Illustration for article titled You Are Insufficiently Using Your Credit Card ConciergeImage: Happy Together (Shutterstock)

With Vaccinations are accelerating and Travel restrictions liftedYou might feel more secure dusting that credit card and leaving home for restaurants, events, or travel. An often overlooked – and suddenly relevant – benefit to credit cards is the concierge service that lets you plan a trip, shop, or get hard-to-get event tickets.

Illustration for article titled You Are Insufficiently Using Your Credit Card Concierge

How does the concierge service work?

If you’ve ever used a hotel concierge, this service is similar, although you may also consider them a customer service or personal shopper as they can help you find and pay for things. The concierge service is offered free of charge to premium cardholders and is usually available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Your service has limits, of course, as a concierge doesn’t do anything unethical, like sending business emails on your behalf, and the tasks need to be specific and something you can do yourself (for example, you can). ‘I’m not saying, “Rent me a $ 20 helicopter” and expecting it to happen. However, there are numerous services that concierges will provide, including:

  • Reservations: Credit card concierges often pull some strings and find a seat in places that are either fully booked or usually don’t take reservations. They’re also great at finding good restaurants or things to do near your hotel while traveling, especially if you don’t speak the local language.
  • Events: Even if a sporting event, concert, or theater event sells out, a concierge may be able to find a ticket through a trusted reseller or through partnerships with a specific venue.
  • Travel: A concierge can help secure a hotel room or rebook a canceled flight. This is incredibly handy when you are in the middle of a work day and don’t have a lot of time to do it yourself. Concierges are also good at spotting discounted travel booking upgrades when they’re available.
  • Personal support: You can ask a concierge to do your shopping for you, make appointments on your behalf, find lost luggage, or help with basic research such as finding a nearby swimming pool while traveling.

G / O Media can receive a commission

Which cards have a concierge service?

Per Finder.comThere are five credit card concierge service programs, although credit card companies may issue lower status cards without the concierge service if you do not have good credit. The programs include:

  • World Mastercard and World Elite Mastercard
  • Travel luxury card
  • Visa Signature and Visa Infinite
  • American Express
  • Read Concierge

Is the concierge service worth it?

The service isn’t exactly “free” per se, with concierge service cards costing hundreds of dollars a year in annual fees. However, having a lot of purchases on your card can be a nice perk on top of the rewards you deserve. Especially when you want to travel.