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The Platinum Card® from American Express is my #1 recommended card
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The Chase Starbucks Rewards Visa Card annual fee of $49 is waived for US military servicemembers and their spouses. Currently the Starbucks credit card is offering a large welcome bonus worth at least 30 free drinks when you spend $500 on the card.
- Learn how to apply for the Chase Starbucks Rewards Visa card
- Earn 4,500 Bonus Stars after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening + $0 intro annual fee
- Earn 300 Bonus Stars the first time you use your Starbucks® Rewards Visa® Card to add money to your Starbucks Card
- Stars won't expire, an exclusive Starbucks benefit for Cardmembers
- You will receive 8 complimentary food or beverage items (“Barista Picks”)
- Earn up to 3 Stars per $1 spent at Starbucks Stores: 1 Star per $1 when you digitally load your Starbucks Card with your Starbucks® Rewards Visa® Card (excludes money added at the register), plus 2 Stars per $1 spent when that Starbucks Card is used to pay at Starbucks stores
- Earn 1 Star per $2 spent at grocery stores, on local transit and commuting, and on internet, cable, and phone services
- Earn 1 Star per $4 spent everywhere else
- Normally an annual fee of $49 after the first year, but waived for military servicemembers and their spouses with Chase Military Lending Act program
If you are going to get into travel hacking seriously, I don't recommend the Starbucks card. It takes away one of your Chase 5/24 slots which could be better utilized with a higher value card, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Hyatt card. More on credit card application rules here.
The Starbucks Rewards card is a great starter card. It's an easy way to introduce your Starbucks addicted spouse to credit card rewards and travel hacking.
However, I would recommend following my list of the best credit cards for military servicemembers and getting a card that pays you 4x Amex Membership Reward points for spending at Starbucks, like the Amex Gold card. The annual fee is also waived for military, thanks to the Amex Military Lending Act program.
American Express® Gold Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site
- 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, Milk 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
- $250 Annual Fee* See more details about American Express protections for you and your spouse
How Much Are Starbucks Stars Worth?
- 25 Stars: Drink modifications (such as an extra shot)
- 50 Stars: Any size hot coffee, tea or a bakery item
- 150 Stars: Handcrafted beverages (including iced coffee), oatmeal or a breakfast sandwich
- 200 Stars: Lunch sandwiches, salads or protein boxes
- 400 Stars: Packaged coffee or a single merchandise item up to $20
4500 Stars are worth 90 drip coffees. A Venti Blonde Roast is usually about $3 depending on where you are in the world, so 90 x $3 = $270 worth of coffee.
A latte, cappuccino, or americano are worth about $5 depending on what size you get. 4500 / 150 = 30 of those would be worth about $150.
Starbucks Credit Card FAQ
4500 Starbucks points are worth about $150 – $270, depending on what drinks you get, what options you add, and where in the world you order Starbucks coffee. You get more bang for your buck with drip coffee than handcrafted drinks like espressos.
If you drink a lot of Starbucks the Starbucks Rewards credit card is probably worth it. Especially with a large welcome bonus you can earn many free drinks with the card. If you don't drink Starbucks daily, it's probably not worth it.
The Starbucks Rewards credit card is issued by Chase Bank. Chase waives the annual fees on this and all their personal cards for US military servicemembers and their spouses.
670 or higher.
50 Starbucks Stars gets you a free drip coffee or 150 for a handcrafted drink like Nitro coldbrew or an espresso based drink like a latte.
Yes, you can use a Starbucks credit card anywhere Visa is accepted, but you are probably better off using a different card like the Amex Gold or Chase Sapphire Reserve. Both annual fees are waived for military and military spouses.