amex travel insurance for hotel

Your guide to Amex's travel insurance coverage

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American Express premium credit cards offer some of the best perks in the credit card space. While lounge access and travel credits are typically the highlights of these cards, some of the lesser-known benefits, such as trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation and interruption insurance, are becoming hot topics as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the travel industry.

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As a result, many TPG readers have sent in questions about Amex's travel insurance protections. As travel restrictions change, policies and best practices will likely change as well. But this guide will walk you through which Amex credit cards have these benefits, what's currently covered and how you can file a successful claim.

Related: Best credit cards for trip cancellation and interruption insurance

Amex cards offering trip delay, cancellation or interruption insurance

Here is an overview of the Amex cards that offer trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption insurance or both:

The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card and American Express Corporate Platinum Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: The best credit cards with travel insurance

What is covered by trip cancellation and interruption insurance?

You can find the full terms and conditions of what is generally covered on your respective card in your Guide to Benefits, which can be found through your online account. I'll use the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve as an example.

Here is a rundown of the "covered losses" provided by Amex's trip cancellation and interruption insurance:

• Accidental bodily injury or loss of life or sickness of either the eligible traveler, traveling companion or a family member of the eligible traveler or traveling companion
• Inclement weather, which prevents a reasonable and prudent person from traveling or continuing on a covered trip
• The eligible traveler or his or her spouse's change in military orders
• Terrorist action or hijacking
• Call to jury duty or subpoena by the courts, either of which cannot be postponed or waived
• The eligible traveler or traveling companion's dwelling made uninhabitable
• Quarantine imposed by a physician for health reasons

Related: Book carefully if you have multiple Amex cards that offer travel protections

Amex also provides an extensive list of things that are not covered by trip cancellation/interruption insurance:

• Pre-existing conditions
• The eligible traveler's suicide, attempted suicide or intentionally self-inflicted injury
• A declared or undeclared war
• Mental or emotional disorders, unless hospitalized
• The eligible traveler's participation in a sporting activity for which he or she receives a salary or prize money
• The eligible traveler's being intoxicated at the time of an accident. Intoxication is defined by the laws of the jurisdiction where such accident occurs
• The eligible traveler being under the influence of any narcotic or other controlled substance at the time of an accident, unless the narcotic or other controlled substance is taken and used as prescribed by a Physician
• The eligible traveler's commission or attempted commission of any illegal or criminal act, including but not limited to any felony
• The eligible traveler parachuting from an aircraft
• The eligible traveler engaging or participating in a motorized vehicular race or speed contest
• Dental treatment except as a result of accidental bodily injury to sound, natural teeth
• Any non-emergency treatment or surgery, routine physical examinations
• Hearing aids, eyeglasses or contact lenses
• One-way travel that does not have a return destination
• A counterfeit scheduled airline or train ticket; or a scheduled airline or train ticket which is charged to a fraudulently issued or fraudulently used eligible card.
• Any occurrence while the eligible traveler is incarcerated
• Loss due to intentional acts by the eligible traveler
• Financial insolvency of a travel agency, tour operator or travel supplier
• Any expenses that are not authorized and reimbursable by the eligible traveler's employer if the eligible traveler makes the purchases with a commercial card

If you do find yourself canceling or cutting a covered trip short, here are the basic guidelines provided by Amex on what types of expenses are covered for trip cancellation/interruption:

"If a Covered Loss causes an Eligible Traveler's Trip Interruption, we will reimburse you for the nonrefundable amount paid to a Travel Supplier with your Eligible Card for the following: 1. The forfeited, non-refundable, pre-paid land, air and sea transportation arrangements that were missed; and 2. Additional transportation expenses that the Eligible Traveler incurs less any available refunds, not to exceed the cost of an economy-class air ticket by the most direct route for the Eligible Traveler to rejoin his or her places of origin.

If a Covered Loss causes an Eligible Traveler to temporarily postpone transportation by Common Carrier for a Covered Trip and a new departure date is set, we will reimburse you for the following: 1. The additional expenses incurred to purchase tickets for the new departure (not to exceed the difference between the original fare and the economy fare for the rescheduled Covered Trip by the most direct route); and 2. The unused, non-refundable land, air, and sea arrangements paid to a Travel Supplier with your Eligible Card."

What is covered by trip delay insurance?

Trip delay coverage provides reimbursement for reasonable additional expenses incurred when your trip is delayed due to a covered hazard for more than six hours.

Coverage is limited to $500 per trip and cardmembers are only eligible for two claims each 12 consecutive month period.

Amex outlines what is not covered, which includes the following:

• Covered losses that are made public or known to the eligible traveler prior to the departure for the covered trip
• An eligible traveler's expenses paid prior to the covered trip

Filing a claim

When you have a delay or trip cancellation/interruption that you think qualifies for coverage, you can file a claim by calling Amex at 1-844-933-0648 within 60 days of the covered loss.

Trip delay reimbursement requires the following documentation:

• Proof of loss – You must furnish written proof of loss to Amex within 180 days after the date of your loss
• Receipts - Acceptable documentation includes the following:
• A statement from the common carrier that the covered trip was delayed
• Charge receipt
• Copies of common carrier ticket(s)
• Receipts for travel expenses

Trip cancellation/interruption insurance requires slightly different documentation.

• Proof of loss – You must furnish written proof of loss to Amex within 180 days after the date of your loss. Acceptable documentation includes:
• Court subpoenas, orders to report for active duty, physician orders, etc.
• Copies of your common carrier tickets and travel supplier receipt
• Your eligible card billing statement showing the charges for the covered trip
• Copy of travel supplier's cancelation policy

After Amex receives notice of your claim, instructions will be sent on how to send the proof. Typically, you have up to 180 days to file a claim after a delay or cancellation.

Proof of flight delay or cancellation

One of the documents required to file for trip delay reimbursement is a verification form that outlines the reason for the delay or cancellation by the carrier. You can typically get this at the airport when the delay or cancellation is announced, but keep in mind that it may require a supervisor. Each U.S. major airline also has a process for requesting this information after the fact.

Here is an overview of the process that major U.S. airlines require for you to receive a delay or cancellation verification form:

Amex cards that offer car rental insurance

Unfortunately, no American Express credit cards offer primary car rental coverage, although most offer secondary coverage. You can see the entire list of cards that offer secondary car rental protection on the American Express website . However, all American Express credit cards offer an optional "Premium Car Rental Protection policy" that can be added to rentals made using the card for a small fee.

Read our guide on when to use American Express' Premium Car Rental Protection for more details on this coverage option.

You can add Premium Car Rental Protection to any American Express card . TPG has a guide of the best American Express cards , but here are some of the best cards in terms of the return you could receive when renting a car. Note, the estimated return rate for these cards is based on TPG's latest valuations:

• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: $450 annual fee (see rates and fees); 4.2% return on car rentals booked directly from car rental companies; no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: $0 annual fee (see rates and fees); 4% return on general spending on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year and 1x thereafter; 2.7% foreign transaction fee (see rates and fees)
• The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express: $95 annual fee; 3% return on general spending in billing cycles where you make 30+ purchases; 2.7% foreign transaction fee

The information for the Amex EveryDay Preferred card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amex cards that offer baggage insurance

If you're a frequent traveler, you've likely run into this situation at some point (it's the worst). Over the years, airlines have been working on improving the baggage system by introducing live bag tracking. Regardless, it's still a smart idea to have some protections in place, like baggage insurance.

Related: Everything you need to know about Amex's baggage insurance plan

This is why you need to pay attention to the benefits each of your travel rewards cards offers. Nearly all of Amex's premium rewards cards offer baggage insurance. You can check out the full list of cards and details on American Express's website.

The types of losses it covers: You're covered for losses resulting from damaged, stolen or lost baggage, including both carry-on and checked bags.

When you're covered: To be eligible for coverage, you have to travel on a common carrier, which Amex defines as any air, land or water vehicle (other than a personal or rental vehicle) that is licensed to carry passengers for hire and available to the public. Your rental car, as well as taxis and ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft, would be excluded from this protection.

To receive coverage, you also need to pay for the entire fare with an eligible American Express card or by using Membership Rewards points to book tickets through Amex Travel . Trips booked with miles from other sources — even the cobranded Delta SkyMiles cards from Amex — are excluded. Your trip also isn't covered if you used a combination of miles and dollars unless the miles came from a Membership Rewards transfer. This is a welcome change. A few years ago, a TPG staffer found out the hard way that Amex's policy didn't cover frequent flyer mile awards.

Who's covered: This policy covers both primary and additional cardholders, as well as cardmembers' spouses or domestic partners and any dependent children under 23 years old. In addition, travelers must be permanent residents of one of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

How much it covers: Most American Express credit cards will cover replacement costs for checked bags and their contents up to $500 per person, although so-called "high-risk items" are only covered for a maximum of $250. These items include jewelry, sporting equipment, photographic or electronic equipment, computers and audio/visual equipment. Carry-on bags are covered for up to $1,250, which is good to know since your belongings could be stolen from the overhead bins.

You'll enjoy additional coverage if you use The Platinum Card from American Express, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, the Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Mercedes-Benz and Morgan Stanley-branded Platinum Card (but not the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card).

The information for the Amex Platinum Mercedes-Benz and Morgan Stanley Platinum card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amex cards that offer medical assistance

One of the lesser known benefits of some of Amex's most premium cards is its Premium Global Assistance. This benefit can quite literally be a lifesaver if you or an immediate family member run into any unexpected issues or accident on your trip. For example, this service can help you arrange emergency medical referrals.

All Amex cards have access to Amex's Global Assist Hotline, but the Premium Global Assist Hotline and higher level of coverage are reserved exclusively for the Amex's premium cards:

• The Platinum Card from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card from American Express
• American Express Corporate Platinum Card
• Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• American Express Centurion Card
• American Express Business Centurion Card

The information for the Amex Centurion and Amex Business Centurion cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

Having a card with trip insurance can save you hundreds of dollars when unexpected hiccups happen in your travel plans. Still, it can be confusing to know what is covered and the right documentation you need to file a claim.

Nothing is worse than getting through an entire claims process only to be denied or have to start over because you don't have the required documentation for the insurance provider. Before you start filing a claim, make sure you have the documents listed above. Keep in mind that a provider may ask for additional documentation related to the incident, so you may have to collect receipts and other forms to help your case.

If you're starting to travel again, it's also a good idea to consider booking refundable travel . Some airlines and hotels even waive cancelation fees and/or change fees for certain fares, which can make last-minute adjustments in the case of emergencies.

Additional reporting by Stella Shon and Madison Blancaflor.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Gold card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Green card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Blue Business Plus card, click here. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here.

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• Amex Gold Card

Full List of Travel Insurance Benefits for the Amex Gold Card [2023]

Christine Krzyszton

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Table of Contents

Amex gold card — snapshot, amex gold card — travel insurance benefits, travel benefits, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

The American Express ® Gold Card is known for being a go-to card for everyday purchases at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets. The card also doubles as a travel rewards card offering elevated earnings on select flight purchases and a nice selection of flexible travel redemption options.

The card is far less known for its travel insurance benefits. Today, we’re turning the spotlight on some of the useful travel insurance benefits that come with the card and talking about how these benefits can add value to the cardholder.

First, let’s look at the overall earning and redemption features of the Amex Gold card, then jump right into the list of travel insurance benefits you can expect to find on the card.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

The American Express ® Gold Card  is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
• $250 annual fee (see rates and fees )
• No lounge access
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards ® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards ® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards ® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards ® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.
• Terms Apply.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip:  Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 90,000 points with the Amex Gold card. The current public offer is 60,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Why We Like the Card Overall

We like that you can jumpstart your earnings with a generous welcome bonus after meeting minimum spending requirements in the first 6 months after card approval.

The Amex Gold card also strikes a nice balance between functioning as an everyday spending card and offering accelerated earnings on flights. It also offers flexible travel redemption options.

You’ll earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases each year). Plus, you’ll receive 3x earnings on flights purchased directly with the airline and via AmexTravel.com .

With monthly statement credits for select purchases, it’s easy to find enough value to offset the annual fee.

When it’s time to use your rewards, you’ll have options such as redeeming points for flights via AmexTravel.com or transferring your points to the American Express transfer partners for even more potential value.

While the Amex Gold card doesn’t come with a long list of comprehensive travel benefits, you’ll find these core travel insurance benefits useful for saving money and for access to assistance should something go wrong during your journey.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

Having car rental insurance can save you money and provide a level of peace of mind when renting a vehicle . The Amex Gold card comes with secondary car rental insurance that would require you to first file a claim with any other applicable insurance before card coverage kicks in.

Secondary coverage can still be valuable coverage, but there is another car rental coverage option included on the card that is a much better choice.

Premium Protection

The option to purchase Premium Protection car rental insurance on the Amex Gold card is a game changer.

You’ll pay one low price of $12.25 to $24.95 for the entire period, up to 42 total days, for primary theft and damage coverage. The actual rate will depend on your state of residence and the level of coverage chosen. Note that this is not a per-day rate like the car rental agencies charge.

Just enroll in the coverage via your online card account, then whenever you charge your rental car to your card, you’ll have the coverage automatically. You are not charged prior to renting a car.

There is no deductible. Accidental death/dismemberment coverage is included. Liability coverage, uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage, or disability coverage is not included.

Cardholders and authorized listed drivers are covered.

Applicable coverages for both secondary and Premium Protection include rental car damage, theft, and loss of use.

Coverage is not available when renting vehicles in Australia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, and New Zealand.

There are several additional exclusions, including the theft of an unlocked vehicle, illegal activity, intoxication of the driver, and war. Access the Guide to Benefits for a complete list of exclusions, terms, and conditions.

Filing a Claim

You can file a claim online or call 800-338-1670. You must file the claim within 30 days of the event and submit the required claim form within an additional 15 days. You’ll then have 60 days to submit the required documentation.

Bottom Line: The Amex Gold card comes with secondary car rental insurance with the option to purchase primary Premium Protection for one low rate that covers the entire rental period. 

Trip Delay Insurance

To be eligible for trip delay insurance, you must pay for your entire trip with your Amex Gold card, associated rewards, or a combination of the 2. Using airline vouchers, certificates, or discounts, such as those associated with your frequent flyer account, in combination with your card, are also acceptable. Eligible travelers include family members, travel companions, and a spouse or domestic partner.

Trip delay insurance reimburses an eligible traveler for incidental expenses incurred after a 12-hour or greater trip delay. Eligible expenses can include lodging, meals, toiletries, medication, and necessary personal items.

Eligible Losses and Coverage Limits

The following types of losses are eligible covered losses :

• Inclement weather preventing a traveler from beginning a trip or continuing on a trip
• Terrorism or hijacking
• A common carrier’s equipment failure (documented)
• Lost/stolen travel documents, such as passports

You could receive up to $300 per trip with a limit of 2 claims per card, per 12-month period. Coverage is secondary to any other applicable coverage including reimbursement by the airline.

Loss exclusions include prepaid expenses, losses that were known to the public or the traveler prior to the trip, and intentional acts by the covered traveler. Access the card’s  Guide to Benefits for more details on loss exclusions under trip delay coverage.

You’ll have 60 days from the date of the loss to file a claim. You can do so by calling 844-933-0648 or the number on the back of your card to be directed to the claims department.

You’ll then have 180 days to submit the required documentation, which can include a statement from the common carrier validating the delay, receipts, your card statement showing the trip charge, and other requested supporting information.

Bottom Line: The Amex Gold card comes with trip delay insurance that provides up to $300 per trip for eligible expenses incurred after a 12-hour or greater delay due to a covered loss. 

Baggage Insurance Plan

To be eligible for baggage insurance, pay for your common carrier ticket entirely with your Amex Gold card and/or associated rewards. Trips paid for, in full or in part, with non-American Express rewards such as airline loyalty programs are not eligible.

You, your spouse or domestic partner, children under 23, and certain dependent handicapped children are covered for baggage insurance as long as the trip is paid for in full with your card and/or associated rewards.

Lost, damaged, or stolen baggage is covered, except in the event of war, government confiscation, or acts arising out of customer actions, for the following coverage limits.

High-risk items such as jewelry, gold, silver, platinum, electronics, furs, and sporting equipment, are limited to $250 per item maximum, per trip. 

Certain items are not covered under baggage insurance — here is a condensed list of those items:

• Credit cards, cash, securities, or money equivalents (such as money orders or gift cards)
• Travel documents, tickets, passports, or visas
• Plants, animals, or food
• Glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, prosthetic devices, and prescription or non-prescription drugs
• Property shipped prior to departure

You’ll have 30 days from the date of the loss to file a claim. To file a claim, you can go online or call 800-228-6855 within the U.S. To call from outside of the U.S., call 303-273-6498 collect.

You’ll then have 60 days to submit supporting documentation including a list of items lost, receipts, a statement showing the trip was purchased with the card or associated rewards, and common carrier reports.

Please note that we have abbreviated coverage descriptions and all terms and conditions are not spelled out in their entirety. You’ll want to access the benefits guide for full information.

Bottom Line: You and certain family members are covered for baggage insurance of up to $1,250 per person when traveling with a common carrier. You’ll need to pay for your entire trip with your card or rewards associated with your card for coverage to be valid. 

Travel Accident Insurance

Travel accident insurance that comes with the Amex Gold card pays a benefit in the unlikely event of accidental death or dismemberment of the primary card member, additional card member, spouse or domestic partner, or children under the age of 23.

The trip must be paid for with the Amex Gold card and/or associated Membership Rewards points (Pay With Points).

The coverage pays a benefit for death or severe injury suffered as a result of riding in, boarding, exiting from, or being struck by a common carrier.

The benefit paid is based on a table provided and can be up to $100,000.

While not travel insurance specifically, these additional benefits can provide assistance when planning a trip or if an unexpected event should disrupt your trip.

Emergency Travel Assistance

The Amex Global Assist Hotline provides important 24/7 assistance when traveling more than 100 miles from home. Receive help finding medical, legal, and translation referrals as well as assistance securing emergency transportation.

In addition, you could receive help securing a replacement passport or finding missing luggage.

You can reach the Global Assist Hotline at 800-333-2639. Outside the U.S., call 715-343-7977.

Actual services provided by third parties that incur costs are the responsibility of the cardholder.

Services are also not available in areas such as Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea, or the Crimea region.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

You’ll want to include the Amex Gold card during your next trip, as the card does not charge foreign transaction fees ( rates & fees ).

Additional Travel Benefits

Receive help planning your trip with Insider Fares via AmexTravel.com, upgrade your flights with points , American Express Travel Insurance , onsite benefits at The Hotel Collection , Amex Offers , and more.

While the Amex Gold card comes with several valuable travel insurance benefits, you would not select the card for this specific reason. The card shines when it comes to earning on select everyday purchases, for purchasing airline tickets, and its flexible travel redemption options. Those should be key reasons for selecting the card.

The fact that there are travel insurance benefits that come complimentary with the card is just one more reason to consider the card.

If having premium travel insurance benefits is a priority for you, you might consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card , The Platinum Card ® from American Express , the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® , or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , all of which offer some of the best travel insurance benefits.

You can read about more credit cards with travel insurance  in our article on this specific topic.

For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of the American Express Gold Card, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. For the trip delay insurance benefit of the American Express Gold Card, up 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. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the American Express Gold Card, baggage insurance plan coverage can be in effect for eligible persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage during their travel on a common carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a common carrier vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the common carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all covered persons per covered trip. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the global assist hotline benefit of the American Express Gold Card, you can rely on the Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the American Express ® Gold Card, click  here . For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the amex gold card have travel insurance benefits.

While the list of travel insurance benefits on the Amex Gold card is not extensive, you will find coverage such as secondary car rental insurance, the option to purchase Premium Protection car rental insurance, trip delay, baggage insurance, a Global Assist Hotline, and travel accident insurance.

Does the Amex Gold card have trip interruption or trip cancellation insurance?

No. The Amex Gold card does not offer trip interruption or trip cancellation insurance. The card does come with trip delay insurance.

Does the Amex Gold card charge foreign transaction fees?

No. You will not be charged foreign transaction fees when using the Amex Gold card for foreign purchases ( rates & fees) .

Does the Amex Gold card cover lost luggage?

Yes, the Amex Gold card can cover lost, stolen, or damaged luggage. The coverage is secondary to any coverage or reimbursement received by the airline or other applicable insurance.

Does the Amex Gold card have good car rental insurance?

The Amex Gold card comes with secondary car rental insurance, which means that you must first file a claim with any other applicable insurance before card coverage kicks in. You will have the option, however, to purchase Premium Protection for one low rate that covers the entire rental period, up to 42 days.

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About Christine Krzyszton

Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.

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• As someone who travels for work, I'm always looking for ways to make travel more cost-efficient.
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From trying out the latest packing cubes to looking for flight deals, I'm all about efficiency and saving money.

That's why it may be surprising to learn that one of my biggest travel game-changers involves spending money with a travel credit card. Like the 41% of Americans with a travel card , I use mine to save money on hotels, flights, and more.

Although the $695 annual fee for my American Express Platinum Card seems steep at first glance, it's actually saved me money in the long run. And, more importantly, it's made my travels much smoother.

Here are just some of The Platinum Card® from American Express benefits I use most often.

My American Express Platinum Card gives me access to the Centurion Lounge

Because I travel frequently, lounge access is important to me. Call me bougie, but I love having a quieter space to sit down and enjoy a meal and a drink before my flight.

As a Platinum cardholder, I can access Centurion and Priority Pass lounges worldwide. Of course, this benefit is only worthwhile if you, like me, enjoy eating and drinking at airports and your home airport has a Centurion Lounge.

With airport restaurants and bars charging sky-high prices for basic food and drink, enjoying complimentary gourmet food in the Centurion Lounge is a treat.

I also get a $200 airline-fee credit

As a Platinum cardholder, I can choose a qualifying airline and enroll to receive up to $200 of statement credit for incidental airline fees each year.

This includes checked bag fees , in-flight purchases, seat assignments, and airport-lounge day passes when I pay for them using my American Express Platinum Card. While these fees might seem small, they add up quickly when traveling frequently.

The $240 digital entertainment credit can be used on things like streaming services and news sites

As a frequent traveler, I rely on digital entertainment, and luckily, my card provides $20 in statement credits each month for some of the most popular digital entertainment services after enrollment.

Peacock, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal are all services that can be reimbursed if I pay for them using my Platinum card.

I always take advantage of the $200 annual hotel credit

With my American Express Platinum Card, I get a one-time $200 statement credit on a pre-paid booking with Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) or The Hotel Collection (THC) through American Express Travel.

I also get perks like a complimentary daily breakfast for two, room upgrades (when available), and a $100 property credit on top of the statement credit. This can generally be used at hotel restaurants or even spas, but can vary based on each property.

I use the FHR benefit each year on a special stay — this year, I stayed at the historic Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki . I received a $200 credit after paying for my room, early check-in and late checkout, free breakfasts, a room upgrade, and a property credit that I used for a nice dinner and drinks at the pool.

With my card, I can get reimbursed for Clear Plus, TSA Precheck, and/or Global Entry

In my opinion, the worst part of the airport experience is going through security. That's why I take every step possible to make things easier for myself.

With my card, I can enroll to get reimbursed for the $100 Global Entry fee, which expedites customs screenings for international arrivals in the U.S. Global Entry also includes TSA PreCheck , which makes the domestic airport-security process quicker.

I also get a $189 statement credit for CLEAR Plus, a paid membership program that uses facial recognition or fingerprints for identity verification at some airports, after enrollment.

I even get credit for Uber Eats and Saks purchases

Another perk of my credit card I can enroll in is a monthly Uber Cash benefit. Each month, $15 is deposited into my Uber account to use on rides — or my favorite, Uber Eats. I also get an extra $20 credit in December.

When I'm traveling and want to stay in, or return from a trip and don't want to hit the grocery store, I'll use the Uber benefit to get delivery using Uber Eats. Just be sure to use the benefit each month, as it doesn't roll over.

I also receive $50 in statement credit from Saks Fifth Avenue every six months after enrollment. I use this for buying gifts or small items, offsetting the cost of a larger purchase, or getting something special for an upcoming trip.

My card covers insurance for rental cars and trip delays

When I use my Platinum card, I don't spend extra money on insurance for rental cars or trip delays.

If I rent a car using my card and enroll in the program, I get secondary rental-car insurance that can cover some damages beyond what my primary insurance would.

I also have peace of mind when it comes to travel delays or interruptions.

If I book a trip with my card and the flight is delayed for more than six hours for a qualifying reason, I can get reimbursed for purchases that resulted from the delay — up to $500 per trip. This could include meals, lodging, and personal items. I hope I'll never need to use it, but it feels good to know I have it.

I find the card pays for itself in benefits

Overall, the benefits I gain from being an American Express Platinum cardholder are worth the $695 annual fee.

Because I travel so often for work, it's nice to know I have access to conveniences like lounges and expedited security programs.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.

Watch: While Delta's business is 'extremely robust,' the airline's marketing chief stays focused on the data

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How to use the chase sapphire preferred hotel credit, the chase sapphire preferred's hotel credit goes a long way toward paying off the card's annual fee..

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card currently has an elevated intro offer of 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on the card in the first three months from account opening. This card has a $95 annual fee , but, you can earn back over half of that cost every year by taking advantage of a single easy-to-overlook perk — the annual hotel credit.

Sapphire Preferred card members can receive a $50 annual Chase Travel Hotel credit every account anniversary year for hotels booked through the Chase Travel SM  portal . Here's what you need to know about how to use this credit and when it makes sense.

Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus and perks

What is the chase sapphire preferred $50 hotel credit, how to use the chase sapphire preferred's $50 hotel credit, when does it make sense to use the chase sapphire preferred's $50 hotel credit, alternative cards with hotel credits, bottom line, chase sapphire preferred® card.

Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

Welcome bonus

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

21.49% - 28.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers

Balance transfer fee

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

Foreign transaction fee

Credit needed.

Excellent/Good

Terms apply.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review .

The Sapphire Preferred's intro bonus offer is currently 15,000 points higher than the standard offer. This makes it a great time to apply because you're getting the same ongoing card benefits along with the additional upfront value.

This card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which are some of the best travel rewards thanks to their versatility. You can redeem Chase points for cash back or similar redemptions for one cent each. And if you use your Chase points to book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you'll get a 25% boost in value as a Sapphire Preferred cardholder (1.25 cents per point).

You can really ratchet up your points' value by taking advantage of Chase's transfer partners . Chase points transfer to 14 airline and hotel loyalty programs at a 1:1 ratio. Through these programs, you can book business-class award flights or luxury hotels and dramatically increase the value of your rewards. This includes plenty of one-way Star Alliance business-class flights from North America to Europe for only 60,000 to 70,000 Aeroplan miles, flights that normally costs thousands of dollars.

The Sapphire Preferred also comes with a long list of travel and purchase insurance benefits. You'll get trip delay reimbursement, primary rental car collision coverage , purchase protection, extended warranty coverage and more.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred annual hotel credit can earn you an automatic statement credit of up to $50 every card anniversary year. To qualify for the credit, you need to book a hotel through Chase Travel SM and pay for the booking with your Sapphire Preferred card.

The $50 in hotel purchases that earn you the credit will not earn Chase points. Once a qualifying transaction is posted to your account, the statement credit should get credited within one or two billing cycles.

To use the Sapphire Preferred annual hotel credit, you book a hotel stay through Chase Travel SM . This platform works like booking through another online travel agency like Expedia , Priceline or Kayak . Simply search for the dates and the location where you need a hotel and book from the available options.

To use the hotel credit, first log in to your Chase credit card account and navigate to the Ultimate Rewards page. Next, select the "Travel" drop-down menu and click "Book travel."

Choose "Hotels" and enter the information for your trip. Once you start a search, you can filter the results by star rating, brand, cost and more.

After you've selected the hotel and specific room type, you'll be able to see the final cost in dollars and points.

To earn the full $50, you need to charge at least $50 on your card. If you want to pay with points, just be sure to redeem points for all but $50 of the cost. You can easily adjust how many points you're using for the booking in the "Points redeemed" box, just be sure to click the update button when you change the number of points you want to use.

From here follow the steps to enter the traveler information and payment card info before you finalize the reservation. Be sure to pay with your Chase Sapphire Preferred card. If you don't book with your Sapphire Preferred, you won't earn the credit.

The Sapphire Preferred hotel credit is straightforward — just book a hotel through Chase Travel SM to qualify for the offer. However, you should compare prices for the same dates, hotel and room type to ensure you're getting the best price when booking with Chase. As long as you aren't paying more for the booking, taking advantage of this credit makes sense.

If elite status perks are worth more to you for a particular stay, you may want to consider trying to maximize this credit on a different booking. That's because when you book hotels through a third-party site such as Chase Travel SM you typically won't earn elite status credit. You also won't normally receive elite status benefits, such as free breakfast or room upgrades.

If you're looking for hotel credits and benefits, a co-branded hotel credit card will typically offer the most value, but the perks will be tied to a specific brand. For statement credit perks that are more universal, you'll likely need to consider a general travel credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see r ates and fees ) offers an annual travel credit of up to $300 for bookings made through Capital One Travel. This credit applies to hotels, but also flights, rental cars and more. When you combine this travel credit with the card's annual 10,000-mile bonus, it's not hard to justify keeping this premium credit card .

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars, 5 Miles per dollar on flights when booked via Capital One Travel; unlimited 2X miles on all other eligible purchases

Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening

19.99% - 29.99% variable APR

$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you

Foreign transaction fees

See rates and fees . Terms apply.

Read our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review.

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card has an incredibly easy-to-use travel and dining credit worth up to $325 every year. To qualify for the credit you don't need to book through a specific site. Instead, you just pay for travel or dining with the card and you'll earn the credit on the first $325 in eligible spending.

U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card

5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through the Altitude Rewards Center; 3X points on every $1 on eligible travel and mobile wallet spending

Earn 50,000 bonus points (worth about $750 in travel) after spending $4,500 within the first 90 days of account opening

22.24% to 29.24% (Variable)

3% of the amount of each transfer, with a $5 minimum

See  rates and fees , terms apply.

For a limited time, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has an excellent increase welcome offer. However, it also has an extensive array of ongoing benefits for cardholders. These benefits include an annual $50 hotel credit that applies to hotel bookings you make through Chase Travel SM .

Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.  Sign up here .

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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit cards . While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

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7 Best Hotel Credit Cards of 2024

Money.com has partnered with CardRatings.com for our coverage of credit card products. Money and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Our site does not include all card companies or all available card offers.

Whether on vacation or business, hotels can make or break your travel experience — and your budget as well.

Hotel credit cards can help alleviate some of that cost, or simply make your stay a lot more comfortable and enjoyable thanks to the many benefits they offer.

Here, we picked some of the best hotel credit cards from a variety of hotel chains that can reward frequent travelers and occasional vacationers alike.

Our Top Picks for Best Hotel Credit Cards of 2024

• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card — Best for Luxury Travel
• Hilton Honors American Express Card — Best No Annual Fee
• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card —Best Overall Value
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card — Best for International Travel
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card — Best for Business
• Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card — Best for Small Businesses
• Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card — Best for Budget Travel

Other Hotel Credit Cards We Considered

Best hotel credit cards reviews.

The companies in our top picks are listed in alphabetical order.

• High 14x points reward rate at Hilton properties
• $200 in flight credits (up to $50 each quarter) on qualifying airfare purchases
• Annual free night
• No TSA PreCheck or Global Entry statement credit

Terms apply. Please click here for applicable rates and fees.

Why we chose it: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card delivers on all fronts, from high point earnings to valuable statement credits, all for a very competitive annual fee in the luxury category.

The Hilton portfolio is one of the largest and most recognized in the world. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers very high rewards for many different categories. This includes 14x points on Hilton purchases, the highest among the cards we researched. It also offers a high 7x points on select travel and U.S. restaurants.

Points aren’t the only way to save, though, as the card offers a variety of statement credits. Cardholders can get up to $400 in statement credits for their expenses at participating Hilton resorts, a $200 flight credit for qualifying flight purchases (divided into $50 each quarter) and a $100 property statement credit when booking a minimum two-night stay at Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Resorts or Conrad Hotel & Resorts. (Terms apply.)

There’s also a large amount of insurance coverage, including trip cancellation and delay insurance, baggage insurance plan and car rental loss and damage insurance*.

All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by Money.com

• 7x Hilton Honors Bonus points at the Hilton
• 5x points at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. restaurants and U.S. gas stations
• Car rental loss and damage insurance*
• No annual free night
• No trip cancellation/delay insurance

Why we chose it: The Hilton Honors™ Card by American Express’ high rewards on hotel spending as well as everyday categories make it one of the best options for consumers looking for a no-annual-fee hotel card. (Terms apply.)

The no-annual-fee card_name offers 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on eligible purchases made with your card at Hilton portfolio hotels and resorts. It also offers 5x on everyday categories like U.S. supermarkets, U.S. restaurants and U.S. gas stations, which makes earning free nights and other perks a lot easier than many of its competitors.

Cardmembers get automatic Hilton Honors™ Silver Status with the card, which earns you 12x additional points per dollar. After spending $20,000 in a calendar year, the card also offers a bump up to Hilton Honors™ Gold Status, which earns 18x points per dollar, totaling 25x Hilton Honors bonus points per dollar when using the card at Hilton hotels.

The card also offers purchase protection, extended warranty and car rental loss and damage insurance*. Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide flight or baggage insurance.

• Anniversary free night
• Low $99 annual fee
• TSA PreCheck(R), Global Entry or NEXUS statement credit every four years
• 5x points on travel, dining and gas
• No rental insurance

Why we chose it: The card_name offers some of the best rewards in its class, including an annual free night, a TSA PreCheck® statement credit every four years and 10x on IHG® purchases.

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card has some of the best rewards and perks available among cards with annual fees in the $100 range.

This includes 10x points for purchases made at IHG® properties, which include well-known hotels such as the Regent, Intercontinental® Hotels and the Holiday Inn®, as well as lower cost options like Hotel Indigo® and Candlewood Suites®. In addition, cardholders get 10x points for being a hotel member and 6x bonus points for being a Platinum member, a status that’s granted automatically upon card approval.

Beyond the 10x points on hotel purchases, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offers 5x points on travel, dining and gas, providing big opportunities to accumulate points toward stays, room upgrades and more.

Like other cards on this list, it also offers a free night every year and a statement credit for TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry or NEXUS of up to $100 every four years, a unique benefit in this class.

The card also has a pretty broad suite of insurance coverage, including purchase protection, baggage delay insurance, lost baggage reimbursement and trip cancellation/delay insurance. It lacks any sort of rental insurance, however, which could be a bummer if vacations include a roadtrip.

• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: up to $25 per month for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit every four or four and half years
• Marriott International has properties in the most countries out of any hotel chain
• Airport lounge access with Priority Pass Select (enrollment is required)
• Very expensive $650 annual fee

Why we chose it: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card has a wide array of insurance coverage*, along with high-value statement credits and perks that could make up for its high annual fee.

If you have a long list of countries you want to visit, then this Marriott hotel card might be of interest. Marriott International the most countries out of any other hotel chain, with nearly 8,000 properties in 131 countries.

This card also provides a $100 fee credit every four years for Global Entry when you pay for the application with the card_name , which makes returning to the U.S. much smoother. Cardholders also have the option of receiving a fee credit every four and a half years for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider). Keep in mind that, if approved for Global Entry, you’ll also be approved for TSA PreCheck® at no additional charge.

The card_name offers 6x points at Marriott properties and a $100 luxury property credit for qualifying charges at luxury hotels The Ritz Carlton or St. Regis. You can also earn 3x Marriott Bonvoy points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines, along with up to $300 in monthly $25 statement credits for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide.

There’s also a long list of insurance coverage for your travels, such as trip cancellation and delay insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance and baggage insurance plans*, among others.

After spending $60,000 in a calendar year on the card, cardholders get an Earned Choice Award (only one per year). This can be in the form of five suite nights awards, each of which can be redeemed for a room upgrade, a free night valued up to 85,000 points or $1000 when purchasing a Marriott Boutique Bed for your home.

As other cards on this list, the card_name offers an annual free night at participating Marriott Bonvoy® hotels.

• 4x points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. gas stations
• 4x points on wireless phone services from U.S. providers and on U.S. shipping services
• Free night award after each renewal month, plus additional free night after spending $60,000 in a calendar year
• $125 annual fee is higher than most competitors
• No flight cancellation/delay insurance

Why we chose it: The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card offers the chance of two free nights each year and rewards business owners with 4x points on U.S. wireless phone and U.S. shipping services. (Terms apply).

The card_name offers 6x points at Marriott properties, as well as automatic Gold Elite Status.

In addition to points, Gold Status offers 25% more points than the regular member rate. Cardholders also get 15 Elite Night Credits each anniversary year, which helps reach the next step in the Marriott Bonvoy membership program (Note that you need 50 Elite Night Credits to reach Platinum Elite Status).

The card also offers 4x points for everyday spending and business-related transactions, such as worldwide restaurants, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. phone and shipping services.

When it comes to additional hotel perks, the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card offers the usual annual free night reward, and a second free night after spending $60,000 in a calendar year. There’s also the Amex Business Card Rate, which is a 7% discount on eligible reservations as a benefit of being a Marriott Bonvoy® Member and a Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card Member when booked directly with Marriott. (Terms apply).

Insurance wise, purchase protection, extended warranty, baggage insurance plan and car rental loss and damage insurance* are included. Note, however, that it does not offer trip cancellation insurance.

• Receive 7,500 point bonus each account anniversary
• 6x points on gas
• 4x points on dining and groceries
• Automatic platinum level
• No insurance coverage

Why we chose it: Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has one of the broadest range of budget options among hotel chains in the USA, and their Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card has enough rewards to take full advantage of it.

While most hotel chains have a very broad range of options, not all have budget hotels widely available nationwide. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts does. With multiple low-cost options such as Days Inn, Microtel Inn & Suites, Travelodge, Super 8 and more all over the country, cardholders will, more often than not, find a budget option for their travels.

The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card will increase savings even further as it offers 6x points on Wyndham purchases, as well as on gas. In fact, gas expenses alone could earn over 7,500 points in a year, enough to redeem for a night at various Wyndham properties, which might make this card even more appealing for road trip enthusiasts. On top of that, it also offers 4x points on dining and grocery stores (excluding Walmart® and Target®), as well as 1x point on all other qualifying purchases.

There’s also a 7,500 point bonus each anniversary year, which might be enough for a free night since, as mentioned above, Wyndham has multiple properties with rooms that can go for as low as 7,500 points. If redeemed for a go free® nights cardholders get a 10% discount, leaving 750 points in your account to start saving for the next one. (Do note that rooms for 7,500 points are not available at all participating hotels, so make sure there are rooms at this price where you’re going or save up for a costlier stay.)

There’s also a Wyndham Rewards PLATINUM upgrade, which includes perks such as free Wi-Fi, early check-in (upon request), Avis® and Budget® complimentary rental upgrades, and more.

Unfortunately, the card does not offer insurance or protection beyond standard fraud liability protection, so make sure to have insurance when you get those free rental car upgrades.

All information about the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card has been collected independently by Money.com.

• Annual 15,000 point bonus
• 8x on qualifying gas purchases
• 5x on marketing and select utilities
• No statement credits
• No travel-related insurance

Why we chose it: The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card provides high rewards on both hotel purchases and business-related expenses for a modest annual fee, on top of a generous annual bonus that could be redeemed for up to two free nights.

This Wyndham card gives you 8x points at Wyndham, in addition to 12x points as a Diamond level member (automatic upon card approval) — this translates to 20x points per dollar when making eligible purchases at qualifying Wyndham properties.

The card is also roadtrip-friendly as it earns 8x points on gas, which is double what cards in its class offer, and still more than even the most premium cards. Making it even more convenient for cross country trips, Wyndham has the most properties in the U.S. of any hotel chain, and includes budget hotels such as Days Inn and Howard Johnson.

As far as business rewards go, you can earn 5x points on marketing and advertising, including most digital platforms like Google Ads and Facebooks, and on utilities, such as phones and electrical service.

Although it doesn’t offer an annual free night, the card does offer 15,000 bonus points each anniversary year. That can be redeemed for up to two nights, depending on the room cost (Wyndham rooms start at 7,500 points). Cardholders also get a 10% discount when redeeming points for go free® nights, a program that offers nights at a fixed points value, which could be 7,500, 15,000 or 30,000 depending on the hotel.

Unfortunately, there are no insurance policies other than cell phone protection and the standard fraud liability protection, which is this card’s biggest drawback. If you plan on traveling by plane a lot, consider other of our picks for a more comprehensive insurance package.

All information about the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card has been collected independently by Money.com.

Best Western Rewards® Premium Mastercard®

• 40,000x points when you spend $5,000 every 12 billing cycles
• High 10x points in Best Western purchases
• Early check-in and late check-out (based on availability)

This card offers up to 20x points when booking at a Best Western, 10x through the card itself and 10x for being a Best Western Rewards® member (the card also gives automatic Platinum status). In addition to these high rewards, cardholders get 40,000 points after spending $5,000 with the card every 12 billing cycles, a very low spending requirement compared to others. However, the rewards aren’t high enough to make up for its $89 annual fee.

All information about the Best Western Rewards® Premium Mastercard® has been collected independently by Money.com.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

• One free night annually
• $95 annual fee is low compared to competitors
• 3x points on groceries, dining and gas up to $6,000 combined
• Spending cap on rewards

This Marriott card by Chase is a great option if you value the Marriott brand, which has the largest hotel network in the world. It offers 6x points at the Marriott, which can become 17x points thanks to member rewards and the automatic Silver Elite Status.

All information about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has been collected independently by Money.com.

World of Hyatt Credit Card

• Large suite of insurance coverage
• Discoverist status automatic upgrade
• Low reward rate
• $95 annual fee is too much for what it offers

The World of Hyatt Credit Card by Chase shines due to its coverage, which includes baggage delay insurance, lost baggage reimbursement, trip cancellation/delay insurance, purchase protection and rental collision waiver. While this is a large plus, its rewards are lackluster, especially given the card’s $95 annual fee.

All information about the World of Hyatt Credit Card by Chase has been collected independently by Money.com.

Best Hotel Credit Cards Guide

How do hotel credit cards work, how to choose the best hotel credit card, how to maximize the value of your hotel credit card, how to redeem your hotel credit card rewards, latest news on hotel credit cards.

A hotel credit card is a co-branded card issued by a hotel line and a financial institution such as Chase Bank or American Express®. These cards usually provide high reward rates for booking stays, buying tickets for shows or merchandise at all the hotels under the brand’s umbrella. These rewards are in addition to the ones you’ll get as a loyalty member, as these cards will automatically grant you member status with the brand.

Overall, hotel credit cards work just like regular credit cards, meaning you’ll have a credit line for an established amount that you can use, and you have to make at least a minimum payment each billing cycle.

Reward structures are similar to regular credit cards too, you earn a certain amount of points, statement credits or other miscellaneous benefits depending on how much you spend and where.

Here are some of the difference on how rewards work:

• Hotel credit cards offer more points than average credit cards do when you make eligible purchases at participating hotels, including at restaurants within hotel premises, gift shops and more.
• Points are added to the ones you get as an elite status member of the hotel brand, a status that also comes automatically with card enrollment. This increases the points earned significantly.
• Unfortunately, points tend to be limited to the particular brand instead of the issuer’s. For example, points earned through the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, which is issued by Chase, can’t be used in the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal.
• Points have drastically more value when redeemed for hotel purchases such as hotel stays or room upgrades when compared to statement credits or gift cards, for example.

Hotel benefits

Some offer other such as a free night every year, free breakfast, special discounts, priority booking, early check-in and much more depending on the hotel and the type of card. These, of course, will depend largely on the type of annual fee the card charges.

There are roughly four tiers of annual fees when it comes to cards. These are, typically, no annual fee cards, budget or low cost ($50-$99), mid-range ($150-$300) and luxury or premium ($350+).

Pros and cons of hotel credit cards

Hotel credit cards are packed with perks, but whether a card is worth it for you will depend on many factors. Here are some pros and cons to consider:

• Rewards at the hotel are very high and are added to rewards earned as a member
• Many cards offer at least one free night annually
• Hotel-related perks such as early check-in, free breakfast and room discounts
• Usually offer travel benefits like rewards for buying tickets, travel-related insurance and more
• Many of the major hotel brands have large networks of hotels for different budgets and locations
• High reward rates are typically limited to purchases within the hotel brand, not everyday spending
• Flight-related perks aren't as abundant as with more general travel cards
• Points tend to be much less valuable when redeemed outside of the hotel

Hotel credit cards vs. travel credit cards

While travel credit cards could encompass hotel, airline and general travel-focused cards, travel cards — such as the ​​Chase Sapphire Reserve® or the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card — usually reward you for a variety of travel-related expenses, for example, airline tickets and rentals, such as the. Hotel credit cards, on the other hand, are specifically designed to give you higher rewards and specific perks when you make purchases within their hotel line.

Travel cards

• Usually offer much higher rewards for travel purchases, including airfare and rental cars
• Can offer high rewards in hotels regardless of brand
• More versatility and options when transferring reward points
• Offer a wider variety of insurance policies, such as rental insurance and baggage protection
• Tend to have more bonus categories than branded hotel cards

Hotel cards

• Points earned at hotels surpass those of travel cards, which, at the most, grant 10x points, while hotel cards offer up to 14x, on top of points acquired through membership, totaling well past 20x points per dollar
• Have hotel-specific perks such as free stays, free Wi-Fi and free breakfast
• Bumps up your member status at the hotel chain, which in turn increases the amount of perks
• Points can be worth a lot more during specific times of the year or in specific hotels within the brand, depending on time, location and any deals available

Not all hotels are made equal, and neither are their credit cards or membership rewards programs. When choosing a hotel credit card, it’s important to take into account not just the card itself, but the hotels it works with.

1. Compare credit card basics

As with any other credit card, you should compare features like the annual fee, APR, the issuer and a baseline of the rewards offered.

As mentioned above, there are different tiers, according to the annual fee. Once you’ve decided how much you’re willing to pay, you can start to compare rewards, benefits, insurance and the hotel network. Once you’re comparing within each category, you’ll more easily find standouts that deliver far more benefits than their direct competitors.

2. Think about how often you travel

If you travel once or twice a year to visit family, you might enjoy the occasional free night, but a co-branded hotel card won’t be the best option for you. Instead, you can take a look at our best travel credit cards . With these cards, there are more travel rewards and benefits like higher points for ticket purchases, flight cancellation insurance and the such, along with higher rewards on everyday purchases.

However, if you travel often for work or you vacation a few times a year, you’ll probably really take advantage of all the benefits that come with a hotel credit card.

As you accrue points, you’ll go up in member status, get more free nights, and enjoy amenities like free Wi-Fi, discounts and priority booking. This could make your trips more comfortable and a lot cheaper.

3. Analyze rewards and perks

Once you have a list of the cards you’re strongly considering, you can start comparing their rewards. Remember, however, that points systems can vary greatly due to issuer, hotel brand and the actual hotel you try to redeem them at.

With this in mind, look at the versatility each hotel brand has. If their network is large enough and their affiliates cover a wider spectrum of budgets and locations, you can at least get an idea of how many options you’ll have when redeeming.

Consider the everyday spending categories the card rewards you for as well. If your goal is to amass enough points to get free nights or large discounts, you may benefit from high reward rates in categories such as gas, dining and grocery shopping. While some cards could look a lot more tempting than others due to that reward rate at the hotels, others could actually deliver more value through regular spending throughout the year.

4. Consider which hotel brand appeals to you the most

One of the main issues with hotel credit cards is that they’re made for a specific hotel chain. While they can be used for any type of purchase (including rival hotels), the highest reward rates and perks are limited to that brand.

The good news is that hotel chains actually have a lot of different hotels under their name, and some can range from very low cost rooms to fine hotels and luxurious villas in any part of the world. All the big names have thousands of properties across the globe, but all are different, so compare the range of options in terms of prices, locations and variety of properties and amenities. Also, see if you recognize any that you particularly enjoy, or that you already use frequently due to your traveling circumstances.

It’s also a good idea to look at the different perks each brand offers for its elite members. Most hotel credit cards grant a certain level of membership, but the benefits that come with it depend on the hotel’s membership program. Look into the details, whether the program offers free nights, free Wi-Fi, room upgrades or more. The program itself could be a deciding factor in your credit card choice.

Use for everyday expenses

One of the best and easiest ways to accrue points is to use your credit card regularly, not just at the hotel. In some cases, cards earn a lot of points for everyday purchases like groceries, gas and utilities. Also, some cards give large bonuses or other perks when a certain spending threshold is reached.

Use your annual free night

This doesn’t necessarily add to your points, but if the card offers a free night per year (and most do), make sure to not let it go to waste. If you don’t get the chance to travel or vacation, using this perk at the end of the year to relax or take a quick trip somewhere ensures that you truly take advantage of your benefits.

Look for transfer possibilities

While using your card within the hotel’s loyalty program is likely the best option, there are some cases in which transferring to a partner can increase the value of your points. Read the fine print and look for transfer partners in the card’s network to see if there’s a chance to get more for your points whether through converting them into miles or to a credit card issuer’s points system such as Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Investigate which hotels waive resort fees

Resort fees can increase the standard room prices, sometimes significantly so. Some hotel brands waive these fees if you pay with points. Before choosing a card, look for specific hotels within the brand’s umbrella that do this.

Research prices and overall demand in different seasons

Hotel pricing changes constantly, and the same is true for the amount of points needed to get free nights or room upgrades. Stay on top of these changes to at least have an idea of when and where you can make the most out of your points.

How much is a hotel point worth?

Hotel points vary significantly depending on the card issuer and hotel brand, as well as how, when and where you redeem them.

While you can redeem points for a variety of things, such as gift cards, room upgrades or even retail deals through a hotel’s loyalty program, one of the most common and sought-after perks are free or discounted nights.

Here’s a table showing the approximate range of points needed for a free night in some of the most well-known hotel companies in the world.

Keep in mind, however, that the amount of points needed changes depending on the specific hotel chosen, the style of room, its location and when the points are redeemed as a room’s price can change drastically with the seasons.

Not all chains will have the lowest-cost rooms in the US (or any given country, for that matter) or at the time of booking. As mentioned above, it’s best to research each hotel chain and see what budgets they cover and where before making a final decision.

In most cases, points are automatically transferred from your credit card program to the hotel’s program after each billing cycle, although in some it might take up to 12 weeks for the transfer.

In order to redeem the points, you need to log into your hotel’s loyalty program and look for redemption options, such as hotel rooms, upgrades, gift cards or transfer points to partners such as airlines or even other hotel chains. You can also use your points to get higher membership status.

• The Biden administration is moving to ban and remove hidden fees in a wide array of industries. Read the details: Biden Moves to Ban ‘Junk Fees’ Charged by Banks, Hotels, Ticket Sellers and More
• Travel insurance is always a good choice, but it can add to the already high expense involved in traveling. Read our guide and learn How to Find Cheap Travel Insurance for Your Next Trip .
• Traveling with someone can raise the bill quite a bit. However, there’s an offer by Southwest Airlines credit cards that can help with that: This New Credit Card Offer Comes With a Very Rare (and Valuable) Travel Bonus
• If your spreadsheets aren’t quite cutting it and you’re having trouble budgeting and finding good deals on travel, This New Vacation Calculator Can Help You Choose (and Pay for) Your Next Trip

Best Hotel Credit Cards FAQs

What hotels have their own credit card, why is it important to have a hotel credit card, which card is best for hotel rewards, what rewards and perks can you expect with a hotel credit card, can you use a hotel credit card for everyday purchases, are there any fees associated with using a hotel credit card, how we chose the best hotel credit cards.

Finding the best hotel credit cards meant looking not just into the cards themselves, but into the different hotel chains that co-branded them, among other factors listed below:

Points and overall rewards

We compared the amount of points each card gave for eligible purchases at each hotel chain as well as points awarded for everyday spending categories such as dining or gas, which could make accumulating points much easier.

Hotel-specific perks

Points aren’t the only way to earn with hotel cards. We looked at the perks each card gives you within the hotel or in the process of booking, such as annual free nights, status upgrades, complimentary room upgrades and more. We also compared the perks that each separate hotel offers with the member status the card provides.

When traveling, insurance is a big deal. Hotel cards should have a good amount of coverage, such as trip cancellation and delay insurance, baggage insurance and rental insurance. There’s also other coverages for everyday spending such as extended warranty and purchase protection. We took these insurance policies into account when making our selections.

Welcome offers

Although welcome bonuses and intro offers in general change consistently, and we don’t include them in reviews, we looked at them to get an idea of what and how much each card regularly offers. Customers should be able to start enjoying their new card as soon as possible.

Summary of Money’s Best Hotel Credit Cards of 2024

To see rates and fees for the card_name , please visit this link . Terms apply.

To see rates and fees for the Hilton Honors American Express Card , please visit this link. Terms apply.

To see rates and fees for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, please visit this link . Terms apply.

* Insurance disclosures for American Express Cards on this page:

Trip Delay Insurance: 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.

Global Assist Hotline: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, Baggage Insurance Plan: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

© Copyright 2024 Money Group, LLC . All Rights Reserved.

This article originally appeared on Money.com and may contain affiliate links for which Money receives compensation. Opinions expressed in this article are the author's alone, not those of a third-party entity, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed. Offers may be subject to change without notice. For more information, read Money’s full disclaimer .

Comparing the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey: How does it stack up against other premium travel cards?

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The release of the new Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card in March may seem like a good option with competitive rewards rates, but how does it stack up to some of the best travel credit cards on the market today? And does it deserve a place in your wallet?

In this article, we’ll examine the cards’ welcome offers, rewards, benefits and travel partners to assess their overall value. Let’s see how the Autograph Journey measures up to these four competitors:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Citi Premier® Card
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• The Platinum Card® from American Express

Welcome offers

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey SM Card has a competitive welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in the first three months. According to Bankrate’s valuations , Wells Fargo Rewards are worth about 1.0 cents per point, giving the welcome offer a value of $600. After completing the spending requirement, you could have anywhere from 64,000 to 80,000 points, depending on which categories you utilize to meet the spending requirement. That’s a return of 16 percent on the low end to 20 percent on the high end, though you’ll likely fall somewhere in the middle.

How the Autograph Journey stacks up

The welcome offer on the Autograph Journey matches up with the regular offers from the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Citi Premier exactly. All three give the same bonus, for an identical spending requirement and timeframe, with the same annual fee. However, both Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Points are worth more, at about 2.0 cents and 1.6 cents per point, respectively, when transferred to a high-value travel partner. This gives the edge to both, with Chase being the most valuable at $1,200 and Citi at $960.

Looking around, the Capital One Venture X offers more miles for the same amount of spending requirement and timeframe. With this card, you’ll get 75,000 miles, but also pay a higher $395 annual fee. Capital One miles are also more valuable at about 1.7 cents per point, making its welcome offer worth $1,275.

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers the most points of any of these offers — at 80,000 Membership Rewards points — but it also requires the highest spending at $8,000, although you’ll get twice as long to meet that amount (six months). It also has the highest annual fee of these cards at $695. Since Membership Rewards points are valued at about 2.0 cents cents per point, this offer has a value of $1,600.

Our decision: Not as good as the competition

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey offers the lowest overall value of any of these welcome offers, due to the lower value of the Wells Fargo Rewards it earns.

When deciding between these cards, consider:

• Whether you can meet the spending requirement
• What you want the points for
• The return on your spending

Based on these criteria, the best overall value comes from the Venture X since your return on spending will likely be a higher percentage — even though the Amex Platinum offers the most points and the highest value.

Rewards and benefits

Outside of its welcome bonus, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey comes with excellent earning rates in numerous categories focusing on travel. Specifically, you’ll earn 5X points at hotels, 4X points on airlines and 3X points on other travel and restaurants. All other purchases earn 1X points.

You’ll also get a $50 annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase — utilizing this credit offsets more than half of the $95 annual fee. Additional benefits include:

• Trip protection coverage
• Auto rental collision coverage
• Emergency/roadside assistance
• Cell phone protection
• My Wells Fargo deals
• Visa Signature benefits

As it is, the card earns solidly enough to function as a standalone card, offering excellent protection and benefits. However, let’s compare this more closely with its competitors to assess its actual value.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred®

Both of these cards come with a $95 fee. For travel purchases, the Autograph Journey gets 5X on hotels, 4X on airfare, and 3X on other travel, while the Sapphire Preferred only earns 2X on travel (but can earn 5X if you go through the Chase Travel portal or use Lyft). Chase points also get a 25 percent boost when booking travel through Chase Travel. While both cards earn 3X on dining, the Sapphire Preferred also earns 3X for streaming and online grocery purchases.

Whereas the Autograph Journey has a $50 air credit, the Sapphire Preferred has a $50 hotel credit instead. You’ll also get a points boost on your account anniversary equal to 10 percent of your spending from the prior year. Chase has more extensive transfer partners, including four of Wells Fargo’s airline partners. There are also more Chase cards available that can combine points with the Sapphire Preferred via the Chase trifecta , giving it an even further advantage.

You might choose the Autograph Journey if your travel spending aligns better with Wells Fargo’s bonus categories. However, for most people, the Sapphire Preferred will be the more flexible option.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs. Citi Premier®

These cards also have the same annual fee — and once again, the Autograph Journey earns slightly better on hotel and air purchases. While the Citi Premier has limited-time earnings of 10X on hotel and car rentals through the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024, it earns 3X in the following categories:

• Restaurants
• Supermarkets
• Gas stations

By covering a more comprehensive range of everyday expenses, Citi Premier gets the edge for earning rewards.

The Citi Premier also offers an annual $100 hotel credit on a stay of $500 or more when booked through the Citi Travel portal — more than double the Autograph Journey’s air credit. While Citi overlaps on a few of Wells Fargo’s transfer partners, it also offers a more extensive list than Wells Fargo. Citi also has the Citi trifecta that allows you to combine points from multiple cards.

As a result, the Citi Premier generally offers more value overall, unless your spending is primarily travel-focused.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs. Capital One Venture X

The Capital One Venture X comes with a higher annual fee than the Autograph Journey, coming in at $395 instead of $95. Still, this higher fee can be easily offset with the card’s $300 annual travel credit on the Capital One travel portal and the 10,000 bonus miles you’ll earn on your account anniversary (worth $100).

The main difference between the two is that the Venture X earns a flat rate of 2X miles on all purchases. If you book through the portal, you’ll get 5X on airfare and 10X on hotels and car rentals. If you book travel directly, the Autograph Journey is likely a better choice, but the Venture X still has the potential for higher returns. Non-bonus spending will do better on the Venture X, for example, but you’ll earn more with dining purchases on the Autograph Journey.

Overall, Capital One miles have a higher value and more transfer partners while overlapping most of Wells Fargo’s partners. You’ll also get more benefits and perks like extensive airport lounge access . Even with the higher annual fee, the Venture X is a clear favorite almost across the board.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express

These two cards approach travel from opposite positions. While the Autograph Journey has a manageable annual fee and earns solid reward rates, the Amex Platinum has one of the highest annual fees out there and mediocre earning rates outside of its 5X rate on airfare and hotels purchased through Amex Travel. Beyond travel purchases, the Autograph Journey is superior for spending.

Where the Amex Platinum shines above the rest is its laundry list of perks and benefits . For as high as the $695 annual fee is, you can still come out ahead if you take advantage of all the credits offered, including:

• $200 annual airline incidental credit with your selected airline
• $200 Uber credit ($15 each month, $35 in December)
• $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit ($50 semi-annually)
• $200 annual credit with Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts
• $240 entertainment credit ($20 monthly)
• $189 annual CLEAR membership credit
• $300 Equinox/SoulCycle annual credit
• Walmart+ reimbursement ($12.95 monthly cost)
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit once every four years
• *Enrollment required for select benefits

Maximizing these credits more than compensates for the card’s annual fee, covering everything from travel and shopping to lifestyle purchases. In addition, you’ll get extensive airport lounge access, excellent travel protections, a superior list of transfer partners and complimentary elite status with Hilton, Marriott and several car rental companies. Here, the overall value offered by the Amex Platinum’s perks and credits far exceed any other card — if you can fully utilize them.

Our decision: Perks fall short but rewards measure up

These comparisons point to a glaring weakness of the Autograph Journey — its perks and benefits. Each main competitor card offers more value in credits, benefits and point value. Even the higher annual fee cards make up for that difference with superior returns in the benefits category. If you’re looking at this card specifically to handle your travel needs, you may want to consider one of the other cards, all of which give better returns.

However, the card holds up well with its reward-earning rates, particularly in the travel and dining categories. The rates for hotels and airfare purchases are strong and don’t require you to shop through a travel portal. This distinction can be helpful, as many hotel chains and airlines will deny your elite benefits when you book through a third party like this. With plenty of bonus categories, the Autograph Journey should be able to cover much of your everyday spending.

Airline and hotel transfer partners

Each card has its own set of airline and hotel transfer partners — multiple cards can cover some programs, while others may be unique to a single card. We’ve compiled a list of all the partners to help you decide which card is best for you. All transfer ratios are 1:1 unless otherwise noted.

Our decision: The Autograph Journey doesn’t measure up

As you can see, the Autograph Journey has the smallest number of transfer partners — each of which is covered by at least two competitors. Further, considering that the Autograph Journey comes with the lowest overall point value, the card’s competitors are likely to be a better choice if you’re looking for a specific transfer partner, given their wider selection and better value.

You could certainly use the Autograph Journey’s welcome offer to supplement the point balance in one of its partners, but in most cases, you shouldn’t use it as the primary method to accrue those points unless you’re spending in its top categories.

The bottom line

While introducing a travel card with transfer partners is a big milestone for Wells Fargo, the Autograph Journey unfortunately doesn’t quite rise to the level of its competition. While the reward rates are decent, the lower value of Wells Fargo points keeps it a step behind the competition. Given that, this card is best suited for people who may already have a solid portfolio of credit cards and are looking for a new program to supplement their points balances. But if you’re looking for your first premium travel card, you’ll likely get more value from one of the other cards in this space.

Related Articles

Bank of America Travel Rewards card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred

Wells Fargo Autograph benefits guide

New Wells Fargo Autograph Card launches, offering rewards on everyday spending for no fee

Why I love the Wells Fargo Platinum card

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The Guide to AmEx Green Card Travel Insurance

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Travelers with the iconic American Express® Green Card can enjoy more than the satisfaction of carrying around a well-known symbol of worldliness. They can rest easy — in luxurious hotel beds in wonderful vacation destinations — knowing that their American Express® Green Card offers added layers of security for their travels.

Read on to learn about the suite of travel protections American Express® Green Card cardholders can count on.

Your American Express® Green Card ’s trip delay insurance kicks in to reimburse unexpected expenses of up to $300 per trip when you’re delayed over 12 hours for covered reasons and purchased your round-trip airfare with the card after January 1, 2020. Terms apply.

Covered reasons include:

Inclement weather.

Terrorist action.

A common carrier’s equipment failure.

Lost or stolen passports/travel documents.

Note that you can only make two trip delay insurance claims every 12-month period. Terms apply.

Baggage insurance

Obviously, no one wishes for delayed or lost bags, but with the American Express® Green Card , you can travel more confidently. For common carrier ticket fares purchased fully with your card, the baggage insurance plan can provide up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage to cover eligible lost, damaged or stolen baggage. Terms apply.

» Learn more: NerdWallet’s full review of the AmEx Green card

Use your American Express® Green Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental, decline the collision damage waiver at the rental car counter and you’ll automatically unlock secondary coverage if your rental car is damaged or stolen. Terms apply.

Note that coverage isn't eligible in Australia, Italy and New Zealand. Like most credit card car rental insurance, this benefit doesn't include liability coverage.

Trip cancellation

While many have grown accustomed to trip cancellation insurance from popular credit cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® , no trip cancellation insurance is provided with the American Express® Green Card . This can be a huge downer for individuals who want to protect their up-front travel investments against the worst.

If you’re keen to stick with AmEx and find a card that offers this as a benefit, check out these other premium credit card options:

The Platinum Card® from American Express .

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express .

American Express Corporate Platinum Card.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card .

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card .

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card .

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card.

» Learn more: Chase Sapphire Reserve: A first-class premium travel card

How to file claims

To open a claim, you must call 844-933-0648 within 60 days of the covered loss. Once AmEx receives your claim, they will give you specific instructions for filing your proof of loss, which you must return to AmEx within 180 days after the date of your loss.

While the exact requirements may vary, you should do your best to be prepared with the following documentation:

A statement from the common carrier that the covered trip was delayed.

A receipt for your charge.

Copies of your common carrier tickets.

Receipts for travel expenses.

There’s also a clause that AmEx can request “any other information that may be reasonably requested ... to support your claim,” so our best advice is to arm yourself with as much proof as possible — just in case.

What if you need more coverage?

If the limits and protections included in the American Express® Green Card doesn't work for you, consider buying a separate policy that better meets your needs.

Policies range in price but typically cost between 4-8% of your overall trip costs. If you think you may need to cancel for a reason that isn't covered by the card's policy, you can supplement coverage from a third-party with Cancel For Any Reason inclusions.

» Learn more: The best travel insurance companies

The bottom line

The American Express® Green Card provides some nice travel coverage to help you relax while on vacation, especially for those who have opened an account since the start of 2020. Terms apply. If something does go awry, be sure to collect and organize your receipts, proof of loss and proof of purchase swiftly so you can file for the benefits.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

Money blog: 'Loud budgeting' - The money-saving trend that has nothing to do with giving up your daily coffee

Created accidentally by a comedian, "loud budgeting" is breaking down the taboo of speaking about money. Read this and the rest of our Weekend Money features, and leave a comment, and we'll be back with rolling personal finance and consumer news on Monday.

Saturday 11 May 2024 08:16, UK

Weekend Money

• 'Loud budgeting': The money-saving trend that has nothing to do with giving up your daily coffee
• What is most in-demand period for a property?
• £12m tea advert, downsizing, £320 tasting menus and job interview mistakes: What readers have said this week
• Free childcare applications about to open for new age band
• Where has huge week for UK economy left us?

Best of the week

• How to avoid a holiday data roaming charge (while still using the internet)
• Mortgage rates up again this week - here are the best deals on the market
• My daughter discovered undeclared £600 management fee after buying her flat - can we complain?
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

Ask a question or make a comment

By Jess Sharp , Money team 

Money saving trends are constantly popping up on social media - but one in particular has been gaining huge amounts of attention.

Created accidentally by a comedian, loud budgeting is breaking down the taboo of speaking about money.

The idea is based on being firmer/more vocal about your financial boundaries in social situations and setting out what you are happy to spend your money on, instead of "Keeping up with the Joneses". 

On TikTok alone, videos published under the hashtag #loudbudgeting have garnered more than 30 million views - and that figure is continuing to climb. 

We spoke to Lukas Battle - the 26-year-old who unintentionally created the trend as part of a comedy sketch. 

Based in New York, he came up with the term in a skit about the "quiet luxury" hype, which had spread online in 2023 inspired by shows like Succession. 

The term was used for humble bragging about your wealth with expensive items that were subtle in their design - for example, Gwyneth Paltrow's  £3,900 moss green wool coat from The Row, which she wore during her ski resort trial...

"I was never a big fan of the quiet luxury trend, so I just kind of switched the words and wrote 'loud budgeting is in'. I'm tired of spending money and I don't want to pretend to be rich," Lukas said. 

"That's how it started and then the TikTok comments were just obsessed with that original idea." 

This was the first time he mentioned it...

Lukas explained that it wasn't about "being poor" but about not being afraid of sharing your financial limits and "what's profitable for you personally". 

"It's not 'skip a coffee a day and you'll become a millionaire'."

While talking money has been seen as rude or taboo, he said it's something his generation is more comfortable doing. 

"I've seen more debate around the topic and I think people are really intrigued and attracted by the idea," he said. 

"It's just focusing your spending and time on things you enjoy and cutting out the things you might feel pressured to spend your money on."  

He has incorporated loud budgeting into his own life, telling his friends "it's free to go outside" and opting for cheaper dinner alternatives.

"Having the terminology and knowing it's a trend helps people understand it and there's no awkward conversation around it," he said. 

The trend has been a big hit with so-called American "finfluencers", or "financial influencers", but people in the UK have started practising it as well. 

Mia Westrap has taken up loud budgeting by embarking on a no-buy year and sharing her finances with her 11.3k TikTok followers. 

Earning roughly £2,100 a month, she spends around £1,200 on essentials, like rent, petrol and car insurance, but limits what else she can purchase. 

Clothes, fizzy drinks, beauty treatments, makeup, dinners out and train tickets are just some things on her "red list". 

The 26-year-old PHD student first came across the idea back in 2017, but decided to take up the challenge this year after realising she was living "pay check to pay check". 

She said her "biggest fear" in the beginning was that her friends wouldn't understand what she was doing, but she found loud budgeting helped. 

"I'm still trying my best to just go along with what everyone wants to do but I just won't spend money while we do it and my friends don't mind that, we don't make a big deal out of it," she said. 

So far, she has been able to save £1,700, and she said talking openly about her money has been "really helpful". 

"There's no way I could have got this far if I wasn't baring my soul to the internet about the money I have spent. It has been a really motivating factor."

Financial expert John Webb said loud budgeting has the ability to help many "feel empowered" and create a "more realistic" relationship with money.

"This is helping to normalise having open and honest conversations about finances," the consumer affair manager at Experien said. 

"It can also reduce the anxiety some might have by keeping their financial worries to themselves." 

However, he warned it's important to be cautious and to take the reality of life into consideration. 

"It could cause troubles within friendship groups if they're not on the same page as you or have different financial goals," he said.

"This challenge isn't meant to stop you from having fun, but it is designed to help people become more conscious and intentional when it comes to money, and reduce the stigma around talking about it." 

Rightmove's keyword tool shows Victorian-era houses are the most commonly searched period properties, with people drawn to their ornate designs and features.

Georgian and Edwardian-style are second and third respectively, followed by Tudor properties. Regency ranked in fifth place.

Rightmove property expert Tim Bannister said: "Home hunters continue to be captivated by the character and charm of properties that we see in period dramas.

"Victorian homes remain particularly popular, characterised by their historic charm, solid construction, and spacious interiors. You'll often find Victorian houses in some of the most desirable locations which include convenient access to schools and transport links."

Throughout the week Money blog readers have shared their thoughts on the stories we've been covering, with the most correspondence coming in on...

• A hotly contested debate on the best brand of tea
• Downsizing homes
• The cost of Michelin-starred food

Job interview mistakes

On Wednesday we reported on a new £12m ad from PG Tips in response to it falling behind rivals such as Twinings, Yorkshire Tea and Tetley....

We had lots of comments like this...

How on earth was the PG Tips advert so expensive? I prefer Tetley tea, PG Tips is never strong enough flavour for me. Shellyleppard

The reason for the sales drop with PG Tips could be because they increased the price and reduced the quantity of bags from 240 to 180 - it's obvious. Royston

And then this question which we've tried to answer below...

Why have PG Tips changed from Pyramid shape tea bags, to a square? Sam

Last year PG Tips said it was changing to a square bag that left more room for leaves to infuse, as the bags wouldn't fold over themselves.

We reported on data showing how downsizing could save you money for retirement - more than £400,000, in some regions, by swapping four beds for two.

Some of our readers shared their experiences...

We are downsizing and moving South so it's costing us £100k extra for a smaller place, all money from retirement fund. AlanNorth

Interesting read about downsizing for retirement. We recently did this to have the means to retire early at 52. However, we bought a house in the south of France for the price of a flat in our town in West Sussex. Now living the dream! OliSarah

How much should we pay for food?

Executive chef at London's two-Michelin-starred Ikoyi, Jeremy Chan, raised eyebrows when he suggested to the Money blog that Britons don't pay enough for restaurant food.

Ikoyi, the 35th best restaurant in the world, charges £320 for its tasting menu. 

"I don't think people pay enough money for food, I think we charge too little, [but] we want to always be accessible to as many people as possible, we're always trying our best to do that," he said, in a piece about his restaurant's tie up with Uber Eats... 

We had this in... 

Are they serious? That is two weeks' worth of food shopping for me, if the rich can afford this "tasting menu" then they need to be taxed even more by the government, it's just crazy! Steve T

If the rate of pay is proportionate to the vastly overpriced costs of the double Michelin star menu, I would gladly peel quail eggs for four-hour stints over continuing to be abused as a UK supply teacher. AndrewWard

Does this two-star Michelin star chef live in the real world? Who gives a toss if he stands and peels his quails eggs for four hours, and he can get the best turbot from the fishmonger fresh on a daily basis? It doesn't justify the outrageous price he is charging for his tasting menu. Topaztraveller

Chefs do make me laugh, a steak is just a steak, they don't make the meat! They just cook it like the rest of us, but we eat out because we can't be bothered cooking! StevieGrah

Finally, many of you reacted to this feature on common mistakes in job interviews...

Those 10 biggest mistakes people make in interviews is the dumbest thing I've ever read. They expect all that and they'll be offering a £25k a year job. Why wouldn't I want to know about benefits and basic sick pay? And also a limp handshake? How's that relevant to how you work? Jre90

Others brought their own tips...

Whenever I go for an interview I stick to three points: 1. Be yourself 2. Own the interview 3. Wear the clothes that match the job you are applying Kevin James Blakey

From Sunday, eligible working parents of children from nine-months-old in England will be able to register for access to up to 15 free hours of government-funded childcare per week.

This will then be granted from September. 

Check if you're eligible  here  - or read on for our explainer on free childcare across the UK.

Three and four year olds

In England, all parents of children aged three and four in England can claim 15 hours of free childcare per week, for 1,140 hours (38 weeks) a year, at an approved provider.

This is a universal offer open to all.

It can be extended to 30 hours where both parents (or the sole parent) are in work, earn the weekly minimum equivalent of 16 hours at the national minimum or living wage, and have an income of less than £100,000 per year.

Two year olds

Previously, only parents in receipt of certain benefits were eligible for 15 hours of free childcare.

But, as of last month, this was extended to working parents.

This is not a universal offer, however.

A working parent must earn more than £8,670 but less than £100,000 per year. For couples, the rule applies to both parents.

Nine months old

In September, this same 15-hour offer will be extended to working parents of children aged from nine months. From 12 May, those whose children will be at least nine months old on 31 August can apply to received the 15 hours of care from September.

From September 2025

The final change to the childcare offer in England will be rolled out in September 2025, when eligible working parents of all children under the age of five will be able to claim 30 hours of free childcare a week.

In some areas of Wales, the Flying Start early years programme offers 12.5 hours of free childcare for 39 weeks, for eligible children aged two to three. The scheme is based on your postcode area, though it is currently being expanded.

All three and four-year-olds are entitled to free early education of 10 hours per week in approved settings during term time under the Welsh government's childcare offer.

Some children of this age are entitled to up to 30 hours per week of free early education and childcare over 48 weeks of the year. The hours can be split - but at least 10 need to be used on early education.

To qualify for this, each parent must earn less than £100,000 per year, be employed and earn at least the equivalent of working 16 hours a week at the national minimum wage, or be enrolled on an undergraduate, postgraduate or further education course that is at least 10 weeks in length.

All three and four-year-olds living in Scotland are entitled to at least 1,140 hours per year of free childcare, with no work or earnings requirements for parents. 

This is usually taken as 30 hours per week over term time (38 weeks), though each provider will have their own approach.

Some households can claim free childcare for two-year-olds. To be eligible you have to be claiming certain benefits such as Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance or Universal Credit, or have a child that is in the care of their local council or living with you under a guardianship order or kinship care order.

Northern Ireland

There is no scheme for free childcare in Northern Ireland. Some other limited support is available.

Working parents can access support from UK-wide schemes such as tax credits, Universal Credit, childcare vouchers and tax-free childcare.

Aside from this, all parents of children aged three or four can apply for at least 12.5 hours a week of funded pre-school education during term time. But over 90% of three-year-olds have a funded pre-school place - and of course this is different to childcare.

What other help could I be eligible for?

Tax-free childcare  - Working parents in the UK can claim up to £500 every three months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of their children to help with childcare costs. 

If the child is disabled, the amount goes up to £1,000 every three months (up to £4,000 a year).

To claim the benefit, parents will need to open a tax-free childcare account online. For every 80p paid into the account, the government will top it up by 20p.

The scheme is available until the September after the child turns 11.

Universal credit  - Working families on universal credit can claim back up to 85% of their monthly childcare costs, as long as the care is paid for upfront. The most you can claim per month is £951 for one child or £1,630 for two or more children.

Tax credits -  People claiming working tax credit can get up to 70% of what they pay for childcare if their costs are no more than £175 per week for one child or £300 per work for multiple children.

Two big economic moments dominated the news agenda in Money this week - interest rates and GDP.

As expected, the Bank of England held the base rate at 5.25% on Wednesday - but a shift in language was instructive about what may happen next.

Bank governor Andrew Bailey opened the door to a summer cut to 5%, telling reporters that an easing of rates at the next Monetary Policy Committee meeting on 20 June was neither ruled out nor a fait accompli.

More surprisingly, he suggested that rate cuts, when they start, could go deeper "than currently priced into market rates".

He refused to be drawn on what that path might look like - but markets had thought rates could bottom out at 4.5% or 4.75% this year, and potentially 3.5% or 4% next.

"To make sure that inflation stays around the 2% target - that inflation will neither be too high nor too low - it's likely that we will need to cut Bank rate over the coming quarters and make monetary policy somewhat less restrictive over the forecast period," Mr Bailey said.

You can read economics editor Ed Conway's analysis of the Bank's decision here ...

On Friday we discovered the UK is no longer in recession.

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.6% between January and March, the Office for National Statistics said.

This followed two consecutive quarters of the economy shrinking.

The data was more positive than anticipated.

"Britain is not just out of recession," wrote Conway. "It is out of recession with a bang."

The UK has seen its fastest growth since the tailend of the pandemic - and Conway picked out three other reasons for optimism.

1/ An economic growth rate of 0.6% is near enough to what economists used to call "trend growth". It's the kind of number that signifies the economy growing at more or less "normal" rates.

2/ 0.6% means the UK is, alongside Canada, the fastest-growing economy in the G7 (we've yet to hear from Japan, but economists expect its economy to contract in the first quarter).

3/ Third, it's not just gross domestic product that's up. So too is gross domestic product per head - the number you get when you divide our national income by every person in the country. After seven years without any growth, GDP per head rose by 0.4% in the first quarter.

GDP per head is a more accurate yardstick for the "feelgood factor", said Conway - perhaps meaning people will finally start to feel better off.

For more on where Friday's figures leaves us, listen to an Ian King Business Podcast special...

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money .

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

If you've missed any of the features we've been running in Money this year, or want to check back on something you've previously seen in the blog, this archive of our most popular articles may help...

Loaves of bread have been recalled from shelves in Japan after they were found to contain the remains of a rat.

Production of the bread in Tokyo has been halted after parts of a "small animal" were found by at least two people.

Pasco Shikishima Corp, which produces the bread, said 104,000 packages have been recalled as it apologised and promised compensation.

A company representative told Sky News's US partner network, NBC News, that a "small black rat" was found in the bread. No customers were reported to have fallen ill as a result of ingesting the contaminated bread.

"We deeply apologise for the serious inconvenience and trouble this has caused to our customers, suppliers, and other concerned parties," the spokesman said.

Pasco added in a separate statement that "we will do our utmost to strengthen our quality controls so that this will never happen again. We ask for your understanding and your co-operation."

Japanese media reports said at least two people who bought the bread in the Gunma prefecture, north-west of Tokyo, complained to the company about finding a rodent in the bread.

Record levels of shoplifting appear to be declining as fewer shopkeepers reported thefts last year, new figures show. 

A survey by the Office for National Statistics shows 26% of retailers experienced customer theft in 2023, down from a record high of 28% in 2022.

This comes despite a number of reports suggesting shoplifting is becoming more frequent. 

A  separate ONS finding , which used police crime data, showed reports of shoplifting were at their highest level in 20 years in 2023, with law enforcements logging 430,000 instances of the crime.

Let's get you up to speed on the biggest business news of the past 24 hours. 

A privately owned used-car platform is circling Cazoo Group, its stricken US-listed rival, which is on the brink of administration.

Sky News has learnt that Motors.co.uk is a leading contender to acquire Cazoo's marketplace operation, which would include its brand and intellectual property assets.

The process to auction the used-car platform's constituent parts comes after it spent tens of millions of pounds on sponsorship deals in football, snooker and darts in a rapid attempt to gain market share.

The owner of British Airways has reported a sharp rise in profits amid soaring demand for trips and a fall in the cost of fuel.

International Airlines Group said its operating profit for the first three months of the year was €68m (£58.5m) - above expectations and up from €9m (£7.7m) during the same period in 2023.

The company, which also owns Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling, said earnings had soared thanks to strong demand, particularly over the Easter holidays.

The prospect of a strike across Tata Steel's UK operations has gained further traction after a key union secured support for industrial action.

Community, which has more than 3,000 members, said 85% voted in favour of fighting the India-owned company's plans for up to 2,800 job losses, the majority of them at the country's biggest steelworks in Port Talbot, South Wales.

Tata confirmed last month it was to press ahead with the closure of the blast furnaces at the plant, replacing them with electric arc furnaces to reduce emissions and costs.

In doing so, the company rejected an alternative plan put forward by the Community, GMB and Unite unions that, they said, would raise productivity and protect jobs across the supply chain.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

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PLATINUM  INSURANCE  

Travel insurance benefits for you, your Supplementary Cardmembers, from the moment you use your card for a trip, rent a car or purchase an item. 

Terms and conditions apply

If you need Baggage Assistance

In the event that your checked baggage is lost by a commercial carrier, Platinum Travel Assistance will make every effort to track down your missing luggage and keep you posted on their progress. Should Platinum Travel Assistance not be able to recover your luggage, you will be reimbursed up to a maximum of US$1,200 per trip.

WHO'S COVERED? Platinum Travel Assistance services are provided by AXA Assistance USA, a division of the AXA Group, are given the name of Platinum Travel Assistance and are valid only for American Express International Dollar Platinum Card Members or the Additional Card Members. The Platinum Travel Assistance services will be valid only during the time in which the American Express Platinum Card account continues active and in good standing.

Platinum Travel Assistance is underwritten by AXA Assistance USA Coverage is determined by the Terms, Conditions, and Exclusions of service and is subject to change without notice.

KEY EXCLUSIONS & LIMITATIONS Depending on the case, different coverage may apply. The coverage provided by AXA Assistance USA is restricted to emergent situations that arise directly and independently of all other causes.

If you experience a delay on your journey, missed a connection or overbooked flight

The Travel Inconvenience Insurance Plan provides benefits in the event of:  Missed Departures and Missed Connections; delay, cancellation or overbooked flights; and Luggage Delay and Extended Luggage Delay when the Covered Trip is purchased and charged to your American Express International Dollar Card (IDC). 

• Up to US$250 per covered person for alternate travel, restaurant meals or refreshments
• Up to US$1,000 if your baggage is delayed after four hours for purchasing of essential clothing.

WHO'S COVERED?

You are eligible for coverage if you are an American Express International Dollar Card Platinum Card Member.

The Travel Inconvenience Insurance Plan  is underwritten by Indemnity Insurance Company of North America Administrative Office, The Corporate Center 33 Resolución Street, Suite 500 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00920-2707. Coverage is determined by the Terms, Conditions, and Exclusions of policy 58US3760 and is subject to change with notice. This document does not supplement or replace the policy.

KEY EXCLUSIONS & LIMITATIONS

In no event will duplicate or multiple American Express Cards obligate the Company in excess of the limit stated herein for expenses incurred by any one individual Covered Person as a result of any one incident covered under this Policy. 

EXCLUSIONS The Policy does not cover 

1) additional costs where the airline, rail or ship operator has offered alternative travel arrangements and these have been refused or where the Covered Person has voluntarily accepted compensation from the airline, train or ship operator in exchange for not traveling on an overbooked flight.

2) Claims where the Covered Person has failed to obtain a Property Irregularity Report from the relevant airline authorities of missing baggage at scheduled destination.

3) Industrial Action which has commenced or has been announced prior to booking your Covered Trip.

4) Covered Trips in, or booked to, countries where a government agency has advised against traveling or which are officially under embargo by the United Nations.

5) Any fraudulent, dishonest or criminal act committed by the Covered Person, or any with whom the Covered Person is in collusion.

6) Terrorist activities except while on a public vehicle.

7) Declared or undeclared war or hostilities.

8) Biological, chemical, nuclear or radioactive incidents.

If you need Medical Assistance

Should you have a medical emergency while traveling, Platinum Travel Assistance can provide you with medical assistance in consultation with local treating physicians. Medical visits to your hotel can also be arranged, depending on the circumstances and the resources available in each country. This assistance includes the following benefits per trip among others*:

• US$100,000 for emergency medical transportation** 
• US$250,000 for emergency medical services
• US$1,000 for emergency dental treatment
• US$1,000 for prescription expenses

*Benefit limits apply. Please read important exclusions, restrictions and Terms and Conditions . Card Members whose permanent address of residence is in Spain or Switzerland are not eligible for Platinum Travel Assistance.

**While traveling more than 100KMs away from home in the same country of residence, only the emergency medical transportation service is available

If you suffer serious injury on your trip

Travel Accident Insurance offers a coverage of up to US$500,000 in case of accidental death or dismemberment while traveling on a Common Carrier Conveyance (plane, train, ship or bus), when the entire fare has been charged to The Platinum Card.

WHO IS COVERED? A person shall be a Covered Person under the Master Policy No. 58US3199 only if: He or she is: a. a Basic or Additional Card Member who has the International Dollar Card Platinum Card issued by American Express Travel Related Services (“American Express”) in his or her name; or b. the legally married spouse or Dependent Child under age 23 of any eligible person described in a) above. For the purpose of this Policy, a common law marriage is not considered a legal marriage. Dependent Child means a legally dependent child, including a stepchild or legally adopted child of any eligible person described in a) or b) above; and who is wholly dependent on such eligible person(s) for financial support.

Travel Accident Insurance Plan is underwritten by Indemnity Insurance Company of North America, Administrative Office, Doral Bank Center Calle Resolución #33, Suite 500, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00920. Coverage is determined by the Terms, Conditions, and Exclusions of policy No. 58US3199 and is subject to change with notice. This document does not supplement or replace the policy.

KEY EXCLUSIONS & LIMITATIONS The Policy does not cover any Loss caused or contributed to by:

• suicide or self-destruction or any attempt threat;
• war or any act of war whether declared or undeclared;
• injury to which a contributory cause was the commission of or attempt to commit, an illegal act by or on behalf of the Covered Person or his or her beneficiaries;
• injury received while serving as an operator or crew member of any conveyance.  

If you need Legal Assistance

Platinum Travel Assistance can put you in contact with a lawyer in the country in which you are traveling. Should you need legal defense, Platinum Travel Assistance will provide legal assistance in the form of advanced legal and bail fees, up to US$10,000 per trip. All legal assistance funds advanced will be charged to your Platinum Card account automatically.

WHO IS COVERED?

Platinum Travel Assistance. The Travel Assistance services are provided by AXA Assistance USA, Inc. ("AXA"), an AXA Group company, are given the name of Platinum Travel Assistance and are valid only for American Express International Dollar Card Platinum Card Members or the Additional Card Members. The Platinum Travel Assistance services will be valid only during the time in which the American Express Platinum Card account is active and in good standing.

 The use of the Platinum Travel Assistance Service implies that the Basic Card member understands and accepts the General Conditions.

KEY EXCLUSIONS & LIMITATIONS The following general terms and conditions are in effect when services are provided by AXA and/or vendors and providers through which services are coordinated on behalf of the Card Member while traveling outside of his or her country of permanent residence or when 100 KMs away from home. The services provided by AXA are restricted to emergency situations that arise directly and independently of all other causes, resulting in external bodily injury, of violent and/or accidental means or of a medical condition which is sudden, unanticipated and urgent which requires immediate medical or surgical evaluation or treatment to provide relief of acute pain and suffering

If you are renting a vehicle

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance reimburses a Card Member for payments for damage to or theft of a Rental Auto that the Card Member is required to make, up to the lesser of: 

• the actual cost to repair the Rental Auto, or
• the published Book value or, if not available, the purchase invoice price of the Rental Auto minus salvage and depreciation costs, or
• fair market commercial value of the Rental Auto. 

The coverage also reimburses the Card Member for reasonable charges (those charges incurred at the closest facility that are usual and customary in the vicinity in which the loss or disablement took place) imposed by the Rental Company, such as towing, storage, loss of use (loss of use means proven loss of income to the Commercial Car Rental Company where no additional sources of income exist to offset this loss. Reasonable and customary charges are substantiated by documentation supporting loss of use such as fleet utilization logs; loss of use does not include Commercial Car Rental Company administrative fees), which the Rental Company would not have imposed had the Card Member accepted its full CDW, or partial collision damage waiver. Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance covers no other type of loss. For example, in the event of a collision involving the Card Member’s Rental Auto, damage to any other driver’s car or the Injury of anyone or anything is not covered. Note: This policy does not provide liability coverage for Uninsured Motorists; benefits under any Worker’s Compensation law, Disability benefits law or other mandated Government Plans.

Certain restrictions apply. Some vehicles are not covered. 

WHO IS COVERED? Any individual who has been issued an American Express IDC Platinum Card and who has an American Express Card Account.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance Plan is underwritten by Indemnity Insurance Company of North America, Administrative Office, Doral Bank Center Calle Resolución #33, Suite 500, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00920. Coverage is determined by the Terms, Conditions, and Exclusions of Policy No. 58US3775 and is subject to change with notice. This document does not supplement or replace the policy.

KEY EXCLUSIONS & LIMITATIONS Vehicles Not Covered Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance does not cover rentals of: 

• expensive cars, which means cars with an original manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $50,000 or more when new;
• exotic cars regardless of year or value, including but not limited to Chevrolet Corvette, Toyota Supra,Mazda RX-7, Dodge Viper and Stealth, Plymouth Prowler, Mitsubishi 3000 GT, Nissan 300 ZX, Jaguar XJS, Acura NSX,Mercedes SL, SLK, S Coupe and E320 Coupe and Convertible, BMWM3, Z3 and 8 Series, Cadillac Allante and all Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Aston Martin, Lotus, Bugatti, Vector, Shelby Cobra, Bentley, Rolls Royce;
• trucks, pick-ups, cargo vans, custom vans;
• full-sized vans, including but not limited to, Ford Econoline or ClubWagon, Chevy Van or Sportvan, GMC Vandura and Rally, Dodge Ram Vans and RamWagon;
• vehicles which have been customized or modified from the manufacturer’s factory specifications except for driver’s assistance equipment for the physically challenged;
• vehicles used for hire or commercial purposes;
• mini-vans used for commercial hire; Note: PassengerMini-Vans (Not CargoMini-Vans) with factory specified seating capacity of 8 passengers or less, including but not limited to, Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, FordWindstar and Nissan Quest, are covered when rented for personal or business use only.
• antique cars, which means cars that are 20 years old or have not been manufactured for 10 or more years;
• limousines;
• full sized sport utility vehicles, including but not limited to, Chevrolet/GMC Suburban, Tahoe and Yukon, Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, Toyota Land Cruiser, Lexus LX450, Range Rover or fullsized Ford Bronco;
• sport/utility vehicles when driven “off-road”; and Note: Compact sport/utility vehicles, including but not limited to Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota Four Runner, Chevrolet Blazer and Isuzu Trooper and Rodeo are covered when driven on paved roads.
• off-road vehicles, motorcycles, mopeds, recreational vehicles, golf or motorized carts, campers, trailers and any other vehicle which is not a Rental Auto.

If you need to protect your purchases

Purchase Protection  provides coverage for your purchases for ninety (90) days from the date of purchase when you charge any portion of the price of the purchased item to your Account. You will be reimbursed only for the amount charged to your Account.

Purchase Protection Program is underwritten by Indemnity Insurance Company of North America Administrative Office, The Corporate Center 33 Resolución Street, Suite 500 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00920-2707. Coverage is determined by the Terms, Conditions, and Exclusions of policy 58US3762 and is subject to change with notice. This document does not supplement or replace the policy.

KEY EXCLUSIONS & LIMITATIONS Benefits are not payable if the loss for which coverage is sought was directly or indirectly, wholly or partially, contributed to or caused by:

• Intentional damage to the covered item;
• war or any act of war, whether declared or undeclared; 
• any activity directly related to and occurring while in the service of any armed military force of any nation state recognized by the United Nations;
• participation in a riot, civil disturbance, protest or insurrection;
•  violation of a criminal law, offense or infraction by the Cardmember;
• natural disasters, including, but not limited to, hurricanes, floods, tornados, earthquakes or any other event in the course of nature, that occurs at the same time or in  separate instances;
• fraud or abuse or illegal activity of any kind by the Cardmember;
• confiscation by any governmental authority, public authority, or customs official;
• negligent failure of a duty to care by any third party in whose possession the property purchased by a Cardmember has been temporarily placed;
• not being reasonably safeguarded by You;
• theft from baggage not carried by hand and under Your personal supervision or under the supervision of a traveling companion known by You;
• damage through alteration (including, but not limited to, cutting, sawing and shaping); 
• normal wear and tear, inherent product defect or manufacturer's defects or normal course of play;
• damage or theft while under the care and control of a common carrier;
• food spoilage;
• leaving property at an unoccupied construction site; or
• purchases lost or misplaced.

Deductible applicable to Purchase Protection Cover $75 per claim

If you need to extend the warranty of your purchases

Extended Warranty  will extend the terms of the Original Warranty for a period of time equal to the duration of the Original Warranty, up to one (1) additional year on warranties of five (5) years or less that are eligible in a Covered Territory*.

The coverage provided under this benefit is EXCESS of other sources of indemnity.

*Covered Territory means the 50 States of the United States of America, District of Columbia Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of the United States.

Extended Warranty Program is underwritten by Indemnity Insurance Company of North America Administrative Office, The Corporate Center 33 Resolución Street, Suite 500 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00920-2707. Coverage is determined by the Terms, Conditions, and Exclusions of policy 58US3763 and is subject to change with notice. This document does not supplement or replace the policy.

KEY EXCLUSIONS & LIMITATIONS Benefits are not payable if the Loss for which coverage is sought was directly or indirectly wholly or partially, contributed to or caused by:

• any physical damage, including, but not limited to, damage as a direct result of natural disaster or a power surge, except to the extent the Original Warranty covers such damage;
• mechanical failure covered under product recall; or
•  fraud or abuse or illegal activity of any kind by the Cardmember

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Descriptions of Platinum Card® insurance coverages are provided on this Web site for informational purposes only. The Terms and Conditions provide complete coverage information and supersede all other sources.

To review Terms and Conditions, please download