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Members of the military know that serving the nation is a serious commitment. Between early physical training calls, unexpected deployment orders and frequent station changes, a career in the armed forces requires some sacrifices.
In return, U.S. service members are entitled to benefits that their civilian counterparts aren't eligible for. These include protection under the Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and the Military Lending Act (MLA), which both limit the financial strain for a person on active duty.
One feature of these acts is reduced fees for certain types of credit — and the American Express Platinum Card® military fee policy is no exception.
Here's a look at the benefits of the American Express Platinum Card® for military members, including how fees and perks for cardholders are affected.
About the American Express Platinum Card®
The American Express Platinum Card® is a premium travel card with an excellent rewards rate and access to a unique set of lounges, including Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs, Escape Lounges and Priority Pass Select lounges, among others. Enrollment required. Terms apply.
It also has thousands of dollars worth of lifestyle and travel credits that can make up for the $895 annual fee.
To maximize your card, book travel in American Express' travel portal or transfer your points to one of the bank's travel partners.
The current welcome offer is: You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Terms apply.
What does the American Express Platinum Card® cost for military personnel?
Two types of legislation govern credit for service members: The SCRA applies to cards opened before they joined the military, while the MLA dictates the fees they are charged for cards opened while serving.
Although these laws have many applications, two of the benefits remain the same: They limit the fees banks charge people in the armed forces for credit. Therefore, the American Express Platinum Card® costs $0 in annual fees for military members.
This is true regardless of when the card was opened. Since American Express usually charges a hefty $895 annual fee, this can represent a huge savings.
American Express also suspends overlimit fees, late payment fees and returned payment fees for military members.
🤓 Nerdy Tip
Cards eligible for SCRA benefits have a maximum interest rate cap of 6%. It’s important to note that although you won’t be on the hook for most fees, you’ll still need to be eligible for the card to gain approval. There's no special military credit score. Instead, you’ll need the excellent credit score usually required to get the American Express Platinum Card®.
Terms apply.
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American Express Platinum Card® military benefits
As a premium travel card, the American Express Platinum Card® has a host of benefits available to cardholders. Here are some of the most useful.
Airport lounge access
Those who hold the American Express Platinum Card® have access to the Global Lounge Collection, which has over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide. This includes American Express Centurion Lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges and Priority Pass Lounges, as well as Lufthansa Lounges when flying on a Lufthansa Group airline. Cardholders also have limited access to Delta SkyClubs when flying Delta (10 visits per year unless cardholders spend $75,000 on the card in a calendar year). Enrollment required.
Airport lounge benefits can vary but generally include complimentary food, drinks, charging stations and seating away from the main terminal. In some lounges, you’ll also find showers, nap pods and wine-tasting options.
Terms apply.
Hotel elite status
The American Express Platinum Card® provides complimentary hotel elite status with Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors and Leading Hotels of the World's Leaders Club. Enrollment required. As long as you hold the card, you’ll receive Gold status with both Marriott and Hilton, in addition to Leaders Club Sterling status.
For Marriott, you can expect your Gold status to include late checkout, room upgrades, bonus points and a welcome gift of points.
Hilton’s Gold status has additional perks. As a Gold member, you’re entitled to room upgrades and extra bonus points. You’ll also receive complimentary breakfast (or a food and beverage credit) for you and a guest for each night of your stay.
As a Leaders Club Sterling member, you’ll receive similar perks, such as room upgrades, bonus points, late checkout and daily continental breakfast for two.
Terms apply.
Rental car elite status
Rental car elite status can grant you perks such as complimentary additional drivers and complimentary upgrades. The American Express Platinum Card® comes with rental car elite status from three companies:
- Hertz: Gold Plus Rewards President’s Circle status. Enrollment required.
- Avis: Preferred Plus status. Enrollment required.
- National Car Rental: Emerald Club Executive status. Enrollment required.
Plus, you can match your Leaders Club Sterling status to Sixt’s Platinum status.
Terms apply.
Statement credits
Perhaps the most compelling feature of the American Express Platinum Card® is the statement credits you’ll receive. These span from shopping credits to hotel stays.
To get the most value out of these credits, you’ll need to be organized. These are all “use-or-lose” credits, meaning if you don’t spend them in the allotted time frame — whether monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually — you won’t get any value out of them.
- $600 hotel credit for Fine Hotels and Resorts or The Hotel Collection stays — $300 semi-annually.
- $400 Resy dining credit — $100 quarterly at U.S. restaurants on Resy, an online restaurant reservation platform. Enrollment required.
- $300 digital entertainment credit — $25 monthly. Enrollment required.
- $300 Lululemon credit — $75 quarterly. Enrollment required.
- Up to $300 Equinox credit.
- $209 CLEAR+ credit.
- $200 airline fee credit. Enrollment required.*
- Up to $200 Oura Ring credit per calendar year. (Oura Ring is a wearable health tracker.)
- Up to $200 a year in Uber Cash when you use your card to pay for rides or Uber Eats — $15 monthly, plus an extra $20 in December. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ membership credit — $12.95 monthly. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber One membership credit — $10 monthly. Enrollment required.
- $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit — $50 semi-annually. Enrollment required.
Terms apply.
American Express Platinum Card® for military spouses
Whether your spouse is entitled to an exemption from fees will depend on the law that applies to your card. If you’re eligible for benefits based on the SCRA, your spouse cannot receive an exemption from annual fees on their own AmEx cards.
However, if you open a card after joining the military and are eligible for MLA benefits, these also apply to your spouse and certain dependents, meaning your spouse can have annual fees, late fees and returned payment fees suspended.
Keep in mind your spouse will need to have an excellent credit score for approval.
» Learn more: Best credit cards for active-duty military
If you’re looking for American Express Platinum Card® military benefits
The American Express Platinum Card® is an excellent travel card, even if you’re only away from home once or twice a year.
However, if you’re a military member, its benefits are exponentially greater. With a break from fees, you can take advantage of the credits and perks it offers without paying for the membership fee out of pocket.
The card's benefits include more than $3,000 each year in lifestyle and travel credits, as well as complimentary hotel elite status, rental car elite status and airport lounge access. Terms apply.
*More from American Express
American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details
To view rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, see this page.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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