There are two types of travelers: those who prefer carry-on luggage and those who prefer to check their bag.
If you check a bag, you know the disadvantages. Waiting at the baggage carousel can delay the start of your journey and careless baggage handlers can result in damage to your luggage.
The worst part, however, is that your luggage isn’t there when you finally arrive at your destination. Even if the airline can tell you the location of your luggage (or even if you can find using products like Apple AirTags), it may still take a while for it to be reunited with your bag.
In the meantime, you’ll have to go without essentials like clean clothes and toiletries – and this can be even more likely during the budding headaches that sometimes accompany peak travel periods (we’re looking at you, winter travel season).
Related: What to do if your luggage is delayed or lost by an airline
Some airlines have policies to reimburse travelers for essential items if a bag is delayed, but this reimbursement is often limited and can be difficult to obtain. Travel insurance is another option to obtain reimbursement.
But there is also the option I rely on and have used several times: the baggage delay protection included on certain credit cards, simply by paying for the flight with one of these cards.
Here are some of the best credit cards that offer this benefit to cardholders.
What is baggage delay protection?
The baggage delay protection offered by select credit cards can reimburse you for the cost of essential personal and business items while you wait for your checked baggage if it is delayed by a common carrier.
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A common carrier is a company that transports any public passenger who pays a fare or purchases a ticket and provides services on a regular schedule; Common examples of carriers include airplanes, trains, ferries, and cruise ships.
What is covered by baggage delay protection?
In general, baggage delay protection covers the things you might need while your bag is delayed. This includes things like clean clothes and toiletries. But depending on your situation, other items may be allowed. Maximums and limitations vary from credit card to credit card.
Pursuit cards that protect against baggage delays usually come with restrictions. For example, the following items are excluded:
- Hearing aids
- Artificial teeth, dental bridges or prostheses
- Tickets, documents, money, securities, cheques, traveler’s checks and valuable papers
- Business monsters
- Jewelry and watches
- Cameras, video recorders and other electronic equipment
- Recreational equipment
The items above are items you will always want to pack in your carry-on luggage.
How do I get coverage?
Eligibility requirements vary from card to card, so check with your specific benefits guide to be sure.
Most of the cards discussed in this guide provide coverage as long as a portion of the common airline fare (such as your plane ticket) is paid for with the card or by redeeming points associated with the card. This means that paying the taxes and fees on an award ticket counts as payment for part of the flight for most cards discussed here.
That’s why you want to use a credit card that offers benefits even if you book an award ticket and only pay the taxes and fees for the award with the card.
One final limitation to note: most of the cards mentioned in this guide do not offer baggage delay protection if the bag is delayed when you return home to your primary residence.
Credit cards that offer coverage for baggage delays
The information for the Aviator Red card and the United Club Business Card has been independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been verified or provided by the card issuer.
Please note that most of the cards in the table above also have the following restrictions:
- Coverage is secondary, so you must first file claims with the airline and other sources (such as travel insurance).
- Immediate family members are covered even if you book a ticket for them with your card but do not travel with them
- No cover is provided if your destination is your permanent residence
It’s worth noting that The Platinum Card® from American Express, one of our favorite cards for purchasing airline tickets, does not offer this protection. You may still want to use this card for your flights thanks to the 5 points per dollar you earn on flights booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (up to $500,000 of these purchases per year), but make sure you Keep this limitation in mind when choosing which card to use.
How to make a claim
Before filing a claim with your credit card benefits department, you must:
- Inform the airline about the delayed or lost baggage. This is usually done by submitting a declaration at the airline’s baggage counter before departure from the airport. Make sure you receive a copy of this report (including a reference or tracking number) as you will likely need to submit this with your claim.
- Receive documentation from the airline about the delayed baggage and the actions the airline is taking to locate and return the baggage. If the airline offers reimbursement for items you need while your luggage is delayed, you can get information on how to make this claim.
- Keep the original itemized receipts for all necessary items purchased while your luggage was delayed. If you purchase non-covered items from the same merchant, such as snacks or entertainment for the kids, pay for them in separate transactions to avoid confusion.
- Please keep all documentation provided when your delayed bag is delivered. This shows the time at which the luggage was delivered.
If your luggage is indeed delayed, check your credit card’s benefits guide to determine next steps, or simply call the number on the back of your card if you don’t have your benefits guide handy. Don’t wait too long either, because you have to start the claim process relatively quickly.
To give you some context on general timelines, if you purchased your trip with an eligible Chase credit card listed above, you usually have twenty days from the time your bag was delayed to file a claim notice to serve.
You will then receive a ‘Proof of Loss’ form. You must return it, along with receipts and other documentation, within 90 days of the delay of your bag. From then on, it can take up to 60 days for approved claims to be paid.
Finally, if you fly Alaska Airlines or Delta Air Lines, make sure you file a claim for bonus miles. Both airlines will give you 2,500 bonus miles (in Alaska you can also choose a $25 flight voucher) if your bag doesn’t reach the baggage carousel within 20 minutes of arrival.
In short
Unfortunately, delayed baggage insurance is still relatively rare among credit cards. The good news, however, is that some major credit cards offer this insurance to make traveling with checked luggage easier.
In the rare event that your luggage is delayed, you’ll be glad you booked your flight with a credit card that offers a delayed baggage benefit. It cannot be emphasized enough that the details of this often overlooked benefit vary from card to card. So check your benefits guide for the exact details of the credit card you usually use to book flights.
This way you know what to do and what you are entitled to if your luggage is delayed on a future trip.