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Have an expiring perk or upgrade? Here’s how you can exchange it with other TPG readers

also contributed to this story
Dec. 13, 2024
•
5 min read
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In the spirit of holiday giving, we want to know: Do you have an unused airline upgrade, drink voucher, lounge pass or another travel benefit you won’t be using that you could share with a fellow TPG reader before it expires?

We recommend first offering your expiring certificates and other perks to family members, co-workers and friends or seeing if there’s any way to take advantage of them yourself. Once you’ve determined you still have some that’ll go unused before expiring in the new year, you can consider sharing them with another reader — perhaps even swapping rewards.

Please keep reading to learn how to participate and benefit from someone else’s upgrade; follow our instructions below.

Related: How you can donate your points and miles to charity

What are elite upgrades and perks?

CHRIS NELSON/THE POINTS GUY

With elite status and the right travel credit card, you may have perks to share with a companion. For example, Alaska Airlines offers four upgrade certificates to MVP Gold, Gold 75K and Gold 100K flyers. These certificates allow you to secure first-class upgrades on economy tickets. These upgrades apply to the individual member, their companions or even other customers traveling independently.

As long as the “U” fare class is available, you can use these certificates on most flights operated by Alaska Airlines. Sharing these upgrades with eligible customers is simple, and they remain valid until Dec. 31 in the year you earned them.

Here’s a more extensive list of various upgrades and perks that might be expiring that you can potentially share with another person:

  • United Airlines PlusPoints: Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members receive 40 and 280 additional PlusPoints for qualifying for their respective status tiers. If you earned status in 2023, your PlusPoints are set to expire Jan. 31, 2025.
  • Delta Air Lines Regional and Global Upgrade Certificates: Platinum Medallion and Diamond Medallion members who selected upgrade certificates as their Delta Choice Benefits for the status they earned in 2023 have until Jan. 31, 2025, to use their upgrades.
  • American Airlines systemwide upgrades: AAdvantage Platinum Pro and AAdvantage Executive Platinum members who select systemwide upgrades as their Loyalty Point Rewards have one year from the time the upgrades are deposited into their AAdvantage accounts to use them.
  • Hyatt free night certificates: Hyatt lets you gift free night certificates, such as Category 1-4 and 1-7 awards, suite upgrade awards, club access awards and Guest of Honor awards, to another person with certain provisions.
  • Lounge passes, drink tickets and more: This category can include airline lounge passes issued as a credit card or hotel elite status perk and drink tickets sent in airline elite status welcome packets. These benefits expire on a rolling basis, so check the certificate to confirm validity before offering to share. Note that some may be shared electronically while others are only available in paper form and will need to be mailed.

Benefits of sharing expiring elite perks

KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

If you have unused airline and/or hotel perks, why not gift them to a fellow TPG reader?

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You can brighten someone’s day by sharing an expiring perk or upgrade, even if you’re not traveling together. You may even be able to ask if they can exchange rewards with you.

Best of all, there is no cost involved.

Related: Airline and hotel loyalty programs that let you give the gift of elite status

How to participate in TPG’s 2024 expiring elite perks exchange

BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY

First, make sure you’re following TPG on Instagram. You’ll see our post about sharing the holiday spirit there. Comment with what you have to offer, but please refrain from simply asking for things.

The point of this reward swap is giving. If someone does post something that interests you, please directly message the person.

Your offer cannot be sold or exchanged for money. Our Instagram reward exchange thread is to connect our readers with generous people within the TPG community. Additionally, TPG is not responsible for anything you give or receive through this exchange.

Bottom line

Our exchange allows travelers to share their expiring airline upgrades, drink vouchers, lounge passes and other travel benefits with fellow TPG readers. This way, you can ensure that these benefits don’t go to waste.

To participate in this exchange, follow TPG on Instagram, comment on what you have to offer and connect with others through direct messages. Remember, this exchange is solely for giving and cannot involve selling or exchanging items for money. TPG holds no responsibility for any transactions or exchanges made through this platform.

It’s the perfect opportunity to spread the holiday spirit and improve someone’s travel experience.

Featured image by HOLIDAY INN RESORT ARUBA BEACH RESORT AND CASINO/FACEBOOK
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.

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Rewards

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Intro offer

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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
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  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.
Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

American Express® Gold Card

TPG Editor‘s Rating
4 / 5
Go to review

Rewards Rate

4XEarn 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.
4XEarn 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.
3XEarn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
2XEarn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
1XEarn 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

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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 $6,000 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 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.