How credit cards can help you deal with lost luggage
Many top rewards credit cards include lost or delayed baggage insurance.
From travel coverage to extended warranties, credit cards provide consumers with all sorts of useful protections for everyday living. And when used responsibly, your good credit can give you a much-needed leg up to achieve larger life goals like homeownership.
— Tracy Stewart
Tracy Stewart is a personal finance writer and editor specializing in loyalty programs, travel benefits, consumer protections, and business credit cards. From startup owners to aspiring travelers, Tracy aims to empower readers with the info they need to choose a credit card that best aligns with their individual circumstances.
He previously covered travel rewards credit cards, budget travel, and aviation news at SmarterTravel Media. His money-saving tips have appeared in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Consumer Reports, MarketWatch, Vice, People, the Zoe Report and elsewhere.
Adding a child to your credit card as an authorized user is a great way to build their credit profile while also teaching them financial responsibility. Or at least that’s what’s meant to happen. In my case, it just gave me access to a credit limit that I had no business having as a 23-year-old with only a part-time job. But the allure of travel credit cards is hard to resist at any age, and, before you know it, you’ve bitten off more than you can chew in pursuit of free flights and fancy perks. What I now understand is that the credit card you want isn’t necessarily the credit card you need. And while I still love those lounge access perks, today my favorite credit cards are those that reward me well for the things I spend the most on day-to-day, like food delivery and Uber.
From travel coverage to extended warranties, credit cards provide consumers with all sorts of useful protections for everyday living. And when used responsibly, your good credit can give you a much-needed leg up to achieve larger life goals like homeownership.
— Tracy Stewart
Many top rewards credit cards include lost or delayed baggage insurance.
The benefits of cashless payment makes it an appealing option for the new year.
The Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express credit card has no annual fees and a welcome offer of 10,000 miles for $1,000 spent in your first six months.
Its minimal costs and streamlined features better suit it as a supporting card, but Preferred Rewards status can make this one of the best flat-rate rewards business cards.
If you have fair credit but need access to funding for your small business, there's a lot to love with the Revenued Business card. But its mandatory finance charges may prove costly.
You could earn big rewards on small business travel if you carry this card in your wallet.
The Amex Green Card is a solid Membership Rewards-earning card for transit and travel that easily justifies its annual fee if you maximize your points and perks.
Its gas cash back is hard to beat, but it doesn’t offer any unique benefits or value for shopping at Sam’s Club.
A solid secured card choice if you’re serious about getting credit-savvy.
A flexible rewards card for those who want decent returns without paying a premium price.
A powerful combination of bonus rewards, annual credits and bonus points, transfer
A powerful combination of bonus rewards, annual credits and bonus points, transfer