Do Airline Miles Expire in 2026? Complete Guide + Smart Ways to Save or Sell Your Miles

Airline miles are a currency—but unlike the cash in your bank account, most miles come with an expiration date. To airlines, unused miles are a liability. Once they expire, that liability disappears as revenue. In accounting terms, it’s called “breakage.”

For travelers, though, expired miles are pure loss.

If you’re sitting on 50,000 miles valued conservatively at 1.2 cents each, letting them expire is the equivalent of burning $600 in cash. Yet every year, millions of miles vanish because travelers don’t understand expiration rules—or wait too long to act.

In 2026, airline expiration policies are sharply divided. Most U.S. carriers no longer expire miles, while many international airlines strictly enforce “use it or lose it” rules. This guide breaks down every major airline’s mileage expiration policy and shows you how to protect—or monetize—your miles before they disappear.

💡 Quick option: If your miles are at risk of expiring and you don’t plan to fly soon, you can sell unused airline miles for cash instead of losing them.
👉 Sell airline miles safely at MileageSpot:
https://www.mileagespot.com/sell-miles

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The 3 Types of Airline Mileage Expiration Policies

Before looking at individual airlines, you need to understand the three expiration systems that control your account.

1. No Expiration (Best Case)

Miles never expire as long as your account remains open. This is the gold standard and is now common among U.S. airlines.

2. Soft Expiration (Activity-Based)

Miles expire after a set period of inactivity (12–36 months).
Any qualifying activity—even earning or redeeming 1 mile—resets the clock for your entire balance.

3. Hard Expiration (Time-Based)

The most dangerous policy. Each mile expires a fixed number of months after it’s earned (usually 36 months).
New activity does NOT reset old miles. If you don’t use them, they’re gone.

If your miles fall under hard expiration, selling them before the deadline is often the smartest financial move.

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The “Safe Zone”: Airlines With No Mileage Expiration

As of 2026, the following programs allow you to hold miles indefinitely:

Delta SkyMiles & United MileagePlus

Miles never expire, regardless of inactivity.

Southwest Rapid Rewards & JetBlue TrueBlue

Excellent programs for casual travelers—no expiration at all.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Miles do not expire, but accounts may be locked after 24 months of inactivity. A small transaction every two years avoids issues.

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Soft Expiration Programs (Reset Required)

These programs require vigilance—but are easy to protect.

American Airlines AAdvantage (24 Months)

Miles expire after 24 months of inactivity.

How to prevent expiration:

• Hold a Citi or Barclays AAdvantage credit card
• Buy something through the AA shopping portal
• Donate a small amount of miles

💡 Alternative option:
If you don’t plan to fly American soon, you can sell your AAdvantage miles before expiration instead of doing maintenance transactions.
👉 https://www.mileagespot.com/sell-miles

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Air Canada Aeroplan (Paused Until Nov 30, 2026)

Normally expires after 18 months of inactivity, but expiration is paused until late 2026.

This is a rare opportunity to hold or liquidate points without pressure.

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Avianca LifeMiles (12 Months)

One of the strictest soft-expiration policies.

Example math:

• 63,000 LifeMiles ≈ $2,500 business class flight
• Cost to buy 1,000 miles to reset clock ≈ $33
• ROI: 7,000%+

If you won’t use them soon, selling is often better than managing short deadlines.

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British Airways Avios (36 Months)

Expires after 36 months of inactivity.
A simple Amex or Chase transfer resets the clock instantly.

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Hard Expiration Airlines (High Risk)

These airlines enforce fixed expiration dates—no mercy.

Airline	Expiration	Extension
Singapore Airlines	36 months	Paid extension
ANA	36 months	No (Diamond only)
Lufthansa	36 months	Credit card/status
Emirates	3 years (birthday-based)	Paid extension
Turkish Airlines	3 years	Paid extension

Why Selling Makes Sense Here

Hard-expiration miles are ticking clocks. If you miss the window, they’re gone forever.

💰 Instead of losing them, many travelers sell expiring miles for cash on MileageSpot.
👉 https://www.mileagespot.com

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How to Calculate If Saving Miles Is Worth It

Always treat miles like money.

Rescue Formula

Value of miles – Cost to extend = Net value

Example:

• 20,000 Turkish miles
• Cost to extend: $200
• Flight value: $800
• Net gain: $600 → Worth saving

But if extension costs exceed value, selling before expiration is the smarter exit.

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3 Fast Ways to Reset Soft Expiration (Without Flying)

1️⃣ Donate 1,000 miles to charity
2️⃣ Buy a $1–$5 item via airline shopping portals
3️⃣ Use airline dining programs for a coffee purchase

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Common Mistake: Family Pooling Accounts

In some programs, activity by the main account holder does not protect individual member balances. Always check each account separately.

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Final Strategy: Think Like an Investor

In 2026, airline miles should be managed like a portfolio.

• No-expiration miles: Hold or redeem strategically
• Soft-expiration miles: Reset annually or sell if unused
• Hard-expiration miles: Use or sell before the deadline

Spending $5—or 5 minutes—to protect thousands in value is the highest ROI move in travel.

Or better yet: convert unused miles into cash instead of gambling on future trips.

👉 Sell airline miles securely at MileageSpot:
https://www.mileagespot.com

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)