Mar 4, 15, 12:15 pm
Last edit by: aBroadAbroad
Please read this wiki before posting questions or comments.
Overview
Virtually all award programs expressly prohibit the buying, selling and bartering of awards and other instruments through any means other than those they specifically endorse. Members should be aware of the risks involved. For example, American Airlines, has actively pursued violators, closing members' accounts, rescinding their miles and banning them from program participation.
There are a few program-approved ways of transferring or converting miles/points between programs, or even a possibility of offering or requesting lodging or transportation awards. Note that most of the approved methods incur an "exchange cost" that significantly reduces the net miles/points.
The Coupon Connection
FT hosts a limited-access forum where established, active members may exchange and/or offer limited unneeded travel-related items. Coupon Connection (CC) is NOT a marketplace, and the buying and selling of any items is strictly prohibited. This includes any transactions that attempt to circumvent the no-cash provision. Eligible members are able to see The Coupon Connection in the FlyerTalk Forums Index, listed in the "Community" category, when logged onto the site. Those who cannot see the CC forum are ineligible to participate. Minimum eligibility criteria include 180 days of FT membership and 180 contributive posts (non-substantive count-padding types of posts will be deleted at moderators' discretion; those who embark on "posting runs" for the purpose of increasing their post-counts will be barred from participation). Access to CC is a privilege, is not guaranteed, and is subject to revocation.
Overview
Virtually all award programs expressly prohibit the buying, selling and bartering of awards and other instruments through any means other than those they specifically endorse. Members should be aware of the risks involved. For example, American Airlines, has actively pursued violators, closing members' accounts, rescinding their miles and banning them from program participation.
See also: Account Audit/Fraud Issues - Busted Selling Miles in the AA forum.
Legitimate Transfer Resources There are a few program-approved ways of transferring or converting miles/points between programs, or even a possibility of offering or requesting lodging or transportation awards. Note that most of the approved methods incur an "exchange cost" that significantly reduces the net miles/points.
Examples
Most award programs permit members to redeem awards, upgrade certificates, etc., as gifts to family and friends, as long as such gifts are not conditioned on any kind of barter, payment or reciprocity. The airlines are known to sometimes question the account holder and/or award recipient to ensure proper compliance with the program's terms and conditions.- Webflyer Mileage Converter is a tool for finding possible points/miles conversions
- Credit card points may be transferable to various hotel and airline programs, e.g. American Express Membersip Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Some hotel program points can be transferred to various airlines, often at no cost and with a net gain in miles, e.g., Starwood Preferred Guest
- Points.com is a miles/points conversion service
The Coupon Connection
FT hosts a limited-access forum where established, active members may exchange and/or offer limited unneeded travel-related items. Coupon Connection (CC) is NOT a marketplace, and the buying and selling of any items is strictly prohibited. This includes any transactions that attempt to circumvent the no-cash provision. Eligible members are able to see The Coupon Connection in the FlyerTalk Forums Index, listed in the "Community" category, when logged onto the site. Those who cannot see the CC forum are ineligible to participate. Minimum eligibility criteria include 180 days of FT membership and 180 contributive posts (non-substantive count-padding types of posts will be deleted at moderators' discretion; those who embark on "posting runs" for the purpose of increasing their post-counts will be barred from participation). Access to CC is a privilege, is not guaranteed, and is subject to revocation.
This is a member-maintained Wikipost.
Any FlyerTalker with at least 90 days of membership and 90 contributive posts may edit this wiki.
Any FlyerTalker with at least 90 days of membership and 90 contributive posts may edit this wiki.
Is there a way to trade miles or points? [Consolidated]
May 25, 12, 8:03 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,452
May 25, 12, 8:09 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,619
The intermediaries you have to go through to transfer miles extract so much value along the way, it's typically not worth it.
May 25, 12, 8:52 am
#6
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Home
Programs: AA, Delta, UA & thanks to FTers for my PC Gold!
Posts: 7,676
May 25, 12, 10:10 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Traveling some where hopefully
Programs: AS, AA Gold, and Hilton
Posts: 1,954
The only way is if you can find a carrier in the Delta alliance to use the miles on.
What you want is like buying from Target and returning it to Walmart. Sorry it doesn't work.
May 25, 12, 10:21 am
#8
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,523
I echo Louie's comment. Trading in Coupon Connection is probably your best option. You have to have a minimum number of posts on FT to use it. Probably there is someone out there with United miles who wishes he had Delta miles.
One issue is that you will probably have to trade in the form of redeemed awards. You can't move your DL miles to his account and his UA miles to your account, without fees almost as much as the miles are worth. You basically have to have an award you want to redeem, and have the other party be in the same boat. If you have a Chase rewards account, they can transfer their Chase points to you, and you can hold them until you're ready to redeem, and in effect the other party has been able to transfer their Chase points to DL.
One issue is that you will probably have to trade in the form of redeemed awards. You can't move your DL miles to his account and his UA miles to your account, without fees almost as much as the miles are worth. You basically have to have an award you want to redeem, and have the other party be in the same boat. If you have a Chase rewards account, they can transfer their Chase points to you, and you can hold them until you're ready to redeem, and in effect the other party has been able to transfer their Chase points to DL.
May 25, 12, 10:23 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Excuse me, but the famous case of Nordstom's taking back returned tires (they don't sell tires at Nordstrom's) proves that buying at one retailer and returning to another does work.
You just have to realize that the only three things certain in life are death, taxes and that internal controls degrade over time.
I see Tiny Tim (Geithner) over at the US Mint nodding his head and hear MarathonMan chuckling out loud.
You just have to realize that the only three things certain in life are death, taxes and that internal controls degrade over time.
I see Tiny Tim (Geithner) over at the US Mint nodding his head and hear MarathonMan chuckling out loud.
There are trading programs,but you lose so much that the're worthless. The objet of a FF program is to create loyalty. Delta doesn't want to help UA and UA doesn't want to help Delta.
The only way is if you can find a carrier in the Delta alliance to use the miles on.
What you want is like buying from Target and returning it to Walmart. Sorry it doesn't work.
The only way is if you can find a carrier in the Delta alliance to use the miles on.
What you want is like buying from Target and returning it to Walmart. Sorry it doesn't work.
May 25, 12, 11:38 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Around The World
Programs: ALL :)
Posts: 384
May 26, 12, 5:28 am
#13
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Home
Programs: AA, Delta, UA & thanks to FTers for my PC Gold!
Posts: 7,676
I've gotten some very thoughtful notes from those who have had access to Coupon Connection, and did not want to lose access with the new entry requirements. These are all people who had access by May 10 when Talkboard enacted the new requirements. I am very open to those. I do not want the FlyerTalk experience to change for those who were participating. But if you never had access, I am not granting waivers. Talkboard went thru a lengthy, careful consideration of the metrics to use for participation in Coupon Connection. I am honoring the limits they have imposed.
SanDiego1K
Community Director
SanDiego1K
Community Director
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/techn...ed-issues.html
