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Ever purchased an item only to find it doesn’t fit correctly or work as expected? Returning purchased or gifted items back to the retailer can be a pain, often made harder by inflexible store return policies. There’s a good chance you’ll get stuck with unwanted items. So what can you do if you don’t meet the retailer's strict return policy?
One solution is to ensure you purchase items using the right credit card. A number of credit card issuers offer return protection policies allowing cardmembers to return purchases retailers won’t accept. Return policy details differ widely between providers — even on different cards offered by the same card issuer. It’s essential you check the guide to benefits provided with your credit card to determine the level of coverage offered, which items qualify for return protection, and the steps required to make a claim.
Page Contents
What Is Return Protection and How Does It Work?
Return protection is one of the purchase protection benefits offered by credit card processors and providers, extending the return policy provided by the retailer when you make a purchase. Return policies offered on credit cards allow you to return an item purchased with your eligible card (and you often need to charge the entire purchase to this card to qualify) when the retailer refuses to accept the item under its return policy. There are plenty of caveats and excluded items from credit card return policies, so it’s best to familiarise yourself with your card’s policy before you need to make a purchase.
If you find yourself in a position where a retailer won’t accept a returned item, you’ll need to contact the benefits administrator for your credit card to make a claim.

Claims typically require you to submit:
- Receipts for the item you are returning
- Credit card statement displaying the purchase
- A copy of the retailer’s return policy, and, potentially, a letter from the store confirming the refusal to accept a returned item
Typical exclusions from credit card return protection policies include:
- Jewelry, art, antiques, coins, and collectibles
- Items purchased for resale, professional, or commercial use
- Plants, shrubs, animals, pets, consumables, and perishables
- Cars, boats, aircraft, and motorcycles
- Traveler’s checks, tickets, or currency
- Shipping charges, taxes, postage, and delivery charges
- Items purchased at auction
- Items purchased outside of the U.S.
- Medical equipment
- Seasonal items, such as Christmas decorations
- And many more
Again, see your guide to benefits for a detailed list of inclusions and exclusions.
Return Protection by Credit Card Network
With Discover ditching its return protection policy at the start of 2018, it joins Visa on the sidelines without a blanket return protection policy. The exception in Visa’s case is Visa Infinite cards, which began offering return protection in 2014. Visa Infinite cards include:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees)
- The New United Club℠ Card (Rates & Fees)
- The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card (closed to new applicants)
- U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Here's a breakdown by card network:
American Express | Mastercard | Visa | |
---|---|---|---|
Cards Covered | Most premium credit and charge cards plus the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card — See the full list of cards and benefits | All credit and debit cards (Benefits vary by card type and card issuer) | Only covers Visa Infinite cards |
Return Window | 90 days | 60 days | 90 days |
Per Item Coverage | $300 | $250 | $300 |
Maximum Annual Coverage | $1,000 | 4 claims per year | $1,000 |
Link to Policy Details | Amex Platinum Return Protection Guide to Benefits | Mastercard Satisfaction Guarantee Policy or Detailed PDF Download | Visa Infinite Return Protection Policy |
Return Protection by Credit Card Issuer
Cards Covered | Return Window | Per Item Coverage | Max Annual Coverage | Limitations | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Express | Amex cards | 90 days | $300 | $1,000 per calendar year | Shipping and handling costs for the purchase will not be refunded. See full limitations here |
Capital One | Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | 90 days | $300 | $1,000 | N/A |
Chase | Only available on Visa Infinite cards like the Sapphire Reserve and Ritz-Carlton Card | 90 days | $500 | $1,000 annual maximum | Sapphire Reserve Guide to Benefits |
Citi | As of 2019, Citi removed all return protection credit card benefits | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
U.S. Bank | Only features on the U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card and U.S. Bank Cash 365™ American Express® Card | 90 days | $300 | $1,000 annual maximum | See the policy for the Altitude Reserve |
Wells Fargo | With the closure of the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card (closed to new applicants), there are no cards with this benefit now. | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Note: Bank of America, Citi, and Discover do not offer return protection on credit cards. Wells Fargo has also product changed its only cards that formerly offered this perk.
Timeline of removal of return protection from some cards:
- In 2018, Chase removed return protection from all cards that are not in the Visa Infinite group listed above.
- In 2019, Barclays and Citi removed return protection as a credit card benefit, despite previously having solid policies here.
- In 2020, American Express removed return protection from many of its low- and mid-tier cards. Coverage was retained on most premium cards, plus the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card.
The Best Rewards Credit Card for Return Protection
The return protection offered on the Sapphire Reserve now tops the list of best cards for return protection, offering up to $500 per item with few limitations outside of excluded items.
Final Thoughts
Outside of the rewards earned with each purchase, familiarizing yourself with the purchase protections offered on each of your cards is an excellent way of ensuring you’re covered for every purchase. Swiping a card like the Sapphire Reserve at checkout provides you with a considerable range of purchase protection benefits that you might not receive if you were to use a similar card from Discover, Citi, or Capital One.
An important point to keep in mind is using multiple credit cards that offer return protection. If you've maxed out the benefit on one card, you can pull out a different card for that next purchase. Negating some points or miles to potentially save cash could be well worth it. Return protection is a valuable benefit when you need to return an item to a retailer, so be sure to read the fine print on your policy before purchasing to ensure the item is covered.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees), and The New United Club℠ Card (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Are you sure that barclays AA aviator red card still offers return protection? Websites show that this feature has been discontinued in 2019. Pls check and update the article.
Hi, thanks for this comment. That part of the table showing Barclays cards should’ve been hidden. Thanks for pointing it out so we could remove it.
I’m disappointed on this sites lack of coverage of Bank of America cards and their ecosystem. This is especially true for basic card benefit reviews like Return Protection. This article notes BofA has not return protection but it does on their new BofA Premium Rewards Elite card that’s been out for over a year now. I generally find this sites articles and information well laid out and trustworthy but this consistent overlooking of BofA and other mainstream issues (like Bilt benefits) calls that into question for my friends and I.
David: I hear your frustration. And, believe me, we share it. AwardWallet has repeatedly requested Guide to Benefits for Bank of America cards. However, BOA has so far refused to provide these. This is a large reason why we haven’t been able to include BOA cards as much as we’d like in articles about card benefits.
You can access the guide directly here: https://myvisainfinite.com/content/dam/vppPremium/premiumrewardselite/gtb/PremiumRewardsElite_GTB.pdf
Is 2021 the newest version? And which cards does this apply to? We don’t want to put outdated information on the site. That’s why we work directly with card issuers to get Guide to Benefits. Unfortunately, BOA has been standoffish about making this available.
I just re-logged into my portal for this card which is the Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite card ($550 annual fee). This is the same document linked currently on the site from all the benefits described on the officials site for card holders, requires login. https://myvisainfinite.com/premiumrewardselite
Got it. Thanks for providing those details. We will dig into that Guide to Benefits and factor it into posts.
I just logged into my Amex accounts ( Cash Magnet and Everyday) to find the Return Protection and Purchase Protection benefits have been removed from the benefits page and their online claims page is not working either. Anyone else see the same thing on their cards?
are these 12 months limited by per card or per person?
let’s say I have 2 different master cards. or 2 different american express cards
Per card account.
We have used this benefit with our Citibank Master Card. I was surprised and delighted with how well it worked. Citibank customer service was very helpful in the process.
Interesting read. Thank you. Here in Finland return protection is guaranteed widely by law (for consumers) and credit cards mostly offer price guarantee.
This is a great benefit of the Chase Sapphire card that I’ve used. It’s easy to submit the materials online.
good stuff. I wish citi double cash had good return protection as It can be used for general puchases. I usually don’t use the citi premier or prestige cards for general shopping
One more reason, if anyone actually needed one, to love the Sapphire Reserve!
Great list – especially appreciate you highlighting upcoming changes. Will help me decide on a new card since Discover quit providing an extended warranty earlier this year.
Thank you. I never took advantage of this, but your guide will help me decide which card provides protection whiel providing the best cash back/points/miles.
I like this feature. It makes me feel safer and more inclined to make purchases with this type of protection on credit cards.
Awesome list, very helpful!
Thanks for the info!
Nice reference post. It’s good to review these benefits every now and then.
So often I see people purchasing items using cash and I cannot help but ponder for a moment how my husband and I participate so differently from them when it comes to wanting our purchasing power to be as optimized as it can be. We use every purchasing protection available to us.
I just want to grab the cash off them and pay on my card for them haha!
especially good for stuff from the Apple Store.
Thank you for the analysis. Thank you again.
Thank you for the analysis.
Whew! Luckily for me, I have the Sapphire Reserve. Nice and comprehensive write up on this issue. Thanks.
Great list. thanks
Thanks for all this information. Great guide.
I almost forgot about this additional perk of using a CC, thanks.
The whole payment protection thing gets overlooked regularly, good to be reminded of this feature.
I typically dont use these benefits. I only occasionally use the price protection aspect.
This is a great benefit, especially with return windows at retailers getting shorter.
Was more interested in price protection, which is also getting scaled back more and more.
We’ve put together a list of the best cards for price protection here – https://awardwallet.com/blog/best-credit-credit-cards-price-protection/
Citi cards remain on the top for me for price protection for the easy to use price rewind tool.
I called Citi and found they are discontinuing my return /damage protection as well as a worldwide travel ?? benefit on my card.
Time to cancel and look elsewhere.
This is very useful, thank you!
I frequently forget this benefit. Thanks for the reminder!
This is really good for me I do a lot of online shopping and sometimes when I bring things back to stores they don’t let return it. I’m also in need of a new credit card. Therefore I think when applying for one I’ll make sure it has this return policy perk!
Thank you so much!