topic Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U in Credit Cards

How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, USB?

csryang — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 08:17:48 GMT

Hello all, I am planning for some card apps later this year and want to plan ahead of time to see what I can do without losing the points after

PC or CXL.

I only know that for Chase and Amex, their point systems are quite simple:

Chase:

PC - I can keep points with the new account. Earned points do not have an expiration date

CXL - I can transfer the points easily to another card before canceling. Earned points do not have an expiration date

Amex:

PC - I can keep points with the new account. Earned points do not have an expiration date

CXL - I can transfer the points easily to another card before canceling. Earned points do not have an expiration date

However, I am not sure about Citi, Boa, CapOne, or USB... this is what I am speculating, please correct me if I am wrong:

Citi: (5 year expiration regardless or depedning on card type?)

PC - If you PC to a point earning card, then those points don't expire, right? Or is this not accurate?

CXL - If you simply cancel a card, points expire in 60 days. If you transfer the points to another card, those points expire in 90 days? Because this is treated as sharing points to another person or sharing points with another account within the same card owner. Sharing points is limited to 100k per calendar year.

Rather than sharing/transfering points, I heard if you "combine" points from different TY programs into one primary TY program, then points won't ever expire even if the original/not primary point-earning card is canceled. Is this correct?

CapOne:

PC - similar to Chase/Amex?

CXL - similar to Chase/Amex?

Boa:

PC - similar to Chase/Amex? but only within point earning cards like TR, PR, PRE

CXL - similar to Chase/Amex? but only within point earning cards like TR, PR, PRE

USB:

PC - similar to BOA, limited transfer between Altitude Go and Altitude Connect?

CXL - similar to BOA, limited transfer between Altitude Go and Altitude Connect?

Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U

bs1234 — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:29:27 GMT

@csryang wrote:

Amex:
PC - I can keep points with the new account. Earned points do not have an expiration date

While strictly true, I feel this is a little too generous to Amex! The problem comes in that the PC itself is restricted. For example, you might have an MR earning card, such as the Everyday, and decide you want cash back instead, and wonder if you can transfer the MR for some cashback value when you PC to a Blue Cash Everyday. Unfortunately, this situation does not arise as Amex will not let you PC between families.

Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U

Jessie — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 22:25:00 GMT

It’s best to use them before you cancel your account. With most issuers, they’re not going to retroactively credit points/miles after you’re gone. You should actually use them on a regular basis, if possible, and not wait until closing time. You’re vulnerable to devaluation if you leave a bunch of rewards unused.

Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U

Pppoolboy — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 14:17:12 GMT

Rule #2: Don't accumulate points

Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U

simplynoir — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 17:15:01 GMT

@Pppoolboy wrote:
Rule #2: Don't accumulate points

This honestly. It's fine to save up if you already have a trip in mind to save towards but if you're someone saving for the sake of saving for a future yet-to-be-determined trip then the person has to weigh the risks of saving points/rewards when something like account closure, reward program changes and whatever else comes up that could make those points worth less or void altogether.

Normally, this is not something to worry about since banks usually give their cardholders of rewards programs or even cards themselves a heads-up warning like US Bank with the (unappable) devaluation of their Altitude Reserve or Citi's nerf last year I want to say with their cash remdeptions with Citi points. But that's something that comes with the nature of rewards in the credit card game is that it can happen anytime.

Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U

Patient957 — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 18:19:44 GMT

@Pppoolboy wrote:
Rule #2: Don't accumulate points

Okay, I'll bite. What's rule #1?

Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U

bs1234 — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 18:55:57 GMT

@Patient957 wrote:
@Pppoolboy wrote:
Rule #2: Don't accumulate points
Okay, I'll bite. What's rule #1?

Rule #1: You do not talk about Rule #1

Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U

bs1234 — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 18:58:45 GMT

@simplynoir wrote:
@Pppoolboy wrote:
Rule #2: Don't accumulate points
This honestly. It's fine to save up if you already have a trip in mind to save towards but if you're someone saving for the sake of saving for a future yet-to-be-determined trip then the person has to weigh the risks of saving points/rewards when something like account closure, reward program changes and whatever else comes up that could make those points worth less or void altogether.

Normally, this is not something to worry about since banks usually give their cardholders of rewards programs or even cards themselves a heads-up warning like US Bank with the (unappable) devaluation of their Altitude Reserve or Citi's nerf last year I want to say with their cash remdeptions with Citi points. But that's something that comes with the nature of rewards in the credit card game is that it can happen anytime.

This. And while points have added concerns (devaluation, which is almost always going to happen) I also get surprised by people who store up large cashback balances too. Even if nothing bad happens, you are losing interet that you could have if you kept moving balances to a high yield account. (And I guess general inflation is like point devaluation).

Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U

simplynoir — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 20:42:17 GMT

@bs1234 wrote:
@simplynoir wrote:
@Pppoolboy wrote:
Rule #2: Don't accumulate points
This honestly. It's fine to save up if you already have a trip in mind to save towards but if you're someone saving for the sake of saving for a future yet-to-be-determined trip then the person has to weigh the risks of saving points/rewards when something like account closure, reward program changes and whatever else comes up that could make those points worth less or void altogether.

Normally, this is not something to worry about since banks usually give their cardholders of rewards programs or even cards themselves a heads-up warning like US Bank with the (unappable) devaluation of their Altitude Reserve or Citi's nerf last year I want to say with their cash remdeptions with Citi points. But that's something that comes with the nature of rewards in the credit card game is that it can happen anytime.
This. And while points have added concerns (devaluation, which is almost always going to happen) I also get surprised by people who store up large cashback balances too. Even if nothing bad happens, you are losing interet that you could have if you kept moving balances to a high yield account. (And I guess general inflation is like point devaluation).

For that I can see a few reasons why cashback balances are banked. One is probably tied to see it as a bank in itself watching that total increase even if it would be better taken out and put at minimum in an interest-bearing account like a savings account. Another reason is some banks require a minimum to withdrawal (US Bank does this) before redemptions are allowed. Beyond those two reasons I'm struggling to think of why someone would keep a cashback balance on their card.

On a related note that also depends on the value the person holds the currency of the rewards they have.

I'll use Chase URs as an example. It's probably the best user-friendly rewards points. Its versatility is pretty good. You can use their cards as simple cashback cards (Freedom Unlimited, Freedom, etc) as 1.5%/3%/5% cashback and just take it out with a simply deposit request or redeem it right back onto their card as a statement credit. Then you have cards like the Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, Ink Preferred, etc that increase the inherent value of the points themselves when redeemed for travel by a set percentage which can be very nice, points can be pooled/transferred to those cards to make them worth more. Then you have those that value their points by their transfer partners and those have their own valuations to boot. It really is all a game honestly where someone can juggle just getting (digital) cashback, redeeming it for a known increased value for travel or playing the transfer game with hotel, airlines and whatever else comes up.

And none of those options are wrong it just depends on the person's needs and wants from their rewards.

Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U

csryang — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 07:04:48 GMT

None of you answered my questions or contributed datapoints on "how to keep points alive" after PC or CXL a card across different card issuers.

Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U

coldfusion — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 11:33:50 GMT

@simplynoir wrote:

!! @simplynoir howdy stranger! - hope you and the wife are doing well

Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U

simplynoir — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 00:57:56 GMT

@coldfusion wrote:
@simplynoir wrote:

!! @simplynoir howdy stranger! - hope you and the wife are doing well

@coldfusion Thanks! It's been a wild year so far but we're still kicking lol

Re: How to keep credit card points alive after product change or cancellation - Citi, Boa, CapOne, U

RobertS2 — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 20:39:57 GMT

The key is to ask ahead of time what’s going to happen to your unredeemed rewards. You should keep your rewards if your original account stays open throughout the product change, but it’s best not to risk it.