When should you set an American Express travel notification?

American Express Platinum trip cancellation insurance covers non-refundable travel expenses purchased with Amex Platinum, up to $10,000 per trip and $20,000 every 12 months, if a cardholder has to cancel because of unforeseen events. Covered events include inclement weather, jury duty, accidental injuries, and others, as outlined in the card’s … read full answerGuide to Benefits.

To be eligible for Amex Platinum trip cancellation insurance, you must use your Platinum card or rewards points to pay for the entire fare. Reimbursement covers expenses such as prepaid passenger fares and hotel rooms. Coverage does not apply to cancellations resulting from pre-existing conditions, self-inflicted injuries, illegal or criminal acts and more.

To file an Amex Platinum trip cancellation claim, contact the Benefit Administrator at 1 (844) 933-0648. You can also file a claim online at americanexpress.com/onlineclaim. You’ll have 60 days from the covered loss date to submit a claim form. Once American Express receives your claim form, you’ll need to offer supporting documentation to validate the claim, such as copies of your tickets or a Platinum card billing statement listing the charges for the trip. All documents are due within 180 days of a covered loss. Once the documents are received and the claim is verified, you’ll be reimbursed within 10 business days.

You don’t need to let your credit card company know you’re traveling, but it’s always a good idea. To protect you from fraud, credit card issuers look for charges that seem to be out of the ordinary, or “suspicious activity.” So, if they suddenly start seeing charges pop up on your card in a different state or country, they may decline the charge, assuming it’s fraudulent. In order to keep your credit card from being declined while you’re traveling abroad, you should submit a travel notice to your issuer.… read full answer

Issuers like Capital One and Barclaycard have stopped recommending travel notices, thanks to the increased security of EMV chip cards. They still offer the ability to set a travel notification, but state that it’s not necessary. American Express has actually stopped letting cardholders set travel notices altogether, saying their confidence in their fraud protection makes it unnecessary.

Submitting a travel notice to your credit card company can be done quickly and simply. Most credit card issuers let you submit a travel notice online or through their app. If you’re not sure how to submit a travel notice, you can always call the number on the back of your card and submit a travel notice over the phone. When you submit a travel notice, you should tell your issuer where exactly you’ll be traveling and the dates of your trips. If you’re going to multiple destinations, be sure to make that clear.