Reader mail: Can I cash in miles for magazines?
First time here? Check out the site's "greatest hits" or read a random post from the archives. Feel free to ask a question, and consider subscribing to the latest posts via RSS or e-mail. Thanks for visiting!
Reader Tyler, aka Dr. Vino, writes in:
One of my friends told me that he subscribes to the Financial Times using some orphan miles. Do you know the details? I couldn’t find anything on line about it.
Indeed, some U.S.-based airlines’ programs let you cash in miles for magazine or newspaper subscriptions. Some do it directly through their websites, usually through a relationship with Magazines for Miles. (NOTE: This link doesn’t let you buy any magazines, though it may appear to do so. But keep reading for links that DO work…)
Magazines for Miles doesn’t generate a lot of faith in their viability as a business, if you look closely at their website. They misspell “Hawaiian” in the airline of the same name, and they still list America West and US Airways as separate airlines. But the company is, in fact, legit.
The Magazines for Miles main site only offers a very limited number of magazines to choose from, but lets you pick one of several airlines’ miles to pay for the subscription: American, America West (now US Airways), Continental, Delta, Hawaiian, Midwest, Northwest, United, and US Airways.
Some airlines’ own websites have a wider selection of magazines — though the actual redemption is typically processed by the very same Magazines for Miles company. (The Financial Times subscription you asked for in the original question is available through Delta, Midwest, or Northwest.) Rates will vary between programs, though, so one magazine might cost more miles on one airline than another. If you have multiple orphaned-mile accounts, shop around.
Click for American, Continental, Delta, Hawaiian, Midwest, Northwest, and United (newspapers only on UA, though), and US Airways. AirTran, jetBlue, and Southwest don’t have a magazine option of any kind.
It used to be even easier, when a company called MilePoint ran a clearinghouse of sorts for converting miles to magazines. The really nice thing was that you could combine miles from multiple separate accounts to complete your order. MilePoint was bought by points.com, and that option has disappeared, alas.
If you’ve got some orphaned miles, this is a pretty good way to cash them in. And nothing says holiday cheer like unloading some miles onto your friends and relatives in the form of a magazine subscription.
UPDATE: Using miles for a Financial Times subscription is terrific value, by the way. A one-year subscription to the paper costs $99.00 on Amazon.com,
RSS Feed / Subscribe
Subscribe to Posts by Email
December 18th, 2006 at 11:59 am |
The Amtrak Guest Rewards program has taken a lot of richly deserved lumps in recent years — but note that it, too, has a magazine/newspaper redemption option. Fin. Times is 2,400 points for 1 year; also available are Barron’s, American Heritage, and a few other decent pubs in addition to the usual fluff. Not a bad way to burn Amtrak points if you can’t redeem for a retail gift card.
December 18th, 2006 at 5:17 pm |
Your link for Magazines for Miles doesn’t work. After selecting your magazines & airline program and hitting “Submit,” a notice comes up saying the website is experimental and cannot be used to order magazines.
December 18th, 2006 at 6:51 pm |
Thanks very much, Jumpcut. I’ve corrected the post. The other links (directly to airline websites) do work, though.
January 16th, 2007 at 10:41 am |
Just an update on my order: it apparently DOES take 8-10 weeks to fulfill some orders–even for dailies.
I ordered a 1 yr sub to the FT and the Economist. I have received my first Economist but alas no FT.
I called the FT sub dept and they referred me to Synapse Group who fulfills these orders. Check your status by calling 877-536-6414. Sadly, there is no human to speak with.
March 10th, 2007 at 9:07 am |
Not that anyone particularly cares about my personal miles-for-magazine saga, but in the event that this posting ever got sufficient pagerank to appear in a search for this topic, I thought I’d give an update.
I still have not received my FT. The phone tree “automated attendant” would not let me speak to a human until Feb 12, eight weeks after I placed the order. At that point I was only able to file a notice that my order had not been received. Ten days later a specialist at Synapse Group contacted me to let me know that indeed the FT had not received my subscription. She resubmit it. Now it’s another 8 -10 weeks til it starts…Sometimes I guess you DO get what you pay for…
March 10th, 2007 at 9:38 am |
Thanks for the update, Dr. V!
April 7th, 2007 at 4:08 pm |
[…] keep your account active. (Rules vary by program.) Don’t let this happen. At a minimum, get yourself some magazine subscriptions, rather than let the miles […]
June 3rd, 2007 at 5:58 pm |
[…] The lesson: No hoarding! So spend those miles, if you have them. If you don’t have enough for a trip, and want to burn through them, consider magazines. […]
August 8th, 2007 at 2:54 pm |
I have attempted to redeem AA miles for magazines, and met with nothing but frustration. Despite a direct link from the AA web page, the call center and customer service email claims I need a direct-mail offer code in order to place the order. I am escalating my complaint and will update
August 17th, 2007 at 4:12 pm |
i have had lots of problems with magazines for miles as well. i processed my order online, called to follow up, and they had no record of my order. despite the fact that i received confirmation emails! now they’re telling me that i need a promotional code. does someone have the code to share?! thanks.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:36 pm |
I have also experienced nothing but trouble from Magazines for Miles through AA. When signing up for a subscription I receive an error that my account has insufficient funds which is definitely not the case. Their call center claims that they cannot help with problems regarding their own website. However, if I had saved a direct mailing from them I could return that to redeem the miles. Since I no longer have their direct mailing they told me there it was not possible to actually order magazines from them.