Update June 2018: $200+ credit card sign up bonuses.
Update Christmas 2016: AMEX waived my $75 annual fee for the Hilton HHonors Surpass Card.
Update Christmas 2013: American Express refunded Brian $2500 in fees! Check at the bottom of this article for his story.
American Express has offered me excellent customer service and credit card products since 2007. My first credit card was an AmEx Blue Cash, which I used all throughout college, accumulating over 20,000 reward points.
I cancelled that card after graduating university (2010) in an effort to simplify my financial life. I also moved on to better reward program cards, like the Chase Freedom, with 1-5% cash back.
Recently, I “churned” two American Express cards for over 125,000 Delta Skymiles, allowing me to buy two round trip tickets across the country to Miami for $20. Both of the cards I applied for carry annual fees, which are waived for the first year. I am always willing to test out a credit card for free for a year and determine if it meets my needs. If not, I have no problem about cancelling it before the annual fee is charged.
While on a TDY recently, a buddy of mine mentioned that he had the American Express Platinum card that comes with a $495 annual fee. While he does get access to some airport lounges and $200 of airline fees reimbursed annual, the rewards program is weak and the other benefits don’t seem to justify an insanely high annual fee.
However, he mentioned to me that he wasn’t paying any annual fee because AMEX had waived the fee under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, a law Congress passed 10 years ago in 2003. The SCRA has a long history dating back to the Civil War and it protects servicemembers’ from many legal and financial troubles that they could encounter while serving their nation both at home and overseas.
The SCRA has several sections covering taxes, lawsuits, and outstanding debt. Credit card companies are only legally required to keep your interest rate below 6% on any outstanding debt you have with them BEFORE you enter military service.
I had never heard of a credit card company waiving fees because of the SCRA so I had to investigate further. Plus I had recently become a cardholder (again) at AMEX and I would definitely remain a cardholder for much longer if I knew I wouldn’t have to pay annual fees. 
American Express Goes Above and Beyond
What I found was that yes, indeed, American Express waives annual membership fees for active duty military service personnel. AMEX decided that they are going to be a true class act and go beyond their legal requirements. For the duration of your active duty military service, they will waive the following fees:
- Annual membership fees ($200 savings for my two cards)
- Overlimit fees
- Late Payment fees
- Returned Payment fees
- Statement Copy Request fees
Here’s the email I received from AMEX once my active duty status had been verified:
Dear Spencer To support the men and women who serve in the United States Armed Forces, we are handling your account referenced above in accordance with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act provides for a maximum annual interest rate of 6% per year on loans you received before starting active military duty. As of today, your account does not have a balance owed which generates interest charges so there is no eligible balance. However, we have waived the following fees on the account for the duration of your active military duty:
- Annual Membership fees
- Overlimit fees
- Late Payment fees
- Returned Payment fees
- Statement Copy Request fees
This completes our review of this account, if there are any additional accounts you would like reviewed for Servicemembers Civil Relief Act benefits, please call us at 1-800-253-1720. If you’re outside the United States, call us collect at 1-336-393-1111.
We are grateful for the service and devotion you have shown to our country.
Sincerely, American Express Customer Care
How to Get AMEX Military Discount
To have AMEX handle your account in accordance with the SCRA, simply call the number on the back of your card or 1-800-528-4800 and tell them you are serving on active duty military and had heard that AMEX offers to handle your account in accordance with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
UPDATE December 2016: American Express now offers an easy to use online tool to request your SCRA military benefits. You can find it here.
The first customer service representative I spoke to didn’t know about the program and had to ask her supervisor. You’ll be asked 5-10 questions about your situation, such as when you entered active duty and how long your commitment is.
This information is then verified by AMEX before they approve your account for the fee waivers. The entire process took about 6 weeks for me, from phone call to receiving the secure message that my account had been approved.
AMEX SCRA Success Stories
Brian from the Army sent me this email on Christmas Eve, 2013:
Wanted to thank you for your posts about American Express’s unique support for SCRA. I called AMEX last month (Nov ’13) and applied to have my account associated with the program. Last week I received $2500 in returned fees (annual fees, interest charges, etc…), all paid to AMEX over the last 10 years as a Delta AMEX card member. Today I just applied for the AMEX Blue Preferred Card and according to customer service, the annual fee is waived. Thank you again for sharing and for the support you’ve provided to all Servicemen.
So awesome to hear, Brian! There are some other tales of success in the comments. Anyone else had a massive refund payday like Brian?
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