American Express Travel Protection: A Guide to Your Benefits

Explore the comprehensive travel protection benefits provided by American Express, including how to activate, use, and file travel insurance claims.

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• Some American Express cards offer trip cancellation and interruption benefits.
• You'll find these perks on cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express.
• If you're eager to sign up for a travel credit card with perks, compare each card's offerings.

Introduction to American Express Travel Protection

Overview of Travel Protection Benefits

While credit card insurance and travel protection coverage are usually considered secondary to rewards programs and other cardholder perks, these benefits can be equally important if you travel.

When you pay for a trip with a credit card that offers trip cancellation and interruption insurance, for example, you can get reimbursed for some of your travel expenses in the event your vacation is halted for reasons beyond your control. Meanwhile, trip delay insurance lets you apply for some reimbursement when a delay of your trip results in surprise expenses, such as an unplanned hotel stay near the airport when your flight is on hold.

Importance of Travel Insurance

Chase credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card have really stood out for years in terms of the protections they offer, and with some of the highest limits out there. Still, American Express is still coming around — it recently added trip cancellation and interruption insurance, along with trip delay coverage, to many of its top rewards credit cards. 

If you're in the market for an American Express card and you're hoping to take advantage of important travel benefits, consider the cards below and their expanded travel protections.

Types of Travel Protection Offered

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance

New trip cancellation and interruption insurance from American Express credit cards will provide you with up to $10,000 in coverage (and up to $20,000 per account per year) you can use for reimbursement of prepaid travel expenses like airfare and hotels. This coverage can come in handy if your trip is canceled for a covered reason beyond your control, or you're stuck in your destination and require an extended stay and additional costs before you can return home.

Note that this coverage is good for round-trip travel booked with your credit card, meaning you have to pay for travel expenses with a common carrier with your American Express credit card in order to be eligible.

American Express cards that qualify for this coverage include:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Other versions of the Amex Platinum card — including the Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and corporate flavors —  also offer this coverage, as do all versions of the Amex Centurion (black) card, which is invite-only.

Baggage Insurance Plan

Quite a few American Express credit cards also offer a baggage insurance plan, although this isn't a new or upgraded benefit from the card issuer. This coverage can come in handy if your luggage is lost or stolen during a covered trip. To be eligible for this coverage, you have to pay for travel with a common carrier (airfare, cruise fare, etc.) with your American Express credit card.

The amount of coverage you'll receive depends on the card you have. For example, baggage insurance from the The Platinum Card® from American Express offers up to $3,000 in coverage per person for carry-on luggage and up to $2,000 per person in coverage for some types of checked baggage.

With baggage insurance from the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card, on the other hand, you'll only qualify for up to $1,250 in coverage per person for carry-on luggage and up to $500 for covered checked baggage, although an extra benefit of $250 is offered for qualified "high risk items" like jewelry or sporting equipment. 

American Express cards that come with baggage insurance include:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express (including various versions)
• American Express® Gold Card (including various versions)
• American Express® Green Card (including various versions)
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
• Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card
• The Plum Card® from American Express

American Express business cards with baggage insurance include:

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• American Express® Business Gold Card
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
• The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
• Lowe's Business Rewards Card from American Express
• Amazon Business Prime American Express Card
• Amazon Business American Express Card

Various versions of the Amex Centurion card and several Amex corporate cards also offer baggage insurance.

Travel Accident Insurance

Some American Express cards also offer secondary auto rental coverage, which means this coverage kicks in after other policies you have are exhausted, as opposed to primary car rental coverage.

While this benefit applies to many Amex cards, note that coverage limits can vary. With the Amex Gold card, for example, coverage is limited to $50,000 per rental agreement for damage or theft, yet the Amex Platinum card offers up to $75,000 in coverage. The insurance doesn't cover personal liability, either.

Also note that this coverage comes with a certain amount of Accidental Death or Dismemberment Coverage that varies by card. With , for example, you'll receive up to $200,000 in coverage per person and up to $300,000 in coverage per car accident for accidental death and dismemberment. Make sure to read your credit card's terms and conditions so you know exactly how much coverage you have. 

American Express cards that come with secondary auto rental coverage include:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express (including various versions)
• American Express® Gold Card (including various versions)
• American Express® Green Card (including various versions)
• Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• Marriott Bonvoy American Express® Card (no longer available to new applicants)
• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card
• Amex Everyday® Credit Card from American Express

And business cards from Amex that offer secondary car rental insurance include:

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• American Express® Business Gold Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

While American Express did offer travel accident insurance on some of its cards, this coverage was effectively dropped as of January 1, 2020. The same is true for the American Express Roadside Assistance Hotline, which is no longer available.

Trip Delay Insurance

In January of 2020, American Express also rolled out an upgraded trip delay insurance benefit for many of its top rewards credit cards. While this perk may seem like an unusual one, there are so many scenarios where trip delay coverage could help you save money and avoid surprise expenses when travel is delayed beyond your control. 

With trip delay coverage from Amex, you can be reimbursed for up to $500 per trip for hotel stays, meals, and other miscellaneous required expenses when your flight or other trip plans are delayed by more than six hours. If you're sitting at the airport and your flight is suddenly delayed until the next morning, for example, you could use this coverage to get reimbursed for a nearby airport hotel and your dinner, then for an Uber or Lyft ride back to the airport.

To qualify for American Express trip delay coverage, you need to pay for your round-trip travel expenses with a common carrier with your credit card.

Amex cards that come with trip delay coverage include:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• American Express® Gold Card
• American Express® Green Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• American Express® Business Gold Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

Again, the various versions of the Amex Platinum and Amex Centurion cards also offer trip delay insurance.

FAQs

How do I activate travel protection on my American Express card?

Most travel protections are automatically activated when you use your American Express card to book your travel. However, specific activation steps, if any, depend on the benefit.

What expenses are covered under trip cancellation insurance?

Covered reasons for trip cancellation or interruption typically include illness, severe weather, and other unforeseen events, reimbursing you for non-refundable travel expenses.

Is there a limit to the baggage insurance coverage?

Yes, baggage insurance plans come with coverage limits, which vary depending on the card and the type of loss (e.g., lost, damaged, or stolen baggage).

Can I use the Global Assist Hotline for medical emergencies while traveling?

The Global Assist Hotline offers medical, legal, and other emergency coordination and assistance services, but financial costs for services rendered are typically the cardholder's responsibility.

Are all American Express cards eligible for travel protection benefits?

Eligibility for specific travel protections varies by card. Premium cards often offer more comprehensive protections compared to basic cards.