Frequent Flyer programs in jeopardy?
 

With all the problems in the airline industry, do you think we should cash in our FF miles, for fear they will be cancelled? I have miles on United, Frontier and Southwest. I usually keep them for long flights, or last-minute trips. I have almost 200,000 on United, which I save for overseas flights. Should I cash them in on upcoming flights?
:)>-

If you have points that can be used only with one airline (and can't be redeemed for other products, such as hotel stays or merchandise), then you might want to think about using some of them up. I'm not familiar with SW, but that looks like it might be the case (miles only redeemable for SW flights).

But keep in mind that a company that files for bankruptcy doesn't necessarily disappear. Bankruptcy can a protect a company that is trying to restructure and continue in business. Your points balance might be affected in the restructuring, but it's unlikely that it would evaporate altogether.

Southwest is very strong. United is not going anywhere soon (unfortunately). However, you should start looking for ways to spend down your Frontier points - they are okay for now, but they have been selling planes and such... Future is not very bright.

I try to spend them as soon as I get them. Whether the carriers are going bankrupt isn't the issue, it is that the miles are constantly losing their value - be it increased mileage rates or less reward availability or more restrictions or whatever.

I'm not suggesting wasting the miles, but I don't advocate hoarding them either. If you have trips where you can get 2 or 3 cents per mile, think hard about using them.

I like to spend mine before I get them (I usually have to "borrow" from Amex). I like to think of it as getting today's value out of tomorrow's mile ;)

There's no fixed formula. I "manage" my parent's CO accounts year-in year-out, and I have to balance things like:

- maintaining elite status, so have to buy enough tickets a year;

- keeping at least 50K miles for upgrade waitlist, so I can't run them too low;

- having 120K miles in case there's SaverPass businessclass award to Asia;

- comparing cost vs miles, trip by trip.

So, their balances go up and down. I'm comfortable if they're somewhere between 120K and 200K. Once it gets over 200K, I'll try harder to spend. And I try not to spend them too low.

It just depends.

I lost 200,000 when Ansett went under in Australia. There was no compensation, however we don't have Chapter 11 here.