Ultra-Premium Credit Card Travel Protections

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The recently refreshed Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard includes travel protections.  This was a surprise since Citi had dumped travel protections from their cards several years ago.  Apparently someone on the Citi/AA team was smart enough to realize that travel protections are a good idea for a card that is intended to be used to purchase travel.  Thanks to Frequent Miler Insiders member, Prash, I obtained the new benefit guide (you can download a copy by clicking here) and added details about the Executive card to this post.  Read below to see how this card’s travel protections compares to other ultra-premium cards.  Does the AA Executive Card offer the same peace of mind offered by Chase’s Sapphire Reserve or Amex’s Platinum cards?
a close up of a credit card
Below you’ll find a summary of credit card travel protections provided automatically by various ultra-premium travel cards such as Chase Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture X, Amex Platinum, Citi AA Executive, and US Bank Altitude Reserve.

Caution: I’m far from an expert on credit card travel insurance. I did my best to read through the benefit guides to figure out what was covered and when, but I can’t promise that I got all of the details correct. For complete information, please consult your card’s benefits guide: Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Ritz-Carlton, Capital One Venture X, Amex Platinum Benefit Directory, US Bank Altitude Reserve, CNB Crystal Visa Infinite, Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, Citi Prestige

Credit card travel insurance overview

As you’ll see below, Chase continues to lead the field with the best automatic travel protections.  Chase’s Sapphire Reserve card and their Ritz-Carlton card offer the same excellent travel protections benefits.  They’re the only cards in the roundup to provide baggage delay reimbursements, and the only to provide emergency medical and dental coverage.  Meanwhile, Amex Platinum cards offer a killer feature: Uncapped Emergency Evacuation and Transportation, even if you don’t pay for your travel with your Platinum card.  If cost were no object, the ideal combination would be to pay for travel with your Chase Sapphire Reserve or Ritz card, but to also have a Platinum card in case you need more than $100,000 worth of emergency evacuation and transportation ($100K is Chase’s cap to that benefit).

How does the Venture X compare?  It’s good, but not best-in-class.  Its travel protections (provided by Visa Infinite) are nearly identical to USB’s Altitude Reserve, but Capital One’s card does not include $10K worth of emergency evacuation and transportation like USB’s card does.

How about the USB Altitude Reserve?  Same answer as Venture X, above: it’s good, but not best-in-class.  USB throws in $10K of emergency evacuation and transportation, but I’m not sure $10K will get you very far.

How does the new Citi AA Executive card compare?  Not great, but it’s far better than nothing (“nothing” is a summary of protections that this card offered prior to mid July 2023).  I do like that most of the coverage they offer is still available if you pay at least in part with your AA card or with your AA miles, but they fall short in other areas: 1) Rental car coverage is secondary within the U.S.; 2) Trip cancelation coverage payout is limited to the amount you pay with your card and/or with AA miles (if you pay for everything with your AA card and AA miles, that won’t be an issue, though); and 3) The card is missing other travel protections such as travel accident insurance, and emergency evacuation coverage.

The following chart summarizes travel protections provided automatically by each ultra-premium card. Cells in green indicate best in class coverage. “Pay partial” means that you can get full coverage even if you pay only part of your transportation costs with this card. For example, you could pay just the taxes and fees for an award flight. Or, you could pay part of a cruise with gift cards and the rest with your credit card.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Capital One Venture X Amex Platinum1 USB Altitude Reserve Citi AA Executive2
Ritz-Carlton Delta Reserve1
Bonvoy Brilliant
Hilton Aspire
Rental Car Primary Primary Secondary3 Primary Secondary
Roadside Assistance 4X / Year $69.95 per Use N/A N/A N/A
Trip Cancellation Pay Partial Pay Partial4 Pay in Full5 Pay Partial Pay Partial6
Trip Delay 6 Hour
Pay Partial
6 Hour
Pay Partial
6 Hour
Pay in Full5
6 Hour
Pay Partial
6 Hour
Pay Partial
Lost Luggage Pay Partial Pay Partial Pay in Full Pay Partial Pay Partial
Luggage Delay 6 Hour
Pay Partial
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Travel Accident Insurance Pay Partial Pay in Full N/A Pay in Full N/A
Emergency Evac $100K Limit
Pay Partial
N/A No Limit
No Pay Rqmt
$10K Limit
Pay Partial
N/A
Emergency Medical & Dental $2500 Limit
Pay Partial
N/A N/A N/A N/A
    1. Amex offers the same coverage for all versions of the Platinum card, including the Business Platinum card and Platinum cards branded with Schwab and Morgan Stanley.  Similarly, the Delta Reserve consumer card and Delta Reserve business card share the same coverage.
    2. Travel protections are the same regardless of whether cardholders use AA miles or the AA Executive Card to pay for travel.
    3. Amex does offer primary coverage, but you have to pay extra for it. Details here.
    4. The Common Carrier ticket must be purchased using the covered Capital One Account and/or rewards programs associated with Your covered Account.
    5. Amex covers round-trip travel paid “in full” with their card, but “in full” includes situations where you pay full award taxes and fees or when you pay with Amex points for travel.
    6. You are covered when you pay partial, but coverage is limited to the lesser of the actual amount paid for with Your Citi Card (including AAdvantage miles) or the maximum coverage per Trip

Summary by insurance coverage type

Each of the tables shown below summarize the benefits available with each card. With each type of coverage, I’ve listed whether you must pay for travel with the card in order to get coverage. In most cases, it is OK to pay with points rather than the credit card directly (e.g. you can pay with Ultimate Rewards points for Sapphire Reserve coverage, or Membership Rewards points for Amex Platinum coverage, or AA miles for Citi AA Executive coverage).

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver

Sapphire Reserve / Ritz Capital One Venture X Amex Plat, Delta Reserve, Bonvoy Brilliant, Hilton Aspire Altitude Reserve Citi AA Executive CNB Citi Prestige
Primary? Yes Yes No Yes Outside USA Yes
N/A
Limit per claim $75K $75K $75K $75K $75K $75K N/A
Amount required to pay w/ card to be eligible for benefit 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% N/A
Where coverage is not available
Israel, Jamaica, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland Australia, Italy, New Zealand Israel, Jamaica,  Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland Israel, Jamaica, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland

Roadside Assistance

Towing, jump-start, tire change, lock out service, fuel delivery

Sapphire Reserve / Ritz Capital One Venture X Amex Plat, Delta Reserve, Bonvoy Brilliant, Hilton Aspire Altitude Reserve Citi AA Executive CNB Citi Prestige
Limits $50 per service; max 2 gallon fill-up, 4X per year; N/A N/A N/A N/A None N/A
Amount required to pay w/ card to be eligible for benefit
None N/A N/A N/A N/A None N/A
Amount charged per use to cardholder if within limits
$0 $69.95 N/A N/A N/A $59.95 N/A

Trip Cancellation and Interruption

Sapphire Reserve / Ritz Capital One Venture X Amex Plat, Delta Reserve, Bonvoy Brilliant, Hilton Aspire Altitude Reserve Citi AA Executive CNB Citi Prestige
Limit per person, per trip $10K $2K $10K $2K $5K $5K N/A
Max per trip
$20K $2K per Person $10K $2K $5K $5K N/A
Amount required to pay w/ card to be eligible for benefit Any part of travel arrangements
Entire fare less less redeemable certificates, vouchers,
or coupons
Entire round-trip fare* Entire fare less less redeemable certificates, vouchers,
or coupons
Any part, but… ** Entire passenger fare N/A

* Amex covers round-trip travel paid “in full” with their card, but “in full” includes situations where you pay full award taxes and fees or when you pay with Amex points for travel.
** Will reimburse the lesser of the actual amount paid for with Your Citi Card (including AAdvantage® miles) or the maximum coverage per Trip.

Trip Delay Reimbursement

Sapphire Reserve / Ritz Capital One Venture X Amex Plat, Delta Reserve, Bonvoy Brilliant, Hilton Aspire Altitude Reserve Citi AA Executive CNB Citi Prestige
# hours delay required 6 6 6 6 6 6 N/A
Max coverage per person per trip $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 N/A
Amount required to pay w/ card to be eligible for benefit Any part of common carrier transportation A portion of the Common Carrier fare Entire round-trip fare* A portion of the Common Carrier fare A portion of the Common Carrier fare Pay entire common carrier fare N/A

* Amex covers round-trip travel paid “in full” with their card, but “in full” includes situations where you pay full award taxes and fees or when you pay with Amex points for travel.

Lost Luggage Reimbursement

Sapphire Reserve / Ritz Capital One Venture X Amex Plat, Delta Reserve, Bonvoy Brilliant, Hilton Aspire Altitude Reserve Citi AA Executive CNB Citi Prestige
Max coverage per person per trip $3K $3K $3K ($2K for checked bags) $3K* $3K** $5K N/A
Amount required to pay w/ card to be eligible for benefit Any part of common carrier transportation Purchase a portion of the Covered Trip Full cost of transportation Purchase a portion of the Covered Trip A portion of the Common Carrier fare Full cost of Common Carrier tickets N/A

* Lesser of the following three amounts: the original purchase price of the item(s), the actual cash value of the item(s) at the time of theft or misdirection (with appropriate deduction for depreciation), and the cost to replace the item(s).
** $2K per bag for NY residents; Up to $10K total per trip.

Baggage Delay Reimbursement

Sapphire Reserve / Ritz Capital One Venture X Amex Plat, Delta Reserve, Bonvoy Brilliant, Hilton Aspire Altitude Reserve Citi AA Executive CNB Citi Prestige
# hours delay required 6 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Max coverage per person per trip $500 ($100 per day) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Amount required to pay w/ card to be eligible for benefit Any part of common carrier transportation N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Travel Accident Insurance

Sapphire Reserve / Ritz Capital One Venture X Amex Plat, Delta Reserve, Bonvoy Brilliant, Hilton Aspire Altitude Reserve Citi AA Executive CNB Citi Prestige
Max coverage per person per trip $1M $1M N/A $500K N/A $1M N/A
Amount required to pay w/ card to be eligible for benefit Any part of common carrier transportation Entire common carrier fare N/A Entire common carrier fare N/A Entire common carrier fare N/A

Emergency Evacuation and Transportation

Sapphire Reserve / Ritz Capital One Venture X Amex Plat, Delta Reserve, Bonvoy Brilliant, Hilton Aspire Altitude Reserve Citi AA Executive CNB Citi Prestige
Max coverage per person per trip $100K N/A No set limit $10K N/A $10K N/A
Amount required to pay w/ card to be eligible for benefit Any part of trip N/A None Purchase either a portion or the entire cost of the
Covered Trip
N/A Trip purchased entirely with CNB card N/A

Emergency Medical and Dental

Sapphire Reserve / Ritz Capital One Venture X Amex Plat, Delta Reserve, Bonvoy Brilliant, Hilton Aspire Altitude Reserve Citi AA Executive CNB Citi Prestige
Max coverage per person per trip $2,500 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Amount required to pay w/ card to be eligible for benefit Any part of common carrier transportation N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

American Express Platinum Emergency Evacuation and Transportation Coverage

It’s important to note that this coverage is part of the Amex “PREMIUM GLOBAL ASSIST HOTLINE” which is available to Platinum and Centurion cardholders, but not to cardholders of other ultra-premium Amex cards.  In other words, cardholders of the following cards do not get this benefit: Hilton Aspire, Delta Reserve, Delta Reserve for Business, and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant.

Detailed benefits of the hotline can be found by clicking here.

There is no requirement to pay for any part of your trip with your Amex Platinum card to use this benefit.

Here are the relevant terms from the above linked document:

Premium Global Assist Hotline can help you prepare for your trip with customs information and more. While you’re traveling more than 100 miles from home, coordination and assistance services such as lost passport replacement assistance, translation services, missing luggage assistance, and emergency legal and medical referrals are only a phone call away. Plus, we may provide services related to emergency medical transportation assistance. Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Additional restrictions apply, see below.

Please note that any assistance provided by this benefit cannot be in violation of U.S. economic or trade sanctions.

Premium Global Assist Hotline Toll Free: 1-800-345-AMEX (2639) Direct Dial Collect: 1-715-343-7979

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

Emergency Medical Transportation Assistance In the event that the Card Member or another covered family member (your spouse or domestic partner, dependent up to age 23, or age 26 if full-time student) traveling on the same trip itinerary as the Card Member becomes injured or ill while traveling and is seeking or has sought medical treatment, the Premium Global Assist Hotline medical department can assess the medical need for transportation and provide the service.

A medical evacuation may be provided at no cost to the Card Member or covered family member from point of illness or injury (when the Card Member or covered family member is under the care of a local medical service provider or facility) to a more appropriate medical facility or to a hospital near the person’s home as determined by the Premium Global Assist Hotline designated physician. The Premium Global Assist Hotline designated physician, in consultation with the local medical service provider or facility, will determine whether such transport is medically necessary and advisable. The event must be within the first 90 days of the trip and cannot be a pre-existing condition. A pre-existing condition is any sickness, illness, or injury that has manifested itself, become acute, or was being treated in the 60 day period immediately prior to the start of a trip. The person needing evacuation may need to complete a medical information release as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (a “HIPAA Release”), or provide authorization for next of kin to complete the release. Emergency transportation services in connection with the medical emergency may also be provided to a covered family member pursuant to the full Emergency Medical Transportation Assistance Terms and Conditions at the end of this document. Subject to additional important terms, conditions and exclusions. Please see full Terms and Conditions at the end of this document.

Very Important: Any costs for medical transport not authorized and arranged through the Premium Global Assist Hotline Program are solely the responsibility of the Card Member and such costs will not be reimbursed. Premium Global Assist Hotline does not cover medical expenses (with the exception of cost incurred during the transport) nor transportation of personal possessions including luggage.

Repatriation of Mortal Remains In case of death of a covered Card Member or covered family member (your spouse, dependent up to age 23, or age 26 if full-time student) while traveling with the Card Member, the Premium Global Assist Hotline medical department can provide the necessary administrative services to effect the transportation of the mortal remains back to the person’s principal place of residence or place of burial, whichever is closer. As an additional benefit, Premium Global Assist Hotline can pay for the cost of the transport and, subject to approval, the cost of a coffin or other encasement of the remains suitable for travel.

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