Chase offers a military credit card benefit program for active duty military members on a variety of credit card lines, and the more aspirational the credit program-such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card-the bigger the savings for eligible military members.
What follows is a discussion about Chase credit card policies and federal law that may affect those policies. The credit card offers you see here may or may not be available long-term, but the federal law that protects service members from certain credit card practices applies no matter what kind of credit card you use.
If you search for and do not find a credit card offer such as the Chase Platinum Reserve card, or one of the Chase Elite Travel Reward card programs, call Chase customer service to inquire about the availability of the card you seek or one like it that offers perks to active duty military members.
Military Credit Card Fee Waivers And Other Perks From Chase
The Chase official site has a page dedicated to helping those who want to claim their SCRA benefits on credit cards issued by Chase.
The federal law known as the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) was created to help service members avoid credit-related fees. For example, SCRA rules state there is a mandatory 6% interest rate cap on loans and credit you had prior to starting military service-but this cap is not automatic and must be applied for in writing with supporting documentation such as military orders, etc.
Some credit card companies, including Chase, have chosen to liberally interpret SCRA laws and offer annual fee exemptions on their cards including the most elite credit cards offered to financially qualified military members.
That is why Chase waives the whopping $450 annual fee for it’s Platinum Reserve Card for active duty military members. But that isn’t the sum total benefits you may receive from Chase for registering as an active duty military member and claiming your SCRA benefits with them.
The Chase official site reminds service members that protections under SCRA include:
- Reduction of Interest Rates above the SCRA limits
- Protection from certain foreclosure activity
- Protection from vehicle repossession
- Early cancellation of vehicle leases where required
Telling Chase You Want SCRA Military Credit Card Benefits
You must submit supporting documentation to Chase to claim your SCRA benefits as an existing or new customer. You can apply electronically or by regular mail, but electronic submissions must be sent via your account at Chase.com and you are advised not to submit reproductions of orders and other documents taken with mobile devices as they cannot be read properly by Chase.
Chase customers who wish to terminate a leased vehicle as is permitted under SCRA (prior to the end of the lease), the documentation submitted to Chase “must state that you are requesting an early lease termination” including account numbers and the date of termination requested.
Chase Procedures For Updating Your Records To Claim SCRA Benefits, Credit Card Fee Waivers, Etc.
Several sources report that Chase uses a semi-automated or fully automated system to compare credit card account details against a database that could help service members more “automatically” update to receive SCRA benefits, but it’s best not to leave this important benefit to a software process. If you need to claim SCRA protections as an existing or new customer, it is always best to contact customer service at the lender to have your account data updated.
Why Apply For A Chase Platinum Reserve Credit Card With Your Military Credit Card Benefit?
Applying for a high-end Chase credit card with a waiver of the annual fee means getting access the same perks others are paying $450 per year (or a different fee depending on the card) to enjoy. Chase customers with the best credit card offers have in the past been offered the following perks-these would be available to any financially qualified military member who also qualifies for the fee waiver or other perks:
- Sign-up bonuses of 50,000
- Reward points on travel and food
- No foreign transaction fees
- Cash credit for travel purchases
- $100 towards TSA pre-check sign-ups
- Complimentary Priority Pass Select lounge memberships
- Reward points transfer programs via partner companies
- Rental car insurance coverage up to $75,000
- Baggage delay insurance
- Trip delay reimbursement
- Emergency assistance
Chase Sapphire Benefits for Military
All Chase personal credit cards are offered with no annual fees for active duty military servicemembers and their spouses. The top two choices are the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve cards. The main difference is that the Preferred offers 10,000 more sign up bonus points while the Reserve offers a recurring $300 annual travel credit
Sapphire Preferred for Military
- 60,000 bonus after you spend $4000 in the first 3 months of card membership
- $95 annual fee waived for military personnel and spouses
- 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants
- No foreign transaction fees
- Primary rental car insurance coverage
Learn More About the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card!
Chase Sapphire Reserve for Military
- $450 annual fee (and $75 authorized user fee) completely waived for US military and spouses
- $300 annual travel credit (Uber, taxi, airfare, hotel, train, car rental, etc)
- 50,000 bonus points when you spend $4000 in the first 3 months of opening account
- 3x points on travel and dining worldwide
- Redeem points with a 50% bonus when booking travel through the Chase
- Automatic travel insurance on trips purchased with the card including trip cancellation, delay, interruption, lost baggage, and auto rental collision
- $100 Global Entry sign up fee reimbursed every 4 years
- No foreign transaction fees
Learn More About the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card!
Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter for Air Force Television News
