My Trip Delay Coverage Didn’t Apply — Reader Mistake Story
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Today, I want to share a story from TPG reader Craig, who got stuck with an unexpected hotel bill after a canceled flight:
I have a ton of JetBlue points, and got a really great redemption rate on round-trip flights for me and my husband from Boston (BOS) to Charlotte (CLT). We also have JetBlue travel bank credits, which we used to pay the $22.40 in taxes (rather than using either our Chase Sapphire Reserve or JetBlue Plus cards).
Fast forward to the weekend of our trip: North Carolina experienced atypically early snowfall, causing most flights in and out of CLT to be cancelled on the day we were supposed to fly home (including all of the JetBlue-operated flights). Fortunately, we were able to snag a hotel room downtown and extend our vacation for a day, but unfortunately, we had to pay for the hotel out of pocket. Since we used the travel bank credit to pay for the taxes on our award flights, the trip delay coverage offered by our credit cards didn’t kick in!
My new rule of thumb is to pay for award taxes using a card that offers trip delay coverage if I’m traveling when delays are likely. That means anytime in the winter (given that I’m based in Boston), hurricane season when traveling to the Southeast, etc. It’s obviously not a foolproof approach, but it would have helped this time!
Trip delay coverage reimburses you for a variety of expenses you might incur during a delay, such as meals, lodging, local transportation and personal items. It’s a great asset for frequent flyers because you’re not confined to specific hotels or restaurants like you might be with an airline voucher, and because most policies apply even in situations where airlines could decline to help (like inclement weather). Coverage isn’t automatic, however; in order for the benefit to apply, you have to use your card to pay for at least some portion of your fare, even if it’s just the taxes and fees on an award flight.
Consider that the next time you’re redeeming an airline voucher. If the balance of your voucher is less than your airfare, then your delay coverage and other travel benefits should still kick in when you put the difference on your card. Otherwise, take Craig’s approach and try to avoid using vouchers on flights that are highly susceptible to delays. Apart from weather concerns or slowdowns caused by major events, you could check the monthly list of chronically delayed flights provided by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Even if your specific flight isn’t listed, keep an eye out for others involving your carrier with the same origin or destination. Delays are unpredictable, but it helps to know when the odds are a bit higher than normal.
I appreciate this story, and I hope it can help other readers avoid making the same mistake. In appreciation for sharing this experience (and for allowing me to post it online), I’m sending Craig a $200 airline gift card to enjoy on future travels, and I’d like to do the same for you. Please email your own travel mistake stories to info@thepointsguy.com, and put “Reader Mistake Story” in the subject line. Tell us how things went wrong, and (where applicable) how you made them right. Offer any wisdom you gained from the experience, and explain what the rest of us can do to avoid the same pitfalls.
Feel free to also submit your best travel success stories. If your story is published in either case, I’ll send you a gift to jump-start your next adventure. I look forward to hearing from you, and until then, I wish you a safe and mistake-free journey!
Featured photo by Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald/GettyImages
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.