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Active-Duty Military? Access Benefits with the American Express Platinum Card^®

The annual fee for the American Express Platinum Card^® is hefty, but your military service may allow you to access additional perks.

By Matt Miczulski

Edited by Jess Ullrich

Updated Oct. 2, 2025

The American Express Platinum Card^® is one of the most prestigious travel rewards cards out there. The card comes with a whole host of benefits, from annual travel credits to a strong earnings multiplier. However, it also comes with a high annual fee.

If you're active-duty military, you may be able to get a $0 intro annual fee for this card (after that, $895). This benefit is offered under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the Military Lending Act.

Even with the annual fee, the American Express Platinum Card^® packs a lot of value. Just remember unlike typical credit cards, the Platinum Card® allows you to carry a balance for certain charges but not all.

Let's take a look at what this card offers and why it's one of the best credit cards for active military.

Top 4 benefits of the Platinum Card®

Given that it's one of the best travel credit cards on the market, it's unsurprising that the American Express Platinum Card^® delivers a slew of benefits. Here are the top four benefits of the Platinum Card®.

1. Valuable Membership Rewards points

American Express Platinum Card^® cardholders get access to one of the most valuable travel rewards programs available, the Amex Memberships Rewards program. Although you can redeem your Membership Rewards points for things like statement credits and gift cards, their true value lies in the ability to transfer your points to any of the program's dozen-plus airline and hotel Amex transfer partners. This gives you more flexibility with how you choose to redeem your points.

The value of your Amex Membership Rewards points varies, but it's possible to get up to 2 cents per point with the right redemption. Often, you get the best value when you transfer points to a travel partner. For instance, recently the Membership Rewards program offered 50% more Hilton Honors Points when you transferred your Membership Rewards points. So you received 3,000 Hilton Honors Points for every 1,000 Membership Rewards points you transferred. In general, most Membership Rewards transfer to partners at a rate of 1:1.

The ability to transfer your points to a number of travel partners provides tremendous practical value. The next benefit delivers pure monetary value.

2. Generous welcome offer

You can never have too many Membership Rewards points, and the American Express Platinum Card^® helps new cardmembers accumulate them quickly. Earn as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months (welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer; apply and find out your offer).

The welcome offer could provide great value towards travel depending on how you redeem your points. For example, when you purchase a flight through Pay with Points on Amex Travel, each point is worth 1 cent apiece — so 60,000 Membership Rewards points would be worth $600. But transferring points to a travel partner may yield an even higher value.

3. Travel perks

The American Express Platinum Card^® wouldn't be a top travel rewards card if it didn't come with several valuable travel perks. In addition to its generous 5X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®, the American Express Platinum Card^® offers cardmembers everything from airport lounge access to complimentary Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors™ Gold Status.

The American Express Platinum Card^® travel perks also include an up to $200 airline fee credit on a qualifying airline, an up to $209 CLEAR® Plus membership credit, up to a $120 statement credit every four years to cover the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit up to $85 every four and half years, as well as up to $600 credit for hotels booked with the Fine Hotels and Resorts program and the Hotel Collection (requires a minimum two-night stay). These credits can help offset the cost of the $895 annual fee. This is all in addition to the card's travel protections, such as car rental insurance and no foreign transaction fees. Enrollment or activation is required for select benefits.

4. Annual credits

You'll receive multiple annual credits as an American Express Platinum Card^® cardmember. Annual credits currently include $200 in Uber Cash and $120 in Uber One Credit, a $300 digital entertainment credit for Disney+, The Disney+ Bundle, Hulu, ESPN+, Peacock, Paramount+, YouTube, and The New York Times subscriptions.

You also get up to $300 annually in statement credits for an Equinox digital or club membership and $100 in statement credits for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue. Note that certain benefits require activation or enrollment.

How to get the American Express Platinum Card^® intro annual fee

As confirmed by an American Express credit cards representative, active-duty service members can get a $0 intro annual fee for one year for all American Express cards. That means you can get one year without the $895 annual fee for The Platinum Card® from American Express. Active-duty servicemembers include any member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty, as well as any reserve component called to active duty.

This benefit is available as a part of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the Military Lending Act. Under the SCRA, interest rates are capped to no more than 6% during your periods of active duty military service. The SCRA applies to debt incurred prior to your military service. The MLA, on the other hand, applies to credit extended to you while on active duty. The MLA limits interest rates and fees to 36% MAPR (Military Annual Percentage Rate). Although 36% seems high, it's not based solely on the interest rate. It also includes fees and finance charges, such as annual fees. Both the SCRA and the MLA can help qualifying military members save big on credit cards. The easiest way to request SCRA and MLA benefits with American Express is by submitting a request online or by calling the number on the back of your card.

To receive lower annual fees under the SCRA and MLA, you must submit documentation showing your active-duty status. Based on the information you provide, Amex will determine your eligibility and then confirm your military service using an automated program. Documentation can include your active-duty orders, DD-214, or a letter from your commanding officer which indicates you're on active duty.

The final word on the American Express Platinum Card^®

The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best travel credit cards on the market. It's packed full of perks and benefits that take travel to a whole new level, but it also comes with a hefty annual fee.

However, as an active-duty service member, you can access a $0 intro annual fee for one year (after that, $895). That means you get to enjoy all the benefits this card has to offer without it costing you a cent. If you qualify for this perk, call an American Express representative.

Premium Travel Benefits

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

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Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

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Rates and fees

Current Offer

Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee

$795

Rewards Rate

8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠ (including The Edit℠), 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct, 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks