Going to some far off destination and seeing new cultures is one of life’s great joys. But the physical act of getting to your destination is often a test of your patience and sanity. From flight delays to long lines to oversold flights, airports are filled with inconveniences for travelers. And while there is little you can do to make the airport experience less unpleasant, there is a way to fight back when the inevitable happens: trip delay insurance.
This indispensable tool will, in the right circumstances, save you hundreds of dollars and could mean the difference between being stuck in an airport for a flight delay or being able to wait it out in the comfort of a hotel. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about trip delay insurance, how it works, how to know if your credit card offers it and how it can help you.
What Is Credit Card Trip Delay Insurance?
Trip delay insurance will reimburse any eligible expenses you incur as a result of your trip being delayed. This can be an essential tool for one simple reason: If you travel enough, you are more than likely to experience a delay. A flight could be late causing you to miss a transfer, long airport security lines could result in not making it to the gate for your flight on time or a railway strike could mean your train isn’t running. There are innumerable ways your travel plans can be derailed—if you’ll excuse the pun—but no matter the reason, if your travel plans are stalled your insurance will be there to refund your additional costs.
How Does Credit Card Trip Delay Insurance Work?
Many credit card issuers offer some version of trip delay insurance. There are some variations across different issuers, but a few things are consistent. If you make a travel purchase with your credit card and are delayed more than a certain amount of time, you are eligible to have expenses incurred as a result of this delay refunded, up to a set amount. This could be for a hotel, food or anything that could reasonably be called a necessary expense during the time you are stalled. There are restrictions which vary by issuer, but in general, you can expect to have your travel delay expenses refunded, usually within 90 days.
What To Do If You Need to Make a Credit Card Trip Delay Claim
If you are delayed, your first step is to collect the necessary documentation to make your claim. Virtually all travel delay insurance claims will require an itemized list of expenses, so remember to save any receipts from your delay, as well as the receipt for your delayed travel, such as your plane or other transportation ticket, showing that it was purchased with the credit card you are filing a claim with.
Most important, you’ll need proof of delay from whatever company you are traveling with. Most airlines will provide this in the form of an email informing you of updated travel times. But in case you are not provided with this, be sure to contact the airline, or train line, bus company, etc. to get written proof including the reason for the delay. Also, while most issuers will give you a window to make your claim, usually around 30 days, it’s better to get the process started sooner rather than later. The sooner you make your claim, the sooner you get your money back.
Once you have your info collected, you have a few options. First, you can contact your credit card issuer by calling the number on the back of your card. When you call, you will be directed to the proper department to make your claim, at which point you will have to provide all necessary documentation. They will send you a claim form, which you will fill out and return. Once this is received and approved, your claim will be processed.
Alternatively, you can file your claim online. The process will be largely the same, except done through your issuer’s website. This is typically the better option, as processing times are significantly faster and you don’t have to deal with long hold times and automated voice prompts.
Differences in Trip Delay Insurance Among Issuers
As mentioned above, there are slight differences between the insurance programs of different issuers. Below are a few of the major variations:
American Express
Amex has a number of credit cards offering trip delay insurance. Depending on the card, the exact terms of your insurance policy vary. For example:
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: “If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 6 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased with your same Eligible Card, up to $500 per trip, maximum 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.” Terms apply.¹
- The American Express® Gold Card: Coverage is provided that reimburses an Eligible Traveler for reasonable additional expenses (including but not limited to meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and other personal use items) incurred for a Covered Trip that is delayed more than twelve (12) hours, if the Covered Trip delay is caused by a Covered Loss. $300 per Covered Trip; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.²
- The American Express® Green Card*: The delay must be 12 hours or greater, and you can be refunded up to $300 per trip.
- The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 6 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased on the same Eligible Card, up to $500 per trip, maximum 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Terms apply.¹
- The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express*: Coverage is provided that reimburses an Eligible Traveler for reasonable additional expenses (including but not limited to meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and other personal use items) incurred for a Covered Trip that is delayed more than six (6) hours, if the Covered Trip delay is caused by a Covered Loss. $500 per Covered Trip; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.
- The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 6 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased with your same Eligible Card, up to $500 per trip, maximum 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Terms apply.¹
Best practice is to review your card’s specific terms and conditions to see what rules apply to your card.
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Bank of America
Some, but not all, Bank of America cards offer trip delay insurance. For example:
- The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card: Provides up to $500 per ticket purchased for you and your eligible family members for reasonable expenses if a covered trip is delayed (due to a covered hazard) for more than 12 hours.
- The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite credit card*: Provides coverage up to $500 per ticket purchased for you and eligible family members, for reasonable expenses incurred when a trip is delayed (due to a covered hazard) for more than 6 hours or requires an overnight stay.
Again, best practice is to check your specific card’s terms and conditions to verify what policy applies to you.
Capital One
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Trip Delay Reimbursement covers up to a maximum of $500.00 for each purchased ticket, for reasonable additional expenses incurred when a covered trip you purchased with Your eligible account and/or rewards program associated with your covered account is delayed for more than six hours or requires an overnight stay. The benefit is limited to one claim per covered trip. To be eligible for this coverage, you need to purchase either a portion or the entire cost of your common carrier fare using your account.³
Chase
Some Chase cards, independent of any Visa or Mastercard benefits, offer trip delay insurance. These include:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card*: If your common carrier travel is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®*: If your common carrier travel is delayed more than six hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card* & Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card*: If your common carrier travel is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.
- United℠ Explorer Card, United℠ Business Card, United Club℠ Infinite Card & United Quest℠ Card: If your common carrier travel is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.
- The World of Hyatt Credit Card: If your common carrier travel is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.
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Discover
Currently, Discover does not offer travel insurance. They do offer flight accident insurance, but this benefit is much more niche and not all Discover cards offer this perk. Frankly, this perk is far less useful than delay insurance, and if you have to use it, you have much bigger problems than a missed flight.
Mastercard
Mastercard doesn’t have a standardized delay insurance policy like Visa, but some World Elite Mastercards do offer it through the individual issuing bank. Check your card’s terms and service to see what policies apply to your card.
U.S. Bank
- U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card*: Trip Delay Reimbursement covers up to a maximum of $500 for each purchased ticket, for reasonable additional expenses incurred when a covered trip you purchased with your eligible account and/or rewards program associated with your covered account is delayed for more than six hours or requires an overnight stay. The benefit is limited to one claim per covered trip.
Visa
Visa offers trip delay insurance to all Infinite cardholders, which covers a wide array of credit cards from a number of issuers. Visa’s policy states that, so long as conditions are met, you will receive a: “One-time per ticket/trip coverage that will reimburse you for reasonable additional expenses incurred when a trip you’ve purchased entirely with your eligible Visa Infinite card is delayed for more than six hours or requires an overnight stay. The benefit covers up to a maximum of $500.00 per ticket”. The coverage includes your spouse and children under 22, so keep that in mind if traveling with older people. It should also be noted that this coverage will not apply if you were notified of the delay prior to your scheduled travel time.
What To Do After Making Your Credit Card Trip Delay Claim
Truthfully, there’s not much to do once your claim is filed, other than waiting for it to be processed. If you wish, you can call your issuer to inquire about your refund status, but this is known to have mixed results. In general, most refunds are processed within 90 days. If three months have passed and you have not received your refund, reach out to your issuer. Be polite but persistent, and know that as long as your documentation is in order, your refund will come eventually.
Bottom Line
Travel delays are never fun, but if you have delay insurance, it can turn an otherwise unpleasant situation into an unexpected mini vacation. Stuck overnight in a random city? With a credit card that has trip delay insurance you get comfortable in a hotel room and order up some room service, and know you’ll be reimbursed by your credit card company. That might make your unexpected detour a little less unpleasant.
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¹Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
²Up to $300 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 12 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
³For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
