There are several premium travel credit cards available, like the Amex Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve and Capital One Venture X. Most seasoned travelers hold more than one of these premium credit cards, and I wanted to compare all the important travel benefits in a single table. I also added $95 cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred, Citi Strata Premier and Wells Fargo Autograph Journey cards which have several comparable travel protections.
Several small details about credit card travel coverage inclusions and exclusions are highlighted in the table below:
| Benefit Category | Amex Platinum Card | Capital One Venture X | Chase Sapphire Reserve | Chase Sapphire Preferred | Citi Strata Premier | Wells Fargo Autograph Journey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flights purchased directly with the airlines | 5 points per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 4 points per $1 |
| Flights purchased via portal | 5 points per $1 | 5x points per $1 | 5 points per $1 | 5 points per $1 | 5x points per $1 | 4 points per $1 |
| Hotels booked via portal | 5 points per $1. | 10 points per $1 | 10 points per $1 | 5 points per $1 | 10 points per $1 | 5 points per $1 |
| Flights via 3rd party providers | 1 point per $1 except Expedia (5 points per 1$) | 2 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 4 points per $1 |
| Hotels via 3rd party providers | 1 point per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 5 points per $1 |
| Cruise & travel agency purchases | 1 point per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 3 points per $1 |
| Rental cars via portal | 1 point per $1 | 10 points per $1 | 10 points per $1 | 5 points per $1 | 10 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 |
| Rental cars non-portal | 1 point per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 3 points per $1 |
| Rideshare, parking, railways, ferries, campgrounds and tolls | 1 point per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 3 points per $1. Lyft purchases earn 10 points per $1 (through March 2025). | 2 points per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 3 points per $1 for campgrounds only; 1 point for others |
| Streaming (TV, movies, music) purchases | 1 point per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 1 point per $1 |
| All other purchases | 1 point per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 1 point per $1 |
| Worldwide Dining | 1 point per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 3 points per $1. Chase dining booked through the Chase travel portal earns 10 points per $1. | 3 points per $1. | 3 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 |
| Worldwide Groceries | 1 point per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 1 point per $1 |
| Worldwide Gasoline or EV charging | 1 point per $1 | 2 points per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 1 point per $1 | 3 points per $1 | 1 point per $1 |
| Car Rental Coverage | Secondary; works as primary within US (if you don't own a car) & overseas when you have no other insurance | Primary in both US and overseas. | Primary in both US and overseas. | Primary in both US and overseas. | Secondary within the US (unless you don't own a car) and primary overseas. | Secondary within the US (unless you don't own a car) and primary overseas. |
| Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) Limit | $75,000 | $75,000 | $75,000 | Up to actual cash value | Up to actual cash value | $50,000 |
| Rental Car Coverage Duration | 31 days | 15 days within the US & 31 days overseas. | 30 days | 30 days | 31 days | 15 days within the US & 31 days overseas. |
| Car Rental Coverage Country Exceptions | Australia, Italy, and New Zealand | Israel, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Jamaica. | None | None | None | Israel, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Jamaica. |
| Decline CDW at the Rental Company counter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Redeem Points for car rental and retain coverage | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, but at least one (1) full day of rental must be billed to your card. | Yes |
| Tire/rim damage (flats or blowout) | Not covered unless part of an accident. | Not covered unless part of an accident. | Not covered unless part of an accident. | Not covered unless part of an accident. | Not covered unless part of an accident. | Not covered unless part of an accident. |
| Windshield damage | Not covered unless part of an accident. | Not covered unless part of an accident. | Not covered unless part of an accident. | Not covered unless part of an accident. | Coverage inclusions: Accidents, road debris and road hazards. | Not covered unless part of an accident. |
| Coverage for loss-of-use charges incurred by the rental car agency | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rental car accident related death or dismemberment. | $200,000 per card member & 20,000 per passenger; $300,000 maximum per incident | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Rental Car Accident Injury Coverage | $5000 towards the cost of medical treatment | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Rental Car Accident Personal Property Coverage | $1000 per claimant; $2000 maximum per incident | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Car Rental Elite Status | Avis Preferred, Hertz President's Circle, National Car/Emerald Club Executive. | None | None | None | None | None |
| Premium Roadside Assistance | None | None | 4 service calls per year, maximum benefit $50 for each call (extra amount will be charged to the card). | None | None | None |
| Emergency Medical and Dental | None | None | $2,500 emergency medical/dental coverage ($50 deductible per day), $75 per day for prescribed hotels needed due to covered loss for up to 5 days. | None | None | None |
| Trip Cancellation/ Interruption | Up to $10,000 per trip, and a maximum limit of $20,000 per card per 12-month period. | Up to $2,000 per person for non-refundable common carrier tickets purchased with your card. | Up to $10,000 per trip per person, $20,000 per incident. Maximum benefit amount per 12-month period of $40,000. | Up to $10,000 per trip per person, $20,000 per incident. Maximum benefit amount per 12-month period of $40,000. | Up to $5,000 per trip, and a maximum limit of $10,000 per card per 12-month period. | Up to $15,000 per trip, and a maximum limit of $20,000 per card per 12-month period. |
| Round-trip vs. one-way travel coverage | Round trip economy flights only. Two one-way bookings are covered as long as you return to the city of departure. | Both round trip and one-way travel are covered. | Both round trip and one-way travel are covered. | Both round trip and one-way travel are covered. | Only round trip travel covered. | Both round trip and one-way travel are covered. |
| Award flights with ONLY taxes charged to the credit card. | Covers trip delay & cancellation (NOT baggage delay) | Covers ONLY trip delay but NOT trip cancellation | Covers trip delay, cancellation and baggage delay. | Covers trip delay, cancellation and baggage delay. | N/A | N/A |
| Airline Miles Redeposit Fee Refunds | No | No | Redeposit fees imposed by a rewards program are eligible for refund. | Redeposit fees imposed by a rewards program are eligible for refund. | No | No |
| Total Trip Length Restrictions | 365 days | 365 days | 60 days | 60 days | 365 days | 365 days |
| Trip Delay (>6 hours) Reimbursement | $500 per trip (Maximum 2 claims in 12 months) | $500 for each purchased ticket | $500 for each purchased ticket | $500 for each purchased ticket | $500 for each purchased ticket | None |
| Trip Delay Coverage Eligibility | Equipment failure, inclement weather, hijacking and lost/stolen passports. | Equipment failure, inclement weather, strikes and hijacking. | Any delay due to a Covered Hazard which was made public or made known to you prior to your departure. | Any delay due to a Covered Hazard which was made public or made known to you prior to your departure. | Equipment failure, inclement weather, strikes and hijacking. | N/A |
| Prepaid Tours/Activities Coverage | None | None | Any pre–paid expenses related to your Covered Trip, such as tour or activity fees associated with your Covered Trip. | Any pre–paid expenses related to your Covered Trip, such as tour or activity fees associated with your Covered Trip. | None | None |
| Baggage Delay (>6 hours) | None | None | Up to $100/day for up to 5 days for delays more than 6 hours | Up to $100/day for up to 5 days for delays more than 6 hours | None | None |
| Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Luggage | Up to $3,000 for carry-on, $2,000 for checked luggage. | $3000 ($2,000 for New York residents). | Up to $3,000 per person per trip | Up to $3,000 per person per trip | $3000 ($2,000 for New York residents). | $3000 ($2,000 for New York residents). |
| Coverage for delays due to lost or stolen passports or travel documents | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Common Carrier accidental death and dismemberment reimbursement | None. Amex removed common carrier insurance in 2020 | Common carrier insurance: $1,000,000 per person | Common carrier insurance: Up to $1,000,000 per person. Use Chase card or Chase UR points to pay for the trip. | Common carrier insurance: Up to $500,000 per person. Use Chase card or Chase UR points to pay for the trip. | N/A | Common carrier insurance: $1,000,000 per person |
| Emergency Transportation/ Evacuation | Included without a stated limit and ticket purchase with the card is NOT necessary. | None | $100,000 | None | None | None |
| Repatriation of Remains Insurance | Yes (without a stated limit). A Premium Global Assist Hotline benefit. | None | $1,000 for a coffin and to return your body to your home country if you die on a vacation | None | None | None |
| Annual Fee | $695 | $395 | $550 | $95 | $95 | $95 |
| Statement Credits per year | $200 airline incidentals $200 prepaid luxury hotels $200 Uber $100 Saks ($50 x 2 every 6 months) $240 digital subscription $179 Clear program $155 Walmart+ membership | $300 Capital One portal travel credit | $300 for “any travel” related expenses | $50 Chase portal hotel discount | $100 Citi portal hotel discount | $50 airline credit (not limited to portal) |
| Cell phone protection | $800 per claim, up to 2 claims in a 12-month period. | $800 per claim, up to 2 claims in a 12-month period. | None | None | N/A | $1000 per claim ($25 deductible), up to 2 claims in a 12-month period. |
| Extended warranty protection | One additional year | One additional year | One additional year | One additional year | Two additional years | N/A |
| Purchase protection | $10,000 per claim, up to $50,000 per year | $500 per claim | $10,000 per claim, up to $50,000 per year | $10,000 per claim, up to $50,000 per year | $10,000 per claim, up to $50,000 per year | N/A |
| Authorized User fee | $175 for each user. No annual fee Gold cards can be added. | Free for four users. | $75 for each | Free | Free | Free |
| Global Entry for main card holder | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| Global entry for authorized card holders | Yes. The benefit is free with no annual fee Gold cards. | No | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| Anniversary Bonus | None | 10,000 miles | None | None | N/A | N/A |
| Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users | Included (2 additional guests) | Included (unlimited guests) | Included (2 additional guests) | None | N/A | N/A |
| Priority Pass non-lounge airport experiences (e.g., dining, spa) | None | None | None | None | N/A | N/A |
| Non-Priority Pass Lounge access | American Express Centurion, Delta Sky Clubs, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Plaza Premium, Airspace and Escape lounges. | Capital One & Plaza Premium lounges (2 guest limit) | Unlimited access to Chase lounges. Chase lounges are accessible via Priority Pass once a calendar year. | None | N/A | N/A |
| Hotel elite status | Gold status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. | None | None | None | None | None |
Guest restrictions for Amex Platinum Non-Priority Pass Lounge Access
Centurion Lounges – one guest allowed per card in several lounges.
Delta Sky Club – Must fly Delta on the same day to access the lounge. No guests are allowed (Access can be purchased for up to 2 guests -$29 each).
Lufthansa – Must have a Lufthansa boarding pass for the same day. Guest access needs to be purchased.
Virgin Atlantic (JNB, SFO, JFK, IAD, BOS, EWR) – No need to be flying Virgin Atlantic to access this lounge (a same-day boarding pass from any flight is enough). One guest, plus children under 2 can enter free of charge.
Plaza Premium, Airspace (San Diego) Escape lounges – 2 guests allowed for free.
Summary of Amex Platinum Travel Benefits
- Amex Platinum coverage is restricted to round-trip economy flight purchases only, but paying the award ticket’s taxes qualifies for travel protections. Amex has a lower annual Trip Cancellation & Interruption coverage cap of $20,000 compared to the Chase cards.
- Amex Platinum limits trip delay payments to a maximum of $500 per trip, compared to Chase Sapphire Reserve and Capital One Venture X ($500 per ticket).
- Amex only provides secondary car rental coverage, but if you are overseas without any other auto insurance, it defaults to primary insurance and covers the entire claim. I use the Platinum card for overseas rentals, but have never personally had a claim with them. I called Amex to verify that it was true and also heard success stories from friends.
- Only Amex Platinum provides up to 300K for rental car accident-related death or dismemberment.
- Only Amex Platinum covers trip delays due to lost or stolen passports.
- Only Amex Platinum offers Rental Car Accident Injury Coverage (up to 5K for medical bills) and personal property coverage (up to 1K).
- Strangely, the Amex Platinum provides no common carrier (e.g., airline, bus, train, or cruise ship) travel accidental death coverage. The only travel-related accident coverage you get with a Platinum card is if you rent a car (with a Platinum card) and have an accidental death or dismemberment while driving.
- Amex Platinum has the best emergency transportation/evacuation coverage without the need to charge any trip expenses on the card (the best card to keep in your wallet during overseas trips).
- https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/features-benefits/policies/car-rental-loss-and-damage-insurance-terms.html
Summary of Capital One Travel Benefits
Capital One Venture X is very generous in providing free Priority Pass access for 4 authorized user cards and offers primary auto insurance worldwide (covers only 15 days for US car rentals). It has the lowest dollar amount cap ($2000 per person) for trip cancellations compared to other premium travel cards.
Summary of Citi Strata Premier Travel Benefits
Citi Strata Premier offers $5000 for trip cancellations ($500 for trip delays), but only covers round trip travel (similar to Amex Platinum). It is one of the best cards to use for renting cars overseas due to primary coverage, no country restrictions along with unique windshield coverage from road debris and hazards (without being in an accident). Citi Premier also offers the longest extended warranty of two additional years compared to all other cards reviewed here.
Summary of Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Travel Benefits
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey offers a generous $15,000 for trip cancellations, but offers no trip delay insurance. Car rental coverage is secondary in the US and primary when renting overseas. When compared to the no annual fee Wells Fargo Autograph card (link), this card misses out on several 3 point-earning categories like gas stations, transit (passenger railways, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, parking lots and garages), EV charging, cell phone plans (cell phones, landlines) and streaming services (TV, music).
Summary of Chase Sapphire Travel Benefits
- Overall, the Chase Sapphire Preferred & Reserve cards have the best trip cancellation/delay protections since they cover both one-way & return tickets.
- Chase Sapphire trip cancellation/delay insurance requires only a portion of the purchase to be paid with a credit card.
- Chase Sapphire’s trip cancellation/delay insurance also reimburses redeposit fees imposed by a rewards program (the best card to charge your award booking taxes).
- The annual trip cancellation/delay coverage cap on Chase Sapphire cards is S40,000, which is very useful for purchasing expensive cruise tickets.
- Only Chase Sapphire Reserve offers Baggage Delay benefits.
- Chase Reserve is the only premium card that offers Priority Pass non-lounge airport experiences like dining, retail shopping and spa discounts.
- Chase has primary car rental coverage and can be used anywhere in the world with no country exclusions.
- Chase Reserve is the only premium card that provides premium roadside assistance, emergency medical/dental coverage, and repatriation of remains after an accidental death while traveling.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve trip delay coverage has no stated rules (covers any delays made known to you prior to your departure). For example, if your flight is delayed due to issues with staffing (not from equipment failure), other premium cards (Amex and Venture X) will not cover the trip delay expenses. You can simply upload a screenshot of the flight delay email or text to the eclaims.com website along with your other receipts for expenses.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve also covers any prepaid tours/activities you are unable to attend because of a trip delay (as long as the total amount is <$500 per ticket).
- Chase Sapphire Reserve provides up to 1 million (500K for Sapphire Preferred) of Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance (e.g., airline, bus, train, or cruise ship). This insurance provides coverage for accidental death, dismemberment, or a combined loss of speech, sight, or hearing experienced on a covered trip. This benefit does NOT include rental car driving accident injuries or death (they pay for rental car damage only).
2024 Chase Revised Language for Travel Protections
Old Version
The Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption benefit provides reimbursement for Eligible Travel Expenses charged to the Cardholder’s Account up to ten thousand ($10,000.00) dollars per Covered Person and up to twenty thousand ($20,000.00) dollars per Trip.
New Version
Coverage is limited to the lesser of the following: • $10,000 per Covered Traveler • $20,000 per Trip for all Covered Travelers and $40,000 per twelve (12) month period per Account • the actual amount charged to the Covered Card and/or redeemable Rewards used for a covered travel expense.
Practical significance of this revised language
- Point enthusiasts should think twice before mixing transferable points (e.g., from Chase, Capital One and Amex to Aeroplan) to make an award booking.
- Chase may ask you to provide proof that the UR points were transferred to book the covered trip in question.
- It is up to the Chase representatives to determine how the award booking was made (entirely with UR points or a mix of points from different programs).
- We need more data points before assuming the worst case scenario.
Chase Travel Related Claims Procedure
You are required to submit your travel claim on a 3rd party website (https://www.eclaimsline.com).
My Recent Experience with Chase Trip Cancellation Claim
I canceled a regional flight (Aerolineas Argentinas) in Argentina due to COVID-19 in February 2022 and filed a claim with Chase claim services. I have uploaded all the required documents (Doctor’s letter, Chase statement showing the purchase, the date I informed the airline about my decision to cancel the flight, any refunds or vouchers provided by the airline, etc.,). Since my trip cancellation was due to medical reasons, I had to ask my doctor to complete a form (via Allianz from the Chase portal). My claim process took over 8 months due to the generally slow process Chase is known for and the Spanish communication email I received from the airline. I usually use Amex Platinum for all my direct flight purchases and the Aerolineas Argentinas webpage was not accepting AMEX as a method of payment. Overall, I am happy to get the refund from Chase and I was pleasantly surprised to get the email from Chase today after I gave up on the claim.
