Amex adding valuable travel protections to certain cards
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There’s good news for anyone who holds an Amex card like The Platinum Card® from American Express or the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and has a trip cancelled, delayed or interrupted. Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, Amex is adding protection for these travel setbacks to their premium cards, some of which are on our list of the best Amex cards. The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
This is a positive change for those of us (myself included) who like to earn valuable Amex Membership Rewards points on purchases and spend them on travel. However, Amex is also reducing the extended warranty and purchase protection benefits on their cards and outright removing travel accident insurance and the roadside assistance perk.
Here’s what you need to know.
Amex adds benefits to certain cards
As of Jan. 1, 2020, Amex will reimburse cardholders for trip cancellation and interruption for up to $10,000 in nonrefundable travel expenses per trip, up to $20,000 per year. They’ll also offer reimbursement for trip delays of 6+ hours for up to $500 per trip for necessary expenses like hotels and meals.
Coverage is valid for round-trip tickets paid for entirely with your eligible Amex card, including paying taxes on an award ticket with your eligible card or Amex Pay With points tickets.
These new benefits apply to the following cards:
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
- Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
Plus, they’re adding coverage for delays of 12+ hours to the following cards:
- American Express® Gold Card
- American Express® Business Gold Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
However, also on Jan. 1, 2020, Amex cards will no longer offer travel accident insurance and roadside assistance. And there will be significant changes to the purchase protections provided by their cards. On most cards, the extended warranty will be reduced from two years to one year. And some no-annual-fee Amex cards will lose extended warranty coverage altogether. Plus, the purchase protection period currently offered by many Amex cards will go from 120 days to 90 days.
Even with the reduction in some perks, the additional benefits help Amex cards better compete with premium cards from other banks, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, that have offered excellent travel protections for a while now.
Featured photo by David Prado Perucha/Shutterstock.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Walmart+ members enjoy shopping perks – both online and in-store – at Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive a statement credit that covers the full cost each month. $12.95 plus applicable taxes. Plus Up Benefits not eligible.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Card.
$200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Benefit renews annually.
$300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back per calendar year on an Equinox+ subscription, or any Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Learn more.
$189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR® Plus at 45+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per year on your membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®.
$100 Global Entry Credit: 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 Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required.
$300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction, and an Equinox+ subscription is required.
Add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile on the Resy app or website and unlock Global Dining Access by Resy to exclusive tables and events.
$695 annual fee.
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