Which credit cards offer the best delayed baggage insurance? I've heard several horror stories from readers recently involving delayed baggage, so even though my own philosophy is to Avoid Checked Luggage Never Check Baggage, I do realize there are times when it's just not possible to travel only with carry-ons. After all, when my son was a baby, we did check baggage since there was so much baby gear.
As Ben noted in Tips For Making Sure Your Luggage Doesn’t Get Lost (And What To Do When It Does) it really is best to prevent mishaps as far as possible, e.g.:
- Don't check anything valuable or fragile
- Ensure that you have your important suit and toiletries with you
- Ensure that your bag is tagged correctly. Just ask politely to see the luggage tag before your bag is placed on the conveyor belt, so you can ensure it's tagged to the correct destination.
But sooner or later, if you travel enough and often check luggage, baggage is bound to be delayed. If it is, here are the credit cards you'll want to have used to pay for the ticket. Note that unfortunately, this does not apply to award tickets where you pay the taxes and fees with the card; the entire ticket must have been paid for with the credit card. Interestingly, the AMEX Platinum, which usually offers excellent travel insurance and purchase protection, is MIA: it doesn't offer any kind of delayed baggage insurance, at least the U.S. cards don't.
1. Citi Executive AAdvantage Card: Up to $500
As I mentioned last year in Credit Card Trip Delay, Trip Interruption Insurance with Citi Executive AAdvantage, the Citi Executive AAdvantage card added some new benefits that went into effect November 23, 2014, and are listed in the card's Guide to Benefits. Delayed baggage coverage is one of them, and the nice thing is that it's a straight $500 maximum per trip, there's no per day maximum as there is for the Sapphire Preferred or some other credit cards.
I believe the Citi Prestige Card offers similar delayed baggage protection as the Citi Executive AAdvantage, but I don't have the card (although if I ever receive a targeted 100K Citi Prestige Card Bonus Offer I'd certainly apply). Can any readers with the card confirm if the delayed baggage benefit is identical? I believe the Discover Card also offers similar baggage delay coverage: up to $500 after a delay of at least 3 hours.
Coverage: Up to $500 per trip when your baggage doesn't arrive within 3 hours of your arrival
Who's Covered: You, authorized users of your Citi Executive AAdvantage card, your spouse or domestic partner (where permitted by law), your dependents (unmarried children under 19 and full-time students under 24 who receive at least half their financial support from you, unless defined differently by state law
Eligibility:
- Trip was paid for in full with your Citi Executive AAdvantage card
- Travel is on a common carrier
- Trip is less than 60 days long
- Purchases for which insurance coverage is sought were made near the destination you arrived, and before your delayed baggage arrives
What's Not Covered:
- Items not included in delayed baggage
- Food
- Plants and animals
- Any motorized land, air or water vehicles and their parts
- Tickets, passports, visas, cash, credit cards, rare or precious coins, checks, promissory notes or any other monetary equivalents
- Free travel or award travel of any kind
- Commuting travel
- Return travel home
- Baggage shipped as freight before your departure or check-in date
- Delays caused by government regulations or customs agencies
- Travel where you are involved in fraud, illegal activity or an act of war
How to File a Claim
- Make sure to file a delayed baggage report with the airline before leaving the airport, and keep a copy of it
- Call 1-855-569-7446 within 30 days of the date your baggage was delayed; or visit www.citi.com/cardbenefits to print out a claim form
- Return the completed claim form within 90 days of the date your baggage was delayed
2. Sapphire Preferred: $100 per Day up to 5 Days ($500 Maximum)
The Sapphire Preferred coverage, while it can be up to $500, maxes out at $100 per day, which obviously isn't as good as the Citi Executive AAdvantage benefit of up to $500 without any daily maximum. Plus, it only kicks in after 6 hours of arrival, not 3 hours. While I don't have the card, I know the Ritz-Carlton Rewards card is also up to $100 a day for up to 5 days. If you have that card, check the terms for how many hours of delay are required before it becomes effective.
Coverage: Up to $100 per day for a maximum of 5 days when your baggage doesn't arrive within 6 hours of your arrival, for emergency purchases of essential items only, such as clothing, toiletries and 1 cellular telephone charging cable.
Who's Covered: You and immediate family members. Immediate family members are also covered even if you are not traveling with them, as long as you have charged some portion of a common carrier fare for them to your Sapphire Preferred card
What's Not Covered
- Contact lenses, eyeglasses or hearing aids
- Artificial teeth, dental bridges, prosthetic devices
- Tickets, documents, money, securities, checks, and valuable papers
- Business samples
- Jewelry and watches
- Cameras, video recorders, cellular telephones and other electronic equipment except for charging cables
- Any loss of property caused by or resulting from, directly or indirectly, the commission or attempted commission of any illegal act by you or intentional act including but not limited to any felony
How to File a Claim
- Make sure to file a delayed baggage report with the airline before leaving the airport, and keep a copy of it
- Call 888-320-9961 to request a claim form
- Submit a written claim notice to Chase within 20 days of the baggage delay
- Provide to Chase, within 90 days, a completed claim form, copy of your travel itinerary, delayed baggage report from the airline, copy of the credit card statement that shows the charge for the trip, copy of the settlement or denial from the common carrier and copies of receipts for the purchase of essential items that cost over $25.
3. Ink Plus / Ink Bold: Up to $100 per Day for Up to 5 Days ($500 Max) but only after 18 Hours
Coverage: Up to $100 per day for 5 days when your baggage doesn't arrive within 18 hours of your arrival
Who's Covered: Cardholder and authorized users
What's Not Covered
- Contact lenses, eyeglasses or hearing aids
- Artificial teeth, dental bridges, prosthetic devices
- Tickets, documents, money, securities, checks, and valuable papers
- Business samples
- Jewelry and watches
- Cameras, video recorders, other electronic equipment
- Return travel home
How to File a Claim
- Make sure to file a delayed baggage report with the airline before leaving the airport, and keep a copy of it
- Call 888-320-9956 to request a claim form
- Submit a written claim notice to Chase within 20 days of the baggage delay
- Provide to Chase, within 90 days, a completed claim form, copy of your travel itinerary, delayed baggage report from the airline, copy of the credit card statement that shows the charge for the trip, copy of the settlement or denial from the common carrier and copies of receipts for the purchase of essential items that cost over $25.
4. US Airways Dividend Miles Card: $100 per Day up to 3 Days ($300 Maximum) in a 12 Month Period
Coverage: Up to $100 per day for a maximum of 3 days when your baggage doesn't arrive within 12 hours of your arrival, for emergency purchases of essential items only, such as clothing and toiletries
Who's Covered: You and immediate family members. Immediate family members are also covered even if you are not traveling with them, as long as you have charged some portion of a common carrier fare for them to your Sapphire Preferred card
What's Not Covered
- Contact lenses, eyeglasses or hearing aids
- Artificial teeth, dental bridges, prosthetic devices
- Tickets, documents, money, securities, checks, and valuable papers
- Business samples
- Jewelry and watches
- Cameras, video recorders, other electronic equipment
- Return travel home
How to File a Claim
- Make sure to file a delayed baggage report with the airline before leaving the airport, and keep a copy of it
- Call the number on the back of your card to request a claim form
- Submit a written claim notice to Chase within 20 days of the baggage delay
- Provide to the insurer within 90 days, a completed claim form, copy of your travel itinerary, delayed baggage report from the airline, copy of the credit card statement that shows the charge for the trip, copy of the settlement or denial from the common carrier and copies of receipts for the purchase of essential items that cost over $25.
If you've ever suffered delayed baggage, were you able to get coverage through your credit card used for the trip, and if so, which one?
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