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The Platinum Card® from American Express card is annual fee waived for military. Terms apply.
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As of August 2021 my wife and I have 32 open credit and charge cards. Since 2015 we have opened 46 cards. My credit score is currently 805-818 according to Credit Karma and Credit Sesame. I recommend both sites to check your credit score for free.
The most popular cards for military credit card holders on my site since 2018 are:
- The Platinum Card® from American Express (Amex Platinum review)
- American Express® Gold Card (Amex Gold card review)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card (Chase Sapphire Reserve review)
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Chase Sapphire Preferred review)
You can compare the:
- Amex Platinum vs the Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Amex Gold vs Amex Platinum
- Chase Sapphire Reserve vs the Chase Sapphire Preferred
I recorded an episode of the Military Money Manual Podcast where Jamie and I talked about what cards we have in our wallets. You can listen below:
Physically Managing Lots of Credit Cards
I keep my cards in a leather credit card binder I purchased on Amazon for less than $15. It keeps the cards I don't use daily organized.
For daily use, I have a Travelambo Front Pocket Minimalist Leather Slim Wallet RFID Blocking Medium Size. About 3 years ago I purchased the 5 top rated wallets on Amazon.
I returned the other 4 and kept the Travelambo. This is the best wallet for credit cards I have found after trying several.
Credit Cards I Carry Daily
Right now, I'm carrying my military ID (CAC), driver's license, some cash, a list of goals I want to accomplish, and some small photos. The credit cards I carry daily are:
- American Express Gold Card, 4x points on restaurants and US supermarkets, Amex Gold Card Review (terms apply)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve, 3x points on travel and dining, Chase Sapphire Reserve review
- Chase Freedom Unlimited, 1.5x points on everything, best cash back cards for military
- USAA ATM Debit card – my USAA review
What I Look for in a New Credit Card
The 3 primary things I care about when evaluating a new credit card are:
- The welcome bonus, like the massive points you can earn on the Amex Platinum
- The ongoing benefits of holding the card, like travel credits or free hotel nights
- The categories I can earn extra points in, like restaurants and groceries with the Amex Gold or travel and dining with Chase Sapphire Reserve
I update a list of the best credit card welcome bonuses each month. I also have an exact recommended order military servicemembers and spouses should open up cards to maximize their points earnings in my best credit cards for active duty military guide.
I have earned millions of points and miles just from welcome bonuses. I have also received thousands of dollars in cash back welcome bonuses.
The ongoing benefits of a hotel card, for instance, can be higher automatic elite status and an annual free night. For instance the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card gives you automatic Diamond status. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card gives you automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Status.
The 32 Credit Cards I Have Right Now
Other than my Capital One business card, I do not pay any annual fees on these cards thanks to the Chase Military Lending Act and Amex Military Lending Act military fee waiver programs.
This saves me over $7000 per year. I can walk you through how to save your first $695 annual fee in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course. The course is 100% free for you.
American Express Cards
All American Express personal cards are no annual fee for military servicemembers and their dependents. Amex does this to comply with the Military Lending Act (MLA) and Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).
- The Platinum Card® from American Express x8 (Amex Platinum military review) – I have upgraded several Green and Gold cards to this card so now I get $1600 of Uber credit annually, $1600 of airline fee credits, $1600 of annual hotel credit, $2000 of annual entertainment credits and $800 of Saks Fifth Avenue credit (enrollment required). 5x points on flights booked directly with the airline or amextravel.com and travel insurance makes this my card of choice for airline purchases. (terms apply)
- American Express® Gold Card (Amex Gold card review) – a daily driver for me with 4x Amex Membership Reward points on US supermarkets and restaurants. (terms apply)
- American Express Green Card (Amex Green card review) – good welcome bonus (terms apply)
- Platinum Card for Charles Schwab from American Express – cash out Amex Membership Rewards points for 1.25 cents each (terms apply)
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card x3 (Amex Hilton Aspire review) – 2 for me and 1 for my wife. You can upgrade the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card to another Hilton Honors Aspire card. (terms apply)
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Amex Bonvoy Brilliant review) x2 – I upgraded an Amex SPG Luxury (no longer available) to my second Bonvoy Brilliant. Annual free night worth up to 85,000 Bonvoy points on each card. Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees. (terms apply)
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Amex Delta Reserve review) – annual companion pass lets you fly up to Delta One in the lower 48 states and you only pay for 1/2 tickets. If you have a Hawaii or Alaska address, you can use the companion pass for a flight back to the mainland. (terms apply)
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Amex Business Platinum review) – great way to earn Amex Membership Reward points. Amex Business cards do not waive annual fee for military with any cards opened after January 2020. (terms apply)
- American Express® Business Gold Card – Amex business cards can be a great way to earn extra Amex MR points (terms apply)
- Learn how to apply for the American Express® Gold Card
- $250 Annual Fee waived for US military and spouses
- Earn 60,000 Membership Reward® Points after spending $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new card in the first 6 months of Card Membership
- Earn 4x points at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the US
- Earn 4x points on US supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1x points) – includes OCONUS Commissaries
- Earn 3x points on flights booked directly with the airline or on amextravel.com
- No foreign transaction fees – great for the 4x on restaurants when travelling for fun, OCONUS TDY, or PCS!
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Amex Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 annually.
- $120 per year Dining Credit: Earn up to $10 per month in statement credits when you use your Amex Gold at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Molk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- Choose between the Gold or Rose Gold version when you apply.
- Read my full review of the Amex Gold card for military, terms apply
Chase Cards
Chase waives all annual fees for military servicemembers and dependents on their personal credit cards (not business cards) as long as you are on active duty after 20 Sep 2017 and open the card after that date.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve (Chase Sapphire Reserve review) – lower sign up bonus than the Chase Sapphire Preferred (compare the Reserve vs Preferred) but the $300 annual travel credit, 3x points on dining and travel, and global Visa acceptance makes this a must have card for every military servicemember. Compare the CSR vs the AMEX Platinum to see which is the best military credit card.
- Chase Ink Business Unlimited (Chase Ink Business Unlimited review) – the Chase Ink business cards are an excellent way to earn valuable Chase Ultimate Reward points and do not count against your 5/24 Chase card limit. You do NOT need an LLC to open business credit cards.
- Chase Ink Business Cash (Chase Ink Business Cash review) – Business credit cards frequently come with the best welcome bonuses. You can compare the Chase Ink Business Preferred vs Chase Ink Business Cash
- Chase IHG Rewards Club Premier (Chase IHG review) – annual free night with this card makes it worth keeping even if you had to pay the annual fee…but you don't!
- Chase World of Hyatt (Chase Hyatt card review) – Hyatt offers beautiful hotels and resorts around the world. While not as big as Hilton or Marriott, it is growing rapidly. The Hyatt card offers an annual free night and complimentary elite status. Should be part of every military servicemember's hotel credit card collection: Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG.
- Chase Freedom Flex℠ Credit Card x3 (cash back credit cards for military) – 5% cash back on rotating categories like Netflix, gas, Costco, and groceries. My first credit card after graduating college means I'll keep this one for a long time. I have multiples of this card because of downgrading other cards. Compare the Chase Freedom Flex vs Chase Freedom Unlimited.
- Chase Freedom Unlimited® Credit Card (best cash back cards for military) – 1.5% cash back on all purchases. A great fall back card if what your buying doesn't fall into a bonus category for another card.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site
- Earn 60,000 Chase Ultimate after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of card membership
- 60,000 points = $750 minimum value when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards® travel portal
- Enjoy benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit
- 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
- 3x points on dining (includes takeout, delivery, and dine-in)
- 2x points on all other travel purchases
- Points can also be redeemed with “Pay Yourself Back” for 1.25 cents each on eligible purchases in select, rotating categories
- No foreign transaction fees, great for overseas OCONUS assignments, TDY, and PCS
- Primary rental car insurance coverage & trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Upgrade to a Chase Sapphire Reserve after 1 year (compare Reserve vs Preferred)
- $95 annual fee waived for military and spouses with Chase Military Lending Act
Citi Cards
My Citi Premier is annual fee waived thanks to MLA. Citi Prestige is also MLA fee waived.
Capital One®
My only Capital One® card at the moment is the Capital One® Spark® Business Cash card. This card was offering an insane 200,000 point welcome bonus when you spend $50,000. (Note: offer is no longer available.)
I was able to hit the welcome bonus on this card and earn $3000 cash back. That was a nice check to receive!
Welcome Bonuses on my Credit Cards
With these cards and the ones I've closed, I received the following cumulative welcome bonuses:
- 575,000 Hilton Honors points
- 480,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 420,000 AMEX Membership Rewards
- 310,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
- 250,000 American Airlines miles
- 100,000 IHG Points
- 60,000 Citi Thank You Points
- 75,000 Delta Skymiles
- 50,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles
- 50,000 Hyatt Points
- $3700 cash back
I also receive the following recurring benefits annually:
- $1200 Uber or Uber Eats credit ($90 per month, $210 in December)
- $1200 annual airline fee credit
- $750 credit at Hilton hotels and resorts
- $300 travel credit
- Domestic first class companion pass on Delta
I also max out my “refer a friend” for cards every year, which results in the additional points with no spending:
- 550,000 AMEX Membership Rewards (can cash out at 1.25 cents per point = $6875 minimum per year)
- 240,000 Hilton Honors points
- 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points
- 55,000 Delta Skymiles
I pay $0 in annual fees thanks to the Chase Military Lending Act and Amex MLA policy The Spark Cash card is a $95 annual fee not waived for military, but I will probably close the account before the annual fee posts.
The Next Credit Card to Open
I keep this page updated with the best credit card welcome bonuses available to military servicemembers. I also have my recommended order to open credit cards for military servicemembers and their spouses.
Personally, I have maxed out my Chase 5/24 and Amex 5 credit card limit (not cards like the Platinum). My wife still has a lot of AMEX cards she is eligible for so she will probably open more of those this year.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. My score is above 800 and I have opened and closed 38 credit cards in the past 5 years.
I read of people having 60+ cards. The Guinness Book of World Records says the most credit cards owned by one person is 1562.
The Amex Platinum card offers monthly benefits like a $15 Uber or Uber Eats credit ($35 in December), so with my 6 AMEX Platinum cards I get $90 per month of Uber Eats credit. In December I get $210 of Uber credit. That's a lot of free food!
What is your exit strategy from all of these cards with annual fees when it is time for you to retire? The waiver no longer applies after you retire even if in theory you could get away with it for several more years.
I covered my military credit card exit strategy in this article. Short version is I’ll keep open the cards I’m getting value from and close the other ones. Minimal short term impact on credit score.
As a data point I’m a year into military separation and I haven’t been charged annual fee on any cards. My wife was charged one fee on her Amex Platinum. We’re keeping it open because of the benefits.
Hi Spencer, thank you for providing such a great manual!
I see that you have 2 Hilton Aspire card, one was upgraded from Hilton Surpass?
I currently have 1 Hilton Aspire, can I apply for the Surpass? Will they deny me since I already have the highest tier of the Hilton brand credit card?
Also, with 2 Hilton Aspire card, do you get to choose 2 airlines for the airline incidental credit?
Can you share more detail on that?
Thanks again!
Yes, upgraded one of the Amex Hilton Aspires from a Hilton Surpass.
Yes, you can apply and get approved for Amex Hilton Surpass. Amex won’t deny you because you have a higher tier card.
Yes, you choose an airline incidental credit per card account.
When you’re ready to upgrade the Hilton Surpass to Aspire, create a new Amex login to make the upgrade process easier and all online without having to call in. Good luck!
Hello Sir! Thank you for the quick response.
Upon more careful reading, I saw you have 8 AMEX Platinum!! I am guessing you upgraded from other AMEX card as well? How frequent can I apply and then upgrade?
Does this mean I can do it with CSR? My current CSR was upgraded from Preferred. Will I be able to apply for the Preferred again and then upgrade?
Um I thought I was doing okay owning most of the cards you’ve mentioned, but the ability to have multiple and multiples of the benefits is a game changer! I am still in awe since discovering your website yesterday. Good thing I am only 5 years behind! Time to set up for the next 20 years!
Hello Sir!
Truly appreciate your knowledge and willingness to share with others.
Would you have an excel sheet that you utilize to manage your cards?
Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words! There are several excel sheets for download in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course. Sign up for the course and you’ll get instant access to the sheets. Unsubscribe immediately if you want, but I tend to send the best offers to that mailing list.
Have you heard anything about AMEX limiting the number of credit cards that you can carry? Did you get “grand-fathered” in? Just trying to figure out how I can start stacking some the Platinum’s.
The usual limit is 5 credit cards and 10 charge cards. The Amex charge cards are Amex Platinum, Amex Gold, and Amex Green.
Hi Spencer!
First, thanks for all your amazing content! I love your site and forward any and all of my military friends to your site!
I see that you have a Charles Schwab Platinum. Before applying I wanted to confirm that MLA/SCRA waives the annual fee for that card as well (I know there are other ways to waive the AF of the Charles Schwab & Morgan Stanley Platinum cards that require $$$$$ sitting in your checking account with them).
Thanks in advance,
Morgan
Thanks for sharing my site! Yes, the Charles Schwab Amex Platinum is annual fee waived under MLA and SCRA for servicemembers and spouses.
Great, thanks :)
Spencer,
Do you have a spreadsheet or word template for how you manage all the cards, offers and “misc” information. I am sure it would be easy to make one but figured I would see if you had a recommendation first. I am a big fan of your podcast and the information you are putting out here, I wish I had been introduced this during my first 10 years on active duty. Thank you.
Zach
I know you have been collecting the cards for years. How many cards were you applying for at a time? How did you get around the inquiries that come along with applying for the cards?
When I was acquiring many cards it was usually 1 card per month. Took me 2 years to accumulate the majority of my stable. The important thing is to keep track of the cards and hit the minimum spends. Don’t over extend yourself.
Inquiries don’t affect your credit score that much. Just make sure to get into Chase before you run out of 5/24 slots.
I’m retired military going on 11 years and have three credit cards: a Mastercard with cash back points originally initiated through my college’s alumni association (I don’t use it that much), a cash-back Visa through a popular military-supporting bank (the card I currently use the most), and an Amex blue card I sort of inherited a few years ago by taking care of my then ill parents (I presently only use it for estate reasons). Please explain to me the logic of having so many (29 +/-) cards open, pros and cons. It seems almost dangerous in this day and age of ID theft and fraud to have so many active accounts. Thanks in advance.
Spencer,
I’m close to retiring from the army (eligible next month but planning 5 more years). Once I retire will the credit companies automatically change me annual fees?
No: https://militarymoneymanual.com/credit-cards-retire-separate-leave-military/
Thanks Spencer, should have known you had it covered. Allen
Sorry was trying to walk and type at the same time. Once I retire will the banks be given a heads up and automatically begin charging me the annual fees?
Allen
Hi Spencer. You said that you don’t pay annual fees on any card in your 37-card picture but the Capital one card. Under the chase card section you say MLA doesn’t apply to chase business cards. You have 2 chase business cards pictured in the 27. Do you or do you not pay fees on those?
Those Chase business cards have no annual fees for everyone.
Spencer,
Any thoughts about product changing one of those 3x Freedoms into a second Sapphire Reserve?
All of my Chase Freedom accounts were opened before Chase MLA kicked in Sep 2017, so out of luck on that front. One of them is a downgraded CSR opened before Sep 17. Once my wife got her CSR’s annual fee waived, she added me as an authorized user and we just share that one.