A retroactive credit is the later posting of points or miles for a stay or flight that did not appear in the account in the first place.
A retroactive credit is the later posting of points or miles for a stay or flight that did not appear in the account in the first place.
Also called: Missing points claim, Retro credit.
How it works#
Programmes set deadlines for these claims that are often shorter than travellers expect, and they ask for evidence: boarding pass, ticket number, or a hotel folio showing name and dates. The most common cause of missing points is a membership number that was never attached to the booking; the second is a fare or rate excluded from earning. Keep documents until the points post, not until you get home.
Not to be confused with#
A retroactive credit is not the same as a goodwill credit: a retroactive claim rests on an entitlement in the programme terms, goodwill on a one-off decision.
In German#
The German term is Nachträgliche Gutschrift. German version of this term
Related terms#
- Shopping portal: A shopping portal is a programme-run page used to start an online purchase so that points are credited on top of what the card itself earns.
- Mile: A mile is the currency unit of a frequent flyer programme: a credit in an airline account that can be exchanged for flights and other awards.
- Hotel elite status: Hotel elite status is a tier in a hotel programme that holds out benefits such as room upgrades, breakfast or late checkout.
Articles that use this term#
TopicEvery article and term onCards and money.