How can charities solicit miles?

Some airlines still seek charity partners. If you represent a charity and want to partner with a travel program, their application processes can be found here.

Many charities are not of sufficient national scope or interest to merit an airline partnership. You can still solicit your donor base for miles - just make it clear that the minimum amount a individual donates needs to be enough for an award ticket.

You can then raffle or auction off the award, or put it to the charity's own use.

Once you've determined the user, go back to the donor and have him or her book the ticket in the user's name. Most airlines do not allow miles to be randomly transferred, nor do they want award tickets going to anyone not specifically determined by the program member.

Here it is, step by step:

1. Apply for a partnership with a frequent flyer program
2. Inform your donor base that you are seeking award tickets
3. Secure pledges of enough miles from individual donors to get an award ticket (about 25,000 miles for a domestic round trip on most airlines)
4. Auction or raffle off the award for money, or determine your own use for the award
5. Determine the name of the recipient
6. Go back to the donor and have him or her arrange the ticket under the recipient's name
7. Provide the ticket to the recipient