Q&A: Should I become a “miles and points broker”?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1733

Is there such a thing as a bad idea? Absolutely! And it’s not always your fault … the way you find good ideas is by having a lot of ideas.

Is this all a setup for a listener question that I might suggest is a bad idea? You are so smart.

This listener’s dad has an extra half a million Frequent Flyer miles sitting around. The surplus has got them both thinking: is there a way they can get paid matching discounted miles with budget flyers?

This is not actually a good idea! I’ll tell you why, and what might be better in my answer.

"My dad has more than half a million Frequent Flier miles that are just sitting in his account. In the past he’s used miles to book trips for family, but he still has plenty. I noticed that there are brokers that will buy his miles and then use them to book trips for strangers. How does this marketplace work? Can anyone sell their miles or points to a broker and make a profit, and how does someone learn to become one of these brokers? I looked through the archives but couldn't find an example of a story like this."

Listen to today's episode to learn more...

 

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SEE ALSO:

• Q&A: Is there a way to trade plane tickets for profit?: Today’s listener has a creative idea, but also some sky-high problems to solve. Is it possible to trade unused plane tickets between passengers with different names?
• "Cheap Plane Tickets" Site Becomes Million-Dollar Hustle: How a Washington, DC political analyst used research skills to help travelers save money while attracting 275,000 email subscribers and making more than $1M.
• WEEKLY RECAP: Plane Tickets, Punk Art, and Abe Lincoln: In our eighth weekly recap, we'll highlight the lessons learned in this week of Side Hustle School. Also: more listener Q&A!

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,