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  1. Credit Cards
  2. USAA Rewards™ American Express®
USAA

USAA Rewards™ American Express®

Built specifically for USAA members, the USAA Rewards American Express Card delivers steady rewards on primary everyday categories like dining, groceries, and gas. It serves as a dependable zero-annual-fee option that pairs daily bonus cash back with surprisingly robust travel and purchase protections.

Welcome Offer
$25
Annual Fee
$0
Rec. Credit Score
Good
Good For
USAA members and everyday spenders
How to ApplyEstimate your value
USAA Rewards™ American Express®

All information about USAA Rewards™ American Express® has been collected independently by MaxRewards. USAA Rewards™ American Express® is no longer available through MaxRewards.

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are MaxRewards' alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

Overview

Is the USAA Rewards™ American Express® worth it?

This card is great for...

Dining and grocery purchases

Built-in travel insurance

Cell phone protection

For USAA members who want a straightforward, no-annual-fee card for daily expenses, this card easily earns a spot in a wallet. Earning 3% back on dining alongside 2% on gas and grocery purchases covers the most frequent expense categories for most households without requiring high spending thresholds or category tracking. The absence of an annual fee and zero foreign transaction fees make it an easy, low-risk card to keep long term.

Where this card truly stands out among no-fee options is its suite of embedded protections, including cell phone insurance, trip cancellation coverage, and extended warranty benefits. While dedicated cash-back cardholders might find higher flat-rate earning potential elsewhere for non-category purchases, the combination of practical everyday rewards and comprehensive insurance coverage provides strong overall value for eligible military families.

MaxRewards

MaxRewards Verdict

This card is a compelling, no-fee choice for USAA members seeking reliable rewards on dining and gas paired with strong travel and shopping protections. Its main tradeoff is a standard 1% base rate on all non-category spending.

Welcome Offer

$25

after you spend $1 on purchases on your new card in your first 1 months of card membership.

Est. Value

$25

Required Spend

$1

Time Frame

1 Month

Est. Value

$25

Required Spend

$1

Time Frame

1 Month

Earning

Rewards

Earning rewards is simple, focusing on the everyday categories where most household budgets go.

CategoryRate

Dining

3%

Gas

2%

Grocery

2%

Everywhere

1%

Benefits

Other

Extended Warranty Protection

Extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty on items purchased with your card. Get up to an additional year of coverage. With this protection, you can extend an original manufacturer's warranty of three years or less, up to one additional year. Plus, no more hunting through your file drawers for warranties and receipts. Simply register your products to keep your information handy.


Cell Phone Protection

When you charge your monthly cell phone bill to your USAA credit card, you can be reimbursed up to $500, in the event your eligible cell phone is stolen or damaged. This benefit is available if you are a valid cardholder of an eligible U.S. issued card enrolled in the Cellular Telephone Protection benefit and you charge your monthly cellular wireless phone bills to your eligible card for the billing cycle before the month in which the incident occurs.


Purchase Security

Safeguard your new item against theft or damage for the first 90 days from the date of purchase with Purchase Security available when you pay with your eligible account. Purchase Security protects new retail purchases made with your eligible credit card and/or rewards program associated with your covered credit card within the first 90 days from the date of purchase. This benefit replaces, repairs, or reimburses you up to $1,000 per claim and $10,000 per cardholder in the event of theft or damage.


Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver

Save money by saying no at the counter – reserve and pay for your rental car with your covered USAA credit card and get built-in auto rental coverage worldwide on rental periods up to 31 days. In your country of residence, this coverage is secondary to any other insurance or coverage available to you. When you use your USAA credit card to rent a vehicle, you’ll get built-in Auto Rental Coverage. You’re covered for physical damage, theft, reasonable and customary towing and loss-of-use charges. Decline the collision damage waiver coverage offered by the rental agency and make sure your name is listed as the primary renter on the auto rental contract. Any additional drivers must also be listed on the auto rental agreement.


Trip Cancellation and Interruption

You’re covered for up to $1,500 per covered person, for non-refundable prepaid passenger fare, when your travel is interrupted or canceled. This coverage is available when you buy your ticket with your card. If your travel is canceled or interrupted, you may be reimbursed for your non-refundable prepaid passenger fare. The cancellation must be due to a covered reason, such as an illness or accident affecting you or another family member that prevents you from traveling, or a change in military orders.

Eligibility

Recommended Minimum Credit

Min: Good
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent

Good credit or higher is recommended for this card.

Credit approval is not guaranteed. Meeting the recommended credit range does not ensure approval, and applicants with lower scores may still be considered.

Pricing

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee

$0

Purchase APR

15.15% - 29.15%

Variable

Transfer APR

15.15% - 29.15%

Variable

Cash Advance APR

29.15%

Variable

Foreign Transaction Fee

None

Balance Transfer

$0.05

Cash Advance

$0.05

Late Payment

$35

Return Payment

$35

For rates and fees of USAA Rewards™ American Express®, please visit the USAA website.

Table of Contents

USAA Rewards™ American Express®

USAA Rewards™ American Express®

How to Apply

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are MaxRewards' alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

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50,000 Points

Worth $500

After you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new card in your first 3 months of card membership.

  • 3%3%Travel
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Annual Fee

$95

Rec. Credit

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Cashback Rewards Plus American Express®Cashback Rewards Plus American Express®

$200

After you spend $1,000 on purchases on your new card in your first 3 months of card membership.

  • 3%5%Gas
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Annual Fee

$0

Rec. Credit

Good

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Eagle Adapt™Eagle Adapt™

$200

After you spend $1,000 on purchases on your new card in your first 3 months of card membership.

  • 3%1%Everywhere

Annual Fee

$0

Rec. Credit

Good

View card details