Be Cautious About Your Spending
As you can see, there are so many ways that credit cards can be your ally in the fight against rising costs. However, you want to avoid carrying debt on credit cards if at all possible, especially now. The average in November 2022. Paying that on top of a credit balance will definitely cost more than any savings you see by using credit cards. If you can keep your balances in check , you’ll be well positioned to take advantage of all the inflation help credit cards can offer.
Aadvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard
Best American Airlines Credit Card
Barclayss AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard is your best option for a co-brand American Airlines credit card. Admittedly, this airline has the weakest travel insurance perks and you may consider using a flexible travel rewards card.
- Trip interruption and cancellation: $1,500 per person
- Rental car insurance: Secondary coverage up to the actual cash value
- Baggage delay insurance: Up to $100 per day for 3 days
- Lost luggage reimbursement: Up to $1,500 per passenger
The Citi-issued American Airlines credit cards had attractive benefits until the benefit cuts in 2020 for most Citi credit cards.
Other card benefits for American Airlines include:
- Free first checked bag
- Up to $25 back each year on in-flight WiFi purchases
- 25% on in-flight food and beverage purchases
The annual fee is $99. See our guide on the American Airlines AAdvantage Loyalty Program.
Chase Sapphire Preferred: Best Travel Protections With A Low Annual Fee
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is only a slight step down from the Chase Sapphire Reserve it includes most of the same travel insurance protections, just not to the same extent. But the annual fee on this card is significantly lower at just $95 per year.
Sapphire Preferred card holders get the same trip interruption and cancellation coverage as the Sapphire Reserve up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip if your trip is halted or canceled for a covered reason. Youll be reimbursed for any prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses, such as airfare, tours and hotels. This will even cover you if youre sick just make sure to get a doctors note.
Other travel protections are also comparable between the two cards, but the main difference is that to be eligible for trip delay insurance with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, your flight needs to be delayed at least 12 hours or require an overnight stay and theres no emergency evacuation coverage.
Additionally, the auto rental collision damage insurance on the Chase Sapphire Preferred is primary coverage but will only cover you for up to the actual cash value of the rental car. Conversely, the maximum on the Sapphire Reserve is $75,000, which could potentially cover damage beyond the car itself in the event of an accident.
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Smart Tools To Help Against The Evolving Threat Of Identity Theft
How ID Navigator Powered by NortonLifeLock can help provide you with greater peace of mind:
No one can prevent all identity theft.
1Two requirements must be met to receive the One-Bureau Credit Monitoring feature: your identity must be successfully verified with Equifax and Equifax must be able to locate your credit file that contains sufficient credit history information. If these requirements are not met you will not receive credit features from Equifax. You will receive Credit Features once the verification process is successfully completed. Any credit monitoring from Equifax will take several days to begin after your successful plan enrollment.
What Exclusions Should I Know About

Even the best travel insurance cards have their limitations.
Whether you qualify for trip cancellation insurance, for example, depends on the reason for the cancellation. If its raining in Cancun and you decide not to go even though its perfectly safe to fly, dont count on being reimbursed. The same goes for a businessman who cancels his trip because of a meeting he has to attend.
Also, people with preexisting medical conditions and those participating in certain sports may not qualify for coverage.
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Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
This coverage reimburses You if a covered accident or theft occurs to the Rental Car.
To be eligible for coverage, the following must occur:
How Long are You Covered |
The length of the Rental Car agreement with a maximum rental period of thirty-one consecutive days in the United States, and thirty-one consecutive days outside the United States. |
---|---|
Where are You Covered |
Coverage is available worldwide except in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. Some countries or car rental agencies require a letter of coverage. Please check with the rental agency before You go. If a letter of coverage is required call 1-800-316-8051 or visit . You are leaving Wells Fargo and entering a website that Wells Fargo does not control. Wells Fargo has provided this link for your convenience, but does not endorse and is not responsible for the content, links, privacy policy, or security policy of this website. |
Maximum Coverage |
Definitions
WHO’S COVERED
You and any authorized driver, designated or listed on the rental car agreement, with a valid drivers license.
WHAT’S COVERED
To take advantage of this benefit, the following conditions apply:
WHAT’S NOT COVERED
Coverage does not apply to any claim under the following conditions:
Best For Everyday Use
- Trip cancellation and interruption coverage: up to $2,000 per insured person
- Trip delay reimbursement: up to $500 for each purchased ticket
- Auto rental collision damage for theft or collision: up to the vehicles actual cash value of $75,000
- Lost luggage insurance: up to $2,000 per bag and $3,000 per trip
- Travel and emergency assistance services
- Travel accident insurance: up to $1,000,000 per person
Learn more about the benefits of this card in our full review of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
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Tips For Renting A Car With A Credit Card
- Between two cards, choose the card with primary rental car insurance.
- Check your policy closely for limitations and exclusions, such as vehicle types, countries and rental period .
- Make sure the cardholder is the primary renter on the rental car agreement.
- Pay your entire rental with your credit card. If youre renting with points or miles, check the terms on your credit cards car rental policy your coverage may not apply.
- Make sure you have a personal insurance policy with liability insurance since your credit card policy wont cover that.
Best Credit Cards For Car Rental Of 2022
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the best credit card for car rental because it provides primary rental car coverage and earns unlimited 3x points on all travel purchases. Plus, it covers countries that are often excluded, like Ireland and Jamaica.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the authors opinions and recommendations alone. It may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through a credit card issuer partnership.Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Citi is an advertising partner.
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Identity Theft Continues To Evolve And So Do Nortonlifelock Solutions
The dark web is continuously patrolled for information that may belong to you, and youâre notified if itâs found. Should large-scale data breaches occur, NortonLifeLock will keep you informed.
To help detect credit fraud, key changes to your credit file are monitored with One-Bureau Credit Monitoring1. And if your wallet is stolen, youâll receive guidance to help cancel or replace credit cards, insurance identification and other key documents.
Should you do become a victim of identity theft, a U.S.-based Identity Restoration Specialist will help guide you on the next steps to take to help resolve the issue.
As a Visa cardholder, you will also have access to special discounts on other NortonLifeLock⢠products.
To confirm eligibility, visit www.cardbenefitidprotect.com. Once verified, you will be redirected to the offer page on Norton.com where ID Navigator enrollment is available.
Best For Building Credit
- Earn 5% back on rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Redeem rewards as a statement credit for car rentals
The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is good for people who want to build credit and earn rewards. Cardholders earn 1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel . From there, cash back can be redeemed for statement credits, a check in the mail, gift cards and more. Note that a $39 annual fee applies, and that the high variable APR of 28.49% can make carrying a balance costly. All said, this credit card offers more rental car perks for those with fair credit than comparable cards for this credit rating.
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Does The Included International Travel Insurance Need To Be Activated
Every policy is different, but its likely youll need to activate the travel insurance on your credit card before you travel.
With CommBank, you can easily activate your credit cards included international travel insurance in NetBank or through the CommBank app^. Well then provide you with a unique policy number and Certificate of Insurance and comprehensive coverage including for cancellation fees and lost deposits.
Top Travel Insurance Benefits

Primary rental car insurance: The Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver acts as primary coverage for theft and collision damage, up to $75,000 in coverage.
Trip delay insurance: When your trip is delayed by six hours or more, youll get up to $500 per traveler for lodging, transportation, meals, toiletries, etc.
Baggage delay insurance: When your bag is delayed by six hours or more, youre eligible for $100 in reimbursements per day for reasonable expenses such as clothing, toiletries, phone chargers, etc.
Emergency evacuation insurance: The cardholder and immediate family are covered for up to $100,000 for emergency medical needs and evacuation.
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: Coverage of up to $10,000 per ticket for nonrefundable prepaid travel such as airfare and hotel stays.
Lost luggage reimbursement: You and immediate family are covered up to $3,000 each when a bag is lost or damaged .
Emergency medical and dental coverage: If youre on a trip at least 100 miles from home, you and immediate family are covered for up to $2,500 in medical expenses.
Travel accident insurance: Youre covered up to $1,000,000 for accidental death or dismemberment.
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Is Your Credit Card Eligible
Not all credit cards offer included or complimentary travel insurance. If youre looking at taking out a credit card, and international travel insurance is important to you, keep this front of mind when deciding on your card. If you already have a credit card, check with your provider whether or not it includes international travel insurance.
Some CommBank as standard, you simply need to activate your insurance in NetBank or the CommBank app before you travel to receive comprehensive cover.
The Platinum Card From American Express: Best Range Of Travel Insurance Benefits
Travel benefits rundown: Travel assistance travel inconvenience or delay insurance trip cancellation and interruption insurance travel accident insurance car rental loss and damage insurance various travel medical coverages
Why we picked it: The Platinum Card® from American Express comes with a pretty comprehensive travel insurance package if you can handle its hefty $695 annual fee. It also comes with many of the same travel insurance benefits as the rest of the American Express travel card slate, but its benefits, in particular, are so significant that theyre worth a spot on this list.
Enjoy travel assistance that includes help tracking down lost luggage and, in the event its not found, get reimbursed for up to $1,200 per trip. This coverage also includes up to $10,000 per trip for legal assistance. With travel inconvenience insurance including missed departures, connections and luggage delays get up to $250 per person for additional travel and food and up to $1,000 for baggage delays of four hours or more. Further, secondary trip cancellation and interruption insurance covers up to $10,000 per trip and $20,000 per year, travel accident insurance covers up to $500,000 and car rental loss and damage insurance covers up to the repair cost or value of the car.
Pros
- Limited ongoing rewards categories if you spend quite a bit outside of travel
- Very high $695 annual fee
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What Is Typically Not Covered By Travel Insurance
Travel insurance typically wont cover:
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- High-risk activities like skydiving or rock climbing
- Anything involving illegal activity
- Accidents while youre intoxicated or under the influence of a drug
- Epidemics and pandemics
- Anything not mentioned in the travel insurance policy
Beware Of The Risks Of Booking A Backup
Booking a backup flight may give you peace of mind, but its an intermediate tactic, said Scott Keyes, founder of Going for a few reasons.
First, unless you enjoy lighting your money on fire, you need to be absolutely sure you know the airlines refund or change policy before you book, and be vigilant about canceling the backup ticket if you no longer need it to get a flight credit or refund.
Second, unless your ticket is eligible for a cash refund, you should book your backup on an airline youd fly on in the future so you dont end up with a credit youll never use.
If you want to book a backup using the 24-hour free cancellation rule where you can cancel or change a flight within 24 hours of booking at no cost, remember that this rule only applies to domestic and foreign carriers on flights that start or finish in the United States, and the trip has to be booked at least seven days in advance. That means you cant book a backup the day of, cancel it and expect to get your money back through this specific loophole.
Despite the risks, Keyes has seen an uptick in travelers buying backup flights since many airlines got rid of change fees during the pandemic.
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Capital One Venture X: Best For Adding Authorized Users
Travel benefits rundown: Auto rental collision damage waiver trip cancellation and interruption insurance travel and emergency assistance services trip delay reimbursement travel accident insurance lost luggage reimbursement
Why we picked it: With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you can add up to four authorized users at no additional charge. These have access to the same trip protections, lounge access and other benefits as the primary cardholder making it our pick for the best option for authorized user access.
The Venture X offers numerous travel protections, including an auto rental collision damage waiver of up to the cash value of the car , trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $2,000 per person, travel accident insurance of up to $1,000,000, lost luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per trip, trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket when a trip is delayed for six hours or more , and travel and emergency assistance services .
Pros
- Reasonable annual fee given its ongoing rewards, welcome bonus and statement credit opportunities
- Ability to add up to four authorized users at no cost
- 75,000-mile welcome bonus after spending $4,000 in your first three months
- Cellphone protection
- Travel bonus categories limited to the Capital One Travel portal
- Not as many travel-related statement credits compared to other premium travel cards
Cibc Aventura Visa Infinite Card
- $139 annual fee First year free
- 15,000 Aventura points when you make your first purchase
- 20,000 Aventura points when you spend $1,000 in your first year
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on CIBC travel
- Earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on gas, grocery, and drug store purchases
- Earn 1 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Visa Airport Companion Program membership and 4 free annual passes
The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card is popular because its a travel credit card that usually waives the annual fee for the first year. That means you can test out all of the cards benefits and features, including its travel insurance, for free.
The travel insurance you get covers $5,000,000 in medical expenses for 15 days if youre under the age of 65. For those 65+, youll only get 3 days. The trip cancellation and interruption insurance are good at $1,500 and $2,000 respectively. Oddly enough, the hotel/motel burglary insurance is better than most other cards at $2,500.
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Luxury Card Travelall Cards
The Luxury Card Travel program offers competitive rates and complimentary benefits at over 3,000 properties across the globe. Cardmembers receive an average value of $5002 in benefits and services per stay. Benefits may include complimentary food and beverages, room upgrades, resort or spa credits and welcome amenities.
Do Credit Cards Provide Travel Insurance

Travel insurance through a credit card may be minimal or non-existent. Many travelers taking domestic or international trips think that their credit card provides them with the travel insurance coverage they need therefore, they don’t think they need to purchase a standalone travel insurance plan. The fact is that the majority of credit cards do not provide any travel insurance coverage. Among the ones that do provide it, the coverage is often very limited, with low amounts and coverage only under a very specific set of conditions and with many restrictions.
It is always recommended to purchase a plan. Of course, you should read the fine print anyway to make sure you have the necessary coverage that you might need.
This article describes the general features of travel insurance through a credit card. Every credit card is different, be sure to check with your credit card company for the exact terms and conditions.
Most credit card companies provide only secondary insurance, which is meant as a supplement to more comprehensive coverage, such as: stand alone travel insurance, your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, or the coverage available through an airline. Because it is secondary, it is not a replacement for such coverage.
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