USAA Credit Card: Should/Can I Apply?

[CalAlumnus13]

I have checking and savings accounts with USAA from when they allowed non-military people to join as partial members. I think that means I'm qualified for certain credit cards (although not the lowest-rate ones).

I'm hoping to get a card with a large credit line and a relatively-low interest rate to keep around for emergencies, and to increase my total credit lines across all of my accounts (my highest credit limits are $10k and $9.6k currently). I also like that USAA seems to usually pull Equifax. My last EQ hard pull was in May (for a Schwab brokerage account).

So: Do you think I should go for it, or is there another bank/credit union I should consider? If I should give USAA a try, which of their cards tends to give the highest limits (AMEX, World Mastercard, or Visa)?

(Oh, and my EQ score below is pretty old. In February, my TU was about 730, and my EQ and TU files are pretty similar. I expect my EQ score is 750+ at this point. My EX has 6 HPs, but my EQ has 2.)

[1GaDawg85]

go for it! probaby have the best luck with an AMEX card

[msbia]

I too say go for it! I got my first USAA WMC with a 692 EQ. My limit then was $7k and that was in 4/2014. I just got a CLI to $12k yesterday.

[CalAlumnus13]

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@msbia wrote:
I too say go for it! I got my first USAA WMC with a 692 EQ. My limit then was $7k and that was in 4/2014. I just got a CLI to $12k yesterday.

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I tried for the AMEX. Approved for $6k. :/

[msbia]

Ouch! Did they at least give you a decent rate? I don't know if USAA recons or not because it is system generated. I'm sorry that it wasn't what you were looking for but at least it wasn't a total HP waste.

[Anonymous]

I applied for the USAA AMEX Nov 2013 and was approved for only 2k CL. My scores were 692 to 704 and had a low DTI ratio. They seem to be very conservative, unlike NAVY FCU.

[CalAlumnus13]

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@msbia wrote:
Ouch! Did they at least give you a decent rate? I don't know if USAA recons or not because it is system generated. I'm sorry that it wasn't what you were looking for but at least it wasn't a total HP waste.

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12.9%. I believe that's my lowest rate, but still not great. My CSP and AMEXes are 15-ish.

Oh well. At least it was an Equifax pull (probably). Not eligible for Navy FCU, unfortunately.