Amex Now Offers ‘Cancel for Any Reason’ Option on All Flights

American Express has rolled out the option to purchase “cancel for any reason” coverage for your upcoming flights — offering up to 75% reimbursement for nonrefundable tickets.

The feature, officially called Trip Cancel Guard, isn’t entirely new. It’s been available for several years to cardholders booking eligible flights via AmexTravel.com, the issuer’s official travel portal.

What is new, though, is that you can purchase this additional coverage for any of your flights booked outside of AmexTravel.com. That includes bookings made directly with airlines or even through third-party platforms like Expedia or Kayak, expanding peace of mind for travelers.

Here’s exactly how Trip Cancel Guard works, how much it costs, and who should purchase it.

Amex Expands Trip Cancel Guard Benefit

Purchasing Trip Cancel Guard just got a lot easier. Eligible U.S. consumer, business, and corporate American Express cardholders can buy it at checkout when booking through AmexTravel.com — or, if the flight was booked elsewhere within the past 30 days, directly on Amex’s website.

Just note that the add-on must also be purchased at least 5 days before flight departure, so it wouldn’t necessarily help travelers get coverage for last-minute bookings.

“A recent AmexTravel.com survey found that just over one-third of adults have canceled or rebooked a trip due to unexpected events,” said Anthony Cirri, executive vice president and general manager, U.S. consumer cards at American Express. “Expanding the ways Card Members can purchase Trip Cancel Guard will give them the flexibility and confidence to adapt their plans with ease.”

Lastly, keep in mind that Trip Cancel Guard isn’t available for flights booked with airline miles or existing travel vouchers. It can only be applied to cash bookings. The exception is for cardholders with The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express who use Membership Rewards points to book through AmexTravel.com via the Pay With Points program.

How Much Does Trip Cancel Guard Cost?

The fee for Trip Cancel Guard is “a percentage of the total flight cost, inclusive of taxes and fees,” according to American Express. The fee may vary depending if you purchase Trip Cancel Guard on AmexTravel.com or after booking a flight on Amex’s website.

On our initial search via AmexTravel.com, the Trip Cancel Guard add-on costs approximately 8% of the fare. This cost is on par with other cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance coverage you can purchase that offer reimbursement for the entire nonrefundable portions of your trip — not just your flights.

From initial searches for flights purchased elsewhere and then trying to add Trip Cancel Guard after the fact, the cost is roughly 10%, and flights must cost at least $300 to be eligible.

With Trip Cancel Guard, you can cancel your flight for any reason up to 2 full calendar days before departure and may be reimbursed for up to 75% of your nonrefundable flight costs.

This benefit allows you to cancel nonrefundable flights for any reason before departure and request reimbursement, so long as the airline doesn’t issue a travel credit. What’s unique about Trip Cancel Guard is that you can also file a claim to recover any paid change or cancellation fees, which can sometimes amount to hundreds of dollars, depending on the airline and the fare you booked.

Is Trip Cancel Guard Worth It?

Most airlines will issue a travel credit if you need to cancel your flight, allowing you to apply the value of your ticket toward a future trip. However, this typically applies only to Main Cabin fares and above — not basic economy tickets.

In those cases, Trip Cancel Guard is likely not worth the extra cost, as you’ll probably be eligible to receive a future travel credit (thus making you ineligible to file a reimbursement claim with Amex). That said, purchasing Trip Cancel Guard for basic economy tickets could be interesting — that is, if the math makes sense.

Nearly every airline now offers a form of basic economy under various names, representing the absolute bare-bones level of air travel. You’ll have a confirmed seat on the plane, but you typically can’t select your seat in advance, may encounter strict or high change and cancellation fees, and, in some cases, are limited to just a personal item that fits under the seat — no standard carry-on bag allowed.

For example, a sample American Airlines round-trip flight from Phoenix (PHX) to New York (JFK) costs $387 for basic economy and $487 for Main Cabin. That’s a $100 difference to have the ability to choose your Main Cabin seat and change or cancel your flight for a future trip credit.

You would be able to purchase the Trip Cancel Guard add-on from Amex within 30 days of booking and at least 5 days before departure. The coverage for the $387 basic economy fare would work out to roughly $29 — much cheaper than difference to book the Main Cabin fare instead.

Then, Trip Cancel Guard ensures that you can cancel your flight for any reason up to 2 days before departure — and net you up to $290.25 back on your ticket purchase. If your claim is approved, you can be reimbursed to your original form of payment, rather than get a future trip credit that you would get if you were to book a Main Cabin credit instead. Getting a refund, rather than a voucher only valid with a single airline, provides beneficial flexibility.

Final Thoughts

Trip Cancel Guard is a reasonably priced add-on you can purchase with your Amex card that provides cancel-for-any-reason coverage for flights you’ve booked. It offers travelers peace of mind by allowing up to 75% in reimbursement to their original form of payment.

However, it likely won’t be worth the added cost when booking Main Cabin fares (or above), which usually comes with the flexibility to get a future travel credit if you need to cancel your ticket altogether. The Trip Cancel Guard protection is especially valuable when booking basic economy fares, though, which often come with steep change or cancellation fees — or perhaps no modification options at all.