6 VALUABLE TRAVEL PERKS THAT YOU CAN GET WITH A CREDIT CARD
There’s no shortage of great travel perks out there that you can receive with a credit card.
Premium cards can shield you from risk with travel insurance and rental car insurance, and help you enjoy (almost) every minute of your vacation with luxuries like lounge access.
So what are some of the best travel perks, and which cards offer these perks? Keep reading to find out.
Lounge access
Airport lounges are one of the best aspects of premium travel, offering a spot to relax while you wait for your flight. Several high-end cards offer access to lavish lounges.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates & fees) offers complimentary access for cardholders, authorized users and up to two guests per visit to Capital One Lounges. You’ll also enjoy perks like 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary and a welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Then there’s The Platinum Card® from American Express, which offers access to the expansive American Express Global Lounge Collection. That includes over 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide, Delta Sky Clubs (when traveling on Delta Air Lines) and Amex’s own Centurion Lounges. You’ll also get up to $1,500 in annual statement credits and a welcome offer of 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
Related: The best credit cards for airport lounge access
TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credits
TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are programs that allow you to cut the line at airport security and immigration, allowing for expedited screenings over a five-year period for $100 (Global Entry) or $78 (TSA PreCheck). It’s best to pay extra for Global Entry as TSA PreCheck is included in the $100 fee.
With the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, (see rates & fees) you’ll enjoy a credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, letting you enjoy the program of your choice essentially for free. The Venture also offers a simple 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, with no bonus categories to memorize and a number of other solid mid-tier perks.
Another card offering credits is the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card. This card offers a TSA PreCheck/Global Entry statement credit of up to $100 every four years, plus a 25%-75% rewards bonus on every purchase and a welcome offer of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.
If you want to save even more time, you can grab a card that will reimburse you for an annual Clear Plus membership.
Related: The best credit cards for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
Rental car insurance
Some of the best travel rewards cards provide rental car insurance that may allow you to decline a rental company’s collision damage waiver.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card are two valuable cards that offer primary rental car insurance on most rentals. The Sapphire products are some of the most valuable cards for travel beginners and experts alike, offering perks like up to $300 in annual travel credits (Reserve) and a $50 annual hotel credit for stays booked through the Chase travel portal (Preferred).
No foreign transaction fees
If you go abroad often, you’ll want a card with no foreign transaction fees when you travel internationally.
Cards like the Amex Platinum (see rates and fees), Sapphire Preferred, and Venture Rewards fit that bill. All let you spend to your heart’s content worldwide with no additional fees attached.
For your international business spending, however, consider the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, which is offering 100,000 bonus points after $8,000 in spending in the first three months after card opening for a low $95 annual fee.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance is a small thing that can prevent a big hassle should something go wrong on your next trip. Cards like the Amex Platinum and the Sapphire Reserve have solid protections in place should you lose a bag or suffer a last-minute cancellation.
You might also consider the United Club Infinite Card, which offers complimentary United Club lounge membership (worth up to $650 per year) plus two free checked bags and up to a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. The card offers great value for frequent United flyers and also offers crucial travel insurance if you’re a jet-setter trying to mitigate risk.
Related: The best travel insurance policies and providers
Cellphone protection
Lastly, you might opt for a card with phone protection that covers loss or damages when you pay your cellphone bill with the card.
The Chase Freedom Flex is one such option, covering up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year in cellphone protection. It also offers a valuable 5% cash back on select bonus categories that rotate each quarter you activate (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases), plus 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. This card is a great option for cash-back enthusiasts, with a sign-up bonus and no annual fee.
There’s also the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (see rates & fees), offering up to $600 of protection (subject to a $25 deductible) when you pay your monthly cellphone bill with your card. It offers a simple 2% cash rewards rate on all purchases. Along with cellphone protection, the card provides access to the Visa Signature Concierge and the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection, and offers a $200 cash rewards bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months.
Related: Link a credit card with cellphone protection to your mobile bill
Bottom line
True, some of these perks aren’t the most eye-catching — you probably won’t get a new credit card solely because it offers something like phone protection. But these lesser-known benefits can provide value in the long run and should definitely be a factor in deciding on your next card.
You never know when something like travel or rental car insurance will come in handy. One way to ensure you’re prepared is by finding a card that offers them automatically.
Read more: How to choose the best credit card for you
For rates and fees for the Amex Platinum Card, click here
SPONSORED: With states reopening, enjoying a meal from a restaurant no longer just means curbside pickup.
And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free.
These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.
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Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.