At Points Advisor, we love using points to book travel whenever possible. However, there will be times when a paid fare is required, whether award seats are unavailable, the cash price is too good to ignore, or you are travelling for work and have the opportunity to credit your flights to a frequent flyer program.

The obvious move is to credit the flight to the frequent flyer program of the airline you are flying with, but that is not always the smartest strategy. If it is an airline you rarely use, you can easily end up with small balances scattered across multiple accounts, leaving you with orphan miles that are difficult to use for meaningful flight redemptions.

Thankfully, airlines do a tremendous job of forming partnerships, alliances, and earning arrangements that allow you to credit flights to another frequent flyer program. That means one paid flight could help grow the balance in your main program instead of creating another account you may never touch again.

Airlines Alliances

There are three major global airline alliances that help standardise many aspects of travel, making your journey far more seamless. From coordinated baggage policies that allow your luggage to travel from A to B even when flying multiple airlines, to shared lounge access, reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, and mileage earning and redemption agreements, these alliances make connecting between airlines significantly easier for travellers.

Non-Alliances Airline Partnerships

Over the past decade, we’ve seen airlines increasingly expand partnerships beyond their formal alliance structures as we covered above. These agreements make it possible to earn points and, in some cases, status credits with frequent flyer programs outside an airline’s own alliance network.

You’ll be able to credit your flight to your preferred frequent flyer account, helping avoid points fragmentation across multiple programs. For example, when flying from Sydney to Dubai with Emirates on an EK flight number, you can choose to earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points instead of crediting the flight to Emirates Skywards.

In some instances, these partnerships also extend to status earning. For example, a flight from New York to San Francisco with United Airlines on a UA flight number can earn both Velocity Points and Status Credits when credited to Velocity Frequent Flyer.

Below, we’ve compiled several frequent flyer programs where partner earning is possible to help ensure every paid flight you book is credited in the most optimal way based on the programs you use most frequently.

The post Your Guide to Airline Partner Points Earnings appeared first on Points Advisor.

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One of the greatest strengths of airline frequent flyer programs is the scale of their global partnerships, allowing you to travel to hundreds of destinations worldwide on a single itinerary. These partnerships unlock reciprocal benefits across multiple carriers which can include additional baggage allowances, lounge access, priority check-in, and preferred seat selection. Many of these perks are delivered through one of three major airline alliances: Oneworld, Star Alliance, and SkyTeam.

For Australian travellers Star Alliance and SkyTeam don’t have any local airlines partners, while Virgin Australia’s Velocity program is not part of an alliance, it does maintain partnerships with several Star Alliance airlines, making it a solid option for earning points on occasional international trips. Read our in-depth guide to earning Velocity Points with selected Star Alliance partners.

There’s no single “best” frequent flyer program within Star Alliance, each of the strong 27 Airlines have their own frequent flyer program strengths and weaknesses, however some standing out better than others especially for Australian travellers.

The Best Star Alliance Frequent Flyer Programs for Australians

We’ve done the hard work of narrowing down 20+ Star Alliance frequent flyer programs to three contenders based on how often you travel with Star Alliance airlines.

Frequent Traveller Seeking Airline Status	Semi-Regular Travellers Not Seeking Airline Status	Infrequent Travellers Not Seeking Airline Status

Singapore Airlines – KrisFlyer

KrisFlyer is a strong choice for Australian travellers chasing Star Alliance status. Singapore Airlines offers unmatched connectivity from Australia’s major capital cities to destinations across Asia, Europe, and beyond.

In addition, KrisFlyer does not require a minimum number of Singapore Airlines flights or specific spend thresholds, offering greater flexibility. It’s also known for having some of the lowest taxes and surcharges on award redemptions compared to many other frequent flyer programs

Air Canada – Aeroplan

Aeroplan’s biggest advantage is its redemption flexibility, with access to over 50 partner airlines it allows complex itineraries and stopovers making the most of your hard earned points Aeroplan is best suited to travellers who expect to take at least one Star Alliance flight per year which ensure your points don’t expire.

United – MileagePlus

United MileagePlus is ideal for travellers who fly Star Alliance airlines infrequently, as your miles earned never expire which is the main perk. The program provides an easy-to-use online booking system for award travel, with both dynamic pricing and fixed redemption options across certain partners. While opportunities for strong value exist, they are not always obvious and typically require detailed analysis of each redemption.

Star Alliance Airlines Flying to Australia: Route Overview

There are 10 Star Alliance airlines that operate regular or seasonal flights to and from Australia, connecting the Australia to four continents. This creates a strong global network of earning and redemption opportunities across multiple carriers and hubs.

Given this level of connectivity, it is important to credit paid flights to a Star Alliance frequent flyer program, rather than letting those miles go unclaimed.

Learn how your everyday expenses can be used to secure Business Class flights with a range of Star Alliance partners around the world. While Australia does not have a Star Alliance member airline, we explore a range of practical scenarios in our three-level online Points Mastery course, showing you how to effectively use multiple Star Alliance frequent flyer programs to achieve premium travel.

Start today and unlock unforgettable luxury travel experiences at a fraction of the retail price by deepening your knowledge with our Australia-focused points course.

The post Which Star Alliance Frequent Flyer Program Is Best for Australians in 2026? appeared first on Points Advisor.

Qantas was a founding member of the Oneworld alliance, which brings together a network of 15 airlines serving more than 170 countries worldwide. This structure makes it easier for travellers to earn and redeem points across multiple carriers when flying internationally and delivering a more seamless travel experience and rewarding your loyalty using your points frequent flyer program of your choice.

In contrast, Star Alliance has had limited historical presence in Australia. The last Australian airline to join the alliance was Ansett Australia, which held membership for just two years before ceasing operations in 2001.

Since then, determining where to credit Star Alliance flights has often been a challenge for Australian travellers. However, over time the Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer program has curated it’s own portfolio of airline partnerships while remaining outside a formal airline alliance structure.

The Velocity program partners with 6 of the 26 Star Alliance member airlines, allowing members to earn Velocity Points and, in most cases, Status Credits. Velocity members can also redeem velocity points for selected international flights making is a great way to access redemption flights.

While not matching the global reach of a full airline alliance the Velocity Frequent Flyer’s partner network collectively covers approximately 80 countries with six Star Alliance partners.

Singapore Airlines is a key partner, offering extensive connectivity between Australia and major Asian hubs, as well as important long-haul routes into Europe and North America. This is complemented by All Nippon Airways and Air New Zealand, which strengthen coverage across Japan, the Trans-Tasman region, and select Pacific destinations. United Airlines further enhances the network with its well-known Pacific island-hopper services across Micronesia.

In North America, coverage is particularly strong with it’s partners United and Air Canada, also Air New Zealand also contributes limited but important access to select US destinations, particularly on the west coast.

Looking further afield, coverage is more limited across Africa, Central and South America, as well as intra-European routes within the Velocity partner network. In these regions, options are narrower, with South African Airways providing the primary African link within the Star Alliance network.

Velocity’s curated airline partnerships extend beyond the six Star Alliance carriers we’ve covered. The Velocity Frequent Flyer program also includes partners across the Oneworld and SkyTeam networks as well, providing a broader range of earning and redemption opportunities for it’s members.

For a more comprehensive understanding of the Velocity Frequent Flyer program including strategies for earning points and redeeming them effectively for business and first class travel start learning with our three-level online Points Mastery course. Start today to unlock unforgettable luxury travel experiences at a fraction of the retail price by deepening your knowledge through our Australia-focused points course.

The post Which Star Alliance Airlines Can You Earn Velocity Points? appeared first on Points Advisor.

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People are surprised to learn that joining the Qantas Frequent Flyer program isn’t always free compared to airline loyalty schemes. Australia and New Zealand residents are typically charges a one-off joining fee.
Did you know you can join Qantas Frequent Flyer without paying the usual $99 joining fee? This tip alone gives you a head start before you even earn your first point.

How to Join Qantas Frequent Flyer Program for Free

Here’s the insider trick:

Qantas Frequent Flyer (Adults) – Use our Friends and Family Link to have your joining fee waived. This link gives you the same membership benefits, but you save the $99 fee.

Qantas Joey Club (Children) – For kids joining under the Joey Club, use use our special link to also waive the joining fee.

Starting with no fee already puts you ahead of most travellers, letting you focus on points-earning strategies immediately.

Tip: Bookmark the link—you never know when promotions may end.

Earn Points Faster

After joining, the real value comes from earning points efficiently:

• Credit Cards – Some Amex or Visa/Master cards offer bonus points on signup and everyday spending. Even regular spending can add up quickly if optimised.
• Qantas Partners – Flights with partner airlines, hotel stays, car rentals, and shopping portals all contribute.
• Promotions – Qantas often runs double points or bonus offers—timing your signups and spend can multiply your balance.

Example: transferring 50,000 Membership Rewards points to Qantas could be worth over $1,200 in Business Class seats, far exceeding the cost of any joining fee.

Redeem Points for Maximum Value

Earning points is only half the equation. Redeeming them strategically is where you unlock the real advantage:

• Business or First Class Flights – Strategic redemptions can deliver premium cabins at a fraction of retail.
• Partner Flights – Knowing which partner airlines and routes offer “sweet spots” dramatically increases value per point.
• Avoid Low-Value Options – Cash + Points, gift cards, or checkout discounts usually deliver less than 1 cent per point, while smart redemptions can achieve 3–8 cents per point.

Points are a travel currency—like any currency, exchange rate matters. Don’t let convenience destroy value.

How PointsAdvisor Can Help

Basic tips are fine, but knowing the system inside-out is what separates average travellers from those flying Business or First Class for a fraction of the price.

Our PointsAdvisor courses teach you how to:

• Maximise points earning on everyday spend
• Leverage airline partners for high-value redemptions
• Plan trips strategically to get the most value
• Protect points from devaluation or expiry

Even small adjustments can lead to multiple premium flights per year without extra cash.

Start Smarter Today

Use our links to join Qantas Frequent Flyer or the Joey Club for free and start earning smarter. This is the first step in turning your everyday spending into premium travel experiences.

Want to learn the full strategy for earning and redeeming Qantas points like a top traveller? Our Points Advisor Mastery online courses reveal exactly how the top 10% maximise every point. Whether you are just getting started or ready to implement advanced strategies within the Qantas ecosystem, we guide you from start to finish with clarity and confidence

The post Skip the Fee – Join Qantas Frequent Flyer for Free and Start Earning Points Smarter appeared first on Points Advisor.

What’s New: Amex to Avios Transfer Explained

Australians can now enjoy more flexibility when redeeming their Amex points. British Airways Executive Club has joined American Express as a transfer partner — giving travelers access to one of the most versatile frequent flyer currencies on the market.

Transfer details:

• 2 Membership Rewards points = 1 Avios
• Minimum transfer: 1,000 Membership Rewards points (for 500 Avios)

To get started, simply link your British Airways Executive Club account through your Amex Membership Rewards portal.

Why It Matters: Unlock High-Value Travel

British Airways Avios is part of the Oneworld alliance, which includes top-tier airlines such as:

• Qantas – ideal for domestic and trans-Tasman flights
• Qatar Airways – access the world-famous Qsuites
• Japan Airlines – perfect for travel across Asia
• Cathay Pacific – for smooth long-haul options to East Asia

Moreover, Avios redemptions are often more cost-effective than other programs — especially for short-haul and regional flights.

How to Maximise Your Avios After Transfer

Knowing how to use your Avios is key to unlocking their value. Here are smart strategies:

Redeem for Qsuites via Qatar Airways — widely regarded as the best business class experience in the world.

Combine your Avios between British Airways, Qatar Airways (Privilege Club), and Iberia — this adds flexibility across platforms.

Avoid high surcharges by redeeming on partner airlines like Qantas or Japan Airlines.

Look for off-peak short-haul flights within Asia or Europe for excellent cents-per-point value.

Things to Know Before You Transfer

Before jumping in, here are some important considerations:

Transfers are one-way and cannot be reversed

Your name must match on both your Amex and BA accounts

Transfers typically take 24–48 hours, though delays can happen

Avios may expire after 36 months of inactivity — keep your account active with redemptions or new transfers

Final Thoughts

This new Amex to Avios transfer option gives Australian travelers more power than ever before. Whether you’re planning a quick weekend getaway or a luxury long-haul adventure, British Airways Avios can help you fly further — and smarter.

Ready to move your points? Contact our specialist and get started today.

The post Amex to Avios Transfer Now Available for Australians – Unlock New Travel Options appeared first on Points Advisor.

Emirates operates a fleet of over 250 aircraft, serving over 150 destinations across 80+ countries and territories worldwide. Each week, over 3,600 Emirates flights depart from Dubai, connecting passengers to locations on six continents.

We often get asked if you can earn Qantas Points and Qantas Status Credits on Emirates (EK) flights. The short answer is yes, but there are some nuances to be aware of.

	Emirates (EK)	Qantas (QF)
Earn Qantas Points
Earn Status Credits
Book Classic Flight Rewards with Qantas Points
Points Plus Pay on qantas.com

Business Class Comparison: QF vs EK Flight Numbers

Enjoy Your Qantas Membership Benefits When Flying with Emirates

Qantas Frequent Flyer Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Platinum One members enjoy additional benefits flying Emirates between and throughout Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, Australia, and Asia.

Benefit	Silver	Gold	Platinum	Platinum One
Priority check-in
Priority boarding
Priority waitlist / airport standby
Additional checked baggage allowance
Express immigration
Lounge access

Our partner FirstClass.com.au can book your first-class flights on Emirates using a QF flight number on selected routes even though not all routes/options appear on Qantas.com. Let us know your travel dates and preferences by filling out our contact form or speak to the team at Firstclass.com.au for more information and bookings.

Emirates & Qantas: Frequently Asked Questions

The post The Complete Guide to Earning Qantas Points on Emirates Flights appeared first on Points Advisor.

Whether you’re travelling with family or a close group of friends, many frequent flyer programs allow you pool points across multiple accounts for flight redemptions. This approach helps you combine balances faster, reduce the risk of points expiring, and makes it easier to book award flights together on a single reservation.

A single flight reservation makes changes simpler, streamlines check-in and seat selection, and ensures the entire travel group is treated as one party if any flight disruptions occur.

Once you set up family pooling, it’s essentially a ‘Set & Forget‘ arrangement, which is typically free. Each program has its own rules regarding how family pooling operates, including what constitutes a ‘family‘ and how often members can be added or removed.

Qantas Frequent Flyer

Qantas doesn’t provide any family pooling options, however you can easily transfer points between eligible family members. The only requirements are that each account is at least three months old and you transfer a minimum of 1,500 points. There’s no maximum limit, and best of all, it’s completely free, making it a simple way to combine your Qantas points for your next family trip on a single booking.

Velocity Virgin Australia

Velocity offers Family Pooling for up to six family members living at the same address, with a maximum of two adults and four children.

One member is designated as the beneficiary, and all points earned by other family members are automatically credited to their account. Points earned before joining the family pool are not transferred, but you can transfer points between family members up to four times per year, with a maximum of 125,000 points per transfer.

One unique feature of Velocity’s Family Pool offering is that Status Credits work the same way, meaning all family members’ earned Status Credits also flow into the beneficiary’s account. This makes it easier for families to work toward elite status together, in addition to building a larger points balance for flight redemptions.

KrisFlyer – Singapore Airlines

KrisFlyer lets families pool points, however their offering is very limited. You can only link children’s accounts aged 2 to 16 to an adult account. Each child can transfer up to 50,000 miles per year, with a fee of USD 5 or 500 miles for every 5,000 miles transferred.

Emirates Skywards

Emirates Skywards’ My Family allows up to eight members (the Family Head plus seven others) to pool future Skywards Miles into a shared account. Members aged 18 or older can use the shared account for flight redemptions or upgrades.

Emirates lets you decide what percentage of each family member’s points are contributed to the family account, from 0% to 100%. Each member keeps their individual account, and points earned before joining the family pool cannot be transferred. Conversely, once miles are contributed to the family account, they cannot be moved back to an individual account.

British Airways Executive Club

British Airways offers a Household Account, allowing you to pool Avios with up to six people who live at the same address. Unlike other Family Pooling programs, it lets you combine both past and future Avios to create a shared family balance. Flights can then be redeemed from this balance, with points deducted proportionally based on each member’s contribution to the household account.

British Airways’ Household Account offers unique perks that set it apart from other programs and can be ideal for many families, we recommend reviewing how the Household account operates to see if it could benefit your family when it comes to pooling your Avios points.

Cathay Pacific — Asia Miles

Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles program offers a limited family pooling option, allowing minor accounts to be linked to an adult’s account. Miles from a child’s account can be transferred to the adult at no cost, up to 120,000 miles per membership year.

For adult accounts, there is no true points pooling option. The only way to move miles between adult accounts is through paid transfers, which carry a significant fee.

Qatar Airways — Privilege Club

Qatar Airways offers a straightforward, ‘set and forget’ family pooling program, allowing the Family Head to nominate up to nine family members. All Avios earned by family members are automatically credited to the Family Head’s account, making it easier to consolidate points for redemption. Any Avios earned before joining the family pooling program remain with the individual account holder.

Air Canada — Aeroplan

Aeroplan Family Sharing allows up to eight verified family members to combine their Aeroplan points into a shared balance managed by a Family Lead. Once the Family Pool is created up, all points, including existing balances and future points are added to the shared balance. The Family Lead can determine whether a family member can simply contribute points or both contribute and redeem from the shared balance.

For redemptions, points are proportionally deducted from each member’s account based on their contribution to the Family Pool. Aeroplan offers many benefits through family pooling program, we recommend reviewing the program to ensure it meets your family’s needs.

Virgin Atlantic — Flying Club

Virgin Atlantic’s Household Account family pooling offering is a ‘set & forget’ type program that lets Flying Club members combine points into a shared balance managed by a Household Leader. Up to nine people living at the same address (family or friends) can join.

Once linked, all points earned through Flying Club activities automatically pool into the Household Account, with the Household Leader as the only person who can make redemptions. Points earned before joining remain in each member’s personal account.

Etihad Guest

Etihad Guest offers a standard family pooling program called Family Membership, which allows the Family Head to nominate up to eight family members. All miles earned by participating family members automatically pool into the Family Head’s account.

When it comes to redemptions, the Family Head can use the pooled miles to book award flights or upgrades for any member of the family pool. Miles earned prior to joining the Family Membership remain in individual accounts.

American Airlines — AAdvantage

The American Airlines AAdvantage program doesn’t offer any family pooling options. While members can gift miles between accounts, a fee of $5 per 1,000 miles applies, and each account is limited to sending or receiving up to 200,000 miles per calendar year.

In the absence of pooling, you can still use your AAdvantage miles to book award travel for other people from your own account. However, this isn’t the same as true family pooling as seen with some other frequent flyer programs.

Delta — SkyMiles

Delta SkyMiles doesn’t offer any family pooling options, however you can transfer miles between accounts, each transfer comes with a fee of $0.01 per mile plus a $30 processing charge. Accounts can transfer up to 150,000 miles per year and receive up to 300,000 miles annually, making this option a costly transaction and typically not worth it.

Even without pooling, you can still use your SkyMiles to book award flights for friends or family directly from your account. However, this isn’t the same as true family pooling as other frequent flyer programs allow.

Alaska Airlines & Hawaiian Airlines — Atmos Rewards

Atmos Rewards doesn’t offer family pooling in the traditional sense. While points can be transferred between accounts, the process comes at a cost at $0.01 per point plus a $25 processing fee, with transfers limited to 30,000 points per transaction and a maximum of 100,000 points transferred in or out per year. Such transfer are costly and generally provide limited value.

One avenue to transfer points freely is by holding the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card. This card enables points sharing with up to 10 other Atmos Rewards members, allowing transfers in both directions at no cost. While this option isn’t for everyone, it’s worth considering if Atmos Rewards is your primary frequent flyer account and you are eligible to apply for the card.

ANA Mileage Club

ANA Milage Club offers family pooling through its Family Account Service, there are several strict rules to be aware of. Only ANA accounts held outside of Japan are eligible for family pooling having up to 8 family members. Setting up the account requires a one-time fee of 1,000 miles, the registration process can take up to two weeks and potentially requiring proof of family relationships and confirmation of residency outside Japan.

All miles are pooled into a single account, with flights redemption or point upgrades being deducted directly from the pooled balance.

Japan Airlines – JAL Mileage Bank

JAL Mileage Bank offers family pooling through its JAL Family Club, but there are several rules to be aware of before applying. Only JAL accounts held outside of Japan are eligible, and a family account can include up to 8 members. Setting up the account requires a one-time fee of 1,000 miles, and the registration process typically takes 1–3 weeks, often requiring proof of family relationships and confirmation of residency outside Japan. Additionally, a renewal fee of 1,000 miles is deducted every five years, and enrolling additional family members after setup incurs a fee of 1,000 miles per member.

All miles earned by family members are pooled into a single account, with award flight redemptions or point upgrades being deducted directly from the pooled balance.

Air France-KLM – Flying Blue

Flying Blue Family allows you to share miles between family members, with a maximum of 2 adults and 6 children per family account. One member is designated as the Family Leader, who can transfer all or part of the miles from other family members’ accounts into their own. Each family member continues to earn miles in their individual account, but once transferred—which cannot be reversed—the miles can be used by the Family Leader for flight redemptions or upgrades.

Iberia Plus

Iberia Club allows family pooling through the creation of an Iberia Club Family Account, offering a flexible policy that lets up to 7 friends or family members share their Avios balances. Iberia takes a liberal approach, with no relationship restrictions — any member with an active Iberia Club account can join.

The shared Avios balance allows any member of the Family Account to redeem miles for flights or upgrades. When a redemption is made, the required Avios are deducted proportionally from each member’s individual balance based on their contribution to the shared pool.

Thai Airways — Royal Orchid Plus

Royal Orchid Plus does not offer family pooling and does not allow points to be transferred between member accounts, making it an outlier among frequent flyer programs in terms of family‑friendly options.

You can redeem miles for flight awards on behalf of up to 5 nominated friends or family members listed in your account. While there is no true family pooling, the program still provides some flexibility to use miles to book a family trip.

Malaysia Airlines — Enrich

Malaysia Airlines’ frequent flyer program, Enrich, offers Enrich Points Pool, which separates members into a Beneficiary and Contributors. Each Beneficiary can link up to eight Contributors, with all future points earned by Contributors automatically flowing into a shared points pool.

To join an Enrich Points Pool, Malaysia Airlines requires a copy of each member’s passport, regardless of whether the Contributor is a family member or a friend. When it comes to flight redemptions, only the Beneficiary can access the Enrich Points Pool and make bookings.

United Airlines — MileagePlus

United Airlines’ MileagePlus miles pooling lets any member create or join a shared pool of up to five participants (one leader plus four others), including family or friends.

Members can contribute miles to the pool at no cost and without limits. Pooled miles can be redeemed for award flights on United either by the pool leader or by any participating member if the leader grants them redemption access.

Air New Zealand – Koru

Air New Zealand’s Koru program offers SharePoints, a points‑pooling feature available exclusively to New Zealand members only that allows up to ten participants, including friends or family, to combine their Airpoints Dollars for redemptions.

Within a SharePoints account, the owner can assign roles to members, designating Spenders, who can use the shared balance for flights or other reward redemptions, and Non‑Spenders, who can contribute points but do not have spending access.

Each frequent flyer program has it’s own take on family pooling with many offering it’s members the ability to pool points with family members sometimes even friends at no cost. Pooling points is an powerful way to consolidate point balances, making it easier to book redemption flights while reducing the risk of small, unused balances going to waste or expiring because they aren’t enough for a full redemption.

When it comes to points pooling, it’s essential to understand the rules of each frequent flyer program. You should know who is eligible to join, how to add or remove members from the pool, and who manages flight redemptions. Some programs restrict participation to family members or set age limits, while others may require documentation to verify relationships and can take several weeks to set up.

By taking the time to set up accounts correctly, you can maximise the benefits of points pooling, eliminating any guesswork about how points are contributed to the pool and how flight redemptions can be made for all family members.

The post Combine, Share, Redeem: A Guide to Airline Miles Family Pooling appeared first on Points Advisor.

Watching your points balance grow over time toward your next flight redemption can sometimes be interrupted by unexpected point expirations. Each frequent flyer program has its own rules for how long points remain valid and points expiration dates exist for the following reasons:-

• Encouraging Active Participation
  Airlines design frequent flyer programs to reward loyalty and ongoing engagement. By setting expiration dates, they motivate members to continue booking flights, earning points, and redeeming rewards regularly, making this approach taking a long term view on fostering loyalty and repeat business.
  
• Managing Financial Liabilities
  Points sitting in members’ accounts represent a potential future financial obligation for airlines. Expiring points allow airlines to limit these liabilities and better manage their financial risk.
  

The Different Ways Frequent Flyer Points Can Expire

Generally, frequent flyer programs fall into one of three categories based on how they manage point expiration policies.

In the event that your points expire, several Frequent flyer programs offer you the opportunity to earn your points back by completing specific challenges, such as booking a flight or paying a fee to temporarily extend the validity of your points.

Additionally, certain Frequent flyer programs will pause the expiration of points if you hold elite status, hold specific credit card, or pause your membership due a child being born or adopted all providing protection for your points.

Alaska Airlines & Hawaiian Airlines — Atmos Rewards

No Expiry

Even though your points don’t expire your Atmos Rewards may be placed on hold if there is no activity on your account in a two years period. This is purely a security measure, a call to customer service team to confirm your identity will restore access with your full points balance unchanged.

Virgin Atlantic — Flying Club

No expiry

Delta — SkyMiles

No expiry

United Airlines — MileagePlus

No Expiry

Qatar Airways — Privilege Club

Rolling Expiry – Points expire after 36 months of no qualifying activity

Transferring Avios between partner airlines wont’t reset or extent your Avios expiry date. Platinum members Avios don’t expire for all other members you can reinstate your Avios for USD 0.015 per Avios.

British Airways Executive Club

Rolling Expiry – Points expire after 36 months of no qualifying activity

Transferring Avios between partner airlines wont’t reset or extent your Avios expiry date.

Iberia Plus

Rolling Expiry – Points expire after 36 months of no qualifying activity

Transferring Avios between partner airlines wont’t reset or extent your Avios expiry date.

Velocity Virgin Australia

Rolling Expiry – Points expire after 24 months of no qualifying activity

Family Points Transfers and earning Status Credits won’t stop your Points from expiring. Transferring Velocity Points to KrisFlyer Miles will restart your points validity, providing 36 months of extra time.

American Airlines — AAdvantage

Rolling Expiry – Points expire after 24 months of no qualifying activity

AAdvantage miles do not expire if you hold an AAdvantage credit card or if you are under 21 years of age. Expired miles can also be reactivated within 24 months for a fee, up to a maximum of 500,000 miles.

Air France-KLM – Flying Blue

Rolling Expiry – Points expire after 24 months of no qualifying activity if the account holder is over 18 years old

If you hold a Flying Blue co-branded credit card or Silver status or higher, your points wont’ expire.

Qantas Frequent Flyer

Rolling Expiry – Points expire after 18 months of no qualifying activity

Family Transfers and Qantas Business Rewards transfers don’t reset expiry. Qantas sometimes allows expired points to be reinstated when you contact them and completing a reinstatement challenge.

Cathay Pacific — Asia Miles

Rolling Expiry – Points expire after 18 months of no qualifying activity

Air Canada — Aeroplan

Rolling Expiry – Points expire after 18 months of no qualifying activity

Aeroplan allows you to reinstate expired miles by paying a fee, or by taking an Air Canada flight within six months of your points expiring.

Etihad Guest

Rolling Expiry – Points expire after 18 months of no qualifying activity

Platinum and Diamond members Etihad Guest points don’t expire. 

Finnair Plus

Rolling Expiry – Points expire after 18 months of no qualifying activity

Transferring Avios between partner airlines wont’t reset or extent your Avios expiry date. Holding top-tier status, such as Platinum or Platinum Lumo, your points won’t expire.

Air New Zealand – Koru

Strict Expiry – Airpoints expire four years after they’re earned and are removed from your account on your Koru membership anniversary month.

If you hold an Airpoints earning credit card or maintain Air New Zealand Gold status or higher, your Airpoints will not expire.

KrisFlyer – Singapore Airlines

Strict Expiry – Points expire after 36 months at the end of the equivalent month in which they were earned

Holding top-tier status such as PPS Club and Solitaire PPS Club members enjoy no points expiry. KrisFlyer miles that are due to expire, members can extend them once for six months for a fee of USD 12 per block of 10,000 miles, if you hold status with KrisFlyer you can extent once for up to one year.

Transferring KrisFlyer Miles to Velocity Points restarts the clock on their validity, providing

Emirates Skywards

Strict Expiry – Points expire after 36 months, specifically on the last day of your birthday month on the third year.

Skywards Miles set to expire within the next three months can be extended for an additional 12 months at a cost of USD 20 per 1,000 miles, with a maximum of 50,000 miles eligible for reinstatement per calendar year.

ANA Mileage Club

Strict Expiry – Points expire after 36 months at the end of the equivalent month in which they were earned

If you hold Diamond or ANA Lifetime Miles status your points won’t expire.

Japan Airlines – JAL Mileage Bank

Strict Expiry – Points expire after 36 months at the end of the equivalent month in which they were earned

If you hold JMB Diamond or JGC Premier status, your points won’t expire.

Thai Airways — Royal Orchid Plus

Strict Expiry – Points expire 36 months after earning, at the end of the third calendar year on 31 December points will be removed from your account

Malaysia Airlines — Enrich

Strict Expiry – Points expire after 36 months at the end of the equivalent month in which they were earned

Enrich Points can be extended for MYR 0.085 per point at least three months before their expiry date. Extensions will increase their validity by an additional 12 months.

Each frequent flyer program has its own approach to managing points expiry. Some allow extensions for a fee, while others offer protections through elite status or co-branded credit cards.

A key point to remember is, if you cancel an award flight booked with points that are close to expiring, the points returned to your account do not reset the expiry clock and will typically expire on their original schedule.

By familiarising yourself with each program’s expiry policies and planning ahead especially for programs with strict expiry rules, you can avoid unnecessary reductions in your points balance.

The post Do Your Airline Points Expire? Smart Ways to Keep Your Points Alive appeared first on Points Advisor.