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The year is almost over, and while your holiday celebrations might be in full swing, there are still a few things to keep in mind in the points and miles world before the ball drops on New Year's Eve.
In the current points and miles era, there are monthly, quarterly, and yearly credits to make sure you use before they expire, and of course, there's hotel elite status to earn (yes, you achieve it even at the last minute), but this post will focus on some other important aspects of award travel.
Let's dig into everything you might've forgotten in 2024 — before it's too late!
Page Contents
Transfer Hotel Points Between Accounts or Pool Points With Friends and Family
Some hotel programs allow you to transfer points between accounts belonging to family and friends. And most have an annual cap on the number of points you can transfer. Here's an overview of the programs you might want to transfer into (or out of) before the end of the year.
Transfer IHG points between family and friends
IHG One Rewards unveiled the ability to transfer IHG points between accounts in late 2023. But you'll need to have Diamond Elite status with IHG or be a member of the IHG Business Rewards program (it's free to join) to initiate a transfer free of charge.
Each account can transfer or receive a maximum of 500,000 points annually (in increments of 1,000). If you have a hefty balance you're considering transferring soon, now is the time!
Pool or transfer Hilton points
Hilton Honors offers a similar option for its members. You can transfer out to 500,000 points each calendar year of your account and receive up to 2,000,000 points via transfers or family pooling.
Related: Which Rewards Programs Let You Pool Points and Miles With Others for Free?
Transfer or gift Marriott points
Marriott has some confusing stipulations on point transfers between Bonvoy accounts, in my eyes aimed to reduce fraud. There are several thresholds that, if met in a calendar year, lock you out from transferring until the next calendar year:
- Maximum monthly transactions: Two transfer transactions (giving or receiving) per month.
- Maximum transactions per year: Six transfer transactions (giving or receiving) per calendar year.
- Maximum transfer amounts: Transfer up to a maximum of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points per calendar year
- Maximum received transfer: Receive up to a maximum of 500,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per calendar year transferred from other members.
The other major program not listed, World of Hyatt, does not have a calendar-year restriction on transfers — only a “once-per-30-day restriction,” which differs from a “once-per-calendar-month” restriction.
Strategically Buy Points and Miles
While we don't generally advocate purchasing points, it can make sense in certain instances — especially when there's an ongoing bonus or discount or when you need to come up with a few points to make a redemption. And we bring this up because several airlines and hotels impose caps on how many points you can buy in a calendar year.
If you have trouble generating enough points and miles organically, you might want to purchase points now before the annual cap resets.
Airline programs with calendar year restrictions for buying miles and points
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue: Non-elite “Explorer” members are limited to buying 100,000 miles a year
- Alaska Mileage Plan: Members without elite status have a limit of 150,000 miles each year
- American Airlines AAdvantage®: Up to 150,000 miles each calendar year
- Avianca LifeMiles: Up to 500,000 miles per calendar year
- British Airways Executive Club: Up to 200,000 miles each calendar year
- Copa ConnectMiles: 2,000,000 per calendar year
- Delta SkyMiles: Up to 60,000 miles each calendar year
- Emirates Skywards: Blue and Silver members can buy up to 100,000 miles a year; Gold and Platinum can buy up to 200,000 per calendar year
- EVA Infinity MileageLands: Up to 150,000 miles per calendar year
- Finnair Plus: Up to 200,000 Avios each calendar year
- JetBlue TrueBlue: Up to 200,000 points per year typically, but JetBlue has increased this cap during sales.
- Qatar Privilege Club: Up to 250,000 Avios each calendar year
- United MileagePlus: Up to 200,000 miles, including bonus miles from any promotion
- Virgin Australia Velocity: 250,000 points per calendar year
Hotel programs with calendar year restrictions for buying miles and points
- Hilton Honors: The regular limit is 80,000 points per calendar year, but Hilton may increase the limit during sales (sometimes up to 240,000 points or more)
- IHG One Rewards: Up to 150,000 points per calendar year
- Marriott Bonvoy: The normal limit is 100,000 points, but Marriott has increased this to 150,000 points
- World of Hyatt: The regular limit is 55,000 points per calendar year, but Hyatt has increased this limit during sales to up to 110,000 points per member
- Wyndham Rewards: Up to 200,000 points per calendar year
Related: Which Credit Card Should You Use To Buy Points and Miles?
Meet Annual Spending Thresholds To Unlock Cardholder Benefits
Several credit cards have spending thresholds that you must meet in a calendar year to unlock specific perks in the year ahead. Here are some notable spending thresholds you should keep in mind:
American Express Centurion Lounge guest access
Each calendar year, The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offer Card Members the chance to spend $75,000 per year on their respective Cards to earn complimentary Centurion Lounge guest access for up to two guests and any kids under two for the following year.
Check your spending on your hotel credit cards for potential free night awards
American Express issues two cards for the Hilton brand that offer spending-based thresholds that unlock free night awards. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card provides a Hilton free night award after $15,000 in spending in a calendar year.
The premium Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers a free night award just for keeping it in your wallet and paying the annual fee. It also provides an additional free night award after you spend $30,000 and $60,000 in a calendar year.
- 14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Portfolio
- 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, car rentals booked directly through select rental companies, and at U.S. restaurants
- 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card
The World of Hyatt Credit Card offers a Category 1-4 free night award after you spend $15,000 in a calendar year.
- Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points. Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 more Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
- Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
- Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
- Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
- Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
- Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays - 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
- Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- Up to 9X points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4X points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5X points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point per $1 everywhere else
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card offers a free night award, good for awards up to 50,000 points, after spending $15,000 in purchases in a calendar year. The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card offers the same perk.
Additionally, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card offers an additional 85,000 point free night award after $60,000 in spending if the cardmember opts to elect the award as their Annual Earned Choice award.
- Earn up to 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points. Earn 100,000 points after you spend $6,000 and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide.
- With Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite Status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when the stay is booked with a Qualifying Rate at hotels that participate in Marriott Bonvoy, subject to availability upon check-in.
- Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Earn 3X Marriott Bonvoy® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2X Marriott Bonvoy® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
- Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Brilliant Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
- $100 Marriott Bonvoy® Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
- Enroll in Priority Pass Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
- With Cell Phone Protection*, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. *Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
- $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.
- Rates & Fees
- 6X points on purchases at Marriott Properties
- 3X points at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery
- 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines
- 2X points on all other eligible purchases
Related: Earn a Hotel Free Night Award With These Credit Cards
Earn airline companion certificates with credit cards
Earning a companion certificate can be an amazing perk for holding the right credit card (and meeting spending thresholds). The British Airways Visa Signature® Card offers a “Travel Together Ticket” after you spend $30,000 on the card in a calendar year. The Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card offers a similar companion certificate earned after $30,000 is spent in a year.
Maximize Point Redemption Rebates on Select Cards
Some credit cards give rebates for redeeming points; maximizing this benefit before year-end is key!
Citi Rewards+ 10% rebate
The Citi Rewards+® Card offers a 10% rebate on all points redeemed or transferred from your ThankYou® rewards account each calendar year — up to 100,000 points. If maximized, that's 10,000 points you'll get back each calendar year.
- 2X ThankYou® Points at supermarkets and gas stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter
- 1X points on all other purchases
- Automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase - with no cap
Business Platinum Card 35% Pay with Points rebate
The Business Platinum Card Card offers a 35% rebate on eligible flights booked through Amex Travel, up to 1,000,000 points rebated annually. This perk has a few restrictions you'll need to navigate, but there are plenty of situations where redeeming points for flights through Amex's travel portal makes sense.
- Limited Time Travel Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn a $500 statement credit after you spend $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel with your Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. You can earn one or both of these offers. Offer ends 6/30/25.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 10/2024.
- Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card®. Enrollment required.
- Fly like a pro with a $200 Airline Fee Credit. Select one qualifying airline to receive up to $200 back per year on baggage fees and other incidentals.
- NEW! Make the Business Platinum Card® work even harder for you. Hilton For Business members get up to $200 back per calendar year when you make an eligible purchase at Hilton properties across the globe. Benefit enrollment required.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points for flights, prepaid hotels, and short-term rentals and prepaid flight + hotel packages booked at AmexTravel.com. 1X points on other eligible purchases.
- Earn 1.5X points (that's an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card®.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com.
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more.
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers.
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers.
- Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on each eligible purchase with U.S. shipping providers.
- 1.5X earning rates are subject to a cap of $2 million in purchases per calendar year.
Max Out on Cash Back or Point Earnings
Some credit cards limit your cashback each calendar year. If you want to maximize these benefits, you'll need to act within the next few days.
Citi Dividend cash back limits
The Citi® Dividend Card (no longer open to new applicants) offers some excellent quarterly cashback bonus categories, but unfortunately, the card limits you to $300 cash back each year. So, if you want to max out your return by holding this card, make those final purchases before January 1, 2025.
Amex Cards with reward caps
Amex has several cards that offer reward caps on certain categories or levels of spending. Here's a quick overview:
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 3% cash back on up to $6,000 of U.S. online retail purchases per year (then 1%), 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 of purchases per year (then 1%), and 1% cash back on other purchases (issued as Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout).
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, plus 6% at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 3% at U.S. gas stations, and 3% on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more, and 1% on all other eligible purchases (issued as Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout).
- American Express® Gold Card: 4X points at at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 per year, then 1X), 4X at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year, then 1X), 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, and 2X points on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) and 5X points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com.
- American Express® Business Gold Card: 4X Membership Rewards points on the 2 eligible categories where your business spent the most each month, 1X on other purchases. 4X points apply to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year.
- The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
- The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card: 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1% (issued as a statement credit).
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 17.49% - 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. APRs will not exceed 29.99%
- Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
- From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That's why you've got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power.
- The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
Overall
The end of the year can be a fun time for all, but make sure you're not missing out on all the fun rewards and perks from airlines, hotels, and credit cards. We hope this guide allows you to participate in some last-minute points and miles strategy, as 2025 will be here in just a couple days!
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees), and The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (Rates & Fees)
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