Hilton permanently extends points expiration to 24 months

Hilton loyalists rejoice! Effective immediately, Hilton Honors is permanently changing its point expiration policy so members have longer to redeem their points before they disappear.

Hilton Honors points will now remain valid for at least 24 months from the date of your last activity. That's nine months longer than the previous 15-month validity period.

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the downturn in travel, Hilton already announced that it would temporarily pause point expirations through Dec. 31, 2022. However, today's announcement is a permanent change.

Of course, it's important to remember that the 24-month expiration policy only applies to accounts with no activity, meaning that a member hasn't earned or redeemed points in this timeframe. Aside from stays, you can keep your Hilton Honors account active by signing up for or spending on a cobranded Hilton credit card; through partner activity like linking your Hilton and Lyft accounts so you earn Hilton points with the ride-hailing app; joining the Hilton Honors Dining program; donating your points and more.

Related: How to keep your points and miles from expiring

In terms of what policies the other major hotel programs have in place, Hilton is playing catch up. Both Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt already have 24-month expiration policies, though IHG Rewards still has a 12-month expiration policy (though points don't expire for elites).

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Nevertheless, this is welcome news for Hilton Honors members, particularly for those who don't stay at Hilton properties often or who carry one of the hotel group's cobranded credit cards. This comes on the heels of other guest-friendly announcements from Hilton, including advance upgrades for elites, digital key-sharing and confirmed connecting rooms. Hilton has also already announced that it's extending elite status for all members through Mar. 31, 2023.

Although the extension of an expiration window for Hilton points is great news, perhaps Hilton along with the other major chains should consider following the lead of airlines including Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United, all of which have ended expiration for their frequent-flyer miles and points in recent years. That way, members can participate in these programs without constant clock-watching, trying to stay one step ahead of (albeit lax) points expiration policies. Hopefully, this is the first step in that direction for Hilton.