As the year winds down, it’s the perfect time to review your miles, points, and elite status to make sure nothing goes to waste. Airline miles expire, hotel credits reset, elite benefits disappear, and unused perks quietly vanish if you’re not paying attention. This end-of-year miles and points checklist will help you lock in value, protect your balances, and start the new year ahead of the game.
1. Check for Expiring Airline Miles
Some airline programs still enforce expiration policies if your account has no activity. This is becoming increasingly rare for major U.S. based carriers with the exception of American Airlines, but other popular airlines such as Aeroplan and Air France (Flying Blue) still have miles that expire without activity.
What to do:
- Review expiration rules for programs like American Airlines, Avianca LifeMiles, and ANA
- Generate activity by:
- Shopping portals
- Dining programs
- Small mileage purchases or transfers
Pro Tip: A single mile earned or redeemed usually resets expiration.
2. Review Hotel Free Night Certificates
great hotels such as the Hyatt Centric Murano
Many hotel credit cards issue annual free night awards that expire if unused.
Check these carefully:
- Hilton Free Night Certificates
- Hyatt Free Night Certificates
- Category 1–4 free nights
- Category 1-7 free nights
- Marriott Free Night Awards (35k / 50k)
- IHG Anniversary Night Certificates
Action step:
Make sure to plan around their expiration date. These certificates are worth hundreds of dollars and even if you need to book a weekend road trip, don’t let these expire.
3. Use Up Annual Credit Card Credits
Most premium travel cards reset credits on January 1.
Common credits to use before year-end:
- Airline incidental credits
- Dining Credits (Resy/Open Table)
- Hotel credits
- Ride-share or streaming credits
- Saks / lifestyle credits (Lululemon, etc)
For those who carry an ultra luxury travel credit card (Chase Reserve or Amex Plat) make sure to use as many credits as possible before year end!
4. Lock In Elite Status (or Status Extensions)
If you’re close to elite status, the last few weeks of the year can make a big difference.
Things to review:
- Elite night shortfalls
- Status challenges or promotions
- Credit card elite night boosts
Hitting that last elite status threshold can bring wonderful perks. I save thousands of dollars each year with my World of Hyatt Globalist Status.
5. Convert or Transfer Orphaned Points
Small balances across multiple programs can become unusable over time.
Smart moves:
- Transfer flexible points to consolidate
- Pool points with family (where allowed)
- Convert hotel points to airline miles only if there’s a specific redemption
Avoid speculative transfers unless expiration is imminent.
6. Audit Your Credit Card Portfolio
Year-end is ideal for reviewing which cards still make sense.
Ask yourself:
- Did I get value from this annual fee?
- Are benefits overlapping with another card?
- Is a downgrade better than cancellation?
Downgrading often preserves account history while avoiding unnecessary fees.
7. Set Award Alerts for 2026 Travel
Premium cabin award space often opens unpredictably.
Before year-end:
- Set alerts for key routes
- You can do these with several award search tools. My favorite is Award Tool
- Monitor flexible travel windows
- Identify dream redemptions early
- Planning early gives you the opportunity to jump on deals
This puts you in position to book quickly when availability appears.
8. Reassess Your 2025 Travel Strategy
Use year-end reflection to improve next year’s approach. It’s always great to reflect and summarize the past of year of travel. Ask yourself which airlines and perks you enjoyed the most. Is it time to tweak your award travel approach?
Plan ahead by:
- Identifying one or two core airline alliances
- Focusing on fewer, higher-value programs
- Aligning credit cards with your actual travel patterns
Less fragmentation = more premium redemptions.
Final Thoughts
An hour spent reviewing your miles and points before December 31 can save thousands of dollars in lost value. From expiring miles and unused credits to elite status and free night certificates, a simple end-of-year audit ensures you start the new year organized, optimized, and ready to travel smarter.
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