Do Airline Miles Expire? Every Major Airline's Policy in 2026
Most major U.S. carriers have eliminated mileage expiration — but American Airlines, Frontier, and every hotel program still have an inactivity clock. Here's the full breakdown for 2026.
Most major U.S. carriers have eliminated mileage expiration — but American Airlines, Frontier, and every hotel program still have an inactivity clock. Here's the full breakdown for 2026.
Here's the good news. If you fly one of the Big Three U.S. carriers — Delta, United, or American — your miles are safe. Well, mostly safe.
The airline loyalty landscape has shifted dramatically over the past few years. Most major U.S. programs have eliminated mileage expiration entirely. But "most" isn't "all," and the details matter more than the headlines.
Let's break down every major airline's current policy, plus hotel programs and credit card points, so you know exactly where you stand in 2026.
Six major U.S. airline programs now have a straightforward no-expiration policy. Your miles sit in your account indefinitely — no activity required, no hoops to jump through.
Delta SkyMiles do not expire. Period. There's no inactivity clock, no qualifying activity requirement, nothing. Your miles stay put as long as your account is open and in good standing.
The only way you lose Delta miles is if the airline closes your account — which would require fraud, duplicate accounts, or you living in a sanctioned country. For the average traveler, this is as close to bulletproof as it gets.
United MileagePlus miles don't expire. United dropped its 18-month inactivity policy back in 2019, and miles now remain in your account indefinitely as long as your account stays open.
One thing to watch: United does reserve the right to close accounts that violate program terms. But if you're just sitting on miles and not doing anything sketchy, you're fine.
Southwest Rapid Rewards points never expire. This is a change from the old policy, which required activity every 24 months. Now your points just sit there until you're ready to use them.
Close your account, though, and those points are gone. So keep that Rapid Rewards account open even if you haven't flown Southwest in years.
JetBlue TrueBlue points do not expire. No activity requirement, no timeline. As long as your TrueBlue account exists, your points exist.
JetBlue's official terms are refreshingly clear on this one: "TrueBlue points do not expire."
Alaska Mileage Plan miles do not expire. Alaska dropped its 24-month inactivity policy in April 2023, joining the no-expiration club.
Worth noting: following the Alaska-Hawaiian merger, the combined program is transitioning to Atmos Rewards in 2026. The DOT required Alaska to preserve rewards value during the merger, so your miles converted at a 1:1 ratio. They still don't expire under the new program.
HawaiianMiles stopped expiring in April 2021. With the Alaska merger now complete, HawaiianMiles have been folded into the Atmos Rewards program at a 1:1 conversion. No expiration carries over.
If you had a dusty HawaiianMiles account, your miles are now Alaska/Atmos miles — and they're still alive.
Not every program has gotten the memo. A couple of major U.S. carriers still expire your miles if you don't show activity.
American Airlines is the notable holdout among the Big Three. AAdvantage miles expire after 24 months of no qualifying activity. That means if you don't earn or redeem a single mile in two years, your entire balance disappears.
The silver linings: members under 21 are exempt, and primary cardholders on an AAdvantage co-branded credit card are also exempt. If you carry the card, your miles never expire regardless of flight activity.
If your miles do expire, you can reactivate up to 500,000 miles within 24 months of expiration — but you'll pay a reactivation fee. And you only get one shot at it.
Frontier Miles expire after just 12 months of no earning activity. That's the shortest window among U.S. carriers. If you fly Frontier once a year, you're fine. But forget about them for 13 months and your balance resets to zero.
Frontier World Mastercard holders are exempt — their miles don't expire as long as the card stays open.
Spirit Airlines ceased all operations on May 2, 2026, following its second bankruptcy. The Free Spirit loyalty program is no longer active. If you had Free Spirit points, they cannot be redeemed or transferred. Any resolution for outstanding points will go through the bankruptcy process.
It's a harsh reminder that airline miles are only as durable as the airline itself.
| Airline | Program Name | Do Miles Expire? | Inactivity Period | How to Keep Active |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | SkyMiles | No | N/A | Keep account open |
| United | MileagePlus | No | N/A | Keep account open |
| American | AAdvantage | Yes | 24 months | Earn or redeem miles; hold co-branded credit card |
| Southwest | Rapid Rewards | No | N/A | Keep account open |
| JetBlue | TrueBlue | No | N/A | Keep account open |
| Alaska | Mileage Plan / Atmos Rewards | No | N/A | Keep account open |
| Hawaiian | Atmos Rewards (merged) | No | N/A | Keep account open |
| Frontier | Frontier Miles | Yes | 12 months | Earn miles via flight or credit card |
| Spirit | Free Spirit (defunct) | Program closed | N/A | Airline ceased operations May 2026 |
If you collect miles with international carriers, the picture is different. Most overseas programs still expire miles after a period of inactivity.
The trend internationally is still toward expiration — U.S. carriers are the exception, notthe rule.
Here's where things get interesting. Credit card points from the major programs — Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, and Capital One Miles — do not expire from inactivity. But there's a catch.
If you close the credit card, your points are gone. Chase gives you 30 days after closing to use them. Amex and Capital One? Your points vanish immediately when you close your last rewards-earning card in that program.
The practical advice: if you're thinking about closing a rewards card, transfer your points to an airline or hotel partner first. Once they're in an airline program with no expiration — like Delta or United — they're safe regardless of what happens to your credit card.
Planning a trip to use those points? Autopilot can help you find and book the best redemptions so nothing goes to waste.
Unlike most airline programs, every major hotel loyalty program still expires points after a period of inactivity. Here's the breakdown:
The good news is that "activity" is broadly defined for hotel programs. A single credit card purchase, buying points, donating points, or even registering for a promotion can reset the clock. You don't actually need to stay at a hotel.
If you're in a program that does expire miles, here are the easiest ways to keep your balance alive — most of which take less than five minutes.
Sometimes, yes. But it'll cost you.
American Airlines lets you reactivate up to 500,000 expired AAdvantage miles within 24 months of expiration. You'll pay a fee based on the number of miles, and you only get one transaction to do it.
Frontier offers reinstatement for $50 to $500, depending on your balance.
Avianca LifeMiles charges $10 per 1,000 miles for reinstatement.
Emirates Skywards lets you reinstate up to 50,000 miles for $20 per 1,000, but you must act within six months of expiration.
The math rarely works out in your favor. Before paying to reinstate miles, compare the reinstatement cost against simply buying new miles or booking a paid fare. Often, the reactivation fee exceeds the actual value of the miles.
The industry has moved decisively toward no-expiration policies. If you fly Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue, or Alaska, your miles are safe indefinitely. American is the one Big Three carrier still holding onto its 24-month policy — though a co-branded credit card solves that instantly.
Hotel programs are another story. Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG all expire points after 12-24 months of inactivity. Keep at least one co-branded card active or make a small purchase through a shopping portal once a year.
And credit card points? They don't expire from inactivity, but they vanish if you close the card. Transfer first, close second. Always.
Ready to put your miles to use before they collect any more dust? Search flights on Autopilot and find the best way to redeem what you've earned.
No. Delta SkyMiles do not expire as long as your SkyMiles account remains open and in good standing. There is no inactivity requirement — your miles stay in your account indefinitely.
No. United eliminated its mileage expiration policy in 2019. Your MileagePlus miles remain in your account as long as it's open, with no activity requirement.
Yes. AAdvantage miles expire after 24 consecutive months with no qualifying earning or redemption activity. However, holding a co-branded AAdvantage credit card or being under 21 exempts you from this policy.
No. Southwest Rapid Rewards points do not expire. The airline removed its previous 24-month inactivity expiration policy. Your points remain as long as your account stays open.
Yes. If an airline ceases operations, your miles are typically lost. Spirit Airlines shut down on May 2, 2026, and Free Spirit members lost their accumulated points with no transfer option. This is why many experts recommend not hoarding miles — use them regularly rather than letting them accumulate indefinitely.
Points from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, and Capital One Miles do not expire from inactivity. However, they are forfeited if you close all cards in the program. Always transfer points to an airline or hotel partner before canceling your last rewards card.
Yes. All four major hotel programs expire points after a period of inactivity: IHG One Rewards after 12 months, and Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and World of Hyatt after 24 months each. Any earning or redemption activity resets the expiration clock.
The simplest method is holding a co-branded credit card for that airline program. Even without flying, a single credit card purchase counts as qualifying activity and resets the expiration timer. Alternatively, using the airline's online shopping portal or dining program resets your inactivity clock with minimal effort.
Disclaimer: Airline and hotel loyalty program terms and conditions are subject to change at any time without notice. The information in this article reflects policies as of May 2026. Always verify current terms directly with the airline or hotel program before making decisions based on expiration policies. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
