Death and miles...
 

I recently e-mailed BA, CO, DL, HH, and MC to ask them if a member's mileage/point balance are transferable to a non-spouse in the event of a member's death. So far, I've gotten responses from BA and MC. Here is what they said:

From BA:
We recommend making note, in a legal document, who you wish your miles to be transferred to in case of death. The beneficiary will then need to send in a copy of the death certificate and the document to receive the miles in their account. The beneficiary need not be a current member, however they will need to enroll before a transfer of miles can proceed.


From MC:
Thank you for contacting our Guest Services Center. Points accrued by a Marriott Rewards member are for the member's benefit only and may not be transferred to anyone. Points are transferable to a legal spouse only in the case of documented death of the member. Points are not transferable to another person for any other reason including divorce or inheritance. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns. Thank you for choosing Marriott Hotels, Resorts, and Suites when you travel.

I hope this issue carries some interest with yall.

Thanks for the info. I know that my Aunt got miles when her brother died (he did not have a wife). It took almost a year to get them. Even though the miles were not in his will, she could still claim them. The miles were from several different airlines.

If we really need to put our miles in our wills - the airlines better inform us. If not, they should have to transfer our miles to survivors.

Many of us could fly around the world twice with our miles and it would be a shame for them to just go to waste.

Well, if I can't take them with me, could someone please tell me: how many miles does it cost for a first class upgrade to heaven :)

For Heaven: 9,999,999 miles. And no upgrades or Mustard flavored pretzels. CATMAN

And Hilton replies...
As a one time exception if you are the beneficiary of a member's estate and wish to assume responsibility for their points, you must provide us with the proper documentation that verifies you are the responsible party for the deceased. This information can be mailed or faxed to us at 972-490-3870, attention Priority Department. Please request for the account to be transferred into the appropriate name.

And Continental Airlines' response:
Only if it is specified in the will. We would need copy of that and the death certificate. If there is no will, we would send you a Hold Harmless Agreement Form to fill out and return noterized.