The Best Credit Cards for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Coverage [2021]

BY 

Christine Krzyszton

- UPDATED: April 26, 2021   |    8

1. Credit Cards

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The number of travelers in the U.S. has reached an all-time high. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported nearly 2.8 million people were screened on a single day over Memorial Weekend 2019, its busiest day ever.

Unfortunately, with the large volume of travelers, flight cancellations and delays can cause even the savviest of travelers significant inconvenience.

Plus, your chances of having a flight disruption are likely. According to Flight Aware, a site that tracks flights globally, you’ll find thousands of worldwide cancellations and delays each day.

On just July 16, 2019, there were 17,736 flight delays worldwide. Of those delays, 4,805 flights were within the U.S. or flying into and out of the U.S.; on the same day, cancellations worldwide numbered 891, of which 201 involved flights to, from, and within the United States.

Trip disruption can also cost you. Whether it’s the expense of a hotel room, transportation, meals, or incidentals you might need, chances are you’ll end up paying some of these expenses out of your pocket, especially in the case of severe weather.

Having trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance coverage on your credit card can be a real plus for travelers. While it won’t take the place of a comprehensive travel insurance policy, you may find the coverage more than adequate to cover your trip.

With credit card issuers reducing and even eliminating travel insurance on their cards, it is good timing to highlight cards that offer this valuable coverage.

What is Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Coverage?

Put simply, trip cancellation insurance reimburses you, eligible family, or covered travel companions for non-refundable prepaid trip expenses if a covered loss prevents you from traveling and your trip is canceled as a result.

Trip interruption insurance offers coverage for unexpected events that happen during your trip and cause your trip to be disrupted.

Examples of Covered Events

• Bodily injury due to an accident, loss of life, or sickness of the cardholder, traveling companion, or immediate family member of yours or of a traveling companion
• Severe weather
• Change in military orders for you or your spouse/domestic partner
• Terrorist action or hijacking
• Jury duty or subpoena that cannot be postponed or waived
• Finding you or your traveling companion’s dwelling unable to be occupied
• Quarantine
• Travel agency insolvency

Examples of Covered Non-Refundable Expenses

• Prepaid tours
• Tickets on common carriers such as airlines, trains, bus, or cruise
• Non-refundable hotels

Generally Not Covered Events

• You are traveling against the advice of a doctor, while awaiting a specified medical treatment, or to receive medical treatment
• Traveling in the seventh month or later of pregnancy
• Traveling with a pre-existing medical condition
• Illegal acts while traveling
• Being involved in a motor vehicle race or speeding contest
• Participating in professional sports for pay or prize money
• Traveling on a rocket-propelled aircraft
• Self-injury

Several credit cards offer trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance, each with varying degrees of coverage.

Bottom Line: Having complimentary trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage on your credit card can save you from losing your hard-earned travel dollars by reimbursing you for non-refundable or unexpected expenses caused by trip cancellations or interruptions.

The Best Amex Cards for Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance

Amex offers trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance on several of its premium cards.

You could receive a benefit of up to $10,000 per trip and a maximum of $20,000 per account per 12 month period for a covered loss.

Let’s look at which cards now offer this valuable coverage.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Amex Card

Benefits & Info

New Welcome Offer The Platinum Card® from American Express Apply Now (at Amex's secure site)

Earn 60,000 75,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Earn 10x points on eligible purchases, in your first 6 months of Card Membership, on your new Card at U.S. Gas Stations and U.S. Supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases). Earn 5X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) plus earn 5X Membership Rewards points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Access 1,300+ airport lounges across 140 countries, including the amazing Centurion lounges. (This is our favorite lounge access card.) Up to $200 Uber Savings Annually. Up to $200 Airline Fee Credit. Up to $100 fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $550. Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here. Bonus Valuation*: $1,650 Must Reads: For more info on the Amex Platinum, see our thoughts on its benefits & perks, travel insurance coverage, and unbeatable airport lounge access. Take a look here for our full review. If you're a business owner, see our review of The Business Platinum Card from American Express.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

Credit Card

Key Benefits & Info

New Welcome Offer The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Apply Now (at Amex's secure site)

New Welcome Offer: Earn 85,000 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com. Access more than 1,300 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, including the amazing Centurion lounges. $200 Airline Fee Credit. Get up to $200 in statement credits annually by getting up to $100 semi-annually for U.S. purchases with Dell Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $595 Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here. Bonus Valuation*: $2,200 Must Reads: For more info on the Amex Business Platinum, see our insights on its benefits, top card FAQ's and the best airport lounges you can access. Go here for our full review. This is one of several business credit cards from Amex.

Additional Amex Cards with Coverage

You’ll also find trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage on these additional Amex cards:

• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card

Amex Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance Coverage Details

Amex trip cancellation coverage provides for the reimbursement of non-refundable expenses paid to the travel provider when a covered loss causes the cancellation of your trip.

Examples of potential covered losses causing you to cancel your trip would be illness, weather, jury duty, or a change in military orders.

Trip interruption coverage also reimburses for non-refundable expenses paid to the travel provider, plus it can also provide reimbursement for additional eligible transportation expenses.

Who is Covered?

You, your family, and your traveling companions are covered when the eligible trip has been purchased with your card. Family is defined as a spouse, domestic partner, or unmarried dependent child up to age 19 (age 26 if full-time college/university student).

Conditions for Valid Amex Coverage

For coverage to be active, you must adhere to the following:

• Pay for your common carrier trip in full with your eligible Amex card or in combination with points accumulated on the card, frequent flyer miles, vouchers, or coupons
• The trip must be somewhere other than your place of residence
• The trip cannot exceed 365 days in length
• The period of travel can consist of round-trip, one-way, or combinations of the 2

How to File a Claim With Amex

The trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance on your applicable Amex card is secondary to any other travel insurance that may apply. For this reason, you’ll want to contact and file a claim with any existing insurance company first before filing a claim with Amex.

You must notify the Amex claim administrator within 60 days of the incident and provide any or all of the following:

• Copies of your common carrier ticket and travel supplier receipts
• Billing statement for your card showing the trip charges
• Documentation showing proof of the loss
• A copy of the travel supplier’s cancellation policy
• Other documentation requested by the claim administrator

You will have 180 days from the date of the loss to submit the required information.

Bottom Line: Amex now offers trip cancellation, trip interruption, and trip delay coverage for eligible trips paid for with several of its premium cards.

The Best Chase Credit Cards for Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance

Chase is a leader when it comes to overall travel insurance coverage, specifically trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance. The issuer offers several cards with these valuable benefits.

Expect to receive the following benefit compensation levels for a covered travel incident, from these Chase credit cards:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Credit Card

Benefits & Info

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Apply Now (at Chase's secure site)

Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening. Bonus Valuation*: $1,600 Earn 2x points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel. Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21. Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $95 Must Reads: For more info on the Chase Sapphire Preferred, see our thoughts on its benefits, travel insurance coverage, and credit score requirements. Take a look at our full review to see why it's one of our favorite Chase credit cards.

If your trip is canceled for a covered reason, you or a covered immediate family member could be reimbursed for the non-refundable amount of your trip. The limit for each coverage is $10,000 per occurrence.

The maximum benefit under each separate coverage for trip cancellation and trip interruption is $20,000 per incident and $40,000 per 12-month period.

For more about the Sapphire Preferred’s travel insurance, explore our in-depth guide.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Credit Card

Key Benefits & Info

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Apply Now (at Chase's secure site)

Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Bonus Valuation*: $2,000 Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases—with no limit to the amount you can earn 25% more value when redeeming points through Ultimate Rewards® travel Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $95 Must Reads: For more info on the Ink Business Preferred, see our guides on its benefits, 7 things to do as a new cardholder, and our full review. This is our favorite Chase business credit card.

If a covered event causes your trip to be canceled or interrupted, you can expect to receive up to $5,000 per person, a maximum of $10,000 per occurrence, and no more than $20,000 total for a 12-month period.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card

Credit Card

Key Benefits & Info

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Apply Now (at Chase's secure site)

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Bonus Valuation*: $1,200 $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year. Through 12/31/21, gas station & grocery store purchases will also count towards earning your Travel Credit 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit. 3X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® Excellent Credit Recommended (740-850) Annual Fee: $550 Must Reads: For more on the Chase Sapphire Reserve, see our thoughts on its benefits, global airport lounge access, and travel insurance protection. Take a look here for our full review.

If your trip needs to be canceled or becomes interrupted due to a covered event, you could receive up to $10,000 per person / $20,000 per trip, up to $40,000 maximum within a 12 month period.

For more information, check out our complete guide to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s travel insurance benefits.

United Club℠ Card

Receive up to $10,000 per person, up to a maximum of $20,000 per trip for non-refundable travel expenses made with your United Club card.

World of Hyatt Credit Card

Coverage of up to $5,000 is provided per trip for non-recoverable travel expenses due to a covered loss.

IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card

CREDIT CARD

CARD INFO

IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card Apply Now (at Chase's secure site)

Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening Earn up to 25 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel Earn 2x points on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants; then 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Enjoy a Reward Night after each account anniversary year at eligible IHG hotels worldwide. Plus, enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for any stay of 4 or more nights Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier card member Good to Excellent Credit Recommend (670-850) Annual Fee: $89

You could receive up to $5,000 per person, $10,000 per trip reimbursement for prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses.

Chase Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance Coverage Details

Who is Covered?

You and your immediate family are covered for trip cancellation and trip interruption when even a portion of your trip is paid for with your qualifying card. You can also use Chase Ultimate Rewards points or a combination of paying with your card and points to receive coverage.

Chase has a broad definition of “immediate family.” The definition includes:

• Spouse
• Domestic partner
• Children (including adopted children and step-children)
• Legal guardians or wards
• Siblings or siblings-in-law
• Parents or parents-in-law
• Grandparents
• Grandchildren
• Nieces and nephews
• Aunts and uncles

You also do not need to be traveling with your family members for coverage to be valid. You must, however, have paid for a portion of the trip with your qualifying Chase card or Ultimate Rewards points.

Bottom Line: While coverage limits vary, the definition of a covered loss, which situations are excluded, and who is eligible for coverage, is consistent across these Chase credit cards. 

Conditions for Valid Chase Coverage

• The trip must be paid for with your eligible Chase card and/or points accumulated with a Chase card
• The trip destination must be more than 1 mile from home for coverage
• The trip cannot exceed 60 days in duration

How to File a Claim With Chase

Most trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance is in excess over other coverage you might have, whether from a separate travel insurance policy you purchased or from compensation you received directly from the common carrier.

For example, if an airline pays for your hotel room, transport to the hotel, and meals due to a flight cancellation, your credit card coverage is only going to cover reimbursement for eligible expenses you incurred above what the carrier provided or for which they reimbursed you.

For this reason, some of the documentation you’ll need to submit will need to come from the common carrier. It’s best to be informed upfront, before you travel, of what may be required should you need to file a claim.

Call the benefits administrator as soon as you are aware of the trip cancellation or interruption. The administrator will take down the basic information and send you a claim form to complete.

Documentation You May Need to Provide

• Your completed claim form
• A copy of your travel itinerary
• Documentation of the reason for the trip cancellation or interruption
• Medical documents supporting a covered loss
• Copy of your credit card statement showing the charges for prepaid travel expenses
• Proof of other eligible expenses
• Copy of the carrier’s or travel provider’s refund or cancellation policy

You have 90 days to provide loss documentation but the deadline can be extended to 1 year if there is a valid reason the documentation could not be obtained within the 90 day period.

Chase states that it will pay the claim within 60 days after they have received all of the required documentation.

Additional Credit Cards With Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance

While coverage varies widely, several other credit cards offer trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage.

• AAdvantage^® Aviator^® Red World Elite Mastercard® — up to $1,500 for common carrier purchased fares
• United℠ Explorer Card — up to $1,500 in coverage per person, up to a maximum of $6,000 per trip, and a maximum of $6,000 per 12-month period
• Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Card — up to $5,000 per person, per trip, for reimbursement of non-refundable travel expenses due to a covered loss
• Visa Infinite cards — up to $2,000 reimbursement per trip for non-refundable eligible expenses

Other Trip Protections and Benefits You Can Use

There are other travel protections and benefits that can save you money or provide assurance during your trip. Look for these protections and benefits on your current rewards credit card or one you’re considering.

Note that these are general, abbreviated descriptions of complimentary protections or benefits that may come with your card. Coverage varies widely so you’ll want to check the card’s Guide to Benefits for limits, terms, and conditions.

Rental Car Collision Damage Waiver

Most travel cards carry some type of rental car insurance that covers theft of and damage to your rental car. Here’s our take on which cards provide the best rental car insurance coverage.

Trip Delay Insurance

Trip delay coverage reimburses you for incidentals should your trip be delayed. Cards that include trip delay coverage include the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, Chase Sapphire Reserve card, and Amex Platinum card.

Lost, Damaged, or Delayed Baggage Insurance

Get reimbursed for incidentals if your luggage is delayed or for damage/theft of your bags.

Emergency Evacuation Coverage

Premium travel rewards cards such as the Amex Platinum Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve card, and United Club card have coverage for emergency evacuation transportation services.

Lounge Access

The Amex Platinum card, Chase Sapphire Reserve card, and United Club card all offer different degrees of airline lounge access.

Emergency Medical Coverage

Receive up to $2,500 reimbursement for emergency medical and dental with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

Bottom Line: Trip cancellation and trip interruption are 2 of the most valuable trip protections that come complimentary on several travel rewards cards. However, there are other travel benefits including rental car insurance, baggage insurance, emergency evacuation, and trip delay coverage that can be equally as useful. Try to select a card that has a package of trip benefits you find valuable. 

Everything Else You Need to Know

Citi discontinued travel insurance coverages on all of its cards effective September 2019.

Cards that are no longer open to new applicants that carry trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage include the Ritz Carlton Rewards® Card (possible to obtain via a Marriott-branded card product change) and the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card.

Final Thoughts

Trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage can provide sufficient no-cost insurance to cover your trip. If you’re planning a complicated, expensive, or lengthy trip, however, you should consider purchasing a separate travel insurance policy.

Also, note that trip cancellation and interruption coverages generally do not include any medical coverage and may have lower limits than you need to cover the entire cost of your trip. Review your card’s coverage in advance and if it is sufficient, you’re good to go. If not, you’ll want to buy extra coverage to fill in the gaps.

Fortunately, trip cancellation and interruption protection, while one of the most valuable benefits, is just one of many travel perks you’ll find on the best travel rewards cards.

If you travel frequently, a travel rewards card that offers complimentary trip protections and benefits should be on your shortlist of cards to consider.

The information regarding the United Club℠ Card, AAdvantage^® Aviator^® Red World Elite Mastercard®, Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Card, and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not reviewed nor provided by the issuer. 

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve Business card, please click here.