We all know how frustrating delays can be when trying to reach your destination.
But did you know that some credit cards offer trip delay insurance when you use the card to pay for your trip?
These cards will reimburse you for travel expenses like hotels, food, and other costs due to your delayed flight.
We’ve compiled a list of the best credit cards for trip delay insurance, so you can choose the one that’s best for you.
Best for Overall Value: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Best for Luxury Flying: Platinum Card® from American Express
Best for Rent Expenses: Bilt Mastercard®
1. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Best for Overall Value
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (review) delivers both everyday value with unlimited 2x miles on purchases and premium comfort through comprehensive airport lounge access for you upon enrollment. You’ll also receive $300 in annual travel credits plus 10,000 anniversary bonus miles, creating substantial ongoing value.
Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full
Earning Rewards: 10x miles on hotels and rental cars and 5x miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel; 2x miles on all other purchases.
Card Benefits: $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary, airport lounge access (Capital One and Priority Pass) upon enrollment, Global Entry / TSA PreCheck credit, Hertz President’s Circle elite status, primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and cell phone protection.
Transfer Partners: Accor (2 to 1), Aeromexico, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Choice Privileges, Emirates, Etihad, Finnair, I Prefer Hotels (1 to 2), Japan Airlines(2 to 1.5), JetBlue (5 to 3), Qantas, Qatar, Singapore KrisFlyer, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Red, and Wyndham Rewards.
2. Chase Sapphire Preferred
Best Mid-tier Card for Travel
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review) is one of the most popular travel rewards cards because it offers nice welcome bonus and extra points on travel and dining, which can be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through Chase Travel℠. The Sapphire Preferred also offers great travel and purchase protections for a card with a $95 annual fee.
Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full
Earning Rewards: 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2x points on all other travel purchases, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Card Benefits: Ability to transfer to airline and hotel partners, 25% bonus when redeeming points through Chase Travel, $50 annual hotel stay credit via Chase Travel, 10% anniversary points bonus, no foreign transaction fees, primary rental car insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, baggage delay insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty.
Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Emirates, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Hyatt, IHG, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Singapore KrisFlyer, Southwest, United, and Virgin Atlantic.
3. The Platinum Card® from American Express
Best for Luxury Flying
American Express Platinum Card® (review) offers the most comprehensive airport lounge network available, giving you access to premium Centurion Lounges plus thousands of other lounges worldwide. You can easily offset the card’s large annual fee through generous credits for Uber, hotels, digital entertainment, Resy dining, and lifestyle brands like lululemon.
Earning Points: 5x on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel®, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year; 5x points on on prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com; 1x points on all other purchases.
Card Benefits:
- Airport Lounge Access to Eligible Cardmembers: American Express Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Club (when flying Delta and limited to 10 annual visits unless you spend $75,000 in a calendar year), Priority Pass with unlimited visits, Escape Lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and select Lufthansa Lounges (when flying a Lufthansa Group airline).
- Statement Credits: You can enjoy monthly and annual statement credits (enrollment required for most benefits; terms and conditions apply) for a wide range of services and merchants, including airline fees, Uber Cash, hotel bookings, digital entertainment, Walmart+, Saks Fifth Avenue purchases, CLEAR® Plus membership, Equinox fitness club membership, and SoulCycle At-Home Bike purchases.
- Elite Status: Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Honors Gold, Hertz President’s Circle, National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive, and Avis Preferred Plus.
- Travel Benefits: Trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, secondary rental car insurance, and baggage insurance plan.
- Purchase Benefits: Extended warranty, purchase protection, return protection, and cell phone protection.
Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, AeroMexico, Air Canada Aeroplan, ANA, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Choice Privileges, Delta, Emirates, Etihad, Air France – KLM Flying Blue, Hawaiian Airlines, Hilton, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore KrisFlyer, and Virgin Atlantic.
4. Bilt Rewards (No Annual Fee)
Best for Rent Expenses
The Bilt Mastercard® (review) lets you earn valuable travel rewards on rent payments without fees while offering bonus points on dining and travel purchases. This no-annual-fee card stands out for its unique rent payment feature and strong travel benefits like rental car coverage and trip protection.
Earning Rewards: 5x points on Lyft; 3x points on dining; 2x points on travel purchases; 1x points on rent payments without any transaction fees up to 100,000 points per year, and 1x points on everything else. (Five transactions are required per billing cycle to earn points.)
Card Benefits: No transaction fees to pay rent and earn 1x points, primary rental car insurance, cell phone protection, trip delay and trip cancellation insurance, purchase protection, and no foreign transaction fees.
5. Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Best for Small Businesses
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (review) offers great rewards for small business owners. With bonus points on travel, shipping, advertising, and communication services, plus valuable travel protections, it’s a solid choice for companies looking to maximize their everyday spending.
Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full
Earning Rewards: 3x points on travel, shipping, advertising made with social media sites and search engines, and internet, cable and phone services on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year; 1x points on all other eligible purchases.
Card Benefits: Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel, no foreign transaction fees, primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation insurance, cell phone protection, purchase protection, and extended warranty.
Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Emirates, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Hyatt, IHG, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Singapore KrisFlyer, Southwest, United, and Virgin Atlantic.
6. Chase Sapphire Reserve
Best for Travel and Dining
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (review) offers premium travel benefits including lounge access, hotel elite status, and multiple statement credits that can offset its $795 annual fee. With bonus earnings on travel and dining purchases plus the ability to transfer points to 14 airline and hotel partners, this card delivers strong value for frequent travelers who can maximize its benefits.
Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full
Earning Rewards: 10x points on Hotels (excluding The Edit) and car rentals and 5x points on flights through Chase Travel after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 10x points on Chase Dining purchases with Ultimate Rewards; 3x points on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out; 3x points on other travel after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 1x points on other eligible spending.
Card Benefits: $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass airport lounge membership with unlimited visits, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fee credit of up to $120 every four years, no foreign transaction fees, travel insurance (primary rental car, trip delay, trip cancellation, travel accident, lost luggage, and baggage delay), purchase protection, return protection, and extended warranty.
Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Emirates, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Hyatt, IHG, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Singapore KrisFlyer, Southwest, United, and Virgin Atlantic.
7. United Explorer
Best for United Frequen Flyers
The United℠ Explorer Card (review) delivers premium travel benefits without the premium price tag, making it ideal if you fly United just a few times yearly. You’ll enjoy practical perks like free checked bags and priority boarding alongside monthly credits for ride-sharing and grocery delivery that provide value throughout the year.
Welcome Bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Earning Miles: 2x miles on United Airlines purchases, dining (including eligible delivery services), hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel; 1x miles on all other purchases.
Card Benefits: Free first checked bag for you and one companion, 2 United Club one-time passes each year, $120 Instacart credit, $100 JSX credit, $60 ridesharing credit, $100 United Hotels credit, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fee credit, 25% back on United inflight and Club premium drink purchases, no foreign transaction fees, travel insurance (primary rental car, trip delay, trip cancellation, lost luggage, and baggage delay), purchase protection, and extended warranty.
8. American Express® Gold Card
Best for Dining and Groceries
The American Express® Gold Card (review) is a great card for earning points at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and flights booked directly with airlines. Cardholders can also enjoy up to $424 in annual credits and nice travel and purchase protections.
Earning Points: 4x points at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year (then 1x points); 4x points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year (then 1x points); 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com; 2x points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com; 1x points on all other eligible purchases.
Benefits:
- $120 Dining Credit: Enroll and earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys).
- $120 Uber Cash: Get up to $10 monthly Uber Cash for U.S. Uber Eats orders and rides when you add your American Express Gold Card as a payment method. Your Uber Cash can be redeemed using any American Express card.
- $84 Dunkin’ Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with this card at U.S. Dunkin locations).
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $50 semiannually in statement credits after you enroll and pay with this card at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases).
- Other benefits: No foreign transaction fees, travel insurance (trip delay, baggage insurance, and secondary rental car), extended warranty, and return protection.
Transfer Partners: Aer Lingus, AeroMexico, Air Canada Aeroplan, ANA, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Choice Privileges, Delta, Emirates, Etihad, Air France – KLM Flying Blue, Hawaiian Airlines, Hilton, Iberia, JetBlue, Marriott, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore KrisFlyer, and Virgin Atlantic.
9. World of Hyatt
Best for Hyatt Loyalists
The World of Hyatt Credit Card (review) rewards members with nice perks including a yearly Category 1-4 free night certificate and Discoverist status benefits. This card particularly excels for those who spend regularly at Hyatt properties, earning bonus points while working toward valuable elite status tiers.
Welcome Bonus: Earn Up to 60,000 Bonus Points: 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months and up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point.
Earning Points: 4x points on purchases at all Hyatt hotels; 2x points on restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit and commuting as well as fitness club and gym memberships; and 1x points on all other purchases.
Card Benefits: Free night award at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel every year after your cardmember anniversary, World of Hyatt Discoverist status, no foreign transaction fees, travel insurance (baggage delay, lost luggage, trip cancellation, and secondary rental car insurance), and purchase protection.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here. 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.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here. 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.
