How your credit card company can help if traveling goes awry

Fine print often taketh away, but sometimes it giveth.

In a busy travel week like this, it’s possible your cards could help you out if you get into a bind.

Mark Orlowski, a travel aficionado and the founder of a nonprofit called the Sustainable Endowments Institute, joined us to share some of the “hidden” benefits or services that credit card companies can provide if travel goes wrong:

• If your flight’s been delayed for a certain amount of hours, some cards will cover necessary expenses. For example, you could get reimbursed for the cost of an overnight hotel. 

• Check to see if your credit card company offers lost baggage reimbursement.

• Some will also reimburse you over delayed baggage. If you purchased merchandise to compensate for any late items, your credit card company could cover those expenses. 

• Thought not all will, there are companies that will still provide benefits like these if you use a third-party booking site.