Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > American Airlines | AAdvantage
Reload this Page >

AA policy: One can inherit / transfer miles due to death or divorce (master thread)

Old Sep 30, 2015, 12:14 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: Prospero
What happens to AAdvantage miles in case of death (or divorce)?

AA states they actually own the miles and they are not transferable other than paid means offered by their affiliates. However, as provided by the AAdvantage Terms and Conditions, AA miles can in fact be transferred through a will or in divorce proceedings, with the consent of American Airlines. Specific forms (including an affidavit) must be filled out, and copies of death certificate, decree etc. must be provided with filled out forms. For necessary forms, contact AAdvantage Customer Service (link), Open weekdays 7-7 Central time) for further assistance and forms.

Earning AAdvantage miles

...Except as otherwise explained below, mileage credit is not transferable and may not be combined among AAdvantage members, their estates, successors or assigns. Accrued mileage credit and award tickets do not constitute property of the member. Neither accrued mileage, nor award tickets, nor status, nor upgrades are transferable by the member (i) upon death, (ii) as part of a domestic relations matter, or (iii) otherwise by operation of law. However, American Airlines, in its sole discretion, may credit accrued mileage to persons specifically identified in court approved divorce decrees and wills upon receipt of documentation satisfactory to American Airlines and upon payment of any applicable fees. (Link).

Note: AA no longer charges for this.
Members have previously posted they have successfully moved miles from the account of a decedent to that of a designated heir. Others have posted about divorce decrees specifying miles transfers as part of a settlement.

The moderator can verify the definitive post in this thread is from the archive:

Originally Posted by Island
...You have been given all of the correct information. Your first call to customer service will provide that the affidavit and instructions be sent to you, aong (sic) with a return envelope. Complete the affidavit, provide a DC (death certificate) the fee, mail and the miles will be transferred in short time.

Note: no fee is charged.
See Posts #41 and #68.


From a NY Times article, courtesy of BOSOGG:

Airlines That Allow Transfers (after death)

AMERICAN

Kudos to American for having a clear, consistent policy: AAdvantage miles can be transferred out of a deceased member’s account to a beneficiary’s AAdvantage account. In April, American even dropped the $50 fee it used to charge for some transfers. On request, the airline will send a packet with an affidavit the beneficiary should fill out, indicating whose account should receive the miles; it should be signed by the surviving spouse, the sole heir or the executor of the estate. A copy of the death certificate must also be submitted (but doesn’t have to be certified, which is also the case with most airlines). Michael Maldonado, an American spokesman, said transfer requests are processed within seven business days.
Older and obsolete posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: AA miles: Can transfer due to death or divorce? (consolidated)
Print Wikipost

AA policy: One can inherit / transfer miles due to death or divorce (master thread)

Old Apr 16, 2018, 7:07 am
  #76  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Originally Posted by IADCAflyer
But what if you and your spouse actively used each other's accounts with consent? The operative term you used is "without having authorized access."

My wife always gave me access to her account and vice versa.
As the miles belong to AA, having prior permission to use them would be moot. Of course, realistically, the odds of getting caught are slim, unless someone else is a beneficiary of the estate and reports it.
But, in the FT, the issue is what the terms are, and the terms do not allow you access to the miles in the account after the death of a spouse. You are supposed to go through the process outlined by AA by providing the affidavit
JDiver likes this.
mvoight is offline  
Old Apr 16, 2018, 7:08 am
  #77  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Originally Posted by WRCSolberg
I'm in no way encouraging fraud, but if you have the same first and last name you might be able to make it work.

Of course, this applies to .01% of the population here.
And the same birth date? (AAdvantage does have this)

Last edited by mvoight; Apr 16, 2018 at 9:09 am
mvoight is offline  
Old Apr 16, 2018, 8:35 am
  #78  
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
Originally Posted by nalismom
What contact number does one call when spouse passes to inquire about transferring their miles to own account? Is it just the Advantage Customer Service number or is there a web page you can go to?
Please look up to the Wikipost at the top of the page for the information you’re asking for and further information.
JDiver is offline  
Old Apr 16, 2018, 5:30 pm
  #79  
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: UA Premier 1K: PlAAtinum; DL SM, MM; Marriott Gold; CO Plat Emeritus; NW Plat Emeritus
Posts: 4,776
Originally Posted by nalismom
What contact number does one call when spouse passes to inquire about transferring their miles to own account? Is it just the Advantage Customer Service number or is there a web page you can go to?
I used the contact us on the website, got an email after about a week with instructions and an affidavit to return.
JDiver likes this.
Alpha Golf is offline  
Old Apr 17, 2018, 8:15 pm
  #80  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Sonoma
Programs: ex-ExPlat, AA Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 161
As the Executor of an estate for someone with AAdvantage miles I contacted Customer Service by phone and explained that I wanted to transfer the miles to one of the beneficiaries. Within 10 minutes i received an email with the Affidavit Form and instructions. I completed the form then scanned the form and death certificate to Custom Service as requested. This all happened on Friday. The following Tuesday the miles were transferred. Talk about service and ease. Just furnishing this as one anecdotal occurrence.
JDiver, GTITAN and glocklt4 like this.
geezersrule is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2018, 7:22 am
  #81  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EP, AA AC
Posts: 4,268
Hey DAArksiders, my Mom is in hospice and information in this thread will be used by my family very soon . Because of this forum and FT, was able to make my Mom an elite on AA for a time and we traveled all over the world in her golden years in large part utilizing the wealth of information here. On behalf of the GTITAN family, a humble thank you.

Safe Travels
GTITAN is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2018, 8:54 am
  #82  
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
Originally Posted by GTITAN
Hey DAArksiders, my Mom is in hospice and information in this thread will be used by my family very soon . Because of this forum and FT, was able to make my Mom an elite on AA for a time and we traveled all over the world in her golden years in large part utilizing the wealth of information here. On behalf of the GTITAN family, a humble thank you.

Safe Travels
Thank you so much for sharing, and thinking of us at a difficult time. We’re glad FT was a resource to your mother and enabled her to enjoy her travel even more. On behalf of the FlyerTalk community, our best wishes and supportive thoughts to you and your family . And of course, you are always welcome.

JDiver, Moderator
muji, GTITAN, Alpha Golf and 1 others like this.
JDiver is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2018, 2:11 pm
  #83  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EP, AA AC
Posts: 4,268
Originally Posted by JDiver
Thank you so much for sharing, and thinking of us at a difficult time. We’re glad FT was a resource to your mother and enabled her to enjoy her travel even more. On behalf of the FlyerTalk community, our best wishes and supportive thoughts to you and your family . And of course, you are always welcome.

JDiver, Moderator
Yes sir, she was always glad that my participation here and knowledge I got would take us to so many places. She loved it when I took her to Australia and we got use the QF Lounge since I was EP. I would not have had been able to help her do half the things we got to do without this Forum from Hawaii, Australia and all over this world.

Safe Travels
holmedown and worldiswide like this.
GTITAN is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2019, 8:07 am
  #84  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA 1MM Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 1,524
Unfortunately my mom (only 65) is in a similar scenario suddenly. She has an aggressive adrenal cancer that we thought chemo would help with, but it has already spread quickly. It is unlikely that she will get to travel very far again or live very long at this point. She has 1M AA miles currently and we are hoping that AA will allow us to transfer them to my father when she passes. Thanks to many on here and other forums over the years, we've been lucky to help them see much of the world that they wouldn't have otherwise, so we are thankful.

Is it pretty much 100% certain that AA will let us transfer as long as her will states her wish to do so? The wording says "American Airlines, in its sole discretion", but I don't know if anyone has been denied with a legit case and documentation. With 1M AA at stake, we certainly do not want to take a chance. Most of the family is not in a position right now to book a bunch of travel to use them up before something happens to her.

Thanks.
glocklt4 is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2019, 8:28 am
  #85  
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
Originally Posted by glocklt4
Unfortunately my mom (only 65) is in a similar scenario suddenly. She has an aggressive adrenal cancer that we thought chemo would help with, but it has already spread quickly. It is unlikely that she will get to travel very far again or live very long at this point. She has 1M AA miles currently and we are hoping that AA will allow us to transfer them to my father when she passes. Thanks to many on here and other forums over the years, we've been lucky to help them see much of the world that they wouldn't have otherwise, so we are thankful.

Is it pretty much 100% certain that AA will let us transfer as long as her will states her wish to do so? The wording says "American Airlines, in its sole discretion", but I don't know if anyone has been denied with a legit case and documentation. With 1M AA at stake, we certainly do not want to take a chance. Most of the family is not in a position right now to book a bunch of travel to use them up before something happens to her.

Thanks.
I’m sorry for your mom’s plight.

Read the Wikipost at the top of the page for full instructions on how to accomplish the miles transfer.

In spite of the legal boilerplate language, AA has been reliable and troublefree in transferring miles when the account holder passes away and the conditions imposed by AA are satisfied.
glocklt4 likes this.
JDiver is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2019, 8:49 am
  #86  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA 1MM Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 1,524
Originally Posted by JDiver
I’m sorry for your mom’s plight.

Read the Wikipost at the top of the page for full instructions on how to accomplish the miles transfer.

In spite of the legal boilerplate language, AA has been reliable and troublefree in transferring miles when the account holder passes away and the conditions imposed by AA are satisfied.
Thank you, good to hear that it shouldn't be a problem then.
glocklt4 is offline  
Old Jun 8, 2020, 4:00 pm
  #87  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: LAX/ORD/HNL
Programs: AA EXP, 4.6 MM, LT Pt, HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 443
I am very sad to report that my partner of 35 years passed away last month. In going through his papers, I remembered that he had close to half a million miles in his Aadvantage account. As a result, I called the EXP line this morning and was transferred to the Customer Service Desk. The gentleman I spoke to said he would email me an affidavit that I was to fill out and send back along with a copy of the death certificate. I did that immediately and when I checked my account later this afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the mileage was already posted to my account. I should also report that AA charged me no fee for this transfer of miles. My thirty five years of loyalty to AA has paid off in this very lugubrious moment.
JJeffrey, MorganB, renila and 9 others like this.
marnold3 is offline  
Old Jun 8, 2020, 9:48 pm
  #88  
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
Originally Posted by marnold3
I am very sad to report that my partner of 35 years passed away last month. In going through his papers, I remembered that he had close to half a million miles in his Aadvantage account. As a result, I called the EXP line this morning and was transferred to the Customer Service Desk. The gentleman I spoke to said he would email me an affidavit that I was to fill out and send back along with a copy of the death certificate. I did that immediately and when I checked my account later this afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the mileage was already posted to my account. I should also report that AA charged me no fee for this transfer of miles. My thirty five years of loyalty to AA has paid off in this very lugubrious moment.
First, I’m so sorry for your loss. I wish words could express my condolences.

Second, thank you for taking the time to update this thread and sharing your experience with this helpful policy of AA.
robertablake and marnold3 like this.
JDiver is offline  
Old Jun 8, 2020, 10:17 pm
  #89  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,546
I had a very smooth transfer after my father passed away. Interestingly enough, Marriott let me (as his executor) transfer his Bonvoy points to my brother, even though there was no documentation of any sort. (I think there was a clause in his will about his AA points, but [I wrote it] I forgot about Marriott.)
JDiver likes this.
redtop43 is offline  
Old Jun 9, 2020, 9:55 am
  #90  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Originally Posted by redtop43
I had a very smooth transfer after my father passed away. Interestingly enough, Marriott let me (as his executor) transfer his Bonvoy points to my brother, even though there was no documentation of any sort. (I think there was a clause in his will about his AA points, but [I wrote it] I forgot about Marriott.)
Did you provide documentation showing you were the executor?
mvoight is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.