Missing a Credit Card Spending Bonus — Reader Mistake Story
One of the things I love most about being The Points Guy is getting to hear stories from readers about all the positive ways award travel has affected their lives. That being said, while I love hearing about your successes, I think there's also a lot we can learn by sharing our mistakes, and I'm calling on readers to send in your most egregious and woeful travel failures.
From time to time I'll pick one that catches my eye and post it for everybody to enjoy (and commiserate with). If you're interested, email your story to info@thepointsguy.com, and put "Reader Mistake Story" in the subject line. Include details of exactly how things went wrong, and (where applicable) how you made them right. Please offer any wisdom you gained from the experience, and explain what precautions the rest of us can take to avoid the same pitfalls. If we publish your story, I'll send you a gift to help jump-start your next adventure (or make up for any blunders from the last one).
Today, I want to share a story from TPG reader Dottie. Here's what she had to say:
Toward the end of last year I got a bonus offer from Barclaycard: if I spent $2,500 on my AAdvantage Aviator card every calendar month for six months, I would earn 30,000 miles in addition to what I earn normally. I decided to go for it, so I kept careful track of my spending each month to make sure I hit the right amount.
At the end of the six-month period, I watched for the miles to post to my account, but after four weeks the bonus still hadn't shown up. I decided to call customer service, and was told that I hadn't qualified. I went back through my statements to add up all of my spend for each month, and I discovered that I was short by $21 in the very last month. I was incredulous!
Apparently what happened is that some of my purchases didn't show up on my account before the end of that month. Instead, they posted at the beginning of the following month, which meant that I had given Barclaycard $15,000 in spending for no bonus — just the 1 mile per dollar I normally earned.
Anytime you're trying to meet a spending requirement, you should remember two important guidelines. First, purchases often don't post to your account on the day they're charged; usually they'll show up within a day or two, but the wait can be even longer. Purchases you make just before a spending deadline might not post until after it has passed, in which case they won't help you meet the requirements. To avoid this problem, give yourself a buffer of at least a few days to complete your spending before time runs out.
Second, your bonus period doesn't always align with the calendar. Some rewards and bonus offers (like the one Dottie received) measure how much you spend in a given month, while others track your spending according to the billing statement. Make sure you know which rules apply, especially if you're going to put significant effort into meeting the requirements.
Finally, pay attention to the opportunity cost of earning a bonus. Every dollar you spend on one card is a dollar you're not spending on another, potentially more lucrative card. Dottie's bonus would have effectively earned her 3 miles per dollar spent. That's a pretty good return, but she may have been able to do better by maximizing bonus categories or signing up for one of the top bonus offers. Spending bonuses are a great way to boost your loyalty accounts, but you should compare each offer to your other earning opportunities.
I appreciate this story, and I hope it can help other readers avoid making the same mistake. To thank Dottie for sharing her experience (and for allowing me to post it online), I'm sending her a $200 Visa gift card to enjoy on future travels.
I'd like to do the same for you! If you've ever arrived at the airport without ID, booked a hotel room in the wrong city, missed out on a credit card sign-up bonus or made another memorable travel or rewards mistake, I want to hear about it. Please indulge me and the whole TPG team by sending us your own stories (see instructions above). I look forward to hearing from you, and until then, I wish you a safe and mistake-free journey!
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
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- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees