Durbin Reintroduces Bill to Regulate Airline Co-Branded Credit Cards

Airline miles have evolved from a frequent-flyer perk into a major revenue source for airlines and card issuers, but consumers often face unexpected point devaluations, redemption restrictions and transfer fees. Durbin has said points can cost as much as 3 cents each when bought through airline websites but yield a redemption value of only about 1 cent. The bill therefore calls for stronger oversight by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Trade Commission.

Senator Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, reintroduced the Protect Your Points Act of 2026 (S.4244) on March 26, 2026, referring it to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Within 90 days of enactment, the bill would require real-time disclosure of each point's dollar value. It would also require at least one year's advance notice of changes to terms or point devaluations, and prohibit point expiration and surcharges for transfers or redemptions.