Don’t want all those air miles you’ve accumulated to go to waste?
You spend hundreds or thousands of dollars traveling with your favorite airlines, and taking full advantage of your rewards can save you money in the future — but letting your miles expire means you miss out on those precious freebies completely.
Keeping your miles from expiring can be a challenge when you have a tight schedule and responsibilities keeping you on the ground, but don’t worry: we’ll make it easier below!
Get Organized with Your Expiry Dates
The simplest, most effective way to prevent your airline miles expiring before you realize is to get organized.
Gather all the details of the miles you’ve accumulated and put them into a document or spreadsheet. Make sure you color code dates to help yourself keep track of which end soonest and which allow you a little more leeway (red for urgent, green for the furthest away etc.).
Consider adding reminders in your calendar app too; this way, you’ll be notified wherever you are.
Choose a Program Without Expiration Dates
Certain airlines — such as Southwest and JetBlue — have no expiration dates on their frequent-flier programs.
While it might sound too good to be true, it really isn’t. Choosing one of these frequent flyer reward programs is the smartest choice if you’re only an occasional flier, as you can let your miles build up over time without worrying about losing them.
Consider Signing Up for an Airline Credit Card
Typically, your expiration dates will reset whenever you redeem or earn an airline mile on airline credit cards. Whenever you make a purchase with these, you’ll contribute to your mileage and keep your collection from expiring.
You may be able to take advantage of special perks too, such as priority boarding (always a welcome bonus). Just take care to look into the various options available on the market and get as much information as possible before signing up.
Buy from Airline Partners
Airlines tend to collaborate with companies across multiple industries, such as car-rental firms and hotels. When you make a transaction with these partners, you may be able to earn extra miles far quicker than you would if you depended on your frequent flying alone.
The faster you can accumulate miles, the sooner you can use them — and the less likely you’ll be to forget!
Buy your Miles Instead
Buying airline miles can help you enjoy upgrades and travel in greater comfort without having to wait to earn it yourself.
Many frequent fliers sell their own airline miles: this prevents them going to waste and allows someone else to enjoy their perks when they might not otherwise. Buying your miles is quick and easy, with a variety of leading airlines covered.
Buying miles is fast and affordable — so what are you waiting for?
