Attention: Anyone w/USAir Miles!
 

If you have not had any "activity" on your sky miles account, all of your miles will expire at the end of this month! I was able to keep my husbands miles by enrolling his statements be sent to his email address instead of mail = 1,000 miles = activity = safe for another 3 years!

Thanks for the alert. According the their website, activity within the past 36 mos will keep your account active. There's a list of partners and other things you can do to stay active. Whew!
I usually fly USAir but for my next trip I got a direct flight on SW much cheaper and don't expect to fly much this year.

What constitutes "activity"? Using miles for tickets, making purchases using the card, or both? I haven't been able to book a free ticket for quite some time because they are so unavailable, but I have used the card.

If it`s like AA, activity means actually booking a flight with either money or miles. Just using your card for purchases doesn`t count and doesn`t extend the expiration date. I had the same question a couple of years back.

There's a good summary right on their site of what constitutes "activity", but basically it's anything that changes the mileage level in the account, including spending the miles on magazine subscriptions.

Thanks for the info. :-)

I don't know if I explained myself in the beginning post, but by just agreeing to have my statements sent via email instead of in the mail constitued "activity" AND I received 1,000 miles!! You can call the 800# to make the change.

Well if activity means changing the mileage in your FF account why wouldn't using the airlines credit card that gives FF miles to your FF acount be considered activity.

With NW it does..of course hopefully NW will still be in business down the road.

I don't think the OP is talking credit card statesments. Instead, just the FF miles statements - and because of the 1,000 bonus miles deposit, he got another 3 years to wonder what to do with those miles. ;)

Thanks for the heads-up. Since I already signed up for online statements from USAir long ago, I can't use that trick. I'd get their visa card (no annual fee for first two years) but that may not show any activity for the month by the time it processes. Instead, I think I'm going to patronize one of the restaurants listed in the "partners" section - maybe lunch at Quizno's tomorrow?

Oddly enough, I've had 15K miles on my US Air account forever and now that they are merging with America West, I'll be able to fly them again for the first time in a decade, since USAir doesn't have service from Portland...and they want to get rid of my miles!

Andrew

Rather than engaging in a bunch of &quot;what ifs&quot; the types of qualifying activity are very <b>clearly</b> explained on the USAirways website.

And yes, earning miles using the credit card <b>does</b> count as &quot;qualifying&quot; activity.

LoveItaly - It does qualify. pat was speculating that it might be like another program, which it apparently isn't.

Intrepid - Thanks for the suggestion going along with what I had already pointed out. ;)

Am I ever glad I caught this post. I really don't want to lose my miles!

I've been &quot;meaning&quot; to sign up for the USAirways Visa card, but haven't done so yet. I don't think I have enough time now.

jlm_mi: I checked out usairways.com, but can't find anything about magazine subscriptions. I've received the offers in the mail but thrown them away because I didn't want to spend my miles on magazines. Now I don't have a choice.

Do you...or anyone else know how to redeem miles for magazines?

This is like guessing how many teeth a horse has, when it is easy to just look in his/her mouth.

Chack out <b>http://www.usairways.com/dividendmiles/programinfo/expiration.htm</b>

BTW, my wife and I have each applied to the both the USAir Visa and Mastercards, for the 15K points each. We plan to use the MC, since it gives 1 1/2 points per dollar spent. Now all we have to hope for is that USAir stays in business. ((R))

Jed, I've already been to that link, and it does say that redeeming miles for magazines constitutes activity. BUT, I can't find out how to actually redeem them for the magazines.

Maybe I'm missing something.....(wouldn't be the first time :-( )

I just looked into it. You can't do it online. You have to call 800-586-9632. ((F))

Thanks for the heads up, all. I went to the USAir page and noted that using the Bank of America VISA constitutes activity, while there is no mention of using the new Juniper Bank Master Card which is currently being offered as the 2-year-no-fee special (and which is the one I just applied for the other day). Just wanted to point that out.

Double-checking the information from USAir, it says the miles will expire in the first quarter of 2006 - doesn't that mean we have until March 31, 2006 to show account activity? Where did the January 31 date come from?

If I haven't yet applied for the credit card, I am doubtful that applying now would generate a mileage credit by January 31 to qualify. It takes time just to get your credit card, and you don't even get your 15K mileage bonus on it until after you make your first purchase. I think I'll do Quiznos instead.

Andrew

Jasmine - check out

<b>http://www.usairways.com/dividendmiles/earningmiles/index.htm</b>

Mastercard is mentioned.

OK, I signed up for the US Airways restaurant partner program - I had to register my card with them (online) and then, supposedly, ever purchase I make with that card at participating restaurants automatically earns me US Dividend miles (so I don't need a US Air credit card, any will do). Then I ate at a local participating restaurant and used my card. Let's hope this is enough to preserve my miles for another three years!

Andrew

Wow. This really made me nervous until I kept reading and realized it was in the last 36 months....

Hasn't that always been their policy? No activity for 3 years and you're out?

By the way, taking a magazine subscription from the mailing they send out now and then counts as &quot;activity&quot; and keeps your account in good standing for 36 mos.

No, Tracy, USAir used to have no expiration on their miles. I've had mine for 15 years - I haven't flown them since then! They don't fly out of Portland. But with the recent merger with America West, they have changed their policy. Ironically, just as I would be able to fly the new merged US Air again, they want to get rid of my miles!

Andrew

I don't know where <b>pat</b> gets hers/his information, but it's totally wrong.

Any miles activity in your AAdvantage program will extend the expiration for 3 years. That includes CC, Idine, Online surveys (hint:easy and free way to get some miles and extend the expiration), mortgages, phone/internet services, hotels, etc, etc...

Using miles is also considered an activity.

ANY MILES!

I believe that the same applies to all 6 US based legacy airlines.

Well, CO miles still don't expire. [BTW, isn't that strange? CO has the stingiest FF program and they refuse to set up any life-time elite membership. Yet, they don't take away your miles even if you don't fly them or do anything.]

But AAFF is correct about AA (how shocking! ;) ). My mom made a purchase on wine.com; and that's good enough to extend her miles for 3 years.