Looking to purchase FF Miles
May 9, 2011, 4:25 pm
#16
Join Date: Jan 2007
Programs: PC Pl, UA 1K, CC Gl
Posts: 2,235
This is a good idea. 1 or 10 or 50 friends. I think amex points will have value of 2 cpm then or so.
^
May 9, 2011, 4:50 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 10
Does anyone have any experience transferring Amex MR points to a 3rd party account? I spoke with Amex's MR cust svc and they said it can't be done.
May 9, 2011, 4:51 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 10
points would be used for an internal promotion
May 9, 2011, 4:53 pm
#19
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: AUS
Programs: Doing GS11, probably affiliated with every program out there
Posts: 188
my thoughts exactly. have you considered some mileage runs at least for part of the 1M miles to save some money? I would think it will take some time to find the source of 1M miles/points but if you can get half of those using your own time by actually flying, it would be a lot easier.
May 9, 2011, 4:57 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2007
Programs: PC Pl, UA 1K, CC Gl
Posts: 2,235
You can buy almost unlimited miles from an airline for your business, like Citibank does. However, you might pay for it over 2.5 cpm.
May 9, 2011, 4:59 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 10
thx for the analysis. Have you ever gifted MR points with Amex before?
May 9, 2011, 5:01 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SDQ/MIA
Programs: AA PLT, B6 Mosaic, Marriott Platinum, FPC/Accor Platinum, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 1,062
May 9, 2011, 5:02 pm
#23
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Orange County, CA, USA
Programs: AA (Life Plat), Marriott (Life Titanium) and every other US program
Posts: 6,411
Against the law? Or against the terms of a particular FF program? Thanks for bringing this up - I wasn't familiar with any legal issues surrounding FF mileage. Are you aware of any cases where someone was charged for trading (either buying or selling) in FF mileage. My understanding was that this was an 'unregulated' industry.
Please advise.
Please advise.
May 9, 2011, 5:04 pm
#24
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: most of them
Posts: 3,283
according to this blog, mileage brokers have been taken to federal and state courts by the airlines
http://nvflyer.wordpress.com/categor...leage-brokers/
seems like an awfully big risk to me.
http://nvflyer.wordpress.com/categor...leage-brokers/
seems like an awfully big risk to me.
May 9, 2011, 5:05 pm
#25
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: CHI
Programs: UA 1K, MR Titanium, IHG Gold, National Exec
Posts: 3,841
If it's for a "promotion" purpose, you should probably be talking to the airlines to become a "sponsor" of sorts and just buying them outright.
May 9, 2011, 5:07 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: AA EXP2M, DL 1MM DM ext, UA PP <=> HH G/Marr PE/Hyatt G/IHG P FT RA ( Recovering Addict)
Posts: 4,596
Open an Amex account. Buy 500k amex points = $12500. Transfer to airline of choice after holding a reservation to make sure that it is available. Get 4 tickets in business class. Then wonder, why did I not buy the tickets directly for the same price....
All airlines allow businesses to buy miles directly.
e.g., United charges 2.75c each. You are then limited to a maximum of 30,000 miles per year per recipient account.
http://www.ualmiles.com/RewardMiles....nds+and+family
If I really wanted a lot of United miles till Sep 30th, I would buy Amex as much as I can, transfer to my continental account and then transfer to UA at once, 200,000 each day.
Delta - incentives program
http://www.delta.com/skymiles/buy_tr...ives/index.jsp
US airways Had something very similar, but cannot seem to find it now.
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/divid...s/default.html
All airlines allow businesses to buy miles directly.
e.g., United charges 2.75c each. You are then limited to a maximum of 30,000 miles per year per recipient account.
http://www.ualmiles.com/RewardMiles....nds+and+family
If I really wanted a lot of United miles till Sep 30th, I would buy Amex as much as I can, transfer to my continental account and then transfer to UA at once, 200,000 each day.
Delta - incentives program
http://www.delta.com/skymiles/buy_tr...ives/index.jsp
US airways Had something very similar, but cannot seem to find it now.
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/divid...s/default.html
Last edited by ffI; May 9, 2011 at 5:13 pm
May 9, 2011, 5:08 pm
#27
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: AUS
Programs: Doing GS11, probably affiliated with every program out there
Posts: 188
May 9, 2011, 5:15 pm
#28
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: HY
Programs: AA-EXP (3.3MM), AAirpass, SQ-PPS Solitaire, DL-PM (.777MM), SPG-Plat, HH-D
Posts: 2,307
May 9, 2011, 5:16 pm
#29
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: CHI
Programs: UA 1K, MR Titanium, IHG Gold, National Exec
Posts: 3,841
May 9, 2011, 5:36 pm
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 10
After further review it seems the best (read: safest) way to do this is through a direct corporate mileage purchase from either Amex or an airline - since we may also want rights to use mktg assests (logos, etc...).
Thanks to all who have responded/commented.
Thanks to all who have responded/commented.