Just like a bottle of milk, airline and hotel points usually have an expiration date. But unlike milk that has the expiration date clearly printed on the bottle, point program expiration dates can often be hidden deep in the terms. 

In this post we will let you know the expiration times for each point program so that you are aware of them. We will also talk about some cool ways on how you can reset the clock. 

Airline programs

Aeromexico – Club Premier

Expiration time:  No expiration as of April 10, 2023

Air Canada – Aeroplan 

Expiration time:  18 months of inactivity 

What resets the clock

• Redeem miles
• Earn more miles   
• Purchase miles
• Transfer miles from Amex, Chase, or Capital One
• Transfer points from Marriott, Hilton, or IHG
• Earn miles via credit card spend 
• Buy something via Air Canada shopping portal 
• Donate miles
• Transfer miles to another Aeroplan member

What does not reset the clock

• Redeeming an award ticket and then canceling and redepositing
  

Air France – KLM Flying Blue

Expiration time:  24 months of inactivity 

What resets the clock

• Redeem miles
• Earn more miles
• Purchase miles
• Transfer miles from Amex(*), Chase, Citi, or Capital One
• Transfer points from Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, or IHG
• Hold the FlyingBlue credit card
• Buy something via Air France shopping portal 
• Hold FlyingBlue Silver, Gold, or Platinum elite status

(*) Amex transfers only reset the expiration date sometimes. If you transfer points from Amex, double check that the expiration was extended

What does not reset the clock

• Nothing

American Airlines – AAdvantage 

Expiration time:  24 months of inactivity if 18 years of age or older

What resets the clock

• Redeem miles
• Earn more miles   
• Purchase miles
• Earn miles via credit card spend 
• Transfer points from Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, or IHG
• Buy something via the Advantage shopping portal or dining program, bank accounts that earn AA miles, etc
• Hold an AA savings account at Bask Bank
• If you have an AA credit card

What does not reset the clock

• Nothing

Tricks

• Booking and canceling an award ticket will reset the expiration

ANA – Mileage Club 

Expiration time:  36 months of date earned (no expiration for ANA Diamond members or Million Milers)

What resets the clock

• Nothing

What does not reset the clock

• Unfortunately, nothing resets the clock 

Avianca – LifeMiles

Expiration time:  12 months of inactivity for general members, 24 months for elites 

What resets the clock

• Earn more miles   
• Purchase miles
• Transfer miles from Amex, Brex, Citi, Capital One 
• Transfer points from Marriott or IHG

What does not reset the clock

• Redeem miles

Tricks

• Donating 100 miles to charity will reset the expiration date

Avios (British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, Aer Lingus)

Expiration time:  36 months of inactivity 

What resets the clock

• Redeem miles
• Earn more miles   
• Purchase miles
• Transfer miles from Amex, Chase, or Capital One
• Transfer points from Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, or IHG
• Buy something via the Avios shopping portal 

What does not reset the clock

• Transferring Avios points from one program to another (for example from Iberia to British Airways) 
  

Cathay Pacific – Asia Miles

Expiration time:  18 months of inactivity

What resets the clock

• Redeem miles
• Earn more miles   
• Purchase miles
• Transfer miles from Amex, Chase, or Capital One
• Transfer points from Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, or IHG

What does not reset the clock

• Nothing

Tricks

• Booking and canceling an award flight will reset the expiration date

Delta SkyMiles

Expiration time:  No expiration 

Emirates – Skywards

Expiration time: 3 years plus the end of month in which you were born. For example, if you earned miles in 2022 it will expire in 2025 at the end of the month in which you were born. 

What resets the clock

• Pay a fee to extend for up to 12 months  
• Hold the Skywards credit card
• Earn Emirates Platinum elite status

What does not reset the clock

• Earning, transferring, or redeeming miles

Etihad – Guest

Expiration time:  18 months of inactivity unless you hold Etihad Guest Platinum status

What resets the clock

• Redeem miles
• Earn more miles   
• Purchase miles
• Transfer miles from Amex, Citi, or Capital One 
• Transfer points from Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, or IHG

What does not reset the clock

• Nothing

Frontier Airlines

Expiration time:  12 months

What resets the clock

• Earn more miles
• Hold the Frontier Airlines World MasterCard and make a purchase at least once every six months 
• Transfer points from Marriott or Wyndham
• Buy points from points.com

What does not reset the clock

• Nothing

Hawaiian Miles

Expiration time:  No expiration 

JetBlue – TrueBlue

Expiration time:  No expiration 

Qantas – Frequent Flyer

Expiration time:  18 months of inactivity, unless you hold Platinum status

What resets the clock

• Redeem miles
• Earn more miles   
• Transfer miles from Amex, Brex, Citi, or Capital One 
• Transfer points from Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, or IHG
• Shop through the Qantas shopping portal

What does not reset the clock

• Nothing

Tricks

• Using the Qantas Well Being mobile app allows you to earn points that reset expiration for simple activities like push-ups or breathing exercises

Qatar Airways – Privilege Club

Expiration time:  Now that Qatar has joined the Avios program, the expiration rules are 36 months from the date of last activity

What resets the clock

• Redeem miles
• Earn more miles   
• Purchase miles
• Transfer miles from Amex, Chase, or Capital One
• Transfer points from Marriott, Hilton, or Hyatt

What does not reset the clock

• Transferring Avios points from one program to another (for example from Iberia to British Airways) 

Singapore – KrisFlyer

Expiration time:  36 months from when earned unless you hold PPS Club or Solitaire PPS Club status

What resets the clock

• Unfortunately, there is no way to reset the clock 

What does not reset the clock

• Unfortunately, everything 🙂 

Southwest Rapid Rewards

Expiration time:  No expiration 

Turkish Miles & Smiles

Expiration time:  At the end of the third year after they were earned (December 31st of the third year) 

What resets the clock

• Pay a fee of $10 per 1,000 miles 

What does not reset the clock

• Unfortunately, nothing resets the clock other than paying a fee 
  

United Mileage Plus

Expiration time:  No expiration 

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Expiration time:  No expiration 

Hotel programs

Choice Privileges

Expiration time:  18 months of inactivity 

What resets the clock

• Redeem points
• Earn more points
• Transfer points from Citi or Capital One
• Buy something through the Choice Privileges shopping portal

What does not reset the clock

• Booking and then canceling an award stay

Hilton Honors

Expiration time:  24 months of inactivity 

What resets the clock

• Redeem points
• Earn more points   
• Transfer points from Amex
• Buy something through the Hilton shopping or dining portal

What does not reset the clock

• Nothing

Hyatt – World of Hyatt

Expiration time:  24 months of inactivity 

What resets the clock

• Redeem points
• Earn more points   
• Transfer points from Chase or Bilt

What does not reset the clock

• Nothing

Tricks

• Booking and canceling an award stay resets expiration

IHG Rewards Club

Expiration time:  12 months of inactivity (points do not expire for elite members)

What resets the clock

• Redeem points
• Earn more points   
• Transfer points from Chase
• Hold a Chase IHG credit card

What does not reset the clock

• Nothing

Marriott Bonvoy (Expirations have been paused until 12/31/23)

Expiration time:  24 months of inactivity 

What resets the clock

• Redeem points (will not reset the clock until the actual stay was completed so beware) 
• Earn more points   
• Transfer points from Amex or Chase
• Buy points
• Redeem points for charity 

What does not reset the clock

• None

Tricks

• Transferring points to another member will reset expiration, even if the member transfers the points back immediately.
• Buying food or drink at a Marriott restaurant and crediting to your Bonvoy account, as long as you pay at least $1

Radisson Americas

Expiration time:  24 months of inactivity 

What resets the clock

• Book an award stay (even if you cancel booking) 

What does not reset the clock

• Nothing

Wyndham Rewards

Expiration time: 18 months of inactivity (can only be extended for max 4 years) 

What resets the clock

• Redeem points
• Earn points
• Use the Wyndham shopping portal 
• Transfer points from Capital One
• Spend on a Wyndham Rewards credit card

What does not reset the clock

• Nothing

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Thanks to the great Matthew Wood from Miles Earn And Burn for working with us to put together this post.