Flyer Sean

Due to an AA screw up, I've been given the choice between a $300 voucher or 20k miles. Which would you choose?

chicago747

Most bloggers have AA miles worth $0.014 per mile. At that valuation you are looking at roughly $280 in value...so both are pretty close to worth the same thing. I think it depends on your situation. If you have a big stash of AA miles I'd probably take the voucher. If you are miles poor but do okay financially I'd probably take the miles.

The voucher probably expires in 1 year where as the miles won't expire as long as you have some account activity every 18 months. So if you have no plans to fly AA in the near future I'd take the miles.

MikeBOS

I'd take the voucher if you have any way to use it in the next year. Using the miles can require a fair amount of planning to get more than $.01/mile, and if you hold them for a while they will surely lose value as award prices continue to increase.

Flyer Sean

Excellent points. Thank you both.

dickinson

What was the nature of the screw up that resulted in the offer?

AA_ORDlady

We use miles for off peak Saver awards to St. Kitts at 25K miles for ~$700/800 ticket. We also use miles for one way to/from Europe---57.5k miles for Saver Business $6000/7000 ticket. We've used 460K miles for award travel in the last year. It is getting harder to find award tickets but we are pretty flexible and some destinations are much easier than others.

But it depends on your plans and where you like to travel. If your preferred destinations are impossible to get awards, then the voucher might be better.
You might really have about 23 months to use the $300 voucher. I had 12 months to book, and 331 days to travel from booking (based on the last voucher I used).

redtop43

Depending on your travel patterns, it's always useful to have a stash of miles. Recently I took a trip where I knew my bridge partner and I would be coming home on short notice. I was able (this was lucky, I admit) to get two 12,500 mile domestic one-way tickets which, as last-minute purchases, would have probably cost $500-600 each. I have plenty of miles, though, so this wasn't a big deal.

If you know you will use the voucher, that's a big plus for going that way. You don't want to be back here in 11 months posting "I have a voucher that expires soon, how can I get some value from it?"

travelingbob

One more point to consider is whether the voucher will help earn your next status level. As an EP, I prefer the voucher for me as it helps with my next years status. I use my miles for my family who fly much less frequently.

diver858

Unless you have a specific use for the miles, I would take the voucher.

shd9

Be aware that AA sometimes still issue paper vouchers, which require you to mail it in or go to an airport for processing.

Sleepy_Sentry

I would definitely take the voucher unless you have an immediate need for miles. Remember, you will still earn miles and elite qualification for any airfare purchased with the voucher whereas airfare purchased with the miles will earn no credit.

USFlyerUS

I'd take the voucher, paper or electronic.

dls25

VOUCHER

Dave Noble

Depends - do you have any travel plans that will require miles. purchase cost wise , it would cost more than $300 to purchase 20,000 miles

If you have plans to travel to Europe, an off peak economy ticket is only 22,500 miles one way

javabytes