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
#91
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
You can do some research on your own and maybe identify a place they may already be eating at or want to try. If they are willing to give you their card number, you can sign them up. Pretty simple.
#92
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London uk
Programs: *A Gold, BA Silver, Avis President, Hertz President circle
Posts: 2,804
go to http://www.aadvantageeshopping.com and buy something on his behalf.
Even if you use your charge card, you can credit his account.
Even if you use your charge card, you can credit his account.
Similiar querey with a friends account. Followed the above advise, but the account I opened with kobo ebooks, only asked for CC info, and not for who the purchase is intended.
Is the fact that I was directed to the account through my friends AA advantageshopping page enough to get him the points credited?
Is there a way to check this?
How long should the points take to be shown?
#93
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Toronto ON and Dunedin FL
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 57
...
Many posters come here at the last moment, "my miles expire tomorrow, what do I do?" and are short on time on what to do. You can buy something (iTunes) from the AA web portal, donate to charity, magazine subscription, credit a car rental to AA, online reviews of hotels, etc, etc. My other suggestion is to set your self a reminder for about 15 months from now check back your AA account, so that you can refresh the clock on it and not repeat this again.
I don't think they make this complicated. There are numerous options out there on how to extend the clock, it is up to the user to determine which one to do. I have a spreadsheet with all my air & hotel totals and expiration dates, set myself a reminder for 3 months prior to expiration and pro actively do some activity to extend the clock.
Many posters come here at the last moment, "my miles expire tomorrow, what do I do?" and are short on time on what to do. You can buy something (iTunes) from the AA web portal, donate to charity, magazine subscription, credit a car rental to AA, online reviews of hotels, etc, etc. My other suggestion is to set your self a reminder for about 15 months from now check back your AA account, so that you can refresh the clock on it and not repeat this again.
I don't think they make this complicated. There are numerous options out there on how to extend the clock, it is up to the user to determine which one to do. I have a spreadsheet with all my air & hotel totals and expiration dates, set myself a reminder for 3 months prior to expiration and pro actively do some activity to extend the clock.
I'm going to try to use a couple of eligible hotels this month, one for each of us. If that doesn't do the trick, I'll probably donate some miles.
The January trip is now December 2016, so no help there at all.
I have lost Delta miles in the past due to inattention so I'm paying attention now.
#95
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,027
#96
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
Have a account with many miles, but no activity the last 16 months.
Have no flights - car rentals planned in the next 2 months?
Is there a easier way to have a activity any other way?
Can I somehow have a activity through the actions of somebody else? For example someone else renting a car?
Have no flights - car rentals planned in the next 2 months?
Is there a easier way to have a activity any other way?
Can I somehow have a activity through the actions of somebody else? For example someone else renting a car?
When you say that you've tried searching already, I think you missed a key point that guv1976 mentioned: search thread titles only. This will help narrow your search, you should have good luck finding relevant threads in a few seconds with this method. @:-)
~Moderator
#97
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 16,871
8 year old's miles expiring.
My eight year old has her own US, now AA account and has racked up a decent amount of miles throughout the years. But has not flown in a while and is getting close to having the miles expire.
What's the best way other than flying to show activity on her account?. I was thinking about maybe getting her an AA credit card which I would hold but use once in a while but not even sure if they would issue her one. If they did that would solve our problem and I guess also help start building her credit.
Any thoughts?
What's the best way other than flying to show activity on her account?. I was thinking about maybe getting her an AA credit card which I would hold but use once in a while but not even sure if they would issue her one. If they did that would solve our problem and I guess also help start building her credit.
Any thoughts?
#100
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,933
#102
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,570
I just donated money and 10 miles per dollar donated posted to the account in about 2 weeks. Access the link through your daughter's account (donations are under "specialty" on the earn miles page). There is also a fairly long thread about this which will give you a lot of info and suggestions.
#105
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
My eight year old has her own US, now AA account and has racked up a decent amount of miles throughout the years. But has not flown in a while and is getting close to having the miles expire.
What's the best way other than flying to show activity on her account?. I was thinking about maybe getting her an AA credit card which I would hold but use once in a while but not even sure if they would issue her one. If they did that would solve our problem and I guess also help start building her credit.
Any thoughts?
What's the best way other than flying to show activity on her account?. I was thinking about maybe getting her an AA credit card which I would hold but use once in a while but not even sure if they would issue her one. If they did that would solve our problem and I guess also help start building her credit.
Any thoughts?
~Moderator