# American Airlines new policy - - points expire at 18 months



## Conan (Nov 26, 2007)

> AAdvantage members now must have mileage earning or redemption activity once every eighteen (18) months in order to remain active and retain their miles. Effective December 15, 2007, mileage balances will expire from AAdvantage accounts that have not had miles either earned or redeemed within the previous eighteen (18) month period. If the last activity in your AAdvantage account was prior to June 15, 2006, all miles subject to expiration will expire on December 15, 2007.


https://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p=/utility/mileageExpiration.jsp


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## Steel5Rings (Nov 26, 2007)

What a bunch of garbage.  

Just another way for them to stick it to the leisure traveler.

I suggest folks look at buying a magazine subscription to keep activity on the account....usually cost you 500 miles or so.


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## Dave M (Nov 26, 2007)

Thanks for the reminder. However, this is not a new announcement. 
As previously discussed here, Aadvantage members have had over six months to earn some miles to avoid expiration of miles on December 15.


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## x3 skier (Nov 26, 2007)

Easiest way to take care of this is to either
a) get a airline branded credit card and use it once a year
b) link your FF number to a hotel or rent a car use
c) use one of the many i-Dine options
d) redeem for a subscription 
e) take a flight for $69 or so on one of the many week end fares (for example, Delta has a fare for $69 each way from Cincinnati to Tampa this week end and American has similar ones)

Cheers


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## lopil (Nov 26, 2007)

*Earn AA Advantage Miles*

If you shop online you can earn Advantage miles through several different retailers.  You will have to use the American Airlines link to enter the retailer's website. These include Macy's, Sears, Office Depot, Comp USA, Barnes & Noble, Target, JC Penney and Home Depot.  There are several flower shops like FTD, 1-800-Flowers who offer 10 miles per dollar spent.  You can send someone flowers and earn miles.  You can find the list at https://www.aadvantageeshopping.com/.  If you are not a Fidelity customer you can also open and fund a non-retirement Fidelity Brokerage Account and earn 5,000 AmericanAirlines AAdvantage miles if you deposit $2,500 (you can use your savings from buying resale to do this).


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## Judy (Nov 27, 2007)

The most challenging part of this new policy - and that of other airlines - is that it's a rolling 18 months expiration period.  So it's not enough to remember to check your miles in December.  Now you have to remember when your last miles posted and calculate 18 months from that date - or continually check your account online.  If you keep several frequent flier accounts and watch out for other family members' accounts like I do, it can be quite annoying.  Mileport helps, but it still can't pick up expiration dates for all airlines' miles.


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## philemer (Nov 27, 2007)

Judy said:


> The most challenging part of this new policy - and that of other airlines - is that it's a rolling 18 months expiration period.  So it's not enough to remember to check your miles in December.  Now you have to remember when your last miles posted and calculate 18 months from that date - or continually check your account online.  If you keep several frequent flier accounts and watch out for other family members' accounts like I do, it can be quite annoying.  Mileport helps, but it still can't pick up expiration dates for all airlines' miles.



Just do one of the suggested earning opportunities above once a year, say in Dec., and you don't ever have to worry. Mark it on your calendar.


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## dougp26364 (Nov 27, 2007)

I hate carrying a lot of different CC's but, it's almost a necessity to keep my FF mile accounts active. We generally go to Starbucks before heading into work. I just rotate through those cards to buy our coffee each night and pay them off online as I go. Nothing like flying on a FF ticket one cup of Starbucks at a time.


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## Conan (Nov 27, 2007)

I have an AA-affiliated credit card, so my miles are safe.
But my wife's miles are still at risk (even though she's the principal user of the card!).


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## johnmfaeth (Nov 27, 2007)

Reminds me of the old jingle...

"We're American Airlines, doing what we do best"...

Now we know what they are best at doing:ignore: ...


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## x3 skier (Nov 27, 2007)

johnmfaeth said:


> Reminds me of the old jingle...
> 
> "We're American Airlines, doing what we do best"...
> 
> Now we know what they are best at doing:ignore: ...



Actually, I can't think of anybody (at least who I fly) who has not gone to a 18 activity requirement although I am sure there are some.

Cheers


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## Dave M (Nov 27, 2007)

AA, CO*, UA and US = 18 months
DL = 2 years
NW = 3 years*

* = Unlike the others, there is no official expiration period. However, the airline reserves the right to cancel an account if inactivity continues for this period.


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## johnmfaeth (Nov 27, 2007)

I guess I'm spoiled with Newark being my primary airport and 20+ years of preference for People Express - uh, I mean Continental.

I just like their attitude and American always manages to treat me like part of the cattle herd, maybe it's just bad luck on my part, but I am no fan.

I do have to give my most improved award to US Airways, reluctantly flew them last year and was shocked at how much they have improved and how great Charlotte Airport has become. They were impressive, maybe I should even forget about them driving 3 airplanes in 18 months into Flushing Bay (LGA-NYC) during the 80's. :ignore: (and Piedmont was a great discount option in the 70's)

And life is just too short to ever fly Northwest or Southwest or any airline named after compass points. Why are they so bad? I dunno the causes but they are...

Never flew United, we don't go to the same destinations apparently.

And I still don't forgive Delta for driving Pan Am under with a bad route deal and some reneging.

I've become my father I guess...

Perhaps it's time for a new subscription so my AA miles don't die of young age...


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## x3 skier (Nov 28, 2007)

johnmfaeth said:


> I do have to give my most improved award to US Airways,  (and Piedmont was a great discount option in the 70's)



One reason I avoid Useless Air is what they did to Piedmont when they hoovered them up (not to mention the horror show called Philadelphia Airport aka the great airliner parking lot).  

Piedmont was a great airline! 

Cheers


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## Hoc (Nov 28, 2007)

This change doesn't bother me because it's easy to get a couple of miles through free surveys, rewardsnetwork, subscribing to their emails, affinity cards, etc.  What bothers me is the next change they will make: You have to earn miles by flying with them at least once every 18 months to keep the miles alive.  Then, the time period will shorten to a year, and then there will be a minimum annual mileage requirement. 

Those are the changes that concern me.


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## Joe L (Nov 28, 2007)

Go to www.opinionplace.com  Pick ur reward as AA miles. You get a survey every 14 days. You might not be accepted for a survey. If not you can go back in 7 days. I have a AA Citibank debit card, so it's not an issue for me. But still use Opinion Place to get those extra miles. Usually around 125 to 175 per survey. The surveys count as activity and extend the 18 month cut off.


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## Judy (Nov 29, 2007)

Hoc said:


> What bothers me is the next change they will make: You have to earn miles by flying with them at least once every 18 months to keep the miles alive.  Then, the time period will shorten to a year, and then there will be a minimum annual mileage requirement. Those are the changes that concern me.


I hope you're making these up


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## Hoc (Nov 29, 2007)

Judy said:


> I hope you're making these up



I'm guessing, but I doubt that I will be that far off.  Only time will tell.


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