I called Chase: 1% cost for TC with single signature, 1 1/2 % for two signatures.

Regarding bonds, you have to take money out of savings; VISA interest would be too high. Miles value at 1 percent, times 2 for 1/2 year period plus 2-3 percent on the bonds is 4-5 percent. You'd have to value your miles at more than .01 to more than break even.

The sweetest deal I ever had was Mileage Plus VISA, which used to send out special checks twice a year good for double miles with no cash advance fee (the normal checks they send out have a fee and no miles). I would write them to a family member, send in a mid-month check to cover, and end up with 20,000 or more for the cost of a couple days' interest.

Not quite the saddest day of my life when the card went from First Chicago to First USA and they stopped it, but right up there.

Hobmom

hobmom, go to www.currencytogo.com

At www.currencytogo.com, you can order up to $1000 in TC online at no-fee. Chase records the transaction as a purchase. If you call Chase, there is a 1% fee. This fee does not apply for online purchases. If you purchase $500+, there is no shipping charge.

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He who dies with the most miles ... is dead.

[This message has been edited by ontheroad (edited 05-03-2001).]

Regarding the buy-X-and-sell-it-back strategy suggested at the start of this thread: your refund will usually be a credit to your card, since that's how the merchant gets the fee back. That will come off your mileage-earning balance. It all evens out, no net gain or loss of miles.

Nor does it sound entirely ethical, IMHO! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

"...I called Chase: 1% cost for TC with single signature, 1 1/2 % for two signatures..."

As noted fee free online but not if you call!

If you buy a refundable fare and get voucher back... you are lending the money to the airline for free interest.

If refund is done on credit card instead of voucher, the mileage will be returned as well.

Hey, why not get a job as a waiter someplace? Then every time somebody pays with cash you take the cash and put the check through on your credit card. You'd even be able to tip yourself if you wanted.

Refund is done cash (not voucher)but they are only certain ways to do this.

Can you elaborate more on your creative method?

One time, years ago, I had a refundable CO ticket. I took it to the airport to refund it and they gave me a DRAFT--basically the same as a check--which I took to the bank and deposited. Is this something they still do and can you request this as a refund of any refundable ticket?

Altough its not forbidden or illegal I don`t want to post it in public. Just ask your travel-agent to make a little special mistake when refunding the ticket. If he don`t come up with an idea you should contact another agent.

Series I Savings bonds are currently paying 5.92% (eff 1 May-in the past 12 months they were paying between 6.49 and 7.49%). Since I have to have some 'liquid' cash, I have chosen to keep it in savings bonds rather than CD's or moneymarkets. Anyway, while it is true that one 'could' earn only 2-3%, that would only be true if you cashed it in as soon as possible, which is six months. (You forfeit three months interest If you cash it in before five years). If you kept it one year, you'd get 4.44%. If you keep it two years you would get 5.18%. I buy one $500 bond every month - and I was lucky enough to get some when they were up around 7.49% - so my interest on those bonds (ik kept one year) will be 5.6%, a very competitive rate. Now when I need the money and cash one, I will simply cash in the oldest one. Even if I don't need the money, I think I may soon cash in the oldest one to buy another bond and get the miles. Don't forget they are exempt from State Income Tax.

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Sam Wymer

One loop-hole which I sometimes benefit from (not intentionally) is that I book a proportion of my travel through BA Travel Shops paying on a company credit card for which I receive the miles.

The BA travel shop issues any refunds as MCO's (Misc Charges Orders), which for ease of admin I pass to AMEX Travel to have credited to my Corporate Travel Account.

This way, I get miles for the purchase on the company credit card and miles on my BA ExecClub account for buying from a BA travel shop (irrespective of carrier), and the charges cancel each other out as far as company accounting goes.


However, if you did this purposely just to obtain miles, I think you would have to question your priorities in life!


Nick

Great thread... (and, I totally agree with Nick) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

This is actually a great idea, except for the tipping part of course.

Hmmm...Don't you think 10 charges a night at the same restaurant would trigger the CC company's computers to flag the account for fraud or something? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

RAD