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Visa Infinite: Everything you need to know, from rental car perks to lounge access

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If you have a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , United Club℠ Infinite Card or the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card, you may have noticed that it carries “Visa Infinite” branding.

Since only a few cards in the U.S. are Visa Infinite products, we don’t blame you if you’re a bit clueless as to what this designation entails. In addition to the cards mentioned, there aren’t many other Visa Infinite cards that are easy to obtain.

We’ll outline the perks of the Visa Infinite program below, but the first thing to know is that Visa Infinite cards are a step up from the more common Visa Signature designation found on cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

As we review the benefits, remember these are the possible perks available through the Visa Infinite program. Specific issuers can tweak or exclude certain ones, as you’ll see with the variation in lounge access benefits.

The information for the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: The 10 most valuable World Elite Mastercard benefits

Travel and lifestyle benefits

Global Entry application fee credit

This Visa Infinite program will reimburse you for the $100 fee when you apply for Global Entry. While this program is worth signing up for to breeze through immigration, several other premium travel rewards cards also offer a Global Entry fee reimbursement, so this shouldn’t factor too heavily in your decision to get a Visa Infinite card.

Car rental privileges

Cardholders get special discounts at car rental providers such as Avis, National and Hertz and are eligible for various VIP amenities. The Visa Infinite program offers primary car rental insurance (more on that later in the post), so using an eligible card could be a great choice for renting a set of wheels.

Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection

When you book a hotel stay with a Visa Infinite card, you’ll enjoy perks such as an automatic room upgrade on arrival (when available), free Wi-Fi and complimentary continental breakfast. Your Visa Infinite card will get you all the benefits available to Visa Signature cardholders, plus an extra amenity at over 200 locations.

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Note that the extra amenity you receive will vary by location. If you’re looking for a particular one, it’s a good idea to verify what amenity you’ll receive before booking.

Visa Infinite Concierge

Like most premium card programs, the Visa Infinite program includes a dedicated concierge service that can assist with travel and dining arrangements, shopping, access to exclusive events and more. You can expect great service and assistance with almost whatever outing you plan. The service is available 24/7, 365 days a year, and can be used domestically or abroad.

Priority Pass lounge access

Having a credit card with airport lounge access can be a game changer, and Priority Pass is the biggest airport lounge network with more than 1,500 locations worldwide. The exact lounge access privileges you’ll get vary depending on the card.

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For example, the Sapphire Reserve comes with a full Priority Pass Select membership, which gets the cardholder and up to two guests unlimited lounge visits. On the other hand, the Altitude Reserve card comes with eight Priority Pass lounge visits per year. Each person who visits, whether they’re a guest or the primary cardholder, will use up one of these eight passes, so plan accordingly.

Airline incidentals statement credit

With your Visa Infinite card, you may enjoy rebates for certain expenses associated with your flight. Examples include checked luggage charges and inflight food purchases. This benefit isn’t included on all Visa Infinite cards, so check your particular card’s terms and benefits. For example, the Sapphire Reserve offers an up to $300 travel credit and airline incidental fees are included under eligible charges.

Related: Get perks just for signing up with these loyalty programs

Travel and lifestyle protections

Primary rental car insurance

Through Visa Infinite, you can get primary coverage* for up to $75,000 due to damage (caused by collision or theft) to a rental car. Visa Infinite cards aren’t the only options to offer this coverage — the Chase Sapphire Preferred and a few others do as well — but this is a great perk to have since you won’t need to file a claim with your own insurance company in the event of an accident or theft.

Trip cancellation, interruption and delay insurance

Visa Infinite cards offer trip cancellation and interruption insurance.** This includes reimbursement of up to $2,000 per insured trip for nonrefundable expenses when you cancel a trip for a covered reason or when your trip is interrupted or delayed for a covered reason.

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There’s a full list of “covered reasons,” but if you’re suffering from a serious illness or injury, you can expect this benefit to be offered. In addition, Visa Infinite provides trip delay insurance.*** You’ll get coverage for expenses (up to $500 per day) when a purchased trip is delayed more than six hours or requires an overnight stay.

Lost luggage reimbursement

Yet another travel protection Visa Infinite cardholders enjoy is lost luggage reimbursement.*** If your checked or carry-on baggage is lost or stolen on a common carrier, the program will reimburse you up to $3,000 (up to $2,000 for New York residents) per covered trip.

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You’re eligible for this coverage when you pay for at least a portion of the travel with your Visa Infinite card or with the rewards associated with the card. Having lost luggage protection is a great way to relieve stress during a trip. It’s frustrating when an airline loses your luggage, but you can at least get some compensation with the right protection.

Extended warranty, purchase protection and return protection

When you purchase a product with a warranty of three years or less, you’ll get an extra year of coverage*** for up to $10,000 per claim and up to $50,000 per cardholder. This isn’t the only coverage option out there; for more options, take a look at our list of the best cards with extended warranty protection.

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If an item is stolen or damaged within 90 days from the purchase date — and you purchased it with a Visa Infinite Card — you’ll be covered for up to $10,000 per claim (up to $50,000 per cardholder). With purchase protection coverage,*** you can either be reimbursed, have the item repaired or get a replacement.

In addition to purchase protection that covers you in the event of theft or damage, the Visa Infinite program offers return protection*** coverage of up to $300 per item and $1,000 per year when you’re unhappy with a product and the retailer won’t accept a return. To be eligible, you must pay for the purchase with your Visa Infinite card and file a claim within 90 days of the purchase date.

Other protections that may be included with your Visa Infinite card include cellphone protection, emergency evacuation, hotel theft protection and price protection. Check the benefits of your specific Visa Infinite card to find out if it offers these protections.

*Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit https://usa.visa.com/pay-with-visa/cards/visa-credit-cards/visa-infinite-credit-cards.html#2 for details. Policies are underwritten by Indemnity Insurance Company of North America.
**Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit https://usa.visa.com/pay-with-visa/cards/visa-credit-cards/visa-infinite-credit-cards.html#2 for details. Policies are underwritten by Federal Insurance Company.
***Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit https://usa.visa.com/pay-with-visa/cards/visa-credit-cards/visa-infinite-credit-cards.html#2 for details. Policies are underwritten by Indemnity Insurance Company of North America.

Related: Should you get travel insurance if you have credit card protection?

Bottom line

Like other premium credit card programs, Visa Infinite offers a nice array of benefits for your rewards credit card.

The airport lounge access and primary car rental insurance can certainly come in handy. Other perks like car rental discounts and special treatment at hotels aren’t unique to the program, but they can absolutely add to the value you get from your card — not a bad thing if you’re paying $550 a year for the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Related: United Club Infinite Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve



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