You’ve been stockpiling points for that dream trip. Then you get an email: “Your miles will expire in 90 days.”
Panic mode.
Here’s the thing — not all points expire. And the ones that do? They’re usually easy to keep alive. This guide breaks down every major program’s expiration policy so you never lose points again.
The Quick Answer
| Program Type | Expiration | How to Prevent |
|---|---|---|
| Bank points (Chase, Amex, Capital One) | Never* | Keep account open |
| Airline miles | Varies (12-24 months) | Any activity |
| Hotel points | Varies (12-24 months) | Any activity |
*Points forfeit if you close all cards in that program.
Credit Card Points: The Safe Ones
Chase Ultimate Rewards — Never Expire ✅
Chase Ultimate Rewards points do not expire as long as you hold any UR-earning card:
- Sapphire Preferred/Reserve
- Freedom Flex/Unlimited
- Ink Business cards
The catch: If you close ALL your Chase UR cards, you lose your points. Always keep at least one card open — the no-annual-fee Freedom Unlimited is perfect for this.
Tip: Points from the Freedom cards can only be transferred to airlines/hotels if you also have a Sapphire or Ink Preferred card.
Amex Membership Rewards — Never Expire ✅
Amex Membership Rewards points never expire while you hold an MR-earning card:
- Gold Card
- Platinum Card
- Green Card
- Business Gold/Platinum
The catch: Close all your MR cards = forfeit all points. The Green Card ($150/year) is the cheapest way to keep points alive if you’re downgrading.
Warning: Amex sometimes claws back points if you cancel a card too quickly after earning a welcome bonus. Keep cards at least 12 months.
Capital One Miles — Never Expire ✅
Capital One miles don’t expire as long as your account is open and in good standing.
Since the Venture X ($395) and Venture ($95) have annual fees, keep the no-fee VentureOne as a “keep alive” card if you ever want to downgrade.
Citi ThankYou Points — Never Expire ✅
Citi ThankYou points don’t expire while you hold an active ThankYou-earning card. The Double Cash (no annual fee) now earns ThankYou points, making it easy to keep your balance safe.
Bilt Rewards — Never Expire ✅
Bilt Rewards points don’t expire. Since the Bilt Mastercard has no annual fee, there’s zero cost to keep your points indefinitely.
Airline Miles: Here’s Where It Gets Tricky
United MileagePlus — Never Expire ✅
United miles do not expire. Period. This changed in 2019 and makes United one of the safest places to park miles.
No activity required. Your miles sit there forever.
Delta SkyMiles — Never Expire ✅
Delta miles never expire. Another safe haven for your miles.
This is one reason Delta’s SkyMiles program, despite its dynamic pricing frustrations, remains popular. Read our Delta SkyMiles complete guide for redemption strategies.
American AAdvantage — 24 Months ⚠️
American Airlines miles expire after 24 months of inactivity.
How to reset:
- Earn miles (flights, credit card, shopping portal)
- Redeem miles (even for magazines)
- Buy miles
- Transfer miles from a partner
- SimplyMiles activity
Easy hack: Make one purchase through the AAdvantage eShopping portal every 18 months. Even $5 at a participating store resets your clock.
Southwest Rapid Rewards — 24 Months ⚠️
Southwest points expire after 24 months without earning or redemption activity.
Reset options:
- Fly Southwest
- Use a Southwest credit card
- Shop through the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal
- Dine through the Rapid Rewards Dining program
- Transfer from hotel partners
Chasing the Companion Pass? Make sure you have activity within every 24-month window.
JetBlue TrueBlue — 24 Months ⚠️
JetBlue points expire 24 months after your last qualifying activity.
Reset options:
- Fly JetBlue
- Earn through JetBlue credit card
- Shop through JetBlue’s shopping portal
- Book hotels/cars through JetBlue Vacations
Alaska Mileage Plan — 24 Months ⚠️
Alaska miles expire after 24 months of inactivity.
Reset options:
- Flight activity
- Credit card purchases
- Shopping portal
- Dining program
Alaska’s partners (including Starlux and JAL) make these miles particularly valuable — don’t let them expire.
International Airlines — Varies ⚠️
| Airline | Expiration | Activity Resets? |
|---|---|---|
| British Airways Avios | 36 months | Yes |
| Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 24 months | Yes |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | 36 months | Yes |
| ANA Mileage Club | 36 months | No (fixed from earn date) |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 18 months | Yes |
| Emirates Skywards | 36 months | Yes |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 36 months | Yes |
⚠️ ANA Warning: ANA miles expire exactly 36 months from when you EARNED them, regardless of activity. You can’t reset the clock. Plan your redemptions accordingly.
Hotel Points: The Mixed Bag
World of Hyatt — 24 Months ⚠️
Hyatt points expire after 24 months of inactivity.
Reset options:
- Hotel stays
- World of Hyatt credit card purchases
- Dining program
- Transfer from Chase UR
The Hyatt card is worth keeping just for the free night certificate and to keep points alive. See our Hyatt points guide for redemption strategies.
Marriott Bonvoy — 24 Months ⚠️
Marriott points expire after 24 months without activity.
Reset options:
- Hotel stays
- Credit card earnings
- Shopping portal
- Dining program
- Partner activities
With 8,000+ properties, keeping Marriott points alive through stays is usually easy.
Hilton Honors — Never Expire ✅
Hilton points do not expire as long as your account remains active. Even logging into your account counts as activity.
This makes Hilton one of the safest hotel programs for long-term point storage.
IHG One Rewards — 12 Months ⚠️
IHG points expire after just 12 months of inactivity — one of the shortest windows.
Reset options:
- Hotel stays
- Credit card activity
- PointBreaks redemptions
- Partner earning
If you have IHG points, set a calendar reminder for 10 months out.
How to Never Lose Points Again
1. Use a Credit Card Linked to Each Program
The easiest way to keep airline/hotel points alive is automatic credit card activity. Even one purchase per year resets most expiration clocks.
2. Set Calendar Reminders
For every program with expiration:
- Set a reminder 3 months before expiration
- Make a small purchase through their shopping portal
- Crisis averted
3. Consolidate to Non-Expiring Programs
If managing multiple programs is stressful, focus on:
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Amex Membership Rewards
- United MileagePlus
- Delta SkyMiles
- Hilton Honors
These never expire (or don’t expire with basic activity).
4. Use Shopping Portals
Almost every airline has a shopping portal. Buying anything — even a $10 Amazon purchase routed through the portal — earns miles and resets expiration.
Bookmark these:
- AAdvantage eShopping
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping
- Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping
- JetBlue TrueBlue Shopping
5. Check Your Balances Regularly
Use a tool like AwardWallet to track all your points in one place. It’ll alert you to upcoming expirations before it’s too late.
What If Points Already Expired?
Some programs offer reinstatement — for a fee:
| Program | Reinstatement? | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| American AAdvantage | Yes | Varies (often $150+) |
| Southwest | Limited | Case-by-case |
| Alaska | Yes | $0.02/mile |
| JetBlue | Yes | Varies |
| Marriott | Sometimes | Case-by-case |
| Hyatt | Rarely | Case-by-case |
Call the loyalty program directly and explain the situation. First-time reinstatements are often granted, especially for elite members or cardholders.
The Bottom Line
Safest places for your points:
- Chase Ultimate Rewards (never expire)
- Amex Membership Rewards (never expire)
- United MileagePlus (never expire)
- Delta SkyMiles (never expire)
- Hilton Honors (never expire)
Watch closely:
- American (24 months)
- Southwest (24 months)
- Hyatt (24 months)
- IHG (12 months!)
- ANA (36 months, can’t reset)
The golden rule: Keep one no-annual-fee credit card in each ecosystem, and your points are safe forever.
Don’t let years of earning vanish because you forgot to buy a pack of gum through a shopping portal.
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