| | Capture lower rates | | by Katie Genter, Lead writer |
|  | If you're saving up points and miles for a trip, you might worry about using the card that earns the most points for each and every purchase. You might also wait to sign up for a new card until it's offering an elevated welcome offer.
And while these are important, you may be leaving a welcome offer's worth of points and miles (or more) on the table each year if you aren't periodically checking your bookings.
You may find that rates have dropped by a few thousand points since you booked. Or (even better) you may find a different option that costs significantly less. For example, the difference between saver and standard award fares is often massive.
As such, I recommend periodically checking any bookings you can cancel for free (or cheaply) if the price drops. I also recommend occasionally checking whether there's a better option you want to book. Especially in the case of dynamically priced flights and hotels, award availability and pricing tend to change frequently — so use this to your advantage!
Checking takes time. However, these checks can net significant savings and perks. For example, I recently noticed that a Hyatt stay I'd booked now had standard suite availability, and I was able to apply a suite upgrade award. And earlier this week, I saved 10,000 IHG points and 8,000 American AAdvantage miles just by rebooking one stay and one flight.
So, while welcome offers and using the "right" card for purchases are important, also make sure you aren't leaving points or miles on the table. Here are some stories that might help:
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