American Express® Trip Cancel Guard™
Book with optimism.
Cancel with confidence.
With Trip Cancel Guard, you can cancel your flight for any reason up to 2 full calendar days before departure and receive up to 75% reimbursement when an airline credit or voucher is not available or expires. Available exclusively with flights booked on AmexTravel.com.
Please review the FAQs below to learn more.
Purchase and Use Trip Cancel Guard in 3 easy steps✝:
1. Purchase Your Trip and Trip Cancel Guard
Purchase Trip Cancel Guard when booking an eligible flight itinerary through AmexTravel.com
2. If You Cancel Your Trip
Contact your airline or American Express Travel® to cancel your flight for any reason at least two calendar days before your departure date
3. Make A Request for Reimbursement
Once your trip is cancelled, submit a request online through the Digital Claims Center* or by phone and you may receive up to 75% reimbursement of nonrefundable flight costs
✝Illustration only
QUICK FACTS:
Available for purchase with all US American Express® Cards
Cancel for any reason you choose at least 2 days before departure
Up to 75% reimbursement with a convenient digital process*
*Currently available for American Express Card Members only
American Express® Trip Cancel Guard™
The flexibility to change your mind.
There are some things you just can't plan for. Luckily, there's Trip Cancel Guard.
HOW IT WORKS:
Add Trip Cancel Guard and get up to 75% reimbursement if you cancel your eligible flight at least two full calendar days before. Available exclusively through AmexTravel.com at the time of booking.
Trip Cancel Guard is in effect until you cancel your benefit, submit a request for reimbursement on a canceled flight, or you reach your benefit end date. This benefit applies only before your trip starts and does not offer coverage during your trip or return flight.
If you want to update or change your trip, you must call the Benefit Administrator to
determine if the benefit can be applied to your updated itinerary.
If you get a travel credit or airline voucher for your cancelled trip, Trip Cancel Guard can provide reimbursement once the credit or voucher has expired or is
forfeited by its own terms and conditions.
Trip Cancel Guard is not insurance and may be purchased in addition to any other travel insurance.
Click here for Terms & Conditions
Ready to book your travel?
Purchase Trip Cancel Guard when booking an eligible flight itinerary through AmexTravel.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Trip Cancel Guard is an optional add-on benefit available for certain travel itineraries booked through American Express TRS that allows You to receive reimbursement when You cancel Your trip for any reason at least two (2) full calendar days before Your Departure Date and before the Benefit End Date, as defined by the benefit terms & conditions. You may receive reimbursement of up to the amount stated on Your Schedule of Benefits, which is up to 75% of Your Nonrefundable Prepaid Expenses. This benefit is a cancellation fee waiver and is not an insurance product.
You must cancel Your trip with American Express TRS or Your airline carrier prior to the restricted period, which includes the 2 full calendar days before Your original scheduled Departure Date. The Benefit End Date is the date by which You need to cancel before 11:59 PM in order to be eligible for benefits and is listed on Your Schedule of Benefits. Below are illustrative examples of eligible and non-eligible trip cancellation:
- For a flight departing on July 15th, You cancel before 11:59 PM on July 12th
- This cancellation meets eligibility requirements
- For a flight departing on July 15th, You cancel before 11:59 PM on July 13th
- This cancellation does not meet eligibility requirements. July 13th is one of the 2 full calendar days prior to the trip Departure Date
- This cancellation does not meet eligibility requirements. July 13th is one of the 2 full calendar days prior to the trip Departure Date
Yes! You may purchase Trip Cancel Guard in addition to any other travel insurance. Trip Cancel Guard will provide reimbursement if You decide to cancel Your trip for any reason at least two (2) full calendar days before Your Departure Date and before the Benefit End Date, as defined by the benefit terms & conditions. Please review Your travel insurance policy details for the specific reasons that trip cancellation insurance coverage is different from Trip Cancel Guard and whether You are eligible for benefits under one or both.
If You have purchased Trip Cancel Guard and receive a travel credit or airline voucher for Your cancelled itinerary, Your eligibility for reimbursement from Trip Cancel Guard may be delayed until the credit or voucher expires or is forfeited by its own terms and conditions. If the credit or voucher expires or is forfeited, You may reopen Your request for benefit.
If You are charged and pay an additional penalty fee due to cancellation to receive or use a travel credit or voucher provided for Your cancelled itinerary, You may make a request to receive reimbursement for those penalty fees charged and paid due to cancellation, regardless of credit or voucher status or when fee is charged.
Cancellation fees charged by airlines may go by different names, but only fees that were charged and paid directly as a result of trip cancellation will be eligible for reimbursement.
This benefit is available for itineraries paid with American Express Membership Rewards® points only when used through the Pay with Points Program. This benefit is not available, however, for travel purchased with travel award credits such as loyalty points, vouchers, credits, coupons or similar programs offered by travel suppliers including airlines or American Express Travel & Lifestyle Services. Additionally, this benefit is not available for travel purchased with travel supplier credits obtained by exchanging American Express Membership Rewards points for those travel supplier credits.
No, this benefit may only be purchased at the time of booking the itinerary and cannot be added after the booking is completed.
If You are experiencing a website error, please check back later as the Trip Cancel Guard is not available for purchase offline.
If You change Your original flight itinerary, it is Your responsibility to call the Benefit Administrator as soon as possible to determine if Your enrollment in this benefit can be reissued. Please note, Trip Cancel Guard only applies to the one original Eligible Trip Itinerary unless the Benefit Administrator is able to reissue the benefit for an updated itinerary. In some cases, the Benefit Administrator may be able to reissue Your benefit for Your updated itinerary. If the Benefit Administrator is not able to reissue Your benefit OR You do not contact the Benefit Administrator, reimbursement may only be provided based on the original amount as stated in Your original Schedule of Benefits. Please see below for illustrative, non-exhaustive examples of itinerary changes:
Benefit Administrators may be able to amend Your benefit for flight-related changes, like:
· Upgrade seat or fare class
· Change in trip Departure Date
· Change in trip length
· Adding additional travelers (Eligible Beneficiaries)
· Added WiFi, seat selection, or specialty meal
Trip Cancel Guard only applies to flight-related purchases. Therefore, Benefit Administrators cannot amend Your benefit to include newly added itinerary components or costs, like:
· Add on hotel to itinerary
· Add on car rental to itinerary
· Add on cruise to itinerary
· Add on tour package or excursion to itinerary
· Add on train to itinerary
Yes, Trip Cancel Guard is available for purchase in all fifty (50) US States and US territories. American Express reserves the right to limit purchase of Trip Cancel Guard at any time.
No, Trip Cancel Guard is not available for all itineraries. Currently, Trip Cancel Guard is only available for stand-alone airfare purchases made on AmexTravel.com and does not include packaged travel purchases such as flight + hotel, cruise and/or car rentals. Other factors such as the total trip cost may impact the availability of the benefit for Your itinerary. American Express also reserves the right to limit purchase of Trip Cancel Guard at any time.
The Trip Cancel Guard benefit is in effect unless You cancel Your benefit, or until You or Eligible Beneficiary(ies) submit a request for reimbursement on a cancelled flight, or You reach Your Benefit End Date. The Trip Cancel Guard benefit does not apply during travel or to travel interruptions or return flights.
The fee for Trip Cancel Guard is a percentage of the total flight cost, inclusive of taxes and fees.
Learn more about other American Express
Travel Protections and Benefits.
American Express Travel Insurance
Help protect your trip with American Express Travel Insurance. Learn More.
American Express® Trip Cancel GuardTM
Cancellation Fee Waiver
Terms & Conditions
Revised May 2022
The American Express Trip Cancel Guard is an optional benefit enabling Eligible Beneficiaries to receive partial
reimbursement for Eligible Trip Itineraries purchased through American Express TRS that are cancelled for
any reason at least 2 full calendar days before the Departure Date and before the Benefit End Date. This benefit
is a cancellation fee waiver and is not an insurance product. Trip Cancel Guard is only available for purchase
through American Express TRS at the time of the Eligible Trip Itinerary booking. With this benefit, the Eligible
Beneficiaries may receive reimbursement for up to 75% of Nonrefundable Prepaid Expenses listed on the
Eligible Trip Itinerary purchased through American Express TRS as stated on Your Schedule of Benefits.
Reimbursement is subject to requirements and restrictions.
Trip Cancellation and Reimbursement Process
Eligible Trip Itinerary Cancellation
1. You may cancel all or part of Your Eligible Trip Itinerary and may receive reimbursement for up to the
amount stated on Your Schedule of Benefits, subject to the notice and timing requirements of this
benefit. You may also cancel itineraries for each Eligible Beneficiary listed on the Eligible Trip Itinerary.
2. In order to be eligible for this benefit, You must cancel your Eligible Trip Itinerary with TLS or the airline
carrier before your Benefit End Date.
• If You cancel Your trip after Your Benefit End Date during the two (2) full day restricted period
before Your Departure Date, You will no longer be eligible to make a Request for Reimbursement.
If You are no longer eligible to make a Request for Reimbursement, any trip cancellation penalties
or lost Nonrefundable Prepaid Expenses are not eligible for reimbursement under American
Express Trip Cancel Guard.
Eligible Trip Itinerary Request for Reimbursement
1. You may complete a Request for Reimbursement at www.americanexpress.com/protectionbenefits or
by calling the Benefit Administrator at 1-800-228-6855. The Benefit Administrator must be notified no
more than thirty (30) days after trip cancellation, or as soon as reasonably possible.
2. The Benefit Administrator will review the Request for Reimbursement and may request additional
materials from You to support the Request for Reimbursement. Additional information must be
submitted no more than sixty (60) days from the time of request, or as soon as reasonably possible.
• In order for the Benefit Administrator to evaluate a Request for Reimbursement, You must
cooperate by providing any requested documents or statements that determine the amount of
Nonrefundable Prepaid Expenses and whether the Eligible Trip Itinerary cancellation is eligible for
reimbursement by another benefit or plan.
3. If a Request for Reimbursement is approved by the Benefit Administrator, reimbursement will be paid
directly and separately to each of the Eligible Beneficiaries included in the Request for Reimbursement
at the address provided for each Eligible Beneficiary in the Request for Reimbursement.
• If You receive a travel voucher and/or credit from Your travel supplier, Your Request for
Reimbursement may not be eligible for reimbursement until the travel voucher and/or credit is
forfeited or has expired. You may contact the Benefit Administrator to reopen the Request for
Reimbursement once Your travel voucher and/or credit is forfeited or has expired.
• Any amount payable to a minor will be paid to a guardian of that minor
Benefit Communication
General Administration
We will communicate directly with the purchaser of this benefit on behalf of all Eligible Beneficiaries, unless We
are told to communicate directly with any Eligible Beneficiary by that Eligible Beneficiary.
Request for Reimbursement
When completing a Request for Reimbursement, an individual may indicate that they are authorized to provide
the address and contact information for other Eligible Beneficiaries listed in the Schedule of Benefits, in which
case we will communicate with those Eligible Beneficiaries unless directed otherwise.
Benefit Cancellation
The purchaser of this benefit may cancel for a full refund of the fees paid for Trip Cancel Guard within fourteen (14)
calendar days after the date of purchase. The purchaser of this benefit will not be eligible for a refund of fees paid
if:
• You have cancelled Your Eligible Trip Itinerary and made a Request for Reimbursement during this
period OR
• The request for refund occurs after the Benefit End Date stated on Your Schedule of Benefits
To request a refund of the fees paid for Trip Cancel Guard, please call the Benefit Administrator at 1-800-228-
6855.
What do the Defined Terms mean?
Capitalized and Bolded terms have the meanings set forth below. The singular includes the plural and the plural
includes the singular, as the context requires. The singular includes the possessive, as the context requires.
“Including” and any derivative form means “including but not limited to”.
American Express TRS means American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Benefit Administrator means the administrator of this benefit for American Express TRS.
Benefit Effective Date means the date on which Trip Cancel Guard was purchased, as stated in Your Schedule of
Benefits.
Benefit End Date means 11:59 PM on the date listed on Your Schedule of Benefits at Your city of departure that
is listed on Your Eligible Trip Itinerary.
Departure Date means the date on which an Eligible Beneficiary is originally scheduled to depart on the Eligible
Trip Itinerary.
Eligible Beneficiary means any traveler listed on the Eligible Trip Itinerary and named on the Schedule of
Benefits who is eligible to receive reimbursement through Trip Cancel Guard. This benefit only applies to Eligible
Trip Itineraries with 10 or fewer listed travelers.
Eligible Trip Itinerary or Trip means the one original itinerary containing standalone airfare only and trip ID
purchased through American Express TRS’ travel website, AmexTravel.com, at the same time you purchased
this optional benefit and that has no more than 10 named Eligible Beneficiaries.
Nonrefundable Prepaid Expenses are:
• Forfeited payments or deposits (including expired or forfeited travel credit and vouchers)
• Airline cancellation or penalty fees charged to and paid by You caused by Eligible Trip Itinerary
cancellation
Request for Reimbursement means a request made by You to the Benefit Administrator to reimburse Eligible
Beneficiaries for loss of up to 75% of Nonrefundable Prepaid Expenses linked to an Eligible Trip Itinerary that You cancel at least two (2) full calendar days before the Departure Date. You can make a request by providing
notice and documentation required by the Benefit Administrator that states the amount of Nonrefundable
Prepaid Expenses to be reimbursed up to the amount stated on Your Schedule of Benefits. If the purchaser of
this benefit is not a traveler then they are not an Eligible Beneficiary and are not eligible to receive reimbursement.
Schedule of Benefits means the summary of benefits for all Eligible Beneficiaries under Trip Cancel Guard.
TLS means the American Express Travel & Lifestyle Services division of American Express TRS
You means the purchaser of Trip Cancel Guard and Eligible Beneficiaries entitled to cancel all or part of an Eligible
Trip Itinerary and complete a Request for Reimbursement.
Integrated Document
The terms and conditions of Trip Cancel Guard are stated in this terms and conditions document and the
Schedule of Benefits. This terms and conditions document and the Schedule of Benefits, plus the Eligible Trip
Itinerary are the integrated benefit contract.
American Express TRS’s Right of Recovery
If payment is made under this benefit, American Express TRS shall be subrogated, to the extent of such payment,
to all rights of recovery, and any person(s) receiving payment shall not waive American Express TRS’s rights and
shall cooperate to enable American Express TRS to bring suit or otherwise pursue subrogation.
American Express TRS is entitled to recover any amount from other responsible parties or persons (excluding
You when correctly provided benefits under Trip Cancel Guard) up to the amount of American Express TRS’s
payment. Any party or person recovering such amounts from other parties or persons shall reimburse American
Express TRS to the extent of American Express TRS’s payment.
Fraud Warning
If any Request for Reimbursement made under this benefit is determined to be fraudulent, or if any fraudulent
means or devices are used by You or a person requesting benefits, all benefits will be forfeited.
ARBITRATION CLAUSE
MOST CONCERNS CAN BE RESOLVED QUICKLY AND TO YOUR SATISFACTION BY CALLING BENEFIT
ADMINISTRATOR AT 1-800-228-6855. IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT BENEFIT ADMINISTRATOR IS UNABLE
TO RESOLVE A COMPLAINT YOU MAY HAVE TO YOUR SATISFACTION (OR IF AMERICAN EXPRESS TRS HAS
NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE A DISPUTE IT HAS WITH YOU AFTER ATTEMPTING TO DO SO INFORMALLY),
YOU AND AMERICAN EXPRESS TRS EACH AGREE TO RESOLVE THOSE COMPLAINTS OR DISPUTES
THROUGH BINDING ARBITRATION INSTEAD OF IN COURTS OF GENERAL JURISDICTION TO THE FULLEST
EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
ARBITRATION IS MORE INFORMAL THAN A LAWSUIT IN COURT. ARBITRATION USES A NEUTRAL
ARBITRATOR INSTEAD OF A JUDGE OR JURY, ALLOWS FOR MORE LIMITED DISCOVERY THAN IN COURT, AND
IS SUBJECT TO VERY LIMITED REVIEW BY COURTS. ARBITRATORS CAN AWARD THE SAME DAMAGES AND
RELIEF THAT A COURT CAN AWARD. ANY ARBITRATION UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL TAKE PLACE ON AN
INDIVIDUAL BASIS; CLASS ARBITRATIONS AND CLASS ACTIONS ARE NOT PERMITTED.
(a) American Express TRS and You agree to arbitrate all complaints and disputes relating to the benefit, except
any complaints and disputes which under governing law are not subject to arbitration. This agreement to arbitrate
(the “Agreement”) is intended to be broadly interpreted and to make all complaints and disputes relating to the
benefit subject to arbitration to the fullest extent permitted by law.
You agree that You and American Express TRS are each waiving the right to a trial by jury or to participate in a
class action. This Agreement evidences a transaction in interstate commerce, and thus the Federal Arbitration
Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of this arbitration provision. This arbitration provision shall survive
termination of this Agreement.
(b) A party whointends to seek arbitration must first send to the other, by certified mail, a written Notice of Dispute
("Arbitration Notice"). The Arbitration Notice to American Express TRSshould be addressed to:
American Express ADR
c/o CT Corporation System,
111 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10011
(the “Arbitration Notice Address”). The Arbitration Notice must describe the nature and basis of the complaint
or dispute and set forth the specific relief You seek from American Express TRS (the “Demand”). Please retain a
copy of the Demand for Your records.
If American Express TRS and You do not reach an agreement to resolve the complaint or dispute within 30 days
after the Arbitration Notice is received, You or American ExpressTRS may commence an arbitration proceeding.
During the arbitration, the amount of any settlement offer made by American Express TRS or You shall not be
disclosed to the arbitrator until after the arbitrator determines the amount, if any, to which You or American
Express TRS is entitled.
(c) After American Express TRS receives notice at the Arbitration Notice Address that You have commenced
arbitration, it will promptly reimburse You for Your payment of the filing fee. If You are unable to pay this fee,
American Express TRS will pay it directly upon receiving a written request at the Arbitration Notice Address.
Arbitration may be referred to either JAMS (1-800-352-5267, jamsadr.com) or the American Arbitration
Association (“AAA”) (1-800-778-7879, www.adr.org), as selected by the party electing arbitration. Complaints
and disputes will be resolved pursuant to this Arbitration provision and the selected organization's rules in effect
when the complaint or dispute is filed, except where those rules conflict with this Agreement. If we choose the
organization, You may select the other within 30 days after receiving notice of our selection. Contact JAMS or
AAA to begin an arbitration or for other information.
The arbitrator shall be bound by the terms of this Agreement. The arbitrator shall have the power and authority to
award any relief that would have been available in court, including equitable relief (e.g., injunction, specific
performance) and, cumulative with all other remedies, shall grant specific performance whenever possible. The
arbitrator shall have no power or authority to alter the Agreement or any of its separate provisions, including this
section, nor to determine any matter or make any award except as provided in this section. Unless American
Express TRS and You agree otherwise, any arbitration hearings will take place in the county (or parish) of Your
billing address. If Your complaint is for $10,000 or less, we agree that You may choose whether the arbitration will
be conducted solely on the basis of documents submitted to the arbitrator, through a telephonic hearing, or by an
in-person hearing as established by the selected organization’s rules. If Your complaint exceeds $10,000, the right
to a hearing will be determined by the selected organization’s rules. Except as otherwise provided for herein,
American Express TRS will pay all of selected organization’s filing fees, however, the parties will be equally
responsible for any administration and arbitrator fees for any arbitration initiated in accordance with the notice
requirements above. If, however, the arbitrator finds that either the substance of Your complaint or dispute or the
relief sought in the Arbitration Demand is frivolous or brought for an improper purpose (as measured by the
standards set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b)), then the payment of all such fees will be governed by
the selected organization’s rules. In such case, You agree to reimburse American Express TRS for all monies
previously disbursed by it that are otherwise Your obligation to pay under the AAA Rules.
(d) The arbitrator may make rulings and resolve complaints and disputes as to the payment and reimbursement
of fees and expenses at any time during the proceeding or in the final award, pursuant to applicable law and the
selected organization’s rules.
(e) Discovery and/or the exchange of non-privileged information relevant to the complaint or dispute will be
governed by the selected organization’s rules.
(f) YOU, AND AMERICAN EXPRESSTRS AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING COMPLAINTS OR DISPUTES
AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS
MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. Further, unless both You and
American Express TRS agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and
may not otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding. The arbitrator may award
injunctive relief only in favor of the individual party seeking relief and only to the extent necessary to provide relief
warranted by that party's individual claim. If this specific subparagraph (f) is found to be unenforceable, then the
entirety of this arbitration provision shall be null and void.
American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. is acting solely as a sales agent for travel suppliers and is not responsible for the actions or inactions of such suppliers. Certain suppliers pay us commission and other incentives for reaching sales targets or other goals and may provide incentives to our Travel Consultants. For more information visit www.americanexpress.com/travelterms.
California CST#1022318; Washington UBI#600-469-694