The holiday season can be a whirlwind of enchantment and chaos. With the rush of decorating, shopping for gifts, and gearing up for the new year, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed as December comes to a close. This is especially true for travelers who face busy airports and lengthy security lines during this bustling time.
We often take the end of the year to review the credit cards tucked away in our wallets, assessing which benefits we’ve yet to utilize. This process aids our decision-making for future card applications and travel plans for the upcoming year.
This reflection led us to ponder: Could a holiday wish list be meant for adults too? And so, we crafted our 2024 holiday wish list.
Related: Our 2025 Credit Card Predictions
Card-Specific Wishes
Many of us who frequently travel are well-acquainted with cobranded hotel credit cards. Our favorites include the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, and the World of Hyatt Credit Card.
The information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been independently gathered by The Points Guy, and the details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
These cards typically belong to a range of options designed for those who may stay at Hilton, Marriott, or Hyatt hotels, whether for a few nights a year or more frequently.
These cards come with various ways to earn bonus points at their respective hotel chains, alongside perks like free night awards and room upgrades. While we appreciate these benefits, we believe there’s always room for enhancement. Here are some of our wish list items for 2025:
- A premium World of Hyatt card enters the market.
- Bonus categories for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card beyond current rewards for bookings through Capital One Travel.
- A more flexible $300 Capital One travel credit.
- A premium Bilt Mastercard® — which could involve an annual fee — that offers attractive perks and earning rates.
- Access to lounges, specifically Delta Sky Club, without restrictions for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card holders.
- Consistent ability to earn elevated rewards rates on a Chase or American Express card for home improvement purchases or at related retailers (like Lowe’s or The Home Depot).
- Restoration of restaurant credits for credit card Priority Pass memberships.
- A premium rewards card from any issuer designed for residents outside urban areas (Gopuff, Uber, and Lyft credits might not be useful for those in the suburbs or rural regions).
- Extension of Lyft benefits on the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
- Online waitlist enrollment for Chase lounges instead of in-person registration.
- Annual or anniversary loyalty bonuses on American Express cards.
- Increased bonus categories for The Platinum Card® from American Express.
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Related: Our 2024 Credit Card Predictions and Trends — What We Got Right and Wrong
Loyalty Program, Points, and Miles Wishes
Concerning airline and hotel loyalty programs, our team at TPG hopes for the following:
- The elimination of Club Access Awards for Hyatt Globalists, replaced with more beneficial alternatives.
- Enhanced benefits for Hyatt’s Explorist status level.
- Wells Fargo Rewards and/or Citi ThankYou Rewards should add Air Canada Aeroplan as a transfer partner.
- Free breakfast offerings for IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite members.
- Guaranteed late checkout of at least 2 p.m. for Hilton Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, and IHG Diamond Elite members.
- Allowing IHG to apply suite upgrade certificates online rather than requiring a call 14 days before a stay.
- Development of a true award calendar by Hyatt to show availability rather than just pricing.
- Removal of expiration dates on Hyatt’s free night awards.
- Restoration of rollovers for Delta’s Medallion Qualification Dollars.
- Offering a fifth or sixth night free on Hyatt award stays (preferably only for cardholders or elite members).
Related: How to Travel Safely with Christmas Presents
Some team members also expressed a desire to convert Citi ThankYou Rewards points to AAdvantage miles, while others raised concerns about potential devaluation for AAdvantage miles. Additionally, we’d love to see Capital One onboard one of the top four U.S. airlines as a transfer partner in 2025.
Final Thoughts
The landscape of credit cards, loyalty programs, and reward points is always changing. At FF, we’re continuously curious about what new features and benefits might be introduced to our favorite cards and programs, especially as the year wraps up.
As we gear up for the holiday season, we decided to create our own wish list to see what dreams might become reality in the year ahead. Here’s hoping some of our desires come to pass!
Related: 11 Things were Excited About for 2025
