---
title: "What is Retroactive credit? | Benefit Systems"
description: "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."
source: "aus dem gebauten HTML abgeleitet"
---
# What is Retroactive credit?

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](/de/glossar/nachtraegliche-gutschrift)

## Related terms #

- [Shopping portal](/en/glossary/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](/en/glossary/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](/en/glossary/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 #

- [Why your purchase didn’t earn the points you expected](/en/knowledge/missing-points)
- [How do shopping portals work?](/en/knowledge/shopping-portals)
- [What does hotel elite status actually get you?](/en/knowledge/hotel-elite-status)