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In this blog post, I will list several ways how you can keep your American Airlines miles from expiring.
Are you an American Airlines AAdvantage member with a stockpile of miles?
If so, you may be concerned about their expiration.
The airline’s policy states that miles expire after 24 months of account inactivity.
This can be frustrating, especially if you have been saving your miles for a dream vacation.
Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to keep your miles active and avoid expiration.
This article will discuss techniques that will help preserve your hard-earned American Airlines AAdvantage miles.
Do American Airlines Miles Expire?
Yes, they do expire.
If you do not have any account activity, your American Airlines AAdvantage miles will expire 24 months after you earn them.
You can reset your miles’ expiration date by earning or redeeming American Airlines miles.
No time to fly?
Fortunately, you have dozens of other options to prevent your miles from expiring.
In this blog post, I will list various ways to keep your miles fresh just in time for your next award flight on American Airlines.
How Do You Keep American Airlines Miles From Expiring?
To avoid having your American Airlines miles expire, you must perform at least one qualifying activity each year.
The methods below will ensure you get at least one qualifying activity yearly.
1. Fly With American Airlines and its Partners
Flying American Airlines will reset the clock on your existing miles and extend their lifespan by 24 months.
If you fly with American Airlines One World partners, the expiration of your miles will also reset, thus making your account active for another 24 months from your last activity.
When flying with American Airlines partners, make sure that you type in your American Airlines AAdvantage account number when asked where you would like to credit your miles.
| American Airlines OneWorld Alliance and Codeshare Partners |
|---|
| OneWorld Alliance Partners |
| Alaska Airlines British Airways Cathay Pacific FinnAir Iberia Japan Airlines Malaysia Airlines Qantas Qatar Airways Royal Air Maroc Royal Jordanian SriLankan Airlines Fiji Airways (OneWorld Connect) Oman Air (Future Member) |
| Codeshare Partners |
| Air Tahiti Nui Cape Air China Southern Airlines Etihad Airways Fiji Airways GOL Airlines Hawaiian Airlines IndiGo JetBlue Silver Airways |
But what if you do not fly on American Airlines and its partners?
Let me list out all of the other options to keep your American Airlines miles from expiring.
2. American Airlines Credit Cards
If you hold an American Airlines AAdvantage credit card and your account is open, the 24-month expiration rule will not affect you.
Yes, you read that right!
As long as your American Airlines AAdvantage co-branded credit card is in good standing, your miles will NEVER expire.
If you close your American Airlines AAdvantage co-branded credit card, your miles will expire after your account closure or 24 months after your latest qualifying activity, whichever happens later.
To avoid miles from expiring, I suggest keeping one American Airlines AAdvantage credit card in your wallet.
If you don’t currently own an American Airlines AAdvantage credit card, you might want to consider applying for one so you do not have to worry about losing your American Airlines miles.
Remember to apply for a credit card with the best sign-up offer and a reasonable spending requirement.
Free Travel Miles and Points Facebook Group
If you are unsure which credit card to sign up for, please contact us at our Travel Miles and Points Facebook Group or fill out this Credit Card Consultation Form. They are both free!
3. Redeem American Airlines Miles
When you redeem American Airlines miles for travel, it immediately resets the expiration date of your American Airlines miles.
This means that if your miles are set to expire soon, redeeming them for a flight will extend the life of your remaining miles.
So, consider using your existing miles to book your next flight to keep your account active.
4. Shop Through The American Airlines AAdvantage Shopping Portal
By making purchases through the American Airlines shopping portal, you can earn miles and keep your account active for 24 months from the date of the last activity.
Log in at the AAdvantage Shopping portal using your American Airlines AAdvantage account details, and then browse through thousands of popular retailers that offer bonus miles on purchases.
To visit a participating merchant’s website, simply search for the merchant’s name on the American Airlines AAdvantage shopping portal.
You will then be automatically directed to the merchant’s website.
Then, shop as you normally would and expect to receive your bonus miles in your AAdvantage account within a few weeks, although it may happen sooner.
Pro-Tip: Read the terms and conditions before purchasing. Some merchants only offer American Airlines bonus miles once per lifetime.
I know many people who use the American Airlines shopping portal to reset the expiration date of their American Airlines miles.
The best part is that there’s no minimum amount required when using the AAdvantage shopping portal.
Spend as little as $1 and expect your expiring miles to reset.
Pro-Tip: Some bonuses do not appear in your AAdvantage account at all. When this happens, the AAdvantage shopping portal customer service can help. Make sure to reach out to them when you have missing miles.
5. Shop Through The SimplyMiles Shopping Portal
Aside from the American Airlines AAdvantage Shopping Portal, SimplyMiles is another portal that can generate American Airlines miles.
In fact, using SimplyMiles is a fantastic way to reset the expiration date of your American Airlines account because it also allows you to earn miles from everyday purchases.
At present, SimplyMiles is compatible exclusively with Mastercard credit cards.
To receive American Airlines miles, you must first enroll your Mastercard credit cards before making any purchases.
You don’t necessarily need an American Airlines AAdvantage co-branded Mastercard credit card to earn AA miles on SimplyMiles.
Linking any Mastercard, such as the Chase Freedom Flex℠ on SimplyMiles can also earn AA miles and thus prolong the life of your American Airlines miles.
SimplyMiles Steps:
- Join SimplyMiles: Sign up using your AAdvantage number and Mastercard.
- Activate Offers: Activate your personalized and everyday offers.
- Earn Miles: Shop to earn miles for travel. Make sure you use the Mastercard you have enrolled in SimplyMiles.
So next time you’re shopping online, check out the American Airlines AAdvantage Shopping Portal and SimplyMiles to keep your AA account active and help you earn rewards simultaneously.
6. Book Your Hotels Through AAdvantage Hotels
BookAAHotels.com or AAdvantageHotels.com are online hotel booking portals that can help anyone earn American Airlines miles effortlessly.
Booking hotel stays with these third-party American Airlines partners can earn you thousands of miles per night on all qualifying stays.
You only need to create an account, link it to your American Airlines account, reserve your hotels, and wait for the miles to appear on your American Airlines AAdvantage account after you complete your stay.
Not only do you earn American Airlines miles from your hotel stays, but you will also generate Loyalty Points that can get you American Airlines elite status.
Lastly, these platforms will reward extra miles if you are an American Airlines Credit Card holder and/or have American Airlines Status. Refer to the table below.
| Credit Card/Elite Status | Extra Base Miles |
|---|---|
| No AA Credit Card / No Elite Status | No Extra Miles |
| AA Credit Card Holder | Earn up to 5 times more base miles on hotels |
| AA Elite | Earn up to 5 times more base miles on hotels |
| AA Credit Card Holder + AA Elite Status | Earn up to 10 times more base miles on hotels |
7. Link Your Account With Hyatt
American Airlines and Hyatt partnered in 2019, allowing AAdvantage and World of Hyatt members to earn miles and points on their respective flights and hotel stays.
Even if you don’t plan to fly soon, you can still receive miles from Hyatt hotel bookings if you have AAdvantage elite status.
8. Convert Hotel Points to American Airlines Miles
This may not be the best deal, but if you are in a pinch and need to reset the expiration of your American Airlines miles and have an enormous stash of hotel points, converting your points to American Airlines miles is an option.
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
5,000 World of Hyatt points = 2,000 AAdvantage® miles
Convert your World of Hyatt points
IHG® Hotels & Resorts
10,000 IHG® Rewards points = 2,000 AAdvantage® miles
Convert your IHG Rewards points
Marriott Bonvoy™
30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 10,000 AAdvantage® miles
60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 20,000 AAdvantage® miles
90,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 30,000 AAdvantage® miles
Convert your Marriott Bonvoy points
Marriott Vacation Club®
500 Vacation Club Points = 8,000 AAdvantage® miles
For every 250 Vacation Club Points converted within the same transaction, you’ll earn an additional 4,000 bonus AAdvantage® miles.
Convert your Vacation Club Points
9. Rent a Car with an American Airlines Partner
Many car rental companies like Avis and Budget partner with American Airlines.
By renting a car with one of these AA partners, you can keep your AA account active for 24 months from the date of the last activity.
Just do not forget to indicate your American Airlines AAdvantage account number when you rent a car, as the miles you will earn will reset the expiration of your American Airlines miles.
So even if you’re not flying on American Airlines flights this year, you can still leverage your AAdvantage account to earn miles on your next road trip by renting a car with an American Airlines partner.
You can also transfer points from car rental loyalty programs to your American Airlines account, which will count as activity and reset your miles’ expiration date.
American Airlines has partnered with several car rental companies, including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National, Payless, and Thrifty.
This partnership also allows frequent flyers to earn bonus miles and receive discounts on car rentals.
10. Complete a Survey
Filling out a survey is a simple but effective way to prevent your American Airlines miles from expiring.
The American Airlines AAdvantage program partners with various survey providers, allowing members to earn miles to complete surveys.
By taking the time to fill out a survey, you earn miles and reset the expiration date on your account.
With this simple action, you can keep your account active and prevent any existing miles from expiring.
Plus, survey-taking can be a convenient activity that can be completed from the comfort of your home.
So, if you want to maintain your American Airlines miles balance and earn rewards while doing so, consider taking advantage of the survey-taking opportunities offered by the AAdvantage program.
11. Buy American Airlines Miles
Buying American Airlines miles is a great way to prevent your existing American Airlines miles from expiring, as any activity on your account will reset the expiration date of your miles.
By purchasing miles, you add more miles to your account and ensure your mileage balance remains active for an additional 24 months.
This can come in handy if you are approaching the expiration date of your miles and do not have any upcoming travel plans or use for them.
Plus, buying miles can be a cost-effective way to top off your balance and book a dream redemption without spending the full price on a ticket.
So, if you want to keep your American Airlines miles active and gain more rewards, consider buying miles as a last-minute option.
12. Gift or Transfer American Airlines Miles
American Airlines allows you to transfer miles to another member for a fee.
While this option is not free, gifting or transferring American Airlines miles is another alternative to prevent your miles from expiring, as any activity on your account resets the expiration date of your miles.
By gifting or transferring miles to a friend or family member, you not only help them earn travel rewards but also ensure that the mileage balance you already have will remain active for an additional 24 months.
Gifting or transferring miles can be a thoughtful present for a loved one planning a trip with American Airlines or its partners.
So, if you want to keep your American Airlines miles active and gift someone a thoughtful present, consider transferring or gifting miles as an option.
13. Dine at a Participating Restaurant on the American Airlines Dining Portal
Dining at an American Airlines partner restaurant is a fantastic way to earn miles and prevent the expiration of your AA miles.
By registering your credit card with the American Airlines Dining Program and dining at a participating restaurant, you can earn miles for every dollar spent on your meal.
Not only that, but any activity on your account will reset the expiration date of your existing miles, ensuring that they remain active.
This means that even if you do not have any upcoming travel plans or have no plans to apply for an American Airlines AAdvantage co-branded credit card, dining out at a partner restaurant can still help you maintain your mileage balance and prevent your miles from expiring.
So next time you’re heading out to eat, check if the restaurant is an American Airlines partner and earn miles for your meal while keeping your account active.
Tip: Sign up for the dining program using your American Airlines Advantage credentials and link your credit or debit card to earn bonus miles when dining at participating restaurants. Make sure to link a credit card that earns extra points when dining, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the American Express® Gold Card.
14. Donate Cash or Miles to Charity
You can donate your American Airlines miles to one of their charity partners, which should reset the expiration of your hard-earned American Airlines AAdvantage miles.
You also have the opportunity to receive 10 miles per dollar for donations of at least $25 made to the airline’s Stand Up To Cancer Campaign.
15. American Airlines Vacation Packages & Cruises
If you’re seeking to gain more miles and elite status and prolong the lifespan of your American Airlines AAdvantage miles, you can consider booking your vacations or voyages directly with AA partners.
American Airlines offers packages through American Airlines Vacations or American Airlines Cruises, which can reap a considerable amount of bonus miles and renew your mileage expiration date.
16. Link American Airlines with Shell Fuel Rewards
American Airlines and Shell have recently entered into a partnership that will benefit customers of both companies.
Through the partnership, American Airlines customers can earn American Airlines miles when they purchase fuel at participating Shell stations.
Customers who enroll in the program will receive 2 American Airlines miles for every gallon of fuel purchased.
This offers American Airlines customers another way to earn miles for free flights, AA status, and other travel perks.
It will also reset the expiration date of your American Airlines miles.
How It Works:
- Join the AAdvantage program if you are not already a member
- Link your AAdvantage account to your Fuel Rewards account
- Ensure that your first name and last name of your Fuel Rewards account match your AAdvantage account
- Earn 2 miles for each gallon of Shell fuel purchased at participating locations
- When selecting to earn AAdvantage miles, you will forfeit your Gold or Silver status fuel savings
BONUS: AAdvantage members earn 100 AAdvantage miles when they join Fuel Rewards.
What are the Situations in which American Airlines Can Cancel Your AAdvantage Account?
Even if your miles expire and leave you with a zero balance, American Airlines will not close your AAdvantage account.
Several conditions must happen before American Airlines ultimately terminates your AAdvantage frequent-flier account.
Your account may be terminated by American Airlines if you:
a. never had miles in your account,
b. have not earned or redeemed any miles for 36 months,
c. do not have an AAdvantage Credit Card, and
d. you do not have any lifetime benefits such as Million Miler status.
Therefore, using any of the above methods ensures that your American Airlines miles remain active and do not expire, and it will also prevent your account from being terminated altogether.
Final Thoughts
If you have many American Airlines miles that are about to expire but don’t want to fly somewhere or sign up for an American Airlines AAdvantage credit card, consider a few of the ways listed in this post.
You can generally avoid AA miles expiration by carrying out some of the methods recommended in this blog post.
By following the above steps, you can avoid having American Airlines miles expire and ensure they stay valid for as long as possible.
With active American Airlines miles, you’ll have more opportunities to use them on future bucket-list trips!
EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE – Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. The content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
