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As worries about the coronavirus grow, the travel industry is feeling the effects.
Some airlines are temporarily adjusting their change fees, and at least one cruise line is modifying or canceling its voyages to Asia. Meanwhile, some people are deciding to cancel trips on their own.
Whether you’ve planned a vacation or business trip, are you covered if there’s a delay or disruption in your travels?
Depending on the credit card you use to make your reservations, you may have travel insurance that protects you against last-minute trip changes or cancellations.
Below are some travel credit cards that offer a range of trip protections.
Want to know more?
What cards offer travel protection?
Travel insurance is offered across a range of credit cards, but you’ll typically find it with cards that offer travel perks. Travel protections could be a benefit worth keeping in mind as you plan your travels. But take note: All of the cards mentioned here have annual fees, which range from $95 to $550.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: This card offers a variety of travel protections, including trip delay and trip cancellation coverage, lost luggage reimbursement and emergency assistance if you’re injured during your vacation.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers many of the same travel protections as Chase Sapphire Reserve®— but for a $95 annual fee instead of $550. It’s a good option if you don’t travel that often or don’t want to pay such a high annual fee.
- Platinum Card® from American Express: This card’s protections include baggage insurance for lost, damaged or stolen bags and a 24-hour hotline for emergency travel assistance.
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: This card offers protections like a 24-hour emergency hotline and baggage insurance.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: This card offers a range of travel perks including trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance and access to a 24-hour hotline for travel emergencies.
- AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®: This card, geared toward frequent American Airlines travelers, offers airline-specific perks as well as travel protections like trip delay and cancellation insurance, baggage insurance and 24-hour travel assistance. It has a $99 annual fee.
This isn’t a complete list of credit cards that offer travel protections. Read your credit card terms and conditions carefully if you have questions about coverage.
What can you do?
The coronavirus threat is an evolving situation for the global economy and travelers worldwide. If you’re looking for information regarding your travel plans, it’s probably best to contact airlines and hotels directly.
If you’re planning to cancel a trip because of the virus, contact your card issuer to find out what’s covered under your travel insurance plan. For example, your card may not cover a trip cancellation over fears about the coronavirus, but it could cover you if you need to cancel because you or a family member is ill. Business Insider provides some more helpful information from a few card issuers regarding the coronavirus scare.
You can also monitor the spread of coronavirus through updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and check to see if there are any State Department travel advisories for your destination.