Our favorite credit cards for military members!
These are our favorite credit cards, and every card on this list waives the annual for active duty military members, their spouses, and any dependents age 18+!
More points, more miles, and more travel—all for free😌
American Express Membership Rewards Cards
The Platinum Card®
$695 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
The #1 credit card for military members, this is the holy grail of credits, benefits, airport lounge access, and elite status. $200 airline fee credit, $200 hotel credit, $200 Uber Cash, $240 Digital Entertainment Credit, ClearPlus, Global Entry…need I go on?
American Express® Gold Card
$325 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
The perfect companion card to the Amex Platinum, this card is your daily driver, earning 4x points at US grocery stores, restaurants worldwide, and commissaries overseas! $84 Dunkin’ credits (including Dunkin’s on base overseas), $120 Uber Cash, and all your points combine with your Platinum.
American Express Green Card®
$150 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
Excellent companion to the Amex Gold and Amex Platinum. Earn 3x on all travel and restaurants worldwide! Plus a $199 annual Clear Credit to help you zip through security lines. After a year, upgrade your Green to another Platinum card to really rake in the rewards…
American Express Hilton Cards
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
$550 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
Arguably the best hotel card in the points and miles world, giving you Hilton Diamond status, $400 hotel credit, $200 flight credit, free breakfast, free room upgrades, and an annual free night certificate that can be used at any Hilton property around the world. Even if you weren’t military and had to pay the annual fee, this card should still be in your wallet.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
$150 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
Great card to earn a hefty welcome offer, especially if you already have an Aspire. Gives you $200 in annual Hilton credit, $200 airline credit, and if you spend $15,000, you’ll also earn a free night certificate that can be used at any Hilton or SLH-partnered hotels. After a year, upgrade your Surpass to another Aspire, and let the rewards roll…
Hilton Honors American Express Card
No Annual Fee!
This card comes with a very easy-to-hit welcome offer worth several hundred dollars. But the best perk is being able to upgrade this card to another Hilton Aspire once you’ve had the card for 12 months. Open the Hilton Honors, then the Surpass, then the Aspire, and a year from now, you can upgrade your Honors and Surpass to Aspires and really start to reap the benefits…
American Express Marriott Cards
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
$650 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
The Bonvoy Brilliant is a close contender for best hotel credit card! It gives you Platinum Elite Status, the highest elite status you can get with a Marriott card. $300 a year in restaurant credits, and an 85,000 pt annual free night certificate…you’ll be wining and dining at the Ritz-Carlton for free every year with just this one Marriott card. For a really powerful combo, also open a Chase Marriott card and upgrade it to a Ritz-Carlton card…
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card
$250 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
Earn 6x Marriott points at Marriott hotels, 4x at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (commissaries OCONUS code as U.S. supermarkets!). This card also offers Marriott Gold status, and if you spend $15k in a calendar year, you’ll earn a 50k free night certificate. Best perk is hands down being able to upgrade this to another Brilliant after you’ve had the card for 12 months.
American Express Delta Cards
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
$650 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
Start with a $2,500 MQD headstart every year. Plus $240 in Resy credits every year. Get a 15% discount on award bookings, and access to Delta SkyLounges, Centurion Lounges. Comes with Hertz President’s Circle status and a $200 annual Delta Stays credit–great for finding hotels in places that don’t have big chains. Best of all, after renewal, you’ll earn an annual companion certificate that lets you bring a companion on any First Class, Comfort+, or Main Cabin ticket in the US, Caribbean, or Central America! If you’re a military spouse/dependent, this card offers first checked bag free.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
$350 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
Also comes with a $2,500 MQD headstart every year that stacks with your Delta Reserve or either the Delta Business Reserve or Business Platinum. With a Delta Reserve and a Delta Platinum, you’ll start every year as Delta Silver status, and with both business cards, you’d start as Delta Gold every year! This card also offers an annual companion certificate good for domestic Main Cabin bookings! You also get a 15% award booking discount and a $150 annual Delta Stays credit that’s great for getting a hotel where big chains aren’t available. The $10/mo Rideshare Credit might be useful to some. If you’re a military spouse/dependent, this card offers first checked bag free.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
$$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
Get a free checked bag for you and every person on your itinerary! Comes with a $100 Delta Stays credit, great for getting a hotel where big chains aren’t available. You’ll also get 20% back on in-flight purchases. This is a great card to open, earn the welcome offer, then upgrade to a second Delta Reserve. The ultimate hack for Delta fanatics would be open the Blue, then the Gold, then the Platinum, then the Reserve. Earn welcome offers on them all, then upgrade them all to Reserves after 12 months. Then let the recurring benefits roll…🤤
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
No Annual Fee!
There’s a reason you’ve probably never heard of this card… the only prominent features are a super easy welcome offer, no foreign transaction fees (which is noteworthy because it’s a no annual fee card), and the 20% inflight purchase rebate. If you want multiple Delta Reserves, though, open this card, then the Gold, then the Platinum, then the Reserve, then upgrade all of them to Reserves after 12 months. Then you’ll be rolling in the dough big time.
Chase Ultimate Rewards Cards
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
$550 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
The Visa Infinite card that never lets you down. Everyone around the world that takes credit cards takes Visa. Combined with 3x points at restaurants and all travel worldwide, airport lounge access, and a $300 annual travel credit, this is your go-to card if you’re stationed OCONUS or traveling.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
No Annual Fee!
Easiest 20,000 point welcome offer on the market, plus earn 3x points on dining and drugstores, and 1.5x points everywhere! These points can be combined with your Chase Sapphire Reserve, where you can transfer points to partners like Hyatt and United to get outsized value. And once you’ve had the card for 12 months, you can upgrade it to another Sapphire Reserve…
Chase Freedom Flex®
No Annual Fee!
Easiest 20,000 point welcome offer on the market, plus earn 5x points on rotating categories like gas, Walmart, Amazon, and grocery stores. These points can be combined with your Chase Sapphire Reserve, where you can transfer points to partners like Hyatt and United to get outsized value. And once you’ve had the card for 12 months, you can upgrade it to another Sapphire Reserve…
Chase Marriott Cards
Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful®
$250 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
Earn 18.5x points at participating Marriott properties! You’ll also get automatic Marriott Gold Status and a 50k free night award after spending $15,000 in a calendar year. The best perk about this card is that once your Bountiful is 12 months old, you can call Chase and upgrade it to the illustrious Ritz-Carlton card, which comes with an annual 85k free night award, plus an annual $300 travel credit, Priority Pass membership, and top-tier travel protections and trip cancellation insurance.
Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless®
$95 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
But why have 1 Marriott card when you could have 2? The Boundless earns 17x at participating Marriott properties and comes with a 50,000 pt annual free night certificate and often has a better welcome offer than the Bountiful card. But even better, after having your Boundless for a year, you can upgrade your card to the Ritz-Carlton card, which will give you an annual 85k free night award, plus an annual $300 travel credit, Priority Pass membership, and top-tier travel protections and trip cancellation insurance. If you had to choose between these 3 Marriott cards on your Ritz-Carlton Upgrade Path, the Boundless is likely the best choice because of it’s annual FNC.
Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bold®
No Annual Fee!
Earn 14x points at participating Marriott properties…. and that’s about the only thing this card has going for it. However, if you’re not eligible for a welcome offer on the Bountiful or the Boundless, opening the Bold is a great way to score the welcome offer, then upgrade the card to a Ritz-Carlton card after 12 months. With a Ritz-Carlton card, you’ll get an annual 85k free night award, an annual $300 travel credit, a Priority Pass membership, and top-tier travel protections and trip cancellation insurance.
Chase United Cards
Chase United ClubSM Infinite Card
$525 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
The most family friendly airline credit card – Get access to United Club Lounges for both you and your companions, and access to participating Star Alliances lounges worldwide! You and 1 companion will each get 2 free checked bags, perfect for families with kids needing checked bags. And get a $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, perfect for spouses or kids who need their own accounts! And get up to 15,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) toward MileagePlus Premier status, 10% discount on United Economy Saver awards, Avis President’s Club, and IHG Platinum Elite status!
Chase United QuestSM Card
$250 Annual Fee – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
Get $125 annual United purchase credit, which stacks great with your United Travel Bank credit that you can get from your Amex Platinum or Hilton Aspire airline credits. You’ll also get 10k miles in award flight credits, $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, 25% back on inflight purchases, and up to 9,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) toward MileagePlus Premier status. Plus, get free first and second checked bags, which is really nice for spouses or dependents 18+ who don’t normally get baggage waived like servicemembers.
Chase UnitedSM Explorer Card
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 – waived for AD military, spouses, and dependents age 18+ still listed in DEERS
Get 2 United Club one-time passes each year, free first checked bag, priority boarding, $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit (great for family members who need their own Global Entry/TSA PreCheck accounts!), 25% back on inflight purchases, and up to 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) toward MileagePlus Premier status!
Chase United GatewaySM Credit Card
No Annual Fee!
You’ll get 25% back on United inflight and Club premium drink purchases, as well as 7x miles on United flights. You also get 2x on gas stations, local transit and ride share services. Great if you’re looking for a United card you’d like to upgrade down the road.
Chase Southwest Cards
Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority
$149 Annual Fee – waived for AD military and spouses
La crème de la crème of the Southwest personal cards! Comes with an annual $75 Southwest credit, 4 upgraded boardings per year when available, 7,500 anniversary points each year, and if you plan to spend a good amount on this card, you’ll earn 1,500 Tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $5,000 you spend on this card. A fantastic candidate when you’re shooting for the Southwest Companion Pass!
Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier
$99 Annual Fee – waived for AD military and spouses
The Premier comes with 6,000 anniversary points each year, 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins each year and you’ll earn 1,500 Tier qualifying points toward A-List status for every $5,000 you spend on this card! This is a great card to open if you’re shooting for the Southwest Companion Pass! Southwest can be a super family friendly airline with free bags for everyone and early boarding and seat selection if you have young kids. Combined with the Companion Pass and you’re ready to take to the skies and see the world!
Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus
$69 Annual Fee – waived for AD military and spouses
The welcome offer on all Southwest personal cards count towards earning the Southwest Companion Pass! By opening one personal and one business card in the same calendar year, you should be able to earn the 135,000 points needed to get the Companion Pass for the rest of the current calendar year AND the ENTIRE next calendar year. The Plus card also earns 3,000 anniversary points each year, and if you hold any Southwest cards at the beginning of the calendar year, you’ll earn 10,000 Companion Pass-qualifying points! So open the cards in December, but meet the minimum spend in January and you’ll only need to earn 125,000 points AND you’ll have the Companion Pass for nearly 2 whole years!
Chase No-Fee Business Cards
Chase Ink Business Cash
No Annual Fee!
Earn 5x on internet, phone bills, cable, and office supply stores up to $25,000 a year. Office supplies stores sell a wide variety of gift cards, which can supercharge your points earnings! Also earns 2x at gas stations and comes with a huge welcome offer! All points combine with your Sapphire cards, and unlike your Sapphire cards, you can generally open more than one Ink cash card per year.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited
No Annual Fee!
Earn 1.5x points everywhere AND get a huge welcome offer! All points combine with your Chase Freedom and Sapphire cards, and unlike your Sapphire cards, you can generally open more than one Ink Unlimited card per year.
Want the full list?
Check out our full list of credit cards that waive annual fees for military🤑