Hotel points rarely disappear on a fixed calendar date. In most programs, a balance lapses only after your account sits untouched for a set number of months, and nearly any transaction that moves points in or out starts the waiting period over. The window itself varies from program to program, and “activity” covers less than many travelers assume. Here is how the rules work and what to do about an account you have not opened in a while.
Do hotel points expire if you stop staying?
Often yes, but not the way most people picture it. Points at major hotel programs do not tick toward zero from the day you earn them. They lapse only when your account has no qualifying activity for a window of 12 to 24 months, set by each program. A few programs never expire points at all. Keep some activity going inside the window and the balance carries forward indefinitely. Travelers who lose points usually lose them to inactivity, not to a date printed anywhere on their account. If you are new to loyalty accounts altogether, our guide to getting started with hotel loyalty programs explains how they work.
Why do hotel programs have expiration rules?
A dormant balance is a liability on the program’s books, and expiration rules push members toward earning and redeeming. Expiration is not the only way a balance can lose value, either. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has reported that consumers describe rewards being devalued or denied even after program terms were met, often because key conditions sat in fine print. Read the actual program rules for the chain you collect with rather than relying on marketing emails.
What keeps a points balance active?
The short version: you have to move points, not just view them. Anything that adds points to your balance or takes points out of it qualifies. That covers more than hotel stays:
- A qualifying stay. A paid night adds points to your balance and restarts the window at the same time, so it handles both jobs in one step.
- Cashing in points. A modest award booking, or a redemption that combines points and cash, counts too. If your balance covers a night you actually want, spend it. Our guide to booking a hotel stay with points covers what to verify first.
- Point purchases and incoming transfers. Buying even a small batch of points, or moving points in from a partner program, qualifies at most programs.
- Everyday spending on the chain’s credit card. When card purchases post points to your loyalty account, as they do at Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Wyndham and Choice, an ordinary wallet card keeps the balance alive without extra effort.
One thing that does not count: logging in. Looking at your balance is not activity.
How long do the major programs give you?
| Program | Points expire after | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Accor Live Limitless | 12 months of inactivity | Any earn or redemption resets the window |
| Best Western Rewards | Never | Points do not expire regardless of activity |
| Choice Privileges | 18 months of inactivity | Any earn or redemption resets the window |
| Hilton Honors | 24 months of inactivity | Any earn or redemption resets the window |
| IHG One Rewards | 12 months of inactivity | Elite members are exempt from expiration |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 24 months of inactivity | Any earn or redemption resets the window |
| Radisson Rewards | 24 months of inactivity | Any earn or redemption resets the window |
| World of Hyatt | 24 months of inactivity | Any earn or redemption resets the window |
Programs revise their terms from time to time, so confirm the current rule on the program’s own site before you plan around a date.
Do free night awards follow the same rules?
No, they are usually stricter. Hotel free night awards and similar certificates typically have validity periods of about one year from the date they were issued, and many require both the booking and the travel to be completed before the expiration date. A certificate is a use-it-soon item, not something that sits in your account as long as points do.
Does elite status change anything?
Sometimes. IHG One Rewards elite members are exempt from having their points expire, and Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Elite points do not expire. Exemptions like these vary by program and tier, so check where you stand. Our breakdown of how hotel elite status works explains what each tier requires and what it gets you.
How do you check your balance and expiration date?
Go to the program’s own website or app, find it yourself, and open your account details or activity history. Some programs display an expiration date outright; others show your most recent qualifying activity, which tells you when the window closes. That second approach works everywhere: note the date of your last qualifying transaction and count forward by your program’s inactivity window.
Watch out: Texts warning that your points expire today can be phishing scams, not real alerts. The FTC advises against clicking links in those messages. Find the company’s website or app on your own, then check whether your points are actually expiring.
How do you keep an idle account alive without traveling?
A handful of low-effort options work at most programs:
- Buy a small number of points.
- Transfer points in from a partner program, if yours allows it.
- Make a small redemption, even a modest award or points-plus-cash booking.
- Put regular spending on the program’s co-brand credit card, if you hold one.
None of these require a trip. One transaction inside the window pushes the expiration date out again.
What if your points have already expired?
Contact the program’s customer service directly and ask whether anything can be done. Outcomes vary by program and are not guaranteed, so go in with modest expectations. Keep copies of your account history and any correspondence with the program, the same way you would keep receipts and confirmation numbers for a billing dispute. Treat unsolicited offers to recover your points with suspicion; the FTC warns that messages about expiring rewards are a known hook for scams.
If you have not opened your loyalty account in a while, do it today: check your balance, find your last qualifying activity and mark the date your program’s inactivity window runs out.
At a glance
- Most major hotel programs expire points after 12 to 24 months with no qualifying activity, and any earning or redemption restarts the waiting period.
- Best Western Rewards points never expire, and IHG elite members are exempt from expiration.
- Logging into your account does not count as activity; earning, redeeming, buying or transferring points does.
- Free night awards usually follow stricter rules, often expiring about one year after they were issued.
- Texts claiming your points expire today can be phishing scams, so check your account on the program’s own site.
Frequently asked questions
Do hotel points expire if I never stay again?
At most programs, yes, after 12 to 24 months with no qualifying activity. A few programs, such as Best Western Rewards, never expire points regardless of activity.
Does checking my balance keep my points alive?
No. Logging in or viewing your account is not qualifying activity at most programs. You need a transaction that earns or redeems points.
What is the easiest way to reset the expiration clock?
Redeem a few points on a small award, buy a modest batch of points, or transfer points in from a partner program. If you hold the program’s co-brand credit card, everyday spending can keep the account active automatically.
Can I get expired points back?
Contact the program’s customer service and ask directly. Outcomes vary by program and are not guaranteed, so keep records of your account history and any correspondence.