American Airlines urges action on inactive AAdvantage frequent flyer accounts

For those aged 21 or older, miles typically expire after 24 months without activity. However, this current measure targets accounts that have been inactive for several years.

The email campaign aims to clean up American Airlines' database of dormant accounts. While it is generally inexpensive for companies to maintain these accounts and continue marketing to infrequent users, American Airlines appears intent on updating its membership records.

"Usually accounts are kept open because it’s cheap to do so," noted one customer who received the email. They added that inflated membership numbers are often used in reporting how many members a program has overall.

Some recipients of these emails were confused because they did not recognize the account numbers referenced. This confusion arises from cases where individuals had opened multiple accounts unknowingly over the years. The email might reference an old dormant account while their currently used account remains active.

Ultimately, those who lose their dormant accounts can create new ones if they wish to re-engage with the AAdvantage program in the future. One long-time member recounted losing an original account opened decades ago due to inactivity but noted that only the "member since" date was lost in such cases.

This move represents a significant step in American Airlines' efforts to streamline its loyalty program database and ensure more accurate representation of its active user base.