Points and Miles Moves
Barring some earth-shattering development, this is my last article for the year. I’m taking a break to enjoy what I consider some of the holidays’ best, in no particular order: not traveling, a few friends, a bit of family, watching poorly-attended bowl games from my couch, SiriusXM Holiday Pops, and moderate amounts of glühwein. Of course, not thinking about our hobby is another positive, but I must admit I’ll be making a few points and miles moves before the new year. These are just a few.
Applications
I’ll continue applying for cards in the remaining days of December, some more obvious than others. Amex plays a role here, of course, particularly cards which I can maximize in the next few days, into 2026, and beyond. But plenty of other issuers offer cards which come with benefits useful over three calendar years on one annual fee.
Elsewhere, my wife and I were each recently targeted with snail mail offers for the new version of the Shop Your Way product, the 5321 card issued by the vaguely-named First Bank & Trust. The card comes with 500k bonus points ($500 in value) on $5k spend within the first 90 days of account opening. I’ve already been approved, and the wife will apply by the year’s end.
Upgrades and Downgrades
I’ll be upgrading a variety of cards I’ve held longer, mostly Amex credit and Pay Over Time cards. More importantly, after all my talk, I’m finally downgrading my Chase Sapphire Reserve to another Freedom. The annual fee just recently hit, and I’ve received my bill. I used my most-recent $300 travel credit in September, and I wanted to ensure I didn’t depart from this card too soon. That’s because Chase reserves the right to claw back the travel credit and many other benefits if they’re used within 90 days of closing the card. Technically, I’m not closing. Maybe the terms don’t apply there, but based on Chase’s recent moves, I’m not willing to chance it.
Triggering Card Benefits
I’ll be fully using a variety of benefits from new and old cards which I can trigger from home. More of these perks are easier to trigger than you might think. Even better, some can be fully realized to actual consumption, not just another currency to be used later.
Regardless, do everything you can to trigger your calendar year 2025 credits, even if you don’t quite know how you’ll use them down the road. You’re technically paying for these benefits already, even if a noteworthy welcome offer subsidizes them.
A Few More Points Transfers
My wife’s IHG One Rewards Diamond status is expiring soon, and she has no plans to requalify in 2026. We need to transfer her IHG points to my account, and I’m paying for my laziness here. That’s because IHG has recently cut the amount of points a Diamond member can transfer from 500k to 100k.
Fortunately, we’ve done a bit of this already, so her balance isn’t super-high right now, anyway. But we were planning to transfer over a bit more than 100k. Also, it’ll be nice she has a few points rattling around in her IHG account for topping off her annual free night cert from the Chase IHG Premier. Still, this transfer devaluation blows. I was lukewarm at best on IHG Diamond requalification next year, and this is just another reason I probably won’t bother.
Planning for 2026
I enjoy hobby planning related to cards and benefits more than – egads – actual travel. Indeed, the first of January is a big day for many points and miles gearheads, and I’ll be methodical in my selection and order of related tasks. I’ll fine-tune this plan as I get closer to the new year.
It won’t all be dorky, though. Similar to our Christmas shopping, my wife and I are a bit behind in travel planning for 2026. Spring break and summer plans are still way up in the air. The gulf between general ideas and formalized plans is vast. Talking through these matters might seem straightforward, but we’ve put ourselves in a pickle this year. Our little ones being around 16 DAYS STRAIGHT makes keeping things a surprise quite the challenge. Wish us luck.
Points and Miles Moves – Conclusion
Hobby-wise, I imagine this is how the next ten days or so will pan out. But I’d be happy for any pleasant surprises which necessitate more action, perhaps even encouraging me to hop back on the keyboard and publicly pontificate.
I’m fine with above, though, knowing I have plenty of other welcome distractions which I cited at the beginning. But I’m just now thinking of a few others, again in no particular order: contorting gratitude for the always-random-never-predictable gift from my father-in-law, watching pretty much every existing version of A Christmas Carol, wrapping gifts on the floor while an increasingly-annoying back ache sets in, testing all outdoor gifts on Christmas day before realizing holy F it’s cold out here, hearing my little ones declare their boredom on the first day of Christmas vacation, ending up in a store I don’t yet know but pondering when I was last there, and inevitably sitting alone at the kitchen table reflecting on where the last few years (or more) have gone.
Within and beyond our mutual fascination, Happy Holidays!
