Airlines and banks set expiry rules to keep their loyalty liabilities manageable, and inactive accounts are the first to be cleared. Most programmes expire miles after a period of inactivity, commonly somewhere between twelve and thirty-six months, though the exact period varies by programme. The good news is that expiry is almost always based on inactivity, not on the age of individual miles, which means a single qualifying activity can reset the whole balance.

The first step is knowing your own deadlines. Log in to each programme where you hold miles, find the expiry policy, and note the date of your last qualifying activity. A simple spreadsheet with programme names, balances, and last-activity dates takes minutes to create and saves you from the unpleasant surprise of opening an account to find a balance gone.

In most programmes, any earning or redeeming activity counts as qualifying activity, and earning is usually easier than redeeming. A single shopping portal purchase, however small, typically resets the clock, as does a dining programme transaction or a small transfer from a bank rewards programme. The amount does not matter much: what matters is that an activity is recorded on your account.

This is why the cheapest reset is often a tiny purchase through a shopping portal. Buying something you already need, such as a household item, through the portal earns a few miles and resets the expiry date for your entire balance. It is a remarkably cheap insurance policy for a balance that might be worth a flight, and it takes only a few minutes.

Transferring points from a bank rewards programme to an airline is another reliable reset, and it has the bonus of moving points closer to a booking. Even a small transfer counts in most programmes, so if you hold bank points, a modest transfer can protect a much larger airline balance. Check the minimum transfer amount first, since some programmes require a minimum block.

Redeeming a small number of miles also resets the clock in many programmes, though this is less useful when your balance is small. Options include magazine subscriptions, small merchandise items, or a short-haul award if your balance allows. The goal is not to spend miles wastefully, but to create an activity record that protects the rest of your balance.

Dining programmes deserve special mention because they require almost no effort once set up. A single meal at a participating restaurant, paid with a linked card, records activity and resets expiry. Surveys offered through some loyalty programmes can also earn a few miles, though the time cost is higher, and they are best used when no easier option exists.

Some programmes also let you donate a small number of miles to charity, which counts as activity and does some good at the same time. The principle is the same in every case: find the lowest-effort activity available in that programme, do it well before the deadline, and confirm afterwards that your account shows the new activity date.

The real fix is a system, not a one-off rescue. Set calendar reminders a month before each programme's expiry deadline, and pair them with a simple routine: check balances quarterly, and trigger a small activity in any programme that has been quiet for a while. A quarterly check takes less than half an hour and covers every programme you hold.

Consolidation helps too. If you hold tiny balances in programmes you will never use, consider whether they are worth protecting at all. Letting a balance of a few hundred miles lapse is not a tragedy, but losing tens of thousands of miles through inattention is. Focus your protection efforts on the balances that can actually buy a trip, and let the rest go without guilt.

If you discover expired miles, contact the programme promptly and ask about reinstatement. Some programmes allow expired miles to be restored for a fee, and a polite request sometimes succeeds, especially for long-standing members. The fee may or may not be worth paying, depending on the size of the balance and your travel plans, so weigh it carefully.

Even if reinstatement fails, treat the loss as a lesson, not a disaster. Set up the reminder system described above, consolidate your earning into programmes you actively use, and move on. Miles are a tool for travel, not a savings account, and the best protection against expiry is the simplest one: use your points regularly, and keep them moving.