When do my Miles and More miles expire?

Question

I can remember that I've read that award miles at the Star Alliance loyalty program Miles and More expire within 18 months. However, I can't find this information anymore. Has anybody a canonical reference?

Additionally, I'm unsure if it is exactly 18 months. So for example, if I flew on 1. January 2012, do my miles expire at 1.7.2014?

Answer 1

They have a section in the Terms and Conditions that addresses this:

2.5. Mileage expiry

Any mileage not redeemed within 36 months of the date of accrual (date of flight, start of hotel stay, time of car rental) will expire at the end of that quarter (e.g. miles expiring in August of any given year would expire at the end of September of that same year), failing other arrangements published in the Miles & More communication media. Attention will be drawn in good time to the date and extent of the lapsed mileage in the Miles & More account information or in the personal Internet mileage account.

This is a harder policy than many other Star Alliance members follow. For example Air Canada Aeroplan miles last 7 years from the year you earned them, but if you have 12 months of no Aeroplan activity you can lose everything. You should consider these policies when choosing which loyalty program to put your miles in, since you can join any Star Alliance member and earn and redeem on your home airline.