Visa Infinite Cards Benefits Guide: (Hotels, Concierge & Others) [2021]

Visa Infinite cards are the top tier type of Visa cards that are issued and are a step above Visa Signature cards. These cards come with top protections and premium benefits that can save you a lot of money in different areas, especially in travel.

In this article, I am going to walk you through the different types of (USA) Visa Infinite benefits like the special luxury hotel benefits and concierge service.

And finally, I’ll show you some of the key differences between Infinite cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, City National Crystal Card, and the UBS Visa Infinite Card. 

Visa Infinite card options

So before jumping into the Visa Infinite benefits it is worth pointing out that not every single Visa infinite card will have the same benefits. Instead, the issuers such as Chase can modify the Visa Infinite cards to their liking. With that said, here are three Visa Infinite cards you might want to look into.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve: $550 annual fee 
• City National Crystal Card: $400 annual fee
• UBS Visa Infinite Card: $495 annual fee

Note that the Ritz-Carlton Card is no longer available to new applicants.

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$100 airline discount

Update: this benefit is no longer available!

The first benefit is a $100 airline discount that can be used for for 2 to 5 passengers round-trip on domestic coach. Note that the The $100 discount is applied to the total cost of the itinerary, not per ticket.

You can choose from most major airlines and make reservations up to 11 months prior to departure.

Note: the primary cardholder must be the primary passenger on the itinerary.

• Ritz-Carlton Card
• City National Crystal Card
• UBS Visa Infinite Card 

This benefit is great for weekend warriors you take short-haul economy flights frequently. Unfortunately, the Chase Sapphire Reserve does not come with this benefit. That’s a real shame because it would add tremendous value to that card, in my opinion.

Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection

The Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection offers you elite-like benefits at different luxury hotels all around the world. These include the following:

• Best available rate guarantee
• Automatic room upgrade upon arrival, when available
• Complimentary in-room Wi-Fi, when available
• Complimentary continental breakfast daily
• $25 USD food or beverage credit per stay
• VIP Guest status
• Late check-out upon request, when available
• Special amenity unique to each property, such as an additional dining credit or spa credit

These perks are similar if not identical to those offered by the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection.

It’s worth noting that the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers access to the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection (LHRC) which comes with even better benefits. Also, Amex probably has the best luxury hotel network with its Fine Hotels & Resorts program.

Relais & Châteaux

You’ll get access to Relais & Châteaux, which is a “prestigious collection of independently owned and operated luxury hotels and restaurants, representing approximately 500 establishments globally.” Full review of this program here. 

At these properties, you can receive a VIP welcome which includes things like a bottle of champagne in room on arrival and also free breakfast (at some properties).

You can also get accelerated access to Club 5C status with Relais & Châteaux after staying just 2 nights at qualifying properties in a 12-month period.

 Club 5C will provide you with the following benefits:

• Room upgrade subject to availability upon arrival
• Personalised welcome in each one of the Relais & Châteaux properties (VIP Welcome)
• Discovery Privilege to enjoy the cultural and gourmet treasures of each property
• Club 5C Concierge service
  
• Newsletters with details of exclusive offers tailored to wishes and preferences
• Invitations to attend prestigious events

Update: Club 5C benefits are no longer offered. 

I recently stayed at a Relais & Châteaux property in Rome, right next to the Coliseum, and it was one of my most memorable hotel stays. Many of these hotels are boutique-type properties in beautiful buildings that give you a much better “local” feel than some chain hotels do so you definitely want to check out this program.

• Read more about this perk here. 

Airline incidental statement credit

Visa Infinite cards also offer a airline incidental statement credit. You will likely have to enroll for this benefit and your statement credit might be limited to one preferred airline.

The City National Crystal Card offers a $350 airline credit which might include:

• ticket change/cancellation fees
• checked baggage fees
• inflight entertainment
• onboard food and beverage charges
• airport lounge membership fees and day passes
• onboard wireless charges (excluding Gogo Inflight Wi-Fi)
• TSA Pre✓® membership application fee

The City National Crystal Card is a special card because you can add up to three authorized users for free and each of those can get their own incidental credit.

Normally, the purchases an authorized user makes with these type of credits comes out of the credit given to the primary cardmember and the credits are essentially “pooled.” But in this case each authorized user can get their own credit which is pretty incredible. 

Update: Authorized users no longer get their own incidental credit.

The UBS Visa Infinite Card also offers a $250 airline credit as well which likely covers similar expenses as listed above.

Once again, this benefit is not included with the Chase Sapphire Reserve. However, the Sapphire Reserve Does have a pretty outstanding $300 travel credit that can be applied to any type of travel purchase. So I would actually preferred the sapphire reserve credit over the generic Visa infinite credit.

Visa Infinite lounge access

All of these cards are going to provide you with Priority Pass lounge access, which is a network of over 1,000 lounges located all over the globe. The quality of these lounges can vary by quite a bit, but generally they are at least decent places to stop and relax while making your way through an airport and some actually are quite nice.

The City National Crystal Card allows you to grant up to two users with lounge access. What is more is that the City National Crystal Card reportedly offers unlimited lounge access for Priority Pass lounges, which makes it one of the best credit cards for Priority Pass lounge access.

Also, with the City National Crystal Card, you can receive a statement credit of up to $550 per account per calendar year with $50,000 yearly spend – for any airline lounge club worldwide. So if you’re a heavy spender, you can basically get a lounge membership for many airlines for free.

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Global Entry

These cards come with a $100 Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check credit. Global Entry will allow you to get through immigration and customs in a hurry and Pre-Check allows you to breeze through security since you can join a shorter line and you don’t have to worry about taking out your electronics or liquids and can keep your shoes on along with other items like your belt and light jackets on.

Great bonus earning

Two of these Infinite cards offer some great bonus earning potential.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve 
  • 3X on dining and travel
• City National Crystal Card
  • 3X on gasoline, grocery, airline, hotel, taxi (including Uber and Lyft), limousine, rental car, train, bus, restaurant, fast food, and takeout food dining purchases

The CNB card really leaves the Sapphire Reserve in the dust with 3X on gas and groceries. And you can redeem your points on some flights for up to 1.25 cents per point which would equal a 3.75% return on some purchases which is very good.

But keep in mind that you can’t transfer your point to travel partners so that’s a significant loss there. If you value Ultimate Rewards around 2 cents per point, then the Reserve hauls in an impressive ~6% back on travel and dining which is pretty incredible.

Another great thing about the Reserve is that you can combine your bonus spend earnings with other Chase cards like the Chase Freedom cards or Chase Ink cards. If you can get three or four of those cards, you’ll have a point-earning machine that nothing else can really compete with.

The UBS card leaves a bit to be desired with its earning rates:

• UBS Visa Infinite Card 
  • 3x points for commercial air travel, 2x points for gas and groceries

Visa Infinite rental car benefits

These cards will offer you different types of rental car perks with companies like Avis, National, and Silvercar. This could come in the form of discounts and upgrades. For example, in the past you could get a 30% discount on Silvercar and Avis, and also a discount on National at about 25%.

Getting Emerald Club Executive level membership is nice because the other “elite level” offered for Avis (Avis Preferred) is open to the public just for signing up. Executive level membership is not open to the public and the Emerald Club Executive benefits include:

Priority Service

Get expedited services when renting in Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Guaranteed Upgrades

You’re always guaranteed a free upgrade when you reserve using the Midsize rate (in US and Canada).

Drop & Go

With convenient email receipts, just drop off your car and go (if your car has not been damaged during the rental).

Executive Area Access

Choose any car (full size and above) in the Executive Area and only pay the mid size rate (in US and Canada).

Faster Free Rental Days

Earn 1 rental credit for every qualified car rental. Free Rental Day = 6 credits.

No Second Driver Fees (excluding rentals in Europe)

Never pay extra when family members and business associates do the driving.

Visa Infinite Concierge

Enjoy 24/7 personalized assistance for travel planning, dinner reservations, sports, entertainment tickets and more.

One thing to note is that there are a lot of complaints about the Visa concierge service, especially when compared to the service offered by American Express. So I probably wouldn’t go around expecting a whole lot from this service.

Primary rental car coverage

With all of these Infinite cards discussed in this article, you can get primary rental car coverage which can save you a ton on stress since you don’t have to deal with your auto insurance company and it can save you on your monthly premiums.

You can read more about the Sapphire Reserve rental car coverage here.

Visa Infinite Travel and purchase protections

These cards also come with loaded with additional travel and purchase protections. But the protections offered by the cards can be quire different. Take a close look at the bolded text below and you’ll be able to see some of the major differences between the cards.

Purchase Protection (aka purchase security)

This benefits protects your products from damage or theft for a certain time period after purchase. Notice how each of these cards has high limits for the protection but that the Sapphire Reserve has the best policy.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Protects you for up to 120 days after purchase, up to a maximum of $10,000.00) per claim and $50,000.00 per year
• City National Crystal Card: Protects you for up to 90 days after purchase, up to a maximum of $10,000.00) per claim and $50,000.00 per year
• UBS Visa Infinite Card: Protects you for up to 90 days after purchase, up to a maximum of $10,000.00) per claim and $50,000.00 per year

Price Protection

Price Protection helps you save money on many products when you purchase them entirely with your eligible Visa Infinite Card and the price later drops.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Effective 08/26/18, the Price Protection benefit was discontinued.
• City National Crystal Card: If you buy an eligible item with your card in the United States and see it available for less in another retail store’s printed Advertisement within 60 days of the Date of Purchase, the Benefit Administrator will refund the difference up to $1,000 per item and up to $4,000 a year per eligible account.
• UBS Visa Infinite Card: If you buy an eligible item with your card in the United States and see it available for less in another retail store’s printed Advertisement within 90 days of the Date of Purchase, the Benefit Administrator will refund the difference up to $500 per item and up to $1,500 a year per eligible account.

Return Protection

Return Protection is coverage that will allow you to get reimbursed for certain items if your merchant does not accept a return.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Will reimburse you for the cost of an eligible item of personal property within 90 days of the date it was purchased up to $500 per item at an annual maximum of $1,000 per account.
• City National Crystal Card: Will reimburse you for the cost of an eligible item of personal property within 90 days of the date it was purchased up to $300 per item at an annual maximum of $1,000 per account.
• UBS Visa Infinite Card: Will reimburse you for the cost of an eligible item of personal property within 90 days of the date it was purchased up to $300 per item at an annual maximum of $1,000 per account.

Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Protection

If you can’t make a trip due to something like the weather or a sickness, you’ll be able to get covered for certain non-refundable expenses like pre-paid hotel stays.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Coverage up to $10,000
• City National Crystal Card: Coverage up to $5,000
• UBS Visa Infinite Card: Coverage up to $5,000

Trip Delay

If you trip is delayed these cards all will allow you to cover expenses like meals and lodging up to $500 per ticket, which is nice especially since airlines may not offer you anything depending on the cause of the delay.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve: If delayed for more than 6 hours or requires an overnight stay, the benefit covers up to a maximum of $500 per ticket.
• City National Crystal Card: If delayed for more than 6 hours or requires an overnight stay, the benefit covers up to a maximum of $500 per ticket.
• UBS Visa Infinite Card: If delayed for more than 6 hours or requires an overnight stay, the benefit covers up to a maximum of $500 per ticket.

Baggage Delay

Baggage delay allows you to cover necessary expenses like clothing and toiletries if your bags arrive late. As you can see, the Chase Sapphire Reserve blows away the coverage offered by the other cards.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Coverage begins after 6 hour delay, up to $100 for 5 days
• City National Crystal Card: No protections listed under benefits (only lost luggage)
• UBS Visa Infinite Card: Coverage begins after 12 hour delay, up to $100 for 3 days

Overall, the Sapphire Reserve offers the best travel protections in my opinion. The 12 hour baggage delay is a deal breaker for me as someone who has had to relied on that perk in pivotal times. I also like the much higher trip cancellation coverage at $10,000.

Additional benefits

These cards also offer some unique benefits and perks as well.

For example, with the Chase Sapphire Reserve you can access the Chase Travel Portal and redeem Ultimate Rewards for 1.5 cent per point, which can be a great way to give yourself flexibility with your points.

The City National Crystal Card comes with benefits like  Gogo Inflight Wi-Fi service on up to 12 flight segments per year on any Gogo-equipped aircraft and Troon Privé (golf benefits).

Keep in mind that some of these cards like the City National Crystal Card can be difficult to get due to requirements to apply in-branch and to some of their verification requirements.

Visa Infinite FAQ

Final word

Visa Infinite cards offer both an impressive selection of cards to choose from and a nice array of benefits and protections to take advantage of. With these cards you can earn a lot of points and also enjoy premium benefits while traveling.

I’d personally prefer for the Sapphire Reserve out of all of these cards for the points flexibility, 1.5 cent redemption rates, and ease of getting but the City National Crystal Card has a pretty amazing value proposition that could be very sweet for a lot of people.