You Earned Those Points. Don't Let the Airline Keep Them.

Have you ever logged into a frequent flyer account, ready to book that long-haul upgrade, only to discover your points expired three weeks ago?

If that's happened to you, you're not alone — and you're not careless. Loyalty program expiry rules are deliberately complex. Airlines and hotel chains count on the fact that busy travelers won't track every program they've signed up for. It's not cynical to say that point expiry is a revenue strategy. It's just true.

The good news: a simple reminder system fixes this completely. Here's exactly how to build one.

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Why Points Expire Faster Than You Think

Most travelers assume their points are safe as long as they're "active" with a program. But "active" means something different in every program — and the definitions have gotten stricter post-pandemic as airlines scrambled to protect their balance sheets.

Here's what you're actually dealing with:

Program	Expiry Rule	What Counts as Activity
British Airways Avios	36 months of inactivity	Any earn or redeem transaction
United MileagePlus	18 months of inactivity	Earning, redeeming, or partner activity
Marriott Bonvoy	24 months of inactivity	Any qualifying stay or purchase
Hilton Honors	No expiry (for now)	N/A
Delta SkyMiles	No expiry (for now)	N/A
American AAdvantage	24 months of inactivity	Any earn or redeem
Air Canada Aeroplan	12 months of inactivity	Any transaction

Notice Aeroplan's 12-month window. If you fly Air Canada twice a year but happen to go 13 months between transactions, you lose everything. That's caught more than a few road warriors off guard.

"I lost 87,000 Aeroplan points because I didn't fly during a work project that kept me grounded for a year. That was a business-class ticket to Tokyo, gone." — frequent traveler comment from a FlyerTalk forum thread

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The Hidden Problem: You're Managing Too Many Programs at Once

The average frequent traveler is enrolled in 4–6 loyalty programs simultaneously. That's airlines, hotel chains, car rental programs, and credit card transfer partners. Each has its own expiry clock, its own definition of activity, and its own rules for what resets the timer.

Tracking all of this in your head is impossible. A spreadsheet works until it doesn't — you update it when you remember, which is exactly when you don't need to.

What actually works is a reminder system that runs in the background without you having to think about it. The goal isn't to check your points constantly. It's to get a nudge before you're in danger, so you can take one small action (a small purchase through a shopping portal, a hotel stay, a partner transaction) to reset the clock.

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Step-by-Step: Setting Up Your Points Expiry Reminder System

Here's the exact process. It takes about 20 minutes to set up once, and then it runs itself.

Step 1: Audit every program you're enrolled in.

Log into each account and find two pieces of information: your current balance, and the date of your last qualifying activity. Most programs show this on your account dashboard. Write both down.

Step 2: Calculate your personal expiry risk date.

For each program, add the inactivity window to your last activity date. That's your "danger date." If British Airways shows your last transaction was January 2024, your danger date is January 2027. If Aeroplan shows October 2024, your danger date is October 2025.

Step 3: Set a reminder 60–90 days before each danger date.

Don't wait until the week before. You want enough runway to actually do something — book a stay, make a small purchase, transfer points to a partner. Set the reminder for 60 days before the expiry date as your first alert, and 14 days before as a backup.

This is where YouGot makes the whole system frictionless. Instead of hunting through a calendar app and setting up multiple reminders manually, you just type (or speak) something like:

"Remind me on November 15th and December 15th that my Aeroplan points expire in January — I need to make a transaction to reset the clock."

YouGot sends that reminder directly to your phone via SMS, WhatsApp, or push notification — whichever you'll actually see when you're in a hotel in a different time zone. You can set it up at yougot.ai in under two minutes.

Step 4: Set recurring annual reminders to re-audit.

Every January, you want a reminder to repeat Step 1. Programs change their rules. Your travel patterns change. A once-a-year audit keeps your system current. Set a recurring reminder: "Annual loyalty program audit — log into all accounts and check activity dates."

Step 5: Keep a "quick reset" option ready for each program.

For each program, know the cheapest, easiest way to reset your activity clock. For most programs, this is:

• Shopping through the airline's online shopping portal (often $5–$20 qualifies)
• A small hotel stay or partner purchase
• Transferring a small number of points to a partner program
• Using a co-branded credit card for any purchase

Document this next to each program in your reminder. When the alert fires, you know exactly what to do without having to research it in the moment.

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Pro Tips From Frequent Travelers Who've Done This Right

Use the program's own alerts as a backup, not a primary system. Most loyalty programs have built-in email notifications for expiring points. Turn these on — but don't rely on them. These emails often go to a folder you don't check, and some programs only send one notice very close to the expiry date.

Watch out for program rule changes. Hilton and Delta currently have no expiry on points, but that can change. Set a yearly reminder to check the terms for your "no expiry" programs too.

Points worth less than $50 probably aren't worth the mental overhead. If you have 800 points in a program you haven't used in two years and can't see yourself using, let them go. Focus your tracking energy on the accounts with real value.

If you travel with a partner, share the reminder. YouGot lets you send shared reminders to another person — useful if your spouse is also enrolled in the same programs and either of you can make the qualifying transaction.

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Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Assuming a credit card purchase always counts as activity. Only co-branded cards (the airline's own card) typically reset the clock. A general travel card that earns transferable points usually doesn't.
• Thinking a points transfer to a partner resets both accounts. Usually it only resets the account you transferred from.
• Setting reminders too close to the expiry date. If the reminder fires and you're mid-trip with no time to act, you're stuck. 60 days minimum.
• Not accounting for time zones in your reminder timing. If you're frequently in Asia or Europe when reminders arrive, make sure your alert system delivers in local time, not your home time zone.

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What to Do If Your Points Have Already Expired

First, check whether the program offers reinstatement. Many airlines will restore expired points for a fee — typically $25–$50 plus a percentage of the points' value. British Airways, United, and American all have reinstatement policies. It's not free, but if you're sitting on 80,000 points, it's worth it.

Call the loyalty program directly and explain your situation. If you've been a long-term member with significant lifetime activity, agents sometimes have discretion to waive the reinstatement fee. It doesn't always work, but it costs nothing to ask.

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Ready to get started? YouGot works for Reminders — see plans and pricing or browse more Reminders articles.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should I set a points expiry reminder?

Set your first reminder 60–90 days before the expiry date. This gives you enough time to make a qualifying transaction without rushing. A second reminder 14 days out acts as a safety net. If you're only setting one reminder, 60 days is the sweet spot — close enough to feel urgent, far enough to give you options.

Do all loyalty programs have expiry dates on points?

No. Delta SkyMiles and Hilton Honors currently have no expiry on points, as long as your account remains open. However, most major airline and hotel programs do have inactivity-based expiry windows ranging from 12 to 36 months. Always verify the current rules directly with the program, since terms can change.

What's the easiest way to reset an activity clock without spending much money?

Shopping portals are usually the cheapest option. Most airline shopping portals let you earn points on everyday online purchases — sometimes as little as a $5 transaction qualifies as account activity. Alternatively, some programs let you donate a small number of points to charity, which also counts as activity.

Can I use one app to track all my loyalty programs?

Apps like AwardWallet and Points.com aggregate multiple loyalty accounts in one dashboard. These are useful for balance tracking, but they don't replace a dedicated reminder system for expiry dates. Use an aggregator for visibility and a reminder tool like YouGot for the actual alerts — the two work well together.

What happens if I'm traveling and miss a points expiry reminder?

This is exactly why you set two reminders instead of one, and why the first one fires 60 days out. If you miss both and your points expire while you're on the road, contact the program immediately upon your return and ask about reinstatement. Most programs have a reinstatement window (often 12–18 months after expiry) where recovery is still possible, usually for a fee.