Buzz
Do you make use of your airline or hotel points regularly? Have you checked if they come with an expiration date?
If you’re unsure, you’re definitely not alone. A recent survey by Bankrate revealed that 29% of people who accumulate credit card rewards have let them expire.
Only 25% of people could recall the number of hotel points they have, while 29% remembered their frequent flyer miles. 33% could easily state their credit card reward balance.
No one expects you to memorize the number of points you’ve accumulated. You should be aware of the loyalty programs and reward credit cards you’ve enrolled in, but as long as you know how to check your rewards balance, you're already ahead of the game in my book.
If you’re wondering about the points that may still be sitting in your loyalty accounts, it’s a good idea to check their expiration dates. A quick overview for airlines: Delta, JetBlue, and United Airlines offer points that never expire. Some airlines also specify that your points remain valid as long as you maintain a co-branded credit card in good standing. Furthermore, if your points come from a general rewards credit card not tied to a specific airline or hotel, they generally stay valid as long as the card is open and in good standing.
There is no universal rule for rewards expiration dates.
Some programs like to promote that their points don’t expire, but in fine print, they mention that points remain valid only if there’s account activity, specifically earning points, within a certain timeframe. For example, Southwest Rapid Rewards, a program I use, states:
Notice that asterisk? I see it too. Thankfully, I don’t need to track that two-year cycle myself—I can simply check my last activity date (the last time points were credited to my account) when I log in to the Southwest website.
The Points Guy offers a concise list of major airlines and hotels, along with their expiration timelines. You can also verify your status by logging into your loyalty account, just as I did earlier. If you’re using a general rewards credit card, access your account and check the rewards or benefits portal for any points set to expire.
Airlines and other loyalty programs often send you an email several months in advance to notify you before any of the points you’ve earned are about to expire.
However, keep in mind that your points and miles don’t always retain their value over time, so if you have points, it’s wise to use them—whether for travel or another reward you can exchange them for.
