Photography by Getty Images; Illustration by Bankrate
Roadside assistance or dispatch is a common credit card perk that offers services like battery jump-starting, flat tire service, fuel delivery, lockout assistance and towing. You simply need to be a cardholder and call the dedicated hotline.
The cards below offer roadside coverage with varying levels of assistance, along with rewards and welcome bonuses that can make them a worthwhile addition to your wallet.
Top cards for roadside assistance
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the top luxury cards on the market, offering high rewards rates, statement credits, lounge access and generous travel insurance to justify the steep annual fee.
You can access all the standard roadside assistance services for no charge up to $50, four times a year, by calling the number in your benefits guide. If you can’t stomach the annual fee, consider its sister card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. You’ll still earn travel rewards and get pay-as-you-go roadside assistance for a $95 annual fee.
Pros
Travel with style and security while earning up to 8X points on Chase Travel, 4X on flights and hotels booked directly and 3X on dining.
Earn a 100,000 welcome bonus and $500 Chase Travel credit after spending $5,000 in the first three months.
Cons
If you don’t travel often or maximize the card’s benefits, it’s hard to recoup the annual fee.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a lucrative card for no annual fee, offering 5 percent cash back on Chase Travel; 3 percent on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services and 1.5 percent on all other purchases.
You can get 24/7 pay-per-use roadside assistance by calling the number in your benefits guide. Plus, the card offers trip cancellation and interruption insurance, auto rental coverage and more.
Pros
Earn cash back on everyday purchases — and get basic roadside benefits — without paying an annual fee.
Cash in a $200 welcome bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months.
Cons
Other no-annual-fee cards offer a higher flat rate on all purchases.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a popular travel card in the below-$100 annual fee category that offers 5 miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles on all other purchases. It comes with World Elite Mastercard® benefits, which include car rental coverage, trip interruption and baggage delay insurance and roadside assistance.
When you call 1-877-288-6784, Mastercard will send an independent contractor to help with your car troubles. You’ll pay a prenegotiated rate for the services you receive.
Pros
Earn a solid flat rate on everything and redeem your miles with Capital One Travel and transfer partners, all for a reasonable annual fee.
Reap 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months, equal to $750 in travel.
Cons
Unlike competitor travel cards, the card doesn’t earn a boosted rate on any extra categories like dining, groceries or gas.
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card is a rarity, offering travel points and redemptions for no annual fee. You’ll get 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans. And as a Visa Signature® card, it includes benefits like cell phone protection, auto rental collision damage waiver and roadside dispatch.
Call 1-800-847-2869 to receive pay-per-use roadside services from an independent tow operator or locksmith.
Pros
The generous rewards and Visa benefits — for no annual fee — make it an excellent entry-level travel card.
Earn a 20,000-point welcome bonus after spending $1,000 in the first three months.
Cons
Wells Fargo points don’t have as high a potential redemption value as other issuer points do.
The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card is a mid-tier travel card that you can get for a modest $95 annual fee. The base rewards rate is 2X points for travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points for all other purchases. But members of the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program can earn an extra 25 percent to 75 percent.
The card offers a 24/7 roadside dispatch program along with trip and baggage delay reimbursement, travel and emergency assistance and an auto rental collision damage waiver.
Pros
Earn a 60,000-point welcome bonus after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.
You can reap even more rewards by holding at least $20,000 in a Bank of America account.
Cons
The card’s basic rewards rate for travel isn’t as high as some competitor cards.
Comparing the best cards for roadside assistance
Card name
Best for
Annual fee
Recommended credit score
Type of roadside assistance
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Comprehensive roadside assistance
$795
Excellent
Towing
Battery assistance
Tire change
Locksmith
Gas
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Roadside assistance for no annual fee
$0
Excellent/Good
Towing
Tire changing
Jump starting
Lockout service
Fuel delivery
Standard winching
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Mastercard roadside assistance
$95
Excellent, Good
Jumpstarts
Towing
Gas delivery
Tire changes
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
Visa roadside assistance
$0
Excellent/Good
Standard towing, up to 5 miles included
Tire changing
Jump starting
Lockout service
Fuel delivery up to 5 gallons plus the cost of fuel
Standard winching
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
Bank of America members
$95
Excellent/Good
Emergency roadside assistance
Towing
Locksmith services
How to choose a card for roadside assistance
While roadside assistance is a great credit card perk, it’s probably not your main deciding factor for picking a new card. Here are other factors to consider.
Choose whether you want travel or cash back rewards. Roadside assistance is typically offered with travel cards, but some cash back cards like the Chase Freedom Unlimited also offer it. Travel points and miles can be worth more, but cash back is simpler. And take a peek at the rewards cards in your wallet before applying for a new one — your favorite card may already offer roadside assistance.
Consider how much you’re willing to pay for an annual fee. The cards on this list come with annual fees ranging from $0 to nearly $800 and offer perks accordingly. A top-tier card can get you up to $50 coverage for roadside assistance, along with airport lounge access and high rewards rates. But even a middle-tier or no-annual-fee card can get you roadside help when you need it, while doling out rewards on everyday purchases.
Look at your spending categories. Speaking of rewards, the right card for you could offer boosted rewards on purchases you already make. If you spend a lot on groceries, look for a travel or cash back card with at least a 3X rate in that category. Other types of boosted spending might include gas, dining out or travel purchases. If you’d rather take the easy road and not maximize your categories, look for a high flat-rate card offering at least 1.5X or 2X rewards on every purchase.
How to use roadside assistance with your card
Many cardholders may already have roadside assistance benefits and not know it. Start by checking your card’s benefits guide, which should include any terms for the service and a phone number to call. Save the number to your phone so you don’t have to dig for it later.
Then, the next time you’re in a bind, call the number. The issuer will send an independent contractor to help you, and you’ll either pay a renegotiated rate for the service or receive up to a certain amount in coverage.
Keep in mind that credit card roadside assistance may not be as robust as with paid roadside assistance programs like AAA, Allstate Roadside or Good Sam Roadside Assistance, to name a few.
What’s next?
The bottom line
Roadside assistance can be a great benefit for a card you’ll also use in other ways — like earning rewards on everyday purchases and redeeming them for travel or cash back.
It’s worth comparing the best rewards cards to see how their rewards programs, welcome bonuses and annual fees stack up, as well. And consider that auto insurance and standalone programs like AAA can also offer roadside assistance, so you have even more options if you’re stranded.
Frequently asked questions about credit cards for roadside assistance
Yes, cards on the Visa network offer roadside assistance services through a program called Roadside Dispatch. You’ll likely pay a set fee for the service, although some premium cards offer coverage up to a certain amount. Call 1-800-847-2869 to get connected to a tow operator or locksmith.
Some, but not all, cards on the Mastercard network come with Master RoadAssist Roadside Service. By calling the number 1-800-627-8372, you can get basic services for a fee that may vary by card.
Common credit card roadside assistance services include towing, jump starts, tire changes, lockout assistance and fuel delivery. Note that towing may be limited to a certain distance, and you’ll need to have a spare ready for a tire change.
The Bank of America content in this post was last updated on August 11, 2025.
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