Best credit cards for military members

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Being a member of the United States military can sometimes make choosing the right credit card more complicated. While on duty, members of the military are protected by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act — commonly called the SCRA — a federal law designed to provide financial and legal protections to active-duty military members, reservists and members of the National Guard.

Among those protections is a 6 percent limit on the interest you can be charged on credit card debt and personal loans taken on prior to your active duty. Many top card issuers also waive annual fees for military members on robust rewards credit cards, allowing you to score valuable miles, points and cash back on travel and everyday spending — like groceries, gas and on-base purchases — without a hefty upfront cost.

The following cards can serve you well while you serve your country, with top benefits that can save you money and keep you worry-free while you’re abroad.

Comparing the best cards for active-duty military members

Top credit cards for active-duty military members

Best for flexible rewards and travel benefits

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

5

• Bankrate’s view

  The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is an excellent option for eligible military members due to its lucrative benefits available without an annual fee, typically $550 for non-military cardholders. You can earn a generous bonus for starters, but you’ll also earn rewards for each dollar you spend.

  Also, points you earn with this card fall within the Chase Ultimate Rewards program so you can redeem them for gift cards, statement credits, travel or entertainment experiences, merchandise or a 1:1 transfer to Chase airline and hotel partners. You can also redeem your points for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and earn 1.5 cents per point in value when you do.

• Pros and cons

  

  Pros

  • Receive an automatic $300 travel credit each anniversary year without worrying about an annual fee as an active servicemember.
  • It carries a comprehensive list of travel protections and benefits that can bring comfort and convenience to your journey.

  

  Cons

  • This card can have a fairly high ongoing APR, which could make carrying a balance costly.
  • It isn't the most accessible because you'll need an excellent credit score for the best approval odds.

Best for premium travel perks

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5

4.8

• Bankrate’s view

  The Platinum Card® from American Express offers luxury travel perks like airport lounge access, airline fee credits and hotel elite status without an annual fee charged to military members. For non-military members, this card’s annual fee is a whopping $695, but it offers generous travel benefits to make up for it. In addition to luxury perks like airport lounge access, it offers a range of travel protections, such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance and emergency evacuation and transportation coverage.

  Since you can earn a high level of rewards points on airfare and hotels, this card also lets you rack up points quickly if you travel often. Plus, points in the American Express Membership Rewards program are extremely flexible. You can redeem them for gift cards, merchandise, travel through AmexTravel.com, transfers to Amex airline and hotel partners and more.

• Pros and cons

  

  Pros

  • Experience some of the best lounge access and travel benefits that a rewards card can offer.
  • Monthly and annual credits can provide around $1,700 in recurring yearly value if you use them.

  

  Cons

  • You’ll only earn boosted rewards on flights, hotels and rental cars booked through Amex or directly through airlines, limiting its everyday value as a rewards card.
  • Average cardholders may not take full advantage of many of the card’s perks, such as Saks Fifth Avenue credits and private jet offers.

Best for groceries

American Express® Gold Card

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

5

• Bankrate’s view

  The American Express® Gold Card is a valuable everyday card for military members because it offers top rewards on U.S. supermarket purchases. The $325 annual fee is waived for military personnel or their families, and a generous welcome bonus sweetens the deal.

  The Amex Gold Card also offers statement credits for Uber Eats orders and at select dining establishments. So if you’re big on takeout, this card is sure to bring a lot of value.

• Pros and cons

  

  Pros

  • This card has some of the best rewards rates on dining and groceries, making it easy to leverage everyday spending into a travel rewards strategy.
  • The card’s impressive welcome offer gives you six months to meet the spending requirement.

  

  Cons

  • Competing premium travel rewards cards offer lounge access and travel credits, and they’re also available to servicemembers without annual fees.
  • You’ll need to take advantage of the Amex Travel rewards portal to get the most value out of your points, adding a complicated step to redemptions.

Best for cash back

USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card

Rating: 2.4 stars out of 5

2.4

• Bankrate’s view

  The USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card* offers a solid cash back rate on gas station, military base and grocery store purchases, although annual limits on bonus rewards apply. This card also comes with no annual fee and is only available to military members and their families. You get USAA’s award-winning customer service and cardholder support when you sign up for this card.

  Some cash back credit cards only allow you to redeem your cash back when you hit specific thresholds, such as $5 or $10 in cash back rewards. This card, however, allows you to redeem your cash back in $1 increments starting at as little as $1 for statement credits, direct deposits, charitable donations, travel rewards, merchandise or gift cards.

• Pros and cons

  

  Pros

  • Earn boosted rewards for spending on military bases, a rare benefit for service members that you won’t find on many other rewards cards.
  • Its potentially low APR is great because you can keep more cash back in your pocket.

  

  Cons

  • While there's an intro APR offer, there’s no sign-up bonus, reducing its first-year value
  • Spending caps can restrict your earnings on your best rewards rates, especially for big spenders.

Best for a low APR

Navy Federal Credit Union Visa Signature® Flagship Rewards Credit Card

Rating: 3.4 stars out of 5

3.4

• Bankrate’s view

  The Navy Federal Credit Union Visa Signature® Flagship Rewards Credit Card has a low annual fee, a decent rewards program and a low APR that can make it less expensive to carry a balance when you need to. You’ll earn a solid rewards rate on all purchases and a boosted rate for travel purchases, which can help whether you’re abroad or on leave to see family.

  Although this card charges a low annual fee, its incredibly low APR provides a stable credit option to military members who may carry an occasional balance.

• Pros and cons

  

  Pros

  • It has one of the lowest APRs available on any credit card, making it a great choice for anyone carrying high-interest credit card debt.
  • Earn a generous rewards rate on everyday purchases to build a points balance you can redeem for cash, travel, gift cards and merchandise.

  

  Cons

  • It lacks an intro APR for purchases and balance transfers, making it an unideal choice for cardholders hoping to skip interest temporarily.
  • The redemption value for your points is lackluster compared to the valuable rewards found with other issuers, like American Express.

How to choose a card as a military member

When you’re ready to find the right card for you and your family but are unsure which one to choose, follow these guidelines.

• Evaluate your finances and credit score

  Consider your debt, income and monthly expenses before deciding on a new card. These factors will help you gauge which one is right for you based on its boosted rewards categories, perks and ongoing APR.
  
  Knowing your credit score will also help you find out what kind of cards are available to you. This score signals to issuers how risky it is for them to let you borrow their money, so the higher the score, the more card options you’ll have.

• Analyze your spending habits

  Your credit card should make it easier to manage your budget and save money, not harder. By building out a budget and seeing where you spend your money the most — whether that’s on travel, dining, groceries or some other category — you can narrow down your list to cards that will reward you for the way you already spend.

• Aim for pre-qualification for cards you want

  This step can save you time and protect your credit score from hard inquiries. Getting prequalified or preapproved by an issuer doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to get the card you want, but your chances could be higher. Plus, you might score a lucrative card offer that you can compare with your other options.
  
  You can get prequalified or preapproved for cards by visiting an issuer’s website or using a free tool like Bankrate’s CardMatch.

• Decide what type of card you need

  Once you have a better understanding of your finances and spending habits and have narrowed down your choices with prequalifications, it’s time to figure out which card will be best for your wallet. Consider whether a cash back or rewards card is the right fit — or if something in the middle might mesh better with your spending.
  
  Either way, think about the cards you already carry, if any, to help you see gaps you can fill in your rewards strategy. For example, if you already have a cash back card that’s good for gas, you might want to find one that gives you boosted rewards for grocery spending.
  
  Consider using Bankrate’s Card Comparison Tool to help you see how your top picks match up side by side.

Frequently asked questions

• Do military members get a free Amex card?

  Active duty U.S. military members can have the annual fee waived on certain American Express credit cards, including The Platinum Card® from American Express, in accordance with the SCRA and Military Lending Act. Service members must apply for the waiver, and American Express will assess each request individually.

• Are Chase cards free for military members?

  Chase waives annual fees on all personal credit cards for active duty military members and their spouses, including premium cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, under the Military Lending Act.

• Is there a military credit card?

  Military credit cards, like the Military STAR® credit card and options from Navy Federal Credit Union, are available to active service members. They offer perks and benefits that can help you build credit, access lower APRs and avoid foreign transaction fees. They’re designed for service members and their families and are accepted at military exchanges and commissaries.

The bottom line

Military members can benefit from interest rate caps and waived fees on many of the top rewards credit cards, which is more than enough reason to sign up. With cards offering high welcome bonuses or more lucrative perks like airport lounge access and travel credits, military personnel stand to gain a lot from the premium rewards cards that non-military members have to pay large fees to access.

Like other consumers, though, military members should try to avoid racking up debt they can’t afford to pay off. And once active-duty military service ends, those credit card military benefits will eventually come to a halt. Use credit responsibly despite all of the benefits offered to avoid accumulating debt that may be difficult to manage. With proper research and planning, military members can take advantage of the benefits offered by top credit cards and make the most of their financial situation while serving their country.

Issuer-required disclosure statement

*Information about the USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card and the Navy Federal Platinum Credit Card have been collected independently by Bankrate. Card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.