Do Alaska Airlines Points Expire? | Save Your Balance

They don’t expire by a set date, but long stretches without account activity can lead to a locked or closed account and lost points.

You earn Alaska points, you stack them for a dream redemption, then life gets busy. Months pass. A year passes. Suddenly you’re wondering if your balance is on a timer.

This article clears up what “expire” means inside Alaska’s loyalty system, what triggers trouble, and the easiest ways to keep your account in good standing with minimal effort.

Do Alaska Airlines Points Expire After Inactivity

Alaska has long said its points don’t come with a hard expiration date. The catch is account activity.

In Alaska’s published terms language, the miles “do not expire,” yet Alaska may close an account after two years of inactivity. Once closed, reinstatement can be possible for a fee for up to one year after closure.

So when people ask if the points expire, the useful answer is: the points don’t age out on a calendar, but your account can.

What counts as “activity”

Think of activity as any points earn or points spend that posts to your loyalty account. If it shows up in your account history, it usually moves your “last activity” date forward.

Alaska also calls out that exchanging wallet credit into miles counts as account activity, and that the exchange keeps the account active for at least two years from the effective date of the exchange.

Atmos Rewards note for recent changes

Alaska’s program has been moving under the Atmos Rewards name as it blends the best parts of Alaska’s Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles. In Alaska’s announcement, it states that points do not expire and that one Mileage Plan or HawaiianMiles mile equals one Atmos Rewards point.

Even with that messaging, it’s still smart to treat your account like it needs a periodic heartbeat. A single posting every so often keeps you out of the “inactive account” bucket and helps avoid login surprises.

How points disappear in real life

Most people don’t lose points because a countdown reached zero. They lose points because they stopped interacting with the account and didn’t notice warning signs.

Common ways people get caught

• No travel, no partner use: You earn a balance once, then stop flying, stop using partner earn options, and the account goes quiet.
• Card kept, number not linked: You have a co-branded card, but your purchases aren’t attached to the right loyalty number, so nothing posts.
• Small earn never posts: A partner transaction is pending, gets reversed, or fails tracking. Your “last activity” date never moves.
• Login is fine, activity is not: Checking your balance doesn’t count as activity. It’s the earn or spend that matters.

A simple mental model

Use three dates when you track your account:

• Last posted activity: the date your most recent earn or redemption hit your account ledger.
• Two-year mark: the point where Alaska says it may close an inactive account.
• One-year after closure: the window Alaska mentions for paid reinstatement after closure.

If you keep the first date moving, you never need to care about the other two.

Low-effort ways to keep your account active

You don’t need to book a flight to keep points safe. You just need a posting event now and then. Here are options that work for many members, with an emphasis on low cost and low hassle.

Use a co-branded credit card for a small purchase

A tiny swipe can be enough, as long as the card is linked to the right loyalty number and the points post. Bank of America’s Alaska card page also stresses that rewards don’t expire on active accounts. Bank of America Alaska Airlines credit card overview

If you go this route, put a recurring bill on the card and let autopay handle it. One small charge a month keeps the lights on without you thinking about it.

Earn through shopping portals and dining partners

Alaska has promoted earning from everyday spending through its shopping and dining partners. The airline’s own write-up points to Mileage Plan Shopping and Mileage Plan Dining as earn paths that post miles on ordinary purchases. Mileage Plan Shopping and Dining overview

Portal shopping can take five minutes. You click through, buy the thing you were already going to buy, and wait for the points to post.

Redeem a small amount of points

Spending points also counts as account action in many loyalty programs. If you’re sitting on a balance and haven’t redeemed in a while, a small redemption can move the activity date.

Before you redeem, check fees and cancellation rules on the booking screen, and take a screenshot of the confirmation. It makes follow-up smoother if plans change.

Buy a small amount of points

If you’re close to inactivity and want a one-and-done fix, purchasing points is often the fastest post. It does cost money, so it’s best used as a last-minute save.

Verify changes during program transitions

Program transitions can be confusing. Alaska’s Atmos Rewards announcement says Mileage Plan members became Atmos Rewards members and keep their account numbers, with a one-to-one points relationship. Atmos Rewards announcement

That’s good news for continuity. Still, the safest move is to rely on a posting earn or a redemption you can see in your activity ledger, not a behind-the-scenes change you can’t verify.

Activity checklist that prevents surprises

If you want a routine that feels painless, use this simple pattern:

1. Pick one activity type you’ll repeat (credit card, portal shopping, dining, or a small redemption).
2. Do it once, then watch for the posting in your account history.
3. Record the posting date in a note app.
4. Set a calendar reminder for 18 months after that posting date, not 24. Give yourself breathing room.

The whole point is to keep your “last activity” date fresh so you never need to chase a reinstatement.

Table: Common account activity options and what to watch

Use this as a quick chooser. Pick an action that fits your habits, then verify it posts to your account ledger.

Activity type	How it usually posts	Watch-outs
Co-branded credit card purchase	Points post after the statement cycle	Card must be linked to your correct loyalty number
Portal shopping	Pending first, then posts after the return window	Ad blockers and cookie settings can break tracking
Dining partner transaction	Posts after the charge clears and the partner reports it	Card registration needs to match the card you pay with
Award flight redemption	Posts as a deduction right after booking	Taxes and fees still apply at checkout
Buy points	Often posts quickly after purchase	Cost per point can be steep
Wallet credit exchange to miles	Posts as a miles deposit	Offer-specific rules apply when available Source
Partner flight credit	Posts after travel, sometimes after a delay	Keep boarding passes until the credit appears
Hotel or car partner earn	Posts after the stay or rental completes	Third-party bookings can be excluded by partner rules
Points gift or transfer	Posts as a deduction and transfer record	Transfers can be final, fees may apply

What to do if your account is already inactive or closed

Start with the easiest checks, then move up the ladder.

Step 1: Confirm your last posted activity date

Log in and open your activity history. You’re looking for the most recent earn or redemption entry. Write down the date you see.

Step 2: Trigger a small posting action

If you can still access the account, trigger a small earn that you know will post. A tiny card purchase or a portal buy can work. Then wait for the points to appear in your ledger.

Step 3: If the account is closed, act within the reinstatement window

Alaska’s published language says it may reinstate miles in a closed account for a fee for up to one year after closure. Inactivity and reinstatement language

If you’re in that window, reach Alaska’s customer channels through the official site and ask what steps apply to your account status. Have your member number ready, plus ID details that match your profile.

Table: Time-based playbook for keeping points safe

Use this timeline as a reality check. It’s written to keep you away from the two-year inactivity cliff.

Time since last posted activity	What to do now	Why it works
0–6 months	Do nothing but keep receipts for partner credits	Your account already has a fresh activity date
6–12 months	Pick one repeatable earn path (card, portal, dining)	Builds a habit that keeps posting without stress
12–18 months	Trigger a small posting action and confirm it lands	Creates a buffer before the two-year mark
18–23 months	Use a method that posts reliably for you, then recheck	Moves your last activity date before it gets tight
24+ months	If access is limited, contact Alaska and ask about status	Alaska says it may close inactive accounts after two years Source
After closure	Request reinstatement if you’re within one year	Alaska describes a one-year fee-based reinstatement window Source

How to make points easier to use before you redeem

Keeping points alive is step one. Step two is making sure they’re ready for a redemption you actually want.

Clean up your profile details

Matching names matter for travel bookings. If your profile name differs from your government ID, fix it well before you book an award seat. It saves phone calls later.

Track points versus status points

Under Atmos Rewards, Alaska separates points you spend from status points that track elite progress. Alaska’s own announcement lays out that shift in names and the one-to-one continuity for points. Source

That split can help you plan: spend points on travel, and treat status points as a scoreboard.

Keep your earn methods simple

It’s tempting to chase every partner offer. A cleaner approach is one steady earn lane plus the odd boost when it lines up with something you already needed to buy.

A clean rule you can stick with

If you want one sentence to remember, use this: make sure at least one earn or redemption posts to your account each year.

That yearly rhythm is easy, and it gives you slack. It also makes your balance feel like a savings account you actually check in on, not a forgotten number you scramble to rescue.

Alaska’s own statements give the guardrails: points don’t have a set expiration date, yet Alaska may close accounts that sit inactive for two years, with a paid reinstatement path after closure. Source Pair that with a simple posting habit and you’re set.