Do Hotel Points Expire? Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt & IHG

Do hotel points expire? Yes, but only after your account sits inactive, never on a fixed calendar date.

Every major US program lets a balance lapse after a stretch with no activity. The window runs from 12 to 24 months depending on the program, as of September 2026.

Reset that clock with a single earn or redeem and the countdown starts over. Here is each program's window and the simplest way to keep your points.

Do hotel points expire? Yes, after a period of inactivity

The honest answer is yes, but the framing matters. Hotel points do not tick down to zero on an anniversary of when you earned them.

They lapse only after your account goes quiet for a defined stretch. Stay active inside that window and the balance carries forward indefinitely.

That is why most travelers who lose points lose them to silence, not to a deadline they could see coming.

Hotel points expiration by program, at a glance

Here is the current landscape, program by program, as of September 2026. Each window is measured in consecutive months with no qualifying activity.

The reset column is the shortest path to keeping your balance, and the notes flag the exceptions worth knowing.

What counts as activity that resets the clock?

Activity means moving points, not looking at them. Any transaction that earns points into your account or redeems points out of it restarts the countdown.

The reach is wider than a hotel stay. Most programs count credit-card spend, shopping or dining portal earnings, partner transfers, and point purchases.

• A qualifying stay. The cleanest reset, since a paid night both earns points and restarts the clock.
• Co-brand credit card spend. Points posting from card activity counts at Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Wyndham, and Choice, so an active card quietly keeps the balance alive.
• Redeeming points. Even a small award or a points-plus-cash booking resets the window.
• Buying or transferring points. A small purchase, or a partner transfer in, restarts the clock at most programs.

Program by program: the fine print

The windows above are the headline. The exceptions are where people get caught, so here is each program in its own words, as of September 2026.

Do Marriott points expire?

Yes, after 24 consecutive months of inactivity. Marriott's terms state that an account inactive for twenty-four consecutive months forfeits all accumulated points, per reporting that quotes the policy.

Earning, redeeming, buying, or converting points resets it. Lifetime Elite members are the exception, since their points do not expire under this policy.

Do Hilton Honors points expire?

Yes, after 24 months without eligible activity, per Hilton's Honors program terms.

A stay on an eligible rate, a partner or card earn, a points purchase, or a points donation all count. Simply logging in does not.

Do World of Hyatt points expire?

Yes, after 24 consecutive months of inactivity, at which point the balance is forfeited.

Earning or redeeming resets it, and holding either World of Hyatt credit card keeps the account active on its own. Once forfeited, Hyatt points cannot be reinstated.

Do IHG One Rewards points expire?

Yes, and IHG has the shortest window: 12 months with no earn or redeem transaction, per its member terms and conditions.

One qualifying transaction a year is enough. Elite members are exempt, and note that the credit-card annual free night does not count as earning or redeeming.

Do Wyndham Rewards points expire?

Yes, in two ways. Points lapse after about 18 months of no account activity, and separately under a four-year rule tied to the earning stay.

Any earn, redeem, or transfer resets the 18-month inactivity clock. The four-year cap is different, since it runs from the checkout date of the stay that earned the points and activity does not extend it.

Do Choice Privileges points expire?

Yes, after 18 consecutive months without a qualifying activity, per Choice's program rules and regulations.

Earning or redeeming, including Choice card spend and partner transfers, keeps the account active. Reinstatement terms change, so confirm the current rules before counting on a grace period.

How to keep your hotel points from expiring

The defense is simple: never let a full window pass with zero movement, and for Wyndham, spend the oldest points before their four-year mark.

1. 1

   Know your shortest clock

   If you hold IHG One Rewards points, your 12-month window is the one to watch. Set the reminder there first.
2. 2

   Put spend on a co-brand card

   Even light monthly card use posts points and resets the clock at most programs, with no stay required.
3. 3

   Make one small redemption

   A minor award or a points-plus-cash booking counts as activity and restarts the window.
4. 4

   Use a shopping or dining portal

   A single portal purchase earns points into your account, which is enough to keep it active.
5. 5

   Watch Wyndham's four-year cap

   Activity resets the 18-month inactivity clock but not the four-year rule. Redeem older Wyndham points before they reach the cap.

Keeping points alive is about your loyalty balance. The cash rate you paid is a separate currency.

Autopilot does not manage loyalty points. On a hotel rate booked directly and paid in cash, once you add your reservation, Autopilot tracks the price and reprices it if the rate drops.

Where booking direct fits for points and price

Loyalty points reward where you book, and so does the cash price. Booking directly with the hotel keeps both levers in your hands.

You earn and keep points on the program's own terms, and a directly booked cash rate stays eligible for tools that track and reprice it. Our guide to a hotel price drop after booking covers the cash side in detail.

The points side is on you: one earn or redeem inside the window, and the balance is safe. For the airline version of this question, see whether airline miles expire, and if you are weighing a same-rate rebooking, cancel and rebook a hotel walks through it.

Point balances are quietly durable if you touch them once a window. Set one reminder per program, keep a card active, and expiration stops being a risk you think about. If your plans shift, our guide to hotel cancellation policies keeps the rest of the booking flexible.