What Should You Do If Your Points Transfer Isn't Instant?

Travelers Club Harper Luggage, Rose Gold, 20-Inch Carry-On

$31.20 (as of November 6, 2024 14:46 GMT +00:00 - )

In the world of credit card rewards, collecting points is a powerful tool to unlock incredible travel experiences. The ability to transfer points from a bank program to airline or hotel programs instantly allows for quick usage of these valuable rewards. However, there are times when the points transfer may not be instant, causing frustration and uncertainty. This article provides insights into what you can do if your points transfer isn’t instant, offering practical tips to prevent delays in the future. From creating frequent flyer accounts in advance to avoiding multiple transfers and ensuring accurate account information, these strategies will help you navigate the complexities of points transfers seamlessly. Additionally, this article emphasizes the importance of having a backup plan and explores options for managing award availability, ensuring your travel plans remain on track. By implementing these suggestions, you can optimize your points transfer experience and enjoy the benefits of your hard-earned rewards efficiently.

There’s No Way To Expedite a Points Transfer

If you’ve transferred points and the transfer is supposed to be instant and the points haven’t shown up within 2-3 minutes of you submitting the transfer, they probably won’t for at least 24 hours, if not longer. Sadly, there is no way to expedite the points transfer, and once they have left your bank points account, there is no way to stop or reverse the transfer, even if they haven’t shown up in your airline account right away.

All of the major banks have disclaimers stating that while in most cases the points usually transfer quickly, there are times when the transfer could be stopped, slowed, or held for review. While the bad news is that you can’t speed up a transfer that is pending in any way, the good news is that you can prepare yourself for the future so you minimize the chances of a transfer not processing instantly.

Create Your FF Accounts in Advance

Transferring points from a bank program into a brand new frequent flyer or frequent guest account can be a problem and cause your transfer to be delayed due to:

The account being brand new, it hasn’t fully populated in all databases and systems yet – so the bank points transfer system may not recognize it as a valid account.
The account being brand new, the transfer could be delayed or flagged for review because the account is brand new and you are trying to transfer points to it right away (fraud concern).

If you have created a brand new account and the transfer hasn’t shown up, one of the main reasons is listed above. Always create your frequent flyer accounts ahead of time so you don’t run into these issues.

Don’t Transfer Points Multiple Times

When transferring points, you should transfer them all at once – don’t do a “test” transfer of a 1,000 points just to see if it went through. Multiple transfers in the same day not far apart can get delayed. It’s best to transfer all your points in one go to avoid any potential issues.

Make Sure Names on Accounts Match Exactly

When creating your frequent flyer accounts, you always want to make sure the name matches exactly what is on your passport and what is on your bank account, including middle names. Often if the names do not exactly match, the transfer could be canceled, delayed, or stuck somewhere, and that’s the last thing you’d want. In addition, it does certainly help if your email, phone number, and address also match what is listed on your bank account. Ensuring that all the information matches will minimize the chances of any transfer delays or issues.

Transferring Large Amounts Could Be Delayed

When transferring a large amount of points, your transfer could be delayed. This is especially true if you are transferring the points into a new account or into an account that doesn’t have any activity. This is basically a fraud prevention measure, and there isn’t anything you can do other than wait for the transfer to complete. If you’re planning to transfer a significant number of points, it’s important to factor in potential delays so that you’re not caught off guard.

Always Have a Back-Up Plan

Award availability comes and goes quickly – we all know that. It is crucial that you have a back-up option in case your preferred award space gets booked up by someone else by the time your points transfer. Research other options with that same frequent flyer program and have other flights in mind that you could book. Some programs no longer charge change or cancellation fees, so you can monitor availability and later change tickets as needed. Remember that you can always use these points in the future if for some reason the trip doesn’t happen as expected – just keep in mind the policies of the frequent flyer program and take note of any potential expiration dates for those miles.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your points transfers are smooth and efficient. While delays can happen, being proactive in creating accounts in advance, transferring all points at once, ensuring name and account information matches, and having a backup plan will minimize the chances of any issues. Keep these tips in mind to make the most of your points and enjoy seamless travel experiences.