USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card Review

MoneyGeek partners with leading industry experts and advertisers to help you get to your financial happy place. Our content is accurate when posted but offers may change over time. We may receive compensation for partner advertisements, but our editorial team independently reviews and ranks products. Learn more about our editorial policies.

USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card

Rates & Fees

REVIEW & APPLY

On Issuer's Site

Balance Transfer Offer

0% Introductory APR through your February 2026 bil...

APR

12.15% – 26.15% variable

Annual Fee

Recommended Credit

670-850 (Good to Excellent)

PROS
- No annual fees
- Intro APR offer on balance transfers for the first 15 months
- Those with excellent credit might get low APRs
- No foreign transaction fees
- Purchase and travel protection
CONS
- No rewards or cash back
- Balance transfer fees
- No annual or foreign transaction fees
- 0% APR offer on balance transfers and convenience checks for the first 15 months,then a variable APR of 12.15% – 26.15% variable after that
- 0% APR offer applies to transfers and checks that post to your account in the first 90 days
- 3% balance transfer fee
- No penalty APR
- Applicants with excellent credit may qualify for low standard APRs
- Complimentary auto rental coverage, travel accident insurance, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, and baggage delay and reimbursement
- Zero liability provides a safeguard against unauthorized transactions
- Extended warranty
- Access to a concierge service

WHY TRUST OUR REVIEWS

MoneyGeek’s methodology and review process helps us determine the best credit cards for different profiles based on card fees, interest rates, rewards, benefits and more. We follow a comprehensive six-step process that involves collecting credit card information, standardizing data point weights, establishing the cards' values and ranks for different categories, and reviewing data and rankings, among other key rating factors.

If you have a military background and need a card with low fees, the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card is one of the best options available. With no annual fees, no foreign transaction fees and low APR rates, this credit card is ideal if you want a low-rate card. The 0% intro APR for 15 months offer can also help you pay off purchases without incurring any interest charges. However, this is not a card that earns rewards.

MoneyGeek broke down all the card’s features and pros and cons in our USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card review.

USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card Overview

Quick Take

No annual or foreign transaction fees
0% APR offer on balance transfers and convenience checks for the first 15 months,then a variable APR of 11.90% – 28.90% variable after that
0% APR offer applies to transfers and checks that post to your account in the first 90 days
3% balance transfer fee
No penalty APR
Applicants with excellent credit may qualify for low standard APRs
Complimentary auto rental coverage, travel accident insurance, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, and baggage delay and reimbursement
Zero liability provides a safeguard against unauthorized transactions
Extended warranty
Access to a concierge service

Important Card Details

Apart from interest charges, other rates and fees may apply to your USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card. Understanding these charges will help you avoid additional penalties, interest and fees that increase your credit card debt.

Regular APR

This card has a 0% introductory APR for 15 months, then a regular variable APR of 11.90% – 28.90%variable. You may qualify for even lower APR rates, if you have an excellent credit score.

Annual fee

You will not pay any annual fees for the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card.

Cash advance fee

The cash advance fee for the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card is 3% of the amount, but fees are waived if you transfer funds electronically to a USAA deposit account.

Balance transfer fee

The balance transfer fee for this card is 3% of the amount of each balance transfer.

Foreign transaction fees

You can use the card globally at no extra charge.

Penalty Fees

The penalty fee for late or returned payments is $25 for the first time and $35 for subsequent late or returned payments.

Additional Benefits

The USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card is a low-interest credit card that doesn’t offer rewards but has some of the lowest rates in the market. It also comes with the following main features:

Standard features: USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card benefits include rental car insurance, travel accident insurance, concierge services for reservations, event tickets and shopping, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, baggage delay and reimbursement, and extended warranty protection on U.S. manufacturers' warranties.
Security Features: This card comes with zero liability for unauthorized transactions. You can also access your account online or via the mobile app to report a stolen or lost card. Cardholders can set up alerts on their account and get notified in case of suspicious activity.
Customer Experience: The USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card comes with round-the-clock access to customer support via phone, live chat or mobile app. You can also conveniently manage your account and make payments online. USAA has an excellent customer service record and received the highest score among all issuers in J.D. Power’s 2021 Credit Card Satisfaction Survey.

How the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card Compares To Other Cards

One of the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card benefits is its low standard APR. Compared to others, this credit card offers one of the lowest APRs available, starting at 11.90%. This card is also relatively low on fees, with no annual or foreign transaction fees or penalty APR. However, if you have a military background and you want a low cost card that also offers rewards in different spending categories, you may be better off with the USAA Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card.

How the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card Compares

USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum

Annual fee: None
Purchase APR: **11.90% – 28.90% variable
Foreign transaction fee: None
Rewards rate: No rewards
Best for: People who want a low-rate credit card and do not need a rewards card

USAA® Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card

Annual fee: None
Purchase APR: 14.90%–30.90% (Variable)
Foreign transaction fee: None
Rewards rate: 2 points per dollar for gas and dining, 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Best for: People who want a low-cost credit card that also offers rewards in different spending categories

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average credit score needed to get approved for the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card?

The average credit score required to get approved for the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card is 670 or higher, meaning you need a good to excellent credit score to qualify for this credit card.

Does USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card report to all three credit bureaus?

Yes, USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card reports to all three credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

Is the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card application process lengthy? Can you prequalify?

The USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card application process is not lengthy and can be completed on the USAA website. You can get a decision in minutes, but the review process may take longer in some cases. You cannot check for preapproval on the USAA website.

What information is needed to apply for the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card?

To apply for USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card, you need to provide personal details, including your name, address and social security number, as well as your financial and income statements. You also need to have a military background to apply.

Does USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card have good customer service or helpful information online?

USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card has excellent customer service and emerged top among insurance companies in a 2021 J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey. You can reach customer support 24/7 and access convenient online and mobile app features to manage your account.

Does USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card have a mobile app or the option to pay or manage your account online?

USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card offers a mobile app you can use to manage your account and the option to pay or manage your account online.

Does USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card raise credit limits automatically or charge for limit increases?

USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card may automatically increase the credit limit for eligible credit card accounts following period account reviews. There are no charges for limit increases.

Does USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card offer the option to freeze your credit/account or have other security features?

The USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card has various security features, including the option to set up account alerts to get notified in case of suspicious activity. This card comes with zero liability for unauthorized transactions.

Does USAA Savings Bank offer other credit cards besides USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card?

USAA Savings Bank also offers the USAA Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card, USAA® Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature®Card, USAA® Rewards™ American Express® Card and USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card.

About Doug Milnes, CFA

Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.

Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.

Read Full Bio »

sources

Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. "Credit Card Agreement Database." Accessed November 4, 2024.
J.D. Power. "U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Survey." Accessed November 4, 2024.
USAA. "USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card." Accessed November 4, 2024.
USAA. "USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card Rates and Fees." Accessed November 4, 2024.
USAA. "USAA Rewards™ VisaSee note® Signature Credit Card." Accessed November 4, 2024.

*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.

MoneyGeek’s Take