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
#331
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
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 .
#332
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 7
Hi all;
My AA miles expire in 4 weeks. Does not have any plans to travel soon. Any other way to extend the date of expire ? for example, Buy miles?
Thanks in advance.
My AA miles expire in 4 weeks. Does not have any plans to travel soon. Any other way to extend the date of expire ? for example, Buy miles?
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by JDiver; Oct 13, 2018 at 8:38 am Reason: Merge multiple posts
#333
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: used to be PER, now it's nowhere/eveywhere
Programs: QFF NB, AA GLD
Posts: 3,467
Last edited by JDiver; Oct 13, 2018 at 8:39 am Reason: Merge duplicate posts
#334
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
We have closed this thread. Please follow the topic in the thread linked to. (We have also merged duplicate posts / threads with the same question; cross posting is not allowed.)
Moderator
Moderator
#335
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 106
#336
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
(AAdvantage Dining) Mileage offer is available to U.S. residents only, not including Puerto Rico and USVI.
#337
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: AA, UA, DL
Posts: 138
I have noticed this donation program allows donations for less than $25. A donation of say $5 should provide 5 miles. I am just wondering if this qualifies or if there is a minimum donation amount for AA. https://ww5.komen.org/Donate/Milesfo...l?terms=donate
#338
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: AA, UA, DL
Posts: 138
#339
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: 4,550
I had an interesting experience recently with United. I'm active with AA so no need there.
I used the shopping portal to extend my miles. I bought a $3 box of cookies from Walmart.com.
However, I neglected to pick them up within a week. Not intentional, I just forgot. The $3.28 was refunded to my credit card. However, that refund was a week ago and I'm still showing an expiration date of 5/31/2020, meaning the expiration extension took.
Since the shopping portal (and likewise for dining) is essentially identical across carriers, this might work for AA. It might be particularly useful if you're outside the USA.
I used the shopping portal to extend my miles. I bought a $3 box of cookies from Walmart.com.
However, I neglected to pick them up within a week. Not intentional, I just forgot. The $3.28 was refunded to my credit card. However, that refund was a week ago and I'm still showing an expiration date of 5/31/2020, meaning the expiration extension took.
Since the shopping portal (and likewise for dining) is essentially identical across carriers, this might work for AA. It might be particularly useful if you're outside the USA.
#340
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: AA, UA, DL
Posts: 138
I had an interesting experience recently with United. I'm active with AA so no need there.
I used the shopping portal to extend my miles. I bought a $3 box of cookies from Walmart.com.
However, I neglected to pick them up within a week. Not intentional, I just forgot. The $3.28 was refunded to my credit card. However, that refund was a week ago and I'm still showing an expiration date of 5/31/2020, meaning the expiration extension took.
Since the shopping portal (and likewise for dining) is essentially identical across carriers, this might work for AA. It might be particularly useful if you're outside the USA.
I used the shopping portal to extend my miles. I bought a $3 box of cookies from Walmart.com.
However, I neglected to pick them up within a week. Not intentional, I just forgot. The $3.28 was refunded to my credit card. However, that refund was a week ago and I'm still showing an expiration date of 5/31/2020, meaning the expiration extension took.
Since the shopping portal (and likewise for dining) is essentially identical across carriers, this might work for AA. It might be particularly useful if you're outside the USA.
#342
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,815
They do not. Just check your account for 5 miles. I’m just not sure how long it takes to post.
#343
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Oklahoma US
Programs: AA 2MM
Posts: 82
Does the purchase of a 500 mile upgrade count as activity that will extend my expiration date by 18 months? I asked AADVANTAGE but have yet to get a response and haven't found the answer here. It appears to be cheaper than buying the minimum number of miles.
--Bob (Plt for Life)
--Bob (Plt for Life)
#344
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
What to do with 13,000 miles?
I have just under 13,000 miles in my American account. I have zero plans to fly American this year. I don't have enough miles to redeem for a gift card through Points.com. Any ideas on how I can use them? Ideally, transferring them to Marriott or IHG would be helpful.
#345
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DAY
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, Hilton HHonors, SPG/Marriott Rewards
Posts: 4,944
I have just under 13,000 miles in my American account. I have zero plans to fly American this year. I don't have enough miles to redeem for a gift card through Points.com. Any ideas on how I can use them? Ideally, transferring them to Marriott or IHG would be helpful.