Use or Lose These Annual Credit Card Credits and Perks [2024]

Updated 12/16/24

This is an annual post, updated each year with all the changes since the previous year. (Thanks to MilesTalk facebook moderators A.R. and Sarah for help compiling the year to year changes this year.)

As credit card issuers have moved more and more toward premium and ultra-premium cards, we have more and more annual credits to keep track of using.

To make it more confusing, some cards have credits you get on an annual basis and others that you get every “cardmember year.” For the perks you get every cardmember year, you’ll need to pay attention to your annual fee billing date to make sure you’ve used your credits. But when the credit is “annual” (i.e. per calendar year), you have a unique opportunity to get the credits in two consecutive years, even before the second annual fee rolls around.  That means this is also an excellent time to apply for the cards with “annual” credits.

I’m not going to list out every card that has a “once every five years” credit for PreCheck/Global Entry since they are so common and not annual. All other “use or lose” perks should be here.

Credit cards with “annual” credits that you must use or lose by the time your December statement closes:

The Platinum Card from American Express ($695 annual fee)

The Amex cards have a ton of great benefits, but they require activation and use in the defined period or you lose them.

• $200 annual airline credit

Airline must be chosen once per year, though they will usually let you change it once. So if you used it on one airline pre-pandemic and want to use it for another now, call or chat with them and ask to change the airline.

These credits are intended to be used for incidental airline fees. This means it won’t work for airfare itself or upgrades, but it will work for lounge access, seat selection fees, baggage fees, award redeposit fees and the like. You used to be able to use these for airline gift cards, though for the most part that no longer works. We discuss some creative options in the MilesTalk Facebook group. You can also look on Flyertalk, where you just need to find the thread for your preferred airline.

• $200 FHR / Hotel Collection credit – must be booked via AmexTravel and only on prepaid FHR (one night minimum) or Hotel Collection (two night minimum).
• $199 Clear membership reimbursement. (Enrollment Required)
• Monthly Uber credits: Don’t forget to activate and use your monthly Uber credits ($35 in December!). Card must be in your Uber account and must be the method of payment on the transaction that uses the credit. Terms apply.
• $50 bi-annual Saks credit: use that July – Dec credit. (Don’t forget your Rakuten cash back.)  (Enrollment Required)
• Equinox credit: You can use up to $300 a year. Physical locations are around $300/mo with a 12-month commitment so if you use it in December and again in January you could get the first 2 months free. The digital membership can be purchased annually for $300 so this would be free. You MUST enroll through https://platinum.equinox.com. Separately, there is a $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike credit.
• $20 monthly entertainment credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. (Enrollment Required)
• Walmart+: Reimburse that monthly $12.95+ fee. (Enrollment Required)

American Express Gold Card ($325 annual fee)

• Monthly dining credits

Don’t forget to activate and use your $10 monthly dining credit, useable at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and at 5 Guys. It’s one $10 credit each calendar month. 

You also have your last $10 Uber Cash credit (auto loaded to your Uber account). Must use have Gold Card as a method pf payment in Uber and use you Gold Card as payment method with the monthly credit.

• $7/month Dunkin’ credit (make sure you are enrolled and spend your $7 for December). Reloading $7 on your app works fine.
• $50 bi-annual Resy credit: First, be sure you’ve enrolled online. Then make sure you have used your card to pay at a Resy participating restaurant for at least $50 to use this benefit if you haven’t already since July 1. You don’t need to reserve the restaurant via Resy, but they must accept reservations via Resy to qualify.

American Express Green Card ($150 annual fee)

• $199 annual Clear credit

The Business Platinum Card from American Express ($695)

• $200 annual airline credit

Airline must be chosen once per year, though they will usually let you change it once. So if you used it on one airline pre-pandemic and want to use it for another now, call or chat with them and ask to change the airline.

These credits are intended to be used for incidental airline fees. This means it won’t work for airfare itself or upgrades, but it will work for lounge access, seat selection fees, baggage fees, award redeposit fees and the like. You used to be able to use these for airline gift cards, though for the most part that no longer works. We discuss some creative options in the MilesTalk Facebook group. You can also look on Flyertalk, where you just need to find the thread for your preferred airline.

• Twice annual Dell credit

Your twice-annual $200 Dell credit expires June 30 and Dec 31 annually.

And you can even stack with a shopping portal like Rakuten for even more cash back. (Yes, make a profit off buying $200 worth of Dell products).

• $90 Indeed.com credit (4th Quarter)
• $150 annual Adobe credit
• Cellular credit: $10 a month (use Dec credit)
• $199 annual CLEAR credit
• $50 / quarter Hilton credit at Hilton properties (enrollment required) – use Q4 credit

American Express Business Gold Card

$240 Flexible Business Credit:

Use that December $20 credit. Remember, this card now allows you to earn up to $20 in statement credits each month after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. Enrollment required.

Walmart+ Membership Credit:

If you use the Business Gold Card to pay for a monthly Walmart + membership (subject to auto-renewal), you’ll receive a statement credit that covers the full cost each month, valued at $155 annually. Enrollment required. Use it or lose it!

Hilton Honors Aspire ($550 annual fee)

• Twice-annual $200 resort credit (Jan to June and July to December. Eligible resorts can be found here: www.hilton.com/resorts
• 4th quarter $50 flight credit is valid on airfare purchased directly with an airline or through amextravel.com.
• $199 annual CLEAR credit

Hilton Surpass ($150 annual fee)

• Quarterly $50 Hilton credit can be used at any property. Make sure you have used your Oct-Dec credit.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ($650 annual fee)

• $25 monthly dining credit

Chase Sapphire Reserve / JP Morgan Reserve ($550 annual fee)

• $5 monthly DoorDash credit.
• Two monthly promos of up to $10 each for non-restaurant orders
• Activate your free DashPass if you haven’t already (does not expire Dec 31)
• Activate your 2 years of complimentary Lyft Pink All Access (This is your last chance to active the two year benefit – the benefit goes away altogether otherwise)

Also, if you opened your Sapphire Reserve card before May 21, 2017, your annual $300 travel credit is not exactly by calendar year but rather resets after your December statement close date.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

• Don’t forget to activate your free DashPass which gives you $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027. (Does not expire Dec 31)

United Quest ($250 annual fee)

• $125 annual United purchase credit. This is a statement credit against UA purchases like airfare as well as things you can buy that are related to a flight, like checked bag fees, upgrades, seats, and Wifi.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

$10/month Resy credits: When you use your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $10 each month in statement credits.

$10 / month Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.

$150 Delta Stays Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members can earn up to $150 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

$10/month Resy credits: When you use your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $10 each month in statement credits.

$10 / month Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 in statement credits each month after using your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.

$200 Delta Stays Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card Members can earn up to $200 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

Resy credits: Earn up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.

Rideshare Credits: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers after you pay with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. Enrollment Required.

$200 Delta Stays Statement Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members can earn up to $200 back in the form of a statement credit annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Resy credits: Earn up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.

Rideshare Credits: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers after you pay with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card. Enrollment Required.

$250 Delta Stays Statement Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card Members can earn up to $250 back in the form of a statement credit annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.

Asiana Visa (Link)

• 2 Asiana Airline lounge invitations
• 10,000 Bonus Miles Certificate awarded annually (good towards an award or upgrade, not actual miles deposited to your account)
• Automatic $100 annual rebate on Asiana Airlines ticket purchases

Lufthansa Miles & More Credit Card (Link)

• Annual companion ticket (Starting with first renewal anniversary)
• Receive two complimentary Lufthansa Business Lounge Vouchers after each account anniversary

Ritz Carlton Credit Card

This card is no longer available to new applicants, but if you have one already, note that your $300 annual travel credit must be used by Dec 31st. Here are some tips from Doctor of Credit on what triggers the credit.

Citi Prestige ($495 annual fee – no longer available for new applicants)

• $250 annual travel credit must be used each calendar year. Valid on any travel purchases. 

Travel Purchases are defined as purchases made within the travel category, including purchases from airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, travel agencies/travel aggregators/tour operators, commuter transportation, ferries, commuter railways, subways, taxis/limousines/car services, passenger railways, cruise lines, bridge and road tolls, parking lots/garages, and bus lines.

• Your two “4th Night Free” stays per year are also calendar based. You can make two per year but the stay can be in the following year. Remember these must be booked online in the ThankYou portal.

Citi Premier ($95)

• $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when you book through thankyou.com and use your annual hotel savings benefit. You can receive this benefit once each calendar year. Just note that if you have elite status with the hotel chain you book, these are prepaid rates and therefore do not earn points or status benefits.

Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card

Get up to $100 in Airline Incidental Statement Credits annually for qualifying purchases such as seat upgrades, baggage fees, in-flight services, and airline lounge fees – automatically applied to your card statement. (Calendar year)

All Chase Credit Cards

• Don’t forget your Chase Freedom Flex 5X category.

Credit cards with “cardmember year” credits that you must use or lose by your cardmember anniversary date:

Capital One Venture X

• $300 travel credit is cardmember year, not calendar year.

Capital One Venture X Business

• $300 travel credit is cardmember year, not calendar year.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

• $50 annual credit to use at hotels at Chase Travel (in the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal)

Southwest Performance Business Credit Card

• $500 fee credit each year towards Rapid Rewards transfers
• 4 Upgraded Boardings per year when available
• In-flight wifi credits, limited to a total of 365 $8 credits per year

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

• $500 fee credit each year towards Rapid Rewards transfers
• 2 EarlyBird Check-Ins per year

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card ($149 annual fee)

$75 Southwest travel credit each cardmember year

4 upgraded boardings each cardmember year (when available).

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier ($99 annual fee)

• Two $25 Early Bird comps

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus ($69 annual fee)

• Two $25 Early Bird comps

Alaska Airlines Visa ($95 annual fee)

Companion Fare: Is issued 6-8 weeks after your annual fee is paid and is good for one year.

Korean Air SKYPASS Select Visa Signature Card (Link)

Automatic statement credit(s) totaling up to $200 will be applied to your Account when a SKYPASS Select Visa card is used for purchases made directly from airlines, hotels, or car rental companies. Credit(s) apply to eligible Net Purchases that post to your Account on a Cardmember-year basis (based on Account opening date).

Also: $100 off coupon for Korean Air ticket purchase each year, 2 Korean Air In-flight Duty Free $25 coupons each year, and 2 KAL Lounge coupons each year.

Summary

If I missed anything, please let me know in the comments. Please note I purposely omitted things like the annual free nights awarded with certain cards simply because they are not “use or lose” on the same defined schedule, although they will tend to expire a year from when you receive them.

Thoughts?

Let me know below in the comments, on Twitter, or in the private MilesTalk Facebook group. And don't forget to follow me on Instagram for all sorts of tips on miles, points, credit cards, and travel.

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You can find credit cards that best match your spending habits and bonus categories at Your Best Credit Cards. 

New to all of this? My “introduction to miles and points” book, MilesTalk: Live Your Wildest Travel Dreams Using Miles and Points is available on Amazon and at major booksellers.