Last edit by: Prospero
Preventing AAdvantage Miles and Accounts from Expiring:
What can I do? Alternatives for miles use and discussion.
To check your miles expiration date: Look for the Wallet link on the website or in the app.
AAdvantage members who are under 21 are not subject to mileage expiration if their birthday is associated with their account.
But note:
ANY account activity, earning or using miles, will extend the expiration date of all AA miles by an additional 18 months.
When days count, be aware: it's the transaction date, not the posting date, that counts to extend miles' validity. It can take some time for miles activity to fully post, including the new expiration date. But, read on. Be aware of some vendors’ delayed posting, however.
For other relevant threads and resources see:
aa.com and Others:
Using or getting rid of miles
FlyerTalk:
Here are some suggestions from members on how to prevent miles from expiring easily and/or automatically. Please post your suggestions here.
For previous posts on this topic, please see ARCHIVE: Prevent AA miles / account from expiring / alternate use of miles
Nov 12, 2020 - Formatting % font size
What can I do? Alternatives for miles use and discussion.
To check your miles expiration date: Look for the Wallet link on the website or in the app.
From AAdvantage Terms and Conditions: "AAdvantage members must have mileage earning or redeeming activity once every 18 months in order to retain their miles. If your account has no qualifying activity in any 18-month period, all miles in the account will expire. Qualifying activity extends the expiration date of all unexpired mileage credit in your account for 18 months from the date of the qualifying activity. Qualifying activity is defined as redeeming any AAdvantage award or accruing mileage credit on any eligible American, American Eagle® or AAdvantage airline participant as well as accruing mileage credit with participating hotels, car rental companies, credit cards, telecommunication providers and other service providers offering AAdvantage mileage credit." Gufting or donating miles, doing anything that will cause an increase or decrease in the number of award miles in an AAdvantage account resets the expiration clock by 18 months.
But note:
Pausing AAdvantage® mile expiration through June 2021
You’ve worked hard to earn your AAdvantage® miles, and we recognize you may need more time than usual to keep them active. We’ve paused the expiration of miles through June 30, 2021. If your miles are scheduled to expire on or before June 30, 2021, they will now expire in July 2021, if there’s no additional activity in your account before then. You can find the expiration date of your miles in the Wallet section of your AAdvantage® account.
You’ve worked hard to earn your AAdvantage® miles, and we recognize you may need more time than usual to keep them active. We’ve paused the expiration of miles through June 30, 2021. If your miles are scheduled to expire on or before June 30, 2021, they will now expire in July 2021, if there’s no additional activity in your account before then. You can find the expiration date of your miles in the Wallet section of your AAdvantage® account.
When days count, be aware: it's the transaction date, not the posting date, that counts to extend miles' validity. It can take some time for miles activity to fully post, including the new expiration date. But, read on. Be aware of some vendors’ delayed posting, however.
"Activity date" is how the airline sees it, but beware that the date as reported by the shopping portal vendor can be a "gotcha." From my own experiences of various online vendors, the "activity date" reported can be the date you placed the order, OR the date your order was "received", OR the date your order was "processed", OR the date a transaction "hold" was placed on your credit card, OR the date your credit card company actually approved the transaction, OR the date your order was shipped, OR the date it was picked up (if in-store, for example), OR...etc., etc. And, don't forget time zone differences, too, if your cutoff date is very close (is it the time zone/date of where you ordered, or the vendor's website server, or the vendor's physical store, or...?) In other words, each online vendor may define and report the activity date to the airline in ways you didn't expect. I have seen an instance, for example, where the reported activity date was almost 2 weeks past the actual date I placed the order, simply because a part was on back-order, thus the full order was not "completed" and therefore the credit card not billed until later. Another example is flower delivery, especially if the flowers aren't scheduled for delivery until much later. Buyer beware -- the airline will refer you to the vendor for clarification.
aa.com and Others:
- Link to AA restricts expired miles reactivation within 18 months of expiration (2019) thread
- Link to How to Reactivate / Restore Expired Miles – Reengagement Challenge thread
- Link to Miles for Opinions surveys - not many miles, but it resets the clock.
- Link to Car Rental partners
- Link- Business and Financial: Earn AAdvantage miles when you buy, sell, or move your home with American HomeMiles by SIRVA, BankDirect, Fidelity, Lifelock, Network Solutions, PreFlight parking, Regus, etc.
- Link Buying, Gifting, Sharing AA Miles (Points.com)
- Link- Charities: Contributing Money (Earning Miles): Susan G. Komen, National Cancer Research Foundation, USO
- Link- Financial and Business: Earn AAdvantage miles when you buy, sell, or move your home with American HomeMiles by SIRVA, BankDirect, Fidelity, Lifelock, Network Solutions, PreFlight parking, Regus, etc.
- Link - Home and Health: DIRECTV, Energy Plus, Everything Energy, because Energy, Reliant, Spafinder Wellness 365
- Link to ALL Hotel partners
- Links to Hotel Bookings via pointshound.com, rocketmiles.com and Kaligo.com
- Link - Retail And Dining: AAdvantage eShopping Mall, AAdvantage Dining Program, FTD, Teleflora, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Vinesse Wine
- Linkaa.com - Reactivating expired miles (for fee)
Using or getting rid of miles
- Redeem Miles:- Link
Includes Hotel rooms and auto rentals, Newspapers, Gift Cards, Lifelock.
Includes link to Link to Use AA Miles: (redeem for car rentals and lodging) - Link - Charities: Donating Miles Miles for All Who Serve, Miles for Kids in Need, Miles of Hope.
Here are some suggestions from members on how to prevent miles from expiring easily and/or automatically. Please post your suggestions here.
- Sign up and register a credit card with AAdvantage Dining, go dine at an enrolled restaurant. (Sign up with your email address for notifications for 3 miles per dollar spent instead of one mile; dine 11 times in one year and earn 5 miles per dollar.)
- Make any purchase through https://www.aadvantageeshopping.comthat earns AA miles.
- Another easy/cheap route is ordering photos from Walgreens.com. It specifically says in the terms "photo orders picked up in-store are eligible." Prints are as cheap as US$0.29, but I'd purchase at least $1 worth to make sure you get your miles (2miles/$1).
For previous posts on this topic, please see ARCHIVE: Prevent AA miles / account from expiring / alternate use of miles
Nov 12, 2020 - Formatting % font size
Prevent AA miles / account from expiring / expiration & spend for other than flying
#46
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
ANY activity extends life 18 months. 25,000 miles offers more options.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
Sincerely, Obviousman
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
Sincerely, Obviousman
Last edited by JDiver; Mar 13, 2015 at 9:54 pm
#49
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 923
#50
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: used to be PER, now it's nowhere/eveywhere
Programs: QFF NB, AA GLD
Posts: 3,464
Just be aware that satman40 missed a zero off the minimum amount you can donate - it is 1,000
See this link http://hub.aa.com/en/ju/mileage-donation-programs
#51
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
#52
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1
Newbie Can't Find Info on Converting Small Number of AA miles
I have searched the threads and found several poor options, but no good options on what to do with my AA points that expire in June. I don't want to open a credit card to add to my account. Points.com seems like a poor option. Right now my leader is donating them. I even tried finding a flight (October trip) but I can't find one that works.
Any advice on what to do with expiring 11K miles in my account? I don't want magazines or newpapers. I can't convert AA to Hhonors on the AA site.
Help requested from the experts! Thank you!
Any advice on what to do with expiring 11K miles in my account? I don't want magazines or newpapers. I can't convert AA to Hhonors on the AA site.
Help requested from the experts! Thank you!
#54
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Dallas
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, IHG Spire, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 1,523
I have searched the threads and found several poor options, but no good options on what to do with my AA points that expire in June. I don't want to open a credit card to add to my account. Points.com seems like a poor option. Right now my leader is donating them. I even tried finding a flight (October trip) but I can't find one that works.
Any advice on what to do with expiring 11K miles in my account? I don't want magazines or newpapers. I can't convert AA to Hhonors on the AA site.
Help requested from the experts! Thank you!
Any advice on what to do with expiring 11K miles in my account? I don't want magazines or newpapers. I can't convert AA to Hhonors on the AA site.
Help requested from the experts! Thank you!
Just giving options beyond the shopping portal. I refuse to use Cartera. Ever.
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
Is Rewards Network dining an option where you are at? Sign up a credit card and have a meal. That will also extend your points.
If it's not an option where are are, is there someone you know where it is?
If it's not an option where are are, is there someone you know where it is?
#56
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I have searched the threads and found several poor options, but no good options on what to do with my AA points that expire in June. I don't want to open a credit card to add to my account. Points.com seems like a poor option. Right now my leader is donating them. I even tried finding a flight (October trip) but I can't find one that works.
Any advice on what to do with expiring 11K miles in my account? I don't want magazines or newpapers. I can't convert AA to Hhonors on the AA site.
Help requested from the experts! Thank you!
Any advice on what to do with expiring 11K miles in my account? I don't want magazines or newpapers. I can't convert AA to Hhonors on the AA site.
Help requested from the experts! Thank you!
#57
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 15
I have a few AA miles that are due to expire tomorrow. I flew on AS on Wednesday and hoped to credit those to AA which I got the impression I could. Having a look around it seems that they can take some time to post. I presume if they don't post by tomorrow I'll lose the expiring miles and I won't get them back when the AS miles post. Is that assumption correct?
#58
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
I have a few AA miles that are due to expire tomorrow. I flew on AS on Wednesday and hoped to credit those to AA which I got the impression I could. Having a look around it seems that they can take some time to post. I presume if they don't post by tomorrow I'll lose the expiring miles and I won't get them back when the AS miles post. Is that assumption correct?
#60
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,815
I have searched the threads and found several poor options, but no good options on what to do with my AA points that expire in June. I don't want to open a credit card to add to my account. Points.com seems like a poor option. Right now my leader is donating them. I even tried finding a flight (October trip) but I can't find one that works.
Any advice on what to do with expiring 11K miles in my account? I don't want magazines or newpapers. I can't convert AA to Hhonors on the AA site.
Help requested from the experts! Thank you!
Any advice on what to do with expiring 11K miles in my account? I don't want magazines or newpapers. I can't convert AA to Hhonors on the AA site.
Help requested from the experts! Thank you!
Check on aa.com and make a donation to USO or Susan G Komen Cancer Research. You will get 10 miles per dollar with a minimum of $25. Not sure but I think they usually increase the miles around Memorial Day for the USO and during breast
cancer awareness month for the Susan G Komen. Not only are you donating to good causes, but you are also adding miles to your account. This is how we keep the kids accounts active.