Originally Posted by
gmaravel
From my understanding AA, BA, IB and Aer Lingus are the top options to park your miles (and get an extra trip at some point) as you don't get your miles expired. [My experience with AA at least is this, with just an occasional flight your mile expiration is postponed - I was just thinking which other airline offered something similar, so now I will just look at the other programs].
Yes. AA and the Avios-based programs (and, technically, Qantas, but that program is of no use to you otherwise) are the only programs where any activity in an 18-month period will reset the expiration clock and keep all points in the account from expiring.
All other program have 'hard' expiration dates, with very limited exceptions (airberlin topbonus miles don't expire as long as you hold Gold or above status, for example) and thus are not really suited for you. This is a point that gets overlooked by many if not most casual fliers.