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3 Travel Card Perks People Forget to Use (Save Thousands in 2025)
July 1, 2025
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You're leaving money on the table. Every time you travel, your credit card is silently offering protections worth thousands—but only if you remember they exist.
Most travelers know about earning points and miles, but the hidden insurance benefits and automatic protections? Those get forgotten until it's too late. Let's fix that. Here are three powerful travel perks hiding in your wallet—and exactly how to use them.
1. Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance (Worth Up to $10,000)
What It Covers
When your family emergency forces you to cancel that $5,000 vacation, your credit card has your back—if you booked with it. Trip cancellation and interruption insurance reimburses prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses when covered events derail your plans.
Covered reasons typically include:
- Illness or injury (yours or an immediate family member's)
- Severe weather making travel impossible
- Jury duty or court subpoenas
- Home uninhabitable due to fire, flood, or natural disaster
- Job loss (involuntary only)
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, for example, offers up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip in coverage. For a card with a $95 annual fee, that's exceptional protection most people forget exists.
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "509", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint": "Exceptional Travel Value"} ]]
How to Actually Use It
Before Your Trip:
- Book all travel components (flights, hotels, tours) with your eligible card
- Save digital copies of all confirmation emails
- Screenshot your itinerary details
If You Need to Cancel:
- Contact your card's benefits administrator (number on back of card) within 20 days
- Gather required documentation:
- Doctor's note (for medical cancellations)
- Death certificate (if applicable)
- Original receipts and booking confirmations
- Proof the expenses were non-refundable
- File your claim online through your card issuer's benefit portal
- Expect reimbursement within 30-60 days
2. Primary Rental Car Insurance (Save $10-$40 Per Day)
The $400 Vacation Add-On You Don't Need
Rental car companies are experts at upselling collision damage waivers. That "just $25 per day" insurance on a week-long trip? That's $175 you didn't need to spend.
Many travel cards offer rental car insurance that covers theft and collision damage—and some provide primary coverage, meaning you don't file with your personal auto insurer first.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card provides primary coverage when renting outside your home country, while cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred offer primary coverage worldwide (excluding certain luxury vehicles).
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "2888", "isExpanded": "true", "bestForCategoryId": "52", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint" : "Luxurious Travel Benefits" } ]]
How to Skip the Counter Upsell
At Pickup:
- Decline the rental company's CDW/LDW insurance
- Show your credit card (they may ask which card you're using)
- Ensure you're listed as the primary driver
- Take photos/videos of the car's condition before leaving the lot
If Damage Occurs:
- File a police report immediately (required for theft)
- Get the rental company's incident report
- Don't accept charges at the counter—say you'll file through your card
- Contact your card's auto rental collision damage administrator
- Submit photos, reports, and rental agreement within the specified timeframe
Important: Coverage typically excludes:
- Rentals over 31 consecutive days
- Trucks, vans, and exotic vehicles
- Rentals not in your name
- Off-road use and racing
3. Trip Delay Reimbursement (Get Your Hotel and Meals Covered)
Stuck at the Airport? Your Card Pays
Flight delayed six hours due to a snowstorm? That unexpected hotel night and meals might be covered—if you remember to save every receipt.
Trip delay insurance reimburses reasonable expenses when your common carrier is delayed beyond a specified timeframe (typically 6-12 hours, depending on the card).
What Counts as "Reasonable"
- Hotel accommodations
- Meals during the delay
- Essential toiletries and clothing (if baggage is also delayed)
- Ground transportation to/from the hotel
Most cards cap reimbursement at $500-$1,500 per covered trip.
The Receipt Game Plan
This is where people lose money—they don't keep receipts because they don't know they're covered.
During the Delay:
- Get written confirmation of delay duration from the airline
- Save EVERY receipt (even that $8 airport sandwich)
- Keep boarding passes and baggage claim tickets
- Take photos of receipts as backup
Filing Your Claim:
- Submit within 30-60 days (check your card's terms)
- Attach delay confirmation, receipts, and boarding passes
- Include a brief explanation of circumstances
- Track your claim status through the benefits portal
Real Example: When severe storms delayed travelers in Dallas for 14 hours in January 2025, those with Chase Sapphire cards who saved receipts successfully claimed hotel rooms ($150), meals ($75), and toiletries ($30)—totaling $255 in reimbursements they wouldn't have received otherwise.
Quick Reference: Travel Protection by Card Type
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Trip Cancellation: Up to $10,000 per person
- Rental Car Insurance: Primary coverage worldwide
- Trip Delay: Covers delays of 6+ hours, up to $500 per ticket
- Requirements: Book travel with card
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "509", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint": "Exceptional Travel Value"} ]]
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Trip Cancellation: Up to $2,500 per person
- Rental Car Insurance: Secondary in US, Primary internationally
- Trip Delay: Covers delays of 12+ hours
- Requirements: Book travel with card
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "2888", "isExpanded": "true", "bestForCategoryId": "52", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint" : "Luxurious Travel Benefits" } ]]
American Express® Business Gold Card (See Rates & Fees)
- Trip Cancellation: Up to $2,500 per person
- Rental Car Insurance: Secondary coverage
- Trip Delay: Covers delays of 6+ hours
- Requirements: Book travel with card
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "111", "isExpanded": "true", "bestForCategoryId": "52", "bestForText": "Business Owners", "headerHint" : "Versatile Business Tool" } ]]
- Trip Cancellation: Up to $5,000 per person
- Rental Car Insurance: Primary coverage
- Trip Delay: Covers delays of 3+ hours, up to $500
- Requirements: Book travel with card
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "570", "isExpanded": "true", "bestForCategoryId": "52", "bestForText": "Everyday Spenders", "headerHint" : "Generous Rewards" } ]]
Note: Coverage details vary—always check your specific card's benefit guide for complete terms and conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to notify my credit card before traveling?
No. Most travel insurance benefits are automatically active when you book travel with your card. However, it's smart to download your card's benefit guide beforehand so you know what's covered.
Can I use multiple cards for one trip and still get insurance?
Coverage typically applies only to the card used for booking. If you split payments across cards, only the portion charged to an eligible card is usually covered. For maximum protection, put the entire trip on one card with comprehensive travel insurance.
Are family members covered under my card's travel insurance?
Yes, most cards cover your immediate family (spouse/domestic partner and dependent children under 22-26). Some also extend to traveling companions. Coverage details vary by issuer—check your benefit guide for specifics.
How long does it take to get reimbursed for travel insurance claims?
Most claims are processed within 30-60 days after submission of complete documentation. Complex claims involving medical issues may take longer. Submit claims promptly—most cards require filing within 20-90 days of the incident.
What if my claim is denied?
You can appeal by providing additional documentation or clarification. If still denied, you may escalate to your card issuer's customer service department. Document all communications and reference your card's specific benefit terms in your appeal.
Stop Leaving Money on the Table
These three benefits alone can save you thousands annually—but only if you use them. The difference between savvy travelers and everyone else isn't having better cards. It's remembering to activate the protections already in your wallet.
Kudos Insights solves this exact problem. Before you book travel, Insights analyzes which cards in your wallet offer trip cancellation coverage and automatically recommends the right one. When you're about to book that $3,000 vacation, Kudos Insights will notify you: "Use your Chase Sapphire Preferred for $10,000 trip cancellation protection" — like having a personal travel insurance advisor built into your browser. Your next trip's unexpected hiccup could turn into a reimbursement check instead of an expensive lesson.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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