Calgary resident in disbelief as Air Miles Corporation deems 25,000 accumulated points ineligible from account.
In a surprising turn of events, a Calgary man named Todd Woodbeck has lost nearly 25,000 Air Miles points from his account after more than three decades of collection [4]. The loss, which represents approximately $8,000 in spending, occurred due to the retirement of Woodbeck's Air Miles points as a result of account inactivity, according to Air Miles [1].
Air Miles accounts become inactive if no activity occurs within 24 months, meaning the member must earn, redeem, or transfer at least 1 Mile within two years to keep their account active and prevent their points from being lost [1][3]. Air Miles notifies collectors roughly 60 days before dormancy and removal of Miles, encouraging updating email information to receive such alerts [3].
To avoid losing loyalty points due to inactivity, customers should do at least one of the following actions within every 24-month period:
- Earn points or miles by making purchases or through partner activities
- Redeem points or miles for rewards such as travel, merchandise, or eVouchers
- Transfer points or miles to another program or account (this counts as activity with Air Miles)
- Use co-branded credit cards that earn Miles automatically with purchases
In general, maintaining any form of account activity resets the 24-month dormancy clock, and accounts will be reactivated within 24 hours of activity [1][3][2]. Experts recommend frequently checking loyalty accounts to stay aware of expiration policies and any suspicious activity [1].
Additional tips include linking your non-co-branded card to participating rewards programs for added opportunities to earn activity credit [2] and taking advantage of low-Mile-value rewards and promotions before your account risks dormancy [3].
Starting Jan. 1, 2026, Aeroplan members will earn points based on dollars spent on eligible Air Canada flights rather than the distance flown [5]. The new system will reward traveler loyalty to a single program the most. Aeroplan will also introduce a new system for status qualification called Status Qualifying Credits (SQC) [5]. SQC can be earned not just through flights, but also Aeroplan credit card use and partner activity. Members will earn a minimum of one Aeroplan point per $1 spent, with Elite status members earning more points per dollar spent [5].
Woodbeck believes Air Miles had an outdated email address on file and did not receive any warnings before the points were retired [1]. Woodbeck's Air Miles card still worked when he used it at the Shell gas station, raising questions about the account status [1]. Despite the point loss, Air Miles continues to maintain Woodbeck's account as active [2]. Woodbeck was only able to get 1,240 points restored, leaving him with a significant loss [2].
Patrick Sojka, the founder of RewardsCanada.ca, advises consumers to regularly check their loyalty program accounts for expiry and potential fraud [1]. Many loyalty programs have inactivity policies that can lead to the loss of miles or points if an account is not used or points are not redeemed within a certain time period [1]. Some loyalty programs may help members if they show a good reason for their inactivity after the fact [1].
References:
[1] Sojka, P. (2023, March 28). Calgary man loses 25,000 Air Miles points after more than 30 years of collection. Retrieved from https://www.rewardscanada.ca/calgary-man-loses-25000-air-miles-points-after-more-than-30-years-of-collection/
[2] Sojka, P. (2023, April 3). How to avoid losing Air Miles due to account inactivity. Retrieved from https://www.rewardscanada.ca/how-to-avoid-losing-air-miles-due-to-account-inactivity/
[3] Air Miles. (2023, April 4). How to prevent your Air Miles from expiring. Retrieved from https://www.airmiles.ca/en/member/account/expiry-prevention
[4] CBC News. (2023, April 5). Calgary man loses thousands of Air Miles points after more than 30 years of collection. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-man-loses-thousands-of-air-miles-points-after-more-than-30-years-of-collection-1.6449216
[5] Air Canada. (2023, January 1). Aeroplan program changes. Retrieved from https://www.aircanada.com/en/aco/home/book/frequent-flyer-program/aeroplan/program-changes.html
- To prevent losing Air Miles points due to inactivity, keeping the email address associated with the account updated is crucial, as failure to do so might lead to missing important notifications like those prior to dormancy and removal of Miles.
- news: Calgary man's lost Air Miles points worth approximately $8,000 serve as a reminder to regularly check loyalty accounts for expiry and suspicious activities to maintain travel rewards, just like how sports teams review game footage for improvement.
