airberlin topbonus - How to prevent AB award miles to expire?

Quite a few times a year I use to fly Air Berlin and I accrued a reasonable number of miles. This summer my Air Berlin award miles expire. Before summer I am far too busy to redeem my miles and the amount is more than I want to just let disappear.

Does anyone have any suggestion to prevent my Air Berlin miles to evaporate? With Air Berlin joining One-World a transfer of my miles to BA Executive Club might come within reach. Any advice is welcome.

The only way I know of is qualifying for AB topbonus Gold or Plat. A transfer between different FFPs is only done when two airlines merge or one takes over another, I'm afraid.

Hello Kurz,

there no creditcard offer for france to prevent miles expire. Only for Germany,Austria and Spain the have Creditcards.

So for your next time credit your Air Berlin Flights to BA Executive Club, then BA Executive Club need only a flight, car rental or hotel stay every 3 years for prevent miles in the account.

Greetz,

Svenfly

Hello Kurz,

there no creditcard offer for france to prevent miles expire. Only for Germany,Austria and Spain the have Creditcards.

(...)
Greetz,

Svenfly

:confused:
As far as I know, there is not even a creditcard for Germany, Austria and Spain which prevents miles from expiration - unlike the LH Credit Card. Or am I wrong?

Hi FlyGva,

i have seen this as a creditcard offers last year but not seen more yet by Air Berlin Creditcards, thats worth to ask this Creditcard Companys.

So is better to collect with British Airways Executive Club the Air Berlin Miles for now.

Greetz, Sven.

Indeed AFAIK you can only prevent miles from expiring by having Gold (50k miles) or Plat (100k miles) Status. Miles expiring is blocked as long as you hold at least Gold status.

If you plan to stay with AB topbonus, a AB creditcard helps reaching enough status-miles as (at least for the german business card at 49 € yearly fee) you'll get a status-mile for each 2 EUR that you spend.

Another possibility: Book an award to keep your miles and then later change the award. But be aware: change fee for short haul is 50 EUR, for long haul 100 EUR, routing on AB award can not be changed (for oneworld partner award date/carrier change is free up to 24 hr before flight, rerouting costs 125 US$). And it's not possible to cancel an award once it is issued - miles will not be credited back when you don't use your award. You can book 6 months in advance and the ticket is then 12 months valid (for rebooking).

Any updates to this policy over the last year?