Hotel points can be incredibly valuable, but unlike miles in many major U.S. airline loyalty programs, most hotel points expire if you go a while without using your account.
And the rules vary quite a bit. Some programs give you two years of inactivity before your points expire, while others have shorter windows or additional restrictions.
Here’s how long points last with seven major hotel loyalty programs, what you can do to keep them active, and a few exceptions worth knowing.
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors points expire after 24 months without qualifying activity.
You can reset the clock by staying at a participating hotel, earning points (including with a Hilton Honors credit card), buying points, or even donating points to a charitable cause.
If your points expire, Hilton lets you pay to reinstate eligible points.
IHG One Rewards
IHG One Rewards points expire after 12 months without earning or redeeming points. That’s the shortest expiration window on this list.
However, IHG One Rewards elite members are exempt from expiration as long as they maintain their status.
Using an annual free night certificate from an IHG credit card doesn’t count as earning or redeeming points. If you’re a Club member (meaning you don’t have elite status), you’ll still need qualifying activity at least once every 12 months.
World of Hyatt
World of Hyatt points expire after 24 months of inactivity.
There are several ways to keep your points active, including earning or redeeming points, gifting an award, converting points to a partner program, buying or combining points, or holding an eligible Hyatt credit card linked to your account.
If your points expire, they can’t be reinstated.
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy points expire after 24 months without qualifying activity.
You can keep your balance active by earning or redeeming points, completing a qualifying hotel stay, buying points, converting points with partners, or making qualifying purchases with a Marriott Bonvoy credit card.
However, gifting, transferring, or receiving points doesn’t reset the expiration clock.
Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Elite members are exempt from points expiration. For everyone else, forfeited points can’t be reinstated.
Choice Privileges
Choice Privileges points expire after 18 calendar months without qualifying earning or redemption activity.
You can reset the clock through an eligible hotel stay, redeeming points, earning points with a co-branded Choice credit card, or purchasing points.
Choice Privileges Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Titanium members are exempt from expiration as long as they maintain their status. If you lose elite status, the 18-month clock begins when your status ends.
If your points expire, Choice offers a paid reinstatement option within 180 days of expiration.
Wyndham Rewards
Wyndham Rewards has two separate expiration rules. This makes it a little more complicated than other hotel programs.
First, individual points generally expire four years after they’re earned, regardless of account activity.
Second, your points can expire after approximately 18 months without qualifying account activity, such as earning, redeeming, or transferring points.
Holding a Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier Card can protect against inactivity-based expiration. Points earned while you’re an eligible Earner Premier cardholder are also exempt from the four-year expiration rule while the card remains open and in good standing.
Leading Hotels of the World (Leaders Club)
Leaders Club points expire after 24 months without qualifying activity.
Earning, purchasing, transferring, or redeeming points resets the expiration clock.
If your points expire, they can’t be reinstated. However, you can start earning points again after completing another qualifying stay, which begins a new 24-month period.
Your Leaders Club membership itself doesn’t expire, although the program may deactivate accounts after three consecutive years without activity.