Bah humbug. The holidays are fabulous—except for the part you have to spend in transit. Packed airports, constant delays and sky-high airfares can suck the joy right out of you.
While there are some hiccups that will be outside of your control, there are also a handful of ways to make the travel experience more pleasant when the odds are against you. Better yet, credit card benefits you’re already entitled to might be all you need to take the sting out of holiday travel stress.
Sign Up for TSA Precheck (ASAP)
Security lines are longer than normal every holiday season and they move slower, too: passengers who rarely fly and aren’t familiar with how things work tend to show up between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Although there’s no way to bypass security entirely, TSA Precheck can help. If you’re approved, you can join shorter lines and avoid tedious processes like removing your shoes, laptops or allowed toiletry bags.
TSA Precheck normally costs $85 for five years but numerous premium credit cards provide a statement credit toward your application. You’ll find this benefit on cards including the IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card*, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and more. The application and approval process can take several weeks to complete, so don’t delay.
International travelers will want to look into cards that offer reimbursement toward your Global Entry application, which includes all TSA Precheck benefits as well as expedited processing at immigrations when returning to the U.S. That said, Global Entry applications take longer to process so if you’re looking for smooth passage this year you might want to stick to Precheck.
Enrolling in CLEAR is another way to speed up your airport experience by allowing you to jump to the front of the line. You’ll still need to clear regular security checks—unless you also have Precheck—but at least you won’t have to wait for a hundred people in front of you. New this year, the The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offer full reimbursement of the $179 enrollment fee. Terms apply. Some other cards may be targeted for a statement credit as well through Amex Offers.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
5X Reward Rate
Earn 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel; earn 5 Membership Rewards perRead More
Welcome Bonus
100,000 Membership Rewards® Points
Annual Fee
$695
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Credit Score
Excellent/Good (700 - 749)
The Platinum Card is destined for frequent travelers who intend to fully leverage the rich set of luxury travel benefits and Platinum Concierge service. In the right hands, the classic status card's staggering annual fee is well justified.
- High reward potential on flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel
- Multiple credits can help justify the fee
- Comprehensive airport lounge access
- Luxury travel benefits and elite status with Hilton and Marriott with enrollment
- High annual fee
- Maximizing the statement credits takes some work and could be unworkable for many
- Reward rate outside of travel is sub-par for a premium card
- Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Plus, earn 10x points on eligible purchases on the Card at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the U.S., on up to $25,000 in combined purchases, during 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 $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax.
- American Express has expanded The Centurion® Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Now there are even more places your Platinum Card® can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline.
- $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
- $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $25 back each month on select Equinox memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required.
- $179 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $179 back per year on your CLEAR® membership.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Determine if You Have Trip Protection
As much as we all hope it doesn’t happen to us, there will be travelers who don’t make it to their intended destination as planned. Delays (and cancellations) stack up with winter storms, causing flyers to miss their connections and find themselves stranded somewhere unexpectedly. You may need travel insurance for your holiday trip.
You can’t fight Mother Nature, but you can at least make yourself comfortable while you wait for her tantrums to subside. Flight delay benefits, among other trip protections, are offered on quite a few credit cards. The exact coverage and restrictions vary by card, which is precisely why you need to look at the fine print before embarking on your trip. Learn what you’re entitled to, just in case: You may have up to $500 to cover expenses like a last-minute airport hotel on overnight delays.
The best credit cards for travel insurance often overlap with cards that are good for travel anyway, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express*, which offers baggage insurance that’s especially handy around the holidays when you may be traveling with more luggage than usual.
These benefits typically require you to purchase your airfare and/or other travel expenses with the selected credit card, which means you need to choose carefully before clicking “buy now”. If you’ve already booked your flight, or if you need more insurance than what’s offered by your card, look into separate policies now.
Pay for Convenience
Airlines have mastered the art of the upsell, charging extra for anything and everything that travelers want. Expect to pay more for perks like priority boarding and extra legroom unless you hold elite status with the airline.
We hate being nickeled and dimed too but the holiday season isn’t the time to be stingy. See if your cards can help cover the cost. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card will reimburse up to four upgraded A1-15 boarding positions per year, for example. Other cards, such as the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card, offer more generalized reimbursements (in this case, up to $100 per year in airline incidentals).
Check a Bag or Two
Even the most dedicated carry-on only traveler should consider checking a bag over the holidays instead of squeezing things into a small suitcase. The extra gifts and goodies you’re taking to family and friends—or bringing back home—make packing a challenge, if those items are even considered carry-on approved.
Checking a bag avoids those issues and will make your airport experience a little easier since you’re hands-free. And, with the right credit card, you can avoid those pesky bag charges by checking the first bag for free and saving up to $35 per passenger per direction of travel. You’ll find this on co-branded cards like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and most other premium and mid-range airline cards.
You often don’t even need to pay for the flight with your airline credit card to take advantage since the perk is attached to your frequent flyer number. As a bonus, the benefit is frequently extended to family members on the same reservation, too.
Load Your Device Ahead of Time
Unless you’re traveling internationally, you can’t count on your flight to offer in-flight entertainment. Smaller aircraft won’t have seatback screens and some larger aircraft have removed this amenity as well. There are, of course, dozens of ways to pass the time on a plane but downloading content to your personal device in advance is one of the best ways to pass the time.
The Amex Platinum Digital Entertainment credit provides monthly $20 statement credits toward your choice of participating services, including Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM and The New York Times. Go ahead and splurge on a subscription so you can download your favorite shows, audiobooks or radio stations for offline use.
Alternatively, your card might offer free or discounted internet access onboard so you can surf your favorite sites from the air. The U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card* includes 12 complimentary Gogo inflight internet passes per year and the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card reimburses up to 365 inflight Wi-Fi purchases on Southwest each year.
Research Priority Pass Lounges
Long layovers are the pits, especially when the airline terminal is overcrowded with extra flyers. And, if you haven’t noticed yet this year, the lines for food and beverage at the airport are extra long as some outlets remain closed and others are understaffed.
Airport lounges are a welcome retreat even though they, too, are busy during peak travel periods. Still, you can find more comfortable seating, strong wifi, snacks, drinks and even restrooms with shorter lines. These little things make a big difference, especially if you’re already stressed from long travel days.
Ultra-premium cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, include access to participating airline lounges through the Priority Pass network. Other credit cards with lounge access might provide an annual membership to specific airline clubs while others might only provide one or two day passes for the year. Any or all of these are great benefits to have in your back pocket so double check what’s available to you.
Book an Extra Night
Traveling to see family isn’t always the same thing as a vacation. Guestrooms might be less than ideal and there’s not always time for sightseeing. Sometimes, an extra night can make all the difference, especially if you stretch out and book a hotel instead of squishing your family of four onto a handful of air mattresses.
Co-branded hotel cards make this easy, with many of them offering free night certificates as an upside to your renewal fee. Now, you can tack on that day of adventure (or rest) without having to consider the cost.
The World of Hyatt Credit Card* offers an easy-to-use certificate each year while others like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (terms apply, see rates and fees) include a certificate for eligible stays and a statement credit toward eligible hotel charges. Additionally, some credit cards allow you to earn additional free night certificates after hitting spending thresholds each year for an extended getaway. Keep in mind you may still be on the hook for resort fees when you use your annual certificate reward nights.
Find the Best Travel Credit Cards For 2021
Find the best travel credit card for your travel needs.
Bottom Line
As much as you might travel, holiday travel will never go perfectly. There are too many factors outside of your control, even if you’re an experienced traveler. As long as you’re prepared with the right credit card benefits, though, holiday travel can still be easy, cheery and bright.
To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees of Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, please visit this page.
Use These Credit Card Benefits To Ease Holiday Travel Stress - Forbes
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