Surprising Credit Card Benefits You Should Know

Welcome offers play a large role in determining which card we decide to open next—and quite rightfully, given that they offer the greatest return on our spending.

Once you’ve scored a card’s welcome offer, you determine its ongoing value by its bonus spending categories and cardholder perks. While there are some well known credit card benefits, like complimentary airport lounge access and Global Entry application fee statement credits, there are also unique card perks that are lesser known. These hidden benefits often receive less attention, despite offering significant value.

Let’s check out some of the most unique credit card benefits out there, as well as some of the cards that can help you get them.

11 Unique Credit Card Perks to Put on Your Radar

We’ve picked 11 of the most overlooked credit card benefits available to cardholders.

These unique card perks include:

• Price drop protection
• Price matching
• Free museum visits
• Instant card numbers
• Roadside assistance
• Insurance perks and cell phone protection
• Golf benefits
• Exclusive access to experiences and events
• Concierge services
• SmartDelay Lounge Access

Let’s look at each of these special credit card benefits in detail.

Price Drop Protection

Finally deciding to book a flight, only to see the same flight advertised for less a week later, can really grind your gears. Luckily, if you book through Capital One Travel, you can be refunded up to $50 if the price drops within 10 days of booking.

Capital One price drop protection applies automatically to flights that Capital One recommends you to book. Whenever it says “You should book now,” you’ll automatically be covered by price drop protection.

Your refund will be issued as a travel credit for future usage through Capital One Travel.

The best part is that you don’t even need to periodically check if the price drops—Capital One does the work for you and will automatically reimburse you.

Up to $50 in savings can be a sweet deal, particularly on flights that are already cheap.

Price Matching

Another benefit exclusive to Capital One Travel is price matching that allows you to be refunded the difference on flights, hotels and car rentals purchased through Capital One Travel if you find the same itinerary for a cheaper price elsewhere.

You need to find the cheaper itinerary and submit your claim within 24 hours of booking your original itinerary through Capital One Travel.

If successful, you’ll be refunded 100% of the difference in the form of Capital One Travel credits.

Keep in mind that the following must apply for you to be eligible for a refund:

• The cheaper itinerary must match the original itinerary in all aspects (including the cancellation policy).
• The cheaper itinerary must be priced in U.S. dollars, including any taxes and fees.
• The cheaper itinerary must be available to the general public, meaning that it can’t be the result of special membership rates or a site in which you must log in to purchase the itinerary at that specific price.
• The cheaper itinerary must be available at the time you contact Capital One, as their agents must be able to verify that the lower price exists.

If you meet this criteria and submit your claim on time, you could score yourself some travel credits for future usage.

Free Museum Visits

Bank of America’s Museums on Us program offers cardholders access to 225 cultural institutions across the United States. Bank of America, Merrill and Bank of America Private Bank credit or debit cardholders all have access to the Museums on Us program.

You can use the Museums on Us map to easily find museums included under the program. Popular museums include New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, Ohio’s Center of Science and Industry (COSI) and Louisiana’s National WWII Museum, among many others.

The primary cardholder—and in most cases, authorized users too—can visit these museums for free on the first full weekend of every month.

Keep in mind that guest access isn’t included, so any additional guests will need to pay the standard entry fee. Likewise, some museums have specific entry criteria, such as availability on Sundays only, so be sure to check in advance of your visit. Similarly, fundraising events, special exhibitions and ticketed exhibitions are excluded from the Museums on Us program.

To enter a museum in the Museums on Us program, you’ll need to present your valid Bank of America card and photo I.D.

So, if you’re a museum buff, a Bank of America card can get you a free visit to your favorite museums every month.

Instant Card Numbers

When you’re approved for a new credit card, you’ll often have to wait anywhere from a few days to more than a week before it arrives in the mail. If you have a large upcoming expense that you want to put toward your new card’s welcome offer, or if you simply want to start using your credit card right away, you can get an instant card number, enabling you to start spending immediately.

American Express, Chase, Capital One and Citi all offer instant credit card numbers, although policies and cardholder eligibility vary between each issuer.

American Express offers instant card numbers to cardholders who are approved for new cards and who can verify their identity. Instant card numbers can be issued for all Amex cards except for the Amazon Business Card and Amazon Business Prime Card. Likewise, instant card numbers for co-branded cards allow for spending with the respective brand only until you get your physical card. You’ll receive your card number in your welcome email.

Through Chase’s Spend Instantly feature, you can also get instant card numbers for the majority of Chase cards, excluding Chase Mastercards, Amazon and Ink Business credit cards. You can download the Chase app, log in and add your new card to your digital wallet—either Google Pay, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay. You’ll then be able to use your new card with any merchant that accepts digital wallet payments.

Citi also issues instant card numbers, but you’ll only be able to view your card number once before it arrives in the mail, so make sure to take a screenshot. Keep in mind that Citi doesn’t offer instant card numbers for some cards (such as its AAdvantage cards) and that you might not receive access to your full credit limit until your physical card arrives.

Capital One issues instant cards—in the form of virtual card numbers—to certain eligible cardholders, enabling you to begin spending straight away. You can get a virtual card number through Capital One’s desktop assistant, Eno, or through the Capital One app by selecting the “Get Your Virtual Card” option.

Instant card numbers can come in handy when you want to use your new card immediately.

Roadside Assistance

When a tire bursts or your car battery is flat, certain credit card issuers like Chase, Capital One and Bank of America offer roadside assistance service.

For instance, Chase’s roadside assistance service offers the following services:

• Towing services to move your car to a service center
• Help getting into your car if you locked your keys inside
• Flat tire replacement if you’re immobilized by your wheels
• Winching your car if it’s stuck in a ditch
• Battery jump-start or replacement if your battery dies
• Transportation assistance to move you (not your car) if you’re stranded

Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders are covered up to $50 for roadside assistance with a maximum of four call-outs per year, while for other Chase card members the roadside assistance program is pay-per-use.

All Visa Signature credit cards include pay-per-use roadside dispatch services.

So, if you find yourself in an auto-related pickle, you can call your card issuer’s roadside assistance program to get help.

Insurance Perks and Cell Phone Protection

Flashy card perks such as lounge access and statement credits often get the most attention when shopping for a new credit card. However, certain travel credit cards offer comprehensive insurance perks that can save you from having to spend extra on a separate policy—a factor that you should consider when assessing a card’s annual fee.

These can include insurance perks such as:

• Travel accident insurance
• Common carrier accident insurance
• Delayed and lost baggage reimbursement
• Auto rental collision damage waiver
• Trip delay insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Emergency evacuation insurance
• Emergency medical insurance

When you find yourself in a snag abroad, these insurance perks can help you out.

Likewise, a select range of cards also offer cell phone protection insurance, covering cell phone damage and theft, when you pay your wireless bill using your eligible credit card. Typically, all cell phones on your wireless bill (paid using your valid card) will be covered, although it’s best to check with your card issuer to be sure.

Coverage is typically between $500 and $1,000 per claim, with a deductible between $25 and $50, and a maximum of two claims per 12-month period, depending on the card issuer.

These credit cards with travel insurance provide an easy way to save money without having to take out additional policies, while keeping you protected.

Golf Benefits

Most Visa Infinite cards—including the Chase Sapphire Reserve—get special discounts through Troon Golf Rewards when booking through the Visa Infinite website.

Visa Infinite cardholders are entitled to $99 (plus tax) rounds of golf per player per round. You can book the tee time for you and up to three other players at this rate and up to two rounds per year are covered at each course.

If you’re all about golf, this is a sweet benefit that not many cardholders are aware of.

Exclusive Access to Experiences and Events

All major U.S. credit card issuers, as well as certain hotel chains, have programs that offer exclusive access to a variety of events and experiences. These include the following programs:

• American Express Experiences
• Capital One Entertainment
• Chase Experiences
• Citi Entertainment
• Hilton Experiences
• Find Experiences by World of Hyatt
• Marriott Bonvoy Moments
• Wells Fargo Autograph Card Exclusives

Through these programs, you can gain access to all sorts of special events and occasions, such as through Capital One concert tickets. This can include everything from presale access to tickets, access to special areas within venues, discounts on merchandise at events, music festivals, exclusive fine dining experiences, cultural events, concerts, VIP seating, cooking classes, sporting events and much more.

So, the next time you’re hungry for adventure or a special experience, take a look at your card issuer’s experiences and events program to see what’s on offer.

Concierge Services

Many of us dream of having a personal assistant. Whether it’s for the most mundane tasks or complex problem-solving, your own PA could make life a lot easier at times. Enter, credit card concierge services.

Credit card issuers such as American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Citi and Chase all offer their own concierge services for specific cardholders that can help you out when things get complicated (or simply mundane). Likewise, those with World Mastercard, World Elite Mastercard, Luxury Card, Visa Infinite and Visa Signature cards have access to concierge services.

These services can help you when it comes to tasks such as:

1. Everyday tasks. Concierge services can help with planning, recommending and organizing everyday tasks, whether it’s a trip to the barber shop, pet sitting or maid services.
2. Exclusive events and experiences. You can also get help and recommendations when booking exclusive events and experiences through your concierge service.
3. Dining-related activities. If you’re looking for food recommendations or want a table booked, your concierge service can do the work for you.
4. Travel planning. Concierge services can help you when it comes to putting together your travel itinerary, including booking flights, hotels, experiences, transportation and even providing recommendations based on your destination.
5. Transportation. Concierge services can advise on the best local public transportation methods at home and abroad.

If you want to feel like a VIP without the associated costs, take advantage of your card issuer’s concierge service for help with all aspects of life, from the mundane to the glamorous. Do keep in mind that any goods or services booked through a concierge service will require payment.

SmartDelay Lounge Access

Holders of the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® card are in luck when it comes to flight delays.

If your flight is delayed, SmartDelay travel protection will give you access to airport lounges in your terminal so you can put your feet up and get some rest while waiting for your flight. You’ll have full access to the lounge’s amenities, including complimentary food and drink.

To be eligible, you’ll need to register your flight with SmartDelay a minimum of two hours before departure. Once your flight is announced as delayed, SmartDelay will automatically email you complimentary lounge access vouchers.

SmartDelay has a network of more than 1,700 airport lounges across 500 airports in more than 100 countries, meaning you have a good chance of securing lounge access in case of a delayed flight.

If you want to find out which lounges you can access in any given airport, take advantage of the My10x Lounge Finder tool.

Other Common Credit Card Benefits

The aforementioned card benefits are some of the least well known. However, they can offer you significant value, helping to offset the annual fee.

Whether you take advantage of free monthly museum visits, unique experiences and events through your card issuer, concierge services or price drop protection, you can score great value from these benefits.

For this reason, it’s key to consider which benefits you could utilize when evaluating a prospective credit card’s annual fee.

For instance, the cost of entry at major museums across the U.S. can be close to and even upward of $30 for adults. If you would visit just four major museums in a year as a Bank of America cardholder, you could save at least $120 in equivalent fees through the Museums on Us program. Therefore, if this is a benefit you would utilize, you can deduct your savings from the annual fee of a prospective Bank of America card to work out the degree to which you could offset its annual fee.

Other noteworthy card benefits that should be mentioned, but are more well known, include the following:

• Airline incidental fee credits. Credits for airline incidental fees cover seat assignment fees, checked baggage fees, Wi-Fi purchases and other additional spending with an airline. American Express Platinum Card^® (see rates & fees) and The Business Platinum® Card from American Express (see rates & fees) offer an annual $200 airline incidental credit for one preselected airline of your choice.

• Companion certificates. Some co-branded airline cards offer spending-based or complimentary annual companion certificates. For instance, the Atmos™ Rewards Visa Business Card offers a Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $6,000 within a card membership year. It’s also often included in the card’s welcome offer. Similarly, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offers a complimentary annual companion certificate good for one round-trip flight on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations.

• Complimentary elite status. Certain co-branded credit cards as well as general travel rewards cards offer complimentary elite status with hotel rewards programs. For instance, holders of the Platinum Card^® enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status. Likewise, World of Hyatt Credit Card holders gain automatic Hyatt Discoverist status and IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card gain Platinum Elite status with the opportunity to earn Diamond status after spending $40,000 within a calendar year.

• Complimentary lounge access. Lounge access is a common benefit among travel rewards cards. Some lower-tier cards include complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, such as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Some premium cards, such as The Platinum Card from American Express, offer complimentary access to a number of lounge networks, in this case through the American Express Global Lounge Collection.

• Dining credits. Certain credit cards offer annual dining credits with specific merchants, typically issued in monthly increments. You’ll need to dine with these merchants every month to get full use out of the credit. Examples include the American Express® Gold Card (see rates & fees) that offers more than $300 worth of annual statement credits with various merchants like Dunkin’ (issued in monthly credits; terms and conditions apply). Similarly, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card offers an annual up to $300 dining credit issued in up to $25 monthly increments for restaurants worldwide.

• Extended warranty protection. Many credit cards offer extended warranty protection, with differing policies. Extended warranty protection typically extends existing warranties by up to one year on U.S. manufactured goods, when you pay with your eligible credit card.
• Free checked bags. Certain co-branded airline credit cards offer the opportunity for you and even your companions to check one bag free of charge. For instance, the The New United℠ Explorer Card offers a free checked bag for you and one companion. Likewise, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card offers a free first checked bag for you and up to eight companions on the same reservation, offering unparalleled savings potential.

• Global Entry and TSA PreCheck® fee credits. Many travel rewards credit cards will reimburse your application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck when you pay using your card. Some examples include the Platinum Card from American Express, Chase Sapphire Reserve and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Some cards also cover Nexus application fees.

• Purchase protection. Similar to extended warranty protection, many credit cards offer purchase protection when you use them to pay for a product. This protects a new purchase against unintentional damage and theft for the first 60 to 120 days after purchasing it, depending on your card issuer. Claim limits vary between credit cards, so be sure to check with your card issuer in advance.
• Travel credits. Travel credits reimburse you for travel-related expenditure. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card offer an annual travel credit of $300. Likewise, the Capital One Venture X Credit Card offers an annual $300 travel credit that can be used for Capital One Travel purchases only.

• Uber credits. Certain credit cards offer Uber Cash credits. For example, The Platinum Card from American Express offers $15 in Uber Cash credits per month with a $20 bonus in December (+ $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.) The American Express Gold Card offers $10 per month in Uber Cash credits (see rates & fees).
• Walmart credits. The Platinum Card from American Express and the American Express® Business Gold Card (see rates & fees) offer an annual statement credit of $155 for Walmart+ membership, up to $12.95 a month plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.

When lesser known card perks are combined with some of the better known aforementioned card perks above, annual fees start to look miniscule in comparison to the value of the benefits you can get in return.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to overlook the more unique perks of a credit card in favor of its welcome offer and point multipliers. However, after you’ve earned a card’s welcome offer, its ongoing perks play a massive role in determining its value. As you can see, there are many hidden credit card benefits in addition to better known benefits that when added together, offer tons of ongoing value.

So the next time you’re considering which credit card to open, dig a little deeper to find out all the perks you could be getting from a prospective card.