Guides

How to keep your points and miles from expiring

Stephanie StevensCredit cards writer
Stephanie Stevens is an associate writer with TPG's credit cards team. She focuses on creating timely credit cards content for TPG readers.
and
Andrew KuneshSenior Reporter, Cards & Loyalty
Andrew Kunesh is TPG's Points & Miles editor. He has been active in the points and miles space since 2014, using them to travel far and wide around the world. He is originally from Chicago but moved to New York City after graduating from DePaul University. His work is featured on Credit Karma, UpgradedPoints, ValuePenguin and various other travel and finance publications. He currently holds Delta Diamond Medallion and Marriott Titanium status, and 20+ credit cards that each have a special place in Andrew's wallet.
Kyle OlsenPoints and Miles Expert
Kyle Olsen is the former points and miles reporter at TPG. He specializes in maximizing points and miles, elite status and credit cards so readers travel more comfortably and at a lower cost.
also contributed to this story

December 2, 2025 • 8 min read

The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

Editorial note: This story has been updated with the latest information.

Quick summary

Points and miles in many airline and hotel loyalty programs can expire after periods of inactivity, but several simple actions can keep your accounts active.
Maintaining activity through cobranded credit cards, dining rewards programs, shopping portals, or transferring points from other programs can prevent expiration.
Donating points to charity or completing a paid flight or hotel stay are also effective ways to reset your expiration clock.
If points or miles have already expired, some programs allow reinstatement for a fee or at the discretion of customer service.

What to consider

Not all cobranded cards or program activities qualify to prevent expiration, so always review specific program rules.
Some programs require transfers or donations in minimum increments, and processing times can vary.
Policies on reinstating expired points differ, and fees or restrictions may apply depending on the loyalty program.

What you'll miss from the article

Step-by-step tactics for using dining, shopping, and transfer options to keep your loyalty accounts active and avoid losing rewards.

Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.

Points and miles are valuable — but once they expire, they’re usually gone for good. That’s why it’s essential to understand a few simple steps you can take to keep your accounts active, no matter which airline or hotel program you use.

Whether you’re sitting on a large balance or just starting to collect rewards, these quick actions can prevent expiration and protect every hard-earned point you’ve earned.

Use a cobranded credit card

One of the easiest ways to prevent your rewards from expiring is by holding a cobranded airline or hotel credit card. Some programs automatically keep your points active as long as you’re a cardholder.

For instance, IHG One Rewards points expire after 12 months of inactivity. However, if you are an IHG One Rewards Business Credit Card (see rates and fees), you'll have automatic IHG Platinum Elite status as a card benefit. Per IHG's policy, if you hold elite status within the program, your points do not expire.

Just note that not every cobranded card offers this protection, so always check the fine print.

Earn through dining programs

Many major airlines and several hotel chains have dining rewards programs. To keep your loyalty accounts active simply by earning points or miles at participating restaurants, all you need to do is link a credit card to the dining program of your choice and use that card at one of the thousands of participating restaurants nationwide.

When you dine in, order takeout or pay at the counter, you’ll typically earn points or miles on that transaction — as long as the card is charged directly by the restaurant. (Third-party delivery platforms like Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub don’t usually qualify because the merchant code doesn’t pass through as a participating restaurant.)

In most cases, rewards post within a week; however, some programs can take up to 10–14 days.

Family sharing pizza at a casual dining table. Hands of friends members reaching for pizza slices at a casual lunch setting — MARIIA SIURTUKOVA/GETTY IMAGES

One important rule to consider: You can be a member of multiple dining programs, but you cannot enroll the same credit card in more than one program at a time. The Dining Rewards Network automatically assigns a card to the most recently added program, so there’s no double- or triple-dipping with a single card.

What you can do is enroll different cards in different programs. For example, you might link your Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see ) to Alaska's Atmos Rewards Dining program (formerly Mileage Plan Dining) and then your American Express® Gold Card to the American Airlines AAdvantage Dining program.

If a participating restaurant is willing to split your check between the two cards, you’ll trigger an earning activity — and therefore reset the expiration clock — for both loyalty programs.

Related: Best dining credit cards

Shop through the program’s shopping portal

For many travelers, this is the easiest way to keep points and miles active: make a purchase through your airline or hotel loyalty program’s online shopping portal.

Most major airline programs (and some hotel programs) partner with hundreds of retailers. When you start your shopping session through the portal and click to a participating merchant before checking out, you’ll earn rewards on eligible purchases.

Couple booking travel — CAIA IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES

Any posted earning activity through the portal typically resets your expiration clock, depending on the program’s rules.

Using shopping portals for your everyday online purchases can help you earn rewards quickly. To maximize your return, use a shopping portal aggregator (such as Cashback Monitor) to compare which program is offering the highest earning rate before you shop.

Transfer points from a credit card or hotel program

Another easy way to keep many loyalty accounts active is to use a transferable credit card to transfer rewards to a partner airline or hotel program.

Programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards allow you to move points to a wide range of airline and hotel partners. In most cases, any amount of transferred points that posts to your loyalty account will reset the expiration clock. Since partners typically require transfers in increments of 1,000 points, you should only move the minimum amount needed.

However, there are exceptions. For example, with Air France-KLM Flying Blue, transfers do reset the expiration timer, but only for the rewards you just transferred. Previously earned miles keep their original two-year expiration date unless you have elite status or hold an eligible cobranded card.

If you don’t currently have a transferable points card, it may be worth adding one. These programs provide valuable flexibility because you can transfer points to multiple travel partners, book the awards you want and keep your loyalty accounts active.

You can also transfer points from select hotel loyalty programs to airline partners. Programs such as Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors and Wyndham Rewards all offer airline transfer options. Just keep in mind that many hotel programs have less-than-favorable exchange rates, and transfers can take weeks to process.

Donate to charity

If you’re short on time and need to generate quick activity, donating miles to charity is an easy way to keep your account active.

Many programs — including American Airlines and British Airways, among others — allow you to donate your points or miles to various nonprofit partners. Minimum donation amounts typically start around 1,000 miles, and the miles are usually deducted from your account immediately after you confirm the transaction.

Because the deduction posts right away, this activity generally resets the expiration clock on your remaining balance. It’s a fast and reliable option if your miles are set to expire in the next few days or weeks.

Take a flight or complete a stay

If you’re unsure about what counts as a qualifying activity, taking a paid flight or completing a hotel stay is one of the most reliable ways to keep your points or miles from expiring.

Most major airline and hotel programs treat both earning and redeeming rewards as eligible activities. That means flying on the airline (or an eligible partner) or staying with the hotel chain will typically reset your expiration clock once the points or miles from that activity post to your account — usually a few days after your flight or checkout.

THE HALCYON PRIVATE ISLES MALDIVES/MARRIOTT

Keep in mind that not every program recognizes all forms of activity the same way, and some programs’ points never expire at all. But in general, actual travel activity is one of the most universally accepted ways to keep your account active.

How to reinstate expired points and miles

Everything above is geared toward keeping your points and miles active — but what if they’ve already expired?

While it may feel like a “too bad, so sad” situation, you may still have options. Several airlines and hotel programs allow members to reinstate expired points or miles, usually for a fee. Whether it’s worth paying depends on the value of the amount of points you lost and what they’re worth toward your future travel plans.

If you're unsure of a program's expiration policy, it’s always worth speaking with a customer service representative. Agents sometimes have discretion to restore recently expired points, especially if the expiration was recent or you’ve been a loyal member. There’s no guarantee, but a polite request can go a long way.

For the best shot at success, try calling during non-peak hours, when phone agents are less overwhelmed with rebooking or cancellation calls.

Bottom line

There are plenty of easy ways to keep your points and miles active — from earning through dining or shopping portals to transferring a small number of points. Most programs only require a bit of qualifying activity to keep your balance alive, and staying proactive can save you from losing rewards you’ve worked hard to earn.

A small action now can preserve your points and miles for the redemptions you really want.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Great offers from our partners

See current offers Find your best card with CardMatch™

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

TPG editor's rating

at American Express's secure site.
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.

Rewards rate

Rewards rate
Rate	Category
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
5X	Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
3X	Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
2X	Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
1X	Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Intro offer

As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

Annual fee

$325

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Recommended credit

Excellent to Good

Pros + cons

Pros

Valuable dining and food-related credits
Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
Multiple travel and purchase protections
No foreign transaction fees
Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits

More details

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

Pros

Valuable dining and food-related credits
Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
Multiple travel and purchase protections
No foreign transaction fees
Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

Whether you’re sitting on a large balance or just starting to collect rewards, these quick actions can prevent expiration and protect every hard-earned point you’ve earned.

Use a cobranded credit card

Just note that not every cobranded card offers this protection, so always check the fine print.

Earn through dining programs

In most cases, rewards post within a week; however, some programs can take up to 10–14 days.

If a participating restaurant is willing to split your check between the two cards, you’ll trigger an earning activity — and therefore reset the expiration clock — for both loyalty programs.

Related: Best dining credit cards

Shop through the program’s shopping portal

For many travelers, this is the easiest way to keep points and miles active: make a purchase through your airline or hotel loyalty program’s online shopping portal.

Any posted earning activity through the portal typically resets your expiration clock, depending on the program’s rules.

Transfer points from a credit card or hotel program

Another easy way to keep many loyalty accounts active is to use a transferable credit card to transfer rewards to a partner airline or hotel program.

Donate to charity

If you’re short on time and need to generate quick activity, donating miles to charity is an easy way to keep your account active.

Take a flight or complete a stay

If you’re unsure about what counts as a qualifying activity, taking a paid flight or completing a hotel stay is one of the most reliable ways to keep your points or miles from expiring.

How to reinstate expired points and miles

Everything above is geared toward keeping your points and miles active — but what if they’ve already expired?

For the best shot at success, try calling during non-peak hours, when phone agents are less overwhelmed with rebooking or cancellation calls.

Bottom line

A small action now can preserve your points and miles for the redemptions you really want.

Comments

By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.

Use a cobranded credit card

Earn through dining programs

Shop through the program’s shopping portal

Transfer points from a credit card or hotel program

Donate to charity

Take a flight or complete a stay

How to reinstate expired points and miles

Bottom line

Comments

Comments

Related stories

How long do Chase Ultimate Rewards points take to transfer to partner programs?

How (and why) you should earn transferable credit card points

Why transferable rewards are worth more than airline miles and hotel points

Amex Membership Rewards vs. Chase Ultimate Rewards points: Which is best?

TPG featured card

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

Comments

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card