Delta: Frequent flier miles will no longer expire

Members of the Delta Air Lines frequent flier program won't have to worry any more about their SkyMiles expiring.

Delta announced Tuesday that its frequent flier miles will no longer disappear if they aren't used. Previously, miles got zapped if a traveler went 24 months without redeeming or earning miles. The change is effective for all accounts as of January 1, 2011.

Spokeswoman Chris Kelly said Delta is the only major U.S. carrier that doesn't wipe out frequent flier miles.

"No longer will your miles expire which is really really good news for some of those customers who maybe don't fly us all the time," Kelly said. "Folks who have flown on us maybe a couple of times. Now, their miles won't expire and they'll be able to use them."

Delta acquired Northwest Airlines in 2008. Officially, Delta said former Northwest customers should have lost their miles if they went more than two years without adding or using miles. But for at least some customers, miles that should have expired have not.

Delta said customers with expired miles can reactivate them for a fee -- $25 for up to 10,000 miles.