Can I have your miles?
Dec 8, 2010 | 3:42 pm
#46
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: DCA
Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador, AA Plat Pro, DL Gold, UA*S, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 634
I had that recently happen to me. A friend asked if he could buy some of my miles. I just sort of shrugged off the comment, but was later annoyed by the request and started thinking...
I generally redeem for international trips giving me 6-7% return per mile, however I recently redeemed 150K BA miles (with a companion cert) for two First class tickets worth $24K. I will get 30K redeposited back into my account due to a Chase promo, so my net is 120,000 BA miles. After I deduct the fuel and tax charges, I'm getting $22,808 in airfare for 120K miles. If someone wants to buy my miles, my new price is 19 cents per mile.
I generally redeem for international trips giving me 6-7% return per mile, however I recently redeemed 150K BA miles (with a companion cert) for two First class tickets worth $24K. I will get 30K redeposited back into my account due to a Chase promo, so my net is 120,000 BA miles. After I deduct the fuel and tax charges, I'm getting $22,808 in airfare for 120K miles. If someone wants to buy my miles, my new price is 19 cents per mile.
Dec 9, 2010 | 6:22 am
#47
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: London, England
Programs: OnePass Platinum, *G, Amex Plat, Priority Pass Prestige, Costa Coffee Loyalty Card
Posts: 378
I've never had anyone request miles from me. But I've spontaneously bought tickets for friends with miles when I knew they needed it. Case-in-point, I had a friend who really wanted to see her fiancee, but couldn't afford the airfare (LAX-ORD). So I burned a few miles a set her up with a ticket. Costs me nothing in the grand scheme of things, and makes people happy. I think I was willing to do it specifically because she hadn't asked or angled for it. It's nice to be generous, but also not to have people expecting/asking you.
Dec 9, 2010 | 9:21 am
#48
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: California, SMF
Programs: UA, AA, AS, DL, BA, HA, WN, SPG-PL, Hyatt-Dia, HH-Dia, Marr-Pl, US Mint/VR(retired)
Posts: 951
Dec 9, 2010 | 7:15 pm
#49
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 101
Each member of immediate family receives a FC trip annually
If going to family function and a sibling says they can use their TWA miles, I will pick up the flight tab so we go together.
Once an employee asked for flights to the Islands to make a wedding. Easy way to keep a key employee happy.
Before the wise remarks; Don't need any more relatives or employees
If going to family function and a sibling says they can use their TWA miles, I will pick up the flight tab so we go together.
Once an employee asked for flights to the Islands to make a wedding. Easy way to keep a key employee happy.
Before the wise remarks; Don't need any more relatives or employees
Dec 9, 2010 | 9:34 pm
#50
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 376
I have had this problem. Especially when I was in grad school and traveling a lot. Colege students love to play the poor card. Like Meles, I have shared, but rather than saying no I usually offer to help them get their own. 45 minutes into the math, and white board drawings, and explanations they usually nod quietly, leave, and don't ask again.
Dec 10, 2010 | 4:10 am
#51
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: London, England
Programs: OnePass Platinum, *G, Amex Plat, Priority Pass Prestige, Costa Coffee Loyalty Card
Posts: 378
It's not MY fault when they say "So tell me more about what you do. Really, I'm interested!"
Dec 10, 2010 | 5:37 am
#52
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Programs: Delta Skymiles (Silver), PriorityClub (Platinum), BA, AA, CO, Hilton Honor, SPG
Posts: 344
We just finished the Thanksgiving holiday and fast approaching Christmas. How many of you find yourselves turning down requests from family, friends and co-workers asking if you can give them some miles since they are 'free'.
I usually reserve my miles to redeem tickets for my wife and immediate family while purchasing revenue tickets for myself (I can't bear to get on a plane knowing I'm not earning anything by doing so! I blame FT!) Every year I find myself turning down requests from random friends who complain about a $500 fare to FLL to see their family for Christmas and ask if they can have some of those 'free miles' I have sitting in my account and not using. Do I ask you for $500 from your bank account since its sitting there and you're not using it? People tend to forget that miles have value and they aren't free. They're earned one way or another!
I usually reserve my miles to redeem tickets for my wife and immediate family while purchasing revenue tickets for myself (I can't bear to get on a plane knowing I'm not earning anything by doing so! I blame FT!) Every year I find myself turning down requests from random friends who complain about a $500 fare to FLL to see their family for Christmas and ask if they can have some of those 'free miles' I have sitting in my account and not using. Do I ask you for $500 from your bank account since its sitting there and you're not using it? People tend to forget that miles have value and they aren't free. They're earned one way or another!
Dec 10, 2010 | 12:28 pm
#53
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: UA 1K, Hertz 5*, IHG RA, Hyatt Diamond, Amex Plat, SPG Gold
Posts: 725
Sometimes I will have to stop a friend or family from 'wasting' their miles though. One buddy saved for 3 years to get FC tickets to HAWAII for a family of 4. I think at the time they were 60k per ticket. I brokered a 3 way deal that worked out and probably shed new light on the mileage world to them all:
Buddy #1 going to Hawaii: Instead of 240k miles, he used them to redeem 2 J tickets to Southeast Asia for buddy #2
Buddy #2 bot 4 coach tickets for $1800 to Hawaii for buddy #1
Buddy #3 used 8 expiring CR1s that he had no idea he even had and in return, got a VERY good referral from buddy #2.
Buddy #1 going to Hawaii: Instead of 240k miles, he used them to redeem 2 J tickets to Southeast Asia for buddy #2
Buddy #2 bot 4 coach tickets for $1800 to Hawaii for buddy #1
Buddy #3 used 8 expiring CR1s that he had no idea he even had and in return, got a VERY good referral from buddy #2.
Dec 10, 2010 | 12:49 pm
#54
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: DCA
Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador, AA Plat Pro, DL Gold, UA*S, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 634
You have great friends. I think all my friends would give up in frustration at the mere mention of such an arrangement.
Sometimes I will have to stop a friend or family from 'wasting' their miles though. One buddy saved for 3 years to get FC tickets to HAWAII for a family of 4. I think at the time they were 60k per ticket. I brokered a 3 way deal that worked out and probably shed new light on the mileage world to them all:
Buddy #1 going to Hawaii: Instead of 240k miles, he used them to redeem 2 J tickets to Southeast Asia for buddy #2
Buddy #2 bot 4 coach tickets for $1800 to Hawaii for buddy #1
Buddy #3 used 8 expiring CR1s that he had no idea he even had and in return, got a VERY good referral from buddy #2.
Buddy #1 going to Hawaii: Instead of 240k miles, he used them to redeem 2 J tickets to Southeast Asia for buddy #2
Buddy #2 bot 4 coach tickets for $1800 to Hawaii for buddy #1
Buddy #3 used 8 expiring CR1s that he had no idea he even had and in return, got a VERY good referral from buddy #2.
Dec 10, 2010 | 2:03 pm
#55
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: New Orleans, LA
Programs: DL PM, AA Gold, A3 Gold, WN CP, and lots of points everywhere.
Posts: 344
Most of mine too... But a few came around when they took on 100k BA offers earlier this year. To their credit, they resisted the obsession with FF that FT creates. Nonetheless, they're happy to have me as a filter and I suspect they'd participate if such a deal came up.
Dec 10, 2010 | 4:23 pm
#56
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: USA
Programs: UA/CO(1K-PLT), AA(PLT), QR, EK, Marriott(PLT), Hilton(DMND)
Posts: 9,538
Sometimes I will have to stop a friend or family from 'wasting' their miles though. One buddy saved for 3 years to get FC tickets to HAWAII for a family of 4. I think at the time they were 60k per ticket. I brokered a 3 way deal that worked out and probably shed new light on the mileage world to them all:
Buddy #1 going to Hawaii: Instead of 240k miles, he used them to redeem 2 J tickets to Southeast Asia for buddy #2
Buddy #2 bot 4 coach tickets for $1800 to Hawaii for buddy #1
Buddy #3 used 8 expiring CR1s that he had no idea he even had and in return, got a VERY good referral from buddy #2.
Buddy #1 going to Hawaii: Instead of 240k miles, he used them to redeem 2 J tickets to Southeast Asia for buddy #2
Buddy #2 bot 4 coach tickets for $1800 to Hawaii for buddy #1
Buddy #3 used 8 expiring CR1s that he had no idea he even had and in return, got a VERY good referral from buddy #2.
Do you invest in derivatives too?
Dec 10, 2010 | 8:09 pm
#57
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: CX, AA
Posts: 40
Some make the plunge, others merely think that I'm defrauding the system. However, they don't see the hypocrisy when they ask for tickets to anywhere because "you got them for nothing."
To be blessed with these types of friends and family.
To be blessed with these types of friends and family.
Dec 10, 2010 | 8:58 pm
#60
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: USA
Programs: UA/CO(1K-PLT), AA(PLT), QR, EK, Marriott(PLT), Hilton(DMND)
Posts: 9,538