Tips To Keep Frequent Flyer Miles From Expiring
If you have a frequent flyer, you know the thrill of watching your air miles grow. Airmiles have become a nest egg for travelers and given so many greater chances to get on a plane and explore the world. If it looks like you can’t get to spend your points fast enough, here’s what to do to stop your air miles expiring.
1. Know the Terms
It is vital to know the expiry terms of your mileage program. One of the reasons it is so difficult to monitor expiry is because each frequent-flier program has its own terms. Some, United MileagePlus miles among them, void accounts after 18 months inactivity. whilst others such as Southwest Rapid Rewards, add an additional 24 months.
2. Pick a Program Without an Expiration
To be sure to keep your flyer miles, choose a plan that doesn’t expire. Although most frequent flier services have expiry dates, significant individual players don’t. Your miles even remain active, even if you take a break from air travel.
3. Use a Tracking Program
There are apps and programs available that allow participants to monitor their points and mileage. AwardWallet is worth checking out. Awardwallet makes it very easy to manage several reward accounts at once.
4. Get an Airline Credit Card
An airline credit card can be a lifesaver. Typically, your expiry date resets each time you receive or reclaim as little as a single airline mile. That’s why carrying a co-branded credit card can be incredibly useful. You earn miles each time you use it to make any transaction and this also resets the account expiry timer. Many airline cards offer perks and services such as free checked luggage and lounge access.
5. Redeem Your Miles Frequently
Since you can use your miles against other things besides flights, check through the offers as your expiry date approaches if you have a use-them-or-lose-them deal. Likewise, don’t just let them sit if you have an open-ended deal. They can be redeemed against so many things, including tickets for events and ceremonies nearer to home.
6. Transfer Points From Other Programs
Most airline miles services are mutual partners with big loyalty schemes like American Express Premium Rewards, Jpmorgan Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and the Starwood Preferred Guest Hilton Honors system with hotel rewards. Transferring points restarts the timer and creates a transaction history to keep your account active.
7. Earn With Partners
In addition to transfer partners, airlines are teaming up with all sorts of companies, from other carriers to car rental services and phone providers, so you can collect miles when you purchase from them. Check your airline’s affiliate websites to see if you can collect bonus miles.
8. Shopping Portals
You can redeem your flyer points at shopping portals. Although it’s easy to overlook, there are U.S. airlines have shopping sites where you can earn miles by making a purchase digitally. A shopping app like that offered by American Airlines provides easy access to major retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Macy’s and dozens more. You simply sign up with your loyalty program code.
Using the app, you collect miles on your everyday spending. It can soon mount up and keeps your account active for longer.
9. Dining Rewards
What’s better than using your flyer points on food? Many big U.S. carriers, Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, and United are working with the Rewards Network service. Once you register with the Rewards Network with a credit or debit card, you receive bonus miles from dozens of partnered restaurants.
10. Buy Miles
Although purchasing miles from an airline is generally not a good offer, it is a simple and effective way to trigger account activity. Tariffs differ by carrier, but they usually cost about $30 every 1,000 miles.
11. Ask Nicely for Your Miles Back
Do the talking. If your miles have set to expire already, you might still be fortunate enough to get them back. Call the airline’s frequent flyer desk and ask if they can restore your account. Many carriers can do this for a one-off fee depending on how long the card has been unused and how many miles you had. There are even situations where agents will waiver the charge.
Airmiles can save you a small fortune on all sorts of purchases from gadgets to home decor and fashion. Over a year, a canny collector can amass a small fortune in miles to put towards a great travel deal. It would be a shame to miss out on that trip of a lifetime because you are not using the airline loyalty rewards system to its fullest potential but wouldn’t it be worse to have your points expire and all your miles fly off into the sunset.
