I am absolutely kicking myself for not getting an American Express Platinum card sooner. Why is this card so awesome? It gives you a boat load of benefits that are perfectly suited for military that travel, but the hefty $550 annual fee is WAIVED for active duty military due to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. So you get all the benefits with no fees!
Here are some of the benefits this card offers:
- Free access to many airport lounges (Delta Sky Club, Amex Centurion)
- $15 in Uber credit each month, with $20 in December
- $200 per year in airline fees covered for free (food on flights, baggage charges, change fees, etc)
- $100 credit for TSA Precheck application (allows spouse to apply for free)
- Immediate Gold status with Starwood Preferred Guest and Hilton Honors
- Complimentary access to more than a million Boingo wifi hotspots
Now here is the other cool program they offer that I am using this weekend. It’s called Fine Hotels and Resorts. We are PCS’ing shortly and will be staying at hotels along the way. I was able to book the Four Seasons in Atlanta for $219 for one night. But guess what comes with that one night stay?
- $100 food and drink credit
- Free breakfast for two in the morning ($64)
- Early checkin at noon (if space permits)
- Complimentary room upgrade (if available)
- Late checkout at 4PM
Couple Caveats
First, this is a ‘charge card’ so you have to pay the balance in full each month. Honestly, that is why I’m more comfortable recommending this card to fellow military. From reading other posts on this site, you can probably tell I’m anti-credit card. Being forced to pay off the card each month ensures you will not build up a large balance.
Make sure to apply for the SCRA benefits right away. It can take up to 60 days to process. Once applied to your account, you are good for the life of your account and will not see annual fees on any statements.
