4 ms·
Frequent flyer miles (and hotel points) are a massive perk for traveling employees. Most consultants I know finance annual vacations completely on points. Every
by basseq 9y ago
Frequent flyer miles (and hotel points) are a massive perk for traveling employees. Most consultants I know finance annual vacations completely on points. Every once in a while, a big company will try to pocket the points for themselves, usually to great outcry--because it's akin to cutting benefits.
The corporate thinking is: "Points are a reward for buying travel. And I'm the one footing the bill." The employee thinking is: "Points are a reward for traveling. And I'm the one on the damn plane."
Personal perks on a corporate card are similar, and again, do the math of how many points you get by channeling $60-100k/yr worth of corporate travel expenses through a credit card.
- zild3d 9y agodon't most frequent flyer programs require the name on the ticket to match the rewards account? E.g. I can't buy my sister a flight, she flies it, and I get points for it.
- el_benhameen 9y agoThat hasn't been my experience. I buy my wife Southwest flights with my points all the time. It's been a while since I flew United, but I don't recall it being an issue there, either.
- sushid 9y agoI don't think that what OP is saying. He's saying you can't pay cash for your wife's flight and have those mileage points sent to your account.
- nisse72 9y agoIn Sweden, if you accumulate points while travelling on business but use them for personal flights, the tax department wants you to pay tax on the value of the benefit (likely: how much you would have paid without points). How they can know about it is another matter. I think at least the larger employers will ask that you keep separate work and private frequent flyer accounts for that purpose, and use your work points only for work flights. Oh how I miss the Swedish tax system...