Like others I take great pleasure in helping others earn their own miles and in occasionally surprising a family member with a free trip.

Hotels prove more difficult. Traveling on leisure with another couple we had the chance to stay in Venice in a hotel where rooms started at $500. The cost was either 12,000 Starwood points or $90 plus 4,800 points. Valuing the saved 7,200 points at more than $90 I took the deal. But what about my friend. For 4,800 miles I offered to fund the miles if he paid the $90. BTW without being asked he paid enough water taxi fares to more than even things up.

Had I not offered the miles he would have stayed at a $300 or less hotel sort of nearby. That would have been inconvenient for us both. I am now looking at a similar situation but may this time just save my points and stay in the cheaper hotel.