How Mileage Expiration Works
Whether your miles expire depends entirely on who is holding them, and the answer has moved in travelers' favor. Delta, United, JetBlue and Southwest miles no longer expire at all. Alaska, American and most international programs still run an activity clock. Most major U.S. carriers use an activity-based clock that resets whenever you earn or redeem miles. A smaller number of programs have no expiration at all, while a few use hard expiration dates that activity cannot extend.
Understanding the difference helps casual earners protect balances they may not use right away. The safest approach is to review the current policy for each program you hold before assuming your miles are safe indefinitely.
Programs Where Miles Never Expire
A few programs do not expire miles regardless of account activity. Delta SkyMiles, United MileagePlus, and JetBlue TrueBlue are the most commonly cited examples among major U.S. carriers — United ended mileage expiration back in 2019.
Other programs may follow similar policies, but rules change and it is always best to confirm directly on the airline's website or member terms page rather than relying on older information.
Programs With an Activity Clock
Many programs reset their expiration clock with any qualifying activity. American AAdvantage and Air Canada Aeroplan are prominent examples where earning miles, redeeming an award, or sometimes even a simple portal purchase can extend the life of your balance.
Because these policies are subject to change, frequent flyers often set calendar reminders or perform a small earn action every 12–18 months to stay ahead of any deadline.
The Easiest Way to Reset the Clock
The easiest way to keep miles active in activity-based programs is a small, low-effort transaction. Shopping through the airline's online portal, dining at a participating restaurant, or transferring a modest number of points from a credit card partner usually counts as qualifying activity.
These actions are often quicker and less expensive than booking a full award ticket just to prevent expiration. A single small earn or redeem is frequently enough to reset the clock for another 12–24 months depending on the program.
Expiration Policy by Program
The answer splits cleanly into three groups, and knowing which group your balance is in is the whole task.
Never expire. Delta SkyMiles, United MileagePlus, JetBlue TrueBlue and Southwest Rapid Rewards do not expire at all. If your miles sit in one of these, there is nothing to manage.
Activity clock. American AAdvantage and Atmos Rewards run a 24-month clock that resets on any qualifying earning or redeeming activity. The threshold is low — a single shopping-portal purchase or a dining-program transaction restarts it. The trap is not the length of the clock but forgetting the account exists.
Hard expiry. Several international programs, Singapore KrisFlyer among them, expire miles on a fixed schedule regardless of activity. No amount of small transactions saves them. These balances need a redemption plan from the day you start earning.
The practical rule that follows: earn into a specific trip rather than accumulating speculatively, and keep transferable points in the bank currency (Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, Bilt) rather than pre-transferring to an airline. Bank points do not expire while the account is open and stay flexible — transferring early converts a flexible asset into a perishable one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Delta SkyMiles expire?
No. Delta SkyMiles do not expire, and neither do United MileagePlus, JetBlue TrueBlue or Southwest Rapid Rewards miles.
How do I stop my American or Alaska miles from expiring?
Any qualifying activity resets the 24-month clock — earning or redeeming. A small purchase through the shopping portal or a dining-program transaction is enough, and takes minutes.
Do credit card points expire?
Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou points and Bilt Rewards do not expire while your account is open and in good standing. Closing the card is what puts them at risk, so redeem or transfer before you close.
Should I transfer points to an airline to keep them safe?
Usually the opposite. Bank points stay flexible and do not expire while the account is open; airline miles may. Transfer only when you have a specific award in mind and have confirmed the space, because transfers are irreversible.
Not sure a redemption is worth it? Before you burn miles just to reset an expiration clock, run the numbers — our cents-per-point calculator shows what a redemption is actually returning, and the current transfer bonuses are usually a better reason to move points than a deadline is.
The Bottom Line
Most airline miles can be protected with a little planning, but the exact rules vary by program. Checking your balances and the current terms for each program you hold is the only way to know for certain.
Use the search tool to explore award options with the miles you already have — putting them to work is often the most satisfying way to keep them from expiring.