By Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, Founder and CEO of The Points King. Last updated: October 12, 2026. Editorial Policy
What happens to airline miles when someone dies? It depends on the program, and the airline decides. Program terms say miles belong to the airline and not to the member, so they do not pass through a will the way money does. Delta and Southwest say outright that miles cannot be transferred and are lost when the account is closed. American and United may credit the miles to a family member if you send the documents they ask for. Hotel programs and banks are usually more generous than airlines.
I am Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, and I have run The Points King since 2017. I am not a lawyer, and nothing here is legal advice. If you are reading this because you have just lost someone, I am sorry. The practical steps are short, and they are in the section headed “How to Ask”.
Airline Programs: What Each One Says
| Program | Policy on a member’s death | What it asks for |
|---|---|---|
| American AAdvantage | May credit the miles once, at its sole discretion; otherwise the account is closed and miles are forfeited | A declaration supporting the request, a copy of the death certificate, and proof of your legal authority; fees may apply |
| Delta SkyMiles | No transfer on death; Delta may close the account, and the miles go with it | Nothing published |
| United MileagePlus | May credit all or part of the miles to authorized persons, at its discretion | Documentation satisfactory to United, and applicable fees |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards | No transfer to an estate or by will; points are forfeited if the account is closed | Nothing published |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | No transfer after death | Nothing published; pooling has to be set up beforehand |
| Atmos Rewards (Alaska, Hawaiian) | No published policy | Reported to transfer points on a death certificate; ask |
Sources: American (terms section 2.G, updated January 13, 2026), Delta (rules updated January 1, 2026), Southwest, and for United, JetBlue and Atmos, The Points Guy (updated April 10, 2026) and AwardWallet (updated April 8, 2026), because those three airlines’ own pages would not load when this was checked.
Hilton and IHG allow a transfer for one year from the death; Marriott and Hyatt allow one transfer; Citi gives the estate one year. Atmos has no published policy and is reported to transfer points on a death certificate, so ask. This is not legal advice, and each program decides.
Two details on American. It says it may take at least six months to review a request once the documents are in. And its terms set a one year limit for requests of this kind, which The Points Guy and AwardWallet both apply to a death, so do not wait.
What Changed in 2025 and 2026
- American’s current terms took effect March 1, 2026. They ask for a “declaration”, mention fees and state the six month review period. Older guides describe a sworn affidavit and no fee.
- Southwest: older articles say points stay usable for 24 months after a death. The current rules do not contain that, and say points are forfeited when the account is closed.
- Alaska and Hawaiian: Atmos Rewards replaced Mileage Plan in August 2025 and HawaiianMiles in October 2025. Advice written about the old programs may not carry over.
- Delta: rules last updated January 1, 2026. The no-transfer language is unchanged.
How to Ask
- List the accounts. Airline, hotel and card programs, with account numbers if you can find them. Statements and the email inbox are the usual places.
- Check the clock. American miles expire after 24 months with no activity, and that keeps running after a death. I cover it in how to keep American miles from expiring.
- Gather three documents: a copy of the death certificate, proof that you are the executor or administrator, and the account number of the person who should receive the miles.
- Contact the program and ask for its process for a deceased member. American’s AAdvantage service line is on its contact page. Ask what form it needs and whether a fee applies before you send anything.
- Ask even where the rules say no. AwardWallet reports that polite requests sometimes succeed where policy is silent, Alaska being the usual example. Delta and Southwest are firm in writing.
- Keep copies and be patient. Months, not days.
Logging In and Using the Miles
Many guides say the simple answer is to log in and book flights before the airline knows. I will tell you what the rules say and leave the decision to you. Delta’s rules forbid sharing a password or letting anyone else use the account, and allow Delta to close the account and cancel unused award tickets. American lets a household member use the login only to help the member manage the account. Southwest can cancel points for suspected misuse. A ticket booked this way can be cancelled, and the traveler may find out at the airport.
Cards are a harder line. Using a credit card account after the cardholder has died is fraud, as The Points Guy notes. Tell the bank.
Bank and Hotel Points
| Program | What happens | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| American Express Membership Rewards | The executor may be able to make a one-time redemption; points cannot be inherited | Ask Amex |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | Points are redeemed as a statement credit once Chase is told of the death | None stated |
| Citi ThankYou | The estate’s representative can redeem the points | One year |
| Capital One | Miles are converted to cash at half a cent each, applied to the balance, and the rest sent to the estate | None stated |
| Hilton Honors | Points transfer to one or more existing members; no fee | One year from the death |
| Marriott Bonvoy | One transfer, to a spouse or a person named in the will, at Marriott’s discretion | None stated |
| IHG One Rewards | Points can be transferred with a will and death certificate; no fee | One year |
| World of Hyatt | One transfer, to a member at the same home address | None stated |
Sources: American Express (Membership Rewards terms, September 2026, and its page for deceased card members), Hilton, Marriott (terms updated September 2026), The Points Guy on Capital One, and for the rest The Points Guy and Kiplinger (July 3, 2026). Hilton’s is the clearest process: a declaration form, a copy of the death certificate and proof of authority, sent by email.
Foreign airline programs
British Airways cancels unused Avios on a member’s death. Air Canada Aeroplan ends the membership and allows a transfer only at its discretion. Qantas is the exception among those I checked: its terms let an executor ask within 12 months for points to go to an eligible family member.
Are Miles Part of the Estate?
Not in the way a bank account is. American’s terms say accrued miles are not the property of the member or the estate. Delta’s and Southwest’s say the same in their own words. I know of no US law that overrides those terms, and Kiplinger makes the same point about card rewards. A will can still help: American asks for proof of legal authority, and Marriott will transfer to a person named in the will. Ask the estate’s attorney how to list the accounts.
If You Are Planning Ahead
- Use the miles. A balance you spend cannot be forfeited. Booking trips for family while you are able is the surest transfer there is; see using miles to buy a ticket for someone else.
- Pool where you can. United lets up to five members pool miles, per One Mile at a Time, and JetBlue up to seven. Check each program’s rule on what happens to a member’s share; British Airways removes a deceased member’s Avios from a household account.
- Keep a list. Programs, account numbers and where the statements go, stored with your estate papers.
- Say what you want. A line in the will or a letter naming who should receive the miles gives the family something to send.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can airline miles be inherited?
Not by right. Program terms say miles are not the member’s property. American and United may transfer them on request at their discretion. Delta and Southwest say they will not.
Does American Airlines transfer miles after a death?
It may, once, at its sole discretion. It asks for a declaration, a copy of the death certificate and proof of legal authority, may charge a fee, and says the review can take six months or more.
Does Delta transfer SkyMiles after a death?
No. Delta’s rules say miles cannot be transferred on death and that Delta may close the account, which forfeits the miles.
How long do I have to claim a deceased person’s miles?
Act within a year. That is the limit at Hilton, IHG and Citi, and the one applied to American. American miles also expire after 24 months without activity.
Is there a fee to transfer miles after a death?
American and United both mention applicable fees without publishing an amount. Hilton and IHG charge nothing.
What happens to credit card points when someone dies?
It varies by bank. Chase redeems them as a statement credit, Capital One converts them to cash for the estate at half a cent each, Citi lets the estate redeem within a year, and American Express may allow the executor one redemption.
From the bank and hotel table on this page. Programs without a stated deadline are shown as none stated; Amex says to ask. This is not legal advice, and each program decides.
Sources
- American Airlines: AAdvantage terms and conditions, updated January 13, 2026, effective March 1, 2026
- Delta: SkyMiles program rules, updated January 1, 2026
- Southwest: Rapid Rewards rules and regulations, read October 12, 2026
- The Points Guy: miles and points upon death, updated April 10, 2026
- AwardWallet: what happens to airline miles when you die, updated April 8, 2026
- Kiplinger: can you inherit credit card rewards, July 3, 2026
- Hilton: deceased member point transfer, read October 12, 2026
- Marriott Bonvoy: program terms, updated September 2026
- American Express: Membership Rewards terms and conditions, updated September 2026
- American Express: deceased card members, read October 12, 2026
- The Points Guy: Capital One miles after death, December 13, 2024
- The Points Guy: credit cards after death, March 24, 2025
- British Airways Club: terms and conditions, effective April 1, 2026
- Air Canada Aeroplan: terms and conditions, read October 12, 2026
- One Mile at a Time: United miles pooling, June 14, 2026