By Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, Founder and CEO of The Points King. Last updated: October 18, 2026. Editorial Policy
Do airline miles expire? Not at Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue or Virgin Atlantic. American AAdvantage miles expire after 24 months with no activity, Aeroplan, Qantas and Asia Miles after 18, and British Airways Avios after 36. Some foreign programs, such as KrisFlyer, ANA and Emirates, expire each batch of miles three years after it was earned, whatever you do. Pick your program to see your date.
Calculator
When do my miles expire?
- What counts as activity: Earn or redeem with American or a partner, buy, gift or transfer miles, or earn with a hotel, car rental or credit card partner.
- Exempt: Members under 21 are exempt; American’s credit card terms exempt primary cardmembers while the card is open.
- If they expire: Within 24 months of expiry, for $60 to $2,000, up to 500,000 miles.
Two Kinds of Expiry
- After inactivity. The whole balance expires a set time after your last earning or redemption. Any qualifying activity, even a small purchase, resets the clock. American, Aeroplan, Avios, Flying Blue, Qantas and most hotel programs work this way.
- By batch. Each batch of miles expires a set time after it was earned, and activity does not help. KrisFlyer, ANA, Emirates, Lufthansa, Turkish and Air China work this way. The only fixes are to use the miles or pay to extend them where the program allows it.
Airline Expiry Rules
| Program | When miles expire | Exempt |
|---|---|---|
| American AAdvantage | 24 months after the last activity | Members under 21 are exempt; American’s credit card terms exempt primary cardmembers while the card is open. |
| Delta SkyMiles | Do not expire | |
| United MileagePlus | Do not expire | |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards | Do not expire | |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | Do not expire | |
| Atmos Rewards (Alaska, Hawaiian) | Points do not expire; the account can be locked after 24 months with no activity | |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 18 months after the last activity | |
| British Airways Club (Avios) | 36 months after the last activity | |
| Iberia Club (Avios) | 36 months after the last activity | |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 24 months after the last activity | Members under 18, co-branded cardholders, Flying Blue Extra subscribers, and Silver status and above. |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Do not expire | |
| Lufthansa Miles & More | 36 months after earning, at the end of the quarter | Frequent Traveller, Senator and HON Circle members, and some co-branded cards depending on country. |
| Turkish Miles&Smiles | December 31 of the third year after earning | None stated. |
| Emirates Skywards | 36 months after earning, at the end of the month | Platinum members and Skywards co-branded cardholders. |
| Etihad Guest | 18 months after the last activity | Platinum and Diamond members. |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club (Avios) | 36 months after the last activity | Platinum members. |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | 36 months after earning, at the end of the month | PPS Club and Solitaire PPS members. |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 18 months after the last activity | None. |
| ANA Mileage Club | 36 months after earning, at the end of the month | Diamond members and Million Milers. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 18 months after the last activity | |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 12 months after the last activity | |
| El Al Matmid | 18 months after the last activity | None. |
| Copa ConnectMiles | 24 months after the last activity | |
| Air China PhoenixMiles | 36 months after earning, at the end of the month |
Hotel Expiry Rules
| Program | When points expire | Exempt |
|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy | 24 months after the last activity | |
| Hilton Honors | 24 months after the last activity | None. |
| World of Hyatt | 24 months after the last activity | Hyatt credit cardholders. |
| IHG One Rewards | 12 months after the last activity | Any elite tier, including status from a co-branded card. |
| Wyndham Rewards | 18 months after the last activity | |
| Choice Privileges | 18 months after the last activity | Elite members, from 2026. |
Bank Points
Chase, Amex, Citi, Capital One, Wells Fargo and Bilt points do not expire on a timer while the account is open. The risk is closing a card: Chase points are lost unless moved to another Chase card first, Amex gives you 30 days after closing your last Membership Rewards card, and current Citi cards give 60 days. Some older Citi and Wells Fargo cards still expire points after a set number of years.
Changes Coming
- Aeroplan: the pause on expiry ends November 30, 2026. Points with no activity in the 18 months before then expire that day.
- Flying Blue: since May 4, 2026, any earning extends the whole balance.
- Emirates Skywards: miles earned from June 1, 2027 last three years and expire at the end of the month they were earned, instead of the end of your birth month.
- Choice Privileges: elite members’ points stop expiring from 2026.
Cheap Ways to Keep Miles Alive
- Buy something through the airline’s shopping portal or dining program; one small purchase counts at most programs.
- Use the airline’s co-branded credit card; at American, holding the card also exempts the primary cardmember.
- Transfer a few bank points in, where the program counts that as activity.
- For American specifically, see how to keep American miles from expiring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do American Airlines miles expire?
Yes, after 24 months with no qualifying activity. Members under 21 are exempt, and American’s credit card terms exempt primary cardmembers while the card is open. Expired miles can be reinstated within 24 months for $60 to $2,000.
Do Delta miles expire?
No. Delta SkyMiles do not expire, and neither do United, Southwest or JetBlue miles.
Do Qantas points expire?
Yes, after 18 months with no earning or use. Family transfers do not count as activity. See what happened to my Qantas points?
Can I get expired miles back?
Sometimes, for a fee. American charges $60 to $2,000 within 24 months, Turkish $20 per 1,000 miles, Emirates $20 per 1,000 within 6 months, LifeMiles $10 per 1,000. Many programs offer nothing.
More calculators: Airline miles to dollars, Missing miles claim deadline, Credit card points value, or see all our calculators.
Sources
- American Airlines: AAdvantage terms and conditions, sections 6.H.1 and 6.H.2, updated January 13, 2026
- NerdWallet: when do frequent flyer miles expire, October 13, 2026
- NerdWallet: do Atmos points expire, December 5, 2025
- The Points Guy: Aeroplan resumes points expiration, November 4, 2025
- AwardWallet: do Avios expire, April 8, 2026
- MileLion: Flying Blue mileage expiry policy, February 28, 2026
- AwardWallet: do Virgin Atlantic points expire, April 8, 2026
- Miles & More: mileage protection, read October 18, 2026
- AwardWallet: do Turkish Airlines miles expire, March 26, 2026
- Emirates: Skywards program updates, read October 18, 2026
- Upgraded Points: Emirates expiration change in 2027, August 23, 2026
- AwardWallet: KrisFlyer miles expiry, April 20, 2026
- AwardWallet: do Asia Miles expire, April 8, 2026
- AwardWallet: do ANA miles expire, April 13, 2026
- AwardWallet: do LifeMiles expire, September 11, 2026
- AwardWallet: do Qatar Avios expire, April 8, 2026
- El Al: Matmid regulations, as of April 1, 2025
- Upgraded Points: Air China PhoenixMiles, October 16, 2025
- AwardWallet: do Marriott points expire, January 18, 2026
- Frequent Miler: how to prevent Wyndham points from expiring, December 9, 2025
- The Points Guy: Choice Privileges 2026 changes, November 4, 2025
- Capital One: do rewards expire, August 27, 2026
- AwardWallet: do Amex points expire, April 2026