Travel rewards glossary
Learn the most common terms across credit cards, points and miles, loyalty programs and travel.
A credit card annual fee is a yearly charge your card issuer bills to keep your account open and…
An airline alliance is a formal partnership among multiple airlines that allows them to coordinate…
An airport lounge is a dedicated space inside an airport terminal that offers travelers a quieter,…
An all-inclusive resort is a hotel property where one upfront price covers your room, meals, drinks…
An authorized user is someone who has been granted permission to make purchases on another person's…
A published table that a loyalty program uses to set fixed points or miles costs for flights and…
Moving debt from one credit card to another to take advantage of a lower, often 0%, introductory…
Spending categories defined by a card issuer that earn a higher rewards rate than all other…
The airline industry's most restrictive fare class, basic economy, sits below standard economy in…
Capital One miles are the transferable rewards currency earned with select Capital One travel…
A carry-on bag is a piece of luggage small enough to be brought into an aircraft’s cabin and stored…
Both charge cards and credit cards are payment cards that let you make purchases and pay later. The…
A checked bag is luggage you hand over to the airline at check-in to be stowed in the aircraft's…
A codeshare flight is one where a single physical flight is operated by one airline (the operating…
Every credit card billing cycle ends on a closing date, the day your issuer tallies your charges,…
A credit score is a three-digit number — typically ranging from 300 to 850 — that summarizes your…
Cash back is a type of credit card reward that returns a percentage of your spending as a…
Credit card churning is the practice of opening new credit cards primarily to earn a welcome offer,…
A digital nomad is someone who works remotely using technology while traveling continuously, with…
Delta SkyMiles is the frequent flyer program operated by Delta Air Lines, allowing members to earn…
Airport lounges operated by Delta Air Lines under the Delta Sky Club brand give eligible travelers…
Each airline ticket is assigned a single letter code called a fare class (also known as a fare…
A foreign transaction fee is a charge added by credit card issuers when a purchase is processed…
Often labeled "YQ" or "carrier-imposed surcharges" in your booking summary, fuel surcharges are…
Flying solely — or primarily — to earn airline miles, qualifying metrics or progress toward elite…
A multiplier is the rate at which a credit card or loyalty program awards points or miles per…
One of the world's largest hotel loyalty programs, Marriott Bonvoy was formed in 2019 when Marriott…
MileagePlus is United Airlines’ frequent flyer program, letting members earn miles on flights,…
A resort fee is a mandatory daily surcharge added to a hotel's base room rate, typically ranging…
Paid airline tickets purchased with cash or a cash-equivalent booking method are called revenue…
A rewards program is a loyalty system offered by airlines, hotels, credit card issuers or retailers…
A shopping portal is an online platform operated by an airline, hotel program, credit card issuer…
A statement credit is a dollar amount a card issuer applies directly to your account balance as a…
In air travel, a stopover is an intentional extended break at a connecting city during which the…
Southwest Airlines' frequent flyer program, Rapid Rewards, lets members earn points on flights,…
Combining multiple rewards-earning opportunities on a single purchase (such as a shopping portal, a…
The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most valuable perks in any U.S. airline loyalty program.…