Putting your airline miles to truly good use

Brighter day: South African Airways is among the airlines with mileage donation programs.

By Mark Chesnut

Business travelers often find themselves with more frequent flyer miles than they know what to do with. But with mileage donation programs, well-traveled road warriors can convert those hard-earned miles into real benefits for a wide range of non-profit organizations. Several airlines offer donation options.

Both American Airlines and Japan Airlines, for example, are currently offering a way for members of their frequent flyer programs to donate miles toward the relief efforts related to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. JAL has pledged 7,500 yen for every 7,500 miles donated by members of its JAL Mileage Bank program. And American Airlines is offering its AAdvantage members a one-time award of 250 miles for a minimum donation of $50 or 500 miles for a donation of $100 to the American Red Cross Japan and Pacific Tsunami Fund.

Across the Atlantic, SAS allows travelers to donate miles to Save the Children, choosing from specific contributions that include schoolbooks, desks and benches, backpacks filled with study materials and school access for one year. And at South African Airways members of the SAA Voyager  program can support Reach for a Dream, a non-profit organization that fulfills the dreams of children between the ages of three and 18 who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Members of the United Airlines Mileage Plus program may choose to donate miles to any of more than 30 organizations, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the National Cancer Prevention Fund and Special Olympics.

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Mark Chesnut is a travel writer, editor and publisher of LatinFlyerBlog.com, which focuses on travel to Latin America.

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