Amex Platinum Military Benefits for Active Duty Members – $695 Fee Not Charged [April 2024]

If you’re currently serving on active duty in the military or have served, we salute you. Serving in the military brings with it major responsibilities, associated family sacrifices, and even financial challenges.

The financial challenges of military families, specifically, came to the forefront years ago and resulted in the government passing key legislation to help alleviate and restrict some of the more burdening lending practices affecting military members.

The laws, applying to financial transactions such as vehicle leases, payday loans, mortgages, and housing rights, also had a significant impact on how credit card practices, including fees and interest rates, were administered.

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2003 (SCRA) applies to accounts opened prior to active military service while the subsequent Military Lending Act (MLA) governs the limiting of fees and interest rates on debt acquired by active military members, their spouses, domestic partners, and child dependents (as defined in 38 USC 101(4)).

While credit card issuers must follow the law as written, they are also free to go above and beyond to offer additional concessions.

American Express is one of the credit card issuers that has embraced the purpose of the law and extended benefits beyond what is required by the legislation.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express is one of the best examples of a value-added card that offers active military members an opportunity to enjoy hundreds, even thousands, of dollars in complimentary benefits. Be sure to note that terms apply and enrollment may be required, so explore your American Express account to ensure you’re getting the most out of your benefits.

Here’s an overview of the benefits offered to active-duty military members with the American Express Platinum card.

Amex Platinum Card Overview

Why We Like The Amex Platinum for Active-Duty Military Members

The Amex Platinum card comes with tons of benefits a military traveler can utilize. Complimentary access to airport lounges worldwide, hotel elite status, and car rental privileges all make travel more comfortable.

A generous American Express welcome bonus offer, a removal of the high annual fee (rates & fees), and statement credits for airline incidentals all result in extraordinary value for the active-duty military member.

There’s no doubt that the Amex Platinum is one of the best credit cards for military members.

The Value of the Amex Platinum Card’s Benefits for Active Military

Welcome Bonus Offer — Value Varies

Welcome offers vary but you can count on a value of at least 1 cent per Membership Reward point when redeeming those bonus points for travel. This translates to at least $600 in travel if the welcome offer is 60,000 points, $1,000 for 100,000 points, and so forth.

You may receive additional value by transferring your Membership Rewards to Amex airline partners, but you should earn at least 1 center per point in redemptions. For our latest valuation, check out our credit card and miles valuations, which are updated monthly.

Annual Fee — Value of $695 per Year

The annual fee of $695 is not charged for active military members, spouses, domestic partners, and child dependents (as defined in 38 USC 101(4)) (rates & fees). This is a huge saving that American Express offers to military members as a thank you for your service.

Additional Exemption Fees for Active Military — Value Varies

In addition to the annual fee, American Express will also not charge late and returned payment fees, over-limit fees, and statement copy request fees for active-duty military.

Worldwide Airport Lounge Access — Value of $700 (Estimated)

One of the most valuable benefits of having the Amex Platinum card is worldwide lounge access to more than 1,400 properties. For travelers, including active military, this translates to having a comfortable place to relax, grab a beverage, and have a bite to eat — all for simply being a cardmember.

The cardholder, plus 2 guests, can enjoy complimentary access to these lounge networks:

If we value a single Centurion Lounge visit at $50 (the cost of bringing a guest), you’d simply need to visit a Centurion Lounge 14 times a year to get that $700 in value. That’s 7 round trips, with visiting the lounge on both legs.

Authorized Users — Value of $195

Adding an authorized user to your Amex Platinum card normally costs $195 (rates & fees). This fee is not charged for the active-duty military cardholder.

Authorized users receive full airport lounge access privileges, making it easy to gain access for your entire family.

Read all about the benefits of adding an authorized user to your Amex Platinum card for even more information.

Hotel Elite Status — Value Varies

It’s difficult to put a value on hotel elite status because the value you receive will depend on how frequently you stay at the associated hotel-branded property.

The Amex Platinum card comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status and Hilton Honors Gold status upon enrollment. Having elite status instantly qualifies you for perks such as upgraded rooms, late checkout, free Wi-Fi, and bonus earnings.

Car Rental Benefits and Elite Status — Value Varies

Receive complimentary National Emerald Club Executive status, Avis Preferred Plus status, and Hertz President’s Circle status (upon enrollment) just for having the Amex Platinum card. Benefits include vehicle upgrades, discounted rental rates, return time grace periods, no second driver fees, and more.

To ensure you’re getting the most of this benefit, dive into our guide on the Amex Platinum card’s car rental benefits.

Airline Incidental Credits — Value of $200

Use your card to purchase seat upgrades, baggage fees, and other airline incidentals and receive a statement credit, up to a maximum of $200 per year. It can be a little intimidating to know how to utilize your airline credit, but here’s a guide to maximizing your airline credit to ensure you get the most out of this benefit.

Uber Cash —Value of $200

You receive up to $15 in Uber Cash monthly, plus up to $20 bonus in December, for a total of up to $200 in Uber Cash per year. You can use this Uber Cash for U.S. Uber rides or U.S. Uber Eats orders for that month. You can even use this Uber Cash for multiple purchases — just remember that it doesn’t roll over month to month.

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit — Value of up to $100

Travel becomes so much easier when you breeze through immigration and customs. Pay for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee with your Amex Platinum card and receive a statement credit reimbursement once every 4 years for Global Entry or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck. We suggest applying for Global Entry as it comes with TSA PreCheck.

Saks Fifth Avenue Statement Credit — Value of $100

Even if you don’t normally shop at Saks, it’s fun to splurge once or twice a year and use your shopping credit. Enroll via your online Amex Platinum card account and enjoy up to a $50 credit to be used between January and June and up to another $50 in credit to be used between July and December.

Entertainment Streaming Credit — Value of $240

Receive up to $20 per month in the form of statement credits upon enrollment after charging select streaming services to your card.

Equinox Credit — Value of $300

Get up to $300 back each year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your card after enrollment.

Walmart+ Credit — Value of $155

Get $12.95 per month towards a Walmart+ membership, whose benefits include free shipping and discounted gas prices.

Prepaid Hotel Credit — Value of $200

Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which require a minimum 2-night stay, through AmexTravel.com when you pay with your card.

SoulCycle Credit — Value of $300

Get $300 in statement credits each time you buy a SoulCycle bike.

CLEAR Plus Credit — Value of $189

CLEAR is an airport security program much like TSA PreCheck. Charging the membership to your card nets you up to $189 in annual savings.

The Hotel Collection and Fine Hotels & Resorts — Value Varies

Splurge a little at The Hotel Collection and receive hotel credit of up to $100 to use for qualifying purchases when staying 2 consecutive nights. You’ll also receive an upgraded room at check-in.

Fine Hotels & Resorts steps it up a notch with even more benefits. A minimum stay is not required so you can enjoy these benefits even during a 1-night stay.

• Complimentary daily breakfast for 2
• 4 p.m. checkout
• Noon check-in
• Room upgrade at check-in, when available
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Unique amenity worth $100

Hot Tip: Learn more about these 2 hotel programs and the benefits provided in our comparison of the Hotel Collection and Fine Hotels & Resorts.

Additional Benefits of the Amex Platinum Card for Active Military

The Amex Platinum card comes with several additional benefits that could save you money.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance — Pay for your rental car with your Amex Platinum card, refuse the car rental agency’s collision damage waiver coverage, and have secondary car rental coverage for damage or theft. This coverage is secondary to other car insurance.

American Express Auto Purchasing Program — The program could save you thousands on your next vehicle purchase.

Extended Warranty — The U.S. manufacturer’s warranty is extended by 2 years for qualifying items with less than a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Purchase Protection — 120 days of protection (90 days for New York residents) is provided for damage, loss, or theft of qualifying items.

Cell Phone Protection — Receive up to $1,600 in cell phone protection (2 claims per year with up to $800 for each claim) against theft and damage. Each claim has a $50 deductible and your monthly phone bill should be paid with your Amex Platinum card to receive coverage.

This is not a complete list of additional card benefits and descriptions have been abbreviated. Full terms and conditions can be found in the Amex Platinum card guide to benefits.

Qualification and Requesting Benefits

Who Qualifies for Amex’s Active-duty Military Benefits

American Express lists the following qualified individuals who are eligible to receive benefits:

• A member of the U.S. Armed Forces (any military branch) serving on active duty
• Reserves called to active duty
• National Guard member under active duty for more than 30 consecutive days
• Commissioned Officer with the Public Health Service or NOAA
• U.S. citizen serving with U.S. allied forces in war or military action
• Spouse or child of an active-duty member of the Armed Forces as defined in 38 USC 101(4)

How to Apply for the Amex Platinum Card as a Military Member

Applying for the Amex Platinum card is simple — just click on the link in the card snapshot at the beginning of this article. You’ll need to enter your name as it appears on your military ID, your date of birth, address, telephone number, social security number, and income.

Under Income Source, you’ll want to select Military. American Express will then attempt to match your social security number to the DoD database and then apply the benefits automatically. If for any reason this does not happen automatically, you can request benefits after card approval.

How To Request Benefits on an Existing Card 

Applying to receive SCRA benefits, which includes the annual fee removal on your Amex Platinum card, is simple. Just log into your Amex Platinum card account online and select Account Services at the top of the page. Then select Credit Management and choose SCRA Benefits.

You can upload any requested information after answering a few questions.

Additionally, you can request benefits via the following methods:

• Phone: Call 800-253-1720 from the U.S. or call 336-393-1111 collect from outside of the U.S.
• Fax: Fax the required documents to 623-444-3000 and include your American Express account numbers
• Mail: Mail documents with your account numbers to American Express, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, P.O. Box 981535, El Paso, TX 79998-1535

American Express will verify your information and then process the benefit, which can take up to several weeks.

You can also check your eligibility before you apply for the card.

Everything Else You Need To Know

The welcome bonus on the Amex Platinum card is earned after meeting minimum spending requirements within the first 3 months after card approval. For how to meet the minimum spending requirements, you may want to read our list of ideas — you’ll be surprised by a few.

Many of the benefits that come with the Amex Platinum card, such as Priority Pass Select membership, car rental privileges, and hotel elite status, require registration. You can register online by signing into your Amex Platinum card account and accessing the Benefits section.

Hot Tip: American Express issues over 60 credit/charge cards and does not charge all annual fees for active-duty military members.

Additional Recommended American Express Cards for Active Military

While American Express has several cards that do not charge an annual fee, active military members will receive the most value from those that do.

You’ll find greater earning potential, flexible redemption options, luxury travel benefits, shopping and travel protections, and much more on cards that charge higher annual fees.

Here are a few of the additional American Express cards we recommend for active-duty military:

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

Why We Like This Card for Active Military

• 5x earnings on prepaid hotels and flights booked via AmexTravel.com
• 1.5x earnings on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else (up to $2 million in purchases per calendar year)
• Up to $200 airline incidental fee reimbursement each year
• Up to $400 in Dell Technology purchase statement credit each year
• Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
• Hotel and car rental program elite status and benefits
• Does not charge annual fee for active military (rates & fees)

If you have a small business, even a side hustle that brings in a modest amount of extra income, the Amex Business Platinum card could add tremendous value.

American Express^® Gold Card

Why We Like This Card for Active Military

• 4x earnings on everyday purchases at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; 1x thereafter) and restaurants worldwide
• 3x earnings on flights booked directly with airlines and AmexTravel.com
• Up to $10 monthly dining credit
• Up to $10 monthly Uber Cash
• Does not charge annual fee (rates & fees)

Dive into all the card benefits and benefits for the military of the Amex Gold card if this card sounds right for your spending habits.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Why We Like This Card for Active Military

• 14x earnings at Hilton properties
• Complimentary top Hilton Honors Diamond hotel elite status
• Annual free hotel night certificate
• Up to $400 resort credit
• $200 airline statement credit
• Does not charge annual fee

Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card

Why We Like This Card for Active Military

• Delta Sky Club access (Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.)
• Annual companion ticket certificate
• Free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights
• 20% statement credit for inflight food and beverage purchases
• 3x earnings on Delta purchases
• Does not charge annual fee (rates & fees)

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

Why We Like This Card for Active Military

• Free hotel night certificate at card anniversary (worth up to 85,000 points)
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum elite status
• 6x earnings at Marriott properties
• 3x earnings at U.S. restaurants
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement
• Does not charge annual fee (rates & fees)

Bottom Line: The best credit cards for active military will be those that generally have high annual fees because they offer great card benefits and that high annual fee is not charged.

Final Thoughts

If you are anticipating entering active duty, currently on active duty, or know someone who is, consider sharing this information or taking advantage personally. The benefits offered by American Express for active military can potentially be worth thousands of dollars each year.

Other credit card issuers also offer credit card benefits to active-duty military personnel. To learn more about the best credit cards for active-duty military, start with our article that lists our favorites, including cards from other issuers.

For the Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, the benefit can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the Extended Warranty benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, -when an American Express^® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the Purchase Protection benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, this is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the Cell Phone Protection benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, coverage for a Stolen or damaged Eligible Cellular Wireless Telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per Eligible Card Account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per Eligible Card Account per 12 month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.