- Some credit card perks, such as statement credits and spending bonuses, reset each calendar year.
- If you don't use your benefits by December 31, they don't carry over to next year.
- Not using up calendar-year credit card perks leaves money (and rewards) on the table.
Introduction to yearly resetting credit card benefits
Travel rewards credit cards come with all kinds of benefits. Some offer high welcome bonuses, extra rewards in categories such as gas stations or grocery stores, and statement credits for things like travel expenses that can help offset their annual fees.
While some of these benefits are ongoing or are tied to your card's anniversary date, others reset at the end of each calendar year.
If you carry a credit card with calendar-year-based perks, you should ensure you have either used them or maximized your annual spending to reap the benefits you deserve.
Credit cards often include several types of yearly awards, which can make it hard to keep track of your benefits each year. But we cover the main categories below, and offer a few examples of credit cards that offer each benefit.
Types of annual credit card perks
The most common annual credit card perks include travel credits, shopping credits, bonus points and category bonuses, and elite status or qualifications. We'll explore each option in more depth below.
Travel credits
$695
N/A
See Pay Over Time APR
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points
Good to Excellent
- Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
- Statement credits with Saks and Uber (enrollment required)
- Bonus categories leave something to be desired
- One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards
If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, and more.
Amex Platinum Card- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- With American Express Global Lounge Collection® you can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
- $695 annual fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
Many premium travel rewards cards offer yearly statement credits that specifically offset travel-related purchases.
The Platinum Card® from American Express offers up to $200 per calendar year in airline incidental fee credits. Each January, cardholders can choose one eligible U.S. airline on which to use those credits. That $200 can offset "extra" costs such as seat assignments, checked bags, inflight purchases, and more. Terms apply.
In addition, The Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders receive up to a $200 statement credit when booking a prepaid hotel stay with The Hotel Collection (two-night minimum) or Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts (one-night minimum) through American Express Travel. Additionally, cardholders can get up to $199 per calendar year in credit toward CLEAR® Plus membership to bypass long security lines at participating airports and stadiums. Terms apply.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers a similar airline fee credit of up to $200 a year, while the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card also offers up to $200 in flight credits per year, but it's structured as up to $50 per quarter on flight purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com. Terms apply.
If you haven't yet maxed out these American Express travel credits this year, there are many ways to use Amex airline fee credits, such as buying lounge passes to use in the coming year or pre-paying for seat assignments and bags on flights you've booked for the upcoming year. Unfortunately, airfare and flight vouchers are not eligible for this travel credit.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers up to $300 in statement credits toward travel purchases each account year, based on the cardholder's annual card renewal month rather than from January to December. However, cardholders who opened this card before May 21, 2017, receive their travel credit based on the calendar year, meaning this benefit would expire on December 31.
Travel purchases on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® can include flights and hotel bookings, train tickets, rideshares, taxis, and even tolls and parking, among other eligible expenses, making this card's annual travel statement credit one of the most versatile in the industry.
Shopping credits
Amex Platinum Card holders are also eligible for up to $100 of Saks shopping credits each calendar year, divided into $50 for use between January and June and $50 for July to December. To qualify for this credit, you'll need to enroll and ensure that transactions are charged by June 30 and December 31 each year, respectively. Terms apply.
The Amex Platinum Card also comes with up to $200 a year in Uber credits (including Uber Eats), split into $15 monthly, when you enroll. Cardholders receive a bonus $20 credit each December for a total of $35 in Uber credit to wrap up the calendar year. An Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit. Terms apply.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers up to $400 per year in Dell credits after enrollment: Up to $200 from January to June, and another $200 from July to December. You can purchase Bluetooth headphones through Dell to utilize this credit if you don't need a computer or monitor. Terms apply.
Other The Business Platinum Card® from American Express shopping credit benefits include up to $150 per calendar year in statement credits toward select Adobe purchases when you enroll, including Adobe Creative Cloud and Acrobat Pro DC. There's also a credit of up to $90 per quarter (up to $360 a year) for all Indeed hiring and recruiting products and services. Terms apply.
Bonus points and category bonuses
$325
N/A
See Pay Over Time APR
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of Card Membership
Good to Excellent
- Great rewards for dining and for shopping at U.S. supermarkets
- Monthly statement credit for eligible dining purchases recoups some of the annual fee
- Underwhelming welcome bonus
Foodies and travelers alike will appreciate the American Express Gold's generous welcome bonus and Membership Rewards points earning. Its Uber Cash credits are useful for rides and Uber Eats, and monthly dining credits with participating merchants like GrubHub and Seamless are easy to use.
Amex Gold Card- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
While many cards have bonus earning categories with no maximums, some extend higher earning potential up to a yearly cap. For instance, the American Express® Gold Card earns 4 points per dollar on up to $25,000 of purchases at U.S. supermarkets each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar. By contrast, this card earns 3x on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com with no ceiling. Terms apply.
Similarly, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns a whopping 6% back at U.S. supermarkets, but only on up to $6,000 spent per calendar year; after that, you'll earn 1%. However, the card does accrue 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% back on transit, 3% back at U.S. gas stations, and 1% back on everything else (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout). Terms apply.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express earns 1.5 points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more, and on eligible purchases in the U.S. in the following categories: electronics goods retailers, software, and cloud service providers, construction materials and hardware supplies, and shipping providers. The 1.5 categories are capped at up to $2 million in combined purchases per calendar year; you'll earn 1 point per dollar after that. It also earns an uncapped 5 points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel. Terms apply.
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card from Chase has an excellent earning structure, accumulating 3 points per dollar on up to a combined total of $150,000 in purchases of travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising with social media sites and search engines in a calendar year. After that, it's just 1 point per dollar. So if you have any spending in these categories to do soon, try to make some of those purchases at the end of the year so as not to eat into your spending cap for the following year.
The Chase Freedom Flex® 's bonus categories rotate quarterly rather than yearly, earning 5% back (5x Ultimate Rewards points) on up to $1,500. But since Q4 also ends on December 31, you can kill two birds with one stone by ensuring you've earned as many bonus points as possible on this card at the end of each year.
The same applies to the Discover it® Cash Back and Discover it® Student Cash Back quarterly rotating categories. Both of these cards earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in combined bonus categories (then 1%) that change every three months, and 1% back on all other purchases (from April 1 to June 30, 2025, earn 5% cash back at Grocery Stores and Wholesale Clubs on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%).
Elite status and qualifications
Many travel rewards cards also extend special bonuses, boosts toward elite status, and even free night rewards for meeting certain spending thresholds each calendar year.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® offers members who spend $40,000 or more on purchases with their card in a calendar year 10,000 Loyalty Points toward AAdvantage elite status with American Airlines. The JetBlue Plus Card , meanwhile, awards automatic Mosaic elite status to cardholders who spend $50,000 or more on the card in a calendar year.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card ,Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card, and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card all earn Tier Qualification Points (TQPs) toward elite status based on spending. You can earn 1,500 TQPs for each $5,000 spent on purchases, with no limit to the number of TQPs you can earn each year.
Another thing to note about the Southwest family of co-branded credit cards: The Rapid Rewards points you earn with them count toward Companion Pass qualification (basically two-for-one paid and award travel). To score one, you've got to earn 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. So if you're near that level, you might want to put a little extra spending on your cards each holiday season to get you over the hump — just be sure your December card closing date hasn't passed yet.
Hotel credit cards offer spending bonuses of their own. If you have The World Of Hyatt Credit Card, you can expect a free night reward every year you renew and pay the redeemable annual fee at Category 1-4 hotels. You can earn an additional free night reward after spending $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year.
Although folks with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card get a free night reward redeemable at most participating hotels worldwide each account anniversary after paying their annual fee, they can earn an additional one by spending $30,000 or more on purchases in a calendar year, and yet another one after spending $60,000 or more on purchases in a calendar year. Terms apply.
Likewise, those with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card can earn a free night reward at $15,000 or more in calendar-year spending, and boost from Hilton Honors Gold status up to top-tier Diamond by hitting $40,000. Terms apply.
For Marriott loyalists, spending $35,000 or more in a calendar year on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card will bump you up from Silver elite status up to Gold. And if you have the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card or Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card , you can earn a free night award worth up to 50,000 points when you spend $15,000 on your card in a calendar year. Terms apply.
Credit card referral bonuses
Some credit card issuers reward you with bonuses for referring friends to apply for your specific card or another one from the same bank. For instance, if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you might be eligible to earn 10,000 bonus Chase Ultimate Rewards points for every friend you refer who successfully applies, up to 100,000 points per calendar year. Have the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card? You might be able to rake in 20,000 bonus points per referral up to 100,000 points per year.
Some issuers even offer higher referral bonuses at different times throughout the year. So if you're looking to maximize your reward opportunities, check your credit card referral offers regularly, particularly toward the end of each calendar year when elevated incentives are most likely to come through.
American Express cards also often come with referral offers. This will often depend both on the cards you carry and the ones American Express wants to promote at that time. For instance, if you have the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, you can refer others for any available Amex personal or business card offer, and expect a rate of around 20,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points per successful referral, up to 55,000 bonus points total per year.
If you have The Platinum Card® from American Express, you might receive up to 15,000 Amex Membership Rewards points per referral, up to 55,000 per calendar year. So it's worthwhile checking what offers you're eligible for. Terms apply.
Tracking and maximizing annual benefits
Timing is everything when it comes to utilizing your credit card benefits, especially when your expiration date is close at hand.
Missing benefit renewal dates
In the credit card game, nothing aches more than leaving behind free money — in the form of statement credits, of course. This guide focuses on benefits that recalibrate each calendar year. However, some cards offer statement credits that renew on your account anniversary, which are also worth tracking for maximum value.
Tracking benefits can be tricky, especially toward the busy end of the year, even when you know they expire on December 31. If you purchase a product that's on back order until January 4, for example, the merchant may not charge your card until the item is back in stock, which can cause you to miss out on an annual credit that requires a completed transaction by December 31.
Several credit card rewards apps and websites help cardholders track and utilize credit card benefits on time, with varying degrees of success.
Overspending just to use perks
A common pitfall of credit cards is the allure of easy spending. Annual statement credits or bonuses can be particularly tempting because they offer the illusion of free money — but only if they apply to products or services you plan to purchase regardless. The $50 Saks credit from your Amex Platinum Card can tempt you into spending $200 to get free shipping, for example, or buying products you don't need.
If you frequently find yourself overspending just to use your annual benefits, consider downgrading your credit card to a product with fewer perks. After all, credit card benefits aren't really free — you subsidize them through annual fees.
Credit card annual benefits frequently asked questions
What are some common credit card benefits that reset each year?
Common credit card benefits that reset each year include travel credits for airline fees, annual shopping credits at select retailers, bonus points on anniversary dates, and elite status qualifications or renewals.
How can I keep track of when my credit card benefits reset?
Many card issuers provide notifications to help you keep track of when your credit card benefits reset, but it's also wise to mark expiration dates on your calendar and regularly review your card's benefits guide.
Can unused annual credit card perks be carried over to the next year?
No, typically unused annual credit card perks can't be carried over to the next year. Unused benefits expire at the end of the benefit year and do not roll over, emphasizing the importance of timely usage.
What strategies can help me maximize my annual credit card benefits?
To maximize annual credit card benefits, plan major purchases or travel to align with the benefit period, use reminders for expiration dates, and consider all eligible spending categories.
What happens if I don't use my annual credit card benefits?
If you don't use annual credit card benefits, they simply expire and are forfeited, which could mean missing out on significant value from your credit card.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please click here.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
**Enrollment required.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
