Get Your Expired Airline Miles Reinstated
Your airline frequent flyer miles have expired after a period of account inactivity. Many airlines allow reinstatement of recently expired miles — either for free or for a fee. Act quickly, as reinstatement windows vary by airline.
For most airlines, reinstatement is straightforward — either through a fee payment or earning qualifying activity. The main challenge is acting before the reinstatement window closes.
⚠Why This Happens
Account inactivity (most common trigger)
Most commonMost airline loyalty programs expire miles after 18–36 months of account inactivity. Any qualifying activity (flight, purchase, partner transaction) resets the expiration clock.
Unaware of expiration policy
CommonMany members don't realize their miles have an expiration date, especially infrequent flyers who accumulate miles over many years.
Email notifications missed
CommonAirlines send warning emails before expiration, but these often end up in spam or are overlooked.
Account email address changed and not updated
ModerateIf the email on file is outdated, expiration warnings are never received.
🎯What To Do Right Now
- 1
Log in and check when your miles expired
Log into your frequent flyer account and check the activity history. Note the exact expiration date — most airlines require reinstatement within 6–18 months of expiration.
~Same day - 2
Check the airline's miles reinstatement policy
Each airline has different rules. Some charge per-mile fees; others allow free reinstatement through earning activity. Check the airline's FAQ or call member services.
~Same day - 3
Try earning miles to trigger automatic reinstatement
Some airlines (like American AAdvantage) automatically reinstate expired miles when you earn new miles through a qualifying activity within a set window.
~Same day to 1 week - 4
Pay the reinstatement fee if required
Airlines like United, Delta, and American charge per-mile reinstatement fees, typically $0.005–$0.01 per mile, plus a processing fee. For large balances, this can be significant.
~Same day - 5
Call member services if the online process doesn't work
For large mile balances or if the online portal doesn't show a reinstatement option, call the airline's frequent flyer customer service directly.
~Same day
📞Contact Information
The Points Guy has an up-to-date guide on each airline's specific reinstatement process. American AAdvantage reinstatement: aa.com. United: united.com/mileageplus.
🧑How to Reach a Live Person
Via Phone — frequent flyer customer service
- Call the frequent flyer program number (not general reservations)
- Say 'miles reinstatement' or 'expired miles'
- Have your frequent flyer number and the approximate amount of expired miles ready
- Ask about the cost and process for reinstatement
- Elite status members get faster service and sometimes fee waivers
- Be friendly — representatives often have discretion on fees
- Ask if there's a promotion currently running that reduces reinstatement fees
Average wait: 10–30 minutes
Via Online portal
- Log into your frequent flyer account
- Look for 'Restore Miles' or 'Reinstate Miles' in account settings
- Follow the prompts and pay any applicable fee
- Hilton and American have formal online reinstatement portals
- Online reinstatement is usually processed faster than phone
Average wait: Immediate (online)
📋Documents & Info You'll Need
💰Cost Breakdown
💬What Reddit Says
For American AAdvantage, you don't need to pay cash to reinstate miles. Simply register for the AAdvantage Dining program and make one qualifying purchase to earn 2,000 Loyalty Points. This reinstates all eligible expired miles.
The single best way to prevent expiration is to set a calendar reminder every 11 months to make a small qualifying purchase on one of the airline's partner programs (dining, shopping portal, hotel transfer).
Delta SkyMiles and Southwest Rapid Rewards have the most lenient expiration policies. American and United miles expire after 18–24 months of inactivity but can be reinstated for a fee.
Before paying to reinstate miles, calculate their value. Miles are typically worth $0.01–$0.015 each for flights. If the reinstatement fee is close to the value of the miles, it may not be worth it.
📝Appeal Template
Dear [Airline] Frequent Flyer Customer Service, Frequent Flyer Account: [XXXXXXXXXX] Member Name: [Full Name] I am writing to request reinstatement of my [X,XXX] [Airline] miles, which expired on [Date]. I have been a [Airline] frequent flyer member since [Year]. The miles expired during a period when I was [unable to travel due to health issues / working from home / other reason]. I would like to reinstate these miles and resume flying with [Airline]. I am happy to [make a qualifying purchase / pay a reinstatement fee / both] as required. Could you please advise on the reinstatement process and any applicable fees? Thank you, [Full Name] [Frequent Flyer Number] [Phone] [Email]
Key Elements:
- Frequent flyer account number
- Approximate number of miles expired
- Reason for inactivity (brief)
- Willingness to make a qualifying purchase or pay a fee
- Polite and brief tone
Mistakes to Avoid:
- Waiting too long — most airlines have a 12–18 month reinstatement window
- Not checking if earning activity would automatically reinstate miles (often cheaper than paying fees)
- Paying premium prices for miles that are worth less than the reinstatement fee
⚖Do You Need a Lawyer?
Miles reinstatement is purely a customer service matter. No legal action is available or warranted.
Look for: N/A
Typical cost: N/A
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