Free air travel delay insurance with Escape by Discover and Chase Sapphire credit cards
Airlines won’t help you if a delay is caused by weather
Many flyers don’t know that airlines are not required to cover your expenses in the event of a delay caused by weather conditions. They learn it the hard way when a snowstorm delays them for several days during the holidays or a freak summer thunderstorm cancels all flights for an evening. In these cases, you’ll be left to pay for a hotel room on your own, which can be over $100 or more even with discounts provided by the airline.
With airlines running at or near maximum capacity, the chances you’ll find a flight to be rebooked on in the event of a long delay or cancellation are lower than before, meaning it’s more likely you’ll be stuck footing the bill for a hotel and meals.
Credit cards can offer $150 or more in coverage free
Fortunately, a few rewards credit cards now offer trip delay insurance to specifically cover hotel and meal expenses when the airline cancels or severely delays your flight. They offer reimbursement of $150-$200 or so per night for hotel and meals, for up to 1-3 days. All you need to do is pay for your ticket in whole with the credit card, charge the expenses on your credit card, then offer proof of the delay when you call in for the claim. The airline can print this out for you, or you can try to call within a couple days whie flight status is still loaded online.
The three cards listed below each offer trip delay insurance as part of their standard benefits, a rare but growing feature among mile credit cards:
Escape by Discover: Rated Best Cash for Travel Mile Credit Card of 2010
- $150 per day in coverage for lodging and meals
- Up to 3 days of expenses covered
- Delays of 6 hours or more due to weather, mechanical problems, or civil unrest eligible
- $60 annual fee
Click here to apply for the Escape by Discover® Card
Click here to learn more about the card’s other features.
Chase Sapphire
- Delays of 12 hours or more covered
- Value per day not disclosed but likely $150 or more
- No annual fee
Click here to apply for the Chase SapphireSM card.
Chase Sapphire Preferred: Rated Best Airline Credit Card of 2010
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
- Delays of 12 hours or more covered
- Value per day not disclosed but likely $150 or more
- $85 annual fee
Click here to apply for the Chase Sapphire℠ Preferred Card card.
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