Airline miles, hotel points, credit card rewards, and store loyalty programs represent real monetary value — sometimes thousands of dollars' worth. Yet many families let these points expire or go unclaimed after a death because they don't know they exist or don't know they can be transferred. Here's how to protect that value.
What Counts as Loyalty Value
- Airline miles: United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, Southwest Rapid Rewards, and others — often worth $0.01–$0.02 per mile or more
- Hotel points: Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG Rewards, Hyatt World of Hyatt — often redeemable for free nights worth hundreds of dollars
- Credit card rewards: Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One miles — often transferable or redeemable for cash back
- Store and retail loyalty: Grocery store fuel points, drugstore rewards, department store credits
- Gas station rewards
Are Loyalty Points Estate Property?
This is more complicated than it seems. Technically, loyalty program terms and conditions often state that points are not transferable and have no cash value. In practice, however, most major programs allow transfers to family members upon death, and many programs acknowledge that the points have real value.
The legal reality: points are generally treated as estate property in practice, even if the program's terms say otherwise. Executors routinely transfer points, and programs routinely allow it.
Airline Miles: How to Transfer
Most major airlines have a deceased member process:
- United MileagePlus: Has a formal transfer process with a death certificate
- American AAdvantage: Transfers allowed to eligible family members with documentation
- Delta SkyMiles: Miles can be transferred to a qualifying family member
- Southwest Rapid Rewards: Points can be transferred to a qualifying family member
Contact the airline's loyalty program customer service directly. You'll typically need: death certificate, your own membership number (or willingness to create one), and documentation of the relationship to the deceased.
Hotel Points: How to Transfer
Most major hotel programs allow point transfers to family members after death:
- Marriott Bonvoy: Has a bereavement process for point transfer
- Hilton Honors: Allows point transfer with death certificate
- World of Hyatt: Has a similar process
Credit Card Rewards
Credit card rewards are typically handled when closing the account. Before closing, redeem any available rewards — for cash back, statement credits, or gift cards. Most issuers allow redemption during the account closing process. Some rewards points (like Chase Ultimate Rewards) can be transferred to a family member's account; ask about this specifically.
Documenting Loyalty Accounts
The best time to document these accounts is now, not after a death. Include in your accounts inventory:
- Program name and account number or username
- Approximate points balance (check annually)
- The email address associated with the account
This information allows your executor to quickly identify valuable loyalty accounts rather than having to search for them. See our complete guide to accounts and subscriptions for the broader picture.