4 essential year-end tasks for travel rewards

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There are literally no limits to how much you can benefit from the wonderful world of travel rewards. Maximizing it properly requires being well organized year-round and investing just a little bit of time each month. But there are still a few tasks to complete before the end of the calendar year specifically, and that’s approaching very quickly.

Here, I cover the year-end tasks, not the normal tasks you should always do regularly… like above all, ALWAYS taking advantage of a huge new welcome bonus AS SOON as you’ve finished unlocking your previous one. That’s absolutely THE most basic thing!!!

(I strongly recommend the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card if you want simple points; it ends on January 1st. I strongly recommend the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card if you want lucrative points; the increased offer has been available for quite a while now!)

But since it’s much more important than these year-end tasks, I’ve included a bonus section at the end to summarize the normal tasks to do regularly while you await our revamped guide on that. We’ll also have an even more important guide on how to properly plan your 2026 strategy very soon (get it first by signing up for our free newsletter specifically about travel rewards).

Here are 4 essential year-end tasks for travel rewards.

Contents hide
1. Use your credit card benefits (credits)
2. Finalize your elite status for 2026
3. Use your elite status benefits
4. Do your points pooling or purchases
Bonus: Regular tasks to do each month
Learning how to travel for less
Summary

 

1. Use your credit card benefits (credits)

Several credit cards offer various annual credits as a card benefit. For several cards, the credit resets at your account opening date and not at the end of the calendar year (like the 200 CAD and 100 CAD travel credit of the Amex Platinum Card and the Amex Gold Rewards Card that can be very easily cashed out).

But there are several such benefits that reset at the end of the calendar year. Not using them makes no sense; it’s like throwing money down the drain. To make sure you maximize everything properly, download our free tracking template and our checklist for each time you get a new card. We’re going to improve those and update them in 2026, and you’ll receive them automatically if you download them.

Here are the main credit card benefits to use before the end of the year:

By the way, this is even more important for savvy Canadians who get US-issued cards, which are much better and offer many such credits.

We have an awesome step-by-step guide coming for you so you avoid serious mistakes. For example, my Amex Business Platinum (US-issued) gives me a 600 USD hotel credit, a 200 USD Hilton credit, a 200 USD airline fee credit, and all of that expires at the end of the year.

Here’s a bit more detail.

Amex Platinum Card: It’s completely free, so go to one of the good restaurants on the list and spend exactly $200 (AFTER taxes and tip, as always with credit cards) so it doesn’t cost you a penny. That makes for a nice free evening. I like to save it for the holiday season myself, so I’m going to use it this weekend. We have a complete article on the Amex Platinum dining credit.

TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card: It’s a bit less interesting, because you have to spend 500 CAD to get the 100 CAD. But if you were savvy and followed our tips, you saved your points to use them along with this benefit because they can be combined! So it costs you nothing! That’s what maximizing is about! We have a complete article on the TD First Class Travel hotel credit.

Other cards: We don’t have a detailed article for the others, but it’s not particularly difficult to find the details if you read the card page on the bank’s website. That said, we’re going to make sure to do articles for each one in 2026. In the meantime, as always, you can leave a comment with your question at the bottom of this article.

 

2. Finalize your elite status for 2026

It’s a bit late for this one honestly, we’re going to publish this reminder a bit earlier in 2026 (sorry, my 10 consecutive days of flying trip to get hundreds of thousands of JetBlue points was more demanding than I expected; it might also be the cumulative effect of my 60 flights in 5 months… but these flight challenges are finally over).

The rewards side of the travel rewards world is the most interesting for the vast majority of travelers, but there’s also the elite status side. Having elite status gives you numerous benefits, especially with airlines and hotel chains. Elite status always works by calendar year, and you reach it for the following year. So there are only a few days left to reach it.

Here are the concrete actions for elite status to do before the end of the year:

  • Check your elite status progress
    • In your online account obviously
  • You might be close even without having traveled much
    • Because there are some shortcuts
  • Calculate if it’s worth reaching it
    • How many qualifying instruments you’re missing
    • How much you value the status in question
  • There are 2 main elite statuses for Canadians
    • Marriott Bonvoy
    • Air Canada Aeroplan
  • For Marriott, you can qualify 1 way
    • Nights stayed at hotels
    • But you have a shortcut of 15 elite night credits with Marriott credit cards
    • And you can choose 5 night credits as a benefit if you’ve reached Platinum status
    • There’s a soft landing policy (you won’t drop more than 1 level)
  • For Aeroplan, you can qualify in 2 ways

If you already have elite status, there are also several status match opportunities currently available. Some expire at the end of the year. And if you’re going to lose your current status, it’s vital to consider a status match before!

We’ve already told you about those from Royal Jordanian (oneworld) and Flying Blue (SkyTeam), but don’t miss our travel rewards summary article for December next weekend for more details on those from Royal Air Maroc (oneworld) and Vietnam Airlines (SkyTeam).

Here’s a bit more detail.

Marriott: If you’re a few nights away from Platinum or Titanium status, it’s probably worth booking stays before the end of the year (either real ones or mattress runs just for the night credits). We have a complete article on Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Aeroplan: It’s probably not worth making an extra effort if you haven’t reached status at this stage, honestly. But if you are very very close to 25K or 50K, maybe a short flight would be worth it (or a few purchases for 25K status via EDQ).

 

3. Use your elite status benefits

This one is obviously only for those who already have elite status, so you can skip to the next one if that’s not your case.

Elite statuses offer plenty of benefits, so like credit card benefits, it would be a real shame to waste them. Especially since there are some excellent ones.

Here are the main elite status benefits to use before the end of the year:

  • Marriott: Annual choice benefit
    • You have to make your choices otherwise it’s going to be too late
    • Especially for Titanium (choose the 40,000 pts certificate)
  • Aeroplan: Select benefits
    • You have to make your choices otherwise it’s going to be too late
  • Aeroplan: eUpgrades
    • There are 2 versions because of the changes
    • Those earned between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024
    • Those earned since July 1, 2024
    • The old ones all expire on January 15, 2026
    • If they were rolled over thanks to a premium Aeroplan card
  • Aeroplan: VIP airport lounge passes and status passes
    • Expire on December 31
    • Give them to friends (or offer them in the comments here)

By the way, I myself have a few free lounge passes left.

To reward those who follow Flytrippers on Instagram and who have a flight in the next week, I’m going to give them as a Christmas gift! Stay tuned on that platform!

 

4. Do your points pooling or purchases

Pooling Marriott points with your loved ones is vital for any savvy traveler, but there’s an annual cap. There’s also an annual cap for purchasing different point currencies, but that’s not nearly as savvy (in general).

Here’s what you have to do to reach the maximums before the end of the year:

  • Pool all Marriott points into the main account
    • To simplify the logistics of stays and elite status
  • Purchase the points you want
    • If you really know what you’re doing and you’re sure

The Marriott Bonvoy Amex Card AND the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex Card are the only 2 cards that are really for all travelers without any possible exception. Yes, it’s very important to also have the business version which doesn’t require having a business!

Since these are the only hotel chain points accessible without having a US-issued credit card, it’s vital to get both welcome bonuses for you, for your travel companion, and also for all your loved ones who trust you😉! It’s really the foundation for maximizing, as we’ve been telling you for years.

Here’s a bit more detail.

Marriott points pooling: The maximum amount of points you can combine is 100,000 per year per originating account. The maximum amount of points you can receive is 500,000 points per year in your main account. So make sure to do it before the end if you happen to have a large quantity of points in certain accounts or a large quantity of friends. 

Various points purchases: Purchasing points makes very little sense, as we explained in detail in our article on buying Aeroplan points. But if you’re in one of the situations described, there’s often an annual cap on points you can purchase, so you might want to take advantage of it. But it’s really better to buy when there’s a big bonus like 85% more points!

 

Bonus: Regular tasks to do each month

This is way more important. As mentioned, we’re also going to share a revamped guide on your regular tasks to do each month along with our guide on how to properly start your 2026 year to benefit from the wonderful world of travel rewards more than ever.

I wanted to at least give you a preview of it here right away, if you don’t want to wait.

Here’s what you should do each month:

  • Don’t miss anything important (there’s always something new and changing)
  • Monitor the progress of your welcome bonuses
  • Track all your other credit cards
    • To follow the 6 simple steps to always follow
    • Check your upcoming card renewals
    • Decide if you cancel or renew cards
    • Use your benefits before they expire
    • Check the expiration rules for your points
  • Reevaluate your credit card application strategy
    • Applying for more cards is the key (so sad that so many people don’t understand)
    • Analyze new offers to constantly readjust your short-term strategy
    • Take into account changes in your travel plans, spending plans, etc.
    • Set reminders to ideally do an application (or applications) day every 3 months
    • Never waste your spending (always use it to unlock a bonus… as simple as that)
  • Monitor your elite status progress
    • If you want VIP benefits
    • It’s strongly recommended for hotels at least
    • Also track the use of your elite status benefits
  • Take advantage of promotions (it’s the key to maximizing properly)
    • Travel rewards program promotions
    • Earning promotions for all your spending
    • Online shopping portal promotions
    • The various promotions we share with you throughout the year
  • Dedicate a few hours to learning and your development
    • The more you learn, the more you’re going to get incredible value
    • You’ll never be able to be a pro without putting in at least a bit of time
    • It’s nothing complicated at all… you just need to put in a bit of time
    • We’re going to restart our highly anticipated free webinars in 2026
    • And have tons and tons of simplified and improved content to help you

 

Learning how to travel for less

Join over 100,000 savvy Canadian travelers who already receive Flytrippers’ free newsletter so we can help you travel for less — including thanks to the wonderful world of travel rewards!

 

Summary

Although year-end tasks are less vital than the regular tasks to accomplish throughout the year, it’s still important to do the ones that apply to your situation. Before the calendar turns to 2026, use your credit card benefits, finalize your elite status, use your elite status benefits, and do your points pooling or purchases.

 

What would you like to know about these year-end travel rewards tasks? Tell us in the comments below.

 

See the flight deals we spot: Cheap flights

Discover free travel with rewards: Travel rewards

Explore awesome destinations: Travel inspiration

Learn pro tricks: Travel tips

 

Featured image: Tunnel View, United States (photo credit: Aniket Deole)

Andrew D'Amours

Andrew is the co-founder of Flytrippers. He is passionate about traveling the world but also, as a former management consultant, about the travel industry itself. He shares his experiences to help you save money on travel. As a very cost-conscious traveler, he loves finding deals and getting free travel thanks to travel rewards points... to help him visit every country in the world (current count: 71/193 Countries, 47/50 US States & 9/10 Canadian Provinces).

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