Airlines must stop hiding point values and devaluing loyalty without warning
S. 4244 — Protect Your Points Act of 2026 · Filed by Richard Durbin (D-IL) · Introduced Mar 26, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill requires airlines to disclose the real dollar value of frequent flyer points, ban expiration dates on points, allow consumers to transfer points without fees, prohibit charges for redeeming points, and require one year's notice before devaluing points or changing program terms. It also mandates airlines display airfare costs in both dollars and points, show what percentage of points are actually redeemed, allow mixed dollar-and-points purchases, and implement account security measures.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is mandatory disclosure and consumer-protection rules for airline loyalty programs and co-branded credit cards. It restricts airline and issuer practices (expiration, fees, unilateral devaluation) and mandates transparency, making it fundamentally a consumer-protection measure, not a subsidy or deregulation.
What the text implies
- Airlines may respond by reducing point-earning rates or increasing base fares to offset lost pricing flexibility, shifting costs to consumers who do not use loyalty programs.
- The one-year notice requirement for devaluation may lock airlines into less-flexible loyalty economics, potentially reducing innovation in program design.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
Frequent flyer program members (consumers); Consumer advocacy groups