If you’ve ever logged into a loyalty account and seen your hard-earned points disappear into thin air… I am genuinely so, so sorry. 💔 We’ll be sure to hold a points-funeral in your honor.
While lots of programs have made their expiration rules more flexible over the past few years, not all of them play nice. And if you’re saving up for a big trip later this year (or just got busy with, you know… life), a little inactivity can mean losing points you worked oh so hard to build.
Luckily, keeping your points alive usually doesn’t require hopping on a flight. A quick top-off or a tiny redemption can buy you months (or years) of wiggle room.
Do Credit Card Points Expire?
Most credit card rewards don’t expire as long as your account stays open and in good standing (yay!).
That means your stash with programs like: Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou Points, and Bilt Rewards…
…will happily sit there collecting dust (or waiting for your dream redemption) indefinitely.
⚠️ The Catch: If you close the card tied to those points, they’re usually gone too, unless you transfer them out or combine them with another account. So don’t ignore your points just because they technically don’t expire.
How Airline Miles Expiration Works
Airline programs tend to be a little more rigid. Most will keep your miles alive as long as you have some kind of account activity (earning or redeeming) within a certain time frame.
And that activity doesn’t need to be a full-on trip. Things like:
Using a co-branded credit card
Transferring points from a flexible program
Earning through shopping or dining portals
Redeeming for a small award flight or upgrade
…can reset the clock on your points. Even something tiny like earning a handful of miles from a survey or a $5 gift card redemption can buy you another 12 to 24 months.
Airline Miles Expiration Cheat Sheet
Airline Program | Expiration Policy | How to Keep Alive |
24 months of inactivity | Earn or redeem (credit card spend, shopping portal, partner activity) | |
No expiration | None required | |
No expiration | None required | |
No expiration | None required | |
No expiration | None required | |
No expiration | None required | |
18 months of inactivity (paused until Nov. 30, 2025) | Any earning or redemption activity | |
No expiration | None required |
📝 Pro Tip: If you know you won’t fly for a while, setting a calendar reminder a few months before the deadline can save future you.
How Hotel Points Expiration Works
Hotel programs work similarly to airlines… many reset the expiration clock when there’s any qualifying activity. But there are some exceptions you should keep in mind.
Earning through stays, transferring in points, using a co-branded card, or redeeming for a night can all help keep your balance safe and sound.
Hotel Points Expiration Cheat Sheet
Hotel Program | Expiration Policy | How to Keep Alive |
24 months of inactivity | Stay, earn, redeem, or transfer | |
24 months of inactivity | Stay, earn, redeem, transfer | |
12 months of inactivity | Stay, earn, redeem | |
24 months of inactivity | Stay, earn, redeem | |
18 months of inactivity (or four years after earned) | Stay, earn, redeem | |
No expiration | None required |
Even if you don’t have a hotel stay coming up, you can often transfer points in from a credit card, buy a few points, or donate a small amount to keep your account active.
What To Do If You’re Not Traveling for a While
Maybe you’re saving up for a big trip next year, or maybe life just got in the way of travel plans (been there 🙋♀️). That doesn’t mean your points should be in jeopardy.
Some easy ways to keep your balances alive without setting foot in an airport or hotel:
Make a small transfer from your credit card rewards program
Redeem for a low-value gift card or subscription
Use a dining or shopping portal tied to the program
Donate a tiny number of points to a charity partner
My Go-To Strategy for “Topping Off” Before a Trip
When I’m a few thousand miles short of an award, I’ll transfer a small chunk from my flexible points, like Ultimate Rewards or Membership Rewards, not just to get to my goal, but to reset that expiration clock, too.
That way, even if the trip gets pushed back a few months, my points are still sitting pretty. And yes, even tiny amounts count as activity.
🌟 Keep in Mind: Points transfers are permanent, so be careful about the amount of points you’re trasnferring over. You want to keep you stash alive without “wasting” those flexible points for future redemptions.
Bottom Line
Points and miles are valuable, but they’re only valuable if they actually exist. 🙃
A single $5 redemption or quick transfer can save you from losing thousands in travel value. Know your expiration timelines, keep a couple of “easy activity” tricks in your back pocket, and no more points-funerals for you!
