ULPT Request: Using airlines rewards miles to get cash (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 month ago by PR3CiSiON@lemmy.world to c/unethicallifeprotips@lemmy.world

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I travel for work, and have accrued about $12k worth of airlines points. I don't really want to use them for personal travel, as I travel too much as is.

Would it be possible to:

Book a flight.
Get a receipt for the booking.
Cancel the flight within 24 hours for a full refund back to my card.
Book the same flight using points.
Use the receipt in my expenses to get reimbursed for cash.

Or is there something I'm missing? Do they have any contact with the airline to confirm the receipt is legit?

I almost don't even consider this unethical, as the company is paying the same as they would if I didn't use my points.

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[-] OwOarchist@pawb.social 1 points 1 month ago

When you redeem these rewards miles, does it have to be for you, personally, or can you use them to buy tickets for someone else?

If you can use them for others, then a simpler way to exchange them for cash might be to just offer it on some online marketplace that in exchange for cash, you'll get airline tickets for them. You get cash, they get their flight at a discounted rate.

this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2026

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