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Can You Prevent US Airways Miles From Expiring By Flying On American?

Feb. 16, 2014
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4 min read
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Can You Prevent US Airways Miles From Expiring By Flying On American?
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TPG reader Faryn has some US Airway miles expiring soon, but is wondering if flying on American Airlines is enough to keep them active. Here was her question:

"I have some US Airways miles that are set to expire in April. I am flying American this weekend. Will that prevent my US Airways miles from expiring, or do I need to do something else to keep my miles?"

One of my least favorite things is hearing stories about people who let their miles expire, as it's really easy to keep them active. There are many ways to do so: obviously, flying is one, transferring points from credit cards is another, spending on a card or even buying something through a shopping portal is another cheap, easy and fast way tot do so too. However, you must make sure to keep an eye on your account, as many programs have different expiration dates, and as long as you are aware, you can prevent them from expiring.

There are so many ways you can stop your miles from expiring.

I also have a bit of good news for Faryn. The answer is yes, as of January 7, American and US Airways announced reciprocal earning and redeeming of miles on each other, and in fact, now through March 2, when you take a flight on American and credit it to your US Airways account, you will actually earn 50% bonus miles (not elite-qualifying miles, though) and vice versa. However, just make sure when you fly American that you put your US Airways Dividend Miles number on that reservation. You should be credited shortly after your flight. Also keep in mind that sometimes with partner airlines it can take awhile for miles to post, so try not to cut things too close. In Faryn's situation, her miles don't expire until April, so flying this weekend should ensure that her miles should be posted in time.

An easy way to keep US Airways miles from expiring is to shop at the US Airways Storefront.

That being said, if you find yourself in a situation where you are cutting it close and your miles from flying a partner airline haven't posted, just buy yourself something from a shopping portal. It's much easier than dealing with the expense and hassle in aftermath of trying to get your miles back after they expire.

If she doesn't have any flights coming up soon enough, Faryn could easily buy something from the US Airways Storefront and keep her miles active that way. Or, she could sign up for the US Airways Dividend Dining, attach one of her debit or credit cards, head over to a participating restaurant, and within a week or so she would have miles posted into her US Airways account, therefore resetting the expiration clock on her miles.

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You can officially get US Airways miles by flying American now.

So aside from Faryn's question about being able to earn US Airways miles on American now, she actually has a ton of options out there to keep her miles from expiring, and crediting miles flown on an American flight to your US Airways account is just one way to do it.

Let me know if you have any other questions by messaging me on Facebook, Tweeting me or emailing me at info@thepointsguy.com.

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at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.