Every year, banks, airlines, and hotels issue billions of points and miles.
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, consumers held more than $33 billion in unused credit card rewards at the end of 2022.
Is that because loyalty programs don’t want members redeeming their points? Absolutely not.
Points are a liability on the balance sheet. Programs generate billions selling miles as currency, but they only recognize that revenue when members redeem. For banks, airlines, and hotels, redemption drives engagement, and engagement drives spending. Everyone in the ecosystem needs people to use their points.
So why do so many points go unused?
It’s not lack of intent, but instead a lack of awareness.
The loyalty landscape has changed faster than most members realize. Award availability has shifted from scarce, hard-to-find seats to flights bookable for a few thousand miles. Everyday redemptions, not just aspirational ones, are now possible.
Most members simply haven’t kept up.
That’s why we built PointsYeah: a free tool designed to close that awareness gap and make redemption fast, simple, and straightforward. When people know what’s possible and can see it instantly, they redeem more often.
And that’s the future of loyalty: engagement.
Real engagement isn’t one big trip a year. It’s the smaller moments:
- 800 miles for a premium drink in the Delta Sky Club
- A quick point-of-sale redemption with United miles at an airport shop in Newark
- A spontaneous weekend getaway
- Visiting family without paying cash for flights
These smaller redemptions matter just as much as the big ones. Points only have value when redeemed, and programs benefit when members stay active.
That’s the core of what PointsYeah does: remove friction, make redemption easier through free, fast searches, and keep members engaged.
The future of loyalty isn’t only about earning more.
It’s about using what you already have more frequently.
More on This: After Redeeming 100M+ Miles, This One Rule Matters Most
Leave a Reply