Are Your Points and Miles Expiring? Here is How You Can Maximize Your Travel Rewards!

A loyalty or reward program offers a wide range of perks and benefits that can help you save money, enjoy exclusive deals, and access one-of-a-kind experiences in most airlines, hotels, and credit card companies. These programs encourage frequent flyers to earn miles or points to redeem special rewards such as free flights, hotel stays, and seat upgrades, to name a few.

Many reward programs, such as frequent flyer programs, often have different membership tiers that come with varying levels of benefits. So, if you are a member of a higher tier, you are entitled to more bonuses and perks.
While the unique rewards and perks offered by a loyalty program may sound enticing and fun, there are also some drawbacks to consider.

One of these is that some programs will not allow you to keep your hard-earned miles or points forever. If you don’t use your loyalty account actively, you risk losing your accumulated points and miles.
Typically, miles and points expire after 1 to 3 years of inactivity. If you don’t earn or redeem your rewards within 12 or 36 months, your accumulated points will likely expire.

Don’t get in a fluster yet! There are several ways to prevent your credit card, airline, and hotel loyalty points from expiring. Here are some strategies you may try to keep your rewards longer:

Open a credit card

Certain airlines or hotel chains may extend the validity of your earned miles or points if you have a co-branded travel credit card. Getting this type of credit card is one of the easiest ways to keep your miles or rewards active. You may use the co-branded travel credit card for everyday purchases, making you earn more rewards.
 
If a co-branded credit card is not in your options, you can instead choose a credit card that lets you earn flexible or transferrable rewards. You may transfer your points to a hotel or airline loyalty account, which will fall under the policies of the new loyalty program. In this way, you will keep your points from expiring.

Another note to keep in mind: Not all co-branded travel credit cards extend the expiration date of your points.
You may instead earn an elite status level in your current reward program that waives expiration policies. Some programs waive points expiration for elite members as long as their status is maintained

Dine out

One of the greatest ways to keep earning rewards is by joining a dining rewards program, which many airlines and hotel chains offer. If you join a program like this, you may earn miles and hotel points whenever you feast at a selected partner restaurant.
To keep your account active, you need to link your credit card to the hotel chain or airline’s dining program. If you want to opt for takeout, simply ensure that you pay the restaurant directly rather than utilizing a third-party platform such as Uber Eats or Grubhub to earn points.

Go on a shopping spree

Unleash your inner shopaholic to earn more rewards and extend the expiration date of your hard-earned points!
If you need some holiday essentials, gifts, or new outfits, simply go through your loyalty program’s shopping portal. Many airlines or hotels have an online site where you can earn points or miles by clicking through a participating retailer to make a purchase. Any qualifying transaction may help maintain the validity of your points and rack up points and miles.

Schedule a flight

There are loyalty programs that enable an extension of mileage validity if the member performs any eligible activity. Members may keep their account active by earning or redeeming rewards, which a lot of frequent flyer programs consider qualifying activities.
If this applies to your program, you can prevent your points and miles from expiring by redeeming them on a flight or completing a stay with an associated hotel chain. You can redeem your miles to upgrade seats, get an extra baggage allowance, or book a getaway with your airline’s partner airline.
If you are a member of a hotel loyalty program, you may check if your program allows converting loyalty points into miles. Use your miles to book your dream hotel, rent a car, and avail exclusive experiences like spa treatments and guided tours. 

Support a Charity

Many airlines offer donation programs. If your miles or points are nearing expiration, one of the easiest ways to use them is to donate them to charity. By doing this, you keep your account active. When you click the confirmation button, your account is typically charged for the points or miles redeemed. This action automatically extends the validity period of the remaining balance in your account.

If your points and miles have already expired, there is still a way to retrieve them. There are loyalty programs that allow you to reinstate your lost or expired points and miles, although you may need to pay a fee.

Luckily, there are loyalty programs that have a no-expiration policy. Here are some notable airlines, credit card, and hotel loyalty programs you may consider enrolling for:

Airlines

• Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
• Delta SkyMiles
• Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Southwest Rapid Rewards
• United MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Credit Cards

• American Express Membership Rewards
• Bank of America Travel Rewards
• Capital One Miles
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Discover Rewards and Miles
• Wells Fargo Rewards

Hotels

• Best Western Rewards
• Marriott Bonvoy
• IHG One Rewards

The bottom line is some loyalty programs have a policy where your points or miles never expire. In contrast, others have a specific expiration date or require you to keep your account active to prevent losing points.
Customers who know what to do definitely are the ones who will benefit the most. So, it is essential to know the policies of your loyalty program to know what steps you should take to avoid losing your hard-earned rewards and make the most of your loyalty program.