The Guide to Citi Credit Card Travel Insurance
Citi offers five credit cards that include travel protections if you use your card or points to pay for a trip.
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Updated · 3 min read
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Lead Writer Travel plans don’t always go as expected, and the right credit card can help protect you from unexpected costs when things go wrong. Several Citi credit cards include travel insurance benefits that can reimburse you for covered losses such as trip cancellations, delays, lost luggage or rental car damage. The coverage you receive depends on the card you hold, and each benefit comes with its own limits, requirements and exclusions.
Here’s what you need to know about Citi’s travel protections, how the major cards compare and how they stack up against similar benefits from other issuers.
Do Citi cards offer travel insurance?
Yes, Citi offers five credit cards that include travel protections if you use your card or points to pay for a trip:
- Citi Strata Premier® Card (annual fee: $95).
- Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (annual fee: $595).
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (annual fee: $595).
- Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi (annual fee: $0).
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® (annual fee: $350).
» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now
What’s covered on popular Citi cards?
The following three Citi cards offer the most comprehensive travel insurance benefits:
- Citi Strata Premier® Card.
- Citi Strata Elite℠ Card.
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®.
Citi’s travel protections generally fall into a few core categories. Below is a summary of what each benefit covers, followed by a comparison table.
Trip cancellation / interruption insurance
Though these two benefits are usually presented together, they are different.
Trip cancellation insurance protects the traveler (and any covered traveling companions) before a trip starts. If a covered loss prevents the traveler from going on the trip, Citi will provide reimbursement for nonrefundable prepaid expenses, such as hotels or flights.
Trip interruption insurance starts after the trip has begun. If a covered loss results in the interruption of the trip, the benefit will reimburse nonrefundable prepaid and unused trip costs and any additional fees incurred to bring the traveler home or to rejoin the trip.
Covered events vary by card
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® provides the broadest list of qualifying events for trip cancellation and interruption, including circumstances such as missed connections, stolen passports, mandatory evacuations, and cruise and tour cancellations. The Citi Strata Premier® Card and Citi Strata Elite℠ Card focus more on standard triggers, such as illness, injury and severe weather, with the latter card offering broader protections.
Who is covered
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® provides coverage for family members even if the primary cardholder isn’t traveling. The Citi Strata Premier® Card and Citi Strata Elite℠ Card do not offer this flexibility.
Round-trip travel requirement
The Citi Strata Premier® Card and Citi Strata Elite℠ Card require that the itinerary be round-trip. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® does not.
Trip delay
Trip delay insurance will reimburse for reasonable expenses incurred if the traveler's trip on a common carrier (e.g., flight, cruise) is delayed by a certain amount of time. Covered expenses include lodging, ground transportation, meals and toiletries. This benefit is secondary, meaning it only covers expenses that are not reimbursed by the carrier or another source.
Lost luggage
Lost luggage coverage provides reimbursement if luggage is lost, stolen or damaged during the trip. The limits vary by card but can be in the form of a specific amount per trip or per traveler, and have a cap on either the number of claims per year or the total reimbursement available for all covered travelers.
Car rental insurance
Car rental insurance provides reimbursement if a rental car is stolen or involved in an accident while on the trip. This benefit works the same across all three cards. Each card offers secondary coverage in the U.S. and primary coverage abroad, and the maximum rental period is 31 days.
To be eligible for coverage, the traveler must decline the rental car company’s collision loss/damage insurance.
Below is a table summarizing the key travel protections along with the limits on each card:
| Citi Strata Premier® Card | Citi Strata Elite℠ Card | Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trip cancellation and interruption | $5,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $10,000 per 12-month period. | $5,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $10,000 per 12-month period. | $5,000 per trip. |
| Trip delay | Up to $500 for delays more than 6 hours. Maximum of two claims per year. | Up to $500 for delays more than 6 hours. Maximum of two claims per year. | Up to $500 for delays more than 6 hours. Maximum of two claims per year. |
| Lost luggage | $3,000 per trip. Maximum of two claims per 12-month period. | $5,000 per trip. Maximum of two claims per 12-month period. | $3,000 per traveler. $10,000 maximum for all travelers per trip. |
| Car rental insurance | Unspecified. | Unspecified. | $75,000. |
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
The travel protections offered by the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi are more limited than the above-mentioned cards but include some different benefits.
- Car rental coverage: $50,000 limit that is secondary in the U.S. and primary abroad. The maximum rental period is 31 days.
- Roadside assistance: Provides access to roadside dispatch services, including towing, jump-starts and tire changes. Cardholders are responsible for any fees.
- Travel accident insurance: Provides up to $250,000 in travel accident coverage for accidental death or dismemberment while traveling on a common carrier.
- Travel and emergency assistance: Provides referrals for medical, legal and travel services. Cardholders are responsible for the cost of any services used.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® includes several travel protections such as trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, lost luggage and car rental coverage. Since Citi does not publish a benefits guide for this card, and hasn't responded to our request for more details, we have been unable to review the coverage limits.
How does Citi’s coverage compare?
Citi’s travel protections are solid and will meet the needs of many travelers, though they do not go as far as the premium coverage offered on select Chase and American Express cards. The Citi Strata cards include core protections such as trip cancellation, trip delay, lost luggage coverage and auto rental insurance, and their trip delay benefits match what competing issuers offer. However, trip cancellation limits on Citi cards are lower than those found on premium Chase or AmEx cards, which provide higher per-trip and annual maximums.
Chase also offers several protections that Citi does not. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® includes emergency medical evacuation and emergency medical and dental benefits. Baggage delay coverage is also available on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which has only a $95 annual fee.
Overall, Citi provides reliable and straightforward travel protections at a lower price point, while travelers who want more comprehensive benefits for complex or high-cost itineraries may find stronger coverage on Chase or AmEx cards.
» Learn more: 10 types of Chase Sapphire Reserve travel insurance
Requirements and exclusions
Similar to many other travel insurance policies, Citi’s travel protections are subject to specific requirements. The details vary by card, but there are certain standard exclusions:
- You must pay for at least part of the trip with the Citi card that provides the coverage or redeem points from that account.
- Benefits are secondary and are in excess of any other insurance or benefit available, including coverage by the travel supplier.
- Accidents arising from certain hazardous activities like parachuting or car racing.
- Any losses due to pre-existing medical conditions, self-inflicted injuries or illegal acts.
- One-way travel that doesn’t have a return destination.
Check your card’s guide to benefits for full details, as limits and exclusions vary.
How to file a claim
The process for filing a claim depends on the card you hold, since each Citi product may use a different benefits administrator. Your guide to benefits will list the correct claim portal and documentation requirements for your card. If you need to download your card’s specific guide to benefits, visit cardbenefits.citi.com and log in to your account.
Final thoughts
Citi offers a solid range of travel protections across its cards, with the most comprehensive benefits available on the Citi Strata Premier® Card, Citi Strata Elite℠ Card and the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®. While these protections can help reduce out-of-pocket costs when a trip goes sideways, coverage limits and eligible events vary, and Citi’s benefits may not be as extensive as those offered by some premium cards from Chase or American Express.
Before booking your next trip, review your card’s guide to benefits to understand what is covered, what isn’t and how to file a claim. Knowing your protections upfront can make it easier to navigate unexpected disruptions while keeping your travel plans on track.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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