The end-of-year credit card perks and elite status playbook

You only have a few days left to lock in elite status or use valuable credit card perks before the calendar hits 2026.

Once Jan. 1 comes around, most annual benefits reset. And in many cases, unused credits simply disappear.

To make this easier, I put together a comprehensive end-of-year checklist covering the most popular premium credit cards in my wallet.

This isn’t an exhaustive list of every single perk, but it does highlight the most meaningful credits and benefits that expire at year’s end.

I’ll also walk through some practical strategies to close the gap to your next airline or hotel elite status tier.

Related: My five top recommended credit cards

Expiring credit card perks and credits

American Express credit cards

American Express Platinum

The American Express Platinum Card® includes a slew of credits, and if you’re looking to maximize the new $895 annual fee, you’ll probably want to maximize as many of them as possible.

Before you can maximize, you need to physically enroll in some of the benefits. Be sure you do that before attempting to use the credits.

• $200 airline incidental credit: Up to $200 in annual statement credits for airline incidentals on a single qualifying airline you select.
• $400 Resy credit: You get up to $100 each quarter credited to your card after dining at an eligible Resy restaurant. Use the final $100 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• $600 hotel credit: You get up to $300 of statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through Amex Travel. Use your final $300 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• $100 Saks credit: You get up to $50 back semi-annually on Saks purchases. Use your final $50 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• $300 Lululemon credit: You get up to $75 back each quarter on U.S. Lululemon purchases (excluding outlets). Use your final $75 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• $200 Oura ring credit: Receive up to $200 credited back annually on an Oura Ring.
• $300 Equinox credit: Receive up to $300 credited back annually for an Equinox digital subscription or club membership.
• $209 Clear Plus credit: Get up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year for Clear Plus membership (excluding taxes and fees)

Note that I’ve excluded several monthly credits, such as Uber and digital entertainment credits, from this list.

American Express Business Platinum

Just like the consumer version of the Platinum card, you’ll want to maximize the credits that come with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.

• $200 airline incidental credit: Up to $200 in annual statement credits for airline incidentals on a single qualifying airline you select.
• $600 hotel credit: You get up to $300 of statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through Amex Travel. Use your final $300 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• Dell credit: Receive up to $150 in statement credits on purchases directly with U.S. Dell Technologies per calendar year.
• $250 Adobe credit: You get a $250 statement credit after spending $600 on Adobe purchases per calendar year.
• $360 Indeed credit: You get up to $90 back each quarter on Indeed purchases. Use your final $90 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• $200 Hilton credit: You get up to $50 back each quarter at Hilton hotels. Must also enroll in a Hilton for Business account. Use your final $50 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• $209 Clear Plus credit: Get up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year for Clear Plus membership (excluding taxes and fees)

Amex Gold Card

The American Express® Gold Card also includes a key credit to use before the end of the year.

• $100 Resy credit: You get up to $50 semi-annually after dining at an eligible Resy restaurant. Use the final $50 credit of the year by Dec. 31.

Note that I’ve excluded several monthly credits, such as those from Dunkin’ and Uber, from this list.

Hilton Aspire Card

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card includes a slew of helpful credits to use before the end of the year.

• $400 Hilton Resort credit: You get up to $200 back semi-annually at qualifying Hilton resorts. Use your final $200 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• $200 flight credit: Receive up to $50 in statement credits each quarter on flight purchases made directly with an airline or through amextravel.com. Use your final $50 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• $209 Clear Plus credit: Get up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year for Clear Plus membership (excluding taxes and fees)

Hilton Surpass Card

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card includes a key benefit to use before the end of the year.

• $200 Hilton Resort credit: You get up to $50 back quarterly at Hilton properties. Use your final $50 credit of the year by Dec. 31.

Delta SkyMiles cobranded cards

• Delta Stays statement credit: Depending on your card, some Delta SkyMiles cobranded Amex cards include a prepaid Delta Stays credit ranging from $100 to $250 each year. Use before the end of the year.

Capital One credit cards

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers up to $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel.

Note that this is based on the cardmember year, not the calendar year, so you don’t necessarily need to use it by Dec. 31.

Chase credit cards

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

At $795 a year, the revamped Chase Sapphire Reserve® isn’t cheap to hold. So you’ll definitely want to maximize the benefits before they reset at the end of the year.

• $500 The Edit credit: You get up to $250 back semi-annually at qualifying two-night (or longer) stays made through The Edit. Use your final $250 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• $300 dining credit: You get up to $150 back semi-annually on qualifying dining charges made at Sapphire Exclusive Tables outposts on OpenTable. Use your final $150 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• $300 StubHub credit: You get up to $150 back semi-annually on StubHub and viagogo purchases (through Dec. 31, 2027). Use your final $150 credit of this year by Dec. 31.

Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠

• $500 The Edit credit: You get up to $250 back semi-annually at qualifying two-night (or longer) stays made through The Edit. Use your final $250 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• $200 Google Workspace credit: Receive up to $200 in annual statement credits on purchases made directly on
Google Workspace. Use it before it expires.
• $400 ZipRecruiter credit: You get up to $200 back semi-annually on ZipRecruiter purchases. Use your final $200 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• $100 gift card credit: You get up to $50 back semi-annually on a curated collection of gift cards bought from giftcards.com. Use your final $50 credit of the year by Dec. 31.

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

• $100 Hyatt credit: You get up to $50 back semi-annually on charges from any Hyatt property. Use your final $50 credit of the year by Dec. 31.

Citi credit cards

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

• $300 hotel credit: You get up to $300 back annually on qualifying two-night (or longer) stays made through cititravel.com
• $200 Splurge credit: Receive up to $200 annually in statement credits on your choice of up to two of these brands: 1stDibs, American Airlines (exclusions apply), Best Buy, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation (exclusions apply).
• $200 Blacklane credit: You get up to $100 back semi-annually on Blacklane purchases. Use your final $100 credit of the year by Dec. 31.
• 4 Admirals Club passes: Use your four complimentary Admirals Club passes before the end of the year.

Citi Strata Premier® Card

• $100 hotel credit: You get $100 off a single $500 or more hotel stay (excluding taxes and fees) when booked via the Citi Travel portal.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard

• $120 Avis/Budget credit: You get up to $120 statement credit annually after reserving prepaid car rentals directly on avis.com or budget.com.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®

• $100 Splurge credit: Receive up to $100 annually in statement credits on your choice of up to two of these brands: 1stDibs, American Airlines (exclusions apply), Best Buy, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation (exclusions apply).
• $100 inflight credit: Earn up to $100 in statement credits each year on inflight American purchases. Use it before it expires (aka a lot of cheese plates).
• $240 Turo credit: Earn up to $30 in statement credits for each eligible Turo trip completed, up to $240 in total statement credits annually. You must first link your card to your Turo account and pay for the trip with your card.
• 4 Admirals Club passes: Use your four complimentary Admirals Club passes before the end of the year.

Citi Prestige Card

This legacy card (no longer accepting new applicants) offers an annual benefit.

• $250 travel credit: Earn up to $250 in statement credit for travel purchases made each calendar year.

Expiring credit card spend thresholds

Many top credit cards unlock extra perks when you hit annual spending thresholds that reset each calendar year.

If you’re close, a last-minute push may be worth it.

Amex Platinum Card

If you spend $75,000 a year on your American Express Platinum Card® or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express account, you’ll unlock free guest entry to the Centurion Lounge and Priority Pass outposts for up to two guests.

Capital One Venture X

If you spend $75,000 a year on your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or Capital One Venture X Business Card account, you’ll unlock free guest entry to Capital One Lounges.

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Two guests for each Capital One Lounge and one per Capital One Landing.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

If you spend $75,000 in a calendar year on your Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you’ll earn:

• Southwest A-List status
• IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite Status
• $500 Southwest Airlines Chase Travel credit
• $250 credit for the Shops at Chase

Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠

If you spend $120,000 in a calendar year, you’ll earn:

• Southwest A-List status
• IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite Status
• $500 Southwest Airlines Chase Travel credit
• $500 credit for the Shops at Chase

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Earn one additional free night certificate after $30,000 in annual spend, followed by another one after $60,000 in spend.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card

Earn one free night certificate after $15,000 in eligible annual spend, and earn Diamond elite status after $40,000 in eligible annual spend.

World of Hyatt Credit Card

Earn a free night for a category 1 through 4 property after $15,000 in annual spend.

Airline status

If you’re looking to close the gap to elite status, you generally have two levers: fly more or spend more.

Just note that if you’re aiming for American status, you have until Feb. 28, 2026, to earn your Loyalty Points.

Fly more

Most major U.S. airlines award status based on how much you spend with the airline or on your cobranded credit card.

If you have upcoming Delta or United flights, you can upgrade those tickets to more expensive fare classes to earn more status-qualifying points.

You could upgrade to business or first class, or keep an economy ticket and ask customer service to reprice into a higher fare class.

Just be sure to calculate your estimated earnings closely.

I generally recommend this over buying status points outright, which are often priced aggressively at year’s end.

Spend more

Alternatively, you could spend more money on your airline cobranded credit card. Just be sure that your qualifying purchases post to your account by Dec. 31, 2025.

Otherwise, they may count to 2026 status.

Buy-up offers

Airlines sometimes offer paid status buy-ups early in the new year. These are often expensive and not guaranteed, so I generally wouldn’t rely on them.

In my mind, I’d do everything in my power to close the gap by the end of the year.

Hotel status

Mattress run

If you’re short a few hotel nights for status, your best bet is to look for cheap hotels nearby for a mattress run.

You need to check into the hotel, so don’t go looking too far away. But this is often the cheapest and fastest way to close the gap to hotel status.

Spend more

Alternatively, you can make a last-ditch spending effort on your cobranded hotel credit card.

Just note that qualifying purchases generally need to post to your account by Dec. 31, 2025.

Otherwise, they may count to 2026 status.

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