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The best perks on credit cards aren’t always the ones that are most talked about.
Savvy travelers already know that rewards can defray the cost of a trip (by using points and miles or redeeming cash back). However, dig deeper into the fine print, and you’ll find a few genuinely under-the-radar benefits that are definitely worth taking advantage of, too.
Here are four card perks that can make traveling better—from exclusive access to restaurants and events to comped entry into some of the best museums.
Exclusive restaurant reservations and event experiences
For cardholders of: The Platinum Card® from American Express and Chase Sapphire Reserve
Imagine dining on the basketball court of an arena like Madison Square Garden or scoring a hard-to-get reservation at one of the city’s hottest restaurants. Premium credit cards can provide insider access to tables and private experiences.
For Amex Platinum members, that means prime-time seats at sought-after restaurants through Resy and priority notifications when tables become available.
Platinum cardholders can also buy their way into experiences—even ones not open to the general public. Previous events included a two-night The White Lotus–inspired package at the Four Seasons Westlake Village, meant to capture the essence of the hit series. They’re available for purchase through Amex’s Premium Events Collection. Upcoming packages include VIP access to the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, starting from $11,500.
Similarly, Chase offers perks for its high-end customers. Through the Chase Experiences portal, Sapphire Reserve cardholders have a way in on exclusive reservations that are set aside for cardholders, plus invitations to private dining experiences, sporting events, and music festivals. One of the more unique offerings? Thanks to Chase’s ongoing partnership with foodie site The Infatuation, Chase cardholders can get early access tickets to this year’s EEEEEATSCON, a two-day food festival taking place in Los Angeles June 28–29. Chase Sapphire Reserve and Preferred cardholders can also get one-hour early entry access to the over-the-top food fest.
Complimentary or discounted museum visits
For cardholders of: all Bank of America credit or debit cards; Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
For Bank of America customers, a longstanding but oft-forgotten benefit is complimentary general admission access to more than 200 cultural institutions across the U.S. However, there’s a caveat: The perk is only available during the first full weekend of every month.
To enter these establishments, present an active Bank of America credit or debit card with a photo ID. Eligible venues include some of the top museums in the country, from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and de Young Museum in San Francisco to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Separately, Capital One Venture X cardholders can take advantage of a discounted museum benefit in partnership with an art membership club called The Cultivist. Cultivist members get free entry (with a guest) to more than 60 museums around the world, from the National Portrait Gallery in London to the Guggenheim in New York. Venture X cardholders pay half price on a membership ($220 instead of $440).
Delta Air Lines award booking savings
For cardholders of: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (and the equivalent business versions of these cards)
In 2023, Delta introduced a valuable benefit for most Amex co-branded credit cardholders: a 15 percent discount on all award flight bookings. The perk, dubbed “TakeOff 15,” makes opening a Delta Amex credit card a bit more enticing, especially for Delta loyalists.
To use the benefit, you’ll first need to log in to your SkyMiles account and search for award travel by selecting “Shop with Miles.” Choose your eligible flight, and the miles savings will be applied to the itinerary at checkout.
Here’s how it works in practice: a one-way Delta flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to New York (JFK) priced at 30,000 SkyMiles would only be 25,500 SkyMiles for eligible cardholders.
The discount applies to all Delta-operated flights but excludes partner flights, like those operated by other SkyTeam airlines. In addition, SkyMiles members must pay the award’s taxes and fees with a Delta credit card.
Reimbursement for lost luggage or delayed flights
For cardholders of: nearly two dozen of the most popular travel rewards cards, like Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
While your credit card can’t prevent your bag from getting lost, it can make it sting a lot less when it does. Nearly two dozen credit cards offer a form of baggage protection insurance. That means if your bag is lost by an airline, your credit card will cover the expenses to buy new items.
Each card has its own rules, but two popular Chase travel cards offer some of the most generous delayed and lost baggage benefits. Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve credit cards will provide $100 per day for five days if your checked bag is delayed for over six hours. And if it ends up completely lost, at least you can rest easier knowing you’ll be covered for up to $3,000. Make sure to save all the receipts for any items you purchase to replace the belongings in your lost luggage so you can submit them along with your claim.
Meanwhile, these same travel cards typically also include travel protection and insurance should things go awry. These are protections like trip delay coverage (your flight is delayed) and trip cancellation coverage (you have to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances).
Usually, the eligible cards have an annual fee, but they don’t always have to be exorbitant. For instance, even the $95-per-year Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card includes all of these benefits.
While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they are subject to change at any time, and may have changed or may no longer be available.
