best

Could you please share which airline and hotel programs are set up so that your miles expire? I seem to recall only United after 3 years. What should one do outside of using that airline or hotel?

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

Both Virgin and British airways miles expire if there is no activity on the account after three years. But it is extremely easy to keep the miles current ie use a partner airline/hotel/car rental, use a credit card etc,

Regards
TBS

rucas0

Qualiflyer (Travelclub, Navigator, Privilege) miles expire after 3 years (with or without activity).

------------------
rucas0

[This message has been edited by rucas0 (edited 11-02-2002).]

zakami

UA and AA

Counsellor

But only if there's no activity for three years. Same with Delta.

UA and DL count by calendar years, so if there's activity in 2002, the miles won't expire until 12/31/05; AA, on the other hand, counts on exact years, so if you have your last activity on 11/12/02 the miles will expire on 11/12/05.

As noted above, activity is easy - have the miles you earn for a hotel stay or car rental credited to the airline account once a year or two (or once every three years but be careful to do it within the limit period if you're talking about AA).

davistev

LatinPass miles if there is no activity in three years.

monahos

As for airlines, it might be easier to ask whose points do not expire, as most programs seem to require activity once every 3 years at the least.

To my knowledge:

- points do not expire with KE, OZ

- activity required every 3 years with most majors, as described above. Usually any partner activity is enough, but for instance AF requires Skyteam or co-branded CC activity

- points expire after 3 years (with or without activity) with most Asian programs (CX, MH, JL, NH, SQ, TG, etc.) and for non-top elites for a number of European programs (LH, LX, etc.)

- recently some of the airlines with miles valid 3 years have introduced paying validity extensions (CX, LX)

- 5 years validity for SAS miles

- CO now requires miles to be deposited every 18 months. I believe that with many programs, using miles constitutes a form of activity.


As for hotel points, Starwood seems to be the most restrictive, with activity required every 12 months. Not sure about Hilton and Marriott. I have some very old and still valid Hyatt GP and Priority Club points, which haven't been touched in years.

dgordon

Thanks for the question on this thread as I don't usually look at continental's thread and have taken for granted that continentals miles don't expire. You'd think if they changed it it would be consistent with the airlines and make it 3 years. I will be signing 3 credit cards to IDine with Continental to get miles deposited. I find this the easiest way to keep activity going. I'll change them back to my preferred airlines as soon as miles post. Thank you FT

------------------
Ms.DtG

dgordon

I just called the Continental Servie Center. This new rule is ONLY for new accounts that were opened on or after June 2001. Oldtimers are not affected by this rule. You can verify this yourself by calling 800-525-0280 and ask to be transferred to the onepass service center.

------------------
Ms.DtG

ql2112

Cathay Pacific's Asiamiles expire after three years (no matter if you have activity or not), but you can pay to have their live extended. Bad deal

rfrost

Hilton's rules require that you earn points within 12 months, but it sounds as if you can reactivate by staying at a Hilton. I haven't testd that, though.

pinniped

US Airways miles earned prior to Y2K do not expire. Miles earned on 1/1/00 or later are subject to the industry-standard 3-year-activity rule.

An iDine posting satisfies the activity requirement for every US carrier, as far as I know.

ql2112

rfrost, would the quarterly profile update qualify for this?

pgary

That's not what the rules say:

"Inactive Membership


If no mileage is deposited in your account for 18 consecutive months, commencing after June 1, 2001, your membership will be cancelled, and your miles will be forfeited."


------------------
The Personal Travel Experience of Gary Steiger - including how to get free frequent flyer miles on the web.

dgordon

pgary - did you call them?

------------------
Ms.DtG