It’s inevitable that when you travel, whether you travel a lot, a little, or somewhere in between, occasionally plans will not go as expected. Even the best laid plans can be disrupted in so many ways and for so many reasons. Sure, we focus on what we plan to do. However, it can be wiser to just assume something unexpected will happen. And when the unexpected happens, having the right credit card offers protection. Preparing yourself ahead of time often saves time, money, and stress. Knowing the best credit cards for travel is one key preparation step.
For instance, here are some examples if you get sick or your flight is canceled.
Best Credit Card To Use When Paying For Flights
When you book a flight, choose a credit card with benefits that include insurance for the little bumps in the road you might experience. The right card can:
- Refund your trip if it’s canceled or delayed
- Reimburse expenses related to lost or delayed luggage
- Cover damage to a rental car
- Cover costs associated with an emergency evacuation
CNN recently judged the Chase Sapphire Reserve card as the “best overall for travel protections.” However, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card charges a $550 annual fee.
If you’re looking for many of the same benefits, but with a lower annual fee, CNN recommends the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
Best Credit Card To Use When Paying For Business Travel
What if you’re a business traveler? CNN recommends the Chase Ink Business Preferred card for business travelers.
Regardless of which credit card you use for travel protection, you can also prepare and perhaps profit from another travel emergency situation. Overbooked flights happen all the time.
How To Profit From Overbooked Flights
Airlines typically overbook their flights to cover any potential losses from flying empty seats on their planes. You’ve likely seen people get offered perks if they agree to give up their seats.
But when there aren’t enough volunteers, you might get bumped off your flight anyway. Airlines do this regularly. Maybe you’ve had this happen to you if you bought your tickets through a third party rather than directly from the airline.
What you might not know is that if this happens, you’re usually entitled to significant compensation.
If the airline is able to get you to your final destination within an hour of the originally scheduled time, it doesn’t have to pay you anything for your trouble. But if involuntarily bumping you off the flight delays you by more than an hour, the airline will owe you at least 200% of your original one-way ticket price (up to $775).
And the reimbursements get bigger the longer you’re delayed. Kicked off a domestic flight? If you are delayed more than two hours (or more than four hours for an international flight), you get 400% of your one-way fare up to $1,550.
Being bumped off your flight is no fun. But hefty cash compensation can take the sting out of these travel disruptions.
Pro Tip: Do you Pruvo all your hotels stays? If not, do what I do and let Pruvo monitor your reservations for price drops. It’s free and it’s the easiest way to save money on all your hotel rooms.
Final Thoughts on Best Credit Cards for Travel
If you’re looking for these types of protections when you travel, it’s important to know that certain travel credit cards offer more and better protection than other cards. Read the fine print when you’re thinking of which credit card will serve you best. Coverage and benefits differ and the choice is up to us to be good consumers and stay protected!
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