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FAA Ground Stop: Which Credit Cards Cover Trip Delays and How to File a Claim
September 27, 2026
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
On Friday evening, November 13, the FAA halted flights nationwide after what it called "a data overload on its air traffic control systems." Thousands of flights were grounded, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that air traffic would be slow to return to normal.
If you paid for an airport hotel or meals while you waited, your credit card may pay you back. Several travel cards include trip delay coverage that reimburses reasonable expenses when a flight is delayed. Here's which cards offer the most protection, whether an air traffic control outage qualifies, and how to file a claim before the deadline.
What Does the Airline Owe You After the Ground Stop?
Less than you might hope. Secretary Duffy said the FAA, not the airlines, caused the grounding. Airlines generally cover meals and hotels only when a disruption is within their control, so they aren't required to cover them here, though you can still ask.
You do keep your refund rights. Under Department of Transportation rules, if your flight was canceled or significantly delayed and you chose not to travel, the airline owes you a cash refund, even on a nonrefundable ticket. You don't have to accept a rebooking or a flight credit.
That still leaves hotel and meal costs on you, which is where card coverage comes in.
Not sure what your cards cover? See how Kudos tracks your card perks and benefits.
How Does Credit Card Trip Delay Coverage Work?
Trip delay coverage reimburses reasonable expenses you pay out of pocket while you're stuck, such as meals, lodging, toiletries and medication. It starts once your delay passes a set number of hours, usually 6 or 12. On some cards, a delay that forces an overnight stay also qualifies.
A few rules apply to almost every card:
- You have to pay with the card. Chase and Capital One require at least part of the fare to be paid with the card or its rewards. American Express requires the full cost of the trip on the card, though you can combine it with points.
- The delay needs a covered reason. Each card lists the causes it covers, such as severe weather or equipment failure.
- The coverage is secondary. It pays only after the airline or any other insurance you have reimburses what it will.
- There are deadlines. You usually have 30 to 60 days to notify the benefits administrator.
Trip delay coverage only helps if you pay for the flight with the right card. The Kudos Benefits Tracker lists the protections on every card in your wallet, so you can check which one covers delays before you book your Thanksgiving flights.
Which Credit Cards Offer the Most Trip Delay Protection?
These cards offer the strongest coverage, ranked by how quickly coverage starts, how much it pays and who it covers. The terms below come from each issuer's benefit guide.
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Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers the broadest coverage on this list. It pays up to $500 per covered traveler per trip when your flight is delayed more than 6 hours or the delay requires an overnight stay. You only need to pay part of the fare with the card or with Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
Covered travelers include you and a wide circle of family members, such as your spouse or domestic partner, children, parents and siblings, and they don't need to be traveling with you. A family of four on one delayed trip could claim up to $2,000.
Calculation formulated by Kudos, based on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® maximum of $500 per covered traveler per trip, multiplied by four covered travelers.
Points are not earned until after the first $300 is spent annually on travel purchases. The first $300 goes toward the $300 Annual Travel Credit.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card covers delays of more than 6 hours, or delays that require an overnight stay, up to $500 per ticket. Paying part of the fare with the card or with your Venture X miles qualifies. Coverage extends to you, your spouse and your dependent children.
Watch the deadline. Capital One's benefit guide asks you to call the benefits administrator within 30 days of the delay, half the time Chase and American Express give you.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express pays up to $500 per covered trip when you're delayed more than 6 hours, with a limit of 2 claims per card in any 12-month period. The full cost of the trip must be charged to the card, though you can combine it with Membership Rewards points or other frequent flyer points.
Coverage includes you, your spouse or domestic partner, your dependent children and traveling companions whose trips were purchased with the card.
Cards With 12-Hour Delay Coverage
Some cards also cover delays, but only once they pass 12 hours. If Friday's ground stop left you stranded overnight, these may still help.
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- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Up to $500 per covered traveler per trip for delays of more than 12 hours, or delays that require an overnight stay. The same part-of-the-fare payment rule as the Reserve applies.
- American Express® Gold Card: Up to $300 per covered trip for delays of more than 12 hours, with 2 claims per 12-month period. The full trip must be charged to the card.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company. American Express Trip Delay Insurance is issued by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Comparing travel cards? Put them side by side in Kudos Explore.
Does an Air Traffic Control Outage Qualify for Trip Delay Coverage?
This is the open question for Friday's ground stop. None of these benefit guides names an air traffic control outage as a covered reason, so each benefits administrator will decide claims case by case.
- Chase and Capital One cover delays caused by equipment failure, inclement weather, strike, or hijacking. Their guides don't limit "equipment failure" to the airline's own equipment, which may help your claim.
- American Express covers inclement weather, terrorist action or hijacking, lost or stolen passports and travel documents, and equipment failure of the airline itself, as documented by the airline. Since the FAA's systems aren't the airline's equipment, an Amex claim for this ground stop may be harder to get approved.
If your delay passed your card's threshold, file anyway. Ask your airline for a written statement of the delay and its cause, and let the administrator make the call.
How Do You File a Trip Delay Claim?
- Save every receipt. Keep itemized receipts for hotels, meals, rides and essentials you bought during the delay.
- Get proof of the delay. Ask the airline for a written delay confirmation, or save the app notifications and emails showing your original and actual departure times.
- Keep your booking records. You'll need your itinerary, boarding passes and the card statement showing how you paid for the fare.
- Ask the airline first. The coverage is secondary, so request any vouchers or reimbursement the airline offers, and keep a record of what it pays or denies.
- Notify the administrator on time. Chase asks for notice within 60 days, Capital One within 30 days, and American Express within 60 days, with written proof due within 180 days.
For a delay on November 13, that means contacting the administrator by December 13 for the Venture X, and by January 12, 2027, for Chase and American Express cards.
Dates calculated by Kudos, based on each issuer's notice deadline counted from November 13, 2026.
Check Your Cards Before Thanksgiving Travel
Thanksgiving week is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Before you book or check in, confirm which card in your wallet has trip delay coverage, and use that card to pay for your flights.
Kudos makes that easier:
- See your protections in one place. The Benefits Tracker shows the travel protections on every card in your Kudos Wallet.
- Weigh rewards against protection. Kudos recommends the best card for each purchase, so you can see what you give up, if anything, by paying with the card that has delay coverage.
- Compare before you apply. If none of your cards covers delays, Kudos Explore lets you compare travel cards side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does credit card trip delay insurance cover an FAA ground stop?
Not explicitly. None of the major issuers lists air traffic control outages as a covered reason, so the benefits administrator decides each claim. Chase and Capital One cover equipment failure without limiting it to the airline, while American Express requires a failure of the airline's own equipment.
How long do I have to file a trip delay claim?
Chase and American Express ask you to notify the benefits administrator within 60 days of the delay. Capital One asks for notice within 30 days. American Express also requires written proof within 180 days.
Do I need to pay for the whole flight with my card?
It depends on the card. Chase and Capital One require at least part of the fare to be paid with the card or its rewards. American Express requires the full cost of the trip on the card, though you can combine it with points.
What expenses does trip delay insurance cover?
Reasonable additional costs during the delay, such as meals, lodging, toiletries and medication. Coverage is secondary, so it pays after any reimbursement from the airline or other insurance.
Will the airline pay for my hotel after the FAA ground stop?
Secretary Duffy said the FAA caused the ground stop, so airlines generally aren't required to cover hotels, but you can ask. If your flight was canceled or significantly delayed and you chose not to travel, you're entitled to a cash refund under Department of Transportation rules.
Bottom Line
If Friday's ground stop cost you a hotel night or a few meals, check your card's benefit guide before you write the money off. The Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Capital One Venture X and The Platinum Card® from American Express offer the strongest delay coverage, though whether an air traffic control outage qualifies is up to each administrator. Save your receipts, get proof of the delay, and file before your deadline.
Then, before Thanksgiving, use Kudos to confirm which card in your wallet covers delays, so you're protected on your next trip.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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