What are Frequent Flyer Miles?

Airlines reward their loyal customers with frequent flyer miles. These points can be redeemed for various services offered by the same airline company. These services may include an upgrade to first or business class, entry into the premium lounge, a discount on ticket fare, and more. ..

Why & How to Sell?

There are a few sites and brokers that deal exclusively in selling accumulated miles, but they are known as “mile brokers.” They charge a commission on every deal, so they can make a lot of money. These brokers can be found online as well as offline.

  1. You may want to use your miles to purchase travel experiences or tickets that you cannot get through traditional means.
  2. You may want to use your miles to upgrade your current travel experience.
  3. You may want to use your miles for other purposes such as rewards or discounts on future travel experiences.

You may have a large number of miles accumulated against your name. You need the money urgently. You value the monetary benefit against the services offered by the airline more than the miles themselves. Your miles might soon be expiring and lying unused. ..

Is selling frequent flyer miles prohibited?

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) The United States Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Rule 10b-5

Contract Law

The airline company has an implied contract with you that requires you to abide by all the rules and regulations of the airline company. If you do not, your transactions with the airline company are void under contract law.

Breach of Trust

The Miles allotted against your name are a benefit that is given to you. The airline company places trust in you not to misuse or abuse these. If you do, it can be actionable under contracts and specific relief, which could lead to consequences like damages, a fine, or a bar from using the airline.

Torts

Torts is the area of law that encompasses everything from wrongfully injuring someone to wrongful profits.

What can happen to you if you are caught selling?

-Denying future travel privileges -Refusing to refund miles -Reporting the matter to law enforcement ..

Your frequent flyer account with the airline might be closed for violating its terms of service. The airline might press charges against you in civil court for a civil wrong or tort. You might be punished with a hefty fine and court damages.

If the airline cannot prove that you sold your frequent flyer miles, they can still shut down your program without assigning a reason. ..

How you can use your frequent flyer miles instead?

  1. Use them to purchase travel tickets or airfare.
  2. Save them up for a future trip.
  3. Use them to help you save money on your next purchase.
  4. Invest in a travel plan that will allow you to use your miles for more than just travel purposes
  5. Use your miles to support a cause or organization you care about

You can return your airfare and donate the equivalent amount or more to a charity by returning them to the airline which will redeem them and donate the equivalent amount or more to a charity.

Conclusion: 

The Frequent Flyer Miles Program is a successful program run by big airline companies to build their customer base and retain their loyal customers. While some look forward to and closely hold dear their accumulated miles, others are at a loss regarding what to do with them and their miles remain unused and profiting airline companies. There exists a third set of customers who see great monetary benefit out of those miles and exchange them in the black market for cash instead. This is most definitely an actionable wrong, meaning that the airline can sue you for the action. However, as responsible citizens, we must check ourselves and hold accountable the part that we play in society. It is expected of us when we receive a reward- such as the Frequent Flyer Miles- to be ‘deserving’ of that award. ..