Dec 31, 2013, 10:45 am
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
Feb 7, 2018, 11:47 am
#317
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ORD
Programs: status free since 2017
Posts: 2,188
Is it the activity date or posting date that counts for extending the expiration date? I have ~20k at risk (expiring in 30 days)... I have enough time to make a shopping portal transaction but not sure on the time line for posting.
If it's too much risk then I'll just purchase 1000 miles. (although thats the least preferred method).
If it's too much risk then I'll just purchase 1000 miles. (although thats the least preferred method).
Feb 7, 2018, 1:44 pm
#318
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
Is it the activity date or posting date that counts for extending the expiration date? I have ~20k at risk (expiring in 30 days)... I have enough time to make a shopping portal transaction but not sure on the time line for posting.
If it's too much risk then I'll just purchase 1000 miles. (although thats the least preferred method).
If it's too much risk then I'll just purchase 1000 miles. (although thats the least preferred method).
Feb 7, 2018, 6:27 pm
#319
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,107
Is it the activity date or posting date that counts for extending the expiration date? I have ~20k at risk (expiring in 30 days)... I have enough time to make a shopping portal transaction but not sure on the time line for posting.
If it's too much risk then I'll just purchase 1000 miles. (although thats the least preferred method).
If it's too much risk then I'll just purchase 1000 miles. (although thats the least preferred method).
Feb 17, 2018, 12:21 am
#320
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 182
"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.
Apr 30, 2018, 4:46 pm
#321
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 238
Stop my 21,500 miles from expiring at the end of June ??
I have a total of 21,500 miles (I know it isn't a lot) with American Airlines that are due to expire on 25/06/2018.
As I won't be flying with them anytime soon, does anyone know of any way to extend the expiry date of these miles - or make use of them ? - I don't want them wasted.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Daniel
As I won't be flying with them anytime soon, does anyone know of any way to extend the expiry date of these miles - or make use of them ? - I don't want them wasted.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Daniel
Apr 30, 2018, 4:53 pm
#322
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
I have a total of 21,500 miles (I know it isn't a lot) with American Airlines that are due to expire on 25/06/2018.
As I won't be flying with them anytime soon, does anyone know of any way to extend the expiry date of these miles - or make use of them ? - I don't want them wasted.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Daniel
As I won't be flying with them anytime soon, does anyone know of any way to extend the expiry date of these miles - or make use of them ? - I don't want them wasted.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Daniel
Apr 30, 2018, 5:06 pm
#323
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 238
Apr 30, 2018, 6:12 pm
#324
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
If the surveys are not accepting new members, and the US address situation for magazine subscription, unless you have a friend in the US that you can gift them a subscription, you could do a miles donation to a charity, purchase something out of the AA website to send to someone in the US, there is also an award programs that track miles, points for hotels, airlines, and other non travel related activities that allows you to earn 5 AA miles for posting comments on their blog as well.
May 1, 2018, 2:15 am
#325
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Nottingham, UK
Programs: HHonors - Diamond, AA - EXP
Posts: 150
I have a total of 21,500 miles (I know it isn't a lot) with American Airlines that are due to expire on 25/06/2018.
As I won't be flying with them anytime soon, does anyone know of any way to extend the expiry date of these miles - or make use of them ? - I don't want them wasted.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Daniel
As I won't be flying with them anytime soon, does anyone know of any way to extend the expiry date of these miles - or make use of them ? - I don't want them wasted.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Daniel
https://www.americanairlines.co.uk/i...ght/donate.jsp
May 1, 2018, 8:25 pm
#326
Join Date: May 2007
Location: ORD, DEL
Programs: AA (Plt Pro; 1.5 MM)
Posts: 6,185
May 1, 2018, 9:26 pm
#327
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
Good luck.
Sep 27, 2018, 12:53 pm
#328
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: aeroplan, amex, priority club
Posts: 115
best and easy way to keep my aa miles alive
me and my wife both have our aa miles expire in early jan , were in canada so not as easy to just order something ,, may be going to the usa for a weeked (driving), thought about signing up for the aa dining and getting a few miles that way , how long does it take for those miles to post if i do it that way ,if not what best way to keep aa miles alive know i can buy aa miles prefer not to do that .
Sep 28, 2018, 8:41 am
#330
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AA EP; WN CP;UA SILVER; MARRIOTT TITANIUM; HH DIAMOND; IHG PLAT; RADISSON PLAT; HYATT GLOBAL
Posts: 1,938
me and my wife both have our aa miles expire in early jan , were in canada so not as easy to just order something ,, may be going to the usa for a weeked (driving), thought about signing up for the aa dining and getting a few miles that way , how long does it take for those miles to post if i do it that way ,if not what best way to keep aa miles alive know i can buy aa miles prefer not to do that .
Magazines, I just did it, redeemed 300 miles, posted in 48 hours and reset the clock on my brother's account.
Since you are in Canada, you can gift it to anyone, if you don't have anyone, look up a school, church, etc from google maps.