Help me limit my liability
Nov 17, 2016, 7:56 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,259
Help me limit my liability
My daughter's school is having a charity auction and I'm thinking of donating "2 roundtrip coach tickets to anywhere Delta flies in the US, Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, and Canada." I have 450K miles. Is there any situation where I would have to spend more than 450K miles to fulfill this promise?
Nov 17, 2016, 7:59 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
You should check with DL to make sure this is allowed by the program. They might take a dim view of it and could potentially take away all of your miles.
Nov 17, 2016, 8:25 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,394
That seems like a difficult proposition for you. As it's not as simple as transferring 50-100K miles or so and letting them do what they will.
You're going to have to search and book the tickets unless you want to give them your SM info...not a good idea.
They are highly unlikely to understand that when they want to book flights XXX-YYY on Z day, that you can get lower mileage rates by waiting a while. Or they are going to inform you less than a week out their travel info.
While it is a very thoughtful idea, I think you will hate the practicality of executing it.
You're going to have to search and book the tickets unless you want to give them your SM info...not a good idea.
They are highly unlikely to understand that when they want to book flights XXX-YYY on Z day, that you can get lower mileage rates by waiting a while. Or they are going to inform you less than a week out their travel info.
While it is a very thoughtful idea, I think you will hate the practicality of executing it.
Nov 17, 2016, 8:38 am
#5
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Your offer violates the t&c's of the SM program and subjects you to having your account closed and the tickets being cancelled, leaving you, your daughter and her school with egg on your respective faces (however it is that a school has a face) and some charitable type person either without a trip or stranded somewhere unable to use their ticket to get home.
In order to do what you are considering, you should call DL and obtain specific permission for the donation and the auction. DL approves these but will want to be assured that the donation is for a bona fide charity and that the funds paid for the tickets are paid solely to the charity.
In order to do what you are considering, you should call DL and obtain specific permission for the donation and the auction. DL approves these but will want to be assured that the donation is for a bona fide charity and that the funds paid for the tickets are paid solely to the charity.
Nov 17, 2016, 9:32 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: Delta TDK(or care)WIA, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,869
I feel like gift certificates would be better. The 450k points is worth lots and lots of money, and I think it's definitely possible to book flights that consume much more of that than I would think the flights are really worth; if you buy a couple $500 gift certificates (for example) you keep the "adventure of travel" element and you know how much you're spending.
Nov 17, 2016, 9:40 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: DL PM/MM, Hilton Silver, SPG+, Hertz PC
Posts: 7,899
When you report the donation value on Schedule A, do you calculate it based on some SkyMiles value (however substantiated, but that's another story), or based on the cost of ticket (lowest, in the same class, at the same time award is issued) ?
Nov 17, 2016, 9:43 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,259
Wow, an interesting set of responses.
Giving miles is not tax deductible. Not going to do it.
My question really is, without an award chart, are there Delta tickets that can cost more than 220K each for roundtrip coach travel in the US, Hawaii, Caribbean, Canada, Mexico?
Giving miles is not tax deductible. Not going to do it.
My question really is, without an award chart, are there Delta tickets that can cost more than 220K each for roundtrip coach travel in the US, Hawaii, Caribbean, Canada, Mexico?
Nov 17, 2016, 9:43 am
#9
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Presuming that you did not report the miles as income as per current interpretations, you have a $0 basis in the miles and therefore the value of the donation is also $0.
You can't have it both ways !
Nov 17, 2016, 10:02 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott LT Plat, HH Diamond, Avis Preferred Plus, National Executive
Posts: 4,578
I wouldn't do it.
I couldn't imagine there would be a coach award more than 440,000 miles in the areas you listed but never say never.
I couldn't imagine there would be a coach award more than 440,000 miles in the areas you listed but never say never.
Nov 17, 2016, 10:13 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,364
Nov 17, 2016, 12:30 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Programs: DL DM, Bonvoy LTT, HH Diam, UA Silver, USAF million miler ;)
Posts: 1,596
I've never seen any that high...but why not just add some fine print "Two Delta award tickets using SkyMiles. Tickets must be less than 100,000 Miles each." That should cover 99% of tickets. The old "Peak" price, circa 2015, was 65K I think (domestic) and 75K (Central/Mexico) and 90K (Hawaii)
Nov 17, 2016, 12:34 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,394
And if they decide to make any changes, all miles have to come out of the original account.
I'm saying that even if it was allowed under the terms and conditions of Skymiles it's going to potentially be a huge pain for the OP.
Nov 17, 2016, 1:23 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,042
Wow, an interesting set of responses.
Giving miles is not tax deductible. Not going to do it.
My question really is, without an award chart, are there Delta tickets that can cost more than 220K each for roundtrip coach travel in the US, Hawaii, Caribbean, Canada, Mexico?
Giving miles is not tax deductible. Not going to do it.
My question really is, without an award chart, are there Delta tickets that can cost more than 220K each for roundtrip coach travel in the US, Hawaii, Caribbean, Canada, Mexico?
Nov 17, 2016, 1:51 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Programs: DL DM, Bonvoy LTT, HH Diam, UA Silver, USAF million miler ;)
Posts: 1,596
But then OP has to play travel agent for whomever buys the tickets.
And if they decide to make any changes, all miles have to come out of the original account.
I'm saying that even if it was allowed under the terms and conditions of Skymiles it's going to potentially be a huge pain for the OP.
And if they decide to make any changes, all miles have to come out of the original account.
I'm saying that even if it was allowed under the terms and conditions of Skymiles it's going to potentially be a huge pain for the OP.