The 4 best credit cards for military personnel for 2024

This offer is no longer available on our site: USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card

If you’re on active-duty status with the military, you could get special credit card perks and benefits.

Qualifying active-duty service members are entitled to certain financial benefits and protections through the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, or SCRA. But beyond that, certain credit card issuers offer other perks you should know about.

Here are Credit Karma’s picks for the best cards for military service members.

• Best for travel rewards: Platinum Card® from American Express
• Best for rewards on base: USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card
• Best for cash back: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• Best for balance transfers: USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card

Best for travel rewards: Platinum Card® from American Express

Here’s why: This card offers excellent travel perks — but the biggest perk may be that American Express may waive its hefty $695 annual fee for active-duty military members.

In fact, American Express may waive the annual fee for any of its cards for qualifying active-duty military once they’re enrolled and approved for SCRA benefits, which makes this premium card a much less expensive option.

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers many outstanding travel benefits, including …

• Credit of up to $200 per calendar year for baggage fees and other expenses at one qualifying airline
• $15 in Uber credits for U.S. rides or eats orders every month (plus a bonus $20 in December)
• Up to $120 credit every four years for Global Entry application fees — or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck application fees
• No foreign transaction fees

You’ll also earn five Membership Rewards points per $1 spent on eligible hotels booked through AmexTravel.com, and five points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 spent per calendar year, then one point per $1.

Learn more about the Platinum Card® from American Express.

Best for rewards on base: USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card

Here’s why: The USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card helps military personnel stationed on a military base maximize their cash back benefits.

The USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card offers 5% cash back on your first $3,000 in combined gas and qualifying military base purchases each calendar year. After spending $3,000, you’ll earn 1% back. Qualifying purchases at military bases include those at commissaries, exchanges and shoppettes.

You’ll also earn 2% cash back on the first $3,000 you spend on supermarket purchases each year (then 1% back). On all other purchases, you’ll get 1% cash back.

The card has an annual fee of $0 — and foreign transaction fees? None. But you’ll need to join USAA to be able to apply for the card. Both active-duty and retired service members are eligible to join, among other military-affiliated people and their families.

Learn more about the best USAA credit cards.

Best for cash back: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Here’s why: You can maximize your cash rewards with the everyday bonus categories offered by the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express — and if you’re a qualifying active-duty service member, you might not have to worry about balancing your rewards with the card’s regular annual fee.

That’s because the annual fee ($0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95) may be waived for qualifying active-duty service members who are enrolled and approved for SCRA benefits. With no cost to hold it each year you qualify, any rewards you earn with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express can go straight into your pocket.

The card offers …

• 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases per year (then 1%)
• 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
• 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit
• 1% cash back on other purchases

You’ll earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months after account opening.

Take note though, this card has a 2.7% foreign transaction fee.

Learn more about the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Best for balance transfers: USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card

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USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card

USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card

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Here’s why: The USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers that post to your account within 90 days of opening. Balance transfers have a fee of 5% of the amount of each Balance Transfer.

After your active duty or balance transfer intro period ends, there will be a variable regular APR of 11.65% - 25.65% for purchases, cash advances and balance transfers.

The card has a $0 annual fee — and its foreign transaction fees? None. Just remember that you need to join USAA to apply — both active-duty and retired service members are eligible, as well as other military-affiliated people and their families.

Learn more about the USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card.

How we picked these cards

To select these cards, we looked for options that offered the best benefits for active-duty military members. We also considered cards that offer special benefits to military, like waived annual fees or lower interest rates for set periods.

We provided alternatives based on the interests and needs of different cardholders, such as frequent travel, earning cash back, or even making the most of your time on base by earning rewards on your purchases while deployed.

How to make the most of cards for the military

Here are a few tips when it comes to the SCRA and choosing the best credit card for you when you’re in the military.

Apply for SCRA benefits

The SCRA caps the interest that eligible active-duty service members can be charged on credit card debt built up before entering active-duty military service to 6%.

There is an exception — a creditor could ask a court to decide whether your ability to pay a higher interest rate is not materially affected by your military service. But if not covered by that exception, eligible active-duty service members will only have to pay 6% interest on credit card debt they already had before starting military service. To learn more about the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, visit the SCRA website.

Consider your needs

If you travel frequently, you may want to select a card that offers travel benefits like credits for airline or hotel purchases. If you’re working to reduce a balance on a high-interest-rate card, you may want to consider a credit card with an intro APR offer on balance transfers. You can even maximize your spending on base with certain cards that can net you cash back.

Contact your card issuer

Even if you’re not in the market for a new card, check with your current credit card issuers to see if they offer any special benefits to service members. Some credit card companies go above and beyond, offering lower rates and even waived annual fees to eligible active-duty service members.

*Approval Odds are not a guarantee of approval. Credit Karma determines Approval Odds by comparing your credit profile to other Credit Karma members who were approved for the card shown, or whether you meet certain criteria determined by the lender. Of course, there’s no such thing as a sure thing, but knowing your Approval Odds may help you narrow down your choices. For example, you may not be approved because you don’t meet the lender’s “ability to pay standard” after they verify your income and employment; or, you already have the maximum number of accounts with that specific lender.