Expiring miles for diff airlines
 

Do you know of a chart that shows when miles expire with no activity for:

AA
Delta
Continental
NWA
UAL
Aeroplan
Grupo Taca

Chart? No.
But a check of each airline's website or a search in the relevant forum should answer the question.

AA = 3 years
DL = 3 years
CO = do not expire
NW = do not expire
UA = 3 years

The others - I do not know

Taca was 3 years but they just sent an email last month that made it look like it was annual expiration if you don't fly within 12 month period. I posted in the other N & S american airlines forum a question if anyone understands exactly what they are doing and got no response.


CO told me that no activity for 18 months was eligible for expiration but that they send a letter before doing anything and are much more flexable than that.

This is my understanding:

• AA - 36 months
• Delta - 3 calendar years (to 31 Dec on or after 36 months)
• Continental - 18 months with notice "formally," more lenient in practice
• NWA - 36 months
• UAL - 36 months
• Aeroplan - ?
• Grupo Taca - ?

The previous post about no NW expiration is wrong. "If no mileage from any source is posted to a WorldPerks member's account for three consecutive years, the account is subject to termination, including forfeiture of all accrued mileage."
http://www.nwa.com/freqfly/memrules/general.shtml

I don't know whether miles expire 36 months to the day, or to the end of the month, and don't plan to find out!

The one airline whose expiration policy has always confused me is Mexicana. Any definitive insight there?

While I'm not a regular Mexicana flyer, I went to their Web site, clicked Frecuenta, then "Frequently Asked Questions" in the menu at the left, then "When does [sic] my miles expire," the third item in the second column. The answer, in full: "With Frecuenta your miles never expire."

I suppose they could change this, but it seems pretty definitive for now. Is there conflicting information somewhere else?

I never quite got a definitive answer [url=http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=356421].

Other programs say miles don't expire, but that accounts can be closed due to inactivity. Someone thought this was the case with MX but I couldn't find reference to it online.

This was taken directly from the WorldPerks T&C on their website.

3. WorldPerks miles have no expiration date. However, consistent with the general terms and conditions of the WorldPerks program, Northwest Airlines reserves the right to change the WorldPerks program at any time without notice, including imposition of expiration limits or reactivation fees. If no mileage from any source is posted to a WorldPerks member's account for three consecutive years, the account is subject to termination, including forfeiture of all accrued mileage.

I do see the last statement regarding the "3 years". The last earning of WorldPerks I had was on my flights in February 2002. I did fly on NW last October 2004, but that was on a CO award ticket - thus I did not earn either CO or NW mileage. Does this mean my 62K+ WorldPerks will disappear at the end of 2005?

Assume that NWA Rule #2 (or - pick your carrier) will ALWAYS apply -- you know the one: "We'll do as we d*mn well please."

I'd suspect the 'expiration' is economics: the ongoing printing & postage of statements & advertising to inactive accounts has to be a killer. Electronic delivery may affect that.

All you can really do is keep up with the changes, and make whatever moves seem to protect your stash, at a price ($$, time or effort) you're willing to pay -- fly, buy, etc. -- no single best answer for everybody.

/.

From the One Pass T&C:

Mileage Expiration


Miles currently have no expiry date; however, Continental Airlines reserves the right to impose expiry limits or terminate the OnePass program, thus terminating your ability to claim rewards.


I do not see anything regarding "18 months"!

It's the same issue as with NW. If you look at the T&C clause right after the one you quote (the one entitled Inactive Membership), you'll see:
So while your miles may not expire, your account can. And that's just as bad. :D

I haven't flown NW since 1996, and my miles are still in my account.

BA did that to 3 friends of mine with those 10k Jaguar miles. We faxed in copies of what we had saved from the offer for them but they STILL said, Sorry, miles are gone for that same reason.

SICK.
:(MM

my advice: earn to burn. Use them and start over. Stay current and have only like 2-3 airline chains to concentrate on so you dont lose your mind.