hawkfan7314

Did $700 to cover what I was about to spend on a normal flight. If people start getting credited miles before the promotion ends I'd probably be in for another $1k or so but I want to see if it will be honored first.

chicago747

For anyone who has used the Simplymiles site, how long does it usually take to see the transactions post to your transaction history? I'm assuming the bonus miles will take a bit longer.

cmtlatitudes

So.... two questions:

1) If I didn't receive the promo email, is it worth even checking out simply miles proactively? (In case the conservation vendor is available.) It looks like you can't see your vendor list until you join --- is that correct?

2) Is it possible to "opt out" at anytime? Like five minutes after joining if the vendors/deals I'm targeted with aren't worthwhile?

rrgg

You could make that argument to SM but it’s not necessarily true. There’s no realtime update on the miles available. “Subject to availability” is a huge CYA.

jmail1

UAPremierGuy

Donated directly with Conservation International using my Citi AAdvantage Mastercard. I was targeted and "activated" the offer prior to the donation. No e-mail, yet. I know it'll be awhile before we all see account crediting (if that happens)...still, a little worried that I didn't get an e-mail from SimplyMiles. FWIW, my Citi account still shows the charge as "pending." As somebody upthread said, at worst, I planted some trees and got at least some miles through my credit card...but hoping this pays off in the way we all do. Anybody else donate directly through Conservation International's website?

beachfan

A reminder to enroll your card at simply miles as well as activate the offer. I forgot on my first round, so likely not getting the first time bonus. Redid it for $1k, figure that's what I'd be happy giving to a good charity - if it was $10k, I'd be pretty sad if I didn't get the bonus. Although 40x as a booby prize would be a partial offset.

lotrbfme

Donate using the link provided in simplymiles.com, it seems to be a special link because it even mentions the miles and that is in partnership with Mastercard. Email arrived 5 seconds after donation stating miles are coming

coleslaw

Based on how much attention this is getting across the "major" blogs I'm surprised this thread isn't a LOT busier!

Reports of quite a few people spending $5k++.

I can see this ending poorly once whichever company is backing the promotion sees the volume of donations they're going to get this week.

But on the bright side, maybe this flood of donations will help turn the tides on climate change?

bangkokiscool

I think FM's advice to be prepared for 40x is well taken. A $5000 donation earns 200,000 miles at 40x.

brg

Quite possible and with promos like this one can plant a tree for 2$ and then burn 1000 trees with a F class trip so the net balance may be off a bit

I saw Frequent Miler on Saturday and thought this was too good to be true - Then I signed up on Sun and found no deals for 40x
– I thought it was dead – then the offers became available on my account today (Monday) and I cashed in.

I opened up new accounts for family and they show no good offers (neither movie club or conservation)
I think you can only buy with a mastercard that is linked to account for the 5x bonus

So sign up for simplymiles
Wait a day for the offers
Add the cards you are going to use to your account
Activate the offers you want
Verify the 40x then buy WITH THE CARDs that are registered

US Airways lives on in promos! Deja vu Track It Back

brg

True
And if you value the miles at 0.4c for tax purposes - 40x miles @0.4c = 16c value
Tax write off 1$ less value back 0.16c = still can write off 84c for each $

Assuming 1000$ = 840$ tax write off = real write off 330$ at least
So real cost 670$ for 40,000 miles = about 1.65c each in worst case scenario (if 5x is gone by then) as "quantities are limited"
You have no idea at time of gift if the 5x is still available

if you get only 40x then
for a 5k donation = 5k less value of miles 200,000x0.4= 80,000c= 800$
Tax loss 4200- tax benefit 1200
Real cost about 3800 for 200k miles = usual cost of miles to us during sales

If you get 240x, then 5k donation = 1.2M miles x 0.4c = 5000 = no real write of possible
But I'd rather be in this situation here and get 1M miles at 0.42c


So worst case you buy miles at a good (not great) price

36902BRF

Days to a couple of weeks in my experience. I have also had to file missing cashback claims twice which were honored. You have to give them 15 days before you can file a missing cashback claim.

Edit: To add the email that comes from MasterCard is unique to this charity offer I haven't seen that before on other SM offers.

vasantn

The more I analyze the wording, the more I am sure that this will result in 45 miles per dollar, not 240. That works out to 2.2 cents a mile rather than 0.4 cents. Not a terrible price but you can frequently get miles from AA at 1.8 cents.

lotrbfme

What wording? I got the email from Simplymiles and it literally states:

Good tidings and shopping deals Here's a gift from us to you.

Log in to SimplyMiles™ today to explore your personalized SimplyMiles™ offers. Select your offers by Adding to Card and use your enrolled Mastercard® card for those purchases.

*As a special holiday bonus, through December 27 or while supplies last, earn an additional 5X American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles on every offer site-wide. For example, if you earn 100 miles on a purchase of $30 or more, then you will actually earn 100 miles + 500 bonus miles for a total of 600 miles.

Hurry, this 5X SimplyMiles™ Holiday Bonus is for a limited time and subject to availability of bonus miles.