How Airline and Hotel Loyalty programs are changing due to COVID-19, coronavirus.

Given the global situation concerning COVID-19 (the coronavirus), frequent travelers have stayed at home and are practicing social distancing instructions in order to prevent further spread of the illness. As we hope for the safe health of others, we're all dreaming of a return to normal travel. While no one can quite predict when that might be, travel companies have made moves to keep their programs active and members engaged. Here's a list by Ramsey Qubein on what to know about travel loyalty program changes, elite status, and qualifications moving forward.

Accor Live Limitless

Accor’s loyalty program is crediting 50 percent of the status nights and points required to requalify for your current status level. This automatically gets you halfway toward the same status for next year.

Aeroplan

Air Canada is pausing the expiration of miles until May 14, which means if you had miles set to expire before then, they now last until mid-May. Altitude members are receiving additional eUpgrade credits in their accounts, which are valid until May 31, 2021.

Best Western Rewards

Best Western was one of the first to extend status for members until January 31, 2022. This means that your current status remains the same unless you earn a higher level this year. Plus, anyone who was downgraded in status based on travels in 2019 will be boosted to their previous level until January 31, 2022, as well.

Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Club

Cathay is automatically adding monthly increments of points between now and April to get travelers closer to status thresholds even when they cannot travel. In addition, those with lounge passes, upgrade certificates, and Gold Companion Card nominations will receive six-month extensions to use them.

Choice Privileges

Any points set to expire have been extended through the end of May 2021.

Delta SkyMiles

If you have upgrade and companion certificates that were supposed to expire this spring, the validity has been extended through the end of the year.

Emirates Skywards

The airline is lowering elite threshold requirements between now and May 2020 by 20 percent.

Etihad Guest

The airline is delivering bonus tier miles on a monthly basis to pad member balances and help them toward annual elite thresholds during the travel slowdown.

Flying Blue

Miles will no longer expire this year, and for those with status expiring this spring, elite status requirements are being lowered by 25 percent.

Hilton Honors

Any points that were scheduled to expire between now and May 31 will be extended.

IHG Rewards Club

IHG was a first mover in making status easier for travelers. Travelers now have lower requirements to earn elite status. For example, Gold Elite status now requires 7,000 qualifying points (instead of 10,000) or seven qualifying nights (instead of 10) this year to earn status. Top-tier Spire Elite status only requires 55,000 qualifying points (instead of 75,000) or 55 nights (instead of 75).

Marriott Bonvoy

If you have free night or Suite Night awards (used for room upgrades on eligible stays) in your account, these will be extended until December 31, 2021. In addition, any points set to previously expire will be extended to the same date.

Qantas Frequent Flyer

Status is being extended for current elite members by 12 months.

Radisson Rewards

Current elite status has been extended through February 2022, and any upcoming points expiration has been extended through the end of August.

Shangri-La Golden Circle

The current elite status is being extended for another year to December 31, 2021.

Virgin Flying Club

Elite status is being extended by six months.

World of Hyatt

Proposed changes to award categories (the designated number of points needed to redeem for a free night’s stay) will not go into effect this month as planned. Instead, it will be postponed to 2021. That’s good news for stays at many luxury hotels, where the free-night points rate was going to increase.

Why haven’t other brands made adjustments yet?

Given the uncertainty of the current situation, some airlines or hotels may be waiting to see the extent of travel disruption before making an announcement. Even currently announced loyalty program adjustments may change again before the end of the year. As we wait for the curve to flatten, be expecting more change to occur to our favorite hotel and airline programs.