How to Use Airline Miles Without Traveling
If you have accumulated air points or miles, you can save them in the hope that at some point you will be able to redeem them for the flight, but if you do not see yourself boarding the plane soon, you can also see if there is is there any other way to redeem these miles.
Why? Because, as we noted earlier, there is no guarantee that the value of your points or miles will remain constant over time. Airlines are constantly updating their reward programs, and “earn and burn” is one of the best ways to maximize these rewards.
Plus, you can immediately turn your airline rewards into something you can use. As The Points Guy reminds us, it is still possible to use travel rewards for non-travel rewards, although some travel loyalty programs have temporarily suspended some of their redemption privileges , in particular by limiting the redemption of gift cards. (The Points Guy also reminds us that some airlines could go bankrupt as a result of the pandemic if you want another incentive to use your rewards while you still have them.)
Here’s what I discovered when I did a quick survey of the major airlines. I do not include redemption options for flights, hotels or vacation packages, which are still widely available; instead, I show you how to redeem miles in the comfort of your home.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Mileage miles can be redeemed for magazine subscriptions and charitable donations .
american airlines
US AAdvantage miles can be redeemed for newspaper subscriptions , LifeLock identity theft protection, and charitable donations .
Delta Air Lines
Delta SkyMiles can be redeemed for merchandise , magazine subscriptions, and charitable donations .
JetBlue
JetBlue TrueBlue Points can be redeemed for charitable donations .
Southwest Airlines
Although the Southwest Extra Rewards page is still running, when you try to redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards for a non-travel reward, you receive the following message:
Due to circumstances arising from COVID-19, we have temporarily suspended the ability to redeem points in the More Rewards program. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to resume normal operations soon. Thank you for your patience and mercy at this time.
United airlines
United MileagePlus Miles can be redeemed for merchandise , gift cards , online shopping and charitable donations .
If you have a non-airline travel credit card such as Chase Sapphire Preferred, you should have even more reward redemption options – and yes, I know your travel and airline rewards go down in value if you redeem them on things that are not t travel related. You can decide whether to use your rewards now, even at a slightly lower value, or keep them indefinitely.
You might also consider transferring your expenses to a cash-back bonus card – because if you’re going to stay at home for a while, you can also take advantage of a little extra cash.