How to Transfer Airline Miles From One Airline to Another
Exchanging frequent flier miles is similar to exchanging cash between countries. There is an exchange rate, and not all miles will transfer in the conversion. If you have a small number of miles with an airline, it's possible to purchase other items, such as magazine subscriptions or travel gear, rather than losing a number of miles in the conversion. If you have a large number of miles with more than one airline, however, it is possible, though not always advisable, to transfer miles from one program to another.
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Instructions
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Register for an account with a program such as Points.com, Diners Club Rewards or Webflyer.com. These are third-party programs that can assist in the transfer of one airline's miles into another airline's program.
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Provide your current information. Enter the airline program in which you have miles, the program to which you would like to transfer them and the amount of miles you would like to transfer.
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View your options. Webflyer.com offers a mileage converter that tells you various avenues you can take. This might involve several steps, but can often provide you with the best conversion rate. Points.com will recommend ways to spend or transfer your miles, but not all airlines will allow for a direct transfer. Diners Club Rewards charges a fee to transfer miles, but generally takes only two steps to do the conversion.
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Verify the terms and conditions. You will most likely lose some miles in the process, and they often cannot be transferred back to the original program.
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Transfer your miles. Follow the instructions on the chosen website. Pay attention to transfer times. Not all transfers happen instantaneously, so not all miles will be available for immediate use.
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Tips & Warnings
See if the airlines with whom you have miles are partners. Many airlines belong to alliances, allowing you to earn frequent flier miles and use them within the alliance without penalty.
If you have miles on an airline that has merged with another, you may be able to merge your frequent flier accounts on those airlines without charge.
Not all airlines allow mileage swapping.
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