Don’t Miss The Hidden Credit Card Perks Issuers Quietly Hide

Credit cards can be the ultimate tool in your wallet for smart shopping and earning money back if used correctly. This is especially true as cash-back credit cards reward you with “free” money just by doing the kind of shopping activity you were already planning on doing, you’re now just doing it with a financial incentive.

While the cash-back benefit might be the centerpiece of a new credit card in your wallet, there are some other, less well-known perks you likely don’t know about or haven’t started using. As credit cards and banks must do a lot to differentiate themselves in a hotly contested space, this means plenty of small, often hidden perks. 

Free Museum Access

This is a fun hidden perk that most Bank of America credit card holders likely know nothing about. Anyone who holds a Bank of America, Merrill, or Bank of America Private Bank credit or debit card can gain access to more than 225 “cultural institutions” in various cities across the United States. 

This program allows cardholders to receive “free general admission” during the first full weekend of every month. For example, as this is March 2025, the next “Museums on Us” weekend would be April 5th and 6th, the first full weekend in April 2025. 

Not only does this perk help you save money, but if you live in a state near a large city with museums, it can give you and your family something to do on the many weekends this is available. 

Roadside Assistance

If you hold a Chase card, specifically the Chase Sapphire card, you can receive peace of mind through complementary roadside assistance. This includes towing, tire changing, jump starting, lockout service, fuel delivery, and standard winching. 

Some Chase cards will offer this as a pay-per-use service, but for Chase Sapphire cards, this is 100% included as part of being a cardholder. This means you have peace of mind by knowing Chase will come to aid when it counts the most, and you don’t have to worry about paying for something like AARP. 

While it’s true that services like AARP offer an equally strong roadside program (for a cost), this is a benefit all Chase Sapphire card holders receive without any extra charge. 

Capital One Cafes

While Capital One’s television marketing might rely heavily on Samuel L. Jackson and Jennifer Garner, Capital One Cafe is a smash hit in person. With over 50 locations in the US, you can find “where banking meets living.” 

Not only can you relax, study, work, and socialize, but you can also handle several different financial transactions. The best part might be that all Capital One cardholders, no matter the card, receive 50% off all drinks. It’s a small but fun benefit when using a Capital One debit or credit card, in addition to free withdrawals at Cafe ATMs. 

Cell Phone Protection

As someone who has broken a screen or two on a smartphone before, credit cards like the Wells Fargo Active card that protect up to $600 per transaction are fantastic. While $600 won’t always cover the cost of every repair or entirely new phone, it’s great to have this perk.

To take advantage of this credit card perk, you’ll need to pay your cellphone bill with it, but I don’t imagine this will be an issue for many people. In addition to the Wells Fargo Active Card, the Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Cards offer the same perks. 

Extended Warranty Protection 

Yet another one of my favorite credit card perks is extended warranty protection. Companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google generally only offer a 12-month warranty for cell phones like iPhones. 

However, several credit cards include extended warranty protections, which often double the warranty. If you make a purchase on the credit card, you’ll instantly go from a 12-month to a 24-month warranty. Best of all, this includes big electronic purchases, too, like a television or laptop. 

This benefit offers so much good news for credit card holders as it saves you money and provides peace of mind in a significant way. While some paperwork is required and claims aren’t completed overnight, this benefit can potentially save hundreds of dollars. 

Purchase Protection 

If you aren’t careful when making a purchase, having a credit card, like many American Express cards with purchase protection, is necessary. AMEX cards that offer this benefit will generally cover you up to 90 days with any purchase up to $1,000. This means the credit card will handle anything dropped or stolen, which wouldn’t be covered under warranty. 

You’ll need to provide proof of the damage and file a claim online, but if your story holds up and you can give evidence, you can expect to be fully covered up to whatever benefits your card supports. 

Price Protection 

Credit Cards like the Capital One Venture X or Quicksilver Cash Rewards card (my personal favorite) offer price protection, which I have used more than once. This is a rare perk, but it generally gives you a longer price-matching policy than a retail store offers. 

For example, Target and Best Buy generally only match the price of an item during a 14-day window outside of the holidays. However, if you make a purchase using a Capital One Quicksilver card, you can wait up to 120 days to watch for a lower price, and the credit card company will refund the difference. You’ll need to identify when the price drops, but it’s worth the savings and time. 

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is another hugely underappreciated card benefit, especially when unforeseen circumstances occur. Multiple travel credit cards offer trip cancellation insurance, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Platinum Card from American Express. 

Both cards will provide up to $10,000 back for “eligible situations and events” and up to $20,000 per eligible card for non-refundable travel costs like flights, hotels, or booked tours. There is no question that the peace of mind here can be wonderful, especially when you consider that third-party travel insurance can be as expensive as the trip itself in many cases. 

Finding Your Hidden Perks

If you want to discover your credit card’s hidden perks, you might need to ask some upfront questions and make sure you get some answers. Among these questions could be something like: 

1. Do you have a full list that provides all the benefits associated with my credit card?
2. What card benefits do I have that are not widely advertised? 
3. Are there any partnerships with retailers or service providers offering exclusive discounts or benefits? (think AMEX Blue that has a Disney+ discount)
4. Does my card offer any kind of purchase protection? What are the coverage details? (The same questions apply to extended warranty coverage and price protection.) 
5. Does my card offer travel or trip insurance? What kind of coverage and up to what amount?
6. Does my card offer other travel assistance services, such as a concierge service? 
7. Does my card offer cell phone protection?

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