Do airline miles expire? With most major airlines, your miles never expire. However, there are two notable exceptions: American Airlines and British Airways. Earning and redeeming miles on a semi-regular basis will keep your miles from expiring with these two programs.

Whether travel miles expire in 2026 depends entirely on the specific airline's policy, but the industry is largely split into three categories. Major U.S. carriers like Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue, and Alaska have transitioned to a "never expire" model, where your miles remain in your account for life regardless of activity. A second category, including American Airlines and British Airways, uses a "soft expiration" policy; for example, American miles expire after 24 months of inactivity, but any earning or redeeming activity (like a small purchase through a shopping portal) resets the clock for another two years. Finally, international carriers like Singapore Airlines, ANA, and Emirates often use a "hard expiration" policy, where miles expire after 36 months regardless of activity. It is crucial for travelers to monitor their accounts, as letting miles lapse is effectively losing significant financial value. Many programs, such as Air France/KLM's Flying Blue, have recently simplified their rules to a flat 24-month inactivity window to be more member-friendly.