United Shortens Mileage Shelf Life
United Airlines announced today that it has shortened the amount of time its Mileage Plus accounts are allowed to remain inactive, meaning frequent flyers who are not truly frequent could see their accounts expire.
Mileage Plus accounts now will expire after 18 months, compared with the three-year period customers were allowed in the past. This will retroactively take effect as of July 1, 2006, so United will hold accounts that have been inactive since then to the 18-month rule.
Besides flights on United or its airline partners, members can keep their accounts active by using miles for travel or merchandise, transferring miles to another member, donating miles to United's charity program or by signing up for or using Mileage Plus-branded Visa cards.
"This change makes our Mileage Plus program better for customers who are most loyal to United, reduces our operating costs and brings our program in line with major competitors," Dennis Cary, United's senior vice president of marketing, said in a prepared statement.
Other airlines have made similar adjustments to their programs recently. US Airways last year shortened its three-year allowance for inactivity to 18 months, and Delta shortened its from three years to two years.