Traveling was a restricted activity in 2020 due to the coronavirus but there is some good news. COVID19 vaccines are here, which means that things will likely return to normalcy in the next few weeks or months. Many people will thus travel a lot in 2021 to make up for the missed opportunities as a result of the pandemic.
You should start evaluating travel necessities if you plan to travel a lot in the coming year. Among those essentials include a credit card that offers travel benefits such as elite status, access to airport lounges, hotel room upgrades, and others. However, not all benefits might be useful for you. Here are some of the travel benefits that might help you choose the ideal travel credit card to secure for 2021.
- Cards with favorable cancellation policies
Mile rewards a common in many travel credit cards. You get to earn miles or points the more you travel, and those miles are redeemable. Make sure the card you are interested in allows you to secure a refund in case of trip cancellation. Some airlines such as JetBlue charge a mileage deposit fee for points that are returned to customers. Others like Southwest Airlines issue a full refund.
- Secure a card that will provide trip insurance
It is always a good idea to have travel insurance when you travel but it adds to your costs. Fortunately, some credit cards provide trip insurance that covers medical emergencies or the loss of luggage during the trip.
- Rental car insurance
If you visit a new location and decide to rent out a vehicle, you will be required to take out an insurance cover against that rental vehicle, thus adding to your overall costs. However, you can avoid applying for rental car insurance thanks to some credit cards that provide this type of cover. Such cards will ensure you are covered against costs that may arise due to theft or damage.
- Credit cards that offer non-travel perks
Another useful benefit that is available through some travel credit cards includes non-travel benefits such as purchases allowed in your home country, for example at malls or airport lounges.
The above are benefits that every traveler might find useful, thus the importance of considering such cards.
