9 valuable travel perks that you can get with a credit card
Editor's Note
There's no shortage of great perks you can get with a travel credit card — especially with several solid options currently on the market.
Premium travel cards can shield you from risk with travel and rental car insurance in addition to providing benefits that include lounge access. If you're curious about what other travel perks you can access with a credit card, we've got you covered.;
Lounge access
Airport lounges are one of the best parts 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; limited to 10 annual visits from Feb. 1, 2025) 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 $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Lastly, there's the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which offers an expansive lounge network through a Priority Pass Select membership. It also includes Priority Pass restaurants which many card issuers have removed. You'll get a welcome offer of 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three 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 Rewards card 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 that include up to $300 in annual travel credits (via the Sapphire Reserve) and a $50 annual hotel credit for stays booked through the Chase travel portal (via the Sapphire 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. Each of these cards lets you make purchases all over the world with no additional fees attached. For your international business spending, however, consider the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card.
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 frequent flyer trying to mitigate risk.
Related: The best travel insurance policies and providers
Free Checked bags
Most cobranded airline credit cards offer complimentary checked bags for you and those traveling with your party.
You might consider the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card which gives you your first checked bag for free. This card offers 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months.
There's also the United Explorer Card which offers the first checked bag free for you and your companion. You also get two United Club passes and a $100 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit. This card features a 50,000 bonus miles offer when you spend $3,000 in the first three months of card opening.
Related: How to avoid checked baggage fees on major domestic airlines
Elite Status
Many credit cards give you elite status for holding that particular card. This is primarily found with hotel credit cards.
You might consider the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card which earns three Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees. This card comes with Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status every year.
Additionally, there's the World of Hyatt Credit Card offers 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first six months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent. This card comes with World of Hyatt Discoverist status every year.
Purchase protection
You also might opt for a card with purchase protection that covers the cost of items bought in the event of loss, theft or damage.
You might consider the American Express® Gold Card, which covers purchases up to 90 days after the date of purchase up to $10,000 with a maximum of $50,000 per year for damage and loss or theft and $550 for natural disasters*. This card also offers 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on worldwide dining and U.S. supermarkets(up to $25,000 in purchases per year). The Amex Gold offers 60,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $6,000 in the first six months from account opening.
*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.
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 against damage or theft (subject to a $25 deductible) when you pay your monthly cellphone bill with your card. It offers a simple 2% cash rewards rate on purchases. Along with cellphone protection, the card provides access to the Visa Signature® Concierge and the Visa Signature® Luxury Hotel Collection and you can earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after you spend $500 in 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 some of 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