American Express only relatively recently added trip delay insurance protection to eligible cards. Before 2020, travelers might have had to make a choice between using a credit card with trip delay protections or an AmEx card that earned more points. But now, the issuer has added trip delay insurance as a benefit to some of its cards, making it a lot easier for travelers to decide to reach for their AmEx card when booking a flight.

However, this protection isn't available on all cards, and it doesn't cover all delays or travelers. Here's what you need to know about AmEx trip delay insurance.

What does AmEx trip delay insurance cover?

AmEx trip delay insurance reimburses reasonable expenses, such as meals and lodging, incurred when a trip is delayed due to a covered reason. Depending on which AmEx card you carry, the maximum reimbursement is up to $500 per eligible trip and the delay must be at least six or 12 hours.

To qualify, you must use your eligible American Express card to pay for round-trip travel starting from your city of residence. Although AmEx requires "round-trip travel," you may book one-way flights and visit one or more destinations, so long as the trip ends at your home. However, you'll need to charge the entire trip to your eligible card and keep the trip length under 365 days.

Not all delays qualify. AmEx trip delay insurance only kicks in when you're delayed due to one of four reasons:

Inclement weather.

Terrorist action or hijacking.

Equipment failure by the common carrier (e.g. airline or train company).

Lost or stolen passports or travel documents.

AmEx trip delay insurance also doesn't cover delays that are made known before your trip starts — such as a flight schedule change communicated in advance. Also, it won't cover expenses paid before the trip or delays due to intentional acts by the traveler.

Earn up to 120,000 bonus points with our favorite American Express cards

Check out our nerdy picks for the best American Express credit cards and find the right card for you.

BROWSE CARDS

Which AmEx cards include trip delay insurance?

Over 20 AmEx cards offer some form of trip delay insurance protection. The maximum reimbursement amount and minimum delay time vary depending on which AmEx card was used to book the trip.

The following premium AmEx cards offer up to $500 in reimbursement per covered trip and require at least a six-hour delay:

The Platinum Card® from American Express — including Ameriprise Financial, Schwab, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley versions.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

Terms apply.

Meanwhile, the following AmEx cards will reimburse up to $300 per covered trip for delays of 12 hours or more:

American Express® Gold Card — including the Rose Gold version.

American Express® Green Card.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card.

American Express® Business Gold Card.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card.

Terms apply.

If you have multiple AmEx cards, the applicable policy is based on which card was used to purchase the trip.

Say you book a round-trip flight with an American Express® Green Card but also have a Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. If your trip is delayed, you'll get up to $300 in reimbursements for delays over 12 hours. You won't get better coverage just because you also hold a card with a different policy. Terms apply.

Who is covered by AmEx trip delay insurance?

AmEx trip delay insurance doesn't just cover the cardmember who used an eligible card to pay for the trip. AmEx coverage is extended to the cardmember's spouse or domestic partner, qualifying children and traveling companions.

AmEx defines children as those that are unmarried, dependent and younger than 19 — or under 26 and a full-time student at an accredited college or university.

Interestingly, a "traveling companion" only needs to make advanced arrangements to travel with you (or your eligible family members) on all or part of your eligible trip. That means a travel companion that travels with you on just one flight would be covered if that flight is delayed.