Article: What Happens to Frequent Flyer Points After You Die?

[Mwenenzi]

Earning QF ff points and not using them? Earn and burn.

I have never used QFF points to book a seat anywhere yet. Let's say something happened to me. Would my wife or kids be able to book redemption flights in their name/s by accessing my account?

What about Amex? When you are ready to make a redemption booking you must transfer points from Amex to the same name FF account in the airline you are booking with. Any way around this so family can access your points?

From https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/discover-and-join/terms-and-conditions.html

12. Redeeming Qantas Points for Rewards

12.1 Reward availability is limited.

12.2 In addition to the Qantas Points required for a Reward, Members must pay any other amounts quoted at the time of booking (including applicable taxes, fees and carrier charges) and any applicable Reward Assistance Fees.

12.3 Members may assign Rewards that they obtain through Qantas Frequent Flyer to their Eligible Family Member subject to any terms and conditions applicable to the Reward. However, there may be tax implications on such a transfer.
<snip>

So you can book rewards flight for eligible family members. Unsure if the credit card payment needs to be yours or another OK.
Or you can transfer the QF ff points to the eligible family members. Probably safer than a family member logging in as you and using the ff points for an reward flight for them.

https://help.qantas.com/support/s/article/Qantas-Points-of-deceased-members

Can a deceased member's points be transferred to next of kin or another Frequent Flyer?

On advice from a family member or solicitor about the death of a member, the account will be closed, the Frequent flyer service centre will need to be advised to close the account and any accumulated points cancelled.

March 2023
https://www.news.com.au/travel/trav...e/news-story/fbb6ea42dd563e7f01c5a5c86bde53ea

Julie wanted to use her late husband’s Frequent Flyer points to see her grandchildren but they'd been cancelled

Months after Julie Jenner's husband died, she tried to access the Qantas Frequent Flyer points the couple had collectively accumulated. But as per a clause in the fine print, the points had already been cancelled.

www.abc.net.au

No idea about AMEX.

 

[Forg]

I can't think of one valid reason why anybody would notify Qantas of a loved one's death, except where there's an employee/employer relationship.
Bizarre.

Does Qantas send snail mail if you’re a member?
Might not want the ongoing reminders.

 

[Lynda2475]

Does Qantas send snail mail if you’re a member?

Nope, except if issuing a new card.

 

[Forg]

This thread is all very interesting … my FIL died maybe a month ago, and spent 1/3 of each year in a different country for the last few decades, didn’t like spending money he didn’t have to BUT had all sorts of airline amenities packs etc all over the house so must’ve been accumulating reasonable points as he’d never have paid more than the cheapest discount economy fares. My BIL isn’t exactly flush with cash, so I wonder if there’s any way to transfer any points out of his dad’s account in order to lower the cost of the flight to Germany he’s taking to square-off affairs there?

 

[cove]

Heard a story where a wife used his dead partners finger to access his records. Great piece of mind doing that before his body was taken away.
Do record passwords and don’t let on that someone has passed away.

 

[Forg]

Heard a story where a wife used his dead partners finger to access his records. Great piece of mind doing that before his body was taken away.

It’s a fun story, but it doesn’t work; fingerprint scanning apparently doesn’t work without blood pressure, it’s unfathomable but Hollywood lies to us!

 

[JohnK]

My BIL isn’t exactly flush with cash, so I wonder if there’s any way to transfer any points out of his dad’s account in order to lower the cost of the flight to Germany he’s taking to square-off affairs there?

With Qantas and Virgin you can do family transfers online but you'd need the account login details. I'm not sure calling will have similar success.

With many other frequent flyer programs you can book award flights as long as you have the account login details.

 

[VPS]

A timely reminder to make sure some else has access to all your passwords

 

[Mwenenzi]

This thread is all very interesting … my FIL died maybe a month ago, and spent 1/3 of each year in a different country for the last few decades, didn’t like spending money he didn’t have to BUT had all sorts of airline amenities packs etc all over the house so must’ve been accumulating reasonable points as he’d never have paid more than the cheapest discount economy fares. My BIL isn’t exactly flush with cash, so I wonder if there’s any way to transfer any points out of his dad’s account in order to lower the cost of the flight to Germany he’s taking to square-off affairs there?

QF ffp? Or other ffp's? Some allow transfer to others, but varies by ffp. QF ffp is amongst the most restrictive after death of a member.
Doing a transfer the cleanest & simplest.
Using points/miles/avios to lower the flight cost (cash & points) will depend on the airlines. Will be cheaper ways to get to Germany than QF. Has your BiL booked a flight? EK/QF may be (but have not checked)

 

[SYD]

It’s a fun story, but it doesn’t work; fingerprint scanning apparently doesn’t work without blood pressure, it’s unfathomable but Hollywood lies to us!

But facial recognition does! There’s been a bunch of drink spiking in NYC, where they bundle the victim off into a waiting van and use facial recognition to raid bank accounts! True story and some peeps died - overdose. Fortunately the police caught one group and leads on another.

Anyway, rather ghoulish but waving the phone in front of the recently departed could unlock *all* sorts of secrets….

 

[Forg]

QF ffp? Or other ffp's? Some allow transfer to others, but varies by ffp. QF ffp is amongst the most restrictive after death of a member.
Doing a transfer the cleanest & simplest.
Using points/miles/avios to lower the flight cost (cash & points) will depend on the airlines. Will be cheaper ways to get to Germany than QF. Has your BiL booked a flight? EK/QF may be (but have not checked)

Yeah the FIL won’t have been a QF person … all the blankets around the house (nicked from aircraft) & amenity-kit bags were Singapore, and Thai & Vietnam & mostly 2nd-tier airlines.

 

[angusburns]

What about bank points schemes? Do they expire on death? eg AMEX, NAB Rewards and Citibank Rewards...

Pretty sure someone should have done an article on this, but I can't recall seeing it.

 

[GrahamBRI]

What about bank points schemes? Do they expire on death? eg AMEX, NAB Rewards and Citibank Rewards...

Pretty sure someone should have done an article on this, but I can't recall seeing it.

I maintain a spreadsheet with all my point accounts and what action my next of kin should take (it is filed with my Will). This is what I have recorded for my Amex Account:

 

[Mwenenzi]

I have never used QFF points to book a seat anywhere yet. Let's say something happened to me. Would my wife or kids be able to book redemption flights in their name/s by accessing my account?
What about Amex? When you are ready to make a redemption booking you must transfer points from Amex to the same name FF account in the airline you are booking with. Any way around this so family can access your points?

Look here ---> Qantas reforms policy, no more points cancellation after passing

I have read of people earning & burning points after death.
But better if some one knows (or in will) the log in details for your freq flyer accounts.

 

[AFF Editor]

What about bank points schemes? Do they expire on death? eg AMEX, NAB Rewards and Citibank Rewards...

Pretty sure someone should have done an article on this, but I can't recall seeing it.

It took a little while, but here you go

Do Credit Card Reward Points Expire?

We compare the credit card reward point expiration policies of different Australian banks, as well as their policies on changing reward costs without notice.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Ade]

It took a little while, but here you go

Do Credit Card Reward Points Expire?

We compare the credit card reward point expiration policies of different Australian banks, as well as their policies on changing reward costs without notice.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Excellent article!