AirTran Airways A+ Rewards - What to do with 10 A+ credits expiring soon?

I have 10 A+ credits expiring in June.

I have no travel planned on AirTran between now and then so I can't use them for upgrades.

I don't have the funds for any more travel than I already have planned (all of which to places AirTran doesn't fly), so I can't use 8 credits for a free one-way leg anywhere.

I could theoretically "trade" them on Points.com but at $29 per point I might as well just buy points directly from whichever reward program I'd trade into and I'd get more points per dollar.

Extending the points doesn't make financial sense either, at $29 per point x 8 points for a one-way ticket that's $232 and I rarely spend $232 on AirTran for a whole round-trip.

My only other option appears to be a donation to Make A Wish, Military Leave, or Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee.

Any other ideas/suggestions?

At one point I remember you could redeem credits for magazine subscriptions. I'm not interested in magazines but at least I could sign a niece up for Highlights or something like that.

Are you Elite? If so, they can be transferred to another member at no charge.

If he is Elite, they would not be expiring, right?

You need to convert them to upgrade and/or travel vouchers

The vouchers are good for one year from the date of creation and will effectively extend your credit life for a year.

You can do this on the web or get one of the A+ CSR's to help.

If he is Elite, they would not be expiring, right?

Credits still expire, even if you're elite. They just last one year longer.

You need to convert them to upgrade and/or travel vouchers

The vouchers are good for one year from the date of creation and will effectively extend your credit life for a year.

You can do this on the web or get one of the A+ CSR's to help.

The following applies to exchanging credits for a travel voucher:

Effective February 1, 2009, for all A+ Rewards members
When redeeming A+ Rewards credits for travel, the member must complete a booking upon redemption. Vouchers will no longer be issued, unless the member is prepared to make a redemption booking.

You may still redeem credits, though, for upgrade vouchers, which are valid for one year, from date of voucher issue.

This could be YMMV

I did this within the past month

Ms. henryf had 3 expiring credits and, due to uncertainty in the ultimate fate of A+, I had a single residual credit in my account. Historicaly, I have tried to keep my point balance at 60-70 credtis.

We have already booked two FL RT's in the next six months. The second trip is a west coast run. I called A+ and told the CSR that we were trying to find a way to upgrade to BC on the outbound WC flight. She suggested that I pay $19 to transfer my single credit to my wife (giving her 4 credits) and then immediately convert the 4 credits to an upgrade voucher which would be good for one year from the conversion date. I did this and my wife now has a four credit upgrade voucher that we intend to redeem the day before we travel. We both will receive 2 credits each for our first of the two FL trips and I am in the process of doing an additional spend on my FL card to provide the points necessary for my upgrade voucher. Hopefully, everything will go according to plan.

Maybe there were mitigating circumstances in our case since we already had two upgradeable RT's booked. I also told the CSR what our ultimate goal was in doing the conversion.

It is also worth emphasizing that the CSR suggested this procedure...it is not something that I would have thought about on my own.

As a courtesy, FL typically allows one free of charge change to voucher travel bookings. The free change is not required but I have always found the A+ CSR's to be very generous in providing this. A "Plan B" for the OP might be to book a single trip somewhere in the system for a far off travel date and then change it when his plans become more definite. One thing to think about is that I don't think that the 8 credit travel voucher created for this booking will be convertible into two 4 credit upgrade vouchers.

I can't speak highly enough of the assistance I have received over the years from the A+ CSR's...opening up closed flights, last minute upgrades, advice on how to save expiring points, etc. The experience has been wonderful. This is obviously part of the FL culture and I am dubious as to whether it will transfer to WN. Retiring the FL brand will be a loss to all of us.

The bottom line for the OP is to call A+, tell them what he needs, and ask the CSR for help.

Thank you very much for all your suggestions, I sincerely appreciate it.

You can give them to someone, like me for instance. I have a trip planned in May and I could use 4 of your 10.

You can give them to someone, like me for instance. I have a trip planned in May and I could use 4 of your 10.

From what I understand it costs $19 per credit to transfer credits to someone else.

EDIT: $19/credit to transfer.

I wasn't sure - I was suggesting only if you were an elite. Then it is free to transfer them to anyone.

Maybe you can use it to get a ticket for someone else, for free or in exchange of something you need.

From what I understand it costs $29 per credit to transfer credits to someone else.

From what I understand it costs $29 per credit to transfer credits to someone else.

$19

$19

Right, $19, thanks.

You can now move them to Southwest and buy the remaining 6 credits for $150 to get a Standard Award:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/airtran-airways-rewards/1337820-airtran-southwest-reward-reciprocity.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/southwest-rapid-rewards/1332956-southwest-airtran-reward-points-merging.html#post18430391

You can now move them to Southwest and buy the remaining 6 credits for $150 to get a Standard Award...

From what I've read any transfers from AirTran to Southwest (or vice-versa) will retain their expiration date.

I ended up converting 7200 WN RR into 6 FL A+ points. I then converted 16 FL A+ points into 16 WN "credits" which will be valid for another year from today. Thanks for all your help.