Canceled flights: Airlines will be obligated to give you $500 free for a hotel

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It’s 100% true that you can easily get $500 free for a hotel when your flight is canceled… but it’s not from the airlines (HAPPY APRIL’S FOOL 😁)! The truth, which is not a joke, is that savvy travelers already easily get $500 for free when their flights are delayed. I’ve taken advantage of this 12 times myself!

It’s so easy to always be entitled to $500 to cover your hotel and meals when a flight is canceled or delayed, a situation that is unavoidable (if your flights never get canceled or delayed, you’re not traveling enough and that’s pretty terrible… we’re going to help you do better; start by downloading our free ebook with 100+ pro tips).

Here’s how to do it… it’s literally one of the simplest and most indispensable of all the many travel tips out there!

(Really essential, so that you don’t end up in the media complaining that the airline didn’t give you a hotel and so that you don’t even have to waste a second waiting in line to beg the airline! When you don’t know, it’s normal of course… you don’t know. But now you do!)

 

How to get $500 free during a cancelled flight

All you have to do is pay for your flights with a credit card that has free flight delay insurance! This gives you $500 for hotel and meals if you are delayed!

Plus, lots of cards that have insurance give you literally hundreds of dollars for free as a welcome bonus AND lots of other great benefits, like the 11 best cards I’ll show you in a minute.

But first I want to tell you that Flytrippers readers like you have now earned nearly 2 million dollars thanks to the welcome bonus deals we share.

Yes, $2 million! And just me personally, I’m up to more than $20,000 earned since I started with travel rewards, while improving my credit score on top of that of course (it’s over 800 because I follow the 3 basic rules below).

Plus, it’s given me free hotels and meals 12 times during my cancelled flights AND it’s allowed me to earn thousands of hotel points as well (to get free nights later on too thanks to this free insurance).

It works… and it doesn’t make sense to go without it honestly!

 

Cards for flight delay insurance AND hundreds of dollars

Here are the best deals for April 2023 that have flight delay insurance. 

Best credit cards
with flight delay insurance
NEW
 TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $10k in 12 mos. (or $6k for lower bonus)
WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)
ends June 3rd
Rewards: ≈ $761
Annual fee: $139
Best for: Valuable Aeroplan pts
and travel benefits
$5k spend option also available
NEW
 TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card
TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $5k in 6 months
WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)
ends June 3rd
Rewards: $750
Annual fee: $0 $139
Best for: Highest offer
for simple points
use for any trip
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $5k in 6 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)
ends April 30th

 apply now
Rewards: ≈ $900
Card fee: $120
Best for: Versatile rewards
valuable or simple
great if you're flexible
National Bank® World Elite Mastercard®
National Bank World Elite Mastercard
Card:
Bonus: no welcome bonus
WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)
Rewards: ≈ $300
Card fee: $150
Best for: Great insurance
& 5X earn rate
& YUL lounge access
Best
 American Express Cobalt® Card
American Express Cobalt Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $750/mo for 12 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)
Rewards: ≈ $900
Card fee: $156
Best for: Best overall
card
in Canada
NEW
 American Express® Aeroplan®* Card
American Express Aeroplan Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $3k in 3 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)
Rewards: ≈ $675
Card fee: $120
Best for: Valuable Aeroplan pts
without min. income
and lower min. spend
CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card
CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $6k in 4 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)
Rewards: ≈ $660
Card fee:
Best for: Flexible rewards
and 4
airport lounge passes
CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card
CIBC Aventura Gold Visa Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $6k in 4 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)
Rewards: ≈ $660
Card fee:
Best for: Flexible rewards
and 4
airport lounge passes
NEW
 American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card
American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $7.5k in 3 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)
Rewards: ≈ $1041
Card fee: $599
Best for: For Air Canada
lounge access
& other AC benefits
TD® Aeroplan® Visa* Infinite Privilege* Card
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $15k in 12 mos. (or $10k for lower bonus)
WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)
ends June 3rd
Rewards: ≈ $958
Annual fee: $599
Best for: For Air Canada
lounge access and
6 passes (other lounges)
Platinum Card® from American Express
Platinum Card from American Express
Card:
Bonus: spend $10k in 3 mos.
WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)
Rewards: ≈ $1600
Card fee: $799
Best for: Unlimited access to
airport lounges
and flexible rewards
Terms and conditions apply. Flytrippers editorial opinion only. Financial institutions are not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click "See More" to see most up-to-date information.
Best credit cards
with flight delay insurance		 WELCOME BONUS
( VALUATION)		 Best
for
NEW
 TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card
TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $10k in 12 mos. (or $6k for lower bonus)
Rewards: ≈ $761
Annual fee: $139
Valuable Aeroplan pts
and travel benefits
$5k spend option also available
ends June 3rd
NEW
 TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card
TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $5k in 6 months
Rewards: $750
Annual fee: $0 $139
Highest offer
for simple points
use for any trip
ends June 3rd
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $5k in 6 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $900
Card fee: $120
Versatile rewards
valuable or simple
great if you're flexible
ends April 30th

 apply now
National Bank World Elite Mastercard
National Bank® World Elite Mastercard®
Card:
Bonus: no welcome bonus
Rewards: ≈ $300
Card fee: $150
Great insurance
& 5X earn rate
& YUL lounge access
Best
 American Express Cobalt Card
American Express Cobalt® Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $750/mo for 12 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $900
Card fee: $156
Best overall
card
in Canada
NEW
 American Express Aeroplan Card
American Express® Aeroplan®* Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $3k in 3 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $675
Card fee: $120
Valuable Aeroplan pts
without min. income
and lower min. spend
CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card
CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $6k in 4 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $660
Card fee:
Flexible rewards
and 4
airport lounge passes
CIBC Aventura Gold Visa Card
CIBC Aventura® Gold Visa* Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $6k in 4 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $660
Card fee:
Flexible rewards
and 4
airport lounge passes
NEW
 American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $7.5k in 3 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $1041
Card fee: $599
For Air Canada
lounge access
& other AC benefits
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card
TD® Aeroplan® Visa* Infinite Privilege* Card
Card:
Bonus: spend $15k in 12 mos. (or $10k for lower bonus)
Rewards: ≈ $958
Annual fee: $599
For Air Canada
lounge access and
6 passes (other lounges)
ends June 3rd
Platinum Card from American Express
Platinum Card® from American Express
Card:
Bonus: spend $10k in 3 mos.
Rewards: ≈ $1600
Card fee: $799
Unlimited access to
airport lounges
and flexible rewards
Terms and conditions apply. Flytrippers editorial opinion only. Financial institutions are not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click "See More" to see most up-to-date information.

 

If you want help choosing, our monthly live video on the best deals of the month happens to be Wednesday, April 12th at 9 PM (Eastern) on Instagram.

We’ll explain the basics, show you the differences between the best deals, and answer all your questions.

 

Why it’s not too good to be true

Seriously, we love doing an April Fool’s Day joke once a year, because all the rest of the year, we’re used to people not believing us.

Because:

  • The airfare deals we spot every day are often almost too good to be true because they are so cheap
  • The travel rewards deals we share are often almost too good to be true because they give so much free travel
  • The tips we share are sometimes so simple that travelers can’t believe they didn’t know them

But don’t worry, we’re not kidding about all our content and our mission to help you travel for less. That’s what’s important.

It’s often hard to believe… but it’s 100% true! If you have a good credit score, banks really want you as a customer; take advantage of these deals!!!

 

How flight delay insurance works

It’s very simple.

You pay for the flight with your credit card that has flight delay insurance.

You keep all the proof for the delay or cancelation (original boarding pass, new boarding pass, airline emails, flight status on FlightAware, photo of the airport information screen showing the delayed/cancelled flight, etc.).

You book a nice hotel as soon as it’s confirmed that you’re going to be delayed at least 4 hours (it’s 6 hours with some cards; always double-check).

You keep the hotel receipt (and those for meals).

You make a claim easily (often it’s great, everything can even be done online without having to talk to a human).

You get reiumbursed pretty fast and you also get to keep the hotel points AND credit card points you earned on the hotel payment!

I’ll be doing a detailed guide on this tip very soon, including each of my 12 experiences with flight delay insurance.

With the American Express and TD cards I used for my 12 claims, I was fully reimbursed without any problems each time. 

Even when I took a $400 night at the 5-star luxury hotel The St. Regis Istanbul, where a butler came to undo my bed when I was ready to sleep!

That’s the beauty of travel rewards and it’s a perfect example of how enormous difference between savvy travelers who take advantage of this… and most travelers.

When your flight is canceled, when you’re a savvy traveler who knows the super simple tips, you get to stay at a very fancy hotel for free (while earning thousands of Marriott points on the stay, which gives you another free night for later). 

Otherwise, you’re sleeping on the airport floor or paying out of pocket for something that’s so easy to get for free…

 

Basic rules for travel rewards

You’ll also improve your credit score by doing travel rewards and getting more cards, contrary to the common myth. The world of travel rewards is a very counterintuitive one!

But there are 3 basic rules to get thousands of dollars in travel rewards AND a better credit score.

They are very important:

  • Always pay all your balances in full at every statement
  • Always keep your oldest cards open (the OLDEST ones)
  • Space out your credit card applications by at least 2 months, ideally 3

Sign up for our free newsletter to receive our travel rewards course in video and text format as soon as it’s ready, an invitation to our next free basics webinar, and all our content to help you discover the wonderful world of travel rewards.

 

Want to get more content to learn how to travel for less?

Sign up for our travel rewards newsletter

 

Summary

Our annual April Fool’s Day tradition continues in 2023. However, it’s true that you can get $500 free for the hotel when your flights are cancelled, it’s just not from airlones. And it honestly doesn’t make sense to go without it. We look forward to continuing to share real news and tips with you like the other 364 days of the year!

What would you like to know about flight delay insurance? Tell us in the comments below.

 

See the deals we spot: Cheap flights

Explore awesome destinations: Travel inspiration

Learn pro tricks: Travel tips

Discover free travel: Travel rewards

 

Featured image: The St. Regis Istanbul Hotel (photo credit: Marriott)

 

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Andrew D'Amours

Andrew is the co-founder of Flytrippers. He is passionate about traveling the world but also, as a former management consultant, about the travel industry itself. He shares his experiences to help you save money on travel. As a very cost-conscious traveler, he loves finding deals and getting free travel thanks to travel rewards points... to help him visit every country in the world (current count: 71/193 Countries, 47/50 US States & 9/10 Canadian Provinces).

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Corinne Willerth April 26, 2023 Reply

    I’m wondering why you suggest here to keep your credit cards open. The American Express platinum Card is $699 a year, so after the first free year, why would you keep it?

    1. Andrew D'Amours April 26, 2023 Reply

      We most definitely do not suggest keeping all you credit cards open, just the oldest ones (I wrote the OLDEST twice to make sure it was clear).

      All those you had before starting being more serious in the world of travel rewards.

      Every other card should be reevaluated when renewal is due, see how the benefits compare to the fee.

      For most cards, it’s not worth renewing. For some cards, for some travelers, the benefits can outweigh the fee. The Amex Platinum Card has a net fee of $499 ($699 with a $200 credit that can be cashed out easily on day 1 with the refundable hotel trick), so for most people it’s not worth keeping.

      But every traveler is different, which is why we don’t say “keep this” or “close this” and we say “reevaluate” always, because for every traveler, every benefit has a different value. For example, for me, the Amex Platinum Card is worth $499 because I fly about ≈ 70 times per year and even by valuing each lounge visit extremely conservatively at $10, I come out ahead. Not to mention the Gold elite status at Marriott and Hilton, and the much better Amex offers discounts and credits, etc. But I wouldn’t recommend keeping it for those who sadly travel just 3-4 times a year for sure.

      That said, keeping a card really isn’t required to take advantage of free insurance. You just need to use the right card for the right flights 🙂

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