Consequences for canceling a credit card before going on a flight bought with miles from that card
Last year I signed up for the Delta Amex and received 50K bonus miles with the first year fee waived. I just cashed it in for a flight and paid an $11.50 fee with the Amex that grants me priority boarding and one free checked bag.
I want to cancel the card before the first year is up to avoid the $100 annual fee. However, the flight I purchased with the miles is after this date.
Will there be any consequences to canceling the card right now? For example, will I lose the free checking or priority boarding? Worse yet, would the flight itself be canceled?
I'm sure all these cards from all the airlines are different, but I was hoping there would be a common thread in regards to this question.
Best Answer
If the ticket has been paid for and issued, you should have no problems travelling after cancelling the card.
However, if boarding privileges and free check-in are a benefit of the card and not your status with the airline, then it is reasonable to expect that these benefits will be retracted after you cancel the card.
That being said, check-in staff are not the most diligent and I have frequently got away with flashing an expired frequent flyer card. The trick to this is to use a card from a partner airline, since the staff have less ability to validate your true status.
If your spending on the card has been significant, it is always worth calling them and asking if they would be willing to waive the annual fee. Simply state that you love using the card, but you have better, fee free options.
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Do you lose airline miles if you cancel credit card?
Be sure you won't lose your miles or pointsYou will not lose airline miles or hotel points already in your airline or hotel account after canceling a card.What happens to points after Cancelling credit card?
Unless you transfer your points or have another credit card earning points in the program, you're probably going to lose them. Policies vary by bank, but if you're closing the only card you have open in a given rewards program, you'll probably lose your rewards.Does canceling a rewards card affect your credit?
Closing a credit card might hurt your credit score, especially if it's an older card with a high credit limit.What happens to Delta SkyMiles if I cancel my credit card?
If you are canceling a co-branded airline card like the Delta SkyMiles\xae Gold American Express Card or hotel cards like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless\xae Credit Card, you don't have to worry. Your points or miles are safe and sound in your loyalty program account once you earn them, even if you choose to close the account.How Does Canceling a Card Affect Your Credit Score?
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