Important year-end travel to-dos even if not traveling right now

Even if you have navigated how to cancel travel plans this year and plan on being grounded for some time, there are some important year-end to-dos would-be travelers should consider. After all, most airlines and other travel rewards programs use the calendar year for membership accounts. That means expiration dates may soon be approaching, but there are crafty ways to keep your mileage and points balances from emptying out as we roll into the new year.

Even more important, passport holders and members of trusted traveler programs will want to keep an eye on approaching expiration dates. Once global travel borders reopen, you’ll want valid documents to accompany all the redeemable miles earned during this downtime.

Keep reading and follow our handy checklist of travel to-dos to tackle now, so you and your family are fully prepared to fulfil bucket list travel goals when the time is right.

Passport renewals

While it may be some time before international travel is the norm once again, it’s important to not let the pandemic let you lose sight of future travel aspirations. If you carry a passport and have a renewal date coming up within the next year, stay on top of your calendar and note longer than usual processing times.

It’s common for international destinations to check expiration dates and not let travelers through if a passport expires in less than six months. With that in mind, you’ll want to ensure your documents are up to date and don’t risk expiry when international borders welcome travelers again.

The U.S. Department of State travel website has passport renewal information available online, including timelines for current operations as well as options for expedited services. Be sure to check the processing timeline for your specific passport issuer if outside the U.S. and don’t forget to keep tabs on trusted traveler program expiration dates, too, for members of Global Entry, TSA Pre✓ or NEXUS.

Assess travel rewards credit cards

Even when not traveling, the right credit card can earn you future travel by building up redeemable miles and points earned on travel rewards cards. When you charge everyday spending like groceries, utilities and transportation, the miles add up quick and can be saved for a rainy day, or a post-pandemic dream trip. So long as you don’t carry a balance and pay monthly interest, the benefits of earning miles through a rewards card can make an impressive dent in your annual travel budget.

With the new year upon us, it’s an excellent time to review what credit cards are in your wallet. For travelers, some of the best cards not only earn miles or points, but they also come with travel perks like free checked bags or year-round discounts.

The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card, for example, earns three miles for every dollar spent on Alaska Airlines purchases, and one mile for dollar spent on all other purchases. In addition to these mileage earnings, the Alaska Airlines card provides one companion fare ticket annually and free checked bags for you and up to six guests on the same reservation. Plus, the card has no foreign transaction fees and miles won’t expire when the account is kept active.

Delta SkyMiles American Express cards come in a variety of options, so you’ll want to review what perks are most attractive to your travel needs. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express card earns three miles per dollar on Delta flights and vacations, includes free checked bags for you and your family and provides one annual companion certificate. In addition to no foreign transaction fees, the card also provides some basic travel insurance and purchase protection. For those who value lounge access, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express card may appeal for its entry to the Centurion Lounge.

Keep in mind many travel rewards cards have an annual fee, and then consider whether that cost is outweighed by the travel perks gained. Alternatively, look for a no-fee rewards card like the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card which allows for earned mileage transfers to airline and hotel partners. This card may earn less bonus miles on purchases but may be perfect for less frequent flyers who stand to benefit from the lack of annual fee and more variety with mile redemptions on the ground.

Maximize mileage earnings

No matter what payment method is in your personal portfolio, there are a multitude of ways to earn travel miles and points without leaving your home. The easiest way to earn travel rewards while grounded from travel is on everyday purchases made through shopping portals associated with your preferred travel companies. Simply sign on with your member account and reap rewards at your favorite retailers.

For example, on Delta’s SkyMiles Shopping portal, sign in with your Delta SkyMiles number to peruse mileage earnings from retailers like Macy’s, Office Depot, PetSmart, Walgreens and more. Find your go-to shopping destination and click through the provided shopping link to earn bonus miles on just about anything. Do the same through Alaska’s Mileage Plan Shopping, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping portal, or whichever is your preferred airline.

Not an airline mileage collector? Hotel lovers can earn valuable points through the Wyndham Rewards shopping portal or Choice Privileges Rewards portal, while train travelers can earn on the Amtrak Guest Rewards shopping site.

The best part about using these shopping portals is you don’t have to use a specific method of payment to earn miles. You can use a debit card, retailer gift card or other accepted payment at your favorite retailer and still earn mileage bonuses. Just remember to sign in so your mileage earnings are tracked back to your account.

Keep loyalty programs active

This year likely put a dent in your travel plans which may mean some of your frequent traveler accounts run the risk of zeroing out accumulated miles or points. Many airline programs have extended their expiration dates for mileage balances, but you’ll want to make sure to keep your favorite accounts active and don’t lose valuable miles collected over time.

HawaiianMiles from Hawaiian Airlines, for example, extended expiration dates this year, but the new year will see the standard expiration policy back in place. If you are at risk of losing miles to an upcoming expiration date, note that any mileage earnings or redemption will keep your account active. If you have the Hawaiian Airlines co-branded Mastercard, keep miles from expiring simply by using the card and earning miles on everyday purchases.

Yet if you need to keep a mileage account active while not flying, it’s time to earn or redeem in a more creative way. For Hawaiian Airlines, earn miles through partner bookings like hotel stays and car rentals, shop through merchant partner sites or top up your account by buying miles to keep your account active. Alternatively, redeeming miles will also keep your mileage balance from expiring.

Frequent flyers often think of mileage redemption in terms of flights and hotel stays, but it’s also possible to cash in a few miles by gifting miles to others or donating to charity. To use the least amount of miles, simply for the sake of keeping your account active, a magazine subscription may cost as few as 200 HawaiianMiles.

As the year-end approaches, take stock of all your travel loyalty programs to see what membership accounts need an earning or redemption transaction to keep active for the new year. Pay attention to which programs have extended benefits in response to the pandemic’s impact on travel and note any new expiration dates coming up in the next few months.

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