How do I avoid losing miles?
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To keep your frequent‑flyer miles from disappearing, focus on staying active in the program and monitoring the specific expiration rules that apply to each airline.
Keep the account active
- Earn or redeem miles at least once within the inactivity window required by the airline (e.g., 12 – 36 months for most carriers) View from the Wing
- Small activities such as a credit‑card purchase through a shopping portal, a rental‑car credit, or a dining‑for‑miles transaction will reset the clock View from the Wing
- Using a co‑branded airline credit card or making a modest purchase (e.g., a magazine subscription) also counts as activity View from the Wing
Track balances and expiration dates
- Store all your mileage balances in a single dashboard (Award Wallet is a popular choice) so you can see upcoming expirations at a glance View from the Wing View from the Wing
- Review the program‑specific inactivity periods regularly—e.g., Delta’s miles never expire, while Aeroplan expires after 12 months of inactivity View from the Wing
Use flexible tools to generate activity
- Transfer a few points between programs via Points.com; even low‑volume transfers count as account activity View from the Wing
- Buy or transfer a small number of miles (often for $35 or less) to create a qualifying transaction View from the Wing
- Redeem a handful of miles for non‑travel items (magazine subscriptions, trivia rewards) to generate a posting View from the Wing
Protect the account from accidental loss
- Use unique, strong passwords and enable two‑factor authentication; daily checks help you spot disappearing miles quickly View from the Wing
- Keep copies of boarding passes and booking confirmations so you can file a claim if a flight cancellation or re‑booking causes miles to be removed Boarding Area
Know the program‑specific rules
- Review the expiration table for the airlines you use most often (e.g., Alaska = 24 months inactivity, United = 18 months, Lufthansa = 36 months unless you have a co‑brand card) View from the Wing
- Some airlines, like Spirit Air, have very strict rules (miles expire if you don’t earn any within three months) View from the Wing View from the Wing
By combining regular, low‑effort mileage‑earning actions, a reliable tracking tool, and vigilant account security, you can keep your miles alive and ready for the trips you want.
How to Keep Your Miles from Expiring
Most airlines have some form of expiring miles. Most programs promote that their miles never expire… but there’s a catch. The miles may not expire, but the account itself can become dormant with all miles forfeit if there’s no activity for a prolonged period of time. Only Delta, among major frequent flyer programs, offers no mileage expiration – period. Ironically in the middle of the last decade they were one of the early adopters of shortened expiration times. Most US frequent flyer programs expired miles after three years, and they led the charge to reduce that initially to 24
How to Keep Your Airline Miles from Expiring
Most airlines have some form of expiring miles. Most programs promote that their miles never expire… Are they lying? No, and yes. Your miles won’t expire, but your account will become inactive if you don’t have some sort of activity for a defined period of time. And then you won’t have access to your miles anymore. Because they’ll expire. Actually, expiring miles are where a given mile has to be used within a specified period of time or else it simply goes away. Singapore Airlines miles are like that. No matter how much additional activity you have
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News and notes from around the interweb: “It’s a major cost to the programs themselves. Members are always made whole and do not lose their points once the problem is identified,” says Gary Leff, co-founder of online frequent flier discussion site MilePoint. “The best things you can do to protect your accounts are to use unique passwords … and remain vigilant. Check your accounts daily so that you notice miles disappearing quickly.”
Summer Flight Delays: Lounges and Points to the Rescue
I’ve noticed that summer travel in 2025 has been particularly prone to flight disruptions. According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, nearly 22% of flights in the past season faced delays, and thousands were canceled for reasons as varied as weather changes, air traffic control constraints, and staffing shortages. Personally, I’ve been stuck in airports more times than I’d like to admit, but I’ve come to realize that there are plenty of ways to transform these wait times into opportunities rather than hassles. Between exploring lounges, accumulating loyalty perks, and timing my trips strategically, I’ve seen firsthand how summer
How to Keep Points from Expiring
Most airlines have some form of expiring miles. Most programs promote that their miles never expire… Are they lying? No, and yes. Your miles won’t expire, but your account will become inactive if you don’t have some sort of activity for a defined period of time. And then you won’t have access to your miles anymore. Because they’ll expire. Actually, expiring miles are where a given mile has to be used within a specified period of time or else it simply goes away. Singapore Airlines miles are like that. No matter how much additional activity you have