Best Credit Cards for Trip Cancellation Coverage in February 2025

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Erika's Picks: Credit Cards With Trip Cancellation Coverage

Whenever I’m planning a trip, I tend to expect the worst — someone will get sick the day of, our destination will flood, or some other disaster will put the brakes on the fun. 

While I hope you’re more optimistic than I am, it’s still smart to think about trip cancellation coverage in advance. 

Canceling a trip you’ve already paid for could cost you thousands of dollars if you don’t have coverage. But before you purchase separate travel insurance, check your credit card perks. 

Some premium travel rewards credit cards and other non-travel cards provide coverage for trip delays and cancellations. There are terms and conditions, but these can offer peace of mind that you won’t lose your travel money because of something beyond your control. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Rewards Rate
  • 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
  • 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries
  • 2x on all other travel purchases
  • 1x on all other purchases
Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

Annual Fee

$95

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (my go-to card) offers up to $10,000 per covered traveler if you have to cancel a trip or go home early. The limit is $20,000 per trip overall.

Sickness and severe weather are among its covered situations (but it only applies to nonrefundable expenses). So, if you prepaid (in full) for excursions, passenger fares, or hotel stays with your Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can receive reimbursement for those costs.

Other travel benefits offered:

  • Trip delay reimbursement: If your flight is delayed by at least 12 hours, you may get up to $500 of expenses reimbursed. Meals and lodging are typical costs that might not be reimbursed otherwise.
  • Baggage delay insurance: If your luggage is delayed by over six hours, you can be reimbursed up to $100 per day, for a maximum of five days, for resulting costs on toiletries, clothing, and other necessities.
  • Auto rental insurance waiver: When you decline collision insurance from your car rental company (and put the cost of the rental car on your card), you can receive primary coverage for theft and collision damage to your rental car.

When seeking to get money back on prepaid, nonrefundable travel costs, be aware of time limits. Save all receipts and contact Chase as soon as possible to start the process for filing a claim.

LEARN MORE: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the best travel cards on the market, and even though it has an annual fee, it’s extremely reasonable considering the travel benefits you receive. It’s got a great sign-up bonus, numerous insurance benefits, and rewards you can redeem for travel or cashback.

It also has several airline and hotel partners for transferring your points, including Emirates, United, Southwest, Hyatt, and Marriott.

The trip cancellation coverage is generous, up to $10,000 per person ($20,000 per trip), which puts it on par with most premium travel credit cards — but without the premium annual fee.

LEARN MORE: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Rewards Rate
  • 5x points on directly booked flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel (up to $500,000)
  • 1x on all other spending
Welcome Offer

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in the first 6 months

Annual Fee

$695 (rates and fees)

With The Platinum Card® from American Express, you can receive up to $10,000 per canceled trip (as long as you’ve prepaid your nonrefundable roundtrip expenses with the card).*

Certain terms and conditions apply, such as a limit of $20,000 total within a 12-month period (so this doesn’t work for multiple $10,000 trips per year).

Other travel benefits offered:

  • Trip delay coverage: If your trip is delayed by more than six hours, you can receive up to $500 per trip.
  • Rental car loss and damage insurance: Decline the rental car insurance offered by the rental company and pay for the entire rental reservation with your card, and damages or theft of the vehicle are covered.
  • Hotel/airline fee credits: Though not technically an insurance benefit, this card offers a lot of luxury perks such as a $200 hotel credit and $200 airline fee credit, among other travel benefits.

LEARN MORE: The Platinum Card® from American Express

* Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best luxury travel credit cards out there. Your points can be used as statement credits, when shopping with Amex partners, or for transferring to one of its 21 partner airlines and hotels, including Air France-KLM, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Qantas, Hilton, and Marriott. So if you frequently fly the skies overseas, you’ve got a lot of transfer options to choose from.

You also get reimbursement for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry* and complimentary access to over 1,400 airport lounges around the world.

And in addition to the Amex Platinum’s trip cancellation coverage, you’ve got rental car loss and damage insurance, extended warranty coverage, and purchase protection.**

While the Platinum has a high annual fee, it could be worth it if you’re taking advantage of all its perks.

LEARN MORE: The Platinum Card® from American Express

* Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.

** Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Rewards Rate
  • 3x points on every dollar spent on shipping, advertising with social media and search engines, internet, cable, phone, and travel — up to the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in these categories
  • 1x per dollar spent everywhere else
Welcome Offer

Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$95

Are you a business owner who does a lot of corporate travel? You might consider the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Not only do you earn elevated rewards on common business expenses, but you also receive solid trip cancellation insurance.

The trip cancellation coverage goes up to a maximum of $5,000 per covered traveler in case you need to cancel due to a blizzard, for example, or in the event of illness. This benefit extends up to $10,000 per trip.

Like other trip insurance policies offered by credit cards, this applies to prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses. You must pay for these purchases with the card to be eligible for reimbursement.

Other travel protections and benefits offered:

  • Auto rental coverage: You can be reimbursed up to $60,000 if your rental vehicle is stolen or damaged. You must decline the rental company’s coverage and pay with your card to be eligible.
  • No foreign transaction fees: Save money when traveling overseas.

LEARN MORE: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Despite being Chase’s premier business travel rewards card, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has an affordable annual fee. Because of this, it’s well-suited to both established businesses and new entrepreneurs.

Chase has one of the best travel rewards programs out there and you can transfer points to partner hotels and airlines, such as Air France-KLM, British Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Southwest, Hyatt and Marriott.

Plus, it comes with purchase protection, cellphone protection, extended warranty, and roadside assistance — all of which business owners will find handy.

LEARN MORE: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

Rewards Rate
  • 6x points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® program
  • 3x points on restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines
  • 2x points on everything else
Welcome Offer

Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of card membership

Annual Fee

$650 (rates and fees)

If you like Marriott hotels and resorts, the Marriott Bonvoy family of rewards credit cards may be a good option. While not all Marriott Bonvoy cards offer coverage for canceled trips, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card does.*

This coverage is robust, with up to $10,000 per trip and a maximum of $20,000 per eligible card over a consecutive 12-month period.

As with other cards, you must pay with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card for roundtrip travel, and your reason for cancellation must be covered, such as unforeseen illness or hazardous weather conditions.

Other travel protections offered:

  • Trip delay insurance: If your roundtrip travel is delayed by more than six hours, you can be reimbursed up to $500 per trip, with a maximum of two claims per 12-month period.
  • Car rental loss and damage insurance: Decline the rental company’s insurance coverage and pay for the rental in full with your card to receive coverage on eligible rental vehicles.
  • Baggage insurance: If your luggage is damaged, lost, or stolen, you may be eligible for up to $2,000 for checked baggage and up to $3,000 combined between checked and carry-on baggage.

LEARN MORE: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

* Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is Marriott’s most premium-level card and has a very high annual fee, but you may find it worth the cost for the other luxury travel benefits and rewards on Marriott Bonvoy reservations.

It’s loaded with travel insurance,* and comes with nice perks for Marriott hotel stays, like instant Platinum Elite status, a $300 dining credit, and an annual free night award on your cardmembership anniversary.

It also has travel benefits like Priority Pass™ Select lounge access and a statement credit every four years for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application.**

LEARN MORE: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

* Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

** Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your American Express Card. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Rewards Rate
  • 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • 5x miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
  • 2x miles on all other purchases
Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel

Annual Fee

$395

If you like earning double miles on all your purchases, you may want to look at a Capital One rewards card like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. This card is part of the Visa Infinite network, which makes you eligible for up to $2,000 for travel reimbursement in the event that you have to cancel for a covered reason.

This coverage works if you or an immediate family member becomes ill or dies, preventing you from being able to travel. You may be able to receive reimbursement for airfare as well as the cost of cruise travel or other forms of transportation.

However, it’s important to note that you must use any other reimbursements or refunds available directly from those travel providers first and then use this coverage to supplement it.

Other travel protections offered:

  • Trip delay insurance: Receive up to $500 to cover costs if your trip is delayed by over six hours.
  • Car rental insurance: Get primary coverage on theft and damage by declining the car rental company’s insurance and paying with your Venture X card.

As with other credit cards, you must have prepaid nonrefundable travel costs with your card. Certain circumstances won’t be covered, such as an illness related to a pre-existing condition or injury caused when under the influence of alcohol.

LEARN MORE: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium travel credit card, but its fee isn’t as high as some of its competitors. So, you get solid perks and strong coverage, but at a more affordable price.

Some of those perks include lounge access, an application credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, Hertz status, $300 in annual travel credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, and 10,000 bonus miles on your membership anniversary — equal to about $100 in travel credit.

Plus, the miles are flexible and can be used to cover travel purchases or can be transferred to 15+ travel partners, including Virgin Red, Flying Blue, British Airways, and Choice Privileges®.

Its trip delay coverage is significantly less than some other premium credit cards, but if you’re booking luxury trips, you probably want to add a standalone travel insurance policy anyway.

LEARN MORE: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

What Is Trip Cancellation Insurance on Credit Cards?

You can buy travel insurance through an insurance provider, of course. But you might not need to go that route if your credit card has great travel coverage at no extra charge. 

In general, most trip cancellation insurance pays back money you lose from having to cancel your travel plans due to a covered reason. 

Your child gets appendicitis the day before your trip? Hurricanes are headed to your beach destination? These kinds of cancellations are eligible for reimbursement.

To access the insurance, you must have paid for the trip with that particular card. 

Credit card terms vary, but coverage often falls in the range of $1,500 to $10,000 per trip, maximum. You’ll need to submit documentation of the reason for canceling within their timeframe.

Knowing what the card company categorizes as “covered” reasons for cancellation is essential. 

What does credit card travel insurance cover? 

Here are some of the most common travel insurance circumstances covered by credit cards:

  • Cancellation or interruption of travels
  • Trip delays
  • Baggage delays
  • Lost baggage
  • Rental car theft or damage

For example, if the airline loses your luggage and you need to buy clothes and incidentals, you can turn to the coverage provided by your trusty credit card. 

Get into a fender-bender with your rental car? Your credit card could have you covered. 

Or if your trip is delayed by a day, forcing you to miss prepaid excursions or other activities, you want that money reimbursed. 

Not all cards with travel insurance offer the same features, though, so read your card’s information carefully. 

Common exclusions and limitations 

As with any insurance policy, travel insurance from credit cards has limitations. Only certain cancellations fit card companies’ terms of service. 

Usually, trip cancellation/interruption reimbursement is available when you need to call off your trip or cut it short due to illness or severe weather. 

You won’t get your money back if you cancel on a whim or due to pre-existing conditions. Illness or death in the family doesn’t usually trigger insurance coverage either, unless it’s of one of the people slated to travel or someone in the immediate family. 

For instance, I’ve had relatives who had to go on major vacations just days after the unexpected death of a loved one. Though it pained them not to be close to all their family during the early days of grief, the person who died wasn’t an immediate family member, so trip insurance didn’t apply. 

The other big factor: Did you book the trip using that credit card? Coverage typically requires payment in full and in advance, so be sure to use the right card at the right time.

How To Choose the Best Credit Card for Trip Cancellation Coverage

Consider the type of trip you’re taking, the cost, and the types of risks involved. The more costly the trip, the more you’ve got to lose. 

You could be looking for very different things when planning a short trip for yourself versus a three-week overseas trip with your family of five.

Assess your travel needs 

Read the fine print and determine if the card’s benefits fit your needs. 

For example, sickness is one of the main covered circumstances for most credit card policies — but most won’t cover you if the sickness is due to a pre-existing condition. 

Or if someone gets sick who’s not in your travel party, the lost money may not be reimbursable. 

Compare coverage limits and exclusions. 

How do your trip’s total prepaid costs compare to the limits of your card’s cancellation coverage? The common $10,000 limit per traveler per trip is fairly generous, but there may be significant exclusions. 

For instance, if you try to save money by booking one-way instead of roundtrip flights, that may nullify your claim for reimbursement. There’s also the time limit consideration. You typically need to file your claim within a brief window, so move quickly to ensure you won’t miss it. 

Review additional card benefits 

Most credit cards with good travel insurance provide other travel-related benefits. Keep each of these perks — and the annual fee — in mind when selecting a card. You probably won’t pick a credit card solely for the trip insurance, since you can also earn valuable rewards. 

Annual fees may seem high, but those premium cards also provide a ton of other travel perks like free TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry and airport lounge access. 

I love a card with multiple benefits (while the trip insurance may be great, the card has to offer a lot more than that!). 

COMPARE: Best Travel Credit Cards

When to Rely on Credit Card Coverage vs. Separate Insurance

Here are some tips for deciding when you need to buy additional insurance, or if your credit card is enough. 

Use credit card coverage for short or domestic trips 

This will depend on the cost of your trip and your credit card’s maximum reimbursement, but you may be able to rely solely on your credit card for short getaways. 

This may also be easier to lump onto a single credit card, especially if you book an all-inclusive trip. 

It’s more likely your card’s coverage maximum will be sufficient on shorter or domestic trips, while an international voyage could take you far above your card’s limits. 

For example, if I flew from Cincinnati to Denver to visit my brother for a few days, I’d easily be set for coverage. But a month-long tour of Scandinavia would likely exceed my card’s maximum. 

Consider separate insurance for expensive or high-risk trips 

Remember: The more you spend on travel, the more you risk losing. 

The most robust trip cancellation policies with credit cards max out at $10,000 per traveler or $20,000 per trip. While that’s great for many of us, in some cases, you might be shelling out a lot more. 

If your trip costs more than your card’s coverage allows, look into a separate policy. Or look for refundable options if they’re available. 

READ MORE: How To Choose the Right Trip Cancellation Policy

Use separate insurance for special circumstances

Credit card coverage comes with quite a few limitations, so there’s a chance you might cancel for a non-covered reason like work commitments or simply changing your mind, look for standalone policies that offer cancel for any reason (CFAR) — credit cards don’t offer this.

Or if you have a pre-existing condition, separate insurance is a good idea. Of course, read any travel insurance policy terms carefully to ensure you’ll be covered.

READ MORE: Which Situations Are Covered by Trip Cancellation Insurance?

Bottom Line: Do You Need a Card With Trip Cancellation Coverage?

Whether you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip or you’re a regular globe-trotter, you don’t want to lose money on your travels. You can’t predict when illness or a tsunami might derail your travel plans, but you can safeguard your travel funds with your credit card’s built-in trip cancellation insurance.

Consider the types of travel protection your credit card offers. Or look for a new card with trip cancellation insurance and other travel benefits. Given the number of circumstances that can delay or ruin your travel plans, it’s wise to have a backup plan!

Typically, yes. Read your credit card’s terms of coverage, but most credit card trip insurance requires that you book your trip on that card.

This might include your flight, lodging, or possibly both in some cases. You don’t receive trip cancellation coverage on anything not booked with that card.

Coverage varies from card to card, but for full trip cancellation coverage, the highest limit is usually $10,000 per eligible trip, per covered traveler. Annual limits may apply as well.

Be aware that terms and conditions apply, so you may not always be covered even if your delay or cancellation is for eligible reasons.

In some cases, yes. You may purchase separate insurance to use first, following up with additional coverage from your card as needed. Your credit card will always stipulate that it only covers nonrefundable purchases.

Plus, you might buy insurance for travel companions not covered under the policy provided by your credit card.

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Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's 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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I'm an award-winning lawyer and personal finance expert featured in Inc. Magazine, CNBC, the Today Show, Business Insider and more. My mission is to make personal finance accessible for everyone. As the largest financial influencer in the world, I'm connected to a community of over 20 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. I'm also the host of the podcast Erika Taught Me. You might recognize me from my viral tagline, "I read the fine print so you don't have to!"

I'm a graduate of Georgetown Law, where I founded the Georgetown Law Entrepreneurship Club, and the University of Notre Dame. I discovered my passion for personal finance after realizing I was drowning in over $200,000 of student debt and needed to take action-ultimately paying off my student loans in under 2 years. I then spent years as a corporate lawyer representing Fortune 500 companies, but I quit because I realized I wanted to have an impact; I wanted to help real people and teach them that you can create a financial future for yourself.

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Our aim is to help you make financial decisions with confidence through our objective article content and reviews. Erika.com is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Advertiser Disclosure

Our aim is to help you make financial decisions with confidence through our objective article content and reviews. Erika.com is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Advertiser Disclosure

Our aim is to help you make financial decisions with confidence through our objective article content and reviews. Erika.com is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.