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
#271
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
Is it possible to stop miles from expiring by transferring miles to each other (one website said yes, but it was a general yes, not for a specific mileage program)?
My wife and I want to keep some miles we have as we hope to later have enough to travel domestically in Japan.
I checked the AA shopping malls, but mostly they are ideal for people residing in the US (though they do ship to Japan). If I had more time I could buy a gift (miles will expire on July 10th). The AA policy agreement is not clear if transferring extends your expiration date or not (they mention using award travel, purchasing more miles, and shopping/using participating vendors).
$30 USD vs $60 each (transferring vs purchasing 1000 miles).
My wife and I want to keep some miles we have as we hope to later have enough to travel domestically in Japan.
I checked the AA shopping malls, but mostly they are ideal for people residing in the US (though they do ship to Japan). If I had more time I could buy a gift (miles will expire on July 10th). The AA policy agreement is not clear if transferring extends your expiration date or not (they mention using award travel, purchasing more miles, and shopping/using participating vendors).
$30 USD vs $60 each (transferring vs purchasing 1000 miles).
Be aware the transaction date, not the posting date, is what AA uses when your miles are near expiry.
And any transaction counts - transferring miles, buying miles, gifting miles, any transaction.
#272
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,815
When you click on the link to donate to elegible charities, they still have the picture of the soldier, but sadly USO is no longer one of the charities.
FYI in the past if you contribute during breast cancer awareness month to the Susan Komen they would double the miles.
FYI in the past if you contribute during breast cancer awareness month to the Susan Komen they would double the miles.
#273
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,913
-FlyerBeek
#274
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 63
And for future reference, here's the wiki that best addresses the topic of expiring miles: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
-FlyerBeek
-FlyerBeek
#275
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 63
Please read the Wikipost at the top of this page, and other ideas shared by members, in this existing thread on this topic. /Moderator
Be aware the transaction date, not the posting date, is what AA uses when your miles are near expiry.
And any transaction counts - transferring miles, buying miles, gifting miles, any transaction.
Be aware the transaction date, not the posting date, is what AA uses when your miles are near expiry.
And any transaction counts - transferring miles, buying miles, gifting miles, any transaction.
#276
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 11
Best use of AA miles in a non AA flying situation?
dear FTs
I have 22K miles on my AAdvantage account which I am not sure If i am going to use flying American. If I don't have any account activity then I will end up losing all the miles or I could use one trip (biz) on AA and continue to keep the account alive but I dont want to do it if I have other options. Is there a way to convert AA miles to hotel rewards or non AA points and use AA miles in a non AA flight situation?
Many thanks
I have 22K miles on my AAdvantage account which I am not sure If i am going to use flying American. If I don't have any account activity then I will end up losing all the miles or I could use one trip (biz) on AA and continue to keep the account alive but I dont want to do it if I have other options. Is there a way to convert AA miles to hotel rewards or non AA points and use AA miles in a non AA flight situation?
Many thanks
#277
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,606
dear FTs
I have 22K miles on my AAdvantage account which I am not sure If i am going to use flying American. If I don't have any account activity then I will end up losing all the miles or I could use one trip (biz) on AA and continue to keep the account alive but I dont want to do it if I have other options. Is there a way to convert AA miles to hotel rewards or non AA points and use AA miles in a non AA flight situation?
Many thanks
I have 22K miles on my AAdvantage account which I am not sure If i am going to use flying American. If I don't have any account activity then I will end up losing all the miles or I could use one trip (biz) on AA and continue to keep the account alive but I dont want to do it if I have other options. Is there a way to convert AA miles to hotel rewards or non AA points and use AA miles in a non AA flight situation?
Many thanks
It's relatively easy to keep your miles from expiring. Click on the "Earn Miles" section to see the various ways of earning miles without flying.
#278
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 11
Go to the AAdvantage tab at aa.com and click on "Redeem Miles" or "Use Miles" or something similar to see non-flight redemption options.
It's relatively easy to keep your miles from expiring. Click on the "Earn Miles" section to see the various ways of earning miles without flying.
It's relatively easy to keep your miles from expiring. Click on the "Earn Miles" section to see the various ways of earning miles without flying.
Looks like I can only use it to either
1. buy magazine
2. buy newspaper
3.buy giftcard (but need a minimum level) or
4. donate miles.
none of the options are really that attractive for me at the moment and will likely just hang on to the miles for now
Thanks
#279
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: HH Diamond, SPG Gold, Marriott Elite Gold
Posts: 1,032
Flying Day Before AAdvantage Miles Expire (to merge)
My wife's AAdvantage miles will expire on August 18th due to 18 months of inactivity. She will fly on Alaska Airlines with miles being credited to her AA account on August 17th. Should I be concerned that it is so close to the expiration date? Do I need to do anything in advance to give AA the heads up? Thank you.
#280
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
If she is due miles from AS, the date will be the date of travel, not the date of posting....so u should be OK. Given that u don't know what could happen with the trip though, I would recommend some other activity "just in case"
My wife's AAdvantage miles will expire on August 18th due to 18 months of inactivity. She will fly on Alaska Airlines with miles being credited to her AA account on August 17th. Should I be concerned that it is so close to the expiration date? Do I need to do anything in advance to give AA the heads up? Thank you.
#281
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
As stated in the Wikipost and throughout http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html, it's the time and date of activity that counts for preventing miles expiry. Just make sure to keep the boarding pass (or screen shot) in case the miles don't post. Of my last AS trip, outbound posted, return didn't.
#282
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BMI
Programs: AA EXP, Delta, Amtrak, Hertz PC
Posts: 657
Hopefully an interesting story for this thread.
My son and daughter were both going to have miles expiring at the end of 2016. I ended up donating $25 a piece to the National Foundation for Cancer Research in August 2016 in order to save the miles (and to honor of a recently deceased relative).
Miles apparently posted for son but not the daughter. I unfortunately did not realize this until earlier this week when I went to add KTN's for both kids and daughter had only 600 miles from a flight a couple of weeks ago while son had all of his accumulated miles.
I contacted the Cancer Research Fund who promptly replied and remedied the situation. What was surprising is that they posted the miles back to August 2016, and the missing 60,000 or so miles for my daughter were promptly reinstated by AA. I was very surprised that AA's system was smart enough to automatically reinstate miles that had fallen of 6 months ago.
My son and daughter were both going to have miles expiring at the end of 2016. I ended up donating $25 a piece to the National Foundation for Cancer Research in August 2016 in order to save the miles (and to honor of a recently deceased relative).
Miles apparently posted for son but not the daughter. I unfortunately did not realize this until earlier this week when I went to add KTN's for both kids and daughter had only 600 miles from a flight a couple of weeks ago while son had all of his accumulated miles.
I contacted the Cancer Research Fund who promptly replied and remedied the situation. What was surprising is that they posted the miles back to August 2016, and the missing 60,000 or so miles for my daughter were promptly reinstated by AA. I was very surprised that AA's system was smart enough to automatically reinstate miles that had fallen of 6 months ago.
#283
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
How long does it take a dine from Rewardsnetwork to show up in the account?
I did a dine yesterday 7/20. It hasn't shown up in the Rewardsnetwork account yet.
My miles expiration is 7/29.
If the restaurant and/or Rewardsnetwork is slow to update my AAdvantage account, but still shows the 7/21 dine date, will AA recognize the activity as having occurred before the expiration?
Lets say Rewardsnetwork doesn't update the activity before the 7/29 date?
I did a dine yesterday 7/20. It hasn't shown up in the Rewardsnetwork account yet.
My miles expiration is 7/29.
If the restaurant and/or Rewardsnetwork is slow to update my AAdvantage account, but still shows the 7/21 dine date, will AA recognize the activity as having occurred before the expiration?
Lets say Rewardsnetwork doesn't update the activity before the 7/29 date?
#284
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: UA S, Marriott P
Posts: 1,154
a relative of mine had their miles expired and had to pay to restore them. They did not have any transactions in a long time. However they are Barclays Aviator credit card owner. For some reason barclays is not charging them annual fee. Perhaps it was removed a year or two back after account was threatened to close.
The T&C of the credit card state that miles do not expire as long as account is in good standing. It doesnt state anything about annual fee. AA claims that having credit card is not enough, there must be some activity on the account.
Is there any grounds for escalation here?
Thanks!
The T&C of the credit card state that miles do not expire as long as account is in good standing. It doesnt state anything about annual fee. AA claims that having credit card is not enough, there must be some activity on the account.
Is there any grounds for escalation here?
Thanks!
#285
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: San Francisco, California USA (SFO)
Posts: 262
dsauch:
It's the same with all airlines. What they mean is you have to use the card which earns miles which basically will keep the AAdvantage account active for 18 months from the latest activity.
It's the same with all airlines. What they mean is you have to use the card which earns miles which basically will keep the AAdvantage account active for 18 months from the latest activity.