Author Topic: Mileage Expiration Policies Master Thread (Read 6706 times)

Esther · « **on:** December 07, 2010, 12:17:04 PM »

I've heard that a lot of airlines require you to use your miles within a certain time frame while others never expire. Is there a list of which airline has which requirements anywhere?

Dan · « **Reply #1 on:** December 07, 2010, 12:21:24 PM »

Generally airline miles expire after 18 months of no activity and hotel points expire after 12 months of no activity. Any earning or redeeming should extend all miles in the account.
I know AA, Hawaiian, United, USAirways, Virgin America, Hilton, and Starwood follow these rules.

Exceptions: Airlines with extendable miles based on any activity:
-Alaska Air miles expire after 24 months of no activity.
-BA miles expire after 36 months of no activity.
-Continental miles don't expire.
-Delta miles expire after 24 months of no activity.
-Spirit miles expire after 6 months unless you post at least another 2,000 miles to your account during that time-frame.

Exceptions: Airlines with hard expiration dates or requiring specific activities to extend miles:
-Airtran credits expire 12 months after they are earned (24 months for credit cardholders or elite members) regardless of activity.
-Air Canada miles expire after 12 months of no activity and expire after 7 years no matter what.
-ANA miles expire after 36 months regardless of activity.
-Jetblue points expire after 12 months and only Jetblue flights or purchases on the Jetblue AMEX card can extend them.
-LAN kilometers expire on 12/31, 3 years after the calendar year in which they were transferred from SPG and only LAN flight activity can extend them.
-Southwest credits expire 24 months after they are earned regardless of activity.

Esther · « **Reply #2 on:** December 07, 2010, 12:22:56 PM »

Activity meaning accumulating more miles or actually flying/staying at hotels?

Dan · « **Reply #3 on:** December 07, 2010, 12:24:21 PM »

Quote from: Esther on December 07, 2010, 12:22:56 PM

Activity meaning accumulating more miles or actually flying/staying at hotels?

Generally earning or using any points or miles. LAN would be an exception as mentioned.

moish · « **Reply #4 on:** December 07, 2010, 01:29:23 PM »

i believe elal is 3 years regardles of activity

AsherO · « **Reply #5 on:** December 07, 2010, 03:32:26 PM »

Don't some airlines have an exception for cardholders of the airline's credit card?

elikay · « **Reply #6 on:** December 07, 2010, 03:39:42 PM »

I think spirit does

aryeh1 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 12, 2012, 10:30:49 AM »

Acronyms in this post can be found here:
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=10531.msg163429#msg163429

How to keep miles alive:

Airlines:
AA: Activity every 18 months.
AC: Activity every 12 months and all miles expire 7 years after earning date regardless of activity.
BA: Activity every 36 months.
CO: No Expiration currently enforced.
DL: No Expiration.
LA: Expires after 36 months, only renewable by taking a paid LA flight.
UA: Activity within 18 months (including shuffling miles between CO and UA), or no expiration with a CO OPP or UA MPE card.
US: Activity every 18 months.
WN: Activity every 24 months.

Hotels:
HGP: No Expiration currently enforced.
HH: Activity every 12 months
MR: No Expiration currently enforced.
PC: No Expiration.
SPG: Activity every 12 months

Credit cards:
Proprietary point programs (AMEX MR/Citi TY/Chase UR) do not expire as long as you keep an active credit card open.
Airline/Hotel rewards deposited into your account by a credit card remain even if the card is no longer active, subject to the normal expiration dates listed above.

Please correct me if I missed anything or if I'm wrong

Dan · « **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2012, 10:51:35 AM »

Sorry for the hijack, but the idea is good!
I've cleaned up, added to, and organized your post.
Hope you don't mind

ChasingTheDime · « **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2012, 10:54:37 AM »

when it says activity every 18 months, what exactly does that mean
is earning more miles considered activity
do you have to spend some of them every 18 months ?

i would like to keep stockpiling AA miles, but at the moment, i prefer not to spend any

Dan · « **Reply #10 on:** January 12, 2012, 10:59:05 AM »

Quote from: ChasingTheDime on January 12, 2012, 10:54:37 AM

is earning more miles considered activity

Yes.

ChAiM'l · « **Reply #11 on:** January 12, 2012, 11:01:36 AM »

I was told by an SPG agent that points only expire after 18 months, but they tell people 12 months because it's simpler for people to understand. Is there any truth to that? Has anyone had points expire after 12 months?

aryeh1 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 12, 2012, 11:28:19 AM »

Quote from: Dan on January 12, 2012, 10:51:35 AM

Sorry for the hijack, but the idea is good!
I've cleaned up, added to, and organized your post.
Hope you don't mind

Sure..I knew I can count on you...

lcyitz · « **Reply #13 on:** January 18, 2012, 02:32:25 PM »

anyway of earning miles (keeping it from expiring) on a ba without having a active card?

Dan · « **Reply #14 on:** January 18, 2012, 02:33:19 PM »

You don't have any active credit cards at all?

lcyitz · « **Reply #15 on:** January 18, 2012, 02:34:20 PM »

i do just not a ba. so how can i keep my avios from expiring?

Dan · « **Reply #16 on:** January 18, 2012, 02:37:55 PM »

You did not answer my question.

lcyitz · « **Reply #17 on:** January 18, 2012, 02:42:55 PM »

Then maybe I did not get your question. I do have active credit cards in general but I do not have a ba card. Therefore I cannot earn more ba avios so I'm asking how to keep them (avios) from expiring.
TIA

Dan · « **Reply #18 on:** January 18, 2012, 02:46:18 PM »

Which cards do you have.

lcyitz · « **Reply #19 on:** January 18, 2012, 02:47:40 PM »

Spg, citi aa and dividend,sappire preffered,co onepass