Accumulated frequent flier miles can be valuable assets, but what happens to those miles after somene dies? Can a spouse or other heirs inherit them, or do the miles simply evaporate like a contrail?
The answer to whether they can be inherited depends on the airline, but consumer experts say that even if the airline’s official policy is “no,” with a little perseverance the answer could still be “yes.”
“What you often find is that the formal policy, as found in their terms and conditions, says that frequent flier miles cannot be given away through wills, but when you call the customer service center you find out that yes, in fact they will allow that,” Tim Winship, editor of FrequentFlier.com, told The New York Times in 2012. “What you get is two very different versions of what they will and won’t do.”
For ecample, JetBlue’s official policy seems unambiguous and airtight: “14. Miscellaneous Provisions. 14.1 Points are non-transferable and may not be combined among TrueBlue Members, their estates, successors and assigns. Accrued Points and Award Travel do not constitute property of Member and are non-transferable (i) upon death, (ii) as part of a domestic relations matter, or (iii) otherwise.”
However, the website NerdWallet reported in January 2014 that when it called JetBlue’s customer service department, it was told that a beneficiary could inherit by supplying a death certificate and proof of beneficiary status.
Other airlines put their mixed message right in their official policy statement. American Airlines currently states that: “Neither accrued mileage, nor award tickets, nor status, nor upgrades are transferable by the member (i) upon death, (ii) as part of a domestic relations matter, or (iii) otherwise by operation of law. However, American Airlines, in its sole discretion, may credit accrued mileage to persons specifically identified in court approved divorce decrees and wills upon receipt of documentation satisfactory to American Airlines and upon payment of any applicable fees.” [emphasis added]
United is more succinct: “Accrued mileage and certificates do not constitute property of the member and are not transferable other than as authorized and/or sponsored by United.” [emphasis added]
In 2013, the website airfarewatchdog made five separate calls to United sales reps about inheriting MileagePlus accounts and reported that it “received a myriad of answers from a flat-out ‘no’ to a full-on ‘yes.’ It appears that some agents will allow you to transfer miles between the account of the deceased and a beneficiary.” But, as do many airlines, United charges a fee for transfers — in their case $150.
“It never hurts to ask,” advises The Points Guy. “Airline employees have shown themselves to be endearingly human when faced with a customer’s grief.”
This has been the case with Delta, which caused some turbulence among its customers a couple of years ago when it announced it was disallowing transfers of miles after death, an abrupt shift from its former policy of permitting them via an affidavit. Although miles are now officially forfeited upon death, when airfarwatchdog contacted Delta in 2013 “a phone agent admitted that Delta would not know of one’s death unless notified (hinting that the onus is on the family member to enforce this policy).” A year later, NerdWallet reportedthat “If you have access to the [SkyMiles] account in question, miles can be transferred for a processing fee and a fee per mile. WorldPerks accounts should have already been transferred, but if not can be transferred at no cost.”
If you know your deceased spouse’s or other relative’s frequent flier number and password, what’s to stop you from simply using the miles? That’s certainly possible, although misrepresenting yourself would violate mileage program rules. Moreover, you could easily have miles left over that are not sufficient for a ticket unless transferred to another account. You could also run into problems if you use a different credit card than the one linked to the deceased frequent flier’s account, or have a different address or last name.
“I make it a point not to recommend that my readers break program operators’ rules, even if they are rules I disagree with,”FrequentFlier.com’s Tim Winship writes. “So I will leave you with a question: Is it worth the risk of being discovered and losing the miles to avoid the hassle and, possibly, the expense of going through authorized channels?”
Your spouse or heir will probably have a better argument with the airline if you specify in your will who should inherit your miles or points. And, as The Points Guy points out, “If you’re in the unfortunate situation of knowing you’ll soon die, either use the heck out of those miles, or start transferring them now.”
Link supplied with permission by: ElderLawAnswers – 150 Chestnut Street
4th Floor, Box #15 – Providence, RI 02903 – 866-267-0947 via Hope Elder Law – 200 Dexter Avenue, Suite J | Watertown 02472 – Phone: (617) 926-8549 and from: https://www.elderlawanswers.com/
Captain’s final note:
Frequent Flyer Miles when you die–use them for your final flight –New England Burials At Sea accepts active frequent flyer miles for redemption towards a burial at sea program–ask for more info. OceanBurial@aol.com –put in the subject headline “miles for sea burial”
Cchgrj
order zyloprim online rosuvastatin where to buy brand crestor
Zbbraa
order ranitidine online order zantac 150mg for sale order celebrex sale
Ecthgo
buy buspirone 10mg pill buspar 10mg ca cordarone uk
Leuzxk
cost flomax 0.2mg order flomax pills buy zocor sale
Ylgtqf
generic motilium domperidone 10mg cost cost sumycin 250mg
JamesElurl
http://kamagra.icu/# buy Kamagra
Nfjkfx
spironolactone medication buy valtrex pills for sale finasteride usa
RichardnuddY
http://mexicanpharmacy.company/# mexican pharmacy mexicanpharmacy.company
Davidvom
best india pharmacy: buy medicines online in india – best india pharmacy indiapharmacy.pro
Brianscouh
northwest pharmacy canada: canadian pharmacy review – canadian pharmacy 1 internet online drugstore canadapharmacy.guru
Derekfluip
https://indiapharmacy.pro/# indian pharmacy indiapharmacy.pro
Pfmotd
letter editing essay writers online paperwriter
RobertZep
reputable mexican pharmacies online: mexico drug stores pharmacies – mexican rx online mexicanpharmacy.company
indian pharmacy online [url=http://indiapharmacy.pro/#]buy medicines online in india[/url] indian pharmacy online indiapharmacy.pro
Brianscouh
pharmacy website india: mail order pharmacy india – buy prescription drugs from india indiapharmacy.pro
RichardnuddY
https://mexicanpharmacy.company/# medication from mexico pharmacy mexicanpharmacy.company
Davidvom
mexico drug stores pharmacies: mexican drugstore online – pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa mexicanpharmacy.company
RobertZep
medicine in mexico pharmacies: mexican drugstore online – medicine in mexico pharmacies mexicanpharmacy.company
reputable mexican pharmacies online [url=http://mexicanpharmacy.company/#]purple pharmacy mexico price list[/url] buying prescription drugs in mexico mexicanpharmacy.company
Brianscouh
Online medicine order: top online pharmacy india – п»їlegitimate online pharmacies india indiapharmacy.pro
Derekfluip
https://indiapharmacy.pro/# india pharmacy indiapharmacy.pro
RobertZep
northwest pharmacy canada: canada pharmacy reviews – canada rx pharmacy world canadapharmacy.guru
indian pharmacy paypal [url=https://indiapharmacy.pro/#]best india pharmacy[/url] buy prescription drugs from india indiapharmacy.pro
Lwxhtf
order diflucan 200mg online buy fluconazole 200mg pill buy ciprofloxacin 500mg sale
Brianscouh
canadian pharmacy 24h com safe: precription drugs from canada – pet meds without vet prescription canada canadapharmacy.guru
Davidvom
buying prescription drugs in mexico: mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs – best online pharmacies in mexico mexicanpharmacy.company
Derekfluip
https://mexicanpharmacy.company/# mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa mexicanpharmacy.company
RobertZep
canadian pharmacy india: reputable indian pharmacies – buy medicines online in india indiapharmacy.pro
medication from mexico pharmacy [url=http://mexicanpharmacy.company/#]mexican pharmaceuticals online[/url] buying prescription drugs in mexico mexicanpharmacy.company
RichardnuddY
http://indiapharmacy.pro/# best india pharmacy indiapharmacy.pro
Nucxrw
aurogra 100mg usa buy yasmin tablets yasmin generic
Brianscouh
medicine in mexico pharmacies: п»їbest mexican online pharmacies – medicine in mexico pharmacies mexicanpharmacy.company
RobertZep
buying prescription drugs in mexico online: mexican mail order pharmacies – medication from mexico pharmacy mexicanpharmacy.company
world pharmacy india [url=http://indiapharmacy.pro/#]buy medicines online in india[/url] world pharmacy india indiapharmacy.pro
Davidvom
reliable canadian online pharmacy: adderall canadian pharmacy – canadian pharmacy 365 canadapharmacy.guru
Brianscouh
best online pharmacy india: best india pharmacy – Online medicine order indiapharmacy.pro
RobertZep
pharmacy rx world canada: cheapest pharmacy canada – canada drugs online canadapharmacy.guru
indian pharmacy [url=https://indiapharmacy.pro/#]indian pharmacy online[/url] indian pharmacy paypal indiapharmacy.pro
Derekfluip
https://mexicanpharmacy.company/# mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa mexicanpharmacy.company
RichardnuddY
http://canadapharmacy.guru/# reliable canadian online pharmacy canadapharmacy.guru
Rwmkpz
order flagyl 200mg pill how to buy flagyl keflex online buy
Derekfluip
http://canadapharmacy.guru/# is canadian pharmacy legit canadapharmacy.guru
RobertZep
mail order pharmacy india: п»їlegitimate online pharmacies india – indian pharmacies safe indiapharmacy.pro
online pharmacy india [url=https://indiapharmacy.pro/#]pharmacy website india[/url] top 10 online pharmacy in india indiapharmacy.pro
Brianscouh
my canadian pharmacy rx: canadian pharmacy phone number – canadian medications canadapharmacy.guru
Davidvom
mexico drug stores pharmacies: п»їbest mexican online pharmacies – purple pharmacy mexico price list mexicanpharmacy.company
Derekfluip
http://canadapharmacy.guru/# escrow pharmacy canada canadapharmacy.guru
RobertZep
buying from online mexican pharmacy: mexico drug stores pharmacies – buying prescription drugs in mexico online mexicanpharmacy.company
best online pharmacies in mexico [url=http://mexicanpharmacy.company/#]medication from mexico pharmacy[/url] buying prescription drugs in mexico mexicanpharmacy.company
Brianscouh
indian pharmacy: top 10 online pharmacy in india – indianpharmacy com indiapharmacy.pro
Bjldqq
lamictal 50mg drug minipress 1mg sale purchase mebendazole generic
RichardnuddY
http://indiapharmacy.pro/# online pharmacy india indiapharmacy.pro
Derekfluip
http://mexicanpharmacy.company/# mexican mail order pharmacies mexicanpharmacy.company
Davidvom
canadian pharmacy no scripts: onlinecanadianpharmacy – rate canadian pharmacies canadapharmacy.guru
RobertZep
canadian pharmacy phone number: canada pharmacy – online canadian pharmacy review canadapharmacy.guru
canadian pharmacy world [url=http://canadapharmacy.guru/#]legitimate canadian pharmacy online[/url] online canadian pharmacy canadapharmacy.guru
Brianscouh
top 10 online pharmacy in india: cheapest online pharmacy india – best online pharmacy india indiapharmacy.pro
Derekfluip
http://indiapharmacy.pro/# buy medicines online in india indiapharmacy.pro
Zgjzdt
cleocin 150mg cheap order cleocin 300mg generic where to buy otc ed pills