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Alaska Airlines may be based in the Pacific Northwest, but its reach spans the globe — especially since joining the Oneworld alliance in 2021. Through its Mileage Plan loyalty program, you can earn miles not only on Alaska flights but also with dozens of airline and travel partners worldwide.
Like most other programs, Alaska Mileage Plan has a mileage expiration policy. In this guide, we’ll walk through Alaska’s mileage expiration policy, how to keep your account in good standing, and how to earn or redeem miles to keep your rewards intact.
Do Alaska Miles Expire?
Alaska miles do not expire as long as your account remains open and active. The full “account and mileage expiration” section of Alaska Mileage Plan terms and conditions reads:
“Mileage Plan miles do not have an expiration date and may remain in an active account indefinitely, provided that the Mileage Plan program has not been terminated pursuant to these conditions of membership. Activity in an account includes redeeming a Mileage Plan award or accruing mileage in the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program.”
Alaska doesn’t define what qualifies as an “active account.” In the past, accounts were suspended after 24 months of inactivity, requiring a phone call to reactivate. That timeline has since been removed from Alaska’s FAQs, so the current enforcement window is unclear.
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How to Keep Your Alaska Account Active
Based on its cryptic terms, having an active account is the best way to stay on Alaska's good side. Earning or redeeming miles on flights with Alaska or its partners will keep your Alaska Mileage Plan account active.
However, you can earn Alaska miles via many other methods. For example, you can earn miles through the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan shopping portal. You can also earn miles by spending on an Alaska Airlines credit card:
Almost any way you earn Alaska miles will count as activity and keep your account active. And as long as your account is active, your Alaska miles won't expire.
Related: 7 Top Alaska Award Chart Sweet Spots to Maximize Your Mileage Plan Miles in 2025.
Boosting Your Alaska Mileage Plan Balance
Alaska Airlines is not blessed with many transfer partners. That said, you do have some options if you are short a few miles and need to boost your Alaska Mileage Plan balance. You can transfer one of the major flexible points currencies to Alaska.
Track Your Alaska Mileage Plan Miles Using AwardWallet
Since Alaska miles do not expire as long as your account is active, you can focus on earning miles for your next redemption. That said, you should still keep an eye on your mileage balance, and the easiest way to do that is to let AwardWallet track your rewards.
All you need to do is add Alaska to your AwardWallet account, and you are set. AwardWallet will track your miles balance and any expiration dates for you.
Related: How To Track Your Rewards Using AwardWallet
Our Take
Alaska Mileage Plan is one of our favorite frequent flyer programs. With high-value Alaska miles that do not expire and Alaska's membership in the Oneworld alliance, there's plenty to like about the Alaska Mileage Plan program. Although Alaska miles don’t technically expire, inactivity could still cost you your balance, so it’s important to generate activity within your account regularly.
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