Originally Posted by
CalVol
Since you are in conversations with the person in charge, you might bring up the idea of purchasing the economy ticket, printing off the receipt, then cancel w/in 24 hours. Then you purchase the award ticket. If they need an actual receipt, you now have one.
I work as a private consultant and I do this when I bill my clients all the time as most places of employment or clients only want a receipt. I tell me clients I do this, and frankly they see nothing wrong with it as they are just reimbursing me for airfare they would have had to cover anyways. If your client or work is paying, the method of payment you use to acquire your ticket should not matter.
As a strategy I normally do this at the end of each one once I reach my maximum status for an airline. So for example, if its December 1 and I've reached 1K on United, I'll likely book the rest of the month's (year's) trips with miles so I can pocket some extra dough.