Part of Marriott Bonvoy hub
Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is qualifying activity?
Qualifying activity is account activity that a loyalty programme counts toward keeping a member's points, miles or other benefits active. It resets or satisfies the programme's expiry clock, and each programme sets its own list of eligible transactions; Marriott Bonvoy, for example, requires Qualifying Activity at least once every 24 months to retain accumulated Points, Awards and other benefits. [4]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Qualifying activity is the account test that keeps an activity-based expiry clock from running out.
- Marriott Bonvoy requires Qualifying Activity at least once every 24 months to retain accumulated Points, Awards and other benefits. [4]
- Gifting, transferring or receiving Points from another Member does not count as Qualifying Activity in Marriott Bonvoy. [4]
- United Airlines' MileagePlus Rules say accrued miles are maintained in the account until redeemed for an award or otherwise forfeited under the reasons listed in those Rules. [7]
How does qualifying activity work?
In an activity-based expiry rule, the clock measures the gap since the last transaction the programme recognises. A qualifying transaction resets that gap, so the member keeps the balance for another period. If no qualifying transaction occurs before the period ends, the programme may expire or forfeit the balance.
The difficult part is eligibility. A programme can count earning and redemption while excluding transfers or other account entries. Whether a transfer, a promotional credit or another account entry counts depends on the programme's own rules. The same transaction can be qualifying in one scheme and irrelevant in another.
Qualifying activity is therefore both a definition and a deadline. The definition tells the member what to do; the deadline tells them when to do it. The programme's terms also decide whether an extension is automatic, whether a partial period is enough, and whether forfeited value can be restored.
What counts as qualifying activity in Marriott Bonvoy?
Marriott Bonvoy's Program Rules, updated October 2026, set out a section called Qualifying Activity and Account Inactivity. [4] The rules say members must have Qualifying Activity at least once every 24 months to retain accumulated Points, Awards and other benefits. [4] They describe it as including eligible Account activity such as earning or redeeming Points or Miles, purchasing Points, completing a Qualifying Stay, or converting Points or Miles with designated partners. [4]
| Account activity | Treatment in the Program Rules |
|---|---|
| Earning Points or Miles | Listed as an example of Qualifying Activity [4] |
| Redeeming Points or Miles | Listed as an example of Qualifying Activity [4] |
| Purchasing Points | Listed as an example of Qualifying Activity [4] |
| Completing a Qualifying Stay | Listed as an example of Qualifying Activity [4] |
| Converting Points or Miles with designated partners | Listed as an example of Qualifying Activity [4] |
| Gifting, transferring or receiving Points from another Member | Does not count as Qualifying Activity [4] |
The transfer exclusion is specific: the rules say gifting, transferring or receiving Points from another Member does not count as Qualifying Activity. [4] By contrast, converting Points or Miles with designated partners is one of the listed examples of eligible Account activity. [4] For a wider comparison of hotel rules, see hotel points expiry compared.
How does the Marriott Bonvoy 24-month clock work?
The Marriott Bonvoy test is stated as a 24-month period: an account must have Qualifying Activity at least once every 24 months. [4] If an Account has no Qualifying Activity for 24 consecutive months, all accumulated Points, Awards and other benefits are forfeited and cannot be reinstated. [4] If an Account remains inactive for five consecutive years, Marriott Bonvoy says the Account may be deactivated. [4]
Awards redeemed before Point forfeiture remain valid unless cancelled after the Points expiration date. [4] If an Award is cancelled after that date and the Member has not completed Qualifying Activity to extend the date, the Points used for the Award expire. [4]
Points in Lifetime Elite Status Accounts are not currently subject to expiration, but the programme says it may apply an expiration policy to those Accounts in the future. [4] Members who want to audit their own recent transactions can use the points expiration activity checklist.
How does United MileagePlus treat mileage expiration?
United Airlines' MileagePlus Rules state that mileage accrued in a Member's account is maintained in the account until it is redeemed for an award or until it is otherwise forfeited under six routes. [7] The listed routes are the Rules, United's Contract of Carriage or United's fare rules; Prohibited Conduct; applicable laws or regulations; a Member-requested account closure; the death of a Member; or the failure of a Member to respond to repeated communication attempts regarding the status of the account. [7] For more airline examples, see US airline mileage expiry compared.
Exceptions and limits
- Member-to-member transfers. Marriott Bonvoy's exclusion covers gifting, transferring or receiving Points from another Member. [4] The same section treats converting Points or Miles with designated partners as a listed example of Qualifying Activity. [4]
- Two different inactivity periods. Marriott Bonvoy separates the 24-month Qualifying Activity test, which can forfeit Points, Awards and other benefits, from a five-year inactivity rule that may lead to Account deactivation. [4]
- Cancelled awards. An Award cancelled after the Points expiration date can still cause the underlying Points to expire if no Qualifying Activity has extended the date. [4]
- Lifetime Elite Status Accounts. Marriott Bonvoy says Points in these Accounts are not currently subject to expiration, but it may apply an expiration policy in the future. [4]
- United forfeiture reasons. United's listed routes include a Member-requested account closure and the death of a Member. [7]
- Other balances. This entry covers airline and hotel loyalty programmes. Credit-card points expiry and transferable-currency rules sit outside it and have their own terms; see card points expiry.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as qualifying activity in Marriott Bonvoy?
Marriott Bonvoy lists earning or redeeming Points or Miles, purchasing Points, completing a Qualifying Stay, and converting Points or Miles with designated partners as examples of Qualifying Activity. [4]
Do transfers count as qualifying activity?
No for Marriott Bonvoy: the Program Rules say gifting, transferring or receiving Points from another Member does not count as Qualifying Activity. [4]
What happens after 24 months without qualifying activity?
Marriott Bonvoy says that if an Account has no Qualifying Activity for 24 consecutive months, all accumulated Points, Awards and other benefits are forfeited and cannot be reinstated. [4]
How does United MileagePlus decide when miles are forfeited?
United's MileagePlus Rules say accrued miles are maintained until redeemed for an award or otherwise forfeited for reasons including Prohibited Conduct, legal requirements, Member-requested account closure, the Member's death, or failure to respond to repeated account communications. [7]
Are Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Elite Status Accounts subject to expiry?
Points in Lifetime Elite Status Accounts are not currently subject to expiration, though Marriott Bonvoy says it may apply an expiration policy to those Accounts in the future. [4]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. It covers Marriott Bonvoy and United MileagePlus. Other airline and hotel programmes, including American Airlines AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, World of Hyatt and Hilton Honors, are not covered here.
- Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program Terms & Conditions, checked 18 October 2026
- United MileagePlus Rules, checked 18 October 2026