USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum Credit Card review: For military members consolidating debt
Editor's Note
Must be a USAA® member, or become a member, to apply. USAA proudly offers membership to current and former military, as well as their spouses and dependents.
USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum Credit Card overview
The USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card is a decent option for current and former military members, plus their spouses and dependents, who want to consolidate their high-interest debt. It doesn't offer much value to the average cardholder outside of that. Card rating*: ⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
With no annual fee, a recommended credit score of 670 or above and a generous 15-month introductory period of 0% annual percentage rate on balance transfers (followed by a variable interest rate as low as 11.40% or as high as 25.40%, see rates and fees), this card can offer some value for military members and their families.
But with no welcome offer or rewards earnings to speak of, it's a tough sell if you're not looking to get yourself out of debt via balance transfers. Additionally, you must be a USAA member or become a member to apply. Keep reading to learn more about the USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card.
USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum credit card pros and cons
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USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum Credit Card welcome offer
While it doesn't offer a traditional welcome bonus, the USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card does come with an introductory 0% APR on balance transfers and convenience checks for the first 15 months of card ownership.
The balance transfers or convenience checks need to be posted in the first 90 days from account opening. You'll be charged a 5% balance transfer fee.
After that, you'll have a variable interest rate of 11.40% to 25.40%, depending on your credit history.
Related: Cash back vs. travel rewards: How to choose a credit card
USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum Credit Card benefits
The USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card provides standard travel and shopping protections — such as travel accident insurance and extended warranty protection on U.S. manufacturers' warranties — plus no foreign transaction fees.
However, this no-annual-fee offering does not offer any premium benefits. That said, travel protections and no foreign transaction fee are nice features for a card with no annual fee.
Related: Should you get travel insurance if you have credit card protection?
Earning rewards on the USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum Credit Card
The USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card doesn't earn any rewards when you spend with the card, meaning its ideal use case is paying off debt on other cards via balance transfers.
Therefore, we don't recommend making purchases directly with the USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card. Instead, use the card to transfer balances from other issuers (in this case, issuers other than USAA) to pay off your debt with 0% APR for the first 15 months. After that, you'll have a variable interest rate of 11.40% to 25.40%.
Related: How to do a balance transfer
Which cards compete with the USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum Credit Card?
Several balance transfer cards on the market provide more value to the average cardholder than the USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card.
- If you want the best all-around balance transfer card: The Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees) has a long introductory APR period for balance transfers, along with a solid cash-back earning rate. You'll get an introductory 0% APR for 18 months, then a variable APR between 18.24% and 28.24% based on your creditworthiness. It's best for those who don't want to sacrifice cash-back earnings because they're consolidating their debt. To learn more, read our full review of the Citi Double Cash.
- If you want lucrative earning rates: The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market, with the added bonus of the ability to execute balance transfers within the first 60 days of account opening. You'll get an excellent return across various bonus categories. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. To learn more, read our full review of the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express.
- If you want to earn transferable miles: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns at least 2 miles per dollar on all purchases. If you want to earn a transferable rewards currency, the Venture Rewards is the right pick. The card comes with a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit to help ease your travel experience. To learn more, read our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards.
For additional options, check out our full list of the best balance transfer credit cards.
Related: Why the Citi Double Cash will always have a place in my wallet
Is the USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum Credit Card worth it?
While the USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card can be a suitable choice for military members, their spouses and dependents aiming to consolidate high-interest debt, it may not offer significant benefits for the average cardholder beyond that specific purpose. There are several other balance transfer cards worth applying for that also have no annual fee — or, if you're up for it, there are cards like the Blue Cash Preferred that can offer plenty of value with a low annual fee attached (see rates and fees).
Bottom line
Unless you're a member of the military (or a family member of someone who serves) who has lots of outstanding credit card debt, the USAA Rate Advantage Credit Card likely won't be a fit for your wallet. Even if you are, there are plenty of other options for consolidating debt that can also earn you valuable rewards in the process. I believe there are better options out there.
Apply here: USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum Credit Card
For rates and fees of the USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Blue Cash Preferred, click here.