If you have a travel rewards credit card or elite status with a hotel or airline, your stash of points could be worth thousands of dollars.
But what happens to those points and miles after you die?
It turns out reward points arenât considered property â so you typically canât name a beneficiary to inherit them. Youâre not legally entitled to have them transferred to anyone upon your death either.
âEach company has its own specific stipulations and requirements,â said Nick Ewen, senior editor of The Points Guy, a travel website focused on helping readers accumulate reward points.
However, some companies may let a family member cash out the rewards or transfer points after an account holder dies.
Whether youâre planning ahead so your family can utilize your rewards after youâre gone or youâre a family member trying to navigate a loved oneâs account after theyâve passed, hereâs how to manage reward points upon death. (Note: You should get legal advice before you start navigating a deceased personâs estate.)
Credit Card Reward Points
Every credit card issuer has its own rules for managing points after death. Many handle these situations on a case-by-case basis.
Give the company a call and ask if points can be redeemed or transferred to another account.
American Express Membership Rewards
Points can be reinstated to a new Basic American Express account or redeemed by the estate or an eligible party, according to the companyâs website.
If youâre the executor of the estate, youâll need to send a formal written request to the companyâs Membership Rewards Correspondence Unit to get the points distributed.
Make sure to call American Express before you cancel your family memberâs credit card. According to the companyâs website: âAccrued Membership Rewards points will be forfeited immediately upon cancellation of all cardsâŚThe estate or eligible party may only be able to redeem points within a certain time frame.â
Capital One Rewards
Capital One doesnât say on its website if points are transferable upon death, although it does provide instructions on how to close a memberâs account.
Your best bet is to call Capital One and ask what your options are.
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Upon notification of the account holderâs death, Chase automatically redeems rewards for cash in the form of a statement credit.
Youâll need to provide proper documentation, including a copy of the death certificate.
Airline Miles
Airline companies have more straightforward policies on how to transfer frequent flier miles after death.
Not every airline lets you transfer points. But remember: A phone call to customer service can go a long way.
American Airlines
American Airlines, like nearly all airlines, states in its terms and conditions that points are not property and therefore cannot be transferred upon death.
However, the airline may be willing to work with you if you give them a call.
According to the companyâs policy: âAmerican Airlines, in its sole discretion, may credit accrued mileage to persons specifically identified in court-approved divorce decrees and wills upon receipt of documentation satisfactory to American Airlines and upon payment of any applicable fees.â
Delta
Delta has pretty strict rules against transferring SkyMiles after an account holderâs death. You can try calling the company â just donât hold your breath.
Frontier
You can enroll in the companyâs Family Pooling program, which allows two or more members to link their accounts and earn points together. This way a friend or family member can access your miles automatically after you die.
The companyâs policy gets a little confusing If your account isnât linked with another person. Frontier says points canât be transferred upon death, but its website also states: âIn instances of multiple executors or heirs of miles based on court documents, miles are divided as directed by the court.â
JetBlue
You can enroll in JetBlueâs Points Pooling feature, which lets you add up to seven friends and family members to a single account so you can earn awards faster.
If you fly with JetBlue frequently, this can help ensure your family has access to your TrueBlue points in case you die.
Otherwise, the company doesnât let you transfer points outside of the pool program, according to the TrueBlue terms and conditions.
Southwest
Southwest, like Delta, also has strict rules against transferring Rapid Rewards points to someone else after an account holder dies.
While points canât be transferred to another account, the account wonât be deactivated until 24 months after the person dies.
United
If youâre a member of Unitedâs MileagePlus Program, your points and miles can be transferred after you die.
Your family will need to provide the fees and documentation required by the airline.
According to the companyâs website: âIn the event of the deathâŚof a Member, United may, in its sole discretion, credit all or a portion of such Memberâs accrued mileage to authorized persons upon receipt of documentation satisfactory to United and payment of applicable fees.â
Hotel Rewards
Compared to credit card points and airline miles, hotels generally offer a simple path to claiming points from a deceased personâs account, with much clearer language and step-by-step instructions.
Hilton Honors
You can transfer points from a deceased memberâs account to another member after contacting Hilton. Youâll need to provide a copy of the death certificate and official documents establishing your legal authority over the memberâs estate.
You must request the transfer within one year of the memberâs death.
Thereâs no limit on how many points can be transferred, and Hilton wonât charge you a fee to transfer them.
Hilton provides clear instructions on how to transfer reward points after an account holder dies.
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriottâs rewards program, Marriott Bonvoy, lets you transfer points to another existing Marriott Bonvoy account.
You need to supply the death certificate and documentation showing youâre the executor of the estate. Youâll also need to provide the name and account numbers for both accounts, along with details about the request.
Here is the step-by-step process to transfer points.
World of Hyatt
Hyatt makes it easy to transfer points to another World of Hyatt rewards member after the original account holder dies.
According to the companyâs policy, points can be transferred after death, but not elite status or awards.
Points can be transferred one time to someone sharing the same residential mailing address as the deceased member.
Just make sure two people donât call Hyatt customer service asking to transfer points.
According to the companyâs terms and conditions: ââŚin the event that Hyatt receives competing transfer requests from more than one person sharing the deceased Memberâs residential address and such dispute cannot be resolved to Hyattâs satisfaction, Hyatt may refuse all transfers and void the deceased Memberâs points.â
Accessing Points After Someone Dies
Navigating a loved oneâs affairs after they pass away can be stressful and exhausting.
If youâre trying to access their credit card points or airline miles, you can try logging into their account or calling customer service.
Contact Customer Service
If youâre dealing with credit card points, you should call the credit card company and explain the situation. You might be able to get the points transferred to your own account or cash them out.
Have a copy of the death certificate handy when you call.
Here are some of the options you might encounter:
- Automatic cash-back redemption: The company may cash out the points and credit it to the estate or the executor. This often lowers the value of the points.
- Transfers: This option lets you transfer the points to your own account. However, it may involve some paperwork and a transfer fee.
- Forfeiture: Youâll lose everything in the account. This is the worst case scenario.
Giving customer service a call is worth a try, even if transferring points isnât clearly spelled out in the companyâs policy. Many customer service representatives have the flexibility to waive transfer fees and credit the miles or points to your account.
Try to Access the Account On Your Own
For airline miles and hotel points, it might be easier to just log into your family memberâs account and use their remaining points that way.
âThe reality is these programs arenât going to know that your loved one has passed away unless you notify them,â Ewen told The Penny Hoarder.
Of course, youâll need access to their passwords and login information to do so.
âThe most important thing is for your loved one or the executor of your estate to have access to these accounts so they can log in and take the appropriate actions,â Ewen said.
However, Ewen said the same rules donât apply to credit card points.
âIf you continue to utilize a credit card or its points after someone dies, thatâs basically financial fraud,â Ewen said.
There are laws about closing a personâs credit card accounts in a timely manner after they die. Itâs illegal to make new transactions on a deceased memberâs credit card account.
Credit cards are part of your traditional assets, so they must be properly settled upon an account holderâs death, Ewen said.
In this situation, call the credit card company and see if points can be transferred or cashed out.
How to Pass Along Points After Death
What if youâre planning ahead to pass along points to your family after you die?
Since most companies decide how to handle a deceased personâs points on a case-by-case basis, the smartest thing to do is to redeem your rewards regularly. This way, you donât build up a small fortune of unused credit card points that become worthless after you die.
âTake an âearn and burnâ mentality,â Ewen recommended. âYour points will never be more valuable than they are right now, so the best thing you can do is use your miles when youâre around to enjoy them.â
Another option is adding family members as authorized users on your credit cards or âpoolingâ points with loved ones.
Give Your Family Access to Your Account Information
Some people leave their login information and instructions in a digital estate plan.
This document can help your loved one navigate your various online accounts after you pass away.
If youâre looking for a way to consolidate information about all your rewards programs into one place so your family can easily access the information, check out AwardWallet.
AwardWallet lets you link all your loyalty program information to a single app. You can also access AwardWallet from a desktop or laptop. So long as your loved one has your AwardWallet login, they can easily see the reward balances for each of your accounts.
Add It to Your Will
Check the policies of each rewards program you use and see if points can be transferred to a beneficiary after you die.
You can also try leaving your points or miles in your will.
However, even if you include a clause in your will to transfer points to a loved one after you die, it may be fruitless if your final wishes go against the companyâs policy.
In most cases, putting a clause in your will canât hurt.
