Credit, Travel

The best credit card for frequent travelers

Whether you are traveling across the world or taking a weekend road trip in your state, you need a credit card that provides you with elevated rewards for all your travels.

Before I consider getting any premium travel credit cards, I usually look for the most important premier travel benefits and rewards including but not limited to:

  • Trip Delay Reimbursement that covers connecting flight delays. For example, if you have a 3-hour flight connection, and your incoming flight is delayed 3.5 hours causing you to stay overnight and get to your destination 6 hours late, the coverage should be triggered and can cover up to $500 for each purchased ticket for reasonable expenses on a one-time basis. This benefit is very rare and not a lot of cards offer it. Even if your existing card claims to have trip delay insurance, make sure you read the fine print to make sure it covers connecting flights delays.
  • Free Unlimited Airport Lounge Access that you and up to 2 guests can use to rest and revive before your flight. This is such an exceptional benefit that you will really appreciate if you are a frequent traveler.
  • Direct Access To a Customer Service Specialist 24/7 without going through an automated system. When you have this exceptional service, you don’t have to worry about the automated voice that guides you through the menu options.
  • Reimbursement up to $100 every 4 years for the application fee for the Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ ® program. If you are a frequent traveler, you will definitely love those programs.
  • Roadside Assistance that covers up to $50 for each service event up to four events per year. This exceptional benefit will help you when you are stranded 100+ miles away from home with a roadside emergency such as a flat tire, dead battery, or mechanical breakdown.
  • Reliable Coverage for Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver that provides reimbursement for damage due to collision or theft of most rental vehicles up to $75000.
  • Emergency evacuation and transportation coverage that covers up if you become ill during your covered trip and it results in a necessary emergency evacuation. 
  • World-Class Travel Protection Benefits such as trip cancellation/interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay reimbursement, trip delay insurance, roadside insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, travel accident, and many more.

All the above benefits are very rare and not a lot of credit card companies can afford to provide them. You might wonder by now what credit card I am talking about in this article. The answer is American Express Platinum Card. Keep in mind that I DO NOT receive any incentives or commissions from AMEX to promote this card. This recommendation is based on my own experience. 

You might say and ask, “hey wait a minute, this card had an annual fee of $695 . Why do you still recommend this expensive card?”

I don’t blame you if you ask me this question because I almost had the same question for almost 2 years before I finally decided that this card is the best travel card ever in the market for most frequent travelers.

Keep in mind that this card is not a good fit for everyone. This card is designed for frequent travelers.