If you still haven't finished your credit-card travel credits for this year, now is the time to act. Since credits usually take some time to process and unexpected issues can come up, readers who haven’t completed them yet should start right away. The credit cards that process travel credits by calendar year are mainly these:
- Chase Ritz-Carlton
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Citi Prestige
- AMEX Platinum
- AMEX PRG
- CNB Crystal Visa Infinite
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Chase Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton card credits are a bit cumbersome, because you need to call Chase after the qualifying spend is completed. So do it as soon as possible.
The airfare part on this card does not qualify; only charges like checked-bag fees and upgrade fees are eligible. But you can complete it by buying small gift cards (around $50) on airline websites. DP shows that even small airfare purchases can be credited.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
For cardholders who were approved earlier, this card’s travel credit is calculated by the December statement. Spending on the December bill counts toward the 2017 annual credit amount. For newer cardholders, the benefit is based on a one-year cycle from account opening, so there is no need to rush before year-end.
Sapphire Reserve travel credits are more flexible. If you still haven’t finished spending, you can buy gift cards from airlines, hotels, and even Uber.
Citi Prestige
Prestige travel credits are not strictly based on the calendar year; they are based on the December billing date. If your December bill has already posted, then this year’s travel credit has been missed.
Because Prestige credits can include airfare, it is much easier than the others, and most readers should have already completed it already. If you still haven’t, do it as soon as possible. If you don’t currently need to buy a ticket, buying gift cards on an airline website is also possible.
AMEX Platinum and Premier Rewards Gold
These two cards require you to pre-select the airline. Right now, UA Registry is in a semi-dead state. Based on recent DP updates, Alaska Airlines gift cards are also dead.
The gift cards that appear to still work are for Delta, American, and Southwest. Small gift-card purchases can trigger the credit. We recommend keeping each purchase under $50.
CNB Crystal
This card is more niche. Its credits, similarly, can only cover fees like baggage, not airfare. However, DP shows that small gift cards or tickets can also trigger the credit.