Apologies if this is the wrong location for this, but here goes...

Our company officially has a policy of flying business for trans-oceanic flights, however we've been on a cost cutting binge so I've been flying coach and trying to upgrade with miles. Do any of your employers permit reimbursement for such mileage related upgrades and at what rates? Obviously its a good deal for the company in my case vs. a business ticket...

thanks!

I once did this and expensed the miles at the documented price it (would have) cost to replace the miles by buying them from Delta, under the assumption that I'd use my miles to save the company money and the company would buy the miles back for me. However, I proposed this arrangement well in advance to the person who would approve the charge. I'd never try something like this without getting approval in advance.

In the end I didn't use the reimbursement cash to replace the miles, but I think the "replacement value" is a fair and most importantly, documentable and defensible means of valuing the miles, so long as it saves the company money at that valuation.

More recently I've been using a lot of discount business fares, and it's usually impossible to save a lot (or even any) money over that option by using an upgradable Y fare plus FF miles at the "buyback" value.

I have "unofficial" policy that this is acceptable within reason, just for the co-pay but not to substitute the miles. I think its fair. All my miles comes from travel for the company anyways.

If the company policy permits it and you want to, go for it. But I'd never try it without first discussing the precise details with the people involved in approving the expense. I have heard of companies that will split/share the savings of folks ticketing in Y rather than C/J when permitted so it happens a fair amount, but I wouldn't buy a Y ticket, upgrade with my miles and bill for the C/J that I didn't take unless the company explicitly permits it. Otherwise you're committing fraud.

It is also worth noting that such a scheme may run afoul of the IRS if you are a US citizen and are not declaring the "bonus" money that you receive. A group of NBA officials got in a lot of trouble for such a scheme at one point a few years back.

I had a consulting gig once that was going to pay for a business-class USA-France round trip. I asked the client if it would be OK for me to buy an economy ticket, upgrade it with miles, and bill them for the J fare. They OK'd it, so I did. (As it happened, I only upgraded the return, since I knew the BOS-CDG flight would be nearly empty and I'd be able to get five across to lie down.)

That wasn't an employee reimbursement situation, but a similar approach might work there. I've read here of companies that let employees fly with miles, instead of having the company buy a ticket, and split what the travel would have cost. Not full reimbursement, but still a good value per mile if you're talking about international upgrades.

[QUOTE=Efrem;12668303]I had a consulting gig once that was going to pay for a business-class USA-France round trip. I asked the client if it would be OK for me to buy an economy ticket, upgrade it with miles, and bill them for the J fare. They OK'd it, so I did. (As it happened, I only upgraded the return, since I knew the BOS-CDG flight would be nearly empty and I'd be able to get five across to lie down.)
/QUOTE]

If I read this correctly, the idea was to buy an economy ticket but charge the client for a J ticket. Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but I don't see how that would be reasonable. If I were your client, I'd say no way, and I'd start taking a close look at any other expenses you submit.

More reasonable would be to charge the client for the Y ticket and the upgrade fee.

The client's travel policy permitted, and the client budgeted for, business class travel. This was done with the client's full knowledge and approval beforehand. I resent the implica.tion that I was in any way dishonest or that anything I did called for the client to scrutinize any of my other expenses. If we were having this discussion in person I would ask for, and expect, an immediate apology.

No offense intended. Your statement was simply "outside the box" of my experience.

Perhaps the assumptions are different in your industry or in your relationship with your client. My experience is that my clients expect me to present actual travel expenses, no more and no less.

Is this the norm?

I'm just shocked the client agreed. Not sayin' it wasn't above-board...