Knowledge Hub · Glossary
Blackout Dates
Blackout dates are specific days when a program will not let you redeem points at all, or only at much higher rates. They usually fall around holidays, major events, and peak travel periods. The effect is that your points are temporarily useless for the exact dates many people most want to travel.
What it means in practice
Hard blackout dates are less common than they once were, since many programs replaced them with peak pricing that simply charges more points instead of blocking redemptions outright. The practical result can feel similar. Around the busiest dates you either cannot book or you pay a steep premium for the same seat or room.
Example
A hotel might black out award stays over a holiday weekend, or quietly raise the price from 30,000 to 60,000 points per night. Either way, the cheap redemption you counted on is not available on those exact dates.
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