My wife and I recently traveled to California for a long weekend staying at a beautiful high-end resort in Big Sur. As I often advise, preparation and planning are the best ways to protect yourself from the inevitable challenges that can arise while traveling. Whether it’s delayed flights, missed connections, weather disruptions, or lost luggage, the right credit card with strong travel protections can make all the difference.

Unfortunately, I got to experience this first-hand. During our morning hike on the last day, my wife fell down a gravel embankment and broke her hip, an accident that required immediate surgery. What was supposed to be a relaxing three-day getaway quickly turned into an unplanned week-long stay including four days hospitalization. Once I ensured my wife received the care she needed, I found myself putting into practice many of the preparedness strategies I’ve discussed in my podcasts. Here’s how it unfolded:

1. Booking with protection in mind: I booked our flights with points but paid the taxes and fees using my American Express Platinum card. That qualified our trip for their excellent trip interruption insurance, which covers situations and accidents like this.
2. Flexibility with points: Since our return flights were also booked with points, I was able to cancel them without incurring a fee or penalty. Amex confirmed that when we were ready to fly, they’d cover the cost of rebooking our new tickets.
3. Smart rebooking: Once my wife was cleared to travel, I booked two fully refundable tickets using my Amex Platinum Business MR points, which provides a 35 percent point rebate on my selected airline. Our ticket price was over $1,000, and I used an upgrade to get her into first class for a more comfortable flight home.
4. Staying organized: I kept all receipts, which made submitting a reimbursement claim straightforward. I am expecting that everything should be processed smoothly.
5. Out-of-pocket costs: Amex didn’t cover extended lodging, meals or the rental car, but fortunately, those additional expenses were relatively minor compared to the overall situation.

This experience reinforced a key lesson: when traveling, expect the unexpected. Preparation, flexibility, and the right financial tools made a stressful situation far more manageable. Thanks to careful planning, I was able to focus on what truly mattered, my wife’s recovery, while knowing the logistics would work themselves out.

I just built out a special page for other cards which I recommend which have good benefits and travel protections here at this link: My Recommended Cards including some of my personal comments.  

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