American Express Military Discount
$0 annual fee on all personal cards for active duty & spouses (SCRA/MLA)
Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and Military Lending Act (MLA), American Express waives the annual fee on its personal credit and charge cards — including the Platinum Card® (normally $895/yr) and Gold Card — down to $0 for eligible active-duty servicemembers and their spouses. You keep the card's full perks (lounge access, statement credits, etc.). SCRA relief applies to cards opened BEFORE you went on active duty; MLA covers cards opened DURING active duty and can extend to a spouse and certain dependents. Eligible: active duty in any branch (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard), spouses, and Guard/Reserve on Title 10 or Title 32 orders of 30+ days.
How to redeem
- Apply for or already hold an eligible American Express personal card.
- Log in at americanexpress.com and submit a Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) or MLA benefit request, or call card member services.
- Amex checks your active-duty status against the DoD (DMDC) database; approved fee waivers apply for as long as you remain eligible.
Tips
- The Platinum Card with a $0 fee is the headline deal — keep the lounge access and credits at no annual cost.
- SCRA = cards opened before active duty; MLA = cards opened during active duty (and can cover your spouse).
- Waivers aren't always automatic — submit the request, then confirm the fee was actually credited back.
- Veterans and retirees no longer on active orders are generally not eligible for the fee waiver.