I've posted many times about a couple of credit cards I had that survived for many years without being swiped. My theory was they were with lenders where I also had deposit accounts and long-term membership, which I suspected insulated them from quick closure. One was with USAA, where I just celebrated over 40 years of membership.
My current USAA credit card (Rate Advantage Visa: $35K) was issued in 2013 during separation of finances during a divorce. USAA would not allow either of us to keep the joint account, which was my oldest current account at the time dating to 1988. I reapplied and was approved for the Rate Advantage at what was by-far my largest SL of $35K and probably my largest limit at that time. However, I was carrying some debts, my income was lower, and FICO was lower so I did not get the best APR. I used the card some but I believe it's been over five years since I last swiped it as I replaced it with better cards and other high limits. I had numerous other cards with lower APRs including several with rewards, so it was essentially obsolete except for the lender diversity and high CL. My long term plan was to close it.
USAA had sent me a letter in January that I accidentally overlooked, which stated that they would close the card if not used in 60 days. I discovered the card not visible in my accounts summary and called, where I learned what had happened. They could not reverse it. Later, I found that letter and it stated that their policy was (THREE YEARS) of dormancy, although in my case they allowed it go longer. This might be a new dormant account policy but it's the first time I've seen anything quantified from them regarding dormancy.
I have mixed feelings about the closure, but I don't blame them for closing it. Perhaps they did me a favor since my long-term plan was to close it anyway. My low-rate card now is my AOD FCU Visa Signature ($25K), which has a FIXED 7.49% APR. That fixed APR has been a blessing in these days of hiked interest rates, if I were to need it. My NFCU Platinum Visa ($50K) is my second-lowest APR card at 10.24%. Plus, I have BT offers on several cards if needed with low APRs and/or BT fees. I still have USAA insurance and banking accounts and might reapply for another credit card at some point. Right now, they don't have anything that I particularly need or want.
I just thought I would pass along my experience for data points others might appreciate.
Have a CU card with "No" use for over 20 years.
Yes it is now over 30 years old.
For safety because of the MyFico Forum and new found knowledge,
it now get's $10 every 3-4 months.
Don't want to take the chance 
@Kforce wrote:Have a CU card with "No" use for over 20 years.
Yes it is now over 30 years old.
For safety because of the MyFico Forum and new found knowledge,
it now get's $10 every 3-4 months.
Don't want to take the chance
If this had been one of my oldest accounts, I probably would have given it the "maintenance charge" treatment. In general, while I don't quickly close cards that I'm not using, I also dislike doing "life support" on cards that aren't useful any longer. My four oldest cards have all been product-changed into more useful variants but I've also closed many over the years. This card just wasn't going to be a keeper. USAA will not adjust variable APR increment once a card is approved; it will just go up/down with the prime rate. And the "low-rate" was what it was supposed to be all about! No product changes with USAA either. No credit limit consolidation if I had wanted to apply for a new card. Hard pulls for any additional credit limit increases. And no rewards or special BT offers to make it more valuable.
I wouldn't be surprised if the current economic climate was partly behind the dormant account closure.
I just checked and my old USAA card was closed October 2013; last reported July 2014; and is still showing up on my reports as a closed account from 34 years; 9 months ago. I'm hoping they may allow it to continue to report beyond the 10 year point. I also had other older cards that were also closed a long time ago, but in 2013, this was my oldest account by five years over my 1993 Discover card.
@Aim_High wrote:
@Kforce wrote:Have a CU card with "No" use for over 20 years.
Yes it is now over 30 years old.
For safety because of the MyFico Forum and new found knowledge,
it now get's $10 every 3-4 months.
Don't want to take the chance
If this had been one of my oldest accounts, I probably would have given it the "maintenance charge" treatment. In general, while I don't quickly close cards that I'm not using, I also dislike doing "life support" on cards that aren't useful any longer. My four oldest cards have all been product-changed into more useful variants but I've also closed many over the years. This card just wasn't going to be a keeper. USAA will not adjust variable APR increment once a card is approved; it will just go up/down with the prime rate. And the "low-rate" was what it was supposed to be all about! No product changes with USAA either. No credit limit consolidation if I had wanted to apply for a new card. Hard pulls for any additional credit limit increases. And no rewards or special BT offers to make it more valuable.
I wouldn't be surprised if the current economic climate was partly behind the dormant account closure.
I just checked and my old USAA card was closed October 2013; last reported July 2014; and is still showing up on my reports as a closed account from 34 years; 9 months ago. I'm hoping they may allow it to continue to report beyond the 10 year point. I also had other older cards that were also closed a long time ago, but in 2013, this was my oldest account by five years over my 1993 Discover card.
This CU card fall's into the Low Apr, No BT Fee, No Cash Advance Fee, Category.
My only card with those attributes
Have never use it for it's benefits, however "You never Know"
Have thought about closing it, just can't do it. 
@Aim_High wrote:Perhaps they did me a favor since my long-term plan was to close it anyway.
I just thought I would pass along my experience for data points others might appreciate.
One less thing to worry about. They did it for you. Thanks for the DP's.
@Aim_High wrote:
@Kforce wrote:Have a CU card with "No" use for over 20 years.
Yes it is now over 30 years old.
For safety because of the MyFico Forum and new found knowledge,
it now get's $10 every 3-4 months.
Don't want to take the chance
If this had been one of my oldest accounts, I probably would have given it the "maintenance charge" treatment. In general, while I don't quickly close cards that I'm not using, I also dislike doing "life support" on cards that aren't useful any longer. My four oldest cards have all been product-changed into more useful variants but I've also closed many over the years. This card just wasn't going to be a keeper. USAA will not adjust variable APR increment once a card is approved; it will just go up/down with the prime rate. And the "low-rate" was what it was supposed to be all about! No product changes with USAA either. No credit limit consolidation if I had wanted to apply for a new card. Hard pulls for any additional credit limit increases. And no rewards or special BT offers to make it more valuable.
I wouldn't be surprised if the current economic climate was partly behind the dormant account closure.
I just checked and my old USAA card was closed October 2013; last reported July 2014; and is still showing up on my reports as a closed account from 34 years; 9 months ago. I'm hoping they may allow it to continue to report beyond the 10 year point. I also had other older cards that were also closed a long time ago, but in 2013, this was my oldest account by five years over my 1993 Discover card.
I got an offer via email, of 0% APR on purchases for nine months on my rate advantage card last month.
@Adkins wrote:
@Aim_High wrote:... And no rewards or special BT offers to make it more valuable.
I got an offer via email, of 0% APR on purchases for nine months on my rate advantage card last month.
Thanks for adding that data point, @Adkins. Interesting, as if I got a BT offer from them, it's been quite awhile. Some of my lenders such as Discover or Capital One have almost continuously kept special BT offers on their websites for me (either 0% APR and/or reduced BT fees) but I don't recall USAA ever doing that either for me. Navy Federal just emailed me a special BT offer with their standard no BT fee and 2.99% APR for 18 months.
Perhaps there were diferences in our usage for either purchases or previous BTs. I never used my Rate Advantage card for a BT and my usage for purchases was not recent or large.
I charge the Sunday paper to it, and PIF (sometimes after the statement cuts, but usually before). I used to use it heavily when I started rebuilding but it's outlived it's usefulness as other than padding now.