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
#212
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,814
#216
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: BRU
Programs: LH FTL; A3*Gold
Posts: 311
A sort of reverse question: I have some 9000 orphan American Airlines miles. They will expire in December. I have neither use for them nor interest in extending their validity.
Any suggestion what to do with them (other than charity donation)?
Any suggestion what to do with them (other than charity donation)?
#217
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
Hotel rooms and carvrentals: https://www.useaamiles.com/carhotel/
Magazines: https://subscription.points.com/maga...s1&lp=American
Newspapers: https://commerce.points.com/nss/land...stomization=AA
Gift cards: https://www.points.com/pdccontent/pa...ept/AA_redeem/
LifeLock: https://www.aavacations.com/lifelock/login.jsp
Donate: http://hub.aa.com/en/ju/donate
Last edited by JDiver; Oct 1, 2016 at 2:53 pm
#218
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Plat, AS MVP, HH Gold, MR Gold
Posts: 1,848
Two questions I couldn't confirm looking through this thread (albeit quickly):
1. Is the https://www.aadvantageeshopping.com day of "activity" the day of purchase? (I'm down to a couple days.)
2. Several posts recommend gift cards, but all the pop-ups on the store links (e.g., Home Depot) say gift cards are not eligible. Are people actually getting miles for gift card purchases?
TIA.
1. Is the https://www.aadvantageeshopping.com day of "activity" the day of purchase? (I'm down to a couple days.)
2. Several posts recommend gift cards, but all the pop-ups on the store links (e.g., Home Depot) say gift cards are not eligible. Are people actually getting miles for gift card purchases?
TIA.
#219
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,997
Is the https://www.aadvantageeshopping.com day of "activity" the day of purchase?
I purchased something which I needed anyway from Home Depot through the AAdvantage Shopping portal. The purchase price was not more than three dollars or so; but it was something I needed.
I picked up the item at a Home Depot within walking distance of where I am based.
My AAdvantage miles expired. My account was reset to 0.
Once the purchase was cleared approximately one month later, my AAdvantage miles were automatically reinstated in full to my account — plus the few miles added from the purchase — with no communication necessary on my part...
...so while it may be safer to do so, you do not need to purchase something at least a month in advance before the expiration date of your AAdvantage miles, based on my experience. Simply ensure that the date of your purchase is prior to the date of the expiration of your AAdvantage miles.
I picked up the item at a Home Depot within walking distance of where I am based.
My AAdvantage miles expired. My account was reset to 0.
Once the purchase was cleared approximately one month later, my AAdvantage miles were automatically reinstated in full to my account — plus the few miles added from the purchase — with no communication necessary on my part...
...so while it may be safer to do so, you do not need to purchase something at least a month in advance before the expiration date of your AAdvantage miles, based on my experience. Simply ensure that the date of your purchase is prior to the date of the expiration of your AAdvantage miles.
#220
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Plat, AS MVP, HH Gold, MR Gold
Posts: 1,848
This is in fact what happened to me. I made a purchase on 11/1. My miles expired 11/3. Today, my ASM purchase (from Nike) posted, along with my expired miles.
I did not test the gift card approach, as I only had a couple days, and kinda needed a new running shirt anyhow.
I did not test the gift card approach, as I only had a couple days, and kinda needed a new running shirt anyhow.
#222
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
Depends on how "soon" soon is. I usually just buy something I was going to buy anyway online through the AA portal:
https://www.aadvantageeshopping.com/
But usually the miles take a couple of weeks to post.
https://www.aadvantageeshopping.com/
But usually the miles take a couple of weeks to post.
#223
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
Should you buy something through the shopping portal, make sure the date of purchase is before you miles expire and they should return once the transaction posts.
#224
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 9
The shopping portal doesn't work for those outside the US as best I can tell. I can't find anything that seems to work for sure if you are not in the US.
#225
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,815