Travel rewards programs-whether they be earned through airline miles, hotel points, or credit card perks-are a veritable golden ticket to unforgettable experiences in their own right. From free flights to lavish stays in 5-star accommodations, they can convert everyday spending into extravagant vacationing. Nonetheless, one certainly cannot say it is a walk in the park trying to work the system of points and miles. Even the most-seasoned traveler could still fall into a few traps hindering the value of hard-earned rewards.
In this guide, we discuss fifteen common mistakes that could just be costing you points, miles, and opportunities. If you can avoid these pitfalls, you'll get your rewards realized and travel easier instead of harder.
1. Ignoring Expiration Dates
One of the fastest ways to lose your hard-earned points and miles is by forgetting about the expiration dates. Many of these loyalty programs have defined terms where they write off your balance after a fixed period of inactivity on your account (most often 12 to 24 months). For example, American Airlines Advantage miles will expire if not used for 24 months, while United MileagePlus miles never expire as long as you possess a specific co-branded credit card.
How to avoid it:
Reminders in calendars
for deadline dates will help you stock up on rewards accounts. For example,
transfer existing credit card points, purchase something through a shopping
portal, and do a survey for miles. This can reactivate the expiration clock on
your points even though it may not be a huge action. In case of lots of points
which one won't use for a long time, one may consider placing a tiny donation
through a charity partner (e.g. Delta Sky Miles donations) to keep the active account.
2. Letting Points Lose Value Over Time
Points and miles too
are not safe from inflation. The airlines and hotels change the value of these
currencies so often that a given flight or stay could actually cost many more
points in the future. For example, a business class ticket that was available
for 80,000 miles might suddenly be priced at 120,000 miles after a program
overhaul.
How to Avoid It:
Don't hoard unless
actually saving for a redemption. Monitor for sweet spots with tools like
Point.me and AwardHacker, and book before programs can devalue rewards. Follow
travel blogs and forums to keep up with news of changes to programs.
3. Overlooking Transfer Partners
Most credit cards, like Chase Ultimate Rewards
or American Express Membership Rewards, allow you to transfer points to airline
or hotel partners. Sticking to one redemption option (for example, booking
through the credit card's travel portal) means you could lose redemptions that
are more valuable. Keep that in mind.
How to handle it:
Research the transfer partner before you book. For example, transferring points
from Chase to Hyatt may yield a better return than booking through Chase
Travel. Similarly, transferring 50,000 Amex points to Aeroplan could buy you a
round-trip flight to Europe, but redeeming them as a statement credit will only
net you $500.
4. Paying for Travel You Could Have Booked With Points
If you save considerable points for a "big trip" and use cash for smaller outgoings, this can backfire if you're overspending on cheap flights or hotels that should have been covered with points.
What To Do:
Calculate points'
value in cents. If your $200 flight ticket costs 10,000 miles (2 cents per
mile) and they are worth 1.5 cents each for a cash return, you've got to go
with miles. Use valuations computations like those from The Points Guy for
helping out on your redemptions.
5. Not Diversifying Your Loyalty Portfolios
Using only one program
for all your rewards (like earning only Delta SkyMiles), ties your hands. If
that program devalues your points or simply does not have availability for the
desired trip, you are stuck.
How to Avoid:
Disperse your rewards: Credit cards with
transferable points (Chase, Amex, Capital One) are best when combined with a
myriad of airline alliances (Star Alliance, Oneworld, SkyTeam) for the greatest
number of options.
6. Missing Sign-Up Bonuses
Credit card sign-up
bonuses offer the fastest way to accrue points. Nevertheless, many people go
for the regular offer instead of holding out for the limited-time-high bonus
offer.
How to Avoid it:
Track historical
offers via websites such as Doctor of Credit and apply when the bonuses set
records (e.g. 100,000 points for the Chase Sapphire Preferred). Always spend
the minimum organically-never just for points.
7. Booking Directly Without Checking Award Charts
Award charts
illustrate how much points you will have to shell out for particular routes or
hotel categories: ignoring those may lead you to overpay. A case in point would
be the booking for 7 nights in hotels but without the benefit of the perception
of "7th Night Free" with Marriott Bonvoy programs: that means losing
good points.
How to Avoid It:
Study your program's
award chart and sweet spots. For example, enjoy flying from USA to Hawaii on
American Airlines for miles flown in off-peak months.
8. Forgetting About Everyday Earning Opportunities
Earn points in many different ways, not just by flying and swiping cards. Use shopping portals, dining programs, or survey sites, and else you are leaving money on the table.
How apt:
Connect your loyal shopping accounts with portals such as Rakuten, link them to
airline portals (in case of mileageplus, use United MileagePlus Shopping), and
enroll in their programs, for example, Alaska Airlines' Dining for Miles. Use
applications such as Drop for possible earning on every dollar spent.
9. Neglecting Elite Status Opportunities
Elite status is great
for the frequent flyer type. You have to plan well to get free upgrades, lounge
access, and bonus points anyway for the weak occasional traveler.
How to Avoid It:
Focus on status
challenges or credit cards that offer elite-lite benefits. For example, the
Hilton Honors Aspire Card grants automatic Diamond status, while the Platinum
Card® from American Express offers lounge access.
10. Not Maximizing Redemption Value
You could spend 50,000 points for a 500-flight (1cent per point), but those same points could be worth 500 for the business class or luxury hotels.
How to avoid:
Look for redemption
that provides at least 1.5-2 cents per point. An example would be 75,000 Chase
points in booking a business class flight from the USA to Europe (which is
about $1,500) via the Air France-KLM Flying Blue program.
11. Overpaying Fees with Points
There are a number of programs that impose very hefty costly charges on award bookings. For an instance, avios redemption between British Airways and its partners tends to charge very high surcharges imposed by the carrier.
Ways to Get Around It:
Look for cheap routes.
Instead of burning Avios on long-haul British Airways trips, use them for an
American Airlines short-haul (small fees) instead. Similarly, by using
Aeroplan, one can book Lufthansa flights without fuel surcharges.
12. Ignoring Credit Card Benefits
Most premium travel
cards provide services like travel insurance, Global Entry credits, annual
travel credits, and the like. Leaving them unused is tantamount to throwing
away money.
Ways to Avoid It:
Review your card
benefits every year. Set reminders for credit usage (e.g. the $300 Annual
Travel Credit on the Chase Sapphire Reserve). Enroll to free offers for elite
status (e.g. enroll to the World of Hyatt with Chase Sapphire Preferred).
13. Not Planning for Partner Awards
The airlines belonging to the same alliance like Star Alliance or Oneworld can book awards for each other's flights. Not checking partner availability means you are missing out on options.
Avoid this scenario by:
Search the alliance
websites for routes. For example, booking United flights through Air Canada's
Aeroplan or checking Qantas for American Airlines awards.
14. Waiting Too Long to Book
Availability of award seats, especially in premium categories, is very limited. Waiting till the last minute usually results in price hikes or no seats being available. This calls for prevention.
Methods of Prevention:
One should book well
in advance (up to 330 days for flights) and set up alerts in ExpertFlyer or use
tools like Seats.aero to spot last minute placements.
15. Not Staying Informed
Loyalty programs are always changing. Missing updates regarding devaluations, new partners, or time-limited promotions can cost you.
How to Get Around It:
Read established
travel blogs (The Points Guy, One Mile at a Time), sign up for newsletters, and
be a member of online communities such as FlyerTalk.
Turn Mistakes into Opportunities
A
new focus on awareness rather than perfection is what we learn while avoiding
these 15 mistakes, and it feels safer. Well-organized research, redemption, and
relevant tools will turn your points and miles into great trips. Remember that
travel rewards are a marathon, not a sprint. Start small, learn from mistakes,
and you'll soon be traveling smarter than anyone else. Are you ready to be the
master of your travel destiny? Give this guide to your fellow travelers and
start planning that next big adventure today!