Air Miles Broker
Aug 24, 2023, 8:43 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA ExPl, DL PM, UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, probably some others
Posts: 4,105
Yes, they are expensive. But they're also legal. Buying them from a broker is illegal per the rules of every frequent flyer program and runs a significant risk that your trip will be cancelled before you leave (with no recourse for you to recoup what you paid) or that you'll be stranded at your destination with a cancelled ticket and no flight home.
Aug 24, 2023, 8:45 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2023
Posts: 29
Yes, they are expensive. But they're also legal. Buying them from a broker is illegal per the rules of every frequent flyer program and runs a significant risk that your trip will be cancelled before you leave (with no recourse for you to recoup what you paid) or that you'll be stranded at your destination with a cancelled ticket and no flight home.
Is there any real benefit to buying the points as opposed to just booking a cash fare?
I guess you could find a really good award redemption that does significantly outweigh the cash fare...
Aug 25, 2023, 3:40 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CDG
Programs: SK Gold, AF Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,729
That said, I think most people who buy miles do so to top up their balance if they are short of a desired award and availability opens up.
Aug 25, 2023, 10:47 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,321
Aug 25, 2023, 2:28 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 2
Ok, I guess that’s why I couldn’t find anywhere, thanks for letting know. I’ll look into points.com to see about transferring points.
Aug 25, 2023, 3:34 pm
#10
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 15,653
A point of clarification -- being against the program rules does not make something "illegal" (which requires an act of law criminalizing behavior). That said, you make a good point that violating the rules of the program by doing things such as selling miles will get frequent fliers banned by the airline's FFP.
Aug 25, 2023, 4:14 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,321
A point of clarification -- being against the program rules does not make something "illegal" (which requires an act of law criminalizing behavior). That said, you make a good point that violating the rules of the program by doing things such as selling miles will get frequent fliers banned by the airline's FFP.
Nonetheless, you are incorrect - something can be illegal while violating a civil law, not simply a criminal law.
And there are credible arguments that selling miles (which legally, are not property of the FFP member )would violate a variety of laws, particularly if they are sold over the Internet or the internet is used to wrongfully transfer them or the sale is based on a misrepresentation that the transaction is compliant with program terms. (See, for example, https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-rel...tive-practices
I hope that this "clarification" is edifying.
Last edited by Adam1222; Aug 25, 2023 at 5:57 pm
Nov 25, 2023, 5:11 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
The phrase "illegal" had been used in an earlier post in this very thread (#4), and I merely incorporated the term that had been used for the point that it is no less prohibited to sell miles than it is to buy them.
Nonetheless, you are incorrect - something can be illegal while violating a civil law, not simply a criminal law.
And there are credible arguments that selling miles (which legally, are not property of the FFP member )would violate a variety of laws, particularly if they are sold over the Internet or the internet is used to wrongfully transfer them or the sale is based on a misrepresentation that the transaction is compliant with program terms. (See, for example, https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-rel...tive-practices
I hope that this "clarification" is edifying.
Nonetheless, you are incorrect - something can be illegal while violating a civil law, not simply a criminal law.
And there are credible arguments that selling miles (which legally, are not property of the FFP member )would violate a variety of laws, particularly if they are sold over the Internet or the internet is used to wrongfully transfer them or the sale is based on a misrepresentation that the transaction is compliant with program terms. (See, for example, https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-rel...tive-practices
I hope that this "clarification" is edifying.
When a football player gets flagged for illegal procedure, the police don't get involved but the penalty is still correctly named. And the rules of soccer are generally referred to as "the laws of the game".