USAA: Convenience Checks

[Anonymous]

I recently picked up my first USAA card, Rate Advantage Visa Platinum. I had a targeted offer sitting in my inbox for 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 18 months. 

After the approval I saw that the 0% also includes convenience checks with the same 3% fee as balance transfers.  It sounds like you could potentially write one to yourself and deposit it into your checking account.

I know with Discover if you have a BT 0% intro APR their direct deposit BTs are essentially 0% interest personal loans for a fixed 3% fee. (Only during the intro period, obviously.)

During their intro APR, does USAA treat their convenience checks as cash advances or similar to how Discover handles DD BTs? 

[outofcredit]

IIRC, when I first got my USAA Amex Plus I received the convenience checks also.  In the terms associated with my card it stated that I could do a no fee transfer directly into my USAA checking account of up to 90% of the credit limit.  I never transfered that much but when I did do modest transfers the funds were instantly available in my account and never were assessed transfer fees and the APR was the same as my purchase rate.  Check the terms and conditions of your card or give them a call, you may be able to do the same without incurring BT fees.  Even if you transfer funds into your USAA checking and then pay another lender via billpay you would avoid the fees.  YMMV.