Has anyone ever been allowed to "borrow" miles from an airline to top off an award requirement?

I'm 372 miles short of 80,000 miles on Delta. I need 372 more miles to POST by 11/16 so I can get an 80,000 Virgin UC award before the price goes up to 100,000 miles. I can't buy anymore miles this year (already bought 15,000 for myself and my friend bought me 30,000, max allowed per account -- those posted almost instantly.

Though I have a variety of unposted outstanding miles on Delta, as this month's statement is already out, they're not likely to post until after 11/16.

On the Delta forum I inquired how to best get 372 to POST quick. Someone suggested a quick flight (I checked, on days I can go the cheapest would cost me as much as another 15,000 miles after 1/1/04, plus hotel). Someone else suggested I get Delta to "lend" me the miles. I called, got an automaton type CSA, said she'd never heard of this, I need 372 more miles.

It's an interesting idea, though, to "borrow" miles you'll be due from the airline. Has anyone every had success doing such a thing on other airlines, or even on Delta (i.e., maybe I just got the wrong CSA?). It would be good to know, for future reference (I ran a couple searches, found nothing)

As for my Virgin UC award by 11/16, looks like I may just lose out. Next time I'll plan ahead better.

Can't you just stay at some cheap Hilton property for $49 and double-dip the 500 FF miles to Delta? I'm not sure how long those take to post, though...

It's the posting time I'm worried about, typically hotels post at the end of the month's statement (and I got my 11/1 Delta statement already)

Can't tell you about Delta, but I know for a fact that AA does it. I've read about it on AA forum some time ago, so I decided to test it. I was about 400 miles short for a 50K award, so I signed in to my account and went through the motions of claiming the award just to see if it would go through. It did . I did not finilize the award as this was just an experiment, but I assume it would finish if I chose to do it, because I also tried a 60K award, and it stopped me cold as soon as I asked for it.

Doesn't Delta participate in IDINE?

Hi,
Please try another agent or ask for a supervisor. I think American has "lent" us miles in the past. You are so close to the award requirement and it seems ridiculous that they would refuse you.
If Delta is connected to IDINE, those miles post very fast (less than a week). (My IDINE account is connected to AA).
Good luck. Please let forum know what happens.

Do you have an AmEx account with Membership Rewards or a Diner's Club Rewards points? Or perhaps an Starwood, Hyatt, Marriott, 6 Continents Priority Club, Radisson, Le Meridien, or Choice account? Or perhaps a Points.com account? With any of these, you could transfer points into Delta's program.

see: http://www.delta.com/skymiles/getmil...sfer/index.jsp

I also "borrowed" miles on UA 2 years ago, to get an upgrade before the seats disappeared. No problem.
Kate

MrsExecPlat - Delta does indeed participate with iDine.
see: http://www.delta.com/skymiles/getmil...ning/index.jsp

My vote is with iDINE. Although I have not hooked my iDINE to DL, the miles post to AA, US, UA with a week or so.

Just a thought --
Does DL give miles for booking on delta.com? And if they do, do the miles post at the time of booking or when the flight is taken? If at booking, book a refundable flight in the future, get the miles posted, then cance the ticket.

I think that would work, but I am not sure.

Good luck.




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Da DOK

I believe Delta iDine still posts MONTHLY. October charges would've worked OK, but too late now for mid-November posting.

Edited to add:

Delta's online booking bonus posts 10 days or so AFTER the flight credit posts. However, the flights themselves post just about as soon as the flight is officially closed; I have never, ever had a DL flight not post within 24 hours of takeoff. This is one area where Delta is way ahead of the rest.

[This message has been edited by Points Scrounger (edited 11-03-2003).]

Thanks Steve100 for the information about Idine and Delta.
There's one thing to watch out for with Idine. The participating restaurants that give you FF miles are not always the same restaurants that give you $$ back. I learned this the hard way! Ermdjdsj, if you choose to top off your Delta account with IDine, choose a restaurant from the Delta/Idine web site.
Good luck!!

If I read this correct you have miles you have earned but that have not posted to your account. If this is correct you should be able to have DL agent give you the updated balance (if they are flight credits) and then use them. You do not have to wait until the statement is mailed or posted.

Every M&M member who gained top tier status (Senator) has an 'Overdraft Credit' of 160.000 M&M miles.

While this doesn't exactly help you with delta, I will confirm that:

* As a gold member, AA has let me borrow miles in the past w/o any fuss.

* Even though as an elite (albeit a lowly silver), CO absolutely refused to let me go negative for <1000mi. I ended up having to buy those last miles for a stupid $32 bucks even though I already had (3) IAH-LAX flights "on the books and paid up" for the next month...

Yet another reason why Houston sucks.
-g