American Express: The 5 Best Credit Cards for Military Members [2026]

Active-duty military members can unlock premium travel and lifestyle perks worth thousands of dollars with American Express without paying an annual fee. Credit card fee waivers are common under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and Military Lending Act (MLA), but the value of fee waivers stands out with American Express cards, which include some of the most premium cards available.

This guide explains which Amex cards offer the best value for service members, how to claim military benefits with American Express, and how to maximize card benefits.

Overview

How American Express Supports Military Members

The SCRA and MLA are federal laws that protect active-duty service members from financial burdens such as high interest rates and annual fees. Most credit card issuers waive or reduce annual fees for active-duty service members, and American Express is no exception.

For example, you can get all the top-tier travel and lifestyle benefits of the Platinum Card^® from American Express. It has an $895 annual fee, which is waived for qualifying service members.

American Express also offers co-branded credit cards from Delta, Hilton, and Marriott. These cards offer brand benefits, and some have significant annual fees that active-duty service members can have waived.

With Amex cards, you can take advantage of statement credits, elite status, companion flights, annual fee nights, and more, all without annual fees. American Express also waives late, over-limit, and returned payment fees, and statement copy request fees for active-duty service members.

You might be tempted to apply for every Amex card possible as an active-duty service member and reap the benefits of each card, but there are limits. Amex allows you to hold up to 4 credit cards and 10 charge cards, including personal and business cards.

Let’s examine the American Express cards that military members should consider, and why each offers value worthy of a spot in your wallet.

5 Best Personal American Express Cards for Military Members

Amex Platinum Card (Best Overall for Travel Perks and Lounge Access)

If you only get 1 card, the Amex Platinum card should be it. With extensive statement credits, elite status, and benefits across airlines, hotels, shopping, ride-sharing services, and more, you can get thousands of dollars of value from being a cardholder of the Amex Platinum card.

Amex Platinum Card Annual Benefits

The easiest way to see the value of the Amex Platinum card is to consider its numerous statement credits, whether you’re traveling or at home watching shows and shopping online. Annual statement credits from the Amex Platinum card include:

• Up to a $600 hotel credit ($300 semiannually) is available on prepaid bookings with Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com when you pay with your card (with a 2-night minimum for The Hotel Collection).
• Get up to $300 in digital entertainment credit (up to $25 back each month) on eligible purchases made with Disney+, The Disney+ Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, Paramount+, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV. Enrollment is required.
• Up to $300 in Equinox credit is available on the Equinox+ digital fitness app or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your card. Enrollment is required.
• Get up to $209 in CLEAR+ Credit per year on your CLEAR+ membership.
• Up to $200 in airline fee credit is available for incidentals such as seat upgrades, checked baggage, and paid lounge access.
• Up to $200 in Uber Cash is available, $15 each month and $35 in December.
• Up to $120 in Uber One credit is what you get when you pay for a yearly or monthly membership with your card.
• Get up to $400 Resy credit — up to $100 quarterly — and access to Platinum Nights by Resy.
• Receive up to $120 in application fee credit every 4 years Global Entry or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck.
• Get up to $155 in annual Walmart+ credit for a monthly Walmart+ membership, which includes discounts on gas and free shipping
• Up to $300 lululemon credit is issued as a $75 statement credit 4 times a year (quarterly).

Some benefits require enrollment.

Bottom Line: See our guide to American Express Platinum military benefits to learn about the thousands of dollars in complimentary benefits available to active-duty service members.

Additional Amex Platinum Card Benefits

Statement credits can save you money, but the Amex Platinum card offers numerous additional benefits. Though there’s no direct cash comparison, you could get significant value from these perks:

• Accelerated points earning: Earn 5x points on flights booked directly with an airline or via AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per calendar year), 5x on prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com, and 1x on everything else. Points are most valuable when transferred to an Amex transfer partner and used for travel.
• Global lounge access: Gain entry to over 1,550 lounges worldwide, including over 1,400 Priority Pass lounges and Centurion Lounges that feature amenities like free massages and wine tastings.
• Hilton Honors Gold elite status: You get food and beverage credits, room upgrades, early check-in, late checkout, and increased earnings on bonus points, and other benefits. Enrollment required.
• Leaders Club Sterling elite status: Get daily continental breakfast for two, early and late check-in, room upgrades, complimentary Wi-Fi, 5 pre-arrival upgrades annually, 5% stay bonus, and SIXT Platinum status.
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status: Get early check-in, late checkout, room upgrades, increased earnings on bonus points, and other benefits. Enrollment required.
• Rental car elite status: Get status with National, Hertz, and Avis, which offer discounts, car upgrades, and waived fees, though these vary by company. Enrollment required.
• Access to Fine Hotels + Resorts and the Hotel Collection: Book with AmexTravel.com and earn 5x points on a hotel stay with perks such as a $100 experience credit, free breakfast, and room upgrades.

Hilton Aspire Card (Best for Hilton Loyalists)

The Hilton Aspire card features benefits worth thousands of dollars each year. Notably, the card offers top-tier Diamond elite status to cardholders, which is unusual among hotel cards. Marriott, IHG, and Hyatt offer midlevel status on co-branded credit cards.

Hilton Aspire Card Benefits

The Hilton Aspire card’s benefits include:

• Up to $200 airline credit: Use your credit for eligible flight purchases through AmexTravel.com (up to $50 per quarter).
• Up to $400 Hilton resort credit: This is good for incidentals or room rates at any of Hilton’s participating resorts (advance purchase and nonrefundable room rates don’t qualify) and is tied to your cardmember anniversary (up to $200 semiannually).
• Free night certificate: This perquisite is valid at nearly any Hilton property and is issued on your cardmember anniversary. Earn additional free night certificates by spending $30,000 in a calendar year and $60,000 in a calendar year.
• Hilton Honors™ Diamond status: Get room upgrades (including suites), early-check in, late checkout, free breakfast, increased earnings on bonus points, and executive lounge access
• Up to $100 on-property credit: Use this credit on incidentals when you book a 2-night paid stay at Waldorf Astoria or Conrad properties.

Active-duty service members can take advantage of Hilton Aspire card benefits without paying an annual fee. The $600 in direct credits and free night certificate cost you nothing out of pocket.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card (Best for Marriott Loyalists)

The Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program’s best card is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, which has a hefty annual fee but comes with major Marriott perks.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Benefits

• Free night certificate: Usable any night of the week at properties up to 85,000 points, this can be used for hundreds of dollars in value.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit: Get a statement credit of up to $120.
• Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status: Access late checkout, room upgrades, and increased earnings on bonus points, in addition to other benefits.
• Up to $100 in on-property credit: Book a paid stay of at least 2 nights at Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, or St. Regis properties and receive an up to $100 credit for incidentals such as food, drinks, and spa services.
• Priority Pass Select membership: You and 2 guests can access airport lounges worldwide, with additional guests for $35 each. Enrollment is required.
• Elite night credits: Receive 25 elite night credits each year to help accelerate your ascent to a higher status.
• Up to $300 annual dining credit: Receive a credit of up to $25 each month for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide. Enrollment is required.

Hot Tip: Marriott Bonvoy points can be redeemed for more than hotel stays. Marriott Bonvoy has more than 40 airline transfer partners. See our guide to the best ways to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points for flights.

Delta Reserve Card (Best for Delta Loyalists)

The Delta Reserve card isn’t as giving with its credits as some other Amex’s co-branded hotel cards, but it still has serious perks. The best benefit of the Delta Reserve card is its companion certificate, which you can use to fly with someone else for just the taxes and fees.

Delta Reserve Card Benefits

• Annual Companion Certificate: Issued after your account anniversary each year, it’s valid for round-trip domestic, Mexico, Caribbean, and Central America travel.
• 4 Delta Sky Club guest passes: These are issued when you open the card and are reissued each year after account renewal
• Up to $120 in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit: This is valid once every 4 years for Global Entry or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck
• Delta Sky Club access: Reserve card members receive 15 visits per year, or unlimited visits annually after spending $75,000 on the card in a calendar year
• Annual statement credits: An annual, up-to-$240 Resy credit (up to $20 per month), up-to-$120 U.S. ride-sharing credit (up to $10 per month), and $200 Delta Stays credit is issued to you. Enrollment is required.
• First checked bag free: This perk is for you and up to 8 companions on your reservation.
• Priority boarding: You and 8 companions get priority boarding.
• Upgrade list: Cardholders are added to the complimentary upgrade list on Delta flights for a chance at an upgraded seat.
• Discount on Delta purchases: Save 20% on prepurchased and inflight food, drinks, and headsets for your Delta flight.
• Earn Medallion Qualification Dollars: Cardholders earn 2,500 MQDs every qualification year and 1 Medallion Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases made on their card.

The companion certificate alone can easily net you a thousand dollars in savings, though you still need to pay your own fare.

Amex Gold Card (Best for Dining and U.S. Supermarket Rewards)

It doesn’t have the Platinum name or mirror finish, but the Amex Gold card offers numerous benefits that make it worth having. Its best feature is its bonus category for grocery purchases at U.S. supermarkets (4x points on up to $25,000 annually, then 1x). You can also earn 4x bonus points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 per year. then 1x). These bonus categories make the Amex Gold card a strong contender for everyday purchases.

Amex Gold Card Benefits

• Up to $120 in dining credit: Get $10 each month for Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment is required.
• Up to $100 in Resy credit: Receive $50 semiannually for any U.S. Resy restaurant and other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment is required.
• Up to $84 in Dunkin’ credit: Get a statement credit of $7 per month, redeemable at Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment is required.
• Grocery rewards: Get 4x points at U.S. supermarkets for the first $25,000 each year, then 1x points.
• Dining rewards: Get 4x points at restaurants worldwide for the first $50,000 each year, then 1x points.
• Flight rewards: Get 3x points on flights booked directly with the airline or via AmexTravel.com.
• Luxury hotel bookings: You get access to the Hotel Collection.

The Amex Gold card doesn’t have over-the-top benefits like some other Amex cards, but it’s a points-earning workhorse with usable perks such as statement credits for food purchases.

How To Request SCRA Benefits With Amex

After you’re approved for an Amex card, you can request benefits by logging in to your card account, selecting Account Services, Credit Management, and then SCRA Benefits. You must answer a few questions and upload the requested information. Alternatively, you can call 800-253-1720 from the U.S. or 336-393-1111 collect from outside the U.S. You can also fax documents to 623-444-3000, including your American Express account numbers, or mail documents with your account numbers to American Express, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, P.O. Box 981535, El Paso, TX 79998-1535.

Amex will verify your information and process your benefit, though it may take up to a few weeks.

Final Thoughts

If you’re an active-duty service member, there’s no reason to miss out on the premium card lineup offered by American Express. With waived annual fees and thousands of dollars in statement credits and perks, you can get exceptional value from these cards as a member of the military.