Why Points Expire: Four Rules to Check Before You Transfer
“Use your points once in a while” is not a complete expiry plan. Some programmes reset an inactivity clock when you complete qualifying activity. Others expire each batch a set time after it was earned. Some do not expire points, while bank rewards can depend on account conditions.
Imagine earning miles in January and again in June. Under a batch-based rule, the January miles can expire first even if the account has recent activity. Under an inactivity rule, a qualifying transaction may extend the whole balance. The same account history can therefore produce different outcomes.
The four models
| Model | What starts the clock? | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Activity-based expiry | Last qualifying earning or redemption | Which activities qualify and when they post |
| Batch-based expiry | When each group of points was earned | Expiry date for each batch and any extension rules |
| No scheduled expiry | No ordinary expiry clock | Account closure and other programme conditions |
| Bank-account conditions | Rules attached to the rewards account | Closure, standing, product changes and redemption terms |
Activity-based: qualifying is the key word
Marriott Bonvoy's guidance calls for qualifying activity within 24 consecutive months and lists eligible activities. An action that appears in an account is not necessarily one that extends the balance.
British Airways' Avios overview describes collecting, spending, buying or sharing Avios at least once every 36 months. Its programme conditions specify that Combine My Avios movements do not prevent expiry. Moving a balance is therefore not a universal reset.
Check the qualifying-activity definition, member-status exceptions and posting deadline. Record the new expiry date after an action posts rather than assuming the transaction worked.
Batch-based: recent activity may not protect old miles
Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer conditions give ordinary Basic, Silver and Gold members' miles a three-year validity period, with expiry at the end of the corresponding month in Singapore time. The conditions include exceptions, including different treatment for PPS Club members.
Under this model, a new earning transaction does not generally turn old miles into newly earned miles. Check the account's batch expiry schedule and the programme's extension or redemption rules before relying on activity.
No scheduled expiry still has account conditions
Delta states that SkyMiles do not expire. That removes an ordinary inactivity deadline. It does not promise permanent account access regardless of conduct or account conditions; its programme terms describe circumstances affecting membership and balances.
Keep account access and contact information current. A “no expiry” rule also says nothing about future award prices or availability.
Bank rewards: read the agreement for your product
Flexible bank rewards have their own rules. Account closure, standing and product changes can affect access or redemption. Do not copy an airline's expiry rule onto a bank balance, or assume every card from a bank has the same conditions.
Read the agreement and rewards terms for your exact card before closing or changing it. If moving points is part of the plan, check the destination programme's expiry rules too. A transfer can exchange broad options for a narrower balance with a new deadline.
Make an expiry note that is specific enough to use
- Record programme, balance and the expiry date shown in the account.
- Identify whether the rule follows inactivity or individual earning batches.
- Choose an action explicitly listed as qualifying, if the model permits a reset.
- Allow for posting time and the programme's time zone.
- Confirm the updated date or completed redemption in the account.
For an available award, start with the booking and work back to the transfer amount. The bonus calculation guide explains that sequence, and the Avios guide separates bank transfers from moves between programmes.
Source check: the programme rules linked above were reviewed on 29 September 2026. They are examples of distinct models; consult the current terms and your account's displayed dates before acting.