Executive Travel : Charity Begins on the Ground

One act of charity that can make sense for a busy business traveler is to donate miles or points to some worthy cause. Instead of forcing yourself to take trips you may not really want to take anyway, the airlines give you a variety of donation options. Remember, since you probably didn’t report those miles as income, you can’t expect to deduct anything from your taxes when you give them away. Here are some of the options available.

American Airlines: Members can donate any number of miles to Miles for Kids in Need; however, 5,000-mile increments are preferred. Members may designate the General Fund, which donates to organizations like the Brass Ring Society and the National Children’s Cancer Society; the Starlight Foundation, which grants wishes for seriously ill children for travel to special places or to meet celebrities and athletes, or the Variety Club International Lifeline, which provides transportation for children who need medical treatment not available close to home. For every mile donated, American will match with three. Call (800) 882-8880.

Canadian Airlines: Members are encouraged to donate in 5,000-mile increments; however, donations of any amount are accepted. Request an award donation from the Children’s Wish Foundation, Mission Air Transportation Network, or the Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities of Canada. Call (800) 426-7007.

Continental Airlines: Donations to Give the Extra Mile should be in 5,000-mile increments, and members may designate the Brass Ring Society, the National MS Society, or Careforce, an all-volunteer organization providing free or reduced-rate transportation to persons facing medical or personal crises. Call (800) 525-0280.

Diners Club: Members may donate in 4,500-point increments to the National Park Foundation, Literacy Volunteers of America, or Second Harvest. Call (800) 234-4034 for further information.

Holiday Inn: Members may donate to Give Kids the World in 250-, 500-, or 1,000-point increments to send terminally ill children and their families to Disney World. Call (800) 272-9273.

Ramada Inn: Monetary donations go to Childreach, an organization providing life-saving assistance to desperately needy children and their families in the world’s poorest countries. Sponsors receive 10 frequent-stayer points for every dollar donated. Call Childreach at (800) 556-7918 for more information.

Northwest Airlines: Members may donate unexpired Fly-Write tickets of 10,000 miles to AirCares and Toys For Tots Foundation, 715 Broadway Street, P.O. Box 1947, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA 22134, or call (703) 640-9433. Donations in the amounts stated above receive 500 bonus miles.

TWA: Operated by TWA employees, Operation Liftoff accepts donations in increments of 10,000 miles through March 31, 1995. The donations help provide free air travel for sick children and their families. Travel could either be to a child’s dream destination, or an emergency flight to an appropriate medical facility. TWA will match your donation mile for mile, and it has already made an initial 500,000-mile donation. Call (800) 325-4815.

Source: Inside Flyer Magazine