Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > MilesBuzz
Reload this Page >

Miles/Points that Do and Don't Expire

Register
Social Groups
Search
Today's Posts
Mark Forums Read
Wikipost is Locked  
Old Sep 10, 2015, 9:45 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: Mwenenzi
Programs in Which Points/Miles Never Expire

Airlines
Hotels
  • Best Western (for members of the North American club, which includes members who reside in North/Central/South America, Asia, and South Africa)

Expiring Points/Miles & How to Reset the Clock

Airlines
Format is Airline (airline IATA code) program name: duration (methods to reset expiration)
"Hard expiry" means expiration clock cannot be reset through normal earning/redemption.
Hotels
Miscellaneous
Edit
15 Jan 2018. VX ffp absorbed by AS following takeover
10 Feb 2018 Added VS link. AB closed
23 Feb 2018 Added EgyptAir
18 Mar 2018 renamed / relinked Club Carlson to Radisson Rewards
19 Mar 2018 Added IB thread
27 Apr 2018 Added new Avianca policy thread
16 May 2018 Added EK reinstate link
14 Aug 2018 Added Hyatt link
23 Aug 2018 AC to buy back Aeroplan ffp
18 Nov 2018 Added AC link
11 Dec 2018 EK Plat no expiry
20 Apr 2019 Starwood taken over. Jetairways stopped flying
15 May 2019 Added CA, AY, RJ, SK
03 Nov 2019 Added Radisson link
16 Nov 2019 Added Intermiles Program (former JetPrivilege) link
16 Nov 2019 Updated Eithad
23 Nov 2019 Added Shangri-La Golden Circle to hotels, moved Southwest to non-expiring
10 Dec 2019 Cathay Pacific Asia Miles. Hard expiry to 18 months if no activity
10 Dec 2019 In hotels, noted that La Quinta is now just part of Wyndham Rewards (not a separate program any more)
11 Jan 2020 In hotels, updated Hilton for 15 months (previously 12 months) + updated Accor to new ALL program with new 365 days (old program has 1 year)
26 Jan 2020 Fixing [s t r i k e ] to [ s ] issue caused by 20 Jan 2020 software downgrade to formatting
01 Jul 2020 EY platinum status miles do not expire
21 Jul 2020 AC Expiry due to non activity was 12 months. Now 18 months
12 Aug 2020 Added AF/KLM link
26 Sep 2020 Added VS points now do not expire
26 Sep 2020 Updated LATAM to point out horrible change to hard expiration (at least for USA and European based members)
04 Oct 2020 Formatting improvements
31 Oct 2020 Updated link to QF T&Cs
28 Nov 2020 Added link for BA
09 Feb 2021 Added link for CX
18 Apr 2021 Added that HA miles no longer expire
07 Aug 2021 Updated link to AC T&C
21 Dec 2021 QR from hard expiry to 36 months if no activity. ITA Airways added
5 May 2022 Hilton clock expanded to 24 mos.
Print Wikipost

Miles/Points that Do and Don't Expire

   
Old Oct 18, 2015, 10:53 am
  #46  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Chicago
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, IHG (Platinum Elite), Amtrak Guest Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors
Posts: 636
Originally Posted by sdsearch
Many programs unfortunately do not show when you expiry date is. That's why this thread exists. The Wiki explains that your expiry is 1 year from your last IHG Club Rewards activity. Unfortunately, the IHG website only shows the last 180 days of activity, not the last year. It does show a calendar year-to-date of points earned, but that's not the "last year" either (except once a year).

So you either have to keep track of it manually, or have activity every 180 days or more often, so that you can see it by pulling up your last 180 days of activity.

(Those in the US have both the Chase IHG Club with its "net negative" annual fee, and IHG Club Dining, to make it easy to avoid inactivity. But based on other posts of yours, it seems you may be based in Canada, and if so those options may not available to you. I suggest you add your location to your FT Profile so that people can take where you're based into account when the answer to a question is different depending on where you're based.)
Good answer. Most programs really don't show when your miles expire - they just tell you how long it takes them to expire (1 year, 2 years, etc.) when you sign up for the program. I'm guessing they're counting on at least some people losing points because they don't keep track of them/assume they won't expire. So, basically you just have to keep track of when your last IHG hotel stay was, unless of course you have the credit card (or get IHG points via credit card, e-rewards, etc...)
DrRodneyMcKay is offline  
Reply
Old Oct 22, 2015, 2:17 pm
  #47  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: Top Tier Flyertalk Member
Posts: 666
Originally Posted by sdsearch
Many programs unfortunately do not show when you expiry date is. That's why this thread exists. The Wiki explains that your expiry is 1 year from your last IHG Club Rewards activity. Unfortunately, the IHG website only shows the last 180 days of activity, not the last year. It does show a calendar year-to-date of points earned, but that's not the "last year" either (except once a year).

So you either have to keep track of it manually, or have activity every 180 days or more often, so that you can see it by pulling up your last 180 days of activity.

(Those in the US have both the Chase IHG Club with its "net negative" annual fee, and IHG Club Dining, to make it easy to avoid inactivity. But based on other posts of yours, it seems you may be based in Canada, and if so those options may not available to you. I suggest you add your location to your FT Profile so that people can take where you're based into account when the answer to a question is different depending on where you're based.)
Thanks. Based in Canada.
Last transaction was back in 2013 when I was still Plat and have stopped using them since moving onto SPG. So I assume I was dropped down to Club level sometime last year. And then 2015 would be when my 1 year of inactivity.

Any easy way to post some activity to it in Canada?
JordanWalker is offline  
Reply
Old Oct 22, 2015, 2:40 pm
  #48  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Chicago
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, IHG (Platinum Elite), Amtrak Guest Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors
Posts: 636
Originally Posted by JordanWalker
Thanks. Based in Canada.
Last transaction was back in 2013 when I was still Plat and have stopped using them since moving onto SPG. So I assume I was dropped down to Club level sometime last year. And then 2015 would be when my 1 year of inactivity.

Any easy way to post some activity to it in Canada?
I could be wrong, so someone may want to verify this for me, but possibly purchasing a small amount of points or "buying" points using e-rewards or e-miles currency (I think those programs also exist in Canada?) might do it.
DrRodneyMcKay is offline  
Reply
Old Oct 22, 2015, 4:55 pm
  #49  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Tyrone,EU
Programs: Avios Hunter
Posts: 2,810
Originally Posted by JordanWalker
Thanks. Based in Canada.
Last transaction was back in 2013 when I was still Plat and have stopped using them since moving onto SPG. So I assume I was dropped down to Club level sometime last year. And then 2015 would be when my 1 year of inactivity.

Any easy way to post some activity to it in Canada?
If you search either the milebuzz or the IHG forum, you should find a thread about taking an IHG survey. Success gets you a small amount of points, which would be enough to keep it alive. Thats' assuming the surveys are still active/valid.
tangey is offline  
Reply
Old Oct 22, 2015, 7:16 pm
  #50  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
Originally Posted by JordanWalker
Thanks. Based in Canada.
Last transaction was back in 2013 when I was still Plat and have stopped using them since moving onto SPG. So I assume I was dropped down to Club level sometime last year. And then 2015 would be when my 1 year of inactivity.

Any easy way to post some activity to it in Canada?
For the short term:

If you're worried that your points could expire any day now, then you might want the fastest-acting activity possible. That would be either buying points (in the US you can buy 1000 points plus possibly a bonus right now for USD$13.50) or donating points (in the US you can donate as little as 2500 points to IHG Shelter In A Storm). Log into your account and see what the options for buying or (under Redeem) donating are for you in Canada, and see if one of those would work for you. Those should create activity nearly instantly.

The problem with surveys and such is that, AFAIK, they're far from instant, they may take several weeks or longer to post to your IHG account.

For the long term (so you never have this short term worry again):


Take a look at this thread (in the IHG forum):
If I understand correctly, this card (or at least one version of it, in case there are multiple versions) has no annual fee and gives you Gold status. While not quite as good as Plat status, it's better than Club status, in that being Gold keeps your points from expiring. Of course, you have to keep a card with no annual fee itself "alive" (to keep the bank from cancelling it for "inactivity") by using it at least once or twice a year, and that'll earn you IHG activity too (just in case Gold status weren't enough).
sdsearch is offline  
Reply
Old Oct 23, 2015, 2:49 am
  #51  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Tyrone,EU
Programs: Avios Hunter
Posts: 2,810
Originally Posted by sdsearch
For the short term:

The problem with surveys and such is that, AFAIK, they're far from instant, they may take several weeks or longer to post to your IHG account.
It's a long time since I did those IHG surveys, or as I recall now they might have been a list of multiple choice questions, but the points posted immediately upon completion.

I found the relevant thread:-
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...ub-survey.html
.....however all the links to the various surveys are now dead, so no help for this matter.
tangey is offline  
Reply
Old Oct 23, 2015, 7:45 pm
  #52  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
Originally Posted by tangey
It's a long time since I did those IHG surveys, or as I recall now they might have been a list of multiple choice questions, but the points posted immediately upon completion.

I found the relevant thread:-
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...ub-survey.html
.....however all the links to the various surveys are now dead, so no help for this matter.
Sorry, yes, surveys from IHG itself (since it's IHG itself), that may be fast when/if it exists, but I was referring mostly to the third-party surveys from the e-whatever companies mentioned in other posts above. They still exist, but i doubt they're as fast to post.
sdsearch is offline  
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2015, 12:28 am
  #53  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: Top Tier Flyertalk Member
Posts: 666
Thanks all. I done all the IHG surveys available prior to 2013. Unless there has been any new ones (which I don't think), or the ability to do it a second time, it won't work.

I actually have more than $400 in eRewards that I was planning to transfer to AS/AA in the future. I logged in just now....and checked. Unfortunately IHG isn't one of the option. Aside from airlines, etc, the only hotel I can choose is Choice Privileges.

Maybe I'll shoot IHG an email before proceeding with the buy/donate option.
JordanWalker is offline  
Reply
Old Oct 28, 2015, 8:30 pm
  #54  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 650
IHG just announced in April of 2015 that they were going to implement the policy of points expiring after 1 year of inactivity, effective that date. So, no points will expire until May of 2016. So, you have some time to generate some activity to keep your points from expiring.
Chuckles is offline  
Reply
Old Oct 30, 2015, 3:10 am
  #55  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2
Many programs unfortunately do not show when you expiry date is. That's why this thread exists. The Wiki explains that your expiry is 1 year from your last IHG Club Rewards activity. Unfortunately, the IHG website only shows the last 180 days of activity, not the last year. It does show a calendar year-to-date of points earned, but that's not the "last year" either except once a year.
Benton102 is offline  
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2015, 2:59 pm
  #56  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: Top Tier Flyertalk Member
Posts: 666
Originally Posted by Chuckles
IHG just announced in April of 2015 that they were going to implement the policy of points expiring after 1 year of inactivity, effective that date. So, no points will expire until May of 2016. So, you have some time to generate some activity to keep your points from expiring.
Awesome, thanks! Yeah...I thought I recall they don't expired...guess this is a fairly recent policy.

Maybe I'll just sign up for the no AF credit card in April / May
JordanWalker is offline  
Reply
Old Nov 9, 2015, 8:24 am
  #57  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Chicago
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, IHG (Platinum Elite), Amtrak Guest Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors
Posts: 636
Originally Posted by JordanWalker
Thanks all. I done all the IHG surveys available prior to 2013. Unless there has been any new ones (which I don't think), or the ability to do it a second time, it won't work.

I actually have more than $400 in eRewards that I was planning to transfer to AS/AA in the future. I logged in just now....and checked. Unfortunately IHG isn't one of the option. Aside from airlines, etc, the only hotel I can choose is Choice Privileges.

Maybe I'll shoot IHG an email before proceeding with the buy/donate option.
I just checked my e-rewards account and IHG is a redemption option...maybe it's not one for you because you're canada based? Do you have an e-miles account? The workaround I often use is to buy e-miles via e-rewards and then use that for amazon gift cards and other things I can't get via e-rewards. You could do that with IHG...
DrRodneyMcKay is offline  
Reply
Old Nov 13, 2015, 5:09 pm
  #58  
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Charleston, SC, USA
Programs: Avis Pref+, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Life Gold, Honors Silver, IHG Plat via MC.
Posts: 6,786
E-rewards members who were "invited" by a certain airline/ hotel are usually blocked from redeeming for competitors' points/ miles! So some are limited to that one airline but they may redeem for any hotel points, while others are vice-versa. So it sounds like Jordan was invited by Choice Privileges.
Brendan is offline  
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2015, 1:36 am
  #59  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 14,977
Added Philippine Airlines (PR) Mabuhay Miles.

See also http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...l#post25738460
SPN Lifer is online now  
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2015, 2:04 pm
  #60  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
Added Korean Skypass, which is an interesting one: While it's got a hard expiry, it's a very long one (10 years).
sdsearch is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Advanced Search
Reply Closed Thread Share
Forum Jump

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.