Good Morning!
In keeping with our theme of frugal travel week, I’m doing a quick posting on a topic many people don’t think about: airline miles. Have you ever had a ton of airlines miles, but haven’t been sure about what to do with them?
Well, – it turns out that airline miles are a commodity like any other. This means you can sell them! If you’re interested in paying for your next vacation by converting miles to cash, there are a couple of things you can do:
1) Sell Your Miles Personally. A great way to do this would be go through something like craigslist or ebay. Usually the price for a 25,000 domestic voucher is $300-500. You’ll need to be sure about the transfer regulations and its important to be certain that the airline who is honoring your miles won’t hassle you for making the transfer. United has the worst reputation in this regard.
2) Go To a Broker. The main idea is that a broker can tell you how much your miles are worth and whats the best price for them. A good site seems to be awardtraveler.com. To note here, certain types of miles are worth more than others. For example, larger blocks of miles and miles applicable to first class upgrades and international flights seem to be more valuable. If you’re considering this option, you might want to take a word to the wise, some people heavily criticize coupon brokers as being dishonest and others note that this industry has declined in recent years. That said, its not a violation of criminal law to sell your miles, so its basically up to you.
Happy wheeling and dealing!
Best,
James
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