The credit card perks you’re probably overlooking

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It’s easy for flashy perks like hotel credits, elite status, or companion certificates to steal the spotlight. But there are plenty of other useful benefits you can access without even realizing it. Here’s a roundup of a few of my favorite underrated credit card benefits.

Whether you live in a city with a bunch of great museums or you love to visit museums when you travel, holding a credit or debit card issued by Bank of America gets you free access to more than 200 museums nationwide on the first full weekend of every month. All you need to do is show your card and a photo ID, thanks to Bank of America’s Museums on Us program. The free admission only covers the cardholder, not guests.

Similarly, Capital One Venture X Rewards cardholders get 50% off an Enthusiast membership to The Cultivist. Membership gets you and a guest free entry to more than 80 museums worldwide, plus access to The Cultivist app and invitations to gallery exhibitions or private showings. You’ll still have to pay out of pocket for this perk, but a 50% discount isn’t anything to scoff at.

As an American Express Platinum Card® holder, you get a statement credit of up to $12.95 per month (plus tax) for a monthly Walmart+ membership. While you might think there’s no reason to enroll in this perk if you aren’t an avid Walmart shopper, you’d be wrong.

Through Walmart+, you can activate a Pawp membership, which provides unlimited 24/7 veterinary telehealth support. This can be an invaluable resource if your pet is sick. This benefit normally costs $99 per year, but it’s complimentary for Walmart+ subscribers.

Cell phone insurance might be better advertised than Pawp, but it’s still worth mentioning. When you pay your phone bill using your credit card, you can get reimbursed for theft or damage.

The exact policy depends on the issuer:

• Select American Express cards: Get up to $800 in coverage up to two times per 12-month window, subject to a $50 deductible. Includes coverage for cracked screens.
• Select Wells Fargo cards: Get up to $600 in coverage up to two times per 12-month window, subject to a $25 deductible.
• Select Chase business cards: Get up to $1,000 in coverage up to three times per 12-month window, subject to a $100 deductible.
• Select Capital One cards: Get up to $800 in coverage up to two times per 12-month window, subject to a $50 deductible.
• Select Bilt cards: Get up to $800 in coverage up to two times per 12-month window, subject to a $50 deductible.

Note that coverage is usually secondary and will only activate if you charge your phone bill to your card. Be sure to read your card’s specific terms and conditions to determine exclusions. However, given how fragile phones can be, this benefit can be just as valuable as baggage delay insurance. 

Do you love wine? If you’re a Capital One Venture X cardholder, you can get a complimentary six-month subscription to Vinous, a modern wine magazine led by Antonio Galloni, a world-renowned wine critic.

Each year, Galloni and his team of critics travel throughout the world’s best wine regions to provide readers with a ton of information, from vintage charts for every major wine-producing area in the world to a grape guide with everything to know about grape varieties.

The subscription comes with interactive maps, a way to track the value of your wine collections, tips and recommendations for a wine-focused trip, nearly 400,000 tasting notes and scores, interviews with wine producers, early access to events, and more.

While none of these benefits alone justifies paying an annual fee, together they help provide even more value to cardholders.

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