renewals waived. Much like Chase (and now AMEX it seems), it’s an auto-check during application.
Hello,
The SCRA states that the loan rates for all credit cards you had PRIOR to joining the military would be dropped to a 6% interest rate, not cards you get while in the military. If I apply now for the AMEX platinum card while on active duty will they waive the yearly fee and give me an interest rate of 6% even know I will be getting this card while on active duty and not prior?
Yes, AMEX waives fees and lowers your interest rate to 0% on all AMEX card accounts opened before or during active duty military service. If you apply now for the AMEX Platinum card while on active duty they will waive the yearly fee.
I was in the air force, I applied and got the amex platinum while I was serving. I just left the military 2 months ago but they still have not charged me for the $450 annual fee. looking to get the amex gold card. will they waive the fees automatically since in their records I have SCRA benefits or will I have to apply for SCRA and get rejected since I left the service ?
They will waive fees automatically but they will probably review your account within a year and remove your SCRA benefits unless you can show active duty orders. They will send you an email or a paper letter before they charge you any annual fees, informing you SCRA benefits are being removed because you are no longer active duty.
Did Amex provide you with the welcome bonus for all those cards? Also, is Amex strict on the 5/24 rule? Lastly, did you have to submit the SCRA each time or did they keep the first application on file for you?
Great questions, keep them coming!
If they are different credit/charge card products, then yes, I have received bonuses for all of these cards I’ve opened and met the minimum spend on. For instance the AMEX Hilton Honors Aspire is different than the AMEX Hilton Honors Surpass card. Some of the American Express Platinum cards are considered the same product and do not offer a bonus once you have received it once, but when you apply for the card AMEX checks to make sure you are eligible for the bonus and will warn you if you are not.
AMEX does NOT have a 5/24 rule. That is a Chase card rule only. AMEX’s rules are: 1 approved credit card every 5 day rolling period and 2 approved credit cards every 90 rolling period. Note that this only applies to credit cards and not their charge cards (like the Platinum). Also you can only have a maximum of 5 AMEX credit cards but unlimited AMEX charge cards (again, like the Platinum).
Finally, AMEX keeps your SCRA status on file. Once you apply, you’re automatically in for all future cards. Saves everyone time and stress! I have NEVER had an annual fee charged on an AMEX card while on active duty military service.
That’s good to hear. I have the Amex Platinum, Delta Reserve, and Hilton Aspire. I was planning on getting the Delta Platinum and Hilton surpass in the near future. Thanks for the heads up on the 5/24.
So I have the platinum, Hilton Aspire and Delta reserve. I applied for the Delta Platinum but got rejected right off the bat. I did open Hilton Aspire and Delta reserve within the last 90 days but I thought that the platinums don’t count against the quota.
Also, I heard that the additional card holders don’t count against me. Fact or fiction?
Lastly, for spouses, does Amex merely look at your orders? Or do they ask for other substantiating documents?
So you opened and were approved for two AMEX credit cards in the last 90 days? Then yeah, you fall under the “2 approved credit cards every 90 day rule” that AMEX has. When I said cards like the “Platinum” don’t fall under this rule, I meant the Platinum Card from American Express, which is a charge card, and very different from the American Express Delta Platinum Card, which is a credit card.
What do you mean “additional card holders don’t count against me?” If you’re asking are you charged annual fees for them, the answer is NO, there are no annual fees for additional cardmembers if you have AMEX SCRA benefits.
For spouses, it depends. Most of the time they just run a database check in the background to determine their eligibility and you do not need to show orders. If you do need to show orders, PCS orders with their name on it should be sufficient.
For clarification regarding whether “additional cardholders count against me”, I was referring to cases where I had my spouse as an additional cardholder, if that counted towards the 2 cards in 90
Days for 5/24..
Hi there! A quick question for you. I am a military spouse and just applied (and received) the Amex Platinum Delta Skymiles credit card. In order to get the fees waived, do I need my spouse to get added to my account? And if he were to do this, does that mean he cannot later get his own card and get the benefit of points (skymiles)? TIA.
Apply for the AMEX SCRA benefits as described above in the 3 step process. If AMEX waived your fees (because you live in a community property state or another reason), then no need to add the active duty husband.
This was the case in my civilian wife’s situation. She has AMEX cards with the fees waived and I (the military servicemember) am not an authorized user on the account.
If AMEX does not waive the fees, then add the active duty servicemember as an authorized user and they should. Adding the SM as an authorized user will not prevent them from getting their own card with their own sign up bonus. Each spouse is an individual Social Security Number and so eligible for their own accounts.
Thank you! I did the process and am waiting to hear back. I so appreciate this site!
Sorry, just a follow-up to this. When I go online to add an additional card to my Amex account (I was going to do it, just wanted to see what the process was), it has a space for SSN#. It is not required, but it does say that you must submit it within 30 days. Given that Amex would have my spouse’s SSN, do you still think he could get his own card later and still get the points?
Yes, you can be an authorized user on an account and then still open your own account. No problems with them collecting an SSN.
I am in the AF Reserves. I had my AMEX Platinum card fees waived, and have submitted the same documents for the AMEX Aspire card. AMEX will not provide me a fee waiver. Is there anything else I can submit to them that they are looking for? Note: I do NOT have active duty orders at this time nor did I have active duty orders when I had my fees waived for AMEX Platinum.
I am curious about your situation as well. Following.
Can you send me more information about your situation through my contact form? The devil is always in the details…
Do you have any experience/trouble applying for cards during an OCONUS PCS? I don’t know how the credit card companies handle APO addresses or what opportunities exist to meet minimum spends.
Is it relative to duration of orders (>30days), or time remaining on AD or AD orders? And is it possible to do in conjunction with a referral? I have a referral from a friend who will benefit from this but it seems as though the link is an independent application link and does not factor in any military benefit.
If I open an AMEX Platinum and AMEX Marriott Bonvoy, will AMEX waive the fees for both?
Thanks!
Dan
Yes all fees are waived for US servicemembers.
I will be separating from the military in a couple of months. Will the anual fee still be waived after I separate? I think I know the answer but I just want clarification. Thank you.
Based on recent data points AMEX will continue to waive the annual fees for at least a few years after you leave active duty. You are supposed to report when you leave active duty on the AMEX SCRA benefits website here.
– My (military) spouse (not military) opened the AMEX Bonvoy Marriott Business Card
– AmEx charged us the annual fee ($125) for the card
– The customer service line is stating that I could send proof of military service by mail or fax to an office in TX BUT that I would still probably be charged the fee
– Anyone with luck getting an annual fee waived on AMEX business cards for spouses?
– Do I need to add myself as an additional user?
– We’ve had lots of luck so far w/ other cards such as the plat/gold/bonvoyBrilliant
THANKS!
What state do you live in? You may need to add yourself as an authorized user to get the fees waived if you are not in a community property state. The community property states are: Louisiana, Arizona, California, Texas, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.
Spencer,
Thanks for your site. What a wonderful resource! Wish there was something like this around back when I was a new 2d Lt! I just applied for the American Express Platinum card using your link and look forward to following more of your advice!
Thank you for the kind words and your support! I wish I had known about this stuff when I was a 2d Lt as well, which is part of the reason I started the site.
Do you have experience with AMEX personal loans and reduction or elimination of interest charges with SCRA benefits? I have the Platinum charge card per your advice and recently was offered a loan at 8% for $25k. I’m curious what those loan rates go to with the benefits. 2nd question, do the credit card rates go to 4% with AMEX like they do for Chase and USAA?
Yes AMEX personal loan info here. 0% interest for up to 3 years. AMEX should drop interest on credit cards to 0% while you are SCRA protected, but you should never carry credit card debt, so this shouldn’t be a factor.
Hey Spencer,
I’m a recently commissioned Air Force 2d Lt out of ROTC and am waiting to go on active duty in a couple months. Should I apply to the AMEX card right before I go on active duty or after to get the fees waived properly? Also would you recommend starting with the AMEX Platinum or Chase Sapphire Preferred then upgrade to Reserve?
Thank so much for your advice. Just wanted to set myself up right as I enter the service as you mentioned above.
Hey Rikki
Congrats on commissioning! I commissioned myself out of AFROTC in 2010. It’s been a great ten years.
I would wait on all the cards until you are official EAD and on active duty orders. Check your MLA status here: https://mla.dmdc.osd.mil/
Right now the Chase Sapphire Preferred is doing a huge 80k bonus. It will probably be that way at least until the end of 2020. I recommend you get a Sapphire Preferred first, then an Amex Platinum, then hit the rest of the Chase cards you want while you are under 5/24. Upgrade your CSP to a CSR after 1 year.
Your first PCS and initial training TDYs are a great time to rack up some easy minimum spend. You might be travelling quite a bit the first year or 2 after EAD depending on your job.
Again, wait until officially on active duty. This isn’t something you want to screw up if you know better now.
Best of luck, let us all know how it goes!
-Spencer
Does anyone know if this applies to the Amex Centurion? If someone were to be invited, would the $2500 a year fee be waived?
Probably yes, but no data points yet on this one. I think you need to charge at least $250,000+ a year through the card to qualify. Way out of my league!
Spencer,
I am concerned with the difference in language they used in my email. They used suppressed instead of waived. Have you seen this before?
To support the men and women who serve in the United States Armed Forces, we are handling your account referenced above in accordance with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act provides for a maximum annual interest rate of 6% per year on loans you received before starting active military duty. As of today, your account does not have a balance owed which generates interest charges so there is no eligible balance. However, we have suppressed the following fees from billing on your account statement for the duration of your active military duty:
Annual Membership fees
Overlimit fees
Late Payment fees
Returned Payment fees
Statement Copy Request fees
What’s the concern? Effect should be the same.
Are the annual fees for the platinum AMEX apply for retired military as well?
Negative.
I have heard that American Express goes above and beyond to support military spouses whose service member is not listed on the account. Is this true?
Do I need to be currently active duty? I’m a reservist but just finished 45 days on adt.
Call the SCRA line or do the online process. Submit a copy of your orders if requested and you should get the fee waived. Please let me know if it works!
There’s no harm in trying now. If it doesn’t work just wait until the next time you’re on active duty orders and submit again.
Roger that. If the reservist is on active duty order for 2 week training, does s/he qualify for the waiver ?
You can always try…but most data points are 30 consecutive days minimum.
Thank you for the information. As far as I know, all cards still maintain their full benefits and you can get all the benefits with none of the annual fees. Isn’t it a great deal?
In the post, it says that reserve members also qualify for this waiver.
Does the active reservist, not active duty, but drilling monthly qualify for this $550 waiver ?
Monthly drill, no, not from the data points I have. 30+ days orders, yes, cleared hot.
Hello
What about foreign military officers under NATO travel orders stationed in the USA in a joint USA military program? We Will be living here for 4 years and issued US military number.
Yes, you should be covered. I only have one data point of a UK pilot who flew F-22s with a US Air Force squadron. He was able to pick up the AMEX Platinum with the fees waived. He just sent in his US military orders when asked by AMEX. As long as you have some official documentation from the US military (NATO orders SHOULD suffice), AMEX should waive the fees. Let us all know how it goes!
Did you ever get it approved?
Does the active reservist also qualify for the $550 annual fee waiver for AMEX Platinum card ? Do you have to apply and get the credit card first and then request the fee waiver ?
Yes! Absolutely. You just need to be on active orders for a minimum of 30 days. Submit the orders to AMEX through their SCRA page. You can also apply for the card and then submit your 30+ day orders when you get them and AMEX should reimburse you for the annual fee.
My husband has been active duty for 14 years but only recently found out about the AMEX fee waivers. He now has a new Platinum card with fees waived. Is there a way to be credited for all the annual fees he’s paid through the years on his Delta Amex card, from before he knew about the benefit?
As a DoD Civilian that is serving overseas working along side the active duty member, am I eligible for the AMEX Platinum card under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) ?
No, military servicemembers only.
Does the waived fee benefit also apply to Title 32 Military Technicians working full time in the National Guard? As mentioned by someone else previously, I would also be able to provide an LES for proof – but technicians do not have orders like a normal title 10 active duty service-member would.
Please try and let us know if it works. Maybe use a low, no, or waived annual fee card to start with first.
does the platinum and gold card need to be plaid off in full monthly for active duty ? if so how does that work when they waive late fees ? I haven’t been able to find a cut and dry answer.
Yes, they are charge cards and need to be paid monthly. You cannot carry a balance like a credit card. You should be doing this anyways and never carry a balance unless it’s no interest.
Do they waive the fees on co-branded Platinum Cards? IE: Schwab, Mercedes, etc?
Yes.
So I applied via the SCRA link after opening up a Platinum card account. I was then contacted and told I needed to supply my military orders. I can upload my LES or PCS orders but does anyone know what they want? Has anyone else had this issue?
I believe an LES or PCS orders will suffice. See more details here.
Does AMEX waive the Business Platinum Card for Service Member?
Yes I believe they do.
I was looking around the AMEX website and came across their SCRA link. I have the AMEX Blue card and recently opened up an AMEX Platinum account…mostly for the airport lounge access. A friend of mine said AMEX will waive the annual fee for active military, which is a hefty $495 annual fee. I didn’t even speak to anyone, just clicked on the link. This was March 19th. I received an email saying I had a message in the secure message center which in turn said my “issue” has been resolved and I would be receiving written confirmation of the results. On April 2nd, I started downloading transactions through Quicken and had several from American Express. They were all refunds in varying amounts, ranging from $50 all the way to $5,382.61. The total amount I received back was $8,604.05. I actually have a credit of nearly $1,900! I was happy, but at the same time concerned a mistake had been made. I’ve had an AMEX account since 2002 and been active army since 1999, so I’ve amassed some fees, however when I called to confirm, I was told, yes, this is all correct, no errors made. Needless to say, I am forever dedicated to AMEX.
That’s an awesome result! I think you might be winning the AMEX SCRA military fee refund game!
Worked like a charm for me by simply filling out the form online. It still lists under SCRA. I think we can all agree that SCRA does not “really” cover annual fees but that’s how you will find it from AMEX website so go for it.
I know this post is pretty old, but I wanted to add that you can also have the SCRA benefits added to your card by filling out a form online — no need to call and speak with someone, and no need to fill out any paperwork and send it back. Log in to your account online, click on Account Services at the top of the screen, then select Inquiry and Dispute Center on the left side of the screen. Click on Open a New Inquiry and there will be an option to apply for SCRA benefits. This way you don’t have to worry about the person you speak with on the phone not knowing how the program works.
Has anyone had luck getting annual fees waived as a drill status guardsman or traditional guardsman? I’m on a deployable status and end up on active orders for short periods of time but not active duty.
I’m in the process of waiting for their official answer, but the first lady (level III escalation) simply told me they verify service via SCRA, but that AMEX’s policy of waiving fees and reimbursing past fees was “restricted” info and handled on case-by-case basis. The second lady I spoke to (level I) told me indeed the fee is waived, and that she knew this based on training she had received, and that not all employees know about the policy. Now, what I’m most interested in finding out (but the second lady didn’t have an answer for) is their exact policy on retroactively reimbursing fees. I’ve been a cardholder since 1993, and have been in the military since 1997. Something tells me there is an upper limit as to how much they’ll reimburse.
I just called and was told it only applies to financing fees and late fees, NOT the annual fees. I may try again with a different representative but she said she talked to her supervisor. Any tips for the next time I call? Don’t have a card yet, but don’t want to pay the fee on a chance.
I’ve found the reps are more helpful if you already have a card.
I wish people would stop saying this is a SCRA benefit. It is not a SCRA benefit, as AMEX fee waiver is of its own volition and not anything with in SCRA.
Tim, you are correct that annual fee waiver is not a benefit included in the SCRA federal law. However, as part of verifying that you are on active duty military orders to comply with the SCRA law, AMEX has chosen to waive annual fees. Therefore, it’s just easier to ask them to handle your account in accordance with the SCRA.
Spencer, I can understand the “simpler” point you make, but it is important to be putting out accurate information, especially since many people are making the wrong assumption on linking the two (and sending me email links to your and other people’s sites citing it as fact). Again, asking American Express to handle your account in accordance with SCRA does not automatically guarantee fee waiver, since it is not mandated in SCRA to do so.
When I called Amex I just said “I hear you waive fees for people in the military”. I didn’t mention SCRA. Without hesitating, the agent said “yes we do”. He asked a few questions and within 5 minutes I was done. You don’t have to mention SCRA, talk about legal, regulatory or any other requirements. Amex is generous to have this policy and has made it very easy to take advantage of it. No hardcore negotiating tactics are necessary.
A downside of publicizing that this is “in accordance with the SCRA” could make people think that other credit card companies have to abide by the same policy Amex does. Generally, circulation of this false information would be pretty benign but annoying. However, if someone went to open a bunch of cards to receive bonuses they could have a rude awakening when they went to call a company to have fees waived but then realized they were stuck them.
I applied last Fall and was accepted into the program. However this Spring they put an interest charge on my account and said they wouldn’t remove it because the SCRA only applies to debt incurred prior to service. While that is the letter ofhe law, that is a change from their prior policy, and it is very hard to find any information online abou the terms of the agreement.
Anon, how is getting charged interest while on active duty a change in policy? SCRA is pretty straight forward on interest rate charges. Everyone receives terms of agreement with their credit card, and it is easily found on AMEX’s website and through your online account.
The SCRA benefits were not applied to the american express platinum business card unfortunately :(
Has anyone with SCRA benefits already applied to their account tried adding their wife to their account with a credit card like the AMEX platinum. Will they waive her annual fee because its associated with your account? Thanks
Seems to be a YMMV type of thing, some people have reported success whilst others have reported only failure.
Hi
I spoke with a rep today and he suggested I add my husband’s card to the program as well, so I say go for it …
If the servicemember is on the account as the primary or an authorized user, annual fees should be waived. Even if the primary account holder is a active duty dependent and the active duty servicemember is added as an authorized user.
Tara, was this resolved in your favor? I just learned about this waiver and I’m waiting for a good welcome offer to jump into this card (something over 25k at least). I’m hoping amex hasn’t changed its policy of fee waiver, and hoping some good incentives pop up to offset the apparent loss of some amex platinum airline lounge access.
Unfortunately, as of 11 February 2014, AMEX is now saying it will only credit the fees for deployed servicemembers. Just being active duty is not good enough. At least that is what the customer service guy said when I tried to apply.
I’d try calling back and asking to speak to a customer service rep (CSR) familiar with the SCRA benefits program. Many CSRs do not have formal training on SCRA benefits and do not understand the program. Ask that your account be reviewed for SCRA eligibility. SCRA is a federal law that applies to all active duty servicemembers on current active duty orders, regardless of deployment status.
Fee waiver is not an SCRA benefit.
a useful Q&A and SCRA
http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/documents/scra_qa_5-26-11.pdf
Correct, waiving an annual fee is not included in the federal law. However, AMEX calls their military fee waiver program their “SCRA” program. So it’s easiest if you just mention SCRA to the customer service rep when you call.
This is not correct, AMEX will waive fees for any servicemember on active duty orders for 30 or more days.
It worked. I’m telling you right now… Absolute customer for life. Nice move on Americans Express’s part… I’m pretty brand loyal. :)
My wife and I are both active duty and have had the AMEX Platinum for many years. If you travel a lot, you can’t beat the perks. We called AMEX over the summer and asked about having the fee’s waived. It took two months, but we were credited $5,515, which covered all of our past membership fees. Way to go AMEX!
Rick – that’s amazing! You are the current leader for most fees refunded! Congratulations on that early Christmas present from AMEX!
Quick feedback: I already have a AMEX Costco card and I have a call to AMEX to see about applying for the Platinum and waiving the fees. They told me I had to apply first. So I took the plunge and did. They approved both my wife and I for the cards… however;
IMPORTANT: for those in FPO/APO – make sure that they send your cards via USPS. Otherwise, they will try to send via UPS and they will be RTS. My cards haven’t even arrived yet (and it’s been over a month).
Anyways, beside all that, I called and requested the AD fee waiver and the operator knew EXACTLY what I was talking about. She took all my info and added my new cards and existing card. I DID have to pay the $625 annual fee (another gamble), but I was told that it would be credited back to my account.
So, that all being said, I’m still awaiting the official email and the credit in my account. I will provide feedback if this is successful. Some times “to good to be true” is very accurate. Hopefully, this doesn’t turn out to be one of those cases, but I thought it worth the time to pass this on to other AD folks. If it does work out, this will be a tremendous benefit, especially for those of us stationed overseas and who travel a lot.
Does the Costco AMEX card apply for this also? I know technically there is no annual fee with a paid membership but would the SCRA benefits pay for the annual membership?
Jim, I’m not sure, I don’t have a Costco AMEX. It definitely would not hurt to call them and ask. Other branded credit cards, like Delta, are included in the SCRA benefits and have no annual fees. Let us know what you find out!
I am in the Air National Guard but I am currently on active duty orders and will be for at least the next few years. Do you think that they will accept that?
I believe they will. When I went through the process they asked me how long I was going to be on active duty orders. You should be able to at least get the fees waived for the length of your active duty orders.
I just called to get the AMEX Platinum card with the waived annual fee (im AD military) and the rep told me that this was a rumor and they dont waive the annual fees for this particular card. Should I call back and speak with someone else? is there a good 800 # where people are more knowledgable on this?
Try calling back and asking to speak to a supervisor about having your account handled in accordance with the SCRA or Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
Thank you for the info! I just called, and they are submitting my request! This is for the Delta Skymiles card. I wonder if I will still get my free yearly companion ticket, though..
As far as I can tell, all cards still maintain their full benefits! You can all the benefits with none of the annual fees. It’s a great deal.
Does this only apply to cards issued directly from AMEX? I had an AMEX card through Citibank and asked about SCRA benefits but they said they would only apply them to cards I had before I entered active duty. Is there a way to contact AMEX directly instead? Or only cards without another bank on them too?
Kristin, I believe this SCRA benefit is only for cards issued directly from AMEX with no intermediary bank. It wouldn’t hurt to call AMEX to check.
Does anyone know if this applies to business cards? I’m the sole proprietor, and the only card is in my name.
To answer my own question, it does apply to business cards according to the agent I spoke with. I’m currently under a first year free on the card, but she told spoke with a supervisor and told me to call back when the annual fee posts on my statement.
So I have had the AMEX platinum card for 6 months and it has SCRA benefits applyed to it. I just applied for the AMEX Platinum Business Card and was accepted. Will the benefits automatically apply or will I have to send in my military info again?
Thanks
I would definitely call the customer service number on the back of the card to confirm that your SCRA benefits will extend to your new card. You shouldn’t have to resubmit your paperwork (as they already have it on file), but it won’t hurt to remind them to apply it to the new card.
It worked. All we did was call and although we had to elevate to a supervisor, they immediately knew what we were asking for and after giving info on entry date and end of service date and other basic info they said they would start the process , to include previous held and cancelled AMEX cards during active duty. Money for active card reimbursed, still waiting for cancelled cards to hit. Thanks for the info.
That’s awesome news Doug! I had never heard of them reinstating previously cancelled cards, that’s another great benefit AMEX is offering.
This news about military having the annual fee waived is amazing. I have 3 amex that I planned to cnx in 9 months but im going to make this call first! And maybe get some more!
I just contacted them and they said they were going to fill out a form and send it to my house that then i would need to fill out and send back to them. Did anyone else have this experience? Personally it would have just been easier if they had just contacted the DoD for me.
Should I call back and request that they contact the DoD? I’m in the reserves and I go on and off of active duty throughout the year. I am on active duty until Sept 27th so I would like to get this done before i go off again.
Calling them back certainly couldn’t hurt. I think if you explain that, while you’re in the Reserves, you are frequently called to active duty, they may give the same benefit to you. Good luck, let me know how it goes.
Does this also apply to active reservists or do they have to be activated?
Tiff, my understanding is you must be on active duty orders and the benefit only lasts while you are on active duty orders.
I just thought I’d add a little bit to the discussion about American Express waiving membership fees for active duty military personnel.
First of all, the SCRA does not obligate American Express to do that. My guess is that they do it for the goodwill and / or PR value. There’s also the distinct possibility they do it in an overadundance of caution to avoid unintentional noncompliance with the Act. It has been mentioned that the primary objective of the SCRA relates to financial obligations incurred prior to active military service. The Act also deals with obligations incurred while on active duty and carry over to a period in which the service member is deployed. Rather than monitor their military cardmembers for eventual deployment or to have to deal with such issues after the fact, it may be easier for them just to give a blanket fee exemption to all service members.
Although not all card issuers will offer fee waivers to military personnel, American Express isn’t the only one who does. Capital One and Chase are also pretty good to us.
I am not sure how American Express goes about actually verifying active military service. Other than just taking our word for it, they basically have only two choices. One would be using a publicly available online function that verifies TRICARE enrollment. However, this shouldn’t take them more than a few minutes much less 6 weeks. Also, it would result in an extremely high number of false positives. Most likely is they send a form letter to the DOD and wait for written confirmation.
I’ve a number of American Express cards with fee waivers and they even waive the fee for additional cardmembers. They have even offered to waive the fee on my wife’s personal card and also my son’s.
Thanks for the insight, J.C. I think you are spot on with your points on the SCRA and how AMEX actually verifies the card holders status. Personally I think it’s probably a form letter that they send to the DoD regarding SCRA compliance.
That is correct. The way SCRA works is; “if” you are deployed and incurred said debt before joining the military, then your interest is capped at 6%. Also, you do not have to pay any late charges and no collection acts can be made against you. AMEX is going above and beyond. Also, they probably verify it through a website. When I worked in banking (and handled SCRA requests) there was a website you could go to and enter the persons name and SSN and it would tell you there enlistment date. :)
How do they verify military service? Would I send a copy of my military ID (which as I understand is technically not legal) or would they verify via my .mil email address or a copy of my enlistment contract?
Hi Charles. They actually don’t require any verification from you. AMEX verifies your service with a few questions over the phone and I believe they contact the DoD to confirm your service as well. It takes a few weeks for them to confirm your active duty status. Hope that helps! (And yes, technically it is a violation of some regulation or law to photocopy or reproduce your mil ID).
Do you know if spouse’s card fees are waived too? I pay a fortune in Amx fees! :)
Hey Shannon! Based on what I’ve been told by AMEX, this only applies if the account holder is active duty military. If your spouse is the account holder and you are an authorized user, then yes, you’re fees will be waived.
Good to know. Do the benefits that come with the cards all still apply? Like the $200 airline credit and Global Entry reimbursement on the Platinum card? What a nice benefit!
Yup, you still get all the benefits of the card with no annual fees!
My spouses fees were waived as well. It is under the same account so that may be required.