Miles Expiring - Any Way to Extend Them for Free or Low Cost?
Jan 14, 23, 2:39 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 36
Miles Expiring - Any Way to Extend Them for Free or Low Cost?
My wife and I each have about 70,000 Emirates miles that are expiring soon and do not have any upcoming trips planned.
Is there any way to extend the mileage expiration date for free or low cost?
If not, are there any other suggestions as to what to do with these expiring miles?
Thanks -
Is there any way to extend the mileage expiration date for free or low cost?
If not, are there any other suggestions as to what to do with these expiring miles?
Thanks -
Jan 14, 23, 11:05 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,241
Hi there. Emirates tend to be firm where miles validity is concerned. and I don’t believe there are any means by which you can extend them for free.
They do however offer the option to pay to either a) extend the expiry date by one year, or b) ‘reinstate’ miles which have already expired. But at a cost of US $20 per 1,000 miles for both options it is far from cheap - in fact I would say of highly questionable value for most individuals (though I guess EK’s defence might be along the lines of “at least we’re trying to help you”
)
Official info, along with T & C’s, below. Note in particular the strict time-frames and the limit of 50K miles per person.
https://www.emirates.com/uk/english/...th-your-miles/
They do however offer the option to pay to either a) extend the expiry date by one year, or b) ‘reinstate’ miles which have already expired. But at a cost of US $20 per 1,000 miles for both options it is far from cheap - in fact I would say of highly questionable value for most individuals (though I guess EK’s defence might be along the lines of “at least we’re trying to help you”
)Official info, along with T & C’s, below. Note in particular the strict time-frames and the limit of 50K miles per person.
https://www.emirates.com/uk/english/...th-your-miles/
Jan 15, 23, 12:31 am
#3
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 3,953
If there is someone you know who has a use for them before they expire and is prepared to pay the cost, they can be transferred to that party. Not cheap either (I think $15 per 1000 miles), but can be useful if the receiving party is just short of what he / she needs for an upgrade for instance.
Jan 15, 23, 2:14 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: Skywards
Posts: 99
If there is someone you know who has a use for them before they expire and is prepared to pay the cost, they can be transferred to that party. Not cheap either (I think $15 per 1000 miles), but can be useful if the receiving party is just short of what he / she needs for an upgrade for instance.
Jan 15, 23, 2:38 am
#5
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 3,953
Are you sure the validity gets extended when you transfer the miles? If so, you are obviously correct. I have not read the small print on this sort of transaction as I have never done it. But I would recommend the OP to carefully check the rules around this. They are on the website. I have a sneaky suspicion that the original expiry of the miles stays intact, but I may well be wrong!
Jan 15, 23, 3:08 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: Skywards
Posts: 99
Are you sure the validity gets extended when you transfer the miles? If so, you are obviously correct. I have not read the small print on this sort of transaction as I have never done it. But I would recommend the OP to carefully check the rules around this. They are on the website. I have a sneaky suspicion that the original expiry of the miles stays intact, but I may well be wrong!
- Skywards Miles bought/ gifted/ transferred/ multiplied are valid for a minimum of 3 years from the date of the purchase transaction and will expire at the end of the receiving member’s month of birth on the third year. Skywards Miles extended are valid for 12 months from the original expiry date and will expire at the end of such period. Skywards Miles reinstated are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase and will expire at the end of such period.
Jan 15, 23, 7:03 am
#8
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 3,953
That would be true ($2100) if they could transfer all the miles. As the limit appears to be 50K miles each, it would be $1500. Are 100K miles worth $1500? there are lots of scenarios, some of them more attractive than others. YMMV as they say.
Jan 15, 23, 11:53 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,241
By way of (just one) example - drawing on my personal very recent experience - you can take a one-way trip in First from Europe to Australia for 168,750 miles (+ dreaded taxes / charges of course) ; for the equivalent cash booking, with a departure, say, next month, you’re looking at euros 7000 😳
I guess the key issue for consideration here is the fact that the OP has earned (and as such has already ‘paid for’) the miles being discussed, and so the fees to extend or transfer are in essence an additional cost.
Jan 15, 23, 11:55 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 36
I just read through all of the replies and instead of replying to each I want to thank everyone for the different suggestions. Very helpful.
For us, the cost of keeping the miles, transferring or otherwise, is just not worth it. We also just read an article on another website that Emirates just recently devalued their mileage - requiring more miles for certain flights, etc.
So the second part of my inquiry is: Is there a way to use these miles before they expire? Buy something or some other use instead of trying to keep the miles?
Thanks again -
For us, the cost of keeping the miles, transferring or otherwise, is just not worth it. We also just read an article on another website that Emirates just recently devalued their mileage - requiring more miles for certain flights, etc.
So the second part of my inquiry is: Is there a way to use these miles before they expire? Buy something or some other use instead of trying to keep the miles?
Thanks again -
Jan 15, 23, 12:01 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,241
@ SmokedaMeat - yes, you can use miles (albeit with terrible value, IMHO) to buy stuff through the Emirates shopping portal. And - perhaps more attractive to you - you can donate them for charitable purposes (via the ‘Emirates Foundation’, AFAIK …..)
Would encourage you to take a good look around relevant pages of the Emirates website.
PS - Skywards miles can also be used for tickets to specified Emirates-sponsored sports events
Would encourage you to take a good look around relevant pages of the Emirates website.
PS - Skywards miles can also be used for tickets to specified Emirates-sponsored sports events
Last edited by subject2load; Jan 15, 23 at 12:11 pm
Jan 15, 23, 12:16 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 36
@ SmokedaMeat - yes, you can use miles (albeit with terrible value, IMHO) to buy stuff through the Emirates shopping portal. And - perhaps more attractive to you - you can donate them for charitable purposes (via the ‘Emirates Foundation’, AFAIK …..)
Would encourage you to take a good look around relevant pages of the Emirates website.
PS - Skywards miles can also be used for tickets to specified Emirates-sponsored sports events
Would encourage you to take a good look around relevant pages of the Emirates website.
PS - Skywards miles can also be used for tickets to specified Emirates-sponsored sports events
Jan 15, 23, 1:22 pm
#13
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 54
If you know where you might like to fly, but don't yet have a chance to do so (/know when), then you could perhaps book 'flex plus' flights with the miles (+ taxes) and then once you have specific dates move you should be able to move the date for free (assuming there is reward flight availability for that date and at that time)... I think as long as you have travelled within a year of ticket issue date you are free to change as you please?
Not sure if that's a helpful option?
Not sure if that's a helpful option?
Jan 15, 23, 1:22 pm
#14
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: Emirates Gold, United Silver, HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Discoverist, Delta Gold
Posts: 284
What about applying for the Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard- Silver card is $99 and skyward miles do not expire. I am not sure if previously earned miles are also included in the miles that do not expire.
Jan 15, 23, 5:48 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 36
If you know where you might like to fly, but don't yet have a chance to do so (/know when), then you could perhaps book 'flex plus' flights with the miles (+ taxes) and then once you have specific dates move you should be able to move the date for free (assuming there is reward flight availability for that date and at that time)... I think as long as you have travelled within a year of ticket issue date you are free to change as you please?
Not sure if that's a helpful option?
Not sure if that's a helpful option?
