The 3 Levels of Mastercard Credit Card Benefits

Mastercard-branded credit cards offer an array of benefits, but the most important features of a Mastercard credit card aren't actually provided by Mastercard. That's because Mastercard is a payment network rather than a card issuer. The bank that issues a credit card — such as Citi, Capital One or your local community bank — provides most of the benefits on that card. Mastercard just processes the transactions.

Even so, Mastercard provides some cardholder benefits. Those benefits come in three levels:

• Standard.

• World.

• World Elite.

The biggest jump in value comes at the World tier, while World Elite tacks on a few additional benefits from more merchants.

» MORE: Is there any difference between Visa and Mastercard?

The benefits below are those listed as available for Mastercard-branded cards as of April 2024. Two things are important to note, though:

• While Mastercard makes these benefits available for cards that carry the Mastercard logo, issuers have some discretion on which benefits are actually included on a particular card. Mastercard's benefits website warns: "Availability of insurance benefits on your card may vary by card issuer. Please refer to your issuing financial institution for complete insurance benefit coverage terms, conditions and exclusions."

• Many issuers offer benefits of their own on top of (or in place of) those offered by Mastercard.

Standard benefits

• Zero fraud liability. You won't be held responsible for fraudulent use of your card.

• Mastercard Global Service. This is a hotline you can call worldwide. If your card is lost or stolen, call Mastercard and it will work with your issuer to quickly get you a replacement.

• ID theft protection. You get free identity theft prevention and response services. The company monitors websites to see if your personal information is being trafficked. If you experience ID theft, you can call Mastercard 24 hours a day, and you'll be assigned a specialist to handle your case. If you lose your wallet, call to get help canceling and reordering all cards and ID documents, including your driver's license.

• Booking.com. Receive up to 7% off on prepaid stays made on Booking.com. This offer expires on Sept. 30, 2025. 

• HealthLock. Get complimentary access to HealthLock’s Medical Claim Monitor service which helps protect your medical identity and data. You’ll also have the option to receive a 90-day premium upgrade to HealthLock’s Medical Claim Saver. This option offers medical bill negotiation with providers and insurance companies to see if it's possible to lower the cost of bills and reverse claim rejections.

World benefits

• All Standard-level benefits. Everything from the basic benefits tier also applies to World cards.

• Mastercard Travel & Lifestyle Services. This suite of benefits includes:

  • Trip planning assistance. You can work directly with a planner by phone or go online. Get access to discounts on travel packages.

  • Lowest hotel rate guarantee. If you book a prepaid hotel stay through Mastercard and find your exact stay (same property, room type, dates, number of guests, etc.) advertised for a lower price before you check in, Mastercard may refund you the difference.

  • Hotel satisfaction guarantee. If your 3-star or higher-rated hotel isn't working out, a Lifestyle Manager will work to make it right. This applies only to certain stays booked through Mastercard.

  • Luxury hotel benefits. Upgrades, early check-in/late checkout and other benefits at more than 4,000 properties worldwide.

• Discounts and memberships. You get special benefits with:

  • Instacart. Get a two-month free trial of Instacart+ and $10 off your second eligible Instacart purchase every month. Also, skip the delivery fees on orders over a certain size, get reduced service fees and credit back on eligible pickup offers. This benefit is only available to cardholders who are new to Instacart+ and it expires on March 31, 2025.

  • Peacock. Earn a $3 statement credit on the Peacock Premium monthly streaming service if you’re a new subscriber. This offer expires on March 31, 2025.

  • Lyft. Earn a $5 credit for every three rides taken in a calendar month. The credit will be automatically applied to the next ride, capped at once per month. This offer expires on Sept. 30, 2025.

  • ResortPass. ResortPass allows you to purchase exclusive day passes to luxury resorts. On a booking of $200 or more, you’re eligible to receive a $20 statement credit. This offer expires on Sept. 30, 2025.

  • Shoprunner. Receive free two-day shipping and free return shipping with more than 100 online merchants. This offer expires on Sept. 30, 2025.

  • Golf. Get exclusive PGA Tour experiences and golf benefits through Mastercard’s Golf Concierge Service.

  • Priceless experiences. Explore unique experiences around the world rooted in travel, entertainment, golf, cuisine, fashion and more. Mastercard provides access to these exclusive events, but you'll have to cover the cost. Options include gourmet food tours, spa packages and wine tasting, to name a few.

World Elite benefits

• All Standard- and World-level benefits. Everything from the bottom two tiers also applies to World Elite cards, except that you’ll earn a slightly higher credit for some benefits. Receive a $5 statement credit on the Peacock Premium+ monthly streaming subscription and a $30 statement credit on your next ResortPass booking of $200 or more.

• Alomoves. Get 50% off of your Alo Moves membership and receive 300 points toward Alo’s loyalty program upon signing up. Alomoves is a wellness platform that offers fitness, meditation, nutrition and self-care classes. This offer expires on Sept. 30, 2025.

• Concierge service. Help with getting tickets, making dinner reservations and other tasks is available by phone.

• Mastercard Travel Rewards. Get rewarded when you’re traveling and using your Mastercard to spend abroad or shop online, with specific brands or merchants. As a cardholder, you’ll have access to hundreds of online and in-store offers across eligible countries.

» MORE: Looking for a Mastercard? See our best Mastercard credit cards

What kind of Mastercard is my card?

If your card is a World- or World Elite-level card, you'll usually see it identified as such right on the card. If all you see is the Mastercard logo and not the words "World" or "World Elite," it's probably Standard.

To double-check, you can typically go to the website of the bank that issued the card and find its page for the card. If it's a World or World Elite, it will probably tell you. If not, another option is to log into your account to find your card's terms and conditions. This is a good exercise even if you know your Mastercard benefit level, because as the network notes, it's up to the issuer to decide specific benefits and it's not uncommon for them to change over time.