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No, Discover® credit cards do not offer travel insurance. Discover discontinued its travel insurance coverages, including flight accident and rental insurance, in early 2018, and has not announced plans to reinstate them since.
Instead of travel insurance, Discover credit cards come with robust rewards and one of the most powerful welcome bonuses of any cash back credit card that we've found. Read on to learn why Discover credit cards are so highly sought after -- even without insurance -- and which of the best credit cards offer coverage for travel expenses.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Score:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Score
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR
18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
Rewards
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
1% - 5% Cashback
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer
INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
We think this card has among the highest cash back potential for cards with no annual fee. The key is the Unlimited Cashback Match — Discover automatically matches all the cash back new cardholders have earned at the end of the first year. That cash back can seriously add up when you earn 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories (when you activate them, up to the quarterly maximum) and 1% on other purchases.
Rotating bonus categories
Welcome bonus offer
Great intro APR offer
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fee
No fixed bonus categories
INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
Earn 5% Cashback Bonus® at Grocery Stores and Wholesale Clubs, April 1 through June 30, 2025, on up to $1,500 in purchases, when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
Apply and you could get a decision in as little as 60 seconds. No annual fee.
Start shopping and earning rewards in minutes with your digital card, before your physical card arrives in the mail, if eligible.
Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. Activate by mobile app for free.
Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.24% to 27.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
Terms and conditions apply.
What benefits does Discover offer?
Discover credit cards earn cash back or Miles, which you can redeem for amounts as low as $0.01. Its cards have no annual fees and no foreign transactions fees. Although it doesn't offer travel or shopping insurance, Discover will monitor your Experian credit report and alert you to suspicious activity involving your Social Security number.
Discover gives you multiple ways to redeem cash back, even offering options that other credit card companies don't. As a welcome bonus for new cardholders, Discover offers an unlimited dollar-for-dollar cashback match on all the cash back you earn at the end of your card's first year.
For instance, if you earn $300 within the first year, Discover will give you another $300 on your card's first anniversary, thus totaling $600 in total cash back.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Excellent (740-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Excellent (740-850)
Welcome Offer:
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 bonus points
Welcome Offer:
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000 Membership Rewards® Points
Welcome Offer:
75000 Miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
75,000 Miles
Rewards Program:
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Travel℠.
Rewards Program:
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® Points on other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.
1X-5X Membership Rewards® Points
Rewards Program:
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases.
2X-10X miles
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR:
20.24% - 28.74% Variable
APR:
See Pay Over Time APR
Regular APR:
19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)
Annual Fee:
$550
Annual Fee:
$695
Annual Fee:
$395
Highlights:
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Member FDIC
Highlights:
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
With American Express Global Lounge Collection® eligible Card Members can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
$200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
$199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Use the dedicated CLEAR Lane to confirm your identity without taking out your passport or ID – this can mean shorter lines, less waiting. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card®.
Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
$695 annual fee.¤
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.
Highlights:
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
Enjoy complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network
Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Trip delay and cancellation insurance and cell phone protection underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Extended warranty, purchase protection, car rental insurance, and baggage insurance underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Since Discover doesn't offer travel insurance, you might want to check out some alternatives. To be sure, most credit cards provide some type of travel insurance, whether it's trip cancellation or car rental coverage. But some travel cards are simply unrivaled in the broad coverage built into them. If you're on the hunt for a credit card with travel insurance, here are a few to consider.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is packed with complimentary travel coverage. Cardholders of this luxurious travel credit card could have every oops and uh-oh covered under the following protections:
Travel and emergency assistance services
Trip delay reimbursement
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
Baggage delay insurance
Lost luggage reimbursement
Auto rental collision damage waiver
Travel accident insurance
Emergency evacuation and transportation
Roadside assistance
Emergency medical and dental benefit
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $550 annual fee, but comes with plenty of other perks that can justify the cost. In most cases, you'll have to use your Chase Sapphire Reserve® to cover your travel purchases in order to benefit from its travel insurance. Each of these have restrictions and coverage limits, which we cover in our guide to Chase Sapphire Reserve® travel insurance.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express gives travelers peace of mind with a full suite of free coverage. Cardholders of the Amex Platinum Card will have the following protections at their disposal:
Trip cancellation/interruption
Trip delay insurance
Car rental insurance
Baggage insurance
Global assist 24/7 hotline
Terms apply
This card has an annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees), but comes with credits and perks to offset it. Terms apply. Like most travel credit cards, cardholders will need to use this card to cover their travel purchases in order to activate the insurance. Amex travel insurance has restrictions and coverage limits, so check out our complete guide to Amex Platinum Card travel insurance for more details.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) is also jam-packed with travel protection benefits, but comes to cardholders at a much lower annual fee than the previous two cards. Venture X travelers can get protection under the following insurance:
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance*
Trip delay reimbursement*
Auto rental collision damage waiver*
Lost luggage reimbursement*
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card charges a $395 annual fee (see rates and fees), but also throws in plenty of rewards to put you ahead. If you'd rather not pay an annual fee for a credit card, check out the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees). Although this card doesn't have as much robust coverage as its annual fee counterparts, the Capital One VentureOne still comes with auto rental insurance and travel assistance services.*
What types of travel insurance do credit cards offer?
Credit card travel insurance can be broken down into two main groups: trip protection and medical coverage. Trip protection covers your possessions and the logistics of travel, like flights and rental cars. Medical coverage covers you and your family and may even include emergency evacuations or surprise trips to the hospital.
As you're comparing the best credit cards with travel insurance, you'll likely notice that providers offer many of the same types. If you're unsure what each one entails, here's a quick breakdown of the most common.
Trip cancellation/interruption: Offers reimbursement for non-refundable travel when your trip is canceled or cut short for covered reasons, like severe weather, recent terrorist attacks, or jury duty.
Trip delay insurance: Get reimbursed for certain necessary expenses when your trip is delayed by a set number of hours. Common covered expenses include accommodations, meals, and transportation.
Auto rental collision damage waiver: Reimbursement for damages sustained to a rental car. Most credit cards require you to decline the car insurance offered at rental agencies in order for this to kick in.
Baggage delay insurance: If your luggage is delayed by a set number of hours, usually six, this will reimburse you for any essential items, such as clothes and toiletries.
Lost luggage reimbursement: If your luggage is delayed and never arrives, this will help cover your financial losses.
Travel accident insurance: Provides coverage for a number of life-altering accidents, such as loss of life, sight, limb, hearing, or speech.
Emergency evacuation and transportation: Covers the cost of getting you out of a dire emergency. This insurance typically covers the transportation itself, such as helicopter or ambulance, but not any medical services you may receive if transported to a healthcare facility.
Hotel/motel burglary: Provides reimbursement to replace or repair any possessions that were damaged or stolen from your hotel or motel room.
Tips for using travel insurance
Keep in mind you need to charge the entire travel purchase to your credit card in order for its travel insurance to kick in. For instance, if your flight is delayed 12 hours, but your airfare was charged to a Discover credit card, you can't charge a hotel to your Amex card and expect reimbursement. The flight would have to be under your Amex card in order for the travel insurance (in this case, trip delay) to apply.
Another thing to watch for is coverage limits. Your credit card provider will reimburse you up to a certain amount for each type of insurance. For instance, the Amex Platinum Card caps lost luggage reimbursements at $3,000 for carry-on bags and $2,000 for checking bags. Terms apply. Meanwhile, Chase provides up to $3,000 for both carry-ons and checked bags.
Finally, don't hesitate to file a claim, as the window to do so could be short. Most credit card companies will let you file claims through their websites. You'll then be connected to an insurance company who will ask you for documentation and paperwork.
For example, if it's trip cancellation, a representative might ask for a copy of your account statement showing you purchased the flight with your credit card along with the cancellation notice from the airline itself.
Always study the fine print of your card's travel insurance, as credit card companies can vary widely in coverage limits, requirements, and eligibility.
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Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.
*For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
**Benefit available to accounts approved for the World Elite Mastercard product, subject to terms, conditions, and exclusions in the World Elite Mastercard Guide to Benefits. See Account Terms or Application Terms for more details
John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Discover Financial Services is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool recommends Discover Financial Services. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
For rates and fees for the The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Visa. The Motley Fool recommends Amex.
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