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How to claim missing airline miles

Forgot to add your number to a booking, or the miles for a flight never showed up? Every airline program lets you ask for them afterwards, but the form, the deadline, the wait before you can file and the rules for partner flights and new members all differ. This page compares 22 programs, and each has its own page with the steps, what to have ready and what to do if a claim is refused. Every rule comes from the airline's own claim pages and terms.

Written and reviewed by the Points Plug team. Last reviewed .

Every program's missing miles rules

ProgramClaim deadlineWait before claimingFlights before joining
American Airlines AAdvantage12 months10 days (American), 30 days (partners)6 months (American), 30 days (partners)
Delta SkyMiles9 monthsNot statedNot confirmed
Alaska Atmos Rewards12 months; 6 months for BA, Iberia, Qatar, Oman Air7 days (Alaska, Hawaiian), 14 days (partners)No for partners; Alaska not confirmed
Air Canada Aeroplan11 months; hotels and cars 6 months14 days after the whole tripNo
Avianca LifeMiles12 months; 6 months for Iberia and GOL4 days (avianca), 14 days (partners)No
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer6 months2 weeks (Singapore Airlines), 4 weeks (partners)30 days per the claim page; terms say 6 months
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles6 months7 daysUp to 30 days before
Korean Air SKYPASS365 days; 6 months online for AF, KLM, Garuda7 days (partners), 14 days (Garuda)Up to 30 days before
JAL Mileage Bank6 months3 days (JAL domestic); others not confirmedYes, within 6 months (no bonus miles)
ANA Mileage Club6 months3 daysNo
Qantas Frequent Flyer12 months; 6 months for Qatar Airways14 daysUp to 30 days before
Virgin Australia Velocity180 days; non-airline partners 90 days14 daysUp to 30 days before
British Airways Club6 months3 days (British Airways), 7 days (partners)Up to 3 months before (British Airways flights only)
Lufthansa Miles & More6 months7 days (flights), 14 days (hotels, car rental)Up to 6 months before
Air France-KLM Flying Blue6 months24 hours (Air France and KLM); partners not confirmedNot confirmed
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles12 months; some partners vary2 weeksYes, within 12 months; partners vary
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club6 months7 days (Virgin Atlantic); 30 days (partner purchases)Not stated (earning starts at enrolment)
Emirates Skywards6 months48 hours (Emirates, flydubai), 3 weeks (partners)Up to 2 months before
Etihad GuestNot confirmed (Etihad); 6 months (partners)Not confirmed (Etihad); 2 weeks (partners)Up to 3 months before
Qatar Airways Privilege Club6 months (180 days)None stated; Qatar Airways flights credit at check-inUp to 90 days before

Deadlines count from the flight date unless the program says otherwise, as checked on September 24, 2026. Partner airlines often have shorter limits; each program page lists them.

Programs whose claim rules we could not confirm

  • United MileagePlus

    Request missing miles in your MileagePlus account on united.com. United's claim and program rules pages load only in a browser, so we could not read the deadline, the wait before filing or the rule on flights before joining from them, and we don't quote them from other sites.

    Source: United: Request missing partner credit

  • JetBlue TrueBlue

    Sign in to your TrueBlue account and use the Request missing points link, within 12 months of a JetBlue-operated flight. JetBlue says the time allowed for partner airline flights varies by partner, and that you can't earn points on flights bought for another traveler. Its terms and partner pages load only in a browser, so the wait before filing and the rule on flights before joining are not confirmed.

    Source: JetBlue: Earning points help

How a missing miles claim works

  1. Wait for the flight to post. Most programs credit their own flights within days and partner flights later, and they ask you not to file until that time has passed.
  2. Find the claim form in your account on the program's website or app. The program you want the miles in handles the claim, even when another airline flew you.
  3. Enter the ticket number (13 digits on most tickets), the flight number and date, and the booking reference if asked. Keep the boarding pass and e-ticket receipt, since several programs ask for copies.
  4. File before the deadline. The clock usually starts on the flight date, and partner airlines can have shorter limits than the program's own flights.
  5. Check the result. If the claim is refused, the reason is usually the fare class, a name that doesn't match the account, or another program already credited with the flight.

Avoiding missing miles in the first place

  • Add your number when you book, and check it again at check-in. A flight earns in one program only, and the number on the booking decides which.
  • Book in the exact name on your account. Most programs refuse or delay claims when the names differ.
  • Check the fare class earns in your program before you choose where to credit it. Our earning guides list the partner airlines each program accepts.
  • Keep the e-ticket receipt and boarding passes until the miles post.

Missing miles guides by program

Missing miles FAQ

How long do I have to claim missing miles?
It depends on the program: American Airlines AAdvantage (12 months), Delta SkyMiles (9 months), Alaska Atmos Rewards (12 months; 6 months for BA, Iberia, Qatar, Oman Air), Air Canada Aeroplan (11 months; hotels and cars 6 months), Avianca LifeMiles (12 months; 6 months for Iberia and GOL), Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer (6 months), Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (6 months), Korean Air SKYPASS (365 days; 6 months online for AF, KLM, Garuda), JAL Mileage Bank (6 months), ANA Mileage Club (6 months), Qantas Frequent Flyer (12 months; 6 months for Qatar Airways), Virgin Australia Velocity (180 days; non-airline partners 90 days), British Airways Club (6 months), Lufthansa Miles & More (6 months), Air France-KLM Flying Blue (6 months), Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles (12 months; some partners vary), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (6 months), Emirates Skywards (6 months), Etihad Guest (Not confirmed (Etihad); 6 months (partners)) and Qatar Airways Privilege Club (6 months (180 days)). Most programs also ask you to wait a few days after the flight before filing, and partner flights often have their own limits. Each program's page has the detail.
Can I claim miles for a flight I took before joining?
Some programs allow it for recent flights and some don't: American Airlines AAdvantage (6 months (American), 30 days (partners)), Delta SkyMiles (not confirmed), Alaska Atmos Rewards (no for partners; Alaska not confirmed), Air Canada Aeroplan (no), Avianca LifeMiles (no), Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer (30 days per the claim page; terms say 6 months), Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (up to 30 days before), Korean Air SKYPASS (up to 30 days before), JAL Mileage Bank (yes, within 6 months (no bonus miles)), ANA Mileage Club (no), Qantas Frequent Flyer (up to 30 days before), Virgin Australia Velocity (up to 30 days before), British Airways Club (up to 3 months before (British Airways flights only)), Lufthansa Miles & More (up to 6 months before), Air France-KLM Flying Blue (not confirmed), Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles (yes, within 12 months; partners vary), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (not stated (earning starts at enrolment)), Emirates Skywards (up to 2 months before), Etihad Guest (up to 3 months before) and Qatar Airways Privilege Club (up to 90 days before). Join before you fly when you can, since the rules are tighter for partner flights.
How do I claim missing miles for a partner airline flight?
Through the program you want the miles in, not the airline you flew, usually with the operating airline's ticket number and your boarding pass. Partner claims are checked with the airline that flew you, so most programs ask you to wait longer before filing them and take longer to decide. Each program page below lists its partner rules.
Can I get miles for a flight that was credited to the wrong program?
A flight earns in one program only, so the airline that received the credit has to reverse it before another program can accept it, and most programs say they won't. Check the booking for the right number before you fly; each program page quotes its own rule under "If a claim is refused".