The Chase Sapphire Reserve's trip delay insurance benefit has saved my family more than $1,500 this past year alone
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of my favorite rewards credit cards thanks to benefits like up to $300 in annual statement credits toward travel and 3x points on dining and travel purchases.
- It isn't just a great card for these "fun" benefits, though - it can also save the day when your travel is delayed thanks to its trip delay insurance.
- When you book travel with the Sapphire Reserve and you're delayed more than six hours or overnight, you can receive reimbursement for up to $500 toward expenses like food, toiletries, and a hotel room.
- This benefit has saved my family $1,540 in the last 12 months alone.
- Read more personal finance coverage.
Flight delays often wind up costing you a bundle. You might spend money on food and beverages, magazines, taxis, sightseeing and other expenses that rack up as you pass the time. And if you wind up getting stuck overnight, it's going to be much worse with a hotel or Airbnb booking.
The worst part is that if your delay is the result of anything that the airline cannot control, it aren't responsible for any of your expenses and isn't required to provide you with food or a place to stay. This includes bad weather, airport or air traffic control issues, and many other common reasons for the delay.
However, the Chase Sapphire Reserve covers all of your trips up to $500 for the cardholder, their spouse or domestic partner, and dependent children for any flight delayed for six or more hours, or for overnight delays. This includes all "reasonable" expenses such as meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and other personal use items due to the covered delay, as long as your trip was on a common carrier or a public form of transportation.
This is one of the best trip delay insurances on the market and it's pretty easy to cash in on this perk.
Keep in mind that we're focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which will far outweigh the value of any points or miles. It's important to practice financial discipline when using credit cards by paying your balances in full each month, making payments on time, and only spending what you can afford to pay back.
Read more: Chase Sapphire Reserve card review
How Chase trip delay coverage works
The most efficient way to open a claim is to call the Chase number on the back of your card: 1-800-436-7970. You'll be connected with a benefits representative that will guide you through the entire process. Processing time varies, but you should be able to expect your claim to go through in six to eight weeks.
Here's what you need to do in order to get your reimbursement.
1. Notify the Chase benefit administrator
You must notify the benefit administrator within 60 days of the delay to receive reimbursement for your delay-related expenses.
2. Fill out the claim form
The benefit administrator will send you the form after being notified. This must be completed and submitted within 100 days of the delay.
3. Provide documentation
In order to receive your reimbursement you'll need to provide:
- Your original itinerary
- Your fare receipt to prove you purchased at least part of the travel fare on your card.
- Documentation if you used multiple payment methods to purchase the travel fare.
- Proof that the trip was delayed - in the form of a common carrier statement.
- Expense receipts for every purchase. Meal receipts for over $50 must be itemized.
The settlement from the common carrier. You must file a claim with the common carrier before you can submit a claim with Chase.
How the Chase Sapphire Reserve has saved my family more than $1,500 over the past 12 months
I travel a lot, so I've taken advantage of this benefit more than once over the past 12 months. And when my parents travel, I always make sure they book their flights with their Sapphire Reserve so they can be protected when things don't go as planned.
Here's how we've saved over $1,500 in the past 12 months:
- I missed a connection in London and had to spend two nights there before I could reach my final destination in Oran, Algeria. I had two nights of lodging, some meals, and some replacement clothes (since everything was in my checked bag) that I was able to cover. Total savings: $500 (in this case I actually spent a little over $500, but that's the maximum that can be reimbursed)
- My parents had a flight diverted to Indianapolis and would have missed their connection in Chicago. Instead of flying to Chicago and spending the night there, they rented a car in Indianapolis and drove back to Michigan. Yes, it was an expensive car rental. Total savings $500
- My mom missed a connection in Philadelphia due to a delayed flight and had to spend the night there. Total savings: $300
- My boyfriend missed a connection due to a delayed flight and had to be re-routed, requiring an overnight stay. He also had his taxis and food covered. Total savings: $240
From these four events, in a 12-month period, my family saved $1,540 just by having the Chase Sapphire Reserve and using it to book travel. The trip delay protection truly is my favorite benefit of this card.
Click here to learn more about the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
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