Earning points for Hurricane Sandy recovery donations
#1
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Earning points for Hurricane Sandy recovery donations
I put together a list of the promos available for earning points by donating to charities associated with Huricane Sandy relief efforts this morning. I'm not certain that it is complete so if anyone else knows of any please share. Here's what I've got:
- JetBlue is matching customer donations up to the first $50,000 donated to the American Red Cross and also offering 6 points per dollar to their TrueBlue members. JetBlue is also making their presence felt on the ground in New York City, paying for meals from the Wafels & Dinges food trucks to be distributed to residents.
- Delta is donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross relief efforts. Additionally, SkyMiles members can also donate miles or money to the Red Cross; there does not appear to be any miles promo associated with it at this time.
- United Airlines is matching up to $100,000 in donations to three charities: the American Red Cross, Feeding America and AmeriCares. As of this morning their member have already donated more than $300,000 to the charities so the match is maxed out. Additionally, members who give a minimum of $50 will receive 250 bonus miles.Donations of $100 or more will receive 500 miles. The company will issue up to 5 million miles as part of the effort.
- American Airlines is offering 250 AAdvantage miles to members who donate $50 and 500 miles to members who donate $100 or more.
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
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Thank you for posting. I already made a donation to the Cdn Red Cross for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. In the past, I was always able to send a copy of my receipt to AA and UA for the 500 bonus miles.
I found the AA address from previous donations was
[email protected]
My last UA donation for the tsunami went to
[email protected]
That won't work this time. Does anyone have an email address that I can use to send UA a copy of my donation receipt?
TIA
I found the AA address from previous donations was
[email protected]
My last UA donation for the tsunami went to
[email protected]
That won't work this time. Does anyone have an email address that I can use to send UA a copy of my donation receipt?
TIA
#3
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Northwest, United
Posts: 3,256
Interesting. I'm planning to donate through my workplace, as they will match my donations 2X.
But it wouldn't be bad to pick up a few miles as part of a second, parallel donation here, too. I guess this is an opportunity to "double dip".
Since I just applied for a couple new credit cards, this looks like a perfect way to work towards the minimum spend.
And it's all tax deductible, too, so it's all good all the way around - am I missing any catch?
But it wouldn't be bad to pick up a few miles as part of a second, parallel donation here, too. I guess this is an opportunity to "double dip".
Since I just applied for a couple new credit cards, this looks like a perfect way to work towards the minimum spend.
And it's all tax deductible, too, so it's all good all the way around - am I missing any catch?
#5
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Northwest, United
Posts: 3,256
Sure, 5X points is OK, but it's only 5 X 10 points. And it's $10 out-of-pocket.
I'm thinking about a different approach...donating $2500 to the American Red Cross through my workplace. My company will double match my contribution, so Red Cross gets $7500 ($2500 from me, $5000 from my company). I get a $2500 tax deduction, zero out-of-pocket (other than the float, which I don't really mind), I knock 2500 miles off my new credit card spend requirement, and I get 2500 miles. Everybody wins.
Almost as good as a fully-stocked rack of Vanilla Reload cards and a disinterested Office Depot cashier...
I'm thinking about a different approach...donating $2500 to the American Red Cross through my workplace. My company will double match my contribution, so Red Cross gets $7500 ($2500 from me, $5000 from my company). I get a $2500 tax deduction, zero out-of-pocket (other than the float, which I don't really mind), I knock 2500 miles off my new credit card spend requirement, and I get 2500 miles. Everybody wins.
Almost as good as a fully-stocked rack of Vanilla Reload cards and a disinterested Office Depot cashier...
#6
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: AA Plat Pto, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,536
Tax deductible and tax credit and 2 very different animals. You don't get 100% credit for deductions, just whatever your tax bracket may be, 2012 tops out at 35% for $388,000+. Give in amounts you can accept not fully coming back to you.
#9
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Northwest, United
Posts: 3,256
Here's a link to a handy charitable Contributions Tax Deduction calculator for anyone who wants to run the numbers.
#10
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 3
"From now until December 31, 2012 we will give you 10 HHonors Bonus Points for every $1 USD donated to support the relief efforts.* In addition, were matching all donations up to $100,000 USD."
globalgiving.org/hhonors
globalgiving.org/hhonors
#11
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Both SPG and HHonors have added Sandy "deals."
SPG will match your donation, converting points to dollars along the way. HH is offering 10 points per dollar.
SPG:https://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefe...rCode=REDCROSS
HH:http://www.globalgiving.org/hhonors/?wt.mc_id=CMEM+
Both have been added to the master post here: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thewan...overy-efforts/.
I wouldn't expect that to do anything as you didn't donate via their portal.
SPG will match your donation, converting points to dollars along the way. HH is offering 10 points per dollar.
SPG:https://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefe...rCode=REDCROSS
HH:http://www.globalgiving.org/hhonors/?wt.mc_id=CMEM+
Both have been added to the master post here: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thewan...overy-efforts/.
My last UA donation for the tsunami went to
[email protected]
That won't work this time. Does anyone have an email address that I can use to send UA a copy of my donation receipt?
[email protected]
That won't work this time. Does anyone have an email address that I can use to send UA a copy of my donation receipt?
#12
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 6,790
Thank you for posting. I already made a donation to the Cdn Red Cross for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. In the past, I was always able to send a copy of my receipt to AA and UA for the 500 bonus miles.
I found the AA address from previous donations was
[email protected]
<snip>
TIA
I found the AA address from previous donations was
[email protected]
<snip>
TIA
You can try, though. Let us know what happens, please.
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Da Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,472
Looks like AA will be giving me the miles. I got an email from them yesterday saying they couldn't open the file I sent them (.pdf ), so I resent a .jpg file and also a screen shot of my receipt.
I haven't tried contacting UA yet. I'll be 1K in early Dec so thinking I might get more action then.
HH turned me down initially, but I asked nicely again since my donation was made before I received their announcement (proving that this wasn't my incentive to donate) and they said they would give me the points as a one time exception.
I haven't tried contacting UA yet. I'll be 1K in early Dec so thinking I might get more action then.
HH turned me down initially, but I asked nicely again since my donation was made before I received their announcement (proving that this wasn't my incentive to donate) and they said they would give me the points as a one time exception.
#14
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Posts: 3,780
While all of these won't net miles, this includes a list of seven online donation possibilities:
http://mashable.com/2012/10/31/help-sandy-victims/
ITUNES is accepting Red Cross donations. There is a link in this article (which I haven't tried yet because my laptop doesn't have itunes downloaded). Most airline shopping portals offer a few miles for ITUNES ^
http://mashable.com/2012/11/01/itune...nations-sandy/
http://mashable.com/2012/10/31/help-sandy-victims/
ITUNES is accepting Red Cross donations. There is a link in this article (which I haven't tried yet because my laptop doesn't have itunes downloaded). Most airline shopping portals offer a few miles for ITUNES ^
http://mashable.com/2012/11/01/itune...nations-sandy/
#15
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: FRA
Posts: 614