Jim C

I must have missed this announcement. Does not affect me, but it could affect my wife who rarely flies on a paid ticket.

From the US Airways website:

Reactivation policy
Active membership status is based on having earned or redeemed miles within a defined period as stated below. To keep your account active, be sure to fly US Airways, apply for a US Airways MasterCard or Visa credit card, or earn miles with one of our over 50 other partners.

Effective January 31, 2007, active membership status is based on having earned or redeemed miles within a consecutive 18-month period. Miles are subject to forfeiture if no miles have been earned or redeemed miles within a consecutive 18-month period. With our new Mileage Reactivation Policy, Dividend Miles members have an opportunity to reinstate forfeited miles for an additional 18 months for a fee:

$50 1 – 4,999 miles
$100 5,000 – 19,999 miles
$200 20,000 – 49,999 miles
$300 50,000 – 99,999 miles
$400 100,000 or more miles

When you pay to reinstate forfeited miles, you must reinstate the entire balance of forfeited miles. If you do not reinstate forfeited miles within 36 months of the last activity date at the time of forfeiture, forfeited miles will be permanently deleted from your account and may not be reinstated. For purposes of this policy 'Last activity date at time of forfeiture' means the last date that the members earned or redeemed miles at the time miles were forfeited.

Before January 31, 2007, 36 consecutive months of account inactivity led to the forfeiture of all miles. Members who forfeited miles under this prior 36-month rule may still reinstate their miles by paying the reactivation fee described above provided that they pay the reactivation fee by May 1, 2007.

me4yankees

Ka-ching! Nickel, dime, dollar us even more!

Schultzois

Just noticed this - was there a time (not so long ago) when they said miles didn't expire? I had a balance just under 20,000 that I have had lying around ever since UA and US have been partners (a lot more than 18 or even 36 months) because I was always Premier or PremEx on UA (this is the first year in 10 that I'm no longer).

Checked occasionally and they were still there, and no message about expiration.

In February I was enquiring about a status match for my AA PLT or my DL GM and of course the mileage was still there. Now suddenly all the miles are gone! Unlikely that I'll go with US now, especially if I have to pay to get back the miles I already earned and (I'm almost sure) they told me would never expire.

Was all set to do the credit card bonus sign up (which they mailed me once a month for the last 6 months or so), stop earning on UA in favor of US for all my Star Alliance business, etc. Now maybe I'll just burn my UA miles, hold off on Star alliance entirely for now, and see about one of their other partners if I ever feel the need to fly someone other than OW or ST again.

kinglobjaw

Star Alliance is the best alliance out there. Largest, most destinations, best airline members and most perks.

Schultzois

I felt exactly that way almost ten years.

But BA recognizes paid F/J fliers a lot better than most other programs - I used to make their mid-tier easily with just a couple flights on Concorde (and some other shorthaul business), and now I'll make their top tier easily with a few more long-haul F.

I tolerate SkyTeam as much as I do because Delta has a better transatlantic network thanks to all the old Pan-Am routes.

As I wrote above I was really thinking about a move back to Star Alliance and using US as the host since I have a base in PHL, but the mysteriously expiring mileage without any warning is about the last straw for me. Maybe I'll use another Star carrier's program eventually, but for now I'm too fed up to consider it.

jimcfsus

Of course, it helps to actually contact the members who would be affected. Sending an e-mail DOES NOT COUNT as contact.

My wife lost over 50K due to the fact that US couldn't reach her in time. Once I tried, it was too late.

And they wonder why folks are leaving US?

Schultzois

Even an email would have worked for me - they send me emails all the time advertising new routes, advertising fare sales, sending my statement, etc. How about one saying, "your miles are about to expire!" I just double checked and not even ONE of them unambiguously warns me my miles are expiring. One of the e-statements does have a small mention of a policy change after my account summary, so I guess technically they can call that notice

The only other email that has "expire" in it is a response to an email I sent them in 2005, in which an agent wrote: "Your balance currently is 19,695 miles. All of these miles, except the 1000 on 1/17/04, were credited prior to 2000 and were grandfathered from expiring."

I guess the grandfathering was rescinded, too, but I can't find notice of that, either.

All this happening at the same time as I send them faxes with elite cards from a bunch of other carriers, and saying that I'm considering coming back to USAir. The faxes didn't even merit someone at DM answering. On the same day, Continental gave me a match and a phone call thanking me for joining them as a Gold Elite. ^

username

So, they changed this without publicizing it? UA sent me an e-mail and it was on their home page. Is US trying to sneak this one through like how HP dropped the shorthaul?

I think they need to go back to REPSECT and add ETHICS!

haniboo

anyone have sccess in reinstating miles? just noticed mine were destroyed, without notice.

mrthrifty

Well, my wife just found out her miles expired, too ... the airlines changing their rules hurts the infrequent flier the worst. Not everyone is "travel savvy" like most on this site are.