Flight Delayed? Your Credit Card Might Help!


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Knowing which credit card you used to book your flight is huge! Yesterday and overnight the East Coast got hit with a pretty big snowstorm and thousands of flights were cancelled for both Thursday and Friday. Many credit cards offer trip delay insurance and you might actually be able to collect on some lodging and good expenses you incurred due to your flight being delayed. So here are some of the major credit cards and their trip delay insurance policies.

If you booked with a Chase credit card.

With the following Chase cards if you are delayed for 12 or more hours, or require overnight accommodations, you’ll get reimbursed up to $300 per ticket for lodging and meals. You must, however, provide receipts when making your claim.

  • Marriott Rewards
  • Ritz Carlton Rewards
  • Hyatt Visa
  • Sapphire Preferred
  • Sapphire
  • Ink Bold
  • Ink Plus
  • Ink Cash
  • Ink Classic
  • United MileagePlus

If you booked with an American Express credit card.

I think many times people automatically think of American Express when helping them out of a bind, but they do not offer any free insurance. American Express does give you trip delay reimbursement, but you must have purchased this add-on option for $9.95/person when you purchased your ticket with an already enrolled card. You can learn more about this here. If enrolled and the add-on option is purchased, you’ll receive up to $500 in coverage for hotel and restaurant expenses. You must be delayed at least four hours.

If you booked with a Discover credit card.

You get $150/day for food and hotel expenses if your trip is delayed over six hours (up to three days max).

If you charge a delayed flight on a Discover Escape, you’re eligible for up to $150 per day of food and hotel expenses for a scheduled trip on a common carrier delayed over six hours.

 

To learn more about many of these credit cards listed above, check out this page. I have many of the cards listed out, including full blog posts on the perks, sign up bonus, benefits, etc.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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Chanel @ La Viajera Morena

Wow thanks so much! This post is incredibly helpful as I am currently delayed a couple of hours (so far) in El Salvador bound for Newark!

KJ
KJ
10 years ago

Hi,

A very appropriate topic covered today.

Do you know how the coverage from credit cards kicks in if you have a ticket which was on miles? but the taxes were paid from 1 of the chase cards.

Thanks.

dealswelike
dealswelike
10 years ago
Reply to  KJ

@KJ – If taxes were paid with card then you are good with Chase.

David
David
10 years ago

How would this work if on an award ticket, while paying the taxes and fees with Chase/AMEX card?
Thanks

dealswelike
dealswelike
10 years ago
Reply to  David

@David – I know that with Chase if you pay the taxes then you are still covered. Not sure about Amex, but let me find out.

dealswelike
dealswelike
10 years ago
Reply to  David

@David – With Chase you are covered. Amex recently altered their trip delay insurance plan, so I need to do some research on this.

David
David
10 years ago

What’s the rules for collecting on this? Must charge airline fees, and then all hotel/rest charges?

Award tickets that have tax charges?

dealswelike
dealswelike
10 years ago
Reply to  David

@David – Not sure what you mean “Must charge airline fees, and then all hotel/rest charges?”

With Chase, if you paid the taxes on the cards that have this insurance then you are still covered with an award ticket.

Ms. M
Ms. M
10 years ago

Any information on coverage (or lack thereof) for Barclay’s cards?

dealswelike
dealswelike
10 years ago
Reply to  Ms. M

@Ms. M – Barclay cards do not offer trip delay insurance.

Guy
Guy
10 years ago

Very useful and timely post. Thanks for the info!

Miles
Miles
10 years ago

What about Citi cards?

dealswelike
dealswelike
10 years ago
Reply to  Miles

@miles – not covered

Andy
Andy
10 years ago

Barclay Arrival Master Card? US Airways Visa Card? Citi AAdvantage Visa and Master Cards?

dealswelike
dealswelike
10 years ago
Reply to  Andy

@Andy – None of these cards offer trip delay insurance.

colleen
colleen
10 years ago

I can’t imagine that the blogger hasn’t given any more input to all these followers with questions. WTF?

You should not maintain a public blog. Just sayin’.

Just post ’em and walk away, hoping for the CC sign-ups. That’s how it looks.

dealswelike
dealswelike
10 years ago
Reply to  colleen

@colleen – Hi Colleen, just saw this and definitely wanted to address your concern. I am sorry to disappoint you as I know you’ve commented a bunch in the past and seem to be a loyal reader. This post actually has no credit card links, so I am not sure why it looks that way to you. Not one single link. None of my posts actually are intended for more credit card sign ups, they are all written with the intention to help my readers.

I have every intention on addressing every comment, but unfortunately the past few days did not allow for much blogging as I was away from home and needed to fully cater towards my 7 month old. While I love helping my readers, my family is my #1 priority. These comments will be addressed this week.

trackback

[…] credit cards also provide compensation when your trip experiences unusual delays. Several Chase credit cards offer $300 in reimbursement for lodging and meals if you flight is delayed for more than 12 hours. The catch is that you need […]

colleen
colleen
10 years ago

Thanks. I was just really frustrated on behalf of all these folks who were counting on you. My CC comment was only based on the fact that all your peeps were looking to you for answers; made me wonder what the blog is for if not to help all these people with questions.

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