Chase Military Credit Card Perks: How Service Members Can Save [2024]

Active-duty service members can enjoy a wide range of perks and benefits, including discounts at different businesses across the country. In addition, members of the military can save big on credit cards. Credit card issuers are required to offer military members certain benefits as outlined in the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and Military Lending Act.

Many major credit card companies go beyond what’s required of them in these acts and provide additional credit card benefits to military members. Because of this, popular card issuers like Chase offer some of the best credit cards for military members.

Here, we’ll walk through the military benefits provided with Chase credit cards and see which ones offer you the best value.

What benefits do the SCRA and MLA offer?

The SCRA was enacted in 2003 as a way to help reduce the financial burden of service members on active duty in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, National Guard, or Navy. Similarly, the MLA was enacted in 2006 to protect active-duty service members and certain dependents from specific lending practices. Both of these laws were designed to alleviate financial stress, though they accomplish this in different ways.

With the SCRA, the main benefit for service members with credit card accounts is a cap of 6% interest on any pre-service debt. This means any credit card debt from before entering active duty can’t accrue interest at a rate higher than 6%. Any excess (more than 6%) interest accrued is forgiven completely.

With the MLA, there’s a limit on how much creditors are able to charge active-duty military members in total annual interest, fees, and other charges. Called the military annual percentage rate, this total rate cannot exceed 36%.

The process of obtaining these benefits depends on the credit card company. Major card issuers typically have a dedicated team to take care of any questions you may have about their military benefits.

With Chase, you can visit the Chase SCRA page online or contact its toll-free number at 1-877-469-0110 (international calls at 1-318-340-3308). You can also submit a secure message through your online Chase account. MLA benefits are automatically reviewed and applied by Chase when you sign up and qualify for a new Chase credit card.

3 best Chase military credit card benefits

Before we dive into Chase military credit card benefits, it’s essential to know how these benefits work with Chase. As a rule of thumb, SCRA benefits typically apply only on Chase credit card accounts that were opened before you entered active-duty military service. With the MLA, these benefits apply to Chase credit card accounts you open while an active-duty service member. Also, MLA benefits are for Chase consumer credit accounts, not business accounts.

Although it may technically be possible (you’d have to discuss it with a Chase representative), don’t expect to have benefits from both the SCRA and MLA applied to the same credit card account at the same time. Chase SCRA benefits typically apply to the active-duty military members only, whereas their MLA benefits can apply to the service member, their spouse, their children, and other dependants.

Chase, like many popular card issuers, offers military credit card benefits that go beyond the legal requirements of the SCRA and MLA. This can provide active-duty military members with a lot of value.

Here are the best Chase military credit card benefits:

• Waived fees
• Capped interest rate
• Bonus benefits

1. Waived fees

Eligible military members can have Chase credit card fees waived. With the SCRA, all your fees are waived, including late fees, annual fees, and foreign transaction fees. This is a hugely beneficial perk because it means you get to use Chase credit cards without having to worry about added fees.

With the MLA, the majority of your fees are waived. The only fees not waived are late fees and return check fees. So this means you still get annual fees and balance transfer fees waived.

Avoiding credit card fees can be very lucrative, especially if you have a card with a high annual fee. Without fees, you can focus on paying off credit card debt at a quicker rate. On the other hand, it shouldn’t be an excuse to rack up more debt. Just because you don’t have fees doesn’t mean you can’t carry a balance. Ensure you’re still making smart financial decisions while taking advantage of these benefits.

2. Capped interest rate

The SCRA says your existing pre-service credit card interest can’t exceed 6%. With Chase, this same cap is decreased to 4%. It may not seem like a huge move, but interest can accrue quickly, so any decrease in the rate is beneficial.

As mentioned above, the MAPR associated with the MLA is capped at 36%. This doesn’t change with Chase, but the fact Chase voids most of your credit card fees does go beyond what the MLA legally requires.

3. Bonus benefits

Perhaps the most important Chase military credit card benefits are the ones not officially offered by Chase. You won’t hear Chase talk about specific card benefits because they simply come included with any Chase cards you have.

For instance, we can take a look at the The World of Hyatt Credit Card. This card typically has a $95 annual fee, but it’s waived with either SCRA or MLA benefits. This means you receive all the valuable Hyatt credit card benefits for no additional cost. These benefits include:

• Anniversary nights to stay at hotels for free
• Automatic Discoverist elite status in the World of Hyatt loyalty program
• Credit card travel insurance
• Chase purchase protection

Getting free hotel nights and elite loyalty status isn’t a bad deal when you aren’t paying an annual fee. The best part, though, is you can apply the same SCRA or MLA benefits to any personal Chase credit card account. So depending on the card, you can get massive bonus benefits.

Consider these Chase cards for active-duty military

• Chase Sapphire Reserve^®
• Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

Chase’s best travel credit cards are also the best Chase cards for active-duty military members. They include the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve. These cards have the best benefits for travelers, and they both earn flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points. You can transfer these points to Chase transfer partners or redeem them directly for travel through the Chase travel portal.

Both cards normally have annual fees, but with those fees waived, you get amazing value from their free benefits. Overall, when you don’t have to worry about annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a better deal than the Chase Sapphire Preferred because it offers lots of premium benefits.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is usually a safer bet than the Chase Sapphire Reserve because it has a lower annual fee. But with Chase military credit card benefits, the Sapphire Reserve’s $550 annual fee doesn’t matter — which puts both Sapphire cards on equal terms. Because they cost the same, the Sapphire Reserve wins out with its slew of luxury benefits.

The Sapphire Preferred is still a good option, but the Sapphire Reserve provides a lot more value in this situation. In addition to offering similar benefits to the Sapphire Preferred, the Sapphire Reserve also gives cardholders these top perks:

• $300 annual travel credit
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit
• Priority Pass airport lounge and Priority Pass restaurant access
• The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection benefits

This card is a great fit for travelers. With its premium perks, you can take full advantage of the travel credit and better airport experience. Plus, due to the pandemic, Chase is also offering limited time benefits for Sapphire cardholders. With no annual fee, this card offers tremendous value, even if you aren’t traveling frequently.

Learn more about this card with our Chase Sapphire Reserve review.

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

Active-duty military service members can enjoy the benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred while avoiding its $95 annual fee. This credit card offers these benefits:

• $50 annual hotel credit for purchases made through Chase Travel℠
• Credit card car rental insurance
• Travel insurance
• Purchase protection
• Extended warranty protection
• Generous sign-up bonus

If you like to travel or shop online, you can take advantage of these benefits. You can save money at the rental car counter on insurance and have protection on most items you purchase.

Learn more about this card with our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.

FAQs about Chase credit card benefits for service members

The bottom line

Credit card companies are required to provide active-duty service members with certain benefits, according to the SCRA and MLA. Still, companies like Chase give more benefits than they have to.

If you’re an active-duty service member (or about to be), make sure you look into Chase’s military credit card benefits. They can save you a lot of money in fees and offer additional value through the bonus benefits you receive.

Easy-to-Earn Unlimited Rewards

Bank of America^® Travel Rewards credit card

Benefits

Card Details

• Earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases
• Earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases
• Longer intro APR on qualifying purchases and balance transfers
• No foreign transaction fees
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• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

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Intro Offer

Earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases

Annual Fee

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Why we like it

• The Bank of America^® Travel Rewards credit card is great for individuals who enjoy earning rewards and traveling.

• Cardholders will enjoy the flexibility to redeem points with no blackout dates and receive a statement credit to pay for travel and dining purchases.

• Earn 1.5X points on all purchases everywhere, every time.

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