Expiring AA Milage
 

DH has mileage on AA that is due to expire 5/4/14. We want to keep it - just not quite ready to use it. So if I'm reading the website correctly, he can rent a car for a day and because that's activity it should be good for another 18 months. Do you think I'm reading it correctly? Anyone have any experience in this area?

Rent a car, sign up for the dining program (eat, earn miles), buy some flowers, stay in a hotel, make a donation, buy something from SkyMall, fly... ANY activity in the account, from buying stuff to buying miles, will reset the 18 month clock.

http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ea...el/viewall.jsp

Does the activity have to occur before 5/4 or does it actually have to post before that date?

If the latter, make sure you allow enough time for the miles to post (if you are getting miles). If you are using miles, they'll take them quickly enough, I imagine!

Sometimes AA sell miles, which will requalify your account but obviously at a price. Alternatively, donate them to a charity.

Ditto what Cranachin said. UAL takes about two weeks for the shopping activities to post, so I'd do that sooner rather than later. No sense risking the fine point of activity date vs. posting date. I expect the miles will quickly vanish on the expiration date.

Thanks - I'll take a look at alternate options too besides the rental car

When I remember, I go to a site I buy from routinely, but get there through the airline site. For AA:

https://www.aadvantageeshopping.com/shopping/sp____.htm

I just noticed that Home Depot is one of the many merchants. That could be very useful.

P.S. I used the UAL shopping site a few weeks ago and my miles are still not posted to my account. I checked my shopping site account and see this message, with my underlined emphasis:

<i>Your recent MileagePlus Shopping transactions are below. Please note that <u>some transactions may take from 60 to 90 days</u> in order to appear in the list below, and miles posted to your MileagePlus Shopping Account may not be immediately available for redemption from your MileagePlus account.</i>

Best to make sure to do any shopping well in advance of miles expiring.

We opted for one of the quicker postings just to make sure it did get posted in time. We purchased a few miles and it posted to the account within 48 hours - so now we're good to go till 9/2015 with the mileage.

I think we've suddenly decided to try to use the mileage to get tickets in October for tickets to Italy. Either Oct 2014 or Spring of 2015 - I have to get busy and see what I can get which will be the deciding factor on the when.

Well we opted for one of the quicker options and bought a few miles. It posted to the account within 48 hours so now we're good to go till 09/2015.

Now we're actually looking at maybe using them in Oct of this year or Spring 2015. Sudden decision to go to Italy as our 15th Anniversary trip!

Dang hate it when somehow it double posts!