Arline Miles Expiration Policies

Many people usually have questions regarding when airline miles expire.  Below you will find the expiration policies of most all the major airlines.  I would highly recommend making yourself familiar with these policies and be sure to ensure you do whatever your required to keep those hard earned miles and points from expiring on you.

Domestic

Alaska Airlines: If after 9 months of opening no mileage is credited to the account, or even if it remains inactive for over 2 years, the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan reserves the right to delete the account and reassign the number. Also, if mileage has been deleted from the account, it can be reinstated for up to one year by paying a $75 fee.

American Airlines: As long as you have qualifying account activity at least once each 18 months, advantage miles do not expire.

Delta: Miles do not expire under the SkyMiles Mileage expiration policy.

Hawaiian Airlines: Prevents miles expiration for 18 months with earning or redemption activity.

JetBlue: Earn points by flying JetBlue at least once in a 12-month period to prevent miles from expiring.

Southwest Airlines: As long as you have flight or partner earning activity every 24 months points do not expire.

United Airlines: Mileage gathered is only subject to expiration on the last day of eighteen months from the last activity in the member’s account. Such activities include flying using MileagePlus credit card and more. In case mileage is removed from an account for reasons like redemption of awards and returned later, that kind of mileage return is not counted as account activity.

US Airways: Active membership status, since January 31, 2007 is based on having earned or redeemed miles within consecutive 18  -month period. Miles are subject to forfeiture if no miles have been earned or redeemed within consecutive 18-month period.

Virgin America: As an Elevate member, retain all points as long as there is earning or redemption activity in your Elevate account at least once in every 18 months. Hence point’s expiration extends for another 18-month with any qualifying activity posted on your own Elevate account using completed reward travel, flights on Virgin America, or even through earning points on your Virgin America credit card or other partners.

International

Aeromexico: Premier Kilometers never expire in your account but you require making at least one AM code flight with paid tickets every 24 months.

Aeroplan: If Aeroplan member has not accumulated or redeemed their Aeroplan Miles for a 12 consecutive month period, all mileage in the account expires. Mileage might expire without further notice or even 7 years (84 months) after the accumulation date. Mileage gathered in an account prior to January 1, 2007 is deemed to have accumulation date of December 31, 2006.

Alitalia: MileMiglia Program of the edition 2008-2012 ended on December 31^st 2012, complying with the Italian law regulates reward operations (Italian Presidential Decree no. 430 of Oct. 26, 2001), establishes maximum time limit of 5 years. All miles earned with Alitalia or Partner Airlines from January 1^st 2008 to December 31^st 2012 must essentially be used by June 30^th 2013 to apply for rewards unforeseen by the program. Any residual miles expire after June 30^th 2013 and will be deleted from the Member’s account. The 2013-2015 MileMiglia Regulations includes expiration of miles due to account inactivity. If no miles are earned with Alitalia, AirOne or one of the commercial airlines partners of the program has been registered on the member’s account within the past 24 months, miles present will be deleted.

ANA: Mileage valid till end of 36^th month from the time a service or product was used to earn miles. ANA is not accountable for expired mileage.

British Airways: Avios points remain active as long as you collect, spend, share or purchase at least one Avios every 36 months. Any longer gap in use results in Avios expiration and removal. Hence, make sure you take action before that time is up.

Cathay Pacific: Asia Miles remain valid for three years from the month mileage is credited. View all your expiry dates specifically by looking up your account to view dates for all your Asia Miles.

Emirates: Skywards Miles remain valid for three years from the date on which they’re credited to your account. These are removed once from each calendar year, at the last day of the month you were born.

Flying Blue Air France: As a Flying Blue member, Award Miles is valid for lifetime and never expires. To ensure that the miles do not expire, take one flight every 20 months on Air France, KLM, Air Europa, Kenya Airways, TAROM, Aircalin or any of the SkyTeam partners.

Korean Air: Korean Air’s SKYPASS program allows earning mileage on or after July 1, 2008 having a validity of ten years. Any unredeemed mileage will expire. Mileage acquired on or before June 30, 2008 will not expire. Ten-year mileage validity is calculated from the date of travel on Korean Air and partner airlines.

LAN: Mileage earned by flying oneworld Airlines, Associated Airlines or even Partner Companies using promotional services remain valid for 3 years, expiring on the 31^st of December of the third year it was earned.

Lufthansa: Miles & More Lufthansa communication media policy ensures that any mileage not redeemed within 36 months of last use will expire at the end of that quarter. Miles & More account information of the flyer draws attention regarding the date and extent of lapsed mileage if not redeemed.

Qantas: Points do not expire as long as you keep the account active by using them at least once every 18 months, rather than the three years.

Singapore Airlines: KrisFlyer membership accounts expire after 36 months from the end of the month in which last activity took place. No activity for over a period of 18 months since start expires after that time.

Virgin Atlantic: Providing your account remains active, miles do not expire. To ensure that you do not lose points or they don’t expire, continue earning or redeeming flying club miles with every mileage transaction offering further 36 months of active Flying Club miles.

More program information here

Ways To Prevent Miles from Expiring

There are many ways to gather the coveted miles and some you may not even be aware. The possibilities are endless to earn miles and points. Are you planning to sign up Netflix? Your airline website will have flyer points that can be acquired by connecting through their program. Do you conduct charitable donations? Get bonus miles while extending the current miles. Thinking about getting your taxes from the H&R Block? You’ll be able to gain 4 mileage points for every dollar spent through the US Airways website. An iTunes purchase allows you to earn two Rapid Reward points at the Southwest Airlines that extends over for another 24 months.

So, what are the top ways of adding activity to your account without flying or even using an airline credit card?

• Dining gets points

One of the easiest ways is to gather reward points by dining. Although not all restaurants that associate with airline dining miles programs are Michelin 3-star graded, but of course it’s possible to locate at least one spot in the vicinity that you could grab a meal. There are of course great sign up bonuses along with miles per dollar rewards.

•  Car rentals

If you avail car rentals, make sure that the rental company offers frequent flyer award points. Although, points may not be gathered only by flying often, but to get them you might require paying a small fee for collecting the miles.

•  Shop to collect points

Everyone shops. If you’re not getting these bonus points, you’re allowing great opportunities to attain the miles benefits to slip away. There are over 400 online merchants – Walmart, PETCO, Drugstore.com, Ann Taylor, JC Penney, Nike, and more that participate in the airline shopping mall program. Even if you’re not using an airline credit card, you will get anywhere from 1-12 bonus miles for each dollar spent. Earlier you had to be a frequent shopper to earn airline points, merchants such as Sunglass Hut offer miles even for shopping in store or by phone. See links to the airline’s malls.

• Staying in a hotel

Most hotel chains offer mile points when you make a reservation or check in, get new miles or even protect the ones that you have.

• Take a vacation or cruise

Book for a tour and get big mileage bonus points through airline websites.

• Investments

Transfer $100, 000 into Fidelity Investment account and get $50, 000 United miles; $25, 000 enables you to earn 15, 000 miles. There are many airlines that offer similar perks.

• Send flowers

Do you send flowers for special occasions? Most of the flying companies participate, so get 20 United miles per dollar spent at FTD Gifts and Flowers.

• Take out a mortgage

A mortgage from Chase bank allows you to earn up to 50, 000 United miles.

•  Sign up for Netflix

Get 1,500 American Advantage miles when you sign up for Netflix. Most of the airlines will associate with such provisions.

•  Donate to a charity

 Donate to the Unicef, USO, or cancer research to get American Advantage miles. It helps save lives and even extend the validity period of your own miles.