If you already use a credit card to pay for flights, hotels, rental cars, and other travel expenses, you may have access to travel benefits you're not using.
I know I didn't think much about them until I was getting ready for an overseas trip. I knew I might need to use my credit card while traveling, and suddenly I had questions. Would I be charged a foreign transaction fee? How would I contact customer service if I had a problem? What would happen if I lost my card while I was away?
That's when I realized I should probably know more about the benefits and protections that came with my credit card.
Depending on the card, travel-related benefits can include airport lounge access, travel insurance and protections, free checked bags, statement credits, rental car coverage, priority boarding, and rewards you can use toward future trips.
The specific benefits vary by card. Credit-card rewards, fees, and travel benefits can also change over time. The examples in this post are meant to show you the types of benefits you may find, not to represent a current offer from a particular card.
Before you book your next trip, check your card's current benefits and terms to see what's actually available to you.
Related read: Simple Ways To Save Money When Flying
Travel perks
Airport lounge access
Access to airline lounges has been a premium perk exclusively available for first or business class travelers or those high up in airline rewards programs. Now they are also made available to those with premium travel cards.I’ve been in a Delta lounge once via a first-class ticket and it was a nice way to spend my layover at the airport. Food and drinks were available. The seats were very comfortable, there were TV to catch up on the news or live game. You could also charge your devices.
Now with premium travel cards you can get the same experience as someone who paid for a first class ticket without the same cost.
Priority boarding
This is a perk that I love. With so many people not checking bags and doing carry-on the overhead bin space can fill up fast. If you have priority boarding you can board the plane before the masses and secure your overhead bin space for your carry-on.Global Entry and/or TSA PreCheck credits
To help expedite getting through the airport, Global Entry and TSA PreCheck are helpful. They allow you to get through the security screensing a little quicker than the regular lines. I have TSA PreCheck and it’s allowed me to breeze through the security screening lines in some airports.It costs money to sign up for them so some of the premium travel credit cards will offer a credit to reimburse you for the costs to sign up for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. In fact, the credit is sometimes greater than the annual fee for the card.
Free checked bags
This is a benefit I've typically seen with airline cards. It's great when you take longer longer trips, since you may want to pack more and check a bag, but don’t want to pay the checked bag fee.Some travel cards will let you check at least one bag for free. With my card, I’m able to get my first checked bag free on domestic flights. And that applies to me and up to four people traveling with me if we’re on the same flight reservation.
Reward points or miles
Many credit cards out there give you some type of reward or bonus for purchases. These rewards can vary. Some provide points, others miles. But some will also give bonus points or miles for travel-related purchases during certain months or quarters in the year. And with some cards you may also be able to redeem these miles or points for future trips. Check with your credit card company to see if this feature is available and how you can take advantage of it.Travel protections
Car rental insurance
Some travel credit cards will cover the theft or damage of a rental car if you use them for that purchase. Typically this only applies if you didn’t purchase the insurance from the car rental place. By using credit card coverage, you can save a few dollars.
Lost or delayed baggage protection
We’ve all heard the stories or may have experienced it ourselves. We check our baggage and then get to a destination ready to start our vacation, only to find the airline can’t find it. Some travel cards will provide reimbursement if your luggage is lost or delayed for a long amount of time and you need to purchase items until your baggage arrives.
Travel and/or emergency assistance
Should you run into a situation where you need to change your travel plans because of an emergency situation your credit card may be able to help with that. Some cards will even help with medical or legal referrals should that type of situation arise.
Travel accident insurance
We all hope our vacations are accident-free, but unfortunately, accidents happen. Check and see if your travel card will provide financial assistance to help cover expenses should an accident occur and what qualifies as an accident. This varies card by card.
Trip cancellation and interruption protection
Some credit cards provide trip cancellation or interruption coverage when you use the card to pay for the trip, Depending on the card, coverage may help reimburse certain prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses when a covered event causes you to cancel or interrupt your trip.
Make sure to read the details on this as some travel you book with the card may not be eleible for this. Coverage limits, qualifying events, exclusions, and payment requirements may also vary by card.
Related read: The Beauty Essentials I Can't Travel Without
While traveling
Foreign transaction fees coverage
One of the last things you want is to make a purchase when you’re overseas and then find out it cost you more than you anticipated because of a foreign transaction fee. That could be the start of blowing your travel budget.
Some credit cards don't charge foreign transaction fees, while others do. If you're traveling internationally, check your card's current terms before you leave so you know what you'll pay for purchases made outside the U.S.
Keep in mind a card with no foreign transaction fee doesn't necessarily mean you'll never encounter a fee when traveling. For example, a merchant or ATM may impose its own fee.
Customer service
If you have questions or have an issue, such as a stolen or lost card, you can talk to someone for help with the situation.
Protection from unauthorized purchases
One thing we tend to worry about when traveling, at least I do, is my card being stolen. Having a card fraud liability helps because it typically covers you if your card is stolen and unauthorized purchases are made.
The rules for being covered will vary by card so if your card is lost or stolen, contact your credit card company as soon as possible and follow its reporting instructions.
Purchase Protection
After spending all that time looking for the perfect souvenir to remember your trip by or gifts for friends or family, the last thing you want is for it to be damaged or stolen.
If you purchased a gift or souvenir with your card check to see if it offers purchase protection. Some cards offer protection if your purchase is stolen or damaged. What’s covered, what’s not, and for how much can vary and may only cover a portion of the purchase.
Free card replacement
In the event your credit card is lost or damaged during your vacation you some card issuers offer emergency card replacement or expedited delivery if your card is lost or stolen while traveling. Availability, fees, delivery times, and eligible locations can vary, so check with your credit card company before you leave for your trip so you’re aware.
Related read: My 10 Best Amazon Travel Finds
Additional tips
Don't choose a card just for the travel perks
Many credit cards with travel perks charge an annual fee. The card I have has a $99 annual fee, which is on the lower end, so it comes with some of these benefits but not all of them.
I haven't switched to another card because the annual fees on the other cards I considered didn't make sense for me. I don't fly often enough to get enough value from the additional benefits.
If I were looking for a new travel credit card, I'd start by figuring out which benefits actually matter to me when I travel. Then I'd look for cards that offer those benefits and compare the potential value of the benefits with the annual fee.
The goal isn't to find the card with the most perks. It's to find a card where the benefits you will actually use provide enough value to justify the cost.
And remember, while credit cards can offer useful travel benefits, they generally make the most sense for people who can pay their balance in full each month and avoid interest cha
Before you book your next trip
Before using your credit card for your next trip, check:
- What travel benefits your card currently offers
- Whether you need to enroll in any benefits
- How you earn rewards on travel purchases
- Whether you need to book through a specific travel portal
- Whether travel insurance or trip protection applies
- What baggage benefits are available
- Whether the card charges foreign transaction fees
- Whether travel credits have expiration dates
- How to contact your card issuer while traveling
- What to do if your card is lost or stolen
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