When do my frequent flyer and rewards points expire?
Do rewards points ever expire? From Qantas to Velocity, discover when your reward points expire and what you can do to keep them longer.
If you’ve been hoarding points to redeem on your dream trip, keep your eye on the expiry date. Many frequent flyer and credit card reward points expire after some time. And once the points have expired, you usually can’t get them back. This guide lists the expiration details of some of Australia’s favourite frequent flyer, credit card rewards and supermarket loyalty programs, including tips on how to avoid losing your hard-earned points balance.
Frequent flyer programs
| Program | When do points expire? | Terms and conditions |
|---|---|---|
Qantas Frequent Flyer | After 18 months of inactivity. | Activity excludes family transfers or conversion of points from the Qantas Business Rewards program. |
Velocity Frequent Flyer | After 24 months of inactivity. | Activity excludes transferring points and family pooling. |
Etihad Guest | After 18 months of inactivity. | Membership is not transferable and is only open to individuals. |
Emirates Skywards | After 3 years from the last date of travel. | Within the calendar year that your miles expire, they'll be removed from your account at the end of your birthday month. So if you earned miles in March 2021 and your birthday is in May, the miles will expire on 31 May 2024. Membership is not transferable and automatically terminated upon death or bankruptcy. |
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | After 3 years from the month when miles were earned. | You are able to get a 6- to 12-month extension for a fee. Oldest miles are used first. You can also transfer your miles to Velocity if there’s a risk of expiry. |
Air New Zealand | After 4 years of inactivity. | Points over 4 years old expire on your membership anniversary. The oldest points expire first. |
British Airways Executive Club (Avios miles) | After 36 months of inactivity. | As well as earning and redeeming Avios miles, you can purchase between 1,000 and 35,000 Avios to reset the 36-month period. |
American Airlines AAdvantage | After 24 months of inactivity. | You can pay a reactivation fee within 24 months of expiry to reactivate points. |
Delta SkyMiles | No expiry. | N/A. |
Credit card rewards programs
| Program | Do points expire? | Terms and conditions |
|---|---|---|
CommBank Awards | No expiry. | Points will only expire if a member leaves the program. |
NAB Rewards | Yes, points expire 3 years from when the points were earned. | If you close your account, you have 60 days to use any points in your balance before they expire. |
ANZ Rewards | Yes, points expire after 3 years, at the end of the year in which the points were earned. | Once closing your account, you have 90 days to use your points. |
American Express Membership Rewards | No expiry. | N/A |
Citi Rewards | No expiry. | N/A |
HSBC Rewards | Yes, points expire 3 years from when the points were earned. | Points will also be forfeited if you close your account and have points remaining in your account. |
Westpac Altitude | No expiry. | Points don’t expire as long as your account is open. |
Finder survey: How many Australians have been unable to redeem their frequent flyer points?
| Response | |
|---|---|
| No | 65.08% |
| Yes | 34.92% |
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1113 Australians, December 2023
Supermarket loyalty programs
| Program | Do points expire? | Terms and conditions |
|---|---|---|
Flybuys | Yes, after 12 months of inactivity. | You can track your account activity via your online account. |
Everyday Rewards | Yes, after 18 months of inactivity. | You can track your account activity via your online account. |
What can I do to prevent my reward points from expiring?
- Redeem for a small reward. Use some of your points to redeem small rewards such as gift cards or products from the rewards store to avoid expiry. That way you’re not blowing all of your points on a big reward, but you're also engaging in a transaction and keeping your account active.
- Top up your points balance. You can top up your account to keep it active. For example, if your Qantas Points are about to expire, you could make an everyday purchase with a partnered retailer or shop via the Qantas Mall to pick up more points.
- Pay with a points-earning credit card. If you have a card that earns rewards points, making a small purchase can trigger an "activity" on your points balance and re-set your expiry timeline.
- Set up calendar reminders. Set it up for a month before they're due to expire, so you have time to take action and keep your points. a calendar reminder on your phone or in your diary regarding when your points are due to expire ensures that you will use them before they are set to expire.
- Redeem all of your points. With some reward programs, such as Emirates, the points expire after a set period of time no matter what action you take. If you're not ready to book a trip, your best bet in this instance is to redeem the points on gift cards or an item from the rewards store, before the points expire and you lose them for good.
Most reward points are subject to expiry, so knowing when and how they’re forfeited can save you from missing out on potential rewards. Unfortunately, once your points are gone, there is no getting them back. So make sure you’re keeping your points account active and keep an eye on those expiry dates to make the most out of your loyalty program.
Pictures: Shutterstock
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Ask a question
I am receiving reminders to use our Flybuy points – is it possible to lose them – we shop weekly and want to save our points for Christmas?
Hi Andrew,
As long as you collect or redeem points at least once every 12 months, your points will not expire. It sounds like they are sending you automated reminders, but there’s no cause for concern. If you have any concerns you can contact Flybuys on 13 11 16.