Military Credit Card Comparison

Net cost after SCRA/MLA fee waivers — updated April 2026

Open premium cards DURING active duty — Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve both cost $0 under MLA. Most competitors don't show you this.

Showing 11 cards

MLA = fee waived if opened on active duty · SCRA = fee waived if opened before service

⚠️ Capital One warning visible below. Capital One does NOT waive annual fees for cards opened on active duty. Only SCRA applies to pre-service accounts. Avoid opening Capital One cards during active duty — you will pay the full annual fee.

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Recommended Application Order

This sequence maximizes MLA fee waivers, avoids Chase's 5/24 rule, and builds the strongest portfolio from Day 1 of service. Times are minimum waits — not exact deadlines.

Chase First

Chase 5/24 is the #1 constraint. Lock in Chase cards before you accumulate too many accounts elsewhere.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Chase Freedom Unlimited

Amex Platinum

After Chase's 2/30 rule clears. $895 fee waived, $1,600+ in annual credits start flowing immediately.

Amex Platinum

Amex Gold

Best everyday earner. 4x at restaurants and U.S. groceries with a $0 military fee. Pair with Platinum for transfer partner access.

Amex Gold

NFCU Flagship

Build your military credit union relationship early. Starting limits are often $10K–$25K — far higher than commercial banks at the same score.

NFCU Flagship Rewards

Round Out

You're near 5/24. Shift to Citi and the PenFed 2% catch-all. Stop personal card applications for 24 months, then shift to business cards.

Citi Strata Premier PenFed Power Cash

Key Rules Every Military Member Must Know

These four rules will shape every credit card decision you make. Ignore any one of them and you'll leave real money — or access — on the table.

Chase

The 5/24 Rule

Chase rejects most applications if you've opened 5 or more new credit accounts (from any bank) in the prior 24 months. Authorized user cards count. Business cards from most issuers do not. This is why you get Chase cards first — before you open 5 others.

American Express

Once-in-a-Lifetime Bonus

Amex gives you the welcome bonus on each card exactly once, ever — even if you cancel and reapply years later. The clock starts the moment you're approved, not when you earn the bonus. Never close an Amex card you might want the bonus on again.

Capital One

Triple Bureau Pull

Capital One pulls your credit report from all three bureaus simultaneously — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — on every application. One Cap One application = three hard inquiries. Plan accordingly and don't apply casually.

Citi

The 8/65/95 Rule

Citi enforces strict velocity limits: no more than 1 card in 8 days, no more than 2 cards in 65 days, and no more than 1 business card in 95 days. Combined with their 48-month bonus wait, Citi requires more patience than most issuers.

Important: Credit card terms, annual fees, sign-up bonuses, and SCRA/MLA coverage change frequently. Verify all offers directly with the card issuer before applying. SCRA benefits require documentation of military service and must be requested — they do not apply automatically. MLA protections apply to accounts opened during covered active duty; contact your card issuer for details and the claims process. Capital One does not extend MLA fee waivers to accounts opened during active duty as of April 2026 — verify directly before applying. This is not financial advice. This page was last updated April 2026.