I am 1300 miles short for a Continental award ticket. But I will have the miles on my next credit card statement. Do airlines ever offer a 30 day grace period or anything like that? I dont want to wait, because I am afraid I will lose the reward ticket altogether by March by the time my CC miles post.

Any thoughts/advice is appreciated

Never ever heard of this happening. You might get several days "hold" of the reservation from a phone rep.

A last minute mileage run would put the miles there in a few days, but that's probably not going to be cheap!

Years ago I needed to squeeze in a five day trip New York to Osaka on United. I was on a discount coach ticket; I had the miles to upgrade to business outbound on a full fare coach ticket, and I would earn enough miles from that leg to be able to then cover the return upgrade. So I presented this as a straightforward business proposition: I'd upgrade my ticket to full coach if United would loan me the miles to clear both upgrades in advance.

Not only did I accomplish this over the phone (in a wonderful conversation), I then spent twenty minutes at check-in attempting to pay the fare difference to full coach, before giving up and heading to security and my gate. I did sit in business both ways. Or, to be more precise, the return Osaka to SFO leg was rather empty, and I was able to convert a bulkhead middle three seats in business into an incredible lay-flat bed. Even more comfortable than commandeering three rows of five to make a blanket tent on an empty L1011 coach flight.

Alas, I'd bet this was the old United.

..........only when brought by Santa or the Easter Bunny..........

American Express Membership Rewards will front miles - you can do from their website. CO is still in the AmEx MR programs through September.

I believe M&M SENs and HONs can still use a 50k/100k miles advance.