Can You Inherit Airline Miles When Your Spouse Dies? What’s Legal vs. What Airlines Allow

In the days after a death, life gets divided into two kinds of tasks: the ones that feel sacred, and the ones that feel strangely administrative. You might be choosing music for a memorial and, in the same hour, hunting for a password. You might be deciding whether you want a home memorial with cremation urns or cremation jewelry, and also staring at a travel app that still says “Welcome back” to someone who’s gone.

Airline miles land in that second category. They can represent years of family trips, a honeymoon you still talk about, the work travel that paid the bills, or the “someday” vacation you were going to take together. And because miles show up as a number with value, they often feel like property—like something that should automatically become part of an estate.

But frequent flyer programs usually don’t treat miles that way. Most loyalty terms say miles are not the member’s property and are generally not transferable, which creates a painful disconnect between what feels fair and what a program’s contract allows. If you’re wondering can you transfer frequent flyer miles after death, the most honest answer is: sometimes, but only if the program allows it and only if you follow its process.

This guide walks you through what’s “legal” in the estate sense versus what airlines will actually do, what documentation is commonly required, and practical steps for families who want to preserve value without creating more stress. If you want a deeper, airline-by-airline walkthrough, you can also read Funeral.com’s guide on transferring airline miles after death.

Why miles feel like property, but loyalty programs often say they aren’t

In many estates, a surviving spouse or executor can collect assets, close accounts, and distribute property under a will or local law. That’s the “legal” framework people naturally rely on when they hear the word inheritance. The problem is that airline miles sit inside a private program governed by a contract (the program’s terms and conditions). If the terms say miles are not property and are not transferable, that contract language often sets the practical reality—especially because the airline controls the account.

This is why you’ll see families describe an airline loyalty miles estate question as both “legal” and “customer service.” The estate may have authority to manage the deceased person’s affairs, but the program may still refuse a transfer unless an exception applies. Think of it less like inheriting a bank account and more like asking a company to approve a one-time exception to a set of rules.

That difference matters because it changes what “success” looks like. Sometimes, success is a formal transfer approved by the airline. Sometimes, success is using the miles—legitimately—before the account is closed. And sometimes, success is simply preventing the miles from being lost while you focus on the things that truly matter.

What airlines actually say about transfers after death

Policies can change, and details vary by airline, but most programs share a theme: miles are typically non-transferable, with limited discretion for the airline to approve a posthumous transfer when proper documentation is provided. Below are examples from major U.S. programs. Always check the specific program rules for the account you’re handling.

American Airlines AAdvantage: limited one-time transfer may be possible

American’s AAdvantage terms are unusually direct about what happens at death. The terms state that accrued rewards do not constitute property of the member or their estate and are generally not transferable upon death, and that the account may be terminated with miles forfeited unless American permits otherwise. American also describes a limited, one-time discretionary transfer process that may require a declaration, a death certificate, and proof of legal authority—and notes the airline may require a review period of six months or longer. That language is in American’s official AAdvantage terms and conditions.

In practice, this means executor airline miles requests can work with American, but you should plan for documentation and time. If you are the spouse and you’re trying a transfer miles to spouse request, don’t assume it’s instant—start early, keep copies of everything you send, and ask what the airline needs in writing.

United MileagePlus: discretion exists with documentation

United’s MileagePlus rules include a specific clause allowing United, in its sole discretion, to credit all or a portion of a member’s accrued mileage to authorized persons in the event of death (or divorce), upon receipt of satisfactory documentation and payment of any applicable fees. You can see this in United’s official MileagePlus Rules.

This is one of the clearer examples of a program acknowledging the reality families face. It doesn’t guarantee a transfer, but it does mean you’re not asking for something the rules forbid outright. If you are handling a frequent flyer account deceased situation with United miles, ask United what counts as “documentation satisfactory” and whether there are fees for the transfer request itself.

Delta SkyMiles: miles are not transferable, including at death

Delta’s SkyMiles rules emphasize that miles are not the property of members and explicitly state they are not transferable “by operation of law, or otherwise,” including “upon death.” That language appears in Delta’s SkyMiles Program Rules.

This is where families often feel blindsided: if you’re hoping to inherit airline miles after death from Delta, the policy is designed to make formal transfers extremely difficult. The practical focus shifts from “How do I transfer?” to “How do I use what’s there without crossing lines that could cause the account to be closed?”

Southwest Rapid Rewards: points are not property and generally can’t be inherited

Southwest’s Rapid Rewards rules also describe points as not the property of the member and address transfers in restrictive terms. The program rules are available in Southwest’s Rapid Rewards Terms and Conditions. When a program is this explicit, a traditional airline miles probate approach usually won’t work the way families expect.

If the airline doesn’t allow transfers, your best option is often to think in terms of authorized use (for example, booking travel for others, if that is permitted), or to use remaining points in a way that matches the program’s rules before the account is closed.

What “legal vs. allowed” looks like in real life

Here is the emotional truth most families don’t hear soon enough: you can be completely within your rights as a spouse or executor and still get a “no” from an airline. That doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. It means loyalty points sit at the intersection of contract rules, fraud prevention, and customer service discretion.

So the question becomes: how do you move forward without risking forfeiture?

Start by treating this as two separate tracks. The first track is estate authority—your documentation, your letters testamentary (if applicable), and your right to act. The second track is the airline’s policy—what it will do, what it won’t do, and what “exceptions” look like in the real world. This is the core of the points and miles after death policy puzzle: the estate has authority, but the program still controls the mechanism.

Practical steps for spouses and executors

When you’re grieving, it helps to have a calm sequence to follow—something you can do in small pieces, even on days when you can’t do much else.

First, gather what you’ll likely need. Most airlines that allow any posthumous handling will ask for some combination of the following:

• A copy of the death certificate
• Proof you have legal authority (executor paperwork, letters testamentary, or similar)
• A signed request letter identifying who should receive the miles (where transfers are allowed)
• Account identifiers (name, loyalty number, email address on file)

Second, contact the program through official channels and ask for the bereavement or account services process. Be direct and specific: “My spouse has died, and I’m trying to understand what your policy allows and what documentation you require.” If you can, keep a simple log of dates, names, and reference numbers. It’s not because you expect a fight; it’s because you deserve continuity when you have to repeat the story to a new representative.

Third, avoid actions that could trigger fraud alarms. Each program is different, but sudden password changes, unusual logins, or repeated attempts to move points can cause an account to be locked. If you’re trying a spouse airline miles transfer request, the safest route is almost always the airline’s documented process first—even if it feels slow.

Fourth, consider time-sensitive risks like expiration policies, upcoming travel, and companion balances. Some programs have activity requirements to keep miles active, and some families lose value simply because they waited too long to start the conversation.

If a transfer isn’t allowed, how families preserve value

When a program won’t transfer miles, families often feel like they have only two options: let the miles vanish, or do something that feels “in the gray.” But there are usually a few practical, lower-risk paths that can preserve value—especially if you keep your focus on permitted use rather than ownership transfer.

One common approach is booking travel for a surviving spouse or family member, if the program allows awards to be booked for others. Many programs do allow this, but the details vary, and you should follow the program’s rules carefully. Another option is redeeming miles for non-flight awards if that’s meaningful for your family (such as gift cards, merchandise, or experiences), though these redemptions can offer lower value than flights. Some programs also support pooling or family accounts while the member is alive, which can be an estate-planning strategy rather than a post-death fix.

And sometimes the most realistic strategy is simply to use miles sooner, rather than treating them like an heirloom asset. A recent discussion in the financial and travel world has emphasized that these points are designed for use, not long-term inheritance—an idea also reflected in how program terms define them as non-property. If you want to incorporate this into advance planning, write down account details and instructions the same way you would for any other digital asset.

Why this belongs on a funeral planning checklist

If you’re surprised to see airline miles discussed alongside memorial decisions, you’re not alone. But families routinely handle digital accounts and loyalty programs at the same time they’re navigating arrangements. That’s why this topic fits into broader funeral planning and after-death logistics.

It also sits beside the practical choices families make about disposition and memorialization. Cremation is now the majority choice in the United States. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected to be 63.4% in 2025, and NFDA projects it will continue rising. CANA’s statistics preview also shows the U.S. cremation rate reaching 61.8% in 2024. See CANA’s 2025 statistics preview for the five-year growth table and the 2024 percentage.

When cremation is the choice, families often have two parallel questions: “What do we do with digital accounts and value we don’t want to lose?” and “What do we do with ashes in a way that feels right?” Those questions belong in the same gentle conversation, because they both affect what life looks like after the service is over.

Connecting the practical with the personal: urns, keepsakes, and the “what now” feeling

After the paperwork starts, many families are surprised by what hurts the most. It’s not always the big decisions; sometimes it’s the small ones. A loyalty account that still sends promotions. A calendar reminder for a trip that won’t happen. A number of miles that looks like a promise you can’t keep.

One way families steady themselves is by choosing one tangible, caring next step—something that makes the loss feel acknowledged, not just processed. If you are arranging cremation, that might mean selecting cremation urns for ashes that fit your home and your family’s style. Some people want one central memorial; others want to share ashes among adult children, siblings, or close friends, which is where keepsake urns and small cremation urns become a practical kindness rather than an “extra.”

If you’d like to browse in a calm, non-overwhelming way, Funeral.com has collections organized by how families actually decide. The cremation urns for ashes collection is a broad starting point. For shared memorials or smaller spaces, the small cremation urns collection and the keepsake urns collection can help you see what “a little portion” actually looks like in real designs.

If your family is also grieving a pet during a season of loss, that adds another layer of tenderness. Funeral.com’s pet urns for ashes collection and pet figurine cremation urns collection offer options for families who want something that reflects personality, not just a container. For shared remembrance, pet cremation urns in keepsake sizes can be a gentle way to let more than one person hold the grief without arguing over “who gets the urn.”

And for people who don’t want a large memorial on a shelf, cremation jewelry can be a deeply practical comfort. It’s not about wearing grief; it’s about carrying love. You can explore Funeral.com’s cremation jewelry collection, or browse specifically for cremation necklaces in the cremation necklaces collection. If you’re unsure what styles exist or how filling works, Funeral.com’s guide on cremation necklaces walks through materials, closures, and what to look for in everyday wear.

These decisions don’t replace the administrative ones. They simply give you a human place to stand while you do them.

Keeping ashes at home, water burial, and the question underneath the question

Families often ask about miles because they’re really asking something else: “How do we hold onto what matters?” The same question shows up when you’re deciding between a home memorial and a scattering ceremony. If you’re considering keeping ashes at home, Funeral.com’s guide keeping ashes at home offers a practical, respectful overview of placement, safety, and common legal considerations. If you’re weighing a sea or lake ceremony, the water-specific resources on water burial urns can help you understand how biodegradable designs float, sink, and dissolve.

These choices also connect to cost, which is often part of the real-world stress families carry. If you’re trying to understand how much does cremation cost, Funeral.com’s 2025 guide how much does cremation cost breaks down typical pricing and the fees that change the total, so you can plan without surprises.

In other words: whether you’re sorting miles or choosing a memorial, it’s all part of the same careful work of building a life that can still hold love after loss.

Planning ahead so your family doesn’t have to guess

If you’re reading this as part of advance planning rather than after a death, you can make life easier for the person who will one day handle your accounts. The most helpful thing you can do is leave clear instructions. Not “how to break rules,” but how to proceed: which programs you belong to, where the account numbers are, how you prefer miles to be used (for a spouse’s travel, for a family reunion, for a trip you always intended to take together), and what to do if a transfer isn’t possible.

In the same spirit, you can also document your preferences for cremation and memorial items. Choosing a style of urn, deciding whether you want keeping ashes at home to be part of your plan, and noting whether you like the idea of cremation jewelry can spare your family from making every decision in a fog.

That is what good planning really is: not controlling the future, but reducing the amount of guessing someone has to do while they’re grieving.