Airline miles can be a valuable currency for frequent travelers, but they often come with an expiration date that can catch even the most seasoned flyers off guard.
The lifespan of these miles varies widely across different airlines, with some requiring regular activity to keep them active, while others have more lenient policies.
Knowing when and how these miles expire is essential for anyone looking to make the most out of their travel rewards.
This article will go through the expiration policies of 30+ airlines and how you can reset the expiration of your miles.
Aer Lingus AerClub
Aer Lingus Avios expire 36 months after account inactivity, which can be extended by earning or redeeming at least one Avio. If you are inactive for a 36-month period, the Avios in the account will expire, and your account will be disabled.
Aeromexico ClubPremier
Aeromexico Rewards Points now never expire as long as your account is in good standing with Aeromexico’s upgrade from Club Premier to Aeromexico Rewards. The only time you would lose your points is if Aeromexico closed your account without redeeming your points before closure.
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air Canada Aeroplan points expire 18 months after account inactivity. Earning, redeeming, donating, transferring, or converting points within that 18-month period will reset your points expiration.
Additionally, Aeroplan paused the expiration of points until September 30, 2024.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
Air France – KLM Flying Blue has an overly complicated mileage expiration policy because it has different expiration policies for miles earned from flying and miles earned from other means, including transferring credit card points.
You can reset the expiration of any miles in your account for another 24 months by (1) taking another flight on Air France, KLM, or partner airlines and crediting those miles to Flying Blue, (2) making a purchase with a Flying Blue credit card, or (3) if you have Flying Blue Silver, Gold, or Platinum status.
Other mileage activity such as transferring miles, hotel stays, rental cars, and purchasing miles will not extended the life of miles earned via flying, but it will extend the miles you earned via those other non-flying activities (transferring miles, rental cars, etc.).
For example, imagine you had 50,000 miles in your account from flying and 50,000 miles in your account from non-flying activities that are due to expire in a month. If you take a flight and credit it to Flying Blue, then the expiration of all 100,000 miles get extended. However, if you were to transfer new points into Flying Blue, then only the expiration for the 50,000 miles from non-flying activities would reset.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles never expire as long as your account is active, but Alaska Airlines may lock your account if you haven’t earned or redeemed a mile in the past 24 months.
American Airlines AAdvantage
American Airlines AAdvantage miles expire 24 months from account inactivity, which can be extended by earning or redeeming at least one mile. However, your miles won’t expire if you are under 21 years old, but the 18-month clock will start on your 21st birthday.
ANA Mileage Club
All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club miles expire at the end of the 36th month from the date you earned the miles, with no option to extend the expiration date.
However, Diamond Service members can pause expiration, and Million Miler members’ miles never expire.
For example, if you transferred 95,000 American Express Membership Rewards Points to ANA on March 15, 2023, those miles would expire on March 31, 2026, even if you transferred additional miles to ANA.
So you either to redeem your ANA miles before the deadline or you will lose your ANA miles. Luckily, the flight on miles can occur after the mileage expiration as long as you book it before the miles expire.
Avianca LifeMiles
Avianca LifeMiles expire 12 months from the last time you earned at least one LifeMile, making it one of the shortest expiration dates of any loyalty program.
There are two exceptions that allow for a longer a 24-month expiration policy if you are a (1) Avianca elite member or (2) a cardholder of the Avianca Vida Visa® Card or Avianca Vuela Visa® Card.
You can reset your mileage expiration by earning one LifeMile. Redeeming miles will not reset your expiration.
British Airways Executive Club
British Airways Avios expire after 36 months of account inactivity. However, you can extend their validity every time you earn, spend, purchase, or share at least one Avio.
Breeze Airways Points
BreezePoints are valid for 24 months from the original date issued. BreezePoints not redeemed within the 24-month validity period expire and have no value.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles expire after 18 months of inactivity. You can keep your Asia Miles active by earning or redeeming at least one Asia Mile every 18 months.
Delta SkyMiles
Delta SkyMiles do not expire as long as the account is open and in good standing. The one exception to the rule is if Delta closes your account if a member is deceased or fraudulent activity occurs on the account.
Emirates Skywards
Emirates Skywards miles expire at least three years from when you earned the miles at the end of your birth month. For example, if your birthday is October, the miles you earned in April 2023 will expire on October 31, 2026. The only exception to the mileage expiration policy is if you hold top-tier Emirates Platinum elite status or a co-branded Emirates Skywards credit card.
Etihad Guest
Etihad Guest miles expire after 18 months of inactivity. Starting in June 2024, you can only reset the expiration of your miles by flying on Etihad or a partner airline.
Until June 2024, you can reset your points expiration by earning at least one Etihad Guest mile such as transferring points to Etihad or redeeming Etihad Guest points.
The exception to the rule is Etihad Guest Platinum members’ miles never expire, as long as they maintain their Platinum status.
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands miles expire 36 months after you earn or transfer the points at the end of the month, with no way to extend the miles.
For example, 10,000 miles earned on April 13, 2023, would expire on April 30, 2026. You either need to use them, or you will lose them.
Frontier Airlines Miles
Frontier Miles expire after 12 months of inactivity. This means you need to generate some kind of earning activity within a year to keep your miles alive. Simply redeeming miles doesn’t count – you need to be actively earning them to reset the expiration clock. However, if you have the Frontier Airlines World MasterCard®, your miles will never expire as long as your card account remains active and in good standing.
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
HawaiianMiles never expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. Previously, Hawaiian Airlines’ miles expired after 18 months of inactivity.
However, you should still regularly redeem your Hawaiian Airlines miles because airlines occasionally devalue their points.
Iberia Plus
Iberia Plus Avios have a pretty straightforward expiration policy. Your Avios will expire after 36 months of inactivity in your account.
Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank
Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank Miles expire at the end of the 36th month after they were earned with no way to extend or reinstate the miles.
For example, if you if you earned miles on a flight taken on January 15, 2024, those miles would expire on January 31, 2027.
JetBlue TrueBlue
JetBlue TrueBlue points never expire as long as your Trueblue account is open and in good standing. But if you close your account, JetBlue will delete your points.
Although the points never expire, you should still redeem your TrueBlue points frequently because airlines frequently devalue points without notice.
Korean Air SKYPASS
Korean Air SKYPASS miles expire 10 years after you earn them with no way to extend the validity of your miles or reinstate them if they expire.
Lufthansa Miles & More
Lufthansa Miles & More miles expire 36 months after they are earned at the end of the quarter, with no way to extend the miles. For example, if you earned 10,000 miles in March 2023, then those miles would expire on June 31, 2026, unless you used the miles before then.
The exceptions to this rule is for Miles & More elite members and cardholders of the Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® as long as you hold the card for at least three months and make one purchase per month.
Porter Airlines VIPorter
Porter Airlines’ VIPorter points do not expire if a member earns or redeems points at least once within 24 consecutive months
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Qantas points expire 18 months from account inactivity, which can be extended every time you earn and redeem at least one point.
However, the transfer of points between family members or from Qantas Business Rewards do not reset the clock.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Qatar Airways Avios, the points earned through the Privilege Club program, typically expire after 36 months of inactivity, meaning no earning or redeeming of Avios during this period.
To reset this expiration timer, members must engage in some activity, such as flying with Qatar Airways or its partners, transferring points to Qatar Privilege Club, or through other earning methods. By doing so, the Avios remain valid, and the expiration period is extended by another 36 months from the most recent activity date.
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles expire after three years at the end of the equivalent month in which they were earned. For example, if you earned miles in January 2024, they would expire at the end of January 2027. This fixed expiration date applies to all miles earned, regardless of your account activity. Unlike some other airline loyalty programs, transferring points or miles from partner programs to your KrisFlyer account does not extend the expiration date of your existing miles. The transferred miles will have their own three-year expiration date based on the month they were credited to your account. However, you can pay a fee of $12 or 1,200 miles per 10,000 miles to extend the life of your miles. KrisFlyer members can extend their miles for 6 months and KrisFlyer Silver and Gold members can extend their miles by 12 months. The exception to the expiration rule is if you have Singapore Airlines elite status with PPS Club or Solitaire PPS Club status, then your miles never expire as long as you maintain your status.
Southwest Rapid Rewards
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points never expire if your account is open and in good standing. Previously, Southwest points would expire after 24 months of inactivity, so this is a nice improvement over the old policy. However, you should regularly redeem your Southwest points just in case they are devalued.
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles miles expire three years on December 31st from the time the miles were earned. For example, if you earned or transferred 10,000 miles in April 2023, those miles will expire on December 31, 2026. Turkish Airlines also has a fixed expiration policy. You can only extend your miles’ validity by paying a $10 fee per 1,000 miles.
United MileagePlus
United Airlines MileagePlus miles never expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. Previously, United miles expired 18 months after account inactivity, so the current policy is a nice improvement. However, you should regularly redeem your United miles because airlines regularly devaluing their points.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Virgin Atlantic points, known as Virgin Points, do not expire. This is a significant benefit compared to many other loyalty programs. Previously, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles had an expiration policy where miles would expire after three years of inactivity, which was already comparatively generous. However, with the introduction of Virgin Points, this expiration policy has been removed, offering even greater flexibility and long-term value for members
