Trip delay insurance pays only after a set number of hours
Jeremy CabralGrowth advisor Checked
Trip delay insurance repays meals, a hotel and local transport once a covered delay passes the policy's waiting period, usually 2 to 12 hours, up to a daily and a total cap. Of the US delay products that state a waiting period, 10 of 14 start at 5 hours or more. The stop ran 4 hours 21 minutes.
10 of 14US delay products that state a waiting period start at 5 hours or more
4h 21mLength of the 13 November 2026 FAA ground stop
6 hoursMedian waiting period across 83 products in 17 markets
The FAA ordered the nationwide ground stop at 3:54pm ET on Friday 13 November 2026 and lifted it at 8:15pm ET, 4 hours 21 minutes later1. Trackers counted 9,159 cancelled flights that day2. So a flight that left once the stop lifted cleared few waiting periods. A traveller rebooked to the next day cleared nearly all of them.3
Waiting periods and caps for 83 named products
Pick an hour to see how many products had started paying by then.
| Product | Market | Waiting period | Benefit | Pays for ATC failure? | Caps and cause test | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AllianzOneTrip and AllTrips plans | United States | 3 h | Travel delay | Depends | Lists a travel carrier delay as a covered reason after 3 to 6 hours. Does not name air traffic control or the FAA. | Allianz Travel Insurance (US)read |
| ChaseSapphire Reserve card | United States | 6 h | Trip delay | Depends | Cover starts after 6 hours or an overnight stay. Card wording does not mention ATC ground stops and experts disagree on whether an FAA failure is equipment failure. | Upgraded Pointsread |
| Capital OneVenture X card | United States | 6 h | Trip delay | Depends | Cover starts after 6 hours. Card wording does not mention ATC ground stops. | Thrifty Travelerread |
| Allianz AustraliaComprehensive | Australia | 6 h | Travel delay | Depends | Pays reasonable extra meals and accommodation after 6 consecutive hours of delay from circumstances outside your control. No named cause required. | Allianz Australiasummary |
| XCoverCBA travel insurance | Australia | 12 h | Flight delay | No | Covers delays of more than 12 hours from strikes, adverse weather or mechanical breakdown. No air traffic control item. | XCoversummary |
| 1CoverTravel insurance | Australia | 6 h | Travel delay | Depends | Up to A$200 for meals and accommodation after 6 hours and A$200 for each further 24 hours. Position on air traffic control failures not stated. | 1Coversummary |
| Qantas Travel Insurance (Zurich)International Comprehensive, policies from 22 July 2026 | Australia | 6 h | Travel delay | Depends | Fixed A$200 after more than 6 hours stranded at the departure terminal, with no cause test. Cancellation cover excludes delays within the carrier's control. Policies before 13 May 2026 were issued by AIG on other terms. | Qantas Travel Insuranceread |
| Southern Cross Travel InsuranceInternational Comprehensive, TravelCare Delay Assist | Australia | 2 h | Flight delay voucher | Yes | A two-hour delay triggers a A$40 voucher per person, capped at A$640 per policy, if the flight was registered 24 hours before departure. | Southern Cross Travel Insurancesummary |
| AIG Travel GuardPreferred | United States | 5 h | Travel delay | Depends | Pays up to US$200 a day after a delay of more than 5 hours for a covered reason. The page read does not list the reasons. | Travel Guardread |
| Generali Global AssistanceStandard, Preferred and Premium | United States | 6 h | Travel delay | Depends | Lists a common carrier delay as a covered reason after 10, 8 or 6 hours by plan. Up to US$1,000 per person. | Generaliread |
| World NomadsUS plans | United States | 6 h | Trip delay | Depends | Covers a common carrier delay after 6 consecutive hours, up to the plan maximum. | World Nomadsread |
| FayeTravel plan | United States | 6 h | Trip delay | Depends | Up to US$250 a day and US$3,500 a trip after more than 6 hours, for covered reasons outside the traveller's control. | Fayeread |
| FayeTravel plan | United States | 3 h | Missed connection | Depends | Up to US$500 after a delay of more than 3 hours from flight disruption, weather or cruise delays. | Fayeread |
| Berkshire Hathaway Travel ProtectionExactCare Extra and AirCare | United States | 2 h | Flight delay (fixed payment) | Yes | Fixed US$50 for a departure delay of more than 2 hours and US$100 for a missed connection. The wording read has no list of causes. | Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protectionread |
| HopperPremium Disruption Assistance | United States | 2 h | Rebooking service | Yes | Rebooks up to US$2,000 per traveller, or refunds the flight, after a 2-hour delay or a cancellation. The terms add an eligible-reason test applied at Hopper's discretion. Hopper says it is not insurance. | Hopperread |
| American ExpressPlatinum-tier Trip Delay Insurance | United States | 6 h | Trip delay | No | Up to US$500 a trip after more than 6 hours. The listed cause is carrier equipment failure, and Amex refused FAA-order delays in 2025. | American Express benefits guideread |
| CitiStrata Elite and Strata Premier cards | United States | 6 h | Trip delay | Depends | Up to US$500 after more than 6 hours. Card wording not read. | Your Mileage May Varysummary |
| BiltPalladium Card | United States | 6 h | Trip delay | Depends | Up to US$300 per trip, one claim a year, after more than 6 hours. Covers the carrier's own equipment failure only, and nothing where the carrier cancels within 6 hours of departure. | Your Mileage May Varysummary |
| US BankAltitude Reserve card | United States | 6 h | Trip delay | Depends | Up to US$500 per ticket after 6 hours or an overnight stay. Card wording not read. | Frequent Milersummary |
| Allianz Global Assistance CanadaTrip Cancellation, Interruption and Delay | Canada | 6 h | Trip delay | Depends | C$150 a day per person for 2 days after more than 6 hours. A common carrier delay is a listed cause. | Allianz Canada policyread |
| ManulifeCoverMe | Canada | 6 h | Misconnection | Depends | Up to C$1,000 when a common carrier delay, schedule change or cancellation makes you arrive 6 hours late. | Manulife CoverMe policyread |
| BMO (Allianz Global Assistance)BMO Travel Insurance | Canada | 6 h | Flight delay | Depends | Up to C$500 a trip with receipts after more than 6 hours. The clause names no cause. Exclusions not read. | BMO certificateread |
| ScotiabankCard flight delay insurance | Canada | 4 h | Flight delay | No | C$500 per person after more than 4 hours. The reported cause list covers weather, mechanical breakdown and strikes. | TravelUpdatesummary |
| TDCard flight delay insurance | Canada | 4 h | Flight delay | No | C$500 combined after more than 4 hours. Reported causes are weather, mechanical breakdown or an airline staff strike. | TravelUpdatesummary |
| RBCCard flight delay insurance | Canada | 4 h | Flight delay | Yes | C$250 per person and C$500 per occurrence after more than 4 hours. Reported to apply whatever the reason for the delay. | TravelUpdatesummary |
| Amex CanadaCard flight delay insurance | Canada | 4 h | Flight delay | Yes | C$500 or C$1,000 per occurrence after more than 4 hours. Reported to apply whatever the reason for the delay. | TravelUpdatesummary |
| Post OfficeTrip disruption upgrade | United Kingdom | 4 h | Travel delay | Yes | Names failure of air traffic control or airport computer systems, cyber terrorism excepted. £20 to £50 per 4 hours by tier, up to £150. | Post Officeread |
| AdmiralEnhanced Trip Disruption add-on | United Kingdom | 6 h | Onward travel expenses | Yes | Names airspace closures, air traffic control restrictions and technical issues. Up to £500 per person after 6 hours. | Admiralread |
| AdmiralStandard travel insurance | United Kingdom | 12 h | Travel delay | No | Closed list of strikes, severe weather and mechanical breakdown after 12 hours. Technical and computer system problems are excluded. | Admiralread |
| AvivaSingle trip and annual | United Kingdom | 12 h | Travel delay | Yes | £25 per person for each full 12 hours, up to £250. The delay benefit lists no causes, so an air traffic control failure counts once 12 hours pass. | Avivaread |
| StaysureSingle trip and annual | United Kingdom | 6 h | Travel delay | Yes | Names failure of air traffic control systems as a covered cause of travel delay. Waiting period 12 hours, or 6 hours on Signature. | Staysureread |
| goodtogoGold and platinum | United Kingdom | 12 h | Travel delay and abandonment | Yes | Its air traffic control guidance says delay pays a fixed benefit per 12 hours, with abandonment where no suitable alternative is offered. | goodtogoread |
| Cedar TreeStandard policy and Travel Disruption add-on | United Kingdom | 12 h | Travel delay | Yes | Says operational and technical disruption stays covered after 12 hours unless a cyber attack caused it. | Cedar Treeread |
| Holiday ExtrasFlight delay cover | United Kingdom | 2 h | Flight delay (fixed payment) | Depends | Lounge access or £25 per person after more than 2 hours if the flight was registered 12 hours ahead. Qualifying criteria apply. | Holiday Extrasread |
| World NomadsExplorer Plan | Ireland | 12 h | Travel delay | Depends | €50 per person per 12 hours, up to €250. Needs an insured event and a written reason from the carrier. | World Nomads Irelandread |
| Cover-More EuropeSuper and Super Plus | Ireland | 3 h | Flight delay (fixed payment) | Yes | A registered flight delayed 3 hours triggers a lounge pass or €30 automatically. The cause is not tested. | ITIJread |
| Southern Cross Travel InsuranceTravelCare Delay Assist | New Zealand | 2 h | Flight delay voucher | Yes | NZ$50 voucher per traveller after a 2-hour delay if the flight was registered 24 hours ahead. The cause is not tested. | Southern Cross Travel Insuranceread |
| Cover-More (Air New Zealand)Comprehensive | New Zealand | 6 h | Travel delay | Depends | Covers travel delays of more than 6 hours. Cap not found. | Insurance Business NZsummary |
| MSIGTravelEasy | Singapore | 6 h | Travel delay | Depends | S$100 per 6 hours, capped at S$500 to S$1,500. Lists airport or airspace closure for safety reasons as a trigger. | MoneySmartsummary |
| SinglifeTravel insurance | Singapore | 6 h | Travel delay | Yes | S$100 for every full 6 hours of delay overseas. Covers any cause the traveller did not create. | MoneySmartread |
| Income InsuranceTravel insurance | Singapore | 6 h | Travel delay | Yes | S$100 per adult for every full 6 hours overseas. Covers any cause the traveller did not create. Its own blog describes an air traffic delay being declined under an earlier case. | Income Insuranceread |
| FWDTravel insurance | Singapore | 3 h | Travel delay | Yes | Waiting period 6 hours on Premium and 3 hours on Business and First. S$100 per 6 hours on Premium, overall limit S$300. Covers any cause the traveller did not create. | MoneySmartread |
| MSIGTravel insurance | Hong Kong | 5 h | Travel delay | Depends | HK$300 per 5 hours, up to HK$3,000. MSIG says delays caused solely by air traffic control restrictions may fall outside cover. | MSIG Hong Kongread |
| MSIGEasy Lounge | Hong Kong | 1 h | Lounge access | Yes | Lounge access for the insured and up to five companions after a 60-minute delay on a registered flight, whatever the reason. | MSIG Hong Kongread |
| GeneraliBravo Travel Protector | Hong Kong | 6 h | Travel delay | Depends | Cover starts at 6 hours. Generali says short air traffic control delays are typically outside cover. | Generali Hong Kongread |
| SafetyWingNomad Insurance Essential (September 2025 version) | Global | 12 h | Travel delay | Yes | US$100 a day for up to 2 days when transport is delayed at least 12 hours and an overnight stay is needed. | SafetyWingread |
| Assist CardAssistance plans, general conditions October 2026 | Mexico | 6 h | Flight delay | No | Waiting period more than 6 consecutive hours on an international flight. Repays lodging, taxi and food to the voucher limit, US$50 without receipts. Force majeure wording lists extraordinary air traffic and interruption of communication services. | Assist Card Brasilread |
| AXA SegurosSeguro de viajero (sold by HSBC) | Mexico | 12 h | Trip delay | Depends | Waiting period more than 12 hours on the scheduled departure. Repays airport meals, room-only lodging and transport up to the sum on the schedule, in pesos. Technical failure and fortuitous events are named causes. | HSBC Méxicoread |
| GNPSeguro Viajero Premium (sold with Viva flights) | Mexico | 12 h | Flight delay | No | Waiting period more than 12 hours on a Viva flight. Pays up to MX$10,000, plus a taxi up to MX$500. Excludes delays from fortuitous events or force majeure that stop the airline keeping its schedule. | Vivaread |
| IATITravel plan sold from Spain to Spanish-speaking travellers | Mexico | 6 h | Flight delay | Depends | Waiting period 6 hours. Pays €90 per 6 hours, up to €270. Wording was not read. | Holaflysummary |
| Assist CardAssistance plans, general conditions October 2026 | Brazil | 6 h | Flight delay | No | Waiting period more than 6 consecutive hours on an international flight. Repays lodging, taxi and food to the voucher limit, US$50 without receipts. Force majeure wording lists extraordinary air traffic and interruption of communication services. | Assist Card Brasilread |
| Porto SeguroSeguro Viagem Individual, December 2025 | Brazil | 8 h | Flight delay | No | Waiting period more than 8 hours. Repays lodging, transfer and food up to the plan's sum insured in reais. Closed list of causes: weather, labour disputes and sudden aircraft defects. | Porto Seguroread |
| Coris (Chubb)Flight cancellation or delay over 6 hours, June 2025 | Brazil | 6 h | Flight delay | No | Waiting period more than 6 consecutive hours. Repays lodging and food up to the sum on the certificate in reais. Transfers excluded. Closed list of causes: severe weather, labour disputes and sudden aircraft breakdown. | Corisread |
| Allianz SegurosSeguro Viagem Individual, November 2025 | Brazil | 4 h | Travel delay | Yes | Waiting period at least 4 hours. Pays lost prepaid costs plus meals, lodging, communication and local transport, up to 50% of the cover in reais per 24 hours. A carrier delay is a covered event, on plans that include the cover. | Allianz Brasilread |
| Visa (AIG)Visa Infinite extended departure delay cover | Brazil | 4 h | Flight delay | Yes | Waiting period 4 hours or more. Pays US$200 per event on international trips and R$660 on domestic trips. Air traffic restrictions at the departure airport are a named cause. | Visa Infinite Brasil termsread |
| ItaúSeguro Viagem | Brazil | 12 h | Flight delay | Depends | Waiting period more than 12 hours. Refunds lodging and food. Amount and covered causes were not read. | Itaúsummary |
| AWP P&C (Allianz)Miles and More Travel Security package | Germany | 4 h | Travel delay | Depends | Carrier delay is a listed cause after at least 4 hours. €500 per claim, three claims a year. Exclusions for cyber events and acts of state authority could be raised against a ground stop. | Miles and Moreread |
| Allianz DirectTravel insurance, single trip, April 2026 wording | Germany | 4 h | Travel delay | Depends | Carrier delay is a listed cause after at least 4 hours. €200 per 24 hours, or €300 with receipts. Exclusions for cyber events and acts of state authority could be raised against a ground stop. | Allianz Directread |
| HanseMerkurAnnual travel cover, conditions 2024 | Germany | 2 h | Missed departure | Depends | Waiting period more than 2 hours of public transport delay, or a cancellation. Pays extra outbound travel costs in the booked class, up to €1,500 on Jahresschutz Platin. Nothing is paid for the wait itself. | HanseMerkurread |
| ERGO ReiseversicherungTrip cancellation with trip interruption cover | Germany | 2 h | Travel delay and missed connection | Depends | Pays extra travel costs up to €500 per person when a delay of more than 2 hours causes a missed onward service. Nothing for waiting. Excludes acts of state authority. | ERGO Reiseversicherungread |
| Visa Premier (Hello bank!)Card flight delay cover, notice April 2025 | France | 4 h | Flight delay | Yes | Waiting period more than 4 hours on a scheduled flight, 6 hours on a charter, or a connection missed within 4 hours. Repays costs up to €400 per delay for all insured together. Authority-ordered groundings are excluded only when announced before departure. | Hello bank!read |
| Visa Premier (Caisse d'Epargne)Card transport delay cover, notice 2026 | France | 4 h | Flight delay | Yes | Waiting period more than 4 hours on a scheduled flight, 6 hours on a charter. Repays costs up to €400 per delay or cancellation. Unused services are left out. One figure in the exclusion could not be read. | Caisse d'Epargne Visa Premier noticeread |
| Gold MastercardCard public transport delay cover | France | 4 h | Flight delay | Depends | Waiting period 4 hours on a scheduled flight. Up to €450 per delay, often shared with baggage delay. The notice was not read. | Serenitripsummary |
| ChapkaCap Multi Voyages | France | 4 h | Missed connection | Depends | Current wording pays up to €300 per event after more than 4 hours on a scheduled flight, with no cause test. It excludes delays from an aircraft withdrawal ordered by aviation authorities. | Chapkaread |
| ChapkaCap Groupe | France | 4 h | Flight delay | Depends | Waiting period more than 4 hours. €50 per person for 4 to 8 hours and €100 beyond 8 hours, capped at €1,000 per event. Covered causes were not read. | Chapkasummary |
| Tata AIGTravel Insurance International, prospectus 27 February 2026 | India | 12 h | Flight delay | No | Waiting period more than 12 hours. US$10 per 12 hours, up to US$100. Named causes are bad weather, a carrier strike and carrier equipment failure, so air traffic control is absent. | Tata AIGread |
| ICICI LombardInternational Travel Insurance | India | 6 h | Trip delay | Depends | Waiting period more than 6 hours. Pays the schedule sum per day or part day, for one delay per policy. Responds where the carrier cancelled or rescheduled the flight. Edition undated. | ICICI Lombard wording (ICICI Bank)read |
| Bajaj General (formerly Bajaj Allianz)Trip Delay Delight rider, Plan I | India | 1.5 h | Flight delay (fixed payment) | Yes | Waiting period 1.5 to 6 hours, chosen at purchase. Fixed sum of US$1 to US$1,000 per slab, paid in rupees. Pays whatever the reason. One claim one way, two on a round trip. | Bajaj Generalread |
| Niva BupaTravelAssure | India | 4 h | Trip delay | Depends | Waiting period set on the schedule, in 4-hour blocks per the customer sheet. Fixed schedule sum per block, up to 24 hours of delay. Responds where the carrier cancelled or rescheduled. | Niva Buparead |
| DigitInternational travel insurance | India | 3 h | Flight delay (fixed payment) | Depends | Waiting period 6 hours, or 3 or 4 hours with an add-on. Pays ₹500 to ₹1,000. Wording was not read. | Digitsummary |
| Sompo JapanOverseas travel insurance off!, flight delay costs | Japan | 6 h | Flight delay | Depends | Waiting period 6 hours with no usable replacement flight. Actual costs up to ¥20,000 per incident. The cause of the delay is irrelevant. | Sompo Japanread |
| Mitsui Sumitomo InsuranceFlight delay costs rider | Japan | 6 h | Missed connection | Depends | Waiting period 6 hours with no replacement after arriving at the transfer point. Actual costs up to ¥20,000 per delay. | Mitsui Sumitomo Insuranceread |
| Sony Assurance, SBI Insurance, au Insurance and t@bihoFlight delay rider | Japan | 6 h | Flight delay (fixed payment) | Depends | Waiting period 6 hours with no replacement flight. Flat ¥10,000 with no receipts needed. | Kaigai Risksummary |
| JCBCard flight delay insurance, Gold and above | Japan | 4 h | Travel delay and missed connection | Depends | Waiting period 4 hours for connections, and none stated for departures. ¥20,000 for connection costs and ¥20,000 for departure delay meals. The fare must be paid on the card. | JCBread |
| Samsung FireIndex flight delay and cancellation riders | South Korea | 2 h | Flight delay (fixed payment) | Depends | Waiting period 2 hours. Fixed sums by delay length, up to ₩200,000 at 6 hours or on cancellation. Pays on covered international legs. Domestic connecting flights inside the destination country are excluded. | Samsung Fire and Newsisread |
| KB InsuranceIndex flight delay rider | South Korea | 2 h | Flight delay (fixed payment) | Depends | Waiting period 2 hours. ₩40,000 at 2 hours, ₩60,000 at 3 to 4, ₩80,000 at 4 to 6 and ₩100,000 at 6 hours or on cancellation. Flights leaving Korea only. | Youth Dailysummary |
| Kakao Pay InsuranceFlight and baggage delay costs rider | South Korea | 4 h | Flight delay | Depends | Waiting period 4 hours. Repays lodging and food actually bought while waiting, in won. The limit was not captured. Receipts are required. | Kakao Pay Insuranceread |
| Meiya (AIG China)Travel delay add-on (2010 edition) in an outbound travel policy | China | 5 h | Travel delay | Yes | Waiting period set on the schedule, reported as 5 hours. Reported benefit CN¥300 per 5 hours. Air traffic control is a named cause. | Meiya policy wording (Ctrip)read |
| Ping AnFlight delay insurance sold with China Southern tickets | China | 2 h | Flight delay (fixed payment) | Yes | Waiting period 2 hours. Pays CN¥300, capped at CN¥300 per policy. Air traffic control is a named cause. China Southern flights only. | China Southernread |
| Ping AnInternational and regional cover sold with China Eastern tickets | China | 4 h | Flight delay (fixed payment) | Depends | Waiting period 4 hours. CN¥200 at 4 to 5 hours, CN¥400 at 5 to 6 and CN¥600 at 6 hours or more. China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines international flights only. | China Easternread |
| China Pacific (CPIC)International flight delay insurance (withdrawn from sale) | China | 3 h | Flight delay (fixed payment) | Yes | Waiting period 3 hours. CN¥300 per 3 hours, up to CN¥600. Air traffic control is a named cause. | Hanglianread |
| PICCChina CITIC Bank card flight delay cover 2026 | China | 2 h | Flight delay | Depends | Waiting period 2 or 4 hours by card. Pays up to CN¥1,000 to CN¥10,000 of the fare paid on the card. Excludes airport closures for any reason and government acts. | China CITIC Bankread |
| ZhongAnAviation cover sold with China Eastern tickets | China | 3 h | Flight delay (fixed payment) | No | Waiting period 3 hours. CN¥300 at 3 hours and CN¥600 at 6. Mainland domestic flights only. Excludes cancellations, diversions and returns. | China Easternsummary |
Source: the live site's cover table, rebuilt 15 November 2026 after corrections. Shortest trigger shown where a product has tiers. Each row links to the provider's page or the source the figure came from.4
Open wordings pay for an air traffic control failure; closed lists and cards often do not
Delay benefits come in four types. The type matters more than the brand when the cause is outside the airline.
| Wording type | How it treats an air traffic control failure | Examples read |
|---|---|---|
| Any common carrier delay | Covers a delay of the carrier with no cause attached, so an air traffic control failure counts once the hours pass. | Travel Guard, Generali, Travelex, Berkshire Hathaway, Seven Corners, Faye, Nationwide, AXA, Travel Insured, Trawick, IMG, World Nomads, Allianz (US); TuGo and BCAA (Canada); Aviva (UK); Singlife, Income and FWD (Singapore) |
| Named causes only | Pays only for causes on a closed list such as weather, strikes or the carrier's mechanical breakdown. A system failure outside the airline is often missing. | Admiral standard, InsureandGo and Columbus standard (UK); World Nomads Australia; MSIG Singapore; RBC and TD retail policies (Canada) |
| Card benefits | Name four hazards: equipment failure, weather, strikes and hijacking. Whose equipment counts decides an FAA failure. | Chase and Capital One say equipment failure; American Express and Bilt need the carrier's own equipment failure |
| Fixed payment, no receipts | Pays a set sum after a short delay, usually with no cause test. | Berkshire Hathaway ExactCare Extra pays US$50 after 2 hours; UK per-12-hour benefits; Singapore per-6-hour benefits; Qantas Travel Insurance pays A$200 after 6 hours |
Source: policy wordings and guides to benefits read for the claim tool, 15 November 2026.5
Trip delay, interruption, missed connection and cancellation pay for different things
| Benefit | When it applies | What it pays | Typical trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trip delay | You are stuck waiting | Meals, a hotel and local transport while delayed, against receipts, up to a daily cap | 2 to 12 hours, most often 6 |
| Missed connection | A delay makes you miss a cruise, tour or connecting flight | Costs to catch up with the trip | Often 3 hours; most wordings need weather or carrier breakdown |
| Trip interruption | The trip is cut short or restarted after departure | Unused prepaid costs and extra transport to rejoin the trip or go home | Some plans need 6, 12, 24 or 48 hours of shutdown |
| Trip cancellation | You cannot start the trip | Prepaid, non-refundable costs | Before departure; Allianz OneTrip needs a 24 hour carrier delay |
Travel delay and missed connection usually cannot both be paid for the same event under the same plan.6
The airline pays first, and pays less when the cause is outside its control
US airlines' customer service plans promise hotels and meals only for delays they caused. For air traffic control and weather, you pay and claim from your insurer or card.7 No US airline's page offered hotels or meals for the 13 November stop.8
Questions about trip delay insurance
What does trip delay insurance cover?
Reasonable extra costs while you wait: meals, a hotel room, local transport and sometimes essentials. It pays once the delay passes the waiting period and only up to the daily and total caps. Some UK and Singapore products pay a fixed sum instead.
How long does a flight have to be delayed to get reimbursement?
It depends on the product. In our table of 83 products the median waiting period is 6 hours. US cards mostly use 6 hours or an overnight stay; UK policies often use 12.
Can you get compensated for a 2 hour flight delay?
Some products pay at 2 hours, such as the Berkshire Hathaway fixed US$50 benefit and SCTI's Delay Assist. The "2 hour" and "3 hour" rules people mention are European and UK passenger rights paid by the airline, separate from insurance.
What is the 3-hour delay rule?
Under EU and UK rules, passengers on covered flights can claim fixed compensation from the airline when they arrive 3 hours or more late for a cause within the airline's control. US law has no equivalent; the US rule is a refund when a flight is cancelled or significantly changed and you choose not to fly.
Which credit cards have trip delay insurance?
Several US premium cards, including Chase Sapphire Reserve and Preferred, Capital One Venture X, American Express Platinum-tier cards and Bilt Palladium. Most start at 6 hours or an overnight stay and need the fare paid on the card.
Is trip delay the same as trip interruption?
No. Trip delay pays your costs while you wait. Trip interruption repays unused prepaid parts of the trip and transport to rejoin it or go home.
Does trip delay insurance pay if the airline gave me a voucher?
Insurance is secondary to what the airline provides, so a meal voucher or hotel the airline paid for is deducted. Tell the insurer about it.
Related pages on this site
Every figure on this page links to its source
8 sources
Read on the provider's or regulator's own page unless tagged summary (reported elsewhere) or unverified. The live site's full source list is on the methodology page.
- CNBC, ground stop lifted read checked 15 November 2026
- FlightAware via Upgraded Points read checked 15 November 2026
- Waiting periods chart facts, 15 November 2026 read checked 15 November 2026
- Live site insurance table read checked 15 November 2026
- Claim reference data, methodology page read checked 15 November 2026
- Allianz certificate, travel delay section read checked 15 November 2026
- American Airlines customer service plan read checked 15 November 2026
- Airline responses on the live site read checked 15 November 2026