Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
Part of Cathay / Asia Miles hub
GUIDE
How to understand the Asia Miles expiry rule
Asia Miles expiry is activity-based: from 1 January 2020 (time in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China) a member keeps Asia Miles active so long as they earn or redeem miles at least once every 18 months, and for all miles earned from that date the expiry date is extended automatically by 18 months from the last miles crediting or debiting date. [3]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Cathay runs Asia Miles on an activity-based expiry system: miles stay active as long as the member earns or redeems miles at least once every 18 months. [3]
- The expiry date moves 18 months forward from the last miles crediting or debiting date, and Cathay counts that crediting or debiting date rather than the activity or transaction date. [3]
- Miles earned from 1 January 2020 no longer expire three years after being credited to the account. [3]
- Miles credited on or before 31 December 2019 continue under the earlier, time-based arrangement. [3]
What the Asia Miles expiry rule says
Cathay changed Asia Miles from a time-based expiry system to an activity-based one with effect from 1 January 2020 (time in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China). [3] Under the activity-based system, a member keeps Asia Miles active so long as they earn or redeem miles at least once every 18 months. [3]
Cathay states that the effect is that newly earned miles no longer expire three years after being credited to the account. [3] Miles credited on or before 31 December 2019 are outside the new arrangement and continue to follow the former miles expiry arrangement. [3]
This page covers the Asia Miles expiry rule only.
How the 18-month extension works
The extension is automatic: the miles expiry date is extended by 18 months from the member's last miles crediting or debiting date. [3] Cathay specifies that the reference point is the crediting or debiting date, not the activity or transaction date. [3]
Because the activity test is written as earning or redeeming miles, both a credit to the account and a debit from it are relevant: Cathay's wording runs the extension from the last date miles were credited or debited. [3]
| Point | What Cathay states |
|---|---|
| System | Activity-based, from 1 January 2020 (time in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China) [3] |
| What keeps miles active | Earning or redeeming miles at least once every 18 months [3] |
| How far the expiry date moves | 18 months from the last miles crediting or debiting date [3] |
| Which date counts | The crediting or debiting date, not the activity or transaction date [3] |
| Miles credited on or before 31 December 2019 | The former miles expiry arrangement continues to apply [3] |
Exceptions and limits
- Two arrangements apply by date. Miles credited on or before 31 December 2019 continue to follow the former miles expiry arrangement, and miles earned from 1 January 2020 fall under the 18-month activity rule. [3]
- The former rule was time-based. Before the change, newly earned miles expired three years after they were credited to the account. [3]
- Either a credit or a debit sets the date. Cathay describes the extension as running from the last miles crediting or debiting date. [3]
- The count uses the crediting or debiting date, not the underlying activity date. Cathay draws a distinction between the crediting or debiting date and the underlying activity or transaction date, and the expiry extension follows the former. [3]
- Redeeming miles counts as activity. Cathay's rule is that a member keeps miles active by earning or redeeming miles at least once every 18 months; the 777-300 page lists reserving an extra-legroom seat by redeeming Asia Miles as a redemption option. [3] [4]
Frequently asked questions
Do Asia Miles expire?
Cathay works to a miles expiry date, but the rule is activity-based: miles stay active while the member earns or redeems miles at least once every 18 months, and the expiry date is extended 18 months from the last crediting or debiting date. [3]
How far does the extension run, and from which date?
The expiry date is extended by 18 months, counted from the last miles crediting or debiting date rather than from the activity or transaction date behind that movement. [3]
What counts as activity under the 18-month rule?
Cathay's wording is that a member keeps miles active by earning or redeeming miles at least once every 18 months, and the extension itself is described in terms of the last miles crediting or debiting date. [3]
Do miles credited before 2020 follow the same rule?
No. Miles credited on or before 31 December 2019 continue to follow the former miles expiry arrangement rather than the activity-based system introduced from 1 January 2020. [3]
Where is the rule published?
Cathay sets it out in the Asia Miles expiry FAQ linked in the sources below. [3]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. This page covers the Asia Miles expiry rule only.
- Cathay Pacific FAQ: what is the new change on the expiry rule of Asia Miles?, checked 18 October 2026
- Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300 fleet and cabin page, checked 18 October 2026