Do Starbucks Stars Expire in 2024?
As a Starbucks Rewards member with over 50,000 lifetime Stars earned, expiration is top of mind. And with over 16.8 million enrolled members as of late 2022, many are asking—do our Stars expire?
Why Starbucks Instituted an Expiration Policy
Starbucks has retained its 6-month expiration policy to encourage active engagement in the program. By letting older Stars expire, Starbucks creates an incentive for loyal customers to keep visiting stores and earning Stars.
However, this policy risks frustrating certain customers who accumulate Stars slowly or infrequently. Especially for new parents, travelers, or those with limited shop visits, watching hard-earned Stars vanish can prompt anger.
In my opinion, the frustration risk likely outweighed the benefits of forced engagement. A 12-month policy could allow more flexibility without letting Stars stockpile forever.
Checking Your Expiration Dates
Per the Starbucks Rewards Terms & Conditions, Stars will expire 6 months after the month they were earned if not used by 11:59 pm PST.
For instance, Stars earned on January 15, 2023 will expire after July 1, 2023.
To check specific status, log into your Starbucks Rewards account online or in the mobile app. Under "Rewards" you‘ll see the "Expiring Soon" tab with details:
Table showing which month‘s Stars expire when
| Earned Month | Expiration Month |
|---|---|
| January 2023 | July 2023 |
| February 2023 | August 2023 |
| March 2023 | September 2023 |
And so forth. Mark your calendar reminders accordingly!
Exceptions: Starbucks Visa Cardmembers
As highlighted in the Starbucks Rewards Visa Card benefits, if you have this card, your Stars will not expire as long as your account remains open.
However, if your Starbucks Visa Card account closes for any reason, your Stars will expire 180 days post-closure.
How Many Stars Expire Unredeemed?
In 2021, Starbucks reported over 137 million Stars were redeemed for rewards. Compare this to over 1.4 billion Stars actually earned!
This implies only around 10% of earned Stars are actively utilized. The rest—over 1.2 billion—likely expired unused in 2021.
What a waste for members! Proper planning and redemption cadence is key.
Strategies to Minimize Expired Stars
Earning Stars is the easy part—remembering to use them in that 6-month span is tougher. Here are some top tips:
1. Activate Email and Push Alerts
Through your Starbucks Rewards account settings, you can enable both email and push notifications to alert you when new Rewards are available and when existing Stars may expire soon.
2. Add Ongoing Calendar Reminders
Every month, log your earned Stars totals and the corresponding expiration months. Then set calendar reminders monthly to redeem Rewards.
3. Redeem Small Rewards Frequently
Don‘t only save up for high-tier rewards. Treat yourself to smaller 150-Star bakery or coffee items routinely!
4. Link Additional Earning Methods
From grocery Star codes to Starbucks Visa savings offers, routinely link new Star-earning avenues to your account.
Following best practices around tracking and notifications can help minimize Stars gone to waste!
I hope this guide gives you confidence that with some planning, your hard-earned Stars won‘t disappear. Let me know if any other Starbucks Rewards questions come up!
