Do American Airlines miles expire? American Airlines AAdvantage is one of the largest airline loyalty programs globally. Understanding its mileage expiration policy is essential for members to protect their accumulated miles.

American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Expiration Policy

According to the AAdvantage program terms, AAdvantage miles expire if there is no qualifying activity on your account for 24 consecutive months. This means you need to either earn or redeem miles at least once every two years to keep your entire mileage balance active.

Note: For members under 21 years of age, miles do not expire. Once the member turns 21, the 24-month inactivity clock starts if there hasn't been recent activity.

How to Keep Your AAdvantage Miles From Expiring

The good news is that keeping your AAdvantage® account active isn’t difficult. As long as you earn or redeem miles every 24 months, your balance stays safe. Here are the best ways to keep your miles from expiring — whether you’re flying soon or not.

Earn miles through everyday activity

Anytime you book a flight with American Airlines or a Oneworld partner, your expiration clock resets. The same applies when you stay at an AAdvantage hotel partner like IHG, Hyatt, or Marriott. For example, you can earn 500 miles per Hyatt stay and two miles per dollar at select Marriott and IHG properties.

Other ways to keep your account active include:

  • Renting cars with Avis or Budget
  • Booking cruises or vacation packages through American Airlines
  • Buying event tickets with AAdvantage Events
  • Shopping or dining through AAdvantage’s online portals
  • Taking surveys with Miles for Opinions
  • Joining Shell’s Fuel Rewards program at the pump
  • Donating to Stand Up to Cancer (10 miles per dollar on donations of $25+)

Redeem miles

Spending miles also extends their life. Redemptions start as low as 7,500 miles for one-way flights on American Airlines or Oneworld partners, which buys you another 24 months of mileage validity.

You can also use miles for:

  • Hotel stays and rental cars
  • Seat upgrades on American, Iberia, Qantas, and British Airways
  • Booking vacations and experiences through AAdvantage Events
  • A one-day Admirals Club pass (7,900 miles) if you’ve got a layover coming up

Get an American Airlines credit card

One of the easiest ways to keep your account active is with an AAdvantage co-branded credit card. Earning miles from everyday purchases ensures your balance never expires, as long as the account stays open and in good standing.

Options include:

Each card comes with different perks, so choose based on your travel habits. Frequent flyers might splurge on the Executive card for lounge access, while small business owners may prefer the Business card. Casual travelers often find the MileUp or Platinum Select to be a better fit.

Be aware: If you close your co-branded card, your miles may still expire if you don’t complete another qualifying activity within 24 months.

Use the AAdvantage Shopping and Dining programs

Keep your balance alive while enjoying everyday purchases. With AAdvantage eShopping, you can earn miles at more than 1,200 stores just by clicking through the portal. Or, link your credit/debit card to the AAdvantage Dining program to pick up miles every time you eat at a participating restaurant.

Buy, gift, transfer, or donate miles

If you’re in a pinch, you can extend your expiration date by:

  • Buying miles for yourself or gifting them to others
  • Transferring miles to another AAdvantage member
  • Donating miles to charity through programs like Miles for Our Heroes, Miles for Social Good, Miles for Our Planet, and Miles for Global Health and Well-being

You can also transfer points from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio if you need a quick reset. While not the best value, it works if you’re near expiration.

As of June 2024, Bilt Rewards is no longer a transfer partner, and AAdvantage isn’t linked to Chase, Amex, or other major card programs. However, you can still use those programs’ travel portals to book American flights with points.

What happens if your miles expire?

If your account goes 36 months without qualifying activity (and you don’t hold a co-branded card or lifetime perks like Million Miler status), your miles expire and your account may even be closed.

The good news: you can reactivate expired miles for a fee. The cost depends on how many you’re restoring — reports suggest rates start around $60 for 5,000 miles. You can reinstate up to 500,000 miles that expired in the last 24 months. Once you complete one new qualifying activity, those miles are good for another two years. Just note that reactivated miles don’t count toward elite status.

Official Policy

For the most accurate and detailed information, always refer to the official AAdvantage program documentation:

By ensuring you have at least one qualifying transaction every 24 months, you can easily keep your American Airlines AAdvantage miles active and ready for your next redemption.

Summary

Keeping your AAdvantage miles alive is simpler than it looks. Every time you earn or redeem — whether it’s booking a flight, shopping online, filling up your gas tank, or even donating to charity — you push your expiration date forward. And if the worst happens and your miles do expire, you still have a chance to bring them back.

As long as you keep your account active, your hard-earned miles will be ready for that next big trip.

Disclaimer: Always use credit responsibly. Program terms and conditions can change. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Verify details directly with American Airlines.