One of the big perks of having a travel credit card is the insurance that can come with it.
Trip delay coverage is one of those benefits you probably don’t think much about until you’re sitting at an airport and realize you’re not getting home that night.
Maybe your flight is delayed for hours. Maybe a cancellation means the next available flight isn’t until the following morning. Either way, you could suddenly need a hotel room, meals, transportation and a few other necessities you weren’t planning to pay for.
That’s where trip delay insurance can come in handy.
Instead of spending an hour standing in line hoping the airline gives you a hotel voucher, a credit card with trip delay coverage may reimburse reasonable expenses caused by a covered delay.
Of course, the details matter. Some cards start covering you after six hours, while others require a 12-hour delay or an overnight stay. Some require the entire fare to be charged to the card, while others can cover award tickets when you only use the card to pay the taxes and fees.
And the list of cards offering this benefit has changed quite a bit over the years.
What To Look For In Trip Delay Insurance
When comparing trip delay coverage, there are several things worth checking:
- How long does the delay need to be before coverage begins?
- What causes of a delay are covered?
- Do you need to pay for the entire ticket with the card?
- Can award tickets qualify?
- How much will the policy reimburse?
- Which family members or traveling companions are covered?
The answers can vary considerably from one card to another, even when two cards are issued by the same bank.
Chase
Chase continues to offer trip delay reimbursement on many of its travel cards, although the coverage isn’t identical across the lineup.
Six-Hour Coverage
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has some of Chase’s strongest trip delay coverage. A covered delay lasting more than six hours, or one requiring an overnight stay, can qualify for reimbursement of up to $500 per covered traveler.
The newer Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business offers similar six-hour trip delay coverage.
12-Hour Or Overnight Coverage
Several other Chase cards provide up to $500 in trip delay reimbursement, but coverage generally begins after a delay of more than 12 hours or when an overnight stay is required.
Those cards include:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Ritz-Carlton Card
- Ink Business Preferred
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold
- Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
- United Explorer Card
- United Quest Card
- United Business Card
- United Club Infinite Card
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- Aeroplan Card
One noteworthy change involves the Ritz-Carlton Card. It previously had a six-hour trip-delay threshold, which put it on equal footing with the Sapphire Reserve for this benefit. Its current coverage starts after more than 12 hours or an overnight stay.
That makes the Sapphire Reserve better strictly for trip delay coverage, but that’s only one piece of the travel insurance package a card provides.
American Express
American Express also offers trip delay insurance on a fairly large group of cards, but there are two general levels of coverage.
Six-Hour, $500 Coverage
These premium American Express cards provide up to $500 per covered trip when an eligible delay lasts more than six hours:
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- The Business Platinum Card from American Express
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
12-Hour, $300 Coverage
Several other Amex cards provide coverage after a delay of more than 12 hours, generally up to $300 per covered trip.
Those include:
- American Express Gold Card
- American Express Green Card
- American Express Business Gold Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card
American Express coverage differs from that of many Chase cards. Amex generally requires a round trip, with eligible travel charged in accordance with the policy terms. Award travel can still qualify when the required taxes and fees are paid with the eligible card, subject to the benefit’s rules.
Because of those requirements, I wouldn’t choose a card based solely on the six-hour versus 12-hour number.
Capital One
The Capital One Venture X provides trip delay reimbursement when a covered trip is delayed for more than six hours or requires an overnight stay.
The benefit can reimburse up to $500 in reasonable additional expenses, such as lodging and meals.
A portion of the fare can generally be paid with the eligible account and/or the account’s rewards, making the coverage useful for award travel as well.
Citi
Citi is one of the biggest changes since earlier versions of this article.
For several years, Citi was known for removing many of the travel protections that had once made its premium cards attractive. That’s no longer universally the case.
Several current Citi cards now provide trip delay protection again.
Citi Strata Premier
The Citi Strata Premier provides trip delay protection when a covered trip is delayed for more than six hours, with reimbursement of up to $500 for eligible expenses.
Citi Strata Elite
The premium Citi Strata Elite also provides trip delay coverage beginning after more than six hours, with up to $500 in coverage.
Citi AAdvantage Cards
Trip delay protection is also included with some of Citi’s higher-end American Airlines cards, including:
- Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
- Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard
Bank Of America
Bank of America also has several cards offering trip delay protection.
Premium Rewards
The Bank of America Premium Rewards card provides trip delay reimbursement when a covered trip is delayed for more than 12 hours. Coverage can be worth up to $500 per ticket for eligible expenses.
Premium Rewards Elite
The higher-end Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite also includes trip delay coverage as part of its larger suite of travel protections.
Atmos Rewards Summit
The Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite also provides trip delay protection.
It has an additional twist for Alaska Airlines travelers. Qualifying Alaska Airlines flights purchased directly from Alaska with the card can receive a $50 travel delay credit following a cancellation or a delay of at least two hours.
That’s separate from traditional trip delay insurance, which normally requires you to incur an expense and submit a claim for reimbursement.
U.S. Bank
The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect also includes trip delay reimbursement as part of its travel protections.
What’s interesting here is that Altitude Connect doesn’t charge the premium annual fee typically associated with cards that offer travel insurance.
That’s another reminder that you don’t necessarily need a $500-plus annual-fee card to get useful travel protection.
Bilt
The Bilt Palladium Card includes trip delay insurance when a covered trip is delayed for more than six hours.
The benefit provides up to $300 per trip for eligible expenses.
There is an important payment requirement with this coverage. Generally, the trip needs to be purchased with the Palladium Card. Award travel may qualify when certificates, vouchers or points cover part of the ticket, with the remaining amount charged to the card, subject to the policy terms.
Not Every Travel Card Has Trip Delay Coverage
It’s easy to assume that any premium travel card will provide this benefit, but that’s not necessarily true.
For example, some cards provide trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance and rental car coverage without providing traditional trip delay reimbursement.
Check the actual Guide to Benefits before deciding which card to use for an expensive trip.
Which Card Do I Use?
I’m still using my Ritz-Carlton Card for most airfare purchases, even though the card’s trip delay coverage kicks in after a delay of more than 12 hours or an overnight stay, rather than the six-hour threshold it previously offered.
That’s not the best trip delay coverage available. Cards including the Venture X and Amex Platinum can provide coverage after a six-hour delay. But I don’t choose which card to use for airfare based on this one benefit.
When I look at the full range of travel protections available from the cards we currently have, the Ritz-Carlton Card still offers the best overall combination for us.
Final Thoughts
Trip delay insurance isn’t the flashiest credit card benefit. Nobody signs up for a card dreaming about the day they’ll get to file an insurance claim. But when something goes wrong, it can become one of the most valuable benefits on the card.
The important thing is knowing what your card covers before your trip is delayed. A six-hour trigger is better than a 12-hour trigger, but that’s only part of the equation. You also need to consider payment requirements, covered reasons for the delay, who is insured and what other travel protections the card provides.
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