Mileage expiry is the loss of a balance when an account shows no activity for a defined period, or when a fixed deadline runs out.
Mileage expiry is the loss of a balance when an account shows no activity for a defined period, or when a fixed deadline runs out.
Also called: Points expiration, Expiry policy.
How it works#
Most programmes do not use a hard deadline but an activity clock: any credit or debit resets it, however small. A purchase through a partner portal or a single card transaction is usually enough. Someone who knows their own programme’s rule effectively never loses miles, and someone who does not tends to lose the entire balance without a reminder.
Not to be confused with#
Mileage expiry is not to be confused with a devaluation: expiry removes the balance, a devaluation keeps it and only reduces what it buys.
In German#
The German term is Meilenverfall. German version of this term
Related terms#
- Devaluation: A devaluation is a worsening of a programme’s redemption terms: the same award costs more miles afterwards, or it stops being bookable at all.
- Mile: A mile is the currency unit of a frequent flyer programme: a credit in an airline account that can be exchanged for flights and other awards.
- Points pooling: Points pooling is the combining of balances from several accounts so that an award can be paid for which no single account holds enough.
Articles that use this term#
TopicEvery article and term onPoints and miles.