PointsPulse Blog
Honest, well-researched writing about loyalty programs, points and miles tracking, and how to get more from the programs you use.
Do You Actually Need a Points Tracker?
If you hold three or fewer accounts, visit them regularly, and hold nothing in a program that expires, the honest answer is no. Here is the threshold where tracking starts to earn its place, the three things it genuinely solves, and the three things people expect it to solve that it does not.
Extension vs App vs Spreadsheet: How Points Trackers Actually Work
Every points tracker ever built uses one of three approaches, and they do not really differ on features. They differ on what you hand over to get your balances: your time, your passwords, or access to what is on your screen. An honest comparison of all three, including where ours loses.
Do Chase Points Expire? Ultimate Rewards, Sapphire, and Freedom
Chase Ultimate Rewards points never expire from inactivity, which is exactly what makes them dangerous. They are forfeited the moment you close the card, the widely repeated 30 day grace period is not something Chase actually promises, and the panic transfer people use to rescue them can move a balance that could never expire into one that can.
The Best Points and Miles Trackers in 2026
A points tracker has one job: put every balance in one place and warn you before anything expires. An honest comparison of AwardWallet, PointsPulse, TripIt Pro, MaxRewards, Travel Freely, and the spreadsheet, matched to the kind of collector each one actually suits.
When You Should and Shouldn’t Transfer Points
Transferring credit card points to an airline or hotel is a one-way door, and for most people most of the time the answer is not yet. A clear framework for when transferring is the right move, the four mistakes that cost the most, and the three protections you give up the moment you hit transfer.
Points Devaluations in 2026: What’s Changing and How to Protect Your Balances
2026 has been a brutal year for devaluations, from Hyatt’s new award chart to Aeroplan, Avianca, and the Capital One cut to Emirates. Here’s what changed across the major airline and hotel programs, and a practical playbook for protecting the balances you already hold.
Your European Airline Miles Were Invisible. Now They’re Not.
PointsPulse now tracks the five European airline programs travelers rely on most: Flying Blue, Lufthansa Miles & More, British Airways Avios, Qatar Privilege Club, and Virgin Atlantic. How each program’s miles work, when they expire, and how to track them without passwords.
The Points and Miles Audit: How to Find the Balances You Forgot You Had
Auditing your points isn’t about counting what you have. It’s about catching what you’re quietly losing. The four ways balances leak value, and a step-by-step audit to find every one.
I Tracked My Points in a Spreadsheet for Eight Years. Here’s Why I Finally Stopped.
A working spreadsheet beats no system. But after eight years, mine started costing me more points than it saved. Three specific failure modes, what I tried instead, and what I’d tell my 2018 self about tracking points.
Best AwardWallet Alternatives in 2026
AwardWallet’s price went up. American Airlines is gone. We compare the best alternatives for tracking points and miles in 2026, including PointsPulse, Travel Freely, MaxRewards, and TripIt Pro.
AwardWallet vs PointsPulse: An Honest Comparison
A direct, no-spin comparison of the two trackers. Where AwardWallet wins, where PointsPulse wins, and which one fits your situation better.
Do Your Points and Miles Expire? Rules for Every Major Program (2026)
The real expiration rules for every major US loyalty program, what counts as “activity” to keep them alive, and which programs have changed their policies recently.
How to Save Expiring Points Without Spending Real Money
The cheapest qualifying activity for every major loyalty program. Free ways to reset the expiration clock for Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, American, United, Delta, and more.
Why We Built PointsPulse Without Storing Your Passwords
The security model behind PointsPulse, why credential storage is a bigger risk than most people realize, and how a Chrome extension can track your balances without ever seeing your login.