8 reasons why the Amex Platinum is the best card for military members
Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full Advertising Policy.
We’re eternally indebted to those who have served in the U.S. armed forces to keep us free. And Amex does its part to repay our active-duty military by keeping their card annual fees free.
That’s right, if you currently serve, you don’t have to pay American Express annual fees.
All credit card companies must comply with regulations under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), which limits interest rates and fees for active-duty personnel, but American Express has a history of going beyond these requirements by removing nearly all fees for active-duty military, including annual fees on their premium credit cards.
This means that active-duty military members are eligible for one of the best travel credit cards — The Platinum Card® from American Express, with a waived $550 annual fee (see rates and fees). This card comes with airport lounge access, free travel credits, automatic elite status at popular hotels and much more, with the annual fee waived. This is why the American Express Platinum Card is the best card for military members. You can read our Amex Platinum review.
Top 8 reasons American Express Platinum Card is a must-have for active-duty military
Waived annual fee
The Platinum Card® from American Express is a premium travel card that offers some of the best perks of any card in the industry. The card normally carries a high annual fee of $550, but qualifying active-duty U.S. military personnel can actually get this annual fee waived, an incredible deal.
In order to get the annual fee waived on your Amex Platinum Card, you will need to request it. It doesn’t happen automatically.
American Express says that the fastest way to receive your benefits is by submitting this form online. You can also call 1 (800) 253-1720 (or 1-336-393-1111 if you are outside the U.S.) to request your benefits. They will take your information and ask some qualifying questions and then confirm your active duty status through a Department of Defense database. This process generally takes a few days, but can take up to a month in some situations.
Either way, you apply for the card as you normally would and may be charged the annual fee initially. But once approved for SCRA benefits, you will see a statement credit for the fee amount post to your card.
Don’t forget that your spouse also qualifies, so if they have any American Express cards, they should definitely look at submitting a request for themselves.
75K signing bonus
The Amex Platinum comes with an incredibly valuable welcome bonus of 75,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your account. This is a limited-time offer, and we don’t know how long it will last.
In addition to that, you’ll receive 10 points per dollar at supermarkets and gas stations during the first six months of account opening (up to $15,000 in spending, then 1 point per dollar). If you were to hypothetically spend $15,000 at supermarkets and gas stations within that time frame, you could end up with 225,000 points!
There are lots of great ways to use your Amex points, like booking great deals to Hawaii, Japan and Europe. For example, you can:
- Transfer 62,500 points to Etihad for a one-way first class flight to Japan on American Airlines
- Transfer 60,000 points to Hilton for a two-night stay at at a five-star hotel like the Conrad Bali
- Transfer 55,000 points to Air Canada for a one-way business class flight to Paris
- Transfer 60,000 points to Delta for a round-trip coach flight to Venice
We value Amex points at 1.8 cents each, meaning we expect that you’ll get a value of $1,350 from the 75,000 points bonus. But if you use your points in any of the above ways, you’re pretty much guaranteed to get a whole lot more value.
Airport lounge access
The Platinum Card is one of the best cards for airport lounge access. Like other premium travel credit cards, you will have Priority Pass membership, which enables you to enter over 1,300 airport lounges around the world. Unfortunately, the restaurant perk that other Priority Pass members get is not available to Priority Passes earned through Amex anymore, but this was limited to ~30 restaurants at a handful of airports. It is still well worth having Priority Pass for the lounges themselves.
The Platinum Card from American Express also offers access to American Express Centurion Lounges. These are generally some of the best domestic airport lounges, with better amenities and fewer crowds than lounges offered through Priority Pass.
Finally, you can also get access to Delta Sky Club lounges with your Amex Platinum Card when you are flying on Delta. Delta has put a lot of work into improving these lounges over recent years and they have become really nice places to relax while waiting for your next flight.
One thing to note is that due to COVID-19, select Priority Pass, Centurion, and Delta Sky Club lounges may be temporarily closed.
You’ll need to enroll in Priority Pass once you’ve opened your Amex Platinum card, which you can do on this page.
$200 in airline fee credits
The Platinum Card also offers up to $200 per year in airline-fee credits on one selected airline (that you choose).
This credit can be used to cover things like:
- Baggage fees
- Flight change fees
- Standby fees
- Phone reservation fees
- Seat assignment/ reservation fees
- Airport lounge day passes or annual memberships
- In-flight food and drink
- In-flight entertainment charges (like premium movies, but not Wi-Fi fees)
Just charge any incidental fees to your Platinum Card and the first $200 of fees on your selected airline each calendar year will be credited back to you. Read this guide for more about how to select your Amex airline.
Hotel elite status
The Platinum Card® from American Express also offers added comfort when you get to your hotel, with automatic Gold Hilton status and Gold Marriott Bonvoy status. Hilton Gold status will earn you 80% more Hilton points during your stay, a space-available room upgrade (up to Executive room type) and complimentary breakfast. Marriott Gold elite status will earn you 25% more Marriott points during your stay, an enhanced room upgrade, a welcome gift, late checkout and more.
Between these two elite statuses, you have access to perks at a huge network of hotels and hotel brands which will make your stays more comfortable. Plus, you can earn points faster toward even more free nights.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership
The Platinum Card from American Express also offers a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
This is worth up to $100 and can be used once every four years for Global Entry or once every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck. Military members can speed through customs whenever they fly internationally on a commercial airline.
If you already have Global Entry yourself, you can use the credit to cover a family member’s application fee.
Uber credits
With The Platinum Card from American Express, you get credit each month toward U.S. Uber rides.
You will enjoy $15 monthly Uber credit when you use your Platinum Card to pay for a ride. In December, you’ll get an additional $20 ($35 total credit in December) which totals up to $200 a year in free rides if you use all of the credits. These credits are applied to your Uber account as Uber cash once you link your Amex Platinum card to your Uber account.
Just remember that the credits do not roll over if you don’t use them in one month.
Up to $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue credits per year
Every calendar year you can earn up to $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue credits. You can earn $50 in credits from January to June and another $50 in credits from July to December.
The credits are only valid at US Saks Fifth Avenue locations or online. Also, you won’t earn the credits on gift card purchases or at outlet locations such as Saks Off Fifth.
You can enroll in this benefit here.
How to qualify for the Amex Platinum with military benefits
To qualify for these military benefits, you must be on active duty in one of the branches of the military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard) or in a reserve component (Reserve, National Guard, and Air National Guard) that is called to active duty.
The benefits are also extended to Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration commissioned officers.
Members of the National Guard also qualify if they are under a call or ordered to active duty for more than 30 consecutive days (for example, per Amex, “responding to a national emergency declared by the President and supported by federal funds”).
Spouses of any qualifying service member also qualify.
How to get the fees waived
In order to get the annual fee waived on your Amex Platinum Card, you will need to request it. It doesn’t happen automatically.
American Express says that the fastest way to receive your benefits is by submitting this form online. You can also call 1 (800) 253-1720 (or 1-336-393-1111 if you are outside the US) to request your benefits. They will take your information and ask some qualifying questions and then confirm your status with the Department of Defense. This process generally takes a few days but can take up to a month in some situations.
Either way, you apply for the card as you normally would and may be charged the annual fee initially. But once approved for SCRA benefits, you will see a statement credit for the fee amount post to your card.
Don’t forget that your spouse also qualifies, so if they have any American Express cards, they should definitely look at submitting a request for themselves.
Bottom line
The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best cards for active-duty military members. The card is worth it for everyone and easily justifies its annual fee, but it makes even more sense for qualifying military personnel because all the valuable perks can be attained without any annual fee while you qualify for SCRA benefits.
Several of these perks are statement credits which if used in their entirety are worth $400 per year (up to $200 in U.S. Uber credits and up to $200 in airline fee credits). The card also offers the $100 credit for Global Entry which can be used once every four years for a total of $500 of free value during those years. Read our full Amex Platinum review.
We break down great travel tips and credit cards like this one every day. You can stay on top of these tips and travel news by signing up for our newsletter.
For rates and fees of the AMEX Platinum Card, please click here.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 10x points on eligible purchases on your new Card at U.S. Gas Stations and U.S. Supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of Card Membership. That’s an additional 9 points on top of the 1 point you earn for these purchases.
Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member and Additional Centurion Cards only.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. Starting January 1, 2021, earn 5X points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com.
Enjoy complimentary access to the Global Lounge Collection, the only credit card airport lounge access program that includes proprietary lounge locations around the world.
Receive complimentary benefits through American Express Travel with an average total value of $550 with Fine Hotels & Resorts® program at over 1,100 properties. Learn More.
Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$550 annual fee.
Terms Apply.
Intro APR on purchases
N/A
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Annual Fee
$550
Balance Transfer Fee
N/A
Rates & Fees
Other
MORE INFO
Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)
You May Also Like
Join the Discussion!