Are you guilty of letting your frequent flyer miles expire and missing out on an opportunity to score a free flight? If so, you’re not alone. More than a quarter of the people surveyed in a poll commissioned by ThePointsGuy.com, a site that helps consumers maximize travel points, said they have let some or all of their frequent flyer miles expire. Perhaps it’s because, according to the poll, more than half of those surveyed don’t know how the frequent flyer programs that they’re enrolled in work.
Most airlines have programs that award miles for flights on that airline or transactions with partner hotels and rental-car companies. And miles can be redeemed for free flights or other perks. But, with most programs, miles usually expire if an account has been inactive for 18 to 24 months.
There’s an easy way to keep your account active, though, that doesn’t require hopping on a plane, says Brian Kelly, founder of ThePointsGuy.com. You can reset the expiration clock by using an airline-affiliated credit card or making a purchase through an airline’s shopping portal.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Most major airlines have rewards cards that let you earn miles when you make purchases. So every time you buy something with that card, you keep your account active and push back the expiration date for your miles.
But if you don’t already have an airline rewards card and don’t want to sign up for one, you still can keep your account active -- and earn miles -- by using any credit card to shop online through an airline’s shopping portal.
These portals have long lists of retailers that partner with the airlines and allow frequent flyer program members to earn a certain number of miles for each dollar spent. ThePointsGuy.com has a list of airline shopping portals with links to them.
To keep track of when your miles expire, Kelly recommends using AwardWallet.com. The free site can help you manage all of your rewards balances and notify you before your miles or points expire.
-
Thanksgiving 2024: How Grocery Taxes Impact Your Holiday Food BudgetFood Prices Some families are navigating high food prices influencing what’s on the table this Thanksgiving.
-
9 Year-End Money Moves to Make NowBoost your retirement savings, lower your taxes and get the most out of your health insurance.
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute VacationTravel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
-
Best Places to Visit Where the Dollar Is StrongFrom the Americas and Europe to Africa and Asia, we list the 10 best places to travel to where the U.S. dollar is the strongest.
-
24 Best Travel Websites and Apps to Find Deals and Save You MoneyTravel Use Kiplinger's guide to the best travel websites and find discounts and deals so you can vacation without breaking the bank.
-
Five Ways to Save on Vacation Rental PropertiesTravel Use these strategies to pay less for an apartment, condo or house when you travel.
-
How to Avoid Annoying Hotel Fees: Per Person, Parking and MoreTravel Here's how to avoid extra charges and make sure you don't get stuck paying for amenities that you don't use.
-
Frequent Flyer Tax Could Raise Billions for ClimateCould taxing frequent flyers help combat global pollution? Some climate scientists say yes.
-
How to Make The Most of a Travel Insurance ClaimMore travelers are buying insurance. If your trip is canceled, take these steps to increase your chances of recovery.
-
Despite Cancelled Flights and Short-Staffed Hotels, Americans Are (Sort of) Traveling AgainBusiness Travel Thanks to high gas prices, cancelled flights and labor shortages across the sector, the post-COVID travel recovery looks uneven.
