How to Stop Your Miles From Expiring

While a few frequent flyer programs will let you keep your miles forever, most programs will give you a time limit to use them. As usual, the terms and conditions of most programs vary greatly, so we’ve gathered the information from the most popular ones, and will show you what you can do to stop your miles from expiring. Is your program not listed? Feel free to leave a comment!

Miles & More

• Miles expire after 36 months.
• Miles won’t expire if you have a status (FTL, Senator, HON), or, in some countries, a Miles&More credit card.

FlyingBlue

• Miles expire after 24 months.
• Miles won’t expire if you fly any SkyTeam or FlyingBlue-partner flight. That flight will reset the 24-month countdown. You can also extend the validity by making a payment with a FlyingBlue credit card.

British Airways Executive Club and Iberia Plus

• Avios expire after 36 months.
• Avios won’t expire if you have any point activity (spending, earning, sharing, etc.). This would reset the 36-month countdown.

Miles&Smiles

• Miles expire at the end of the third full calendar year after they have been credited. For instance, if you collect 5,000 miles in December 2019 and 7,000 miles in January 2020, the 5,000 miles would expire on December 31st, 2022, and the 7,000 miles would expire on December 31st, 2023.
• Miles won’t expire if you pay US$10 (~€9) for every 1,000 miles you wish to extend. The extension would be for another 3 years.

Finnair Plus

• Points expire after 18 months.
• Points won’t expire if you have any point activity in your account. That would reset the 18-month countdown.

Singapore KrisFlyer

• Miles expire after 36 months.
• Miles won’t expire if you pay 1,200 miles or US$12 (~€11) to extend the validity of 10,000 miles. The extension would add another 6 months to the miles’ lifetime unless you have a KrisFlyer status (Silver, Gold), where they would be extended for a year.

SAS EuroBonus

• Miles expire after 5 years.
• Miles won’t expire if you are a Diamond member.

American Airlines AAdvantage

• Miles expire after 18 months.
• Miles won’t expire if you have any activity on your account (credit card purchase, miles redemption, miles earned, etc.). This would reset the 18-month countdown.

Asiana Club

• Miles expire after 10 years or, if you have the Diamond (or higher) status, 12 years.
• Miles cannot be extended!

Emirates Skywards

• Miles expire on the last day of the month of your birthday in three years. For instance, if your miles were earned in June 2020 and your birthday is in August, they’d expire on August 31st, 2023.
• Miles won’t expire if you pay US$20 (~€19) for every 1,000 miles you’d like to extend, for up to 50,000 miles. These miles’ validity would be extended for one year.

Southwest

• Miles expire after 24 months.
• Miles won’t expire if you earn miles (through flights, credit card purchases, etc.). That would reset the 24-month countdown. Please beware that, in this case, spending miles does not extend the validity.

Alaska Mileage Plan

• Miles expire after 2 years
• Miles won’t expire if there’s any kind of activity (earning or spending miles) in your account.

Alitalia Millemiglia

• Miles expire after 24 months
• Miles won’t expire if you earn miles within that period. That would reset the 24-month countdown.

Czech Airlines OK Plus

• Miles expire after 36 months.
• Miles won’t expire if you fly with Czech Airlines within that period (not with other airlines). They also won’t expire if you have a status.

Qatar Airways Privilege Club

• Qmiles expire after 36 months.
• Qmiles won’t expire if you’re a Platinum member or pay $0,015 per Qmile to extend its validity for another year. Also, if you have any point activity (earn, spend), the 36-month countdown is reset.

Avianca LifeMiles

• Miles expire after 12 months.
• Miles won’t expire if you earn (or buy) miles, which would reset the 12-month countdown. If you’re an Elite member or Avianca Credit/Debit card holder, it would be a 24-month countdown.

Oman Air Sindbad

• Miles expire after 3 years
• Miles cannot be extended!

Aerolíneas Argentinas

• Miles expire after 3 years
• Miles won’t expire if you had any flight activity during those 3 years. That would reset the 3-year countdown.

Thai Royal Orchid Plus

• Miles expire after 3 years
• Miles cannot be extended!

LATAM Pass

• Miles expire after 36 months
• Miles won’t expire if you earn at least 1 mile during those 36 months.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

• Miles expire after 18 months
• Miles, that were earnt after January 1st, 2020, won’t expire if you earn or spend miles during those 18 months. That would reset the 18-month countdown.

Programs With Unlimited Validity

These programs are great for people who fly less often, as they then have the chance to save up for an award flight, even if they need a long period of time to reach their target. Programs with unlimited validity are:

• Delta SkyMiles
• United MileagePlus
• Aegean Miles and Bonus
• jetBlue TrueBlue
• Royal Jordanian Royal Club

FAQs

Cover Picture: Ditmar Lange