Do Avis Points Expire After Inactivity? What Every Member Should Know
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Most loyalty programs have a fairly simple expiration policy. Either points expire after inactivity, or points never expire at all. Avis Preferred is more complicated.
Avis actually uses two separate expiration mechanisms:
- a hard expiration rule,
- and an inactivity rule.
Because both apply simultaneously, many travelers incorrectly assume their points are safe simply because they occasionally rent a car or earn new points.
That is not always true. In some situations, you can keep your account active and still lose older points.
Understanding that distinction is the most important thing about the Avis program.
Do Avis Preferred Points Expire?
Yes.
According to Avis Preferred program terms, points are generally valid for:
- 60 months (five years) from the date they are earned.
Once those points reach the five-year mark, they are forfeited and removed from the account if they have not been redeemed.
That means Avis uses:
- a hard five-year expiration policy.
Unlike some airline programs, earning new points does not automatically extend the life of older points indefinitely.
This is one reason Avis points behave differently than many travelers expect.
Avis Also Has a 12-Month Inactivity Rule
The five-year expiration policy is only part of the story.
Avis also considers an account inactive if, during a 12-month period, the member:
- does not complete an eligible rental,
- does not earn points,
- and does not redeem points.
When an account becomes inactive, points may be forfeited even if some of them are less than five years old.
This creates two separate risks:
| Expiration Risk | What Triggers It |
|---|---|
| Hard expiration | Points reach 60 months from earning date |
| Inactivity expiration | No qualifying activity for 12 months |
Many travelers only know about the inactivity rule and completely miss the five-year limit.
Why This Matters
Imagine you have 8,000 Avis Preferred points earned gradually over several years.
You continue renting once per year and therefore remain active.
Many people would assume: “Great, my points are safe.” Not necessarily. Your account may stay active, but individual points earned more than five years ago can still expire.
This is one of the biggest differences between Avis and programs that simply reset the expiration clock after each activity.
What Counts as Qualifying Activity?
Fortunately, maintaining account activity is usually not difficult.
Examples that generally qualify include:
- completing an eligible Avis rental,
- earning Avis Preferred points,
- redeeming Avis Preferred points.
The important detail is that Avis looks for actual rewards activity.
Simply logging into your account typically does not qualify.
Neither does:
- updating profile information,
- browsing reservations,
- or checking your balance.
You generally need real earning or redemption activity.
How Avis Preferred Points Are Earned
Base-level Avis Preferred members typically earn:
- 1 point per dollar spent on rental charges,
- and 2 points per dollar spent on accessories.
Higher elite tiers earn more:
| Status Level | Rental Spend | Accessories |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred | 1 point per $1 | 2 points per $1 |
| Preferred Plus | 1.25 points per $1 | 2.5 points per $1 |
| President’s Club | 1.5 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 |
Because points expire after five years regardless of account activity, long-term point hoarding is usually not the best strategy.
Can You Transfer Avis Points Instead?
Not really.
Avis generally does not allow free transfers of Avis Preferred points between members.
That means travelers cannot easily move expiring points into another family member’s account to preserve them.
This makes tracking expiration dates more important.
What Happens If Your Points Expire?
Once points are forfeited under Avis rules, they are usually removed from the account.
Some travelers report success contacting customer service shortly after expiration, especially if:
- the expiration happened recently,
- there was confusion about activity,
- or there was a technical issue.
However, there is no published guarantee that expired points will be restored.
The safest approach is avoiding expiration entirely.
How Avis Compares to Other Rental Car Programs
Avis sits somewhere in the middle of the rental loyalty landscape.
| Program | Expiration Policy |
|---|---|
| Avis Preferred | 60 months + 12-month inactivity rule |
| Enterprise Plus | Activity every 3 years |
| Hertz Gold Plus Rewards | 5 years plus inactivity requirements |
| National Emerald Club | More flexible free-day structure |
Compared to airline programs, Avis is noticeably stricter than some travelers expect.
The combination of:
- hard expiration,
- and inactivity expiration
creates more monitoring responsibility for members.
Bottom Line
Avis Preferred points expire under two separate rules.
First, points are generally valid for:
- 60 months from the date they are earned.
Second, accounts can lose points if they become inactive for:
- 12 consecutive months without qualifying earning or redemption activity.
The most important thing to remember is that keeping your account active does not necessarily protect older points from the five-year expiration rule.
For that reason, Avis points are usually best used steadily rather than accumulated indefinitely.