There’s no denying it – the past nine months have turned travel on its head. Hotels, car rental companies, vacation rentals, and airlines have all had to adapt to a world that includes COVID-19. While the entire travel industry has gone to great lengths to help protect travelers through enhanced cleaning procedures, mask mandates, and social distancing, the changes haven’t stopped there.
This pandemic has proven that customer service is more important than ever before. That’s why many hotels and airlines have modified their rewards programs and customer benefits to better suit travelers’ new needs. Many organizations have paused or extended the expiration of points, modified their rewards programs, and reduced travel requirements to earn status upgrades in 2020 and 2021. The travel industry continues to adapt to the challenges this past year has presented.
To help you navigate all the changes in customer service and rewards programs, we’ve compiled a list to help you out. Be sure to check out our blog posts on what hotels, rental cars, and airlines are doing to help keep travelers healthy and safe as well though.
Hotels:
Most large hotel chains have made efforts to modify their membership and rewards programs so that travelers can still utilize their points, awards, and membership perks in 2021 since a lot of them didn’t get the chance to do so in 2020.
Marriot Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy, which includes popular hotel brands like Renaissance Hotels, The Ritz Carlton, Sheraton, and Marriott to name a few, have modified their reward programs to accommodate the unusual circumstances COVID presented in 2020.
Bonvoy Rewards members received an extension on Elite Status through February 2022 and paused point expirations in August, so that now points will only expire if the customer’s account has been inactive for at least 24 months. They’ve also extended the expiration date of Suite Night Awards from December 31, 2020 to December 31, 2021.
Additionally, starting December 11, 2020, members who have a free night award (FNA) with an original expiration date in between January 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021 can redeem their FNA through August 1, 2021.
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors has also made changes to their rewards program this year. To accommodate members whose 2019 status was scheduled to be down-graded on March 31, 2021, but were unable to utilize their status benefits due to COVID, Hilton has extended all 2019 statuses through March 31, 2021. They’ve also paused the expiration of points due to expire between now and the end of 2021. Hilton is also extending the expiration date of all unexpired weekend night rewards as of March 11, 20 to August 31, 2021 and they can be used any night of the week. All 2020 nights will rollover to 2021 as well.
Plus, starting January 1, 2021, members can earn their status with the half the nights, stays, or base points previously required. For example, guests get the milestone bonus after staying 20 nights instead of 40, where they will receive 10,000 points for every 10 nights stayed. Additionally, Diamond members who stay 30 nights (previously 60) in 2021 will be able to give the gift of gold status to a family member or friend.
IHG Rewards
IHG, which includes popular hotel brands like Holiday Inn, Regent, Intercontinental, and Candlewood Suites among many others has also adjusted their members’ program. All members’ program status earned in 2019 are extended through January 2022. Additionally, all certificates issues in 2020 have an 18-month redemption time period. Furthermore, Intercontinental ambassador status has been extended by six months along with FWN certificates.
Hyatt
Like other major hotel chains, Hyatt is also adapting their points program. They suspended the forfeiture of points through June 30, 2021 in addition to offering a 15% rebate for general members and a 25% rebate for World of Hyatt cardholders on points redeemed for stays through January 4, 2021. Plus, they’re even throwing in free parking for reward stays to help customers save even more.
In addition, all unused free night, suite upgrades, and club access awards set to expire on February 28, 2021 are now valid through December 31, 2021. Furthermore, free awards earned in 2020 with 2021 expiration dates are extended through the end of 2021.
Status and benefits for 2021 are extended to all existing members, so they don’t need to requalify in 2020.
Airlines
Airlines have also gone the extra mile (no pun intended) to give customers their extra miles—even when they were set to expire in some cases. Here’s what some of the major airlines are doing to handle member statuses, rewards, and more this year.
Air Canada
Air Canada is allowing all 2020 Aeroplane Elite Status members hold their status through the end of 2021.
American Airlines
In addition to abolishing change fees on all domestic and international travel that originates in North America in Premium and Main Cabin areas this year, American Airlines has also made other changes to support their customers and AAdvantage members.
AAdvantage members no longer pay a reinstatement fee to have miles redeposited in their account when they cancel an eligible award ticket. They’ve also extended elite status for AAdvantage members until January 31, 2022 and extended Admirals Club Memberships purchased from American Airlines for six months. Plus, every dollar spent on an eligible AAdvantage co-branded credit card through the end of 2020 will count for one mile toward million miler status. Last, but not least, they’ve extended mileage through January 31, 2021.
Avianca Airlines
Avianca Airlines made changes to their Avianca Lifemiles program so that all members who earned on Elite Status requirements in 2019 and received it on March 1, 2020 will have their status extended until January 31, 2022 (will be automatically extended on March 1, 2020).
The lifemiles rating system was also reduced by 50% making it easier for customers to earn lifemiles in 2021. Plus, miles earned during October, November, and December 2020 flights will be credited as momentum in the 2021 Elite race.
British Airways
British Airways made it easier for customers to earn points in the pandemic. They’ve lowered tier point thresholds by 25% for all members and added an extra 12 months to all existing Executive Club memberships.
Delta Airlines
Like American Airlines, Delta also eliminated the $150 redeposit change fee for all tickets, except for basic economy, purchased for domestic travel within the US. However, they’ve also made some additional changes to Medallion Qualification Miles, Delta Sky Club memberships, SkyMiles memberships, and more.
All Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) from 2020 are being rolled over to 2021 to qualify for 2022 Medallion Status. Additionally, Sky Club Individual and Executive memberships that were set to expire on March 1, 2020 or later will receive six additional months of Delta Sky Club. SkyMiles Gold Card Members with a $100 Delta flight credit will get a 6-month extension beyond their current expiration date and Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card members with companion certificates with an original expiration date between March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020 can use them on flights through December 31, 2020 and those that expire between July 1, 2020 and April 1, 2021 will receive an additional six months beyond their current expiration date.
Additionally, Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members will also get a six-month extension to use their Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes beyond their current expiration date. SkyMiles Select Members will receive a six-month extension to the priority boarding benefit and unused drink vouchers. SkyMiles Members enrolled in a challenge or promotion to earn Medallion Status can restart the program when they’re ready to travel again.
Plus, all upgrade certificates or $200 Travel Vouchers that expired between March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020 will now expire on December 31, 2020 instead.
Flying Blue
Flying Blue is taking steps to help customers by maintaining all Flying Blue Elite Members with a qualification period ending between March 2020 and February 2021 for an additional twelve months and preventing all miles from expiring between now and the end of 2020.
JetBlue
JetBlue made modifications to their Mosaic Membership program as well. They’ve extended Mosaic travel perks for current members through the end of 2021 and reduced the Mosaic requirements by 50% for 2021 as well.
LATAM
LATAM extended status validity for all LATAM Pass Elite Members through March 2022.
Quantras
Quantras automatically extended Frequent Flyer Status for an additional 12 months as of March 2020 and is extending or giving back status to all members with a status set to expire before January 21, 2021 for an additional year.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest has changed some of their membership policies to adapt to 2020. Companion Pass holders who earned their status through December 31, 2020 now have their current benefits through December 30, 2021. In addition, A-List and A-List Preferred members with statuses that weren’t earned through any type of promotion set to expire on December 2020 will get a year extension.
Southwest also made changes to the Rapid Rewards program. It’s now easier for Rapid Rewards Members to earn tier status and companion pass this year by giving everyone 15,000 tier qualifying points, 10 qualifying one-way flight segments toward tier status, 25,000 companion pass qualifying points (QPQs) and 25 qualifying one-way flight segments toward companion pass.
Plus, Southwest will prevent all miles from expiring between now and the end of 2020 for all Explorer members and miles of Elite members are valid for life.
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines is extending statuses for six months beyond their current expiration date.
United Airlines
Like Delta, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines, United also put an end to change fees this year. United Airlines permanently eliminated change fees for travel within the Continental US, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Caribbean, and Mexico. Additionally, starting in January, travelers with tickets of all fare types will be able to fly standby for free.
In addition to the change fee elimination, United is also lowering the amount of PQP and PQF needed to earn Premier Status across all levels so their even lower than the original. Plus, they’re automatically adding PQP to MileagePlus accounts based on customers’ 2021 Premier status they hold at the end of 2020. Premier members will earn double the PQP on each of their first PQP three PQP-eligible trips completed January 1, 2021 through March 31, 2021. Furthermore, PQP earned from your eligible United MileagePlus credit card count toward Premier 1K Status in 2021. Furthermore, United is extending PlusPoints that expire on or after January 1, 2021 by an additional six months to make it easier for customers to earn PlusPoints after reaching 1K status in 2021.
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic has changed its rewards program to better accommodate travelers in the pandemic. Virgin Atlantic extended the status of all Silver and Gold Flying Club Members by six months. Additionally, members who earned their Companion Rewards, Clubhouse Access, or upgrades through the Virgin Atlantic and Reward+ Credit Card, or the Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard will have their voucher extended by six months as well. Plus, any Gold member who earned their Companion Reward for renewing Gold Status, Clubhouse passes for the 1500 tier point reward or the 2000-point upgrade will have their rewards extended by six months.
