Lifemiles Expiration
Sep 27, 2021, 4:33 pm
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,364
It has been repeatedly reported in this thread that the updating of the expiration date on buying miles is not instant but takes a day or two. Wait for 24 to 36H and see what happens then.
Dec 30, 2021, 11:44 pm
#48
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: QF, LM
Posts: 250
(BTW, my last LM miles purchase took about 24hrs to reset the expiry date )
cheers,
juddles
Jan 1, 2022, 10:27 am
#49
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,315
I try to buy miles today on Jan 1, message is I've exceeded my annual total. Didn't by any in 2021 or 2022.
Jan 1, 2022, 6:37 pm
#50
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Bergen County NJ
Programs: AA EXP, UA1K B6 Mosaic 1, Amtrak Select, Marriott Plat , AMEX Plat (noted for club access reference)
Posts: 786
I tried to buy miles yesterday to extend the validity and I got the same message, despite not buying miles in 2021 or 2022, I did max out in 2020. Lost 500K miles from my account, emailed support will keep advised.
Jan 2, 2022, 5:32 am
#51
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: QF, LM
Posts: 250
That is a sore loss of 500k points.... Hope they are wrong and not you.
Jan 2, 2022, 7:56 pm
#52
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Bergen County NJ
Programs: AA EXP, UA1K B6 Mosaic 1, Amtrak Select, Marriott Plat , AMEX Plat (noted for club access reference)
Posts: 786
If it was a couple thousand miles I would just say oh well but 490K to be exact is a lot of miles and I didn't do anything wrong, sure I waited, but I do my FF checks annually on New Year's Eve in the morning, right down the list UA,DL,AA,AC,LM and if I have any Plat credits (dell or airline) left to spend I spend them then as well.
Last edited by theboss7593; Jan 2, 2022 at 8:10 pm
Jan 2, 2022, 8:46 pm
#53
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
I got an email on the 27th ( didn't see it until the 31st) saying the miles would expire soon (said the buy offer would expire on the 30th, some targeted buy offer) but in my statement clearly says "Expiration: 12/31/2021", tried to buy miles on the 31st and couldn't (via the targeted link which had expried or via my account) points still showing in the account, tried again on the 1st but on the 1st the account had the miles wiped from them with it dated the 1st. Just tried again now and still says that I purchased the maximum for the year despite no purchase in 2021 and 2022.
If it was a couple thousand miles I would just say oh well but 490K to be exact is a lot of miles and I didn't do anything wrong, sure I waited, but I do my FF checks annually on New Year's Eve in the morning, right down the list UA,DL,AA,AC,LM and if I have any Plat credits (dell or airline) left to spend I spend them then as well.
If it was a couple thousand miles I would just say oh well but 490K to be exact is a lot of miles and I didn't do anything wrong, sure I waited, but I do my FF checks annually on New Year's Eve in the morning, right down the list UA,DL,AA,AC,LM and if I have any Plat credits (dell or airline) left to spend I spend them then as well.
They sent you an email on the 27th... you ignored it/didn't read it.
They told you the offer expires on the 30th... you didn't reach out until the last possible moment... on the 31st.
So when you say "I didn't do anything wrong" - it rings a little hollow. Had you checked your account months earlier and tried to extend, found the issue with purchasing, contacted them, and corrected it, there would be no issue here.
At the very least, you have to own your part in this. It is your job to track your expiration dates on miles. Not theirs.
I truly hope you can reach out to them, explain your situation and get your miles back, but, you need to own your part.
Jan 2, 2022, 11:12 pm
#54
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Bergen County NJ
Programs: AA EXP, UA1K B6 Mosaic 1, Amtrak Select, Marriott Plat , AMEX Plat (noted for club access reference)
Posts: 786
No offense but you have some responsibility. You waited until the last momment.
They sent you an email on the 27th... you ignored it/didn't read it.
They told you the offer expires on the 30th... you didn't reach out until the last possible moment... on the 31st.
So when you say "I didn't do anything wrong" - it rings a little hollow. Had you checked your account months earlier and tried to extend, found the issue with purchasing, contacted them, and corrected it, there would be no issue here.
At the very least, you have to own your part in this. It is your job to track your expiration dates on miles. Not theirs.
I truly hope you can reach out to them, explain your situation and get your miles back, but, you need to own your part.
They sent you an email on the 27th... you ignored it/didn't read it.
They told you the offer expires on the 30th... you didn't reach out until the last possible moment... on the 31st.
So when you say "I didn't do anything wrong" - it rings a little hollow. Had you checked your account months earlier and tried to extend, found the issue with purchasing, contacted them, and corrected it, there would be no issue here.
At the very least, you have to own your part in this. It is your job to track your expiration dates on miles. Not theirs.
I truly hope you can reach out to them, explain your situation and get your miles back, but, you need to own your part.
( I did go to Europe in the Summer but other threads have indicated how miserable LM has been for redemptions)
Given how airlines keep pushing out dates for expiration(because not everyone is flying) it wasn't a thought that an expiration would be so soon...
I agree I was careless waiting until the last day but the same could be said for LM's part in their website to go down on 12/30 when 12/31 is a big day for extensions/expirations. It would be like filing my taxes ( I don't I have an accountant but for I.E. purposes) on 4/15 and the IRS website goes down on 4/14/ and 4/15. In the past when something like that has happened the IRS extends a day or two. The same should be the case here. Other data points above me have indicated it wasn't just a 1 day or person issue. I am merely making a post as to what has happened thus far and will continue to post for data points for others. I will keep all advised as to the resolution.
Last edited by theboss7593; Jan 2, 2022 at 11:17 pm
Jan 2, 2022, 11:32 pm
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,588
Well my man we are in the middle of covid and almost all of my work trips have been cancelled/postponed for the last 20 months.
( I did go to Europe in the Summer but other threads have indicated how miserable LM has been for redemptions)
Given how airlines keep pushing out dates for expiration(because not everyone is flying) it wasn't a thought that an expiration would be so soon...
I agree I was careless waiting until the last day but the same could be said for LM's part in their website to go down on 12/30 when 12/31 is a big day for extensions/expirations. It would be like filing my taxes ( I don't I have an accountant but for I.E. purposes) on 4/15 and the IRS website goes down on 4/14/ and 4/15. In the past when something like that has happened the IRS extends a day or two. The same should be the case here. Other data points above me have indicated it wasn't just a 1 day or person issue. I am merely making a post as to what has happened thus far and will continue to post for data points for others. I will keep all advised as to the resolution.
( I did go to Europe in the Summer but other threads have indicated how miserable LM has been for redemptions)
Given how airlines keep pushing out dates for expiration(because not everyone is flying) it wasn't a thought that an expiration would be so soon...
I agree I was careless waiting until the last day but the same could be said for LM's part in their website to go down on 12/30 when 12/31 is a big day for extensions/expirations. It would be like filing my taxes ( I don't I have an accountant but for I.E. purposes) on 4/15 and the IRS website goes down on 4/14/ and 4/15. In the past when something like that has happened the IRS extends a day or two. The same should be the case here. Other data points above me have indicated it wasn't just a 1 day or person issue. I am merely making a post as to what has happened thus far and will continue to post for data points for others. I will keep all advised as to the resolution.
Even without flying, there are ways to extend the expiration date of LifeMiles without buying any: a one-day car rental; a one-night hotel stay; or a transfer of points in from Amex, Capital One, or Citi would all work.
Hope that things work out for you.
Jan 3, 2022, 4:43 am
#56
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: QF, LM
Posts: 250
I'm sorry for your misfortune. I also have some LifeMiles -- not merely as many as you did -- and I set a reminder on my cellphone at least one month before the expiration dates of all of my miles/points. This way, a last-minute glitch does not have disastrous consequences.
Even without flying, there are ways to extend the expiration date of LifeMiles without buying any: a one-day car rental; a one-night hotel stay; or a transfer of points in from Amex, Capital One, or Citi would all work.
Hope that things work out for you.
Even without flying, there are ways to extend the expiration date of LifeMiles without buying any: a one-day car rental; a one-night hotel stay; or a transfer of points in from Amex, Capital One, or Citi would all work.
Hope that things work out for you.
Lifemiles is IMHO a great program - if you use it properly. They are not "miserable" in their redemptions - they are super cheap and fantastic, IF the travel you desire is something they offer. Yes their site is chaotic and extremely frustrating - if it was not their bargains would be instantly snapped up. But if you put in the time and effort, and have some flexibility, there is gold to be mined. Over the years I have made it work gloriously for me - apart from cheap Europe - Colombia J with Avianca and Iberia, have also notched up many fabulous wins - such as ANA, Thai, and Asiana in F (when Asiana offered this) and really cheap J travel between the USA and Australia. But it does take some effort.
The Lifemiles site is renowned for being unreliable. I would never have risked losing such a cache of points by waiting till the last day or so. My technique for using Lifemiles is to learn and work with what actually works easily. Avoiding always any problem. Forget it as an all-availability redemption program and focus on what it does make easy.
Again, "boss", I hope you win your points back. But i hope you have learnt never to risk things at last minute with Lifemiles again. They are the last program on earth to rely on system availability
Jan 3, 2022, 6:34 am
#57
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Well my man we are in the middle of covid and almost all of my work trips have been cancelled/postponed for the last 20 months.
... Given how airlines keep pushing out dates for expiration(because not everyone is flying) it wasn't a thought that an expiration would be so soon...
...
... Given how airlines keep pushing out dates for expiration(because not everyone is flying) it wasn't a thought that an expiration would be so soon...
...
Jan 3, 2022, 7:03 am
#58
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 1,932
I donated miles and it did not reset the expiration date. Lost 40k due to my failure to check and verify the date. Im really irritated with myself. Anyone ever have any luck getting life miles reinstated?
Jan 13, 2022, 11:12 am
#59
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
don't they still charge a reinstating fee of $10 for 1k miles? even if so, not sure a $400 fee is worth it?
Mar 30, 2022, 11:48 am
#60
Join Date: Dec 2021
Posts: 3
My reminder fired today for my Lifemiles expiration coming up at the end of April, so I've been looking into it a bit. The last time I interacted with the program, I transferred 1,000 MR to Lifemiles to extend the expiration. However, reviewing the terms and conditions (I would link them, but I cannot embed links yet), I see this:
(emphasis mine)
So this indicates that a points transfer will not extend the expiration. I guess my only option is to purchase additional miles. Not sure if it's worth it, given I only have 27,000 miles in the program to begin with.
Accrual of miles means any transaction that increases the balance of the accrued miles in the memberīs account and the accrual shall be considered to have been made on the date on which the miles are actually credited into the memberīs account, based on the reports sent or accrual methods implemented by the different commercial partner, date that may or may not coincide with the date of the transaction from which the accrual of miles is derived. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following accrual activities do not extend the validity of the miles in the memberīs account: 1) the birthday bonus or any other miles bonus that may be given by the LifeMiles Program and LifeMiles LTD so establishes.; 2) the migration of points or miles from other loyalty programs to the LifeMiles Program made as a consequence of the union of both loyalty programs or the migration of one member from another loyalty program to the LifeMiles Program;
So this indicates that a points transfer will not extend the expiration. I guess my only option is to purchase additional miles. Not sure if it's worth it, given I only have 27,000 miles in the program to begin with.