Most points transfers from the major US credit card programs are instant, unless otherwise noted in our booking instructions.
Delayed transfers can happen for two reasons:
- Mismatch in names between the credit card and airline program accounts
- Fraud prevention measure by the credit card programs
In the event of a name mismatch, the points generally go back into the credit card program within several minutes. In this case, confirm that the names for both accounts (credit card and airline program) are 100% identical. If not, it will be best to make a second account with the airline program, so that it matches the name under your credit card account. You will still be able to ticket any reservations with the airline program with the name that appears on your travel document.
If your points are delayed by a fraud prevention measure, call the bank at the number on the back of your credit card and inquire about the transfer. If the transfer hasn’t gone through after several days, contact the bank again to inquire about the status - they might be awaiting some documentation from you.
If there is a change in flight availability and/or pricing, it wouldn't be possible to reverse the points transfer back to the credit card program, as all transfers are non-reversible once they're initiated out of the program.