Plan your flights strategically and earn future free flights through airline miles. When you book a flight through a frequent flyer or loyalty program, you accumulate airline miles that can be used towards future flights or seat upgrades. However, airline miles often have expiration dates, which means many travelers end up wasting thousands of miles that could have saved them money in the future.
Maximize your travel potential by learning how to avoid wasting your precious airline miles and prevent them from expiring. Here's an essential guide to saving your airline miles from expiration. Simple strategies like using credit cards, booking flights strategically, and employing basic travel hacks can help you stay active when traveling.
How to prevent airline miles from expiring
Choose a program that never expires
Join a frequent flyer program where your airline miles and points never expire. For example, Star Alliance, the world's largest global airline alliance, has over 26 member airlines (including Air India), and unconverted Star Alliance points are valid as long as your account is active. We have an unlimited policy. American Airlines' frequent flyer programs like United MileagePlus and Delta SkyMiles also don't expire.
Transfer miles
If you earned miles through a frequent flyer program that you don't use frequently, consider transferring them to a program you're more likely to use to extend their expiration date.
Reinstate expired miles
Expired miles can often be reinstated for a fee. Many frequent flyer programs offer the option to buy back expired miles, giving them new life. However, this option can usually only be used once.
Shop with miles
If you don't have any plans to fly soon, use your miles to shop. Many programs allow you to use your miles for a variety of purchases, including taxi bookings, hotel reservations, dining out, online shopping, entertainment, and more. For example, AirAsia Points and United MileagePlus offer these options to maintain the active status of your account.
Book flights and redeem miles
Booking airline tickets is the most obvious and effective way to prevent miles from expiring. Whether it's for vacation or work, you can plan your trip in advance and use airline miles to book flights without spending a penny. You can also use your miles to upgrade your seat. If you've already booked a flight and your miles are about to expire, upgrade your flight and enjoy a more relaxing journey while saving your expiring air miles.
Use a mile tracking program
Track the validity of your airline miles through a website designed for this purpose. Platforms like AwardWallet, Traxo, UsingMiles, and PointHub allow you to stay up-to-date on expiration dates and receive notifications when your miles are about to expire. This way, you can prioritize the use of expiring miles when booking flights.
Donate airline miles to charity
Airline miles can make a difference. Many charities around the world accept airline miles, so you can donate them to a cause of your choice without wasting your miles. Airlines such as Emirates, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines, United Airlines and Lufthansa offer the option to donate miles to charity.
Use a travel credit card
Take advantage of travel credit cards that offer airline miles as perks. With programs like Intermiles associated with credit cards like HDFC Diners Club, ICCI Bank Coral American Express, and India Odyssey American Express Credit Card, you can earn miles as you spend. The best part is that these miles never expire as long as you earn or spend them using your Intermiles account.
Expiration dates for airline miles in India's popular points programs
Air India Flying Return
Flying Returns Points expire 36 months (3 years) after they are earned. Points transferred from other airlines have a validity period of 12 months (1 year). Expired miles can be reinstated by paying INR 0.6 per point within the last 24 months (2 years).
club vistara
Miles are valid for 36 months (3 years) and can be extended once for a fee if they expire within 3 months.
Spice Club by Spice Jet
SpiceJet's SC Points expire two years from the date of travel earned. Although the expiration date cannot be extended, you can prevent your Axis EDGE REWARD points and EDGE miles from expiring by not converting them to SC points until you plan to use them.
air asia benefits
AirAsia Points expire 24 months after the date of issue. The Dynamic Program gives members the flexibility to use their points on a variety of transactions beyond airline tickets, allowing them to use their points without having to travel and prevent them from expiring. Additionally, members can transfer points to another account to prevent them from expiring.
intermiles
Intermiles follows a different expiration policy. Miles never expire as long as your Intermiles account has been active for the past 18 months. This means that collecting or redeeming Miles on the platform never expires. However, if your account has zero activity within 18 months, your miles will expire.
Shop the best travel experiences here
(Featured image credit: NicoElNino/Shutterstock)
Related: Going on vacation? Here are some tips on how to save money using credit cards
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
– Are there any exceptions to airline mileage expiration policies?
Every airline and loyalty program has its own mileage expiration policy, and exceptions vary by airline.
– Can I use expired airline miles for any purpose?
Once miles expire, they can no longer be used for any purpose.
– How can I track my airline miles and their expiration dates?
Websites like AwardWallet, Traxo, UsingMiles, and PointHub allow you to track airline miles and their expiration dates.
– Are there any activities that automatically extend the expiration date of my airline miles?
Some programs may extend your expiration date as you earn more miles.
– Will transferring miles between accounts prevent them from expiring?
Transferring airline miles between accounts can extend their expiration date and prevent them from expiring.
– Do all frequent flyer programs have the same mileage expiration policy?
Not all frequent flyer programs have the same mileage expiration policy, but partner airlines tend to share similar policies.
– Can I extend the expiry date of my miles?
Yes, you can extend your expiration date and save on airline miles.
